21st SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST October 18, 2026
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Synod
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Mindy Kane, Karen Davis, 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.
Before Communing
Dear Savior, at your gracious invitation I come to your table to eat and drink your holy body and blood. Let me find favor in your eyes to receive this holy Sacrament in faith for the salvation of my soul and to the glory of your holy name; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
THE COMMON SERVICE
Beginning on Page 15 in the Hymnal.
HYMN (#618) “Before the Lord We Bow”
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: (Sung) Amen.
CONFESSION OF SINS
M: Beloved in the Lord: let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and
actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good.
For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity.
But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior
Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.
LORD, HAVE MERCY
C: (Sung) Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: (Sung) Amen.
PRAYER AND PRAISE
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.
GLORY BE TO GOD
C: (Sung) Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.
We praise you, we bless you, we worship you,
we glorify you, we give thanks to you, for your great glory,
O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world; receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father; have mercy on us.
For you only are holy; you only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high in the
glory of God the Father. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
M: Let us pray. O Lord our God, so govern the nations on earth and direct the affairs of this world so that your church may worship you in peace and joy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Daniel 1:3-21
3 The king told Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring some young Israelite men from the royal family or from the nobility. 4 He was to choose young men who had no blemish, who were good looking, who had insight into all kinds of wisdom, who possessed knowledge, understanding, and learning, and who were capable of serving in the king’s palace, in order to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them daily rations from the special royal food and from the king’s own wine. He ordered that they should be trained for three years. At the end of training they were to serve the king. 6 In this group of young men were the Judeans Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief of the officials gave them new names. He gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Hananiah the name Shadrak, Mishael the name Meshak, and Azariah the name Abednego. 8 Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the special food of the king or with the wine that he drank. So he sought permission from the chief official, so that he would not have to defile himself. 9 God made the chief of the officials favorable and sympathetic toward Daniel. 10 Then the chief of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink. Why should he see your faces looking less healthy than those of the other young men who are your age? You put my life at risk before the king.” 11 Daniel said to the superintendent whom the chief of the officials had placed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Tell them to give us only vegetables, and we will eat them and drink water. 13 Observe our appearance and the appearance of the young men who eat the special royal food. Then deal with your servants based on what you see.” 14 So he listened to what they said about this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days, their appearance was noticeably better than that of the others. They were healthier than any of the young men who had been eating the special royal food. 16 So the superintendent permanently took away the special royal food and the wine they were to drink and gave them only vegetables. 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and insight into all kinds of literature, as well as wisdom. In addition, Daniel also understood every kind of vision and dream. 18 At the end of the time which the king had set for them to be brought to him, the chief of the officials brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king spoke with them, and none of the others were found to be comparable to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they served the king. 20 In every matter concerning wisdom and understanding that the king sought from them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and spell casters in his entire kingdom. 21 So Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (Sung) Psalm 96 (page 102)
SECOND LESSON Romans 13:1-7
13 Everyone must submit to the governing authorities. For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God. 2 Therefore the one who rebels against the authority is opposing God’s institution, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to evil. Would you like to have no fear of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will receive praise from
him, 4 because he is God’s servant for your benefit. But if you do
wrong, be afraid, because he does not carry the sword without reason. He is God’s servant, a punisher to bring wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience. 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, because the authorities are God’s ministers, who are employed to do this very thing. 7 Pay what you owe to all of them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, and honor to whom honor is owed. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: Alleluia. In Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. Alleluia. (Colossians 2:10)
C: (Sung) Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
GOSPEL Matthew 22:15-22
After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings:
C: (Sung) Glory be to you, O Lord!
15 Then the Pharisees went out and plotted together how to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in accord with the truth. You are not concerned about gaining anyone’s approval because you are not swayed by appearances. 17 So tell us, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18 But Jesus knew their evil purpose and said, “Why are you testing me, hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.”
They brought him a denarius. 20 He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied to him. Then he said to them, “Therefore give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. Then they left him and went away. (EHV)
M: The Gospel of the Lord.
C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!
NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and became fully human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
BE SEATED
HYMN (#234) “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”
SERMON TEXT Matthew 22:15-22
SERMON THEME “Give to God What is God’s”
After the sermon, the congregation stands and sings:
C: (Sung) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right
spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit. Amen.
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
M: Lord God, our maker and preserver, we praise and thank you for all that you give us day after day.
C: We are not worthy of all the mercies you show us.
M: You have given us your precious Word to nourish our souls and to protect us from the temptations of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature.
