Of all the voices in the world calling you to be this or do that with your life, how will you discern God’s call? While God calls persons into full or part time ministry, biblically God’s call has less to do with the job you get paid for and everything to do with the kingdom impact you were born to have on the world. Living in response to God’s call involves trusting the Lord in the midst of the darkness and waiting for the light to dawn. But how are we to discern God’s light, as opposed to the light of our own desires or our need to please others?

Isaiah’s Vision

Consider the prophet Isaiah, whose call story is found in Isaiah Chapter 6. “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (v. 1). The mention of King Uzziah’s death tells us something about Isaiah’s state of mind. Israel prospered under Uzziah when he listened to the Lord, but he eventually ignored God’s commands, and died in isolation as a leper. And Isaiah had reason to be discouraged. The king was dead, a new inexperienced ruler was on the throne, the nation was drifting into idolatry (again), and their enemies were growing stronger. Where was God in all of this?

“Above him [the Lord] stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke” (v. 1-4).

God answered Isaiah’s question with a vision of heaven in which it became clear that while weak and sinful earthly rulers may die or be unseated, God reigns eternal. The angels proclaim His holiness, which extends throughout the world. The temple is shaken and filled with the smoke of God’s presence and power, echoing the pillar of cloud at Mt. Sinai, and the cloud of God’s glory that filled the temple (Exodus 13:21-22, 19:18 and I Kings 8:10-12).

Isaiah’s Reaction

In a time of uncertainty, God reveals Himself to Isaiah in His heavenly glory to confirm that He is King and reigns in heaven, regardless of what may be happening on earth. His sovereignty is never in question. This assurance is a prerequisite to hearing God’s call! And what is Isaiah’s reaction? ^“And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (v. 5).

Despite his intelligence, privilege, personal integrity and devout faith, Isaiah sees himself for who he really is, a sinful man among a sinful people. In the light of God’s glory, Isaiah’s sins and failings became evident… and damning. He was before God without a mediator, without any covering or sacrifice. And if the priests could only go into the holy of holies once a year, and only after making sacrifices for themselves and the people so they would not fall dead, there was no chance of survival for Isaiah, who was in God’s presence with zero preparation.

God’s Response

In response to this realization, the Lord acts. “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (v. 6-7). The altar was the place in the temple where the people’s sins were dealt with through animal sacrifice, foreshadowing the sacrifice of Jesus’ death on Calvary as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  The angel takes a burning coal to purify Isaiah’s lips, which were the source of his sins and the instrument of his impending ministry. As a result of the angel’s action, Isaiah’s guilt is removed, his sins are forgiven, the source of his fear is gone, and he is fit for service.

The Call to Ministry

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, “Here I am. Send me!” (v. 8). God revealed Himself to Isaiah for the purpose of preparing him for ministry. Prior to his cleansing, Isaiah heard only the angels proclaiming God’s holiness, and of course, the accusing voice of his own conscience. But now he can hear the voice of the Triune God speaking to the council of angels, asking, “Who will be the messenger to my people? Who will go for us?” And this time Isaiah answers without hesitation or reluctance, “Here Am I. Send me.” The assurance of God’s absolution and a clear conscience are evident in Isaiah’s desire to answer the call. And from his experience we can draw three conclusions.

1. Worship precedes service – humbly seeking the Lord in worship is the first step in determining the what, where, when, why, and how of God’s calling in a particular season of your life. In Scripture, God’s call sometimes came through a vision, dream, or some other supernatural phenomenon. But most experience an urging of the Holy Spirit to serve in a particular way or to use a particular gift of the Spirit for the common good.

2. Self-awareness precedes action – understanding one’s current condition and circumstances will clarify what you lack that God must provide before he can use you for his intended purpose.

3. Formation precedes confirmation – formation refers to the process of preparation one undergoes in order to carry out their ministry/calling. But formation is not the same as confirmation. Some think that if you have a Bible college or seminary degree or if you have a special skill in service or leadership, you automatically qualify for a particular ministry. But no one in the church is self-appointed. God always uses the Church to confirm a person to ministry after a time of formational preparation, whether lay or ordained.

I pray that in this season of life, as you seek the Lord, His call to you will become clear, as it did for Isaiah. And that you will respond as he did, “Here am I. send me!”

Pr. Jeff Morlock is on the staff of the North American Lutheran Church and is Director of Vocational Discernment for the North American Lutheran Seminary. He may be reached at
jmorlock@thenals.org

Here is a link to our You Tube channel.  In the top row you will find both our Video Book Reviews as well as our CORE Convictions Videos on various topics related to Biblical teaching, Lutheran theology, and Christian living.  You will find these videos in the order in which they were posted, beginning with the most recent.  In the second row you will find links to the Playlists for both sets of videos.  This month we want to feature a new Video Book Review.       

THE POWER OF HEALTHY LEADERSHIP

by James Hoefer

Many thanks to retired AALC pastor James Hoefer for his review of a book which he himself has written, “The Power of Healthy Leadership.”  Here is a link to his video. 

According to Pastor Hoefer, the central concept of the book is that we are in a leadership crisis today. Without proper grounding, self-appointed leaders are harming basic community building from the family to the nation. The thesis of this handbook is that healthy leaders have the hearts of stewards.  Properly understanding our unique Lutheran heritage releases incredible spiritual and relational power which in turn builds healthy followers.

More information about this book can be found in this issue of CORE Voice. 

In my Summer Letter from the Director I told in great detail the disturbing story of how Bishop Yehiel Curry of the ELCA’s Metropolitan Chicago Synod threatened, intimidated, bullied, and abused power in order to gain control of a CORE-friendly congregation that was doing its best to reach out to its bi-lingual and Spanish speaking neighborhood with the love of Jesus.  A link to that letter can be found here.  That bishop and synod council used chapter S13.24 in the Model Constitution for Synods as a way to move in and take over the congregation. 

I recently become aware of another situation where the synod council of another ELCA synod – Southwest California – used the same constitutional provision to seize the property of a congregation.  As a former ALC congregation, according to the ELCA constitution, Faith Lutheran Church of San Dimas, California should have had no problem keeping their property as they voted to disaffiliate from the ELCA and join another Lutheran church body.  But that synod council used chapter S13.24 of the Model Constitution for Synods, along with rejecting the legitimacy of LCMC as a recognized Lutheran church body, to claim to have the right to the congregation’s property.  My concern has only grown greater as I wonder whether these are two isolated incidents or is this a pattern – an intentional strategy – that we will see continue to unfold throughout the ELCA.

In part the relevant constitutional chapter reads as follows –

Six years ago Faith Lutheran Church in San Dimas, California, was a thriving congregation led by a very gifted, hardworking, faithful, committed, and orthodox pastor.  I would say he was one of the best.  After his retirement the congregation struggled as it had an extremely difficult time finding another pastor who would be appropriate for them.  Attendance and involvement dropped and the preschool had to close during the COVID pandemic.  Finally, after two years, they did find a pastor, but that pastor turned out to be a disaster.  Later they discovered that that pastor had embezzled funds from a former congregation.  (That information was shared as public information during the discussion at the synod assembly.)  Attendance dropped even further, many of the positions on the congregation council remained vacant, and the congregation had to request forbearance on the loan for their beautiful new sanctuary. 

Needing help with their situation, the congregation entered into a Synodical Administration arrangement with the synod.  This arrangement is described in S13.25. of the Model Constitution for Synods, which says, “This synod may temporarily assume administration of a congregation upon its request or with its concurrence.  Such synod administration shall continue only so long as necessary to complete the purposes for which it was requested by the congregation or until the congregation withdraws consent to continued administration.”  Three local ELCA pastors were assigned to the congregation to help them through their difficult times.

But the real turnaround for the congregation occurred when they invited a non-Lutheran new church start to begin meeting on their property.  With the presence of the other congregation and the dynamic, outreach-oriented leadership of the young, evangelical pastor, new energy came to the place.  The synod continued to be unable to provide the congregation with a suitable pastor to call – or even a supply pastor or an interim pastor that would be appropriate for them.  I understand from a former member of the executive committee of the synod council of that synod, that of the approximately one hundred congregations in that synod, forty-two of them are without a pastor.  Because the synod could not provide a pastor, the ELCA congregation asked the young, dynamic, energetic, outreach-oriented pastor of the new, non-Lutheran church start to provide them with pastoral care and leadership.  The non-Lutheran pastor would lead the ELCA congregation’s traditional, liturgical service at 9 AM and then the new church start’s contemporary service at 11 AM.  The ELCA synodical bishop, seeing how the Lord was blessing the ministry, agreed to the arrangement. 

The problem came when the congregation voted to disaffiliate from the ELCA and join LCMC (Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ).  As a former ALC congregation, they should have had no problem keeping their property.  But the synod council accused them of joining LCMC only as a way of getting out of the ELCA with the intent of then joining this non-Lutheran group.  The young, dynamic, energetic, outreach-oriented, evangelical pastor of the non-Lutheran church start offered to take courses in Lutheran theology so that he would be better equipped to provide pastoral care and leadership for the Lutheran congregation, and he was also mentored by a retired ELCA pastor, but that was not sufficient.  The synod council said that the congregation can leave the ELCA, the congregation and the non-Lutheran new church start can rent the church building from the ELCA, but the congregation must surrender the deed to the property to the synod.  The congregation appealed the decision to the synod assembly which is how I became aware.  The appeal was decisively denied. 

During the discussion at the synod assembly it was revealed that after the congregation voted to disaffiliate from the ELCA, the synod council changed their relationship with the congregation from Synodical Administration (S13.25), which is voluntary and temporary, to Synodical Preservation (S13.24), which is involuntary and permanent.  (It is interesting that the president of the congregation said that they did not know that the synod had taken that action and changed the terms of the relationship until six months after the change had been made.)

The synod council used chapter S13.24 of the synod’s constitution to argue that demanding the deed to the property was something they needed to do and had the right to do in order to “protect and preserve the congregation’s property from waste and deterioration.”  But the congregation’s property was not in danger of “waste and deterioration.”  Energy had returned, attendance was up, the preschool had reopened, the congregation was able to resume payments on the loan, and people were again involved in ministry and willing to serve in positions of leadership.  The synod misused this provision in the constitution because they did not like the fact that the congregation was moving in a different direction – and in a direction which was working out better for them.  In fact, a pastor who is a member of the executive committee of the synod council argued in front of the assembly that the synod needed to invoke S13.24 and seize the property in order to keep the property “from deterioration into a non-ELCA entity.” 

The synod council also argued that LCMC was not really a valid church body, so in joining LCMC the congregation had not met constitutional requirements in order to be able to keep their property.  For me one of the most alarming parts of the discussion was when Synodical Bishop Brenda Bos said in her initial presentation that LCMC is “a very, very loosely affiliated Lutheran denomination” and then suggested that “LCMC may have been created for exactly this constitutional clause so that congregations that do not want to be Lutheran anymore can go into that system and keep their property.”  During the discussion the member of the executive committee mentioned above quoted from the LCMC website which says, “We’re not a denomination, we’re a movement” and then said about LCMC, “They are imposters.”  (It makes me wonder how often the same line of argument has been used or will be used against other former ALC congregations that will vote to leave the ELCA and join LCMC.) 

As I watched and listened to the discussion in the You Tube recording of the second day of the synod assembly, there were two images that came to mind.  The first is the old proverb, “If the camel once gets his nose in the tent, his whole body will soon follow.”  Once the congregation invited the synod to come in and administer the congregation (under S13.25), it was very easy for the synod to remain, take over, and seize the property (under S13.24).

The second are the words near the beginning of the book of Exodus – “Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8).  Bishop Bos of the Southwest California Synod obviously did not know – nor did she bother to find out about – the actual issues that led to the formation of LCMC.  It was not to give churches who did not want to be Lutheran anymore a chance to get out of the ELCA and keep their property.  Rather the precipitating event was the ELCA’s approving the Called to Common Mission agreement with the Episcopal Church.  In that agreement a certain structure – the Episcopal version of the Historic Episcopate – became mandated.  The founders of LCMC argued – on the basis of Article Seven of the Augsburg Confession – that “the Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.”  Therefore, no particular human, governmental structure is necessary in order for the church to be the church.  LCMC was formed in 2001.  Since then the organization has grown to be an international movement of around one thousand congregations, including around eight hundred congregations here in the United States.  Many of those congregations are former ALC congregations who voted to disaffiliate from the ELCA and kept their property as they then affiliated with LCMC.  Precedence strongly supports former ALC congregations’ being able to leave the ELCA, join LCMC, and not have any problem keeping their property.  As time passes more and more synodical bishops and other ELCA leaders are not going to have been a part of the issues and struggles that led to the formation of LCMC and the NALC.  They are simply not going to be aware of them, let alone understand and appreciate them. 

But a third thing that completely floored me was when Bishop Bos, at the end of her presentation, called upon the assembly to “deeply consider the legacy of the Lutherans that came before.”  During the discussion leading up to the vote which denied the congregation’s appeal, the argument was made that for over sixty years faithful Lutherans had been working and giving to start and support a Lutheran presence and ministry in the city of San Dimas.  Therefore, the assembly should not break trust with six decades of faithful Lutherans and allow a schismatic group to now take the property and give it to a non-Lutheran ministry.  I was absolutely astounded hearing this line of argument.  I realize that the young, dynamic, energetic, outreach-oriented, evangelical pastor of the new church start does not have a sacramental view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, but I truly believe that his view of the Scriptures, moral values, and the mission of the church is far closer to that of the founders of that congregation than the ELCA is today.  And since when does the ELCA care about not breaking trust with faithful Lutherans of the past? 

The 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is approaching, when voting members will consider a plan to reconstitute the church, review the 2009 human sexuality social statement, and possibly (probably?) eliminate the provision for bound conscience.   Bound conscience is the language that the 2009 human sexuality social statement uses to declare that a variety of views on same sex relationships – including traditional views – do exist within the ELCA and will be viewed as valid, and those who hold them will be treated with honor and respect.  I assume the ELCA knows that there may well be another wave of congregations wanting to leave the ELCA, so are they taking steps now to make it as difficult as possible for congregations to leave with their properties?  As congregations continue to decline and congregational, synodical, and churchwide income continues to drop, will the ELCA grab as many properties as possible and make it as difficult as they can for congregations (even former ALC congregations) to leave with their property?  Please let me know if you know of other examples of this dynamic. 

One final thought.  The August 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly overwhelmingly approved a Land Back Memorial, in which they supported a resolution which called upon the ELCA to “support creative programs of restorative justice in partnership with Indigenous people, including, but not limited to, whenever considering a transfer or sale of real property, including returning land (and any structures built on it) after satisfying any financial obligations, to the appropriate Native nations, and when direct return is not feasible or not desired by the Indigenous people, to return the proceeds from the sale of the land to the ELCA Native American Ministry Fund or other local Indigenous led ministries or organizations.”  Will the Southwest California Synod, in order to not be complicit in something that they are so concerned about – the stealing of land from Indigenous people – follow through with and make good their concern and give the newly acquired property – or the value of that property – to Indigenous people? 

When I think of Baltimore, I often think of my early childhood home with a large magnolia tree in the front yard and a tall, hemlock pine in the back, where my siblings and I used to climb and play amongst the branches to our hearts content. I think of the cookies my sisters and I would sell in the neighborhood without supervision, pulling our bright red Flyer wagon full of a variety of cookies behind us. I was only 6 when we moved away, but I remember, even then, after being robbed multiple times and my brother being held up with a gun when he was 10 for his bike, that I felt fear.

It wasn’t until I was older that I began to hear negative statistics about Baltimore and I came to see my siblings’ and my childhood experiences there in a new light. Amidst all the negative media coverage, it’s easy to believe that Baltimore continues in a downward spiral and there isn’t much hope.

This year, from the first day of City Mission, I had the phrase “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon” on my heart. As an athlete, I’ve always preferred sprinting over distance running and that’s true in other aspects of my life as well. The Lord has taught me a lot of patience through the years and, through seasons of burn out, He’s taught me to pace myself more and rely on Him instead of trying to make change happen all on my own. So when this impression came to my heart, I didn’t question it. Looking back now, it feels like a gift from the Holy Spirit because He knew how much I needed that reminder.

I’ll be honest…It felt heavy seeing a woman come through a food pantry with her face apparently beaten and her eyes red and to watch as they called a volunteer over because she couldn’t walk through by herself. Then overhearing another volunteer reminding her “I’m only a phone call away, okay? One phone call and we can get you out of there.” It feels heavy when you walk into a tent city, hidden from the road, and see kids running around, documented or not, with people passed out on the ground (you hope it’s not worse than that) and you learn that some of these individuals used to be businessmen and women, lawyers, police officers, etc. – people who hadn’t spent all of their lives at the bottom. It feels heavy knowing that a stone’s throw from one of the churches we partner with is the sex trafficking hub of the city. It feels heavy when a woman graduates from a recovery program and dies after running into someone she once did drugs with; one last hit and she was gone… just as she was beginning to rebuild her life.

One evening someone in the group shared that these churches, ministries, and organizations that we partner with in Baltimore are like “Pockets of Hope.” It felt like the perfect description. That’s truly what these places are.

Because of these “Pockets of Hope,” we also experienced joy and immense encouragement, not just heaviness. We got to see how much good happens on a daily basis to help people in need, some desperately so. One of these places, after operating solely as a food pantry for a while, decided to expand and offer a deeper level of care through education, job resources, clothing distribution and more. We toured a large warehouse that is going to be an additional extension of their non-profit organization. It is so exciting to see their vision for the future and to think of how many lives will be touched there.

It’s a joy working together to be the hands and feet of Christ. Going out as a team and partnering with those who are already aware of needs in the city and who are actively giving of their time and resources is both encouraging and helpful to us as we try to make the most of our time there. These “Pockets of Hope” are essential to the mission there. Without them, not only would we become discouraged and overwhelmed, we would be in over our heads. It’s in these places that we’re given a tangible reminder that God truly is at work—whether we see it or not. We’re not there to fix everything, we’re not there to jump in and take over. We’re there to walk alongside, to plant seeds, to water seeds, to give a word of encouragement, a smile, or a hug.

The phrase I mentioned earlier, “it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon” served as a subtle reminder to me to let go and free my heart from the burden of expectation of wanting to see certain results and change happen, in order to embrace being a part of what God is doing right in front of me. I really felt free to do that.

As I’ve continued to think about this phrase, I’ve realized how much it really applies to all of life and ministry as a whole. If we’re in this for the long haul, pacing ourselves and living out our callings through the work of the Holy Spirit within us, is essential. Our hearts were never meant to carry the burdens of the whole world. Many of us are often weighed down from the burden of too much news from all over the world, to the point where our discouragement becomes immobilization and we end up doing nothing. It’s just too much.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” My prayer is that we would take this to heart. When we give those burdens to God, we free ourselves up to be a vessel for good instead of being so consumed with worry and anxiety that we can’t be effective at all. When we leave it in God’s hands, it frees us up to allow His love, joy, hope, peace and other fruits of the spirit to take up residence in our hearts and flow out from there. That is such an essential part of being the hands and feet of Christ because those are the things that point others to Christ – the fruit of His spirit within us.

We go, we speak, we care for others and act as His hands and feet, we love, we encourage, we speak the truth… and then we need to let God do the work of the heart. The Holy Spirit changes hearts, not us.

It is such an honor to partner with these “Pockets of Hope” in Baltimore – from recovery programs, to food distribution centers and churches in the heart of Baltimore that are out there every day reaching out to the lost. We are so encouraged and excited by what God is doing in this city and are blessed to be a part of it, even in a small way.

Mother Teresa once said, “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted, uncared for and deserted by everybody. The greatest evil is the lack of love and charity, the terrible indifference toward one’s neighbor who lives at the roadside, assaulted by exploitation, corruption, poverty and disease.” Her response to that? “Do small things with great love.”

That “small thing” is significant and may have a bigger impact than you or I could ever imagine.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to do infinitely more than we might ask or think.” -Ephesians 3:20

Images were provided by Teresa Dubyoski.

“And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne” (Revelation 12:5).

Did this not already happen?  Is this not our Savior Jesus?  Yes, this book is filled with mystery, for it describes metaphorically what God has done, is doing, and will do.  The Holy One has come, it is God in the flesh, and He calls you to Himself.  Come then and worship the Lord.  Know that He is Good and His mercy endures forever.  His rule is unyielding and will not wander from goodness and truth as many worldly nations and rulers do.

Lord, there is much that I do not understand.  You do not expect me to.  Help me to live humbly in my circumstances and walk as You would have me walk.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may now and always dwell in the goodness of Your grace and mercy.  You have come from the heart of God, for You are the sacred heart.  You and the Father are One.  Lead me to join with You forever.

Lord Jesus, I cannot begin to imagine what You have gone through for my sake.  You have come that I may have life and have it abundantly.  But You have also said that I will suffer because I follow You.  Lead me in the way I should live.  I am often confused and perplexed, but You are always good and merciful.  Lord, rule me and help me to live  willingly and joyously even under the sufferings I may experience.

“And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child” (Revelation 12:4).

Is this not the story of Herod and Mary?  Herod, the illegitimate pretender on the throne, kills the babies in Bethlehem.  But God’s will cannot be thwarted.  The Son of God came and lived a life of constant battle with the wicked one.  We have reaped the benefit of hope for life eternal through the grace Christ gives us.  How then shall we live?  Shall we just be Sunday morning Christians or those who seek to be like Christ.

Lord, You know the times and seasons.  They come and go, but You are raising for Yourself a people who will be Yours forever.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that I have hope in You.  You are the hope of the world.  Your true justice shall prevail and the world, once it passes away and is replaced with a new heaven and earth, shall be the place that fulfills the hope within the hearts of those who believe.

Lord, I know very little, but I know that my spirit has been made alive in You.  Ever since my spiritual quickening, the wicked one has sought to kill me.  I am enticed to live for pleasure and for what little else this life can give.  Guide me away from such nonsense.  I may now enjoy moments, but life in You is forever.  Guide me in the way of everlasting life and prepare me to dwell in the place You promise.  Amen.

“Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems” (Revelation 12:3).

Throughout history and in many cultures (and religions) the dragon is seen as a great adversary.  It is a symbol of great power.  A great power shall arise to contend against God.  Are we not living in a time where there is more worldly power than ever before?  We have the power to destroy ourselves.  But what is this power other than using what belongs to God for our own ends.  All authority and power belong to God.

Lord, no matter what happens, You are still Sovereign.  Let me never forget this simple fact lest I be carried away by the events of this world.  In the end, it will be Your will that is done.  I am emotional and become riled at contemporary events.  Take my eyes and place them firmly upon You knowing that all things are in Your hands.  You are the One whose will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Lord Jesus, You have taught us to keep our eyes upon You.  Help me now and always to not lose sight of this simple teaching.  What will happen around me will happen.  You know the outcome before it ever hits my awareness.  My hope is in You, Lord.  At least, that is what I desire that it should be.  Keep me in the arms of Your grace and mercy now and forever so that I may walk in the faith You have given me.  Amen.

September 3: 14^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 17; Labor Day weekend)

Jeremiah 15:15-21(Jeremiah laments; God promises strength, deliverance

if he speaks what is precious)

Psalm 26 (I have lived with integrity; do not sweep me away with sinners)

Romans 12:9-21 (Live in harmony, respect, and mutual forbearance; vengeance is God’s)

Matthew 16:21-28 (Get behind me, Satan! Take up cross and follow me;

what does it profit to gain world, lose soul?

