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We will start 9:00 church services at Grace Church on Sunday, May 31st.  **Look under INFORMATION above for directions.  Our summer schedule will start on June 7th.  This means starting on June 7th, there will be church services on Sundays at 9:00 AM with a repeat on Monday evenings at 7:00 PM.  For the time being, we will continue to stream the 9:00 am Sunday service on Facebook.  

GRACE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH   

2720 – 26th Street South   La Crosse , WI   54601

  Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod      

  www.gracelacrosse.org

Pastor Jonathan E. Rimmert – (Home) 788-7978  (Office) 608-788-6262                                Our Organist: Mrs. Susan Siegler  

Mt. Calvary-Grace Lutheran Elementary School Teachers

       Dana Gramarossa - 385-0796                                     Rachael Thompson – 451-1445                           Vicky Gates – 784-0668

    Luther High School    1501 Wilson Street, Onalaska   783-5435

 

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PENTECOST   May 31, 2020                    

We speak a message of wisdom among the mature,

but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age,

who are coming to nothing.  No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom. 

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OUR PRAYER:

 Holy Spirit, God and Lord, come to us this joyful day with your sevenfold gift of grace.  Rekindle in our hearts the holy fire of your love that in a true and living faith we may tell abroad the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Father, one God, now and forever. 

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NUMBERS FROM LAST WEEK:          

Attendance: 05-24) 9:00 – 05       

       Loose: $0.00  General Fund: $4,725.00     

       Refrigerator Fund: $10.00*            

*Includes a Memorial for Ellen Bluske from Ron & Audrey Helstad

 

The Order of Service: Morning Praise – p. 45 in Christian Worship
 

Hymn 176: Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord!
http://www.clcgracelutheranchurch.org/hymns/tlh/tlh224.htm
 

 

Old Testament Reading: Joel 2:28, 29

Joel prophesies the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost heralding the dawn of the New Testament church.  This outpouring will show itself in visions and dreams granted by God, but especially in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ by young and old, men and women, and all to whom the Spirit is given. 

We sing Psalm 51b on p. 87 in Christian Worship
 

Second Reading: Acts 2:1-21

In fulfillment of Jesus’ promise and Joel’s prophecy the Holy Spirit comes upon the apostles and disciples in Jerusalem on Pentecost.  Boldly and with a miraculous gift of language the apostles preach the wonderful works of God in Christ Jesus to the crowd that assembles to hear and see what is happening.  Peter, speaking for all the apostles, preaches a bold sermon of repentance and faith in Jesus.
 

The Gospel Reading: John 16:5-11

On the night of his betrayal the Lord Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to his disciples.  The Spirit will come for their consolation and empowerment, and to the judgment of unbelief that rejects the Son.

Hymn 181: Come, Oh, Come, Life-Giving Spirit
https://hymnary.org/hymn/CWLH1993/181

 

The Sermon:  1 Corinthians 2:6-16

THE HOLY SPIRIT – OUR TEACHER OF HEAVENLY WISDOM

I.  He understands it

                                                                                          II.  He reveals it to us

Hymn 186: O Spirit Of Life, O Spirit Of God
https://hymnary.org/hymn/CWLH1993/186

Hymn 182:  Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling
https://hymnary.org/text/holy_spirit_ever_dwelling_in_the_holiest
 

 

Copies of today’s sermon are on the round narthex table.    

 

We sincerely welcome everyone to our in-person worship service once again.  Please continue to practice social distancing before and after the service.  After the service, you will be ushered out from the back to the front.  Please be patient as we work together to keep each other safe.  Feel free to use your mask in the service.
 

During this “safe at home” time, three of our members were called to their eternal rest: Beverly Valentine on April 9, Isabelle Stigen on April 12, and Ellen Bluske on May 19.  We pray that the Lord would comfort their families with the joy of the resurrection to eternal life.   


 


Words of Encouragement from Pastor Rimmert
 

    We have a great encouragement for a firm faith – Hebrews 12:1-2
 
    The inspired writer of Hebrews reminds us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses to faith.  In the eleventh chapter of this letter he unfolds an inspiring list of Old Testament examples of triumphant, enduring faith, pointing to the faith of men like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David.
 
    Throughout the New Testament era, including the present times, there has been quite an expansion of this impressive cloud of witnesses to their faith.  All these believers who persevered to the end are witnesses to faith in that they all direct our attention to the blessed prize that they received in their persevering faith, namely eternal salvation.
 
As we think about the goal that they reached in faith, the heavy crosses that they bore and the bitter temptations that they overcame begin to appear as nothing more than of light and short duration.  Even though we cannot see these witnesses or communicate with them, we know that they live in the presence of the Lord.  By that fact they encourage us to cling to our Savior in spite of the crosses and temptations that face us.
 
The current covid-19 pandemic has laid a heavy burden on some and brought new concerns for many.  But one thing that has not changed is the love that our heavenly Father continues to have for all of his children.  It is that knowledge that can keep us calm in the world that seems to be so caught up in this current turmoil.
 
The author of our faith is a faithful Lord.  He is “the same yesterday, and today and forever.”  Having begun the good work of faith in us He will, according to his gracious promise, also sustain and preserve it working through the Holy Spirit in his word.  Through the Gospel in word and sacrament, through the joy in God’s grace that it brings, through the glorious hope that it sets before us, through the thankful love that it inspires, he will give us continuous strength to overcome every temptation from within and from outside.  With his almighty power he promises to check the devil and the world that they may not tempt us beyond what we can bear.  To run our race of faith let us always look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.  Do not be dismayed our God is with us in the good times and in the bad times. 

 

May the Lord bless you and keep you in his care.      
Pastor Rimmert


 


Welcome to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church (WELS)  
What a blessing to be a part of Grace! By this statement, we mean more than just being a member of our congregation here in La Crosse. That, in itself, is a special blessing from the Lord. But there is much more to it. To be a part of God's grace is the greatest blessing of all because it means that God has showered us with his undeserved love. That love is evident in the fact that he has called us to be his children and the heirs of everlasting life.
God, in his love, sent his one and only son into the world to suffer and die for the sins of the world. But death could not hold the Prince of life. Jesus showed his power over death by rising from the dead. Jesus also ascended into heaven where he sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Everyday we see reminders of God's amazing grace in our own lives. The Lord continues to forgive us all our sins, and he continues to shower us with so many blessings. Being a part of God's grace gives us every reason to give our thanks to the Lord for all that he continues to do for us. Never forget what Grace is all about, and pray that the Lord will keep you ever firm in his word.


We welcome you to come for a visit, hear the Lord's Word and enjoy some Christian fellowship. 

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