C: We thank you for those who teach and preach your saving truth at this place and everywhere. Grant them a rich measure of patience, wisdom, and love.
M: Heavenly Father, we pray that you shield us from every kind of danger: sudden catastrophe, terrors of crime, and the pain of disease. Watch over those who travel by land, sea, and air. Keep our loved ones from whatever perils may threaten them.
C: Heal those who are sick, cheer those who are sad, calm those who are distressed, and comfort all who are old and infirm.
M: Bless our land, our people, and those who hold offices of high trust. Keep our government and schools upright and strong for the advancement of good citizenship and useful vocations, that we may enjoy your gifts of peace, security, and well-being.
C: Grant your blessing to every nation on earth. Where there are wars, may there be peace. Where there is hatred, let it be healed. Where there is poverty, danger, or disaster, come with your almighty power to help and restore.
Special prayers and intercessions may follow.
M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.
Silent prayer.
M: We bring these requests before you in the name of Jesus our Lord, and ask you to hear us. Take all that we have, our bodies and minds, our time and skills, our ministries and offerings, and use them to your glory.
C: We give ourselves to you that we may serve you in whatever way is pleasing in your sight. 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.
THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE
M: The Lord be with you.
C: (Sung) And also with you.
M: Lift up your hearts.
C: (Sung) We lift them up unto the Lord.
M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
C: (Sung) It is good and right so to do.
M: It is truly good and right that we should at all times and in all places give you thanks, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who promised that wherever two or three come together in his name, there he is with them to shepherd his flock till he comes again in glory. Therefore, with all the saints on earth and hosts of heaven, we praise your holy name and join their glorious song:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
C: (Sung) Holy, holy, holy Lord God of heavenly hosts:
heav’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he, blessed is he, blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,
which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
M: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C: (Sung) Amen
O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD
C: (Sung) O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world;
grant us your peace. Amen.
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION HYMN (#309) “Draw Near and Take” (#311) “Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness”
STAND
THANKSGIVING
SONG OF SIMEON
C: (Sung) Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.
M: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
C: (Sung) And his mercy endures forever.
M: We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us with this holy supper. We pray that through it you will strengthen our faith in you and increase our love for one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
M: 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 (#462) “Oh, that the Lord Would Guide My Ways”
21st SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST October 18, 2026
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Mindy Kane, Karen Davis, Church Telephone 763-682-4573
Lorraine Roush Email pastor@myimmanuel.org
THE SCHEDULE
Mon., Oct. 19 7:30 p.m., Church Council Meeting
Tues., Oct. 20 2 p.m., Tuesday Bible Study
6 p.m., Fishers at Julie G’s.
Wed., Oct. 21 6:30 p.m., Catechism Class
Sat., Oct. 24 Men of His Word Conference in Rochester
Next Sun., Oct. 25: Greeters: Paul Nowack
Shut-In Visitors for October: Betty McAlpine
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
FISHERS RESCHEDULED: Fishers Youth Group will be meeting on a new night—Tuesday, Oct. 20, 6 p.m. at Julie and Al Gutknecht’s to continue the fall decorating begun in August and September. The congregation is welcome to join the fun if you’d like to create some Fall/Thanksgiving decorations (men-women-kids). No technical skills required. No RSVP’s necessary but would help planning for supplies.
MEN OF HIS WORD CONFERENCE: The 2026 Men of His Word Conference, “Courage Under Fire,” will be on Oct. 24 at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. See the west bulletin board for details.
QUARTERLY VOTERS MEETING is scheduled to begin after the worship service on Oct. 25. Men over 18 years of age who are interested in becoming voting members are encouraged to contact Pastor Oehlke or a council member.
CEMETERY FALL CLEAN-UP: Please remove all flowers and other items from the cemetery by Oct. 31. Thank you.
THANK YOU: The LWMS plate offering taken the last two weeks totaled $357. Thank you to all who participated.
WISE PENNY LUNCH: The Wise Penny Thrift Shoppe’s Volunteer Appreciation Lunch & Annual Voter’s Meeting will be on Sun., Oct. 25, at West Lutheran High School (WLHS) in Plymouth. Check-in and tours of WLHS begin at 11:30 a.m. with a catered lunch at noon. See the flier on the west bulletin board for details.
FOOD SHELF: The most recent donations made to benefit the Buffalo Food Shelf totaled 15 pounds plus $45 in cash/checks. 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.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, Oct. 11 59
After Communion
Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for nourishing me in this sacrament with your body and blood. You have given me forgiveness, life, and salvation. Let me always remain in you as a branch remains in the vine. Send me out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen