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Peter! Last week we thanked you for his witness. Today we thank you – not that he stumbled, but that Jesus rebuked, loved, and forgave him. Lord, we know you will rebuke us when we are a stumbling block and unwitting agent of Satan. Give us grace to repent and humbly take up our cross again, following Jesus alone.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Grant that your Church never be a hindrance to your Son nor a stumbling-block to those whom he came to save. Center its life and proclamation in the Cross of Jesus. Make it follow wherever Jesus leads, even unto death. Use the Church to draw many hearts to repentant faith in Christ. Through it, overcome the world’s evil with your great good.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

We pray for our sisters and brothers in Christ whose cross-bearing is the reality of their lives. Let them not be overcome by evil. Keep them steadfast in their faith. Help us to speak in their defense, pray on their behalf, and provide for their needs.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Help this congregation to live out the words of Saint Paul: Let our love be genuine. Make us abhor evil but hold fast to the good. Teach us to love and honor each other. Let us serve you fervently. Make us joyous in hope, patient in tribulation, and constant in prayer. Give us grace to be generous and hospitable, and to bless even our persecutors. Help us to rejoice with the joyful and to weep with the mourners. Teach us to live in harmony, and to not be wise in our own sight. Give us grace to repay no one evil for evil. Let us do what is honorable; and, so far as it depends on us, to live peaceably with all. And grant that we are not overcome by evil, but that in Christ, we overcome evil with good.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Keep in your care victims of violence and injustice, especially when evil has been done to them in the name of religion. Stir us up to give them aid and comfort, for you are glorified by deeds of mercy, hospitality, and peace, not acts of violence or hatred. Deliver them from the hands of the wicked.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Give integrity, wisdom, and humility to those who have power and authority over communities, corporations, and nations. Help them to do what is honorable, just, and generous.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Give everyone the will and the opportunity to work, and give our society the generosity to assist those who cannot. Especially we ask you to strengthen and help entrepreneurs, small business owners, and all employees. Help us to value their contribution to our common welfare. Guide us in finding ways to help them prosper, for the good of all.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Deal mercifully with all whose lives are shadowed by suffering, sorrow, or any kind of adversity. This day we pray for: {List}. Have pity on them and redeem them. Turn their sorrow into gladness and their pain into shouts of thanksgiving. Give them wise and compassionate caregivers, and reunite them with all who love them.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Father, receive our beloved dead into your house with many rooms. Help us to love each other with true affection; to live peaceably and honorably; and above all, to cling to Jesus and his Cross. Lead us into your promised Kingdom, which you have prepared for all whom you deliver from sin and death. And there let us bless you and live together in your peace forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

August 27: 13^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 16)

Isaiah 51:1-6 (Listen for God’s teaching, wait for his deliverance)

Psalm 138 (God is faithful; he listens to the lowly)

Romans 11:33-12:8 (The depth and riches of God’s wisdom! Present your bodies

as living sacrifice to him)

            (ELW, Romans 12:1-8, Present your body as a living sacrifice to God;

do not be conformed to this world, but transformed by renewal of your mind)

Matthew 16:13-20 (Peter’s confession; on this rock I will build my Church)

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Peter! He was so very human, and yet you gave him faith to confess Jesus as your Son and Messiah. As you used him, please use us, too, to do your work of forgiving, confessing, and proclaiming Jesus as Lord to the world.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Establish the Church upon the solid rock of Christ, and on the faithful witness of your apostles. Make the Church truly the one body of Christ upon this earth. Do not let the gates of hell prevail against its faithful proclamation and teaching. By your Holy Spirit, make it wise, gracious, and steadfast in rightly forgiving and retaining sin. Use it to bring many to faith in Jesus their Savior.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Keep safe your servants who are persecuted for naming Jesus as Christ and God. Visit them with your righteousness and draw near with your salvation. Let our words and deeds never tarnish their witness. We also pray for missionaries, seminarians, and theologians entrusted with proclaiming your word.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Conform this congregation to your good, acceptable, and perfect will. Help us to not think too highly of ourselves, but with sober judgment to use our talents according to the grace you have given each of us. Build up the body of your beloved Son among us through sound preaching and teaching, generous giving, cheerful service, and loving kindness.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless all those who have instructed and shaped our faith – parents, grandparents, pastors, Sunday School teachers, and everyone whose love for Jesus shines brightly in word and deed. Thank you for the saints whose confession of Jesus as Lord has been a blessing to others, and has formed the unseen foundation of our own faith. Use us to encourage, instruct and guide others in lives of discipleship and service, to your glory and for the building up of your people.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Teach the world’s rulers listen to you, the giver of justice and the author of salvation. Conform their decisions and deeds to your righteous will, so that they care for the lowly and give hope to all who cry out to you. Heal the divisions that fracture families, communities, and nations; and help us to live at peace with our neighbors.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Bless all who risk their lives to protect, defend, and rescue others. Give them valor, loyalty, wisdom, and competence. Help them to act according to your will and for the benefit of your people. Heal their wounds; reunite them swiftly with loved ones; and crown their labors with the blessing of your peace.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Graciously answer the prayers of all who call upon you for help, including: {List}. Keep them safe in the midst of suffering and sorrow. Increase their strength and faith. Let them see the light of your salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Gracious Father, your love endures forever. In your mercy, draw near and make good your purpose for us. Keep us steadfast in faith, bold in witness, generous in sharing, cheerful in helping, gentle in exhorting, frequent in forgiving, and constant in thankfulness to you, our rock, and our salvation. Lead us into presence of Christ our Lord. Give to us, and to all whom he has redeemed, eternal joy and gladness; thanksgiving and the voice of song.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

