MISSION FESTIVAL September 13, 2026
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Synod
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Karen Davis, Mindy Kane, Church Telephone 763-682-4573
Lorraine Roush Email pastor@myimmanuel.org
WELCOME, VISITORS: We are glad you could be with us and we welcome you back any time. Please sign our “Welcome” card found in the pew holders or sign the guest book in the narthex/entry.
Prayer Before Worship
O Lord, my creator, redeemer and comforter, as I come to worship you in spirit and in truth, I humbly pray that you would open my heart to the preaching of your Word so that I may repent of my sins, believe in Jesus Christ as my only Savior and grow in grace and holiness. Hear me for the sake of His name. Amen.
Order of Service
HYMN (#572) “Send Forth, O Lord, to Every Place”
STAND
INVOCATION
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
LITANY: The Opening Litany (Isaiah 60:1-6)
M: Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord
rises upon you.
C: See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness
is over the peoples,
M: But the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
C: Nations will come to your light
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
M: Lift up your eyes and look about you:
C: Your sons come from afar
and your daughters are carried on the arm.
M: Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian
and Ephah.
C: And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION (Psalm 51:1-4, 1 Peter 2:9-10)
M: Trusting in the mercy of God, let us confess our sins.
C: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion,
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight.
M: You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of
him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of
God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have
received mercy. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: Let us pray: Almighty God, you have committed to your Church
the task of making disciples of all nations. Enlighten with your
wisdom those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in
the knowledge of your truth, they may worship and serve you
from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
BE SEATED
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 12:1-6
12 In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me. 2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” (NIV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 96 (page 102)
SECOND LESSON 1 Peter 2:4-10
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message —which is also what they were destined for. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (NIV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
HYMN (#575) “How Shall They Hear the Word of God”
STAND
GOSPEL Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (NIV)
HYMN OF THE DAY (#576) “Spread, Oh, Spread the Mighty Word”
SERMON
STAND
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
BE SEATED
HYMN (#778 S) “How Shall They Hear, Who Have Not Heard”
THANKSGIVING
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
M: Dear Father in heaven, with your gift of a Savior you restored
hope for our fallen world and brought glory to your name. We
thank you for the good news that you have reconciled the world
to yourself through your Son.
C: Be with us as you give us opportunities to proclaim your
glorious name of salvation in Jesus Christ our Savior.
M: O Jesus, Lamb of God, we praise you for offering yourself as the
atoning sacrifice for the sins of all. On the cross you declared the
sacrifice for sins completed. At the open tomb, you assured the
world that sinners are reconciled to God.
C: Be with us as you have promised, so that we may be bold and
confident witnesses to our family members and friends.
M: Holy Spirit, blessed Counselor, use your Word of Truth and
power to break down the barriers to our witness, including fallen
mankind’s natural hatred for God and Satan’s wicked work
among us.
C: Empower us by your gospel, and encourage us to be faithful,
fervent witnesses to the people among whom we live and
work.
M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.
Silent Prayer
M: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, send us by the power of your Word
into the mission fields beyond the walls of our church. Give us
hearing ears and seeing eyes that seize the opportunities you set
before us to be your witnesses.
C: Guide us, strengthen us, and bless us as we declare Christ to
our world. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
C: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
PRAYER
M: Almighty God, grant to your Church the Holy Spirit and the
wisdom that comes down from above. Let nothing hinder your
Word from being freely proclaimed to the joy and edifying of Christ’s holy people, so that we may serve you in steadfast faith and confess your name as long as we live, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one
another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
C: (Sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.
HYMN (#559) “Lord of the Living Harvest”
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”
(Matthew 28:19)
MISSION FESTIVAL September 13, 2026
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
THE SCHEDULE
Tues., Sept. 15 Tuesday Bible Study-CANCELED
6:30 p.m., Ladies Fellowship
Wed., Sept. 16 6:30 p.m., Catechism Class
Thurs., Sept. 17 6 p.m., Fishers Youth Group
Next Sun., Sept. 20: Greeters: Kane Family
Shut-In Visitors for September: Lucy Bechtold,
Lorraine Roush and Karen Davis
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
MISSION FESTIVAL: Thank you to Rev. Larry Schlomer, WELS Administrator for World Missions, for sharing God’s word with us this morning. After our service this morning he will speak about our synod’s world missions. The service and presentation will be followed by our grilled pork chop luncheon with potluck sides and desserts.
SUNDAY SCHOOL/CATECHISM/ADULT BIBLE STUDY: Sunday School and Adult Bible Study will begin on Sept. 20 with the first Catechism Class at 6:30 p.m. on the Wednesday before, Sept. 16.
HELP WANTED: The Wise Penny Thrift Shoppe has an immediate opening for a paid part-time store cashier for up to 15 hours per week. Duties include cashiering, providing exceptional customer service, and assisting in pricing donated items. A full job description and application is available at www.thewisepenny.com/aboutus.html. For more information, please contact Brittany McFadden, Wise Penny store manager, at (763) 682-4178 or wisepennythrift@outlook.com. See details on the poster on the west bulletin board.
FISHERS: September Fishers will be continuing our fall decorating/ eating on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m. at the home of Julie Gutknecht.
FOOD SHELF: The most recent donations made to benefit the Buffalo Food Shelf totaled 47 pounds plus $20 in cash and $632 check (Endowment Fund allocation). Silver-labeled buckets are located in the coat racks in both the upper and lower narthex for this on-going service project with deliveries made monthly.
CRADLE ROLL: Immanuel’s Cradle Roll program provides materials connecting new families and infants with spiritual support from birth through the start of Sunday School. Emily Kleist has graciously handled these mailings for a number of years but we are now looking for a new volunteer to do so. If you have a spare few minutes each month to do this, please contact Emily or Julie Gutknecht.
MEN OF HIS WORD CONFERENCE: Registration is open for the 2026 Men-of-His-Word Conference, “Courage Under Fire,” on Oct. 24 at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. Men-of-His-Word exists to equip Christian men to take a leadership role within their family, congregation and community, while providing opportunities and resources for men to grow spiritually. See the west bulletin board for details.
MEN’s RETREAT: The 18th annual Men’s Retreat at Camp Croix in Wisconsin will be Sept. 18-20. This year’s theme is “Here I Stand: Lutherans find their voice in Christian apologetics (defense).” This presentation will be led by well-known speaker Professor Mark Paustian. See blue/black poster with registration information on the west bulletin board or at mensretreat.org.
AT-HOME-in-the-WORD CONFERENCE: God teaches us to pass on His truths to the next generation, but parents often feel uncertain about how to incorporate faith into daily home life. Whether you are raising toddlers or teenagers, or are first-time parents or grandparents, please join Redeeming Grace Lutheran Church on Saturday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for a morning of practical tips to help you confidently engage your children in the Christian faith. See more information on the west bulletin including their QR code for this free conference. Childcare will be provided.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, Sept. 6 52
FOR THE LORD’S WORK: Sept. 6: General Fund-$2,054, West-$60, Salem-$16, Fishers-$5. Mission-$325. (Missions YTD-$14,652).