August 20: 12^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15)

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (My house shall be a house of prayer for all peoples)

Psalm 67 (God judges the nations with equity and guides all the people of earth)

Romans 11:1-2a, 13-15, 28-32 (God’s election of Jews irrevocable; he will show mercy!)

Matthew 15:21-28 (Healing of Syro-Phoenecian woman’s daughter)

Let us pray for the church, the world, and all people according to their need.

A brief silence is kept.

Dear Father, we are so slow to see others as your beloved children! Soften our hearts to lead people different from ourselves into Jesus’ presence. Help us to discover that at the foot of his Cross, we truly are sisters and brothers.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Fashion your Church into your house of prayer upon the earth. By your Holy Spirit, show it how to rightly welcome all people into its midst.  Through your Word and holy Sacraments, draw many close to your beloved Son. Let them receive his promised mercy, forgiveness, healing, and salvation.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

There are many who refuse your mercy, reject your Son, and persecute your servants. Forgive them and soften their hearts. Strengthen Christians who suffer because of Jesus, to witness to him with humility, boldness, and steadfast endurance.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Make this congregation a house of prayer. Fashion us into people of prayer. Transform our ministries into expressions of prayer, offered to you on behalf of our neighbors and our world. Help us to welcome fellow sinners. Give us grace to walk with them on the lifelong journey of repentance and obedient faith.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

O God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we pray for our elder brothers and sisters in the faith, your people Israel. Grant to the Jews lively faith in you, fervent love for others, and joyful obedience to your holy Word. Let us, together with them, receive your promised mercy, which was entrusted to Abraham, and was ratified in the death and resurrection of his offspring and yours, Jesus of Nazareth.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Forgive and heal the hatred and violence that destroy peace, justice, and goodwill. Teach our rulers diligently seek the good of everyone entrusted to their care. Increase understanding, cooperation, and kindness between those of different backgrounds or beliefs. Teach us all to look beyond those things which divide, and to cling to your merciful will to heal and save all who will receive you.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

As the school year starts, we pray for students, parents, teachers, and aides. Let them teach, learn, and share all useful knowledge, and cherish truth, wisdom, and righteousness. Bless seminaries and Christian colleges and schools with faithfulness to Jesus, love of neighbor, and the practice of virtue.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Jesus showed that your mercy and salvation are for all who call upon your name. Thus we are bold to pray for all who suffer – including: {List}. Be gracious to them, and bless them. Show them the light of your countenance. Draw them, and all who care for them, closer to your Son. Bestow upon them the joy of your saving help.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Thank you, dear Father, for giving your fullest healing to the faithful departed. We commend them into your care, especially those dearest to us. Keep us united with them and with each other, by uniting us all with Jesus, and filling us with your Spirit. Grant us the unmatched joy of life in your house – not as pet dogs under the table; nor as strangers or as guests; but as your children, at home with you forever.

Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.

Hear our prayer, O Father, and grant all that glorifies you and builds up your people. This we ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.