This Week at Mt. Olive

Good morning, fellow redeemed!

Last night we had a great discussion about mission in the Church Council meeting, but it isn't what many would think. We didn't talk about being missional or evangelism projects or anything like that.

Instead, we talked about the mission of the Church that's being carried out in...Africa.

In Africa, there is a hunger for the Word of God. A few weeks ago, I was blessed to hear Pastor James May of Lutherans in Africa speak about the work he and the organization he serves do in Africa. Spanning through twenty countries, Lutherans in Africa takes the basics of Christian doctrine (the Catechism, the Bible, the Hymnal) to teach and train native pastors and evangelists.

Wouldn't it be great to be part of something like that? Wouldn't it be a blessing for us here at Mt. Olive to participate in such a great mission?

We will! Here's how. According to Pastor May, the cost to attend a teaching seminar in Africa is about $150. That's travel, materials, etc. Notice, I'm not asking for door offerings or anything like that. I'm asking for three quarters.

A soda from the machine in our Fellowship Hall costs seventy-five cents ($ .75), or three quarters. For the next several weeks, I'm going to provide a "Skip a Soda" bottle in the sanctuary. I'm not asking for door offerings or anything like that. I'm asking for three quarters. Drop three quarters into the bottle each week. Let's try this for a month and see how long it takes us to sponsor one person. When this goes well, and I believe it will, I'll leave it out for another month. Three quarters - by my calculations, that's 200 sodas.

Skip a Soda - bring three quarters (or as many as you like, for that matter). Let's be part of this great endeavor in Africa!

Here is Lutherans in Africa's website: lutheransinafrica.com. Search for them on Facebook.

Here's a video that might interest you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGW6d7JUWlQ

Finally, please pray for Lutherans in Africa as they proclaim the Gospel of Christ.

God bless!

Pastor Kevin Jennings

Rev. Franke's Theme Thoughts

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 15 August 19, 2012

Lessons for Proper 15

Proverbs 9:1–10 ~ A wise person learns of sin from the Law of God and turns to the gift of God’s Grace.

Or Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 ~ Joshua charged the people to serve God alone and forsake false gods.

Psalm 34:12–22 (antiphon: v. 11)

Ephesians 5:6–21 ~ In Christ, God has called us to live in the light of His love by the power of the Spirit.

John 6:51–69 ~ Jesus’ word promises us life in place of death through the gift of His body and blood.

GATHERING THE TEXTS: Without a Doubt

God calls us to a banquet prepared by his wisdom: "Come, leave your simple ways and walk in the way of understanding." Wouldn't it be wonderful to have all the answers to our complex life? God offers the answers to everything that matters: St. Paul wrote "Understand the Lord's will so you can live wisely in this wicked world." Jesus offers us the food of eternal life, his body and blood. We (BB&B)can have it, no questions asked, without a doubt!

PRAYER BEFORE THE SERVICE: O Holy Spirit, I have often used my time unwisely and sometimes embraced ways that are contrary to your will. Help me eat and drink fully at your banquet of grace through Jesus, my Savior, so that I will be able to live by the wisdom of God's righteousness. Amen.

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT: It is a wise person who can take criticism constructively, especially in spiritual and in financial matters. Perhaps that is because the way we use material blessings reflects how we appreciate God’s spiritual gifts.

OFFERING PRAYER: When we feed on You, Lord, it is a gracious thing –

Holy Body broken and precious Blood of life.

Gracious, too, Your doing, to take these gifts we bring,

Blessing them for healing a world torn up by strife. Amen.

CONVICTION AND COMFORT: If it is a matter of sophistication, then our problem is that we are offended by the simple invitation to “Come, eat and drink; walk in the way of insight.” Presented with a clear choice, as the people of Joshua’s day were, we would be reasonable to choose life over death. But if it is a matter of light and darkness, then we can do nothing better than to hear the call of the Spirit, be awakened from our slumber of spiritual death, eat the Bread of life, and live forever

Thus Says the LORD: Amend Your Ways and Your Deeds!

Jeremiah 7:1-11

It is important to be in the Lord’s house on the Lord’s Day. It so important that it’s one of the Ten Commandments: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Luther’s Small Catechism explains it this way: “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and his Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.”

God wants us to be in worship and Bible study on the Lord’s Day to receive Christ’s gifts of forgiveness and the strengthening of the Spirit. But as I always remind our confirmation students, it’s not just our presence that God wants-- but our thoughtful worship. Hearing God’s Word means taking it to heart. Learning God’s Word means putting it into practice in our lives.

I am so thankful to God for everyone present here today-but we ought to be aware that the devil and our flesh can misuse this sacred time in God’s house by turning it into an outward act that has no real connection to our lives in the week to come-- because we do not take to heart what we hear or put it into practice in our lives.

That’s what happened to the people in Jeremiah’s day. They kept the outward form of worship but they never let it change their lives. They still did, and said, the right “religious” things. But God’s word had absolutely no influence on their lives—they went on living in unbelief just like they had before- with no improvement of life.

God intends for his words of law and gospel to change us—to deepen our faith and influence our decisions and to lead us in his ways. Our lives ought to be different in this new week because of what we have heard today from God today. The Bible says:

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord.

When we come into the Lord’s house, what we ought to expect to hear—what we ought to demand to hear --is the Word of the Lord! Not a stringed-together series of amusing anecdotes. Not what the pastor thinks about politics or current events. Not some self-help pep talk. But we ought to hear God’s word of law that condemns our sin and his word of gospel that forgives our sins in Jesus.

God has given to pastors what he wants preached-- and that is his written Word-- and you should not listen to any man who comes in the name of the Lord bringing anything else other than God’s Word. BUT-- when the Word of God is preached-- you ought to receive it for what it is: nothing less than the Lord’s Word to you.

When you walk into this place for worship you ought to have an expectancy that the one true and living God of the universe has something that he wants you to know—that he wants to change the way you live and deepen your faith in Jesus and guide your life by his Spirit. He certainly wanted that for the people of Jeremiah’s day.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place.

These words were spoken by God through Jeremiah at a particularly dark moment in Judah’s history as the temporal judgment of God was about to befall them. But even in that late hour-- it was not too late. There was still time for them to hear the Lord and take his words to heart and put them into action in their lives before they were carried off into exile.

Specifically, God wanted them to amend their ways and deeds. In other words, change how they were living—renew their faith in him—and commit to doing things differently in the future. God wants the same for us.

And so let me just ask you in all honesty, when was the last time you heard something in church or in Bible study and you said to yourself, “You know, I’m wrong in this. I’ve done the wrong thing. I’ve said the wrong thing. This part of my life isn’t right”. And you told the Lord you were sorry and asked for his forgiveness.

But you left the Lord’s house and did not do one concrete thing to change the situation or make it right-- and your life was not one bit different than it was before? Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds!

In other words: be reconciled to that person you are at odds with! Stop petting those pet sins! Change the way you treat the people in your marriage and family and church! Amend your ways and your deeds while there is still an opportunity and do not think for an instance that merely being present in the Lord’s house is a substitute for a living faith and a changed life. Jeremiah told the people of that day and us too:

Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’

So what did Jeremiah mean by this, that these were deceptive words? After all, they WERE in the temple of the Lord! How could they be deceived about that? What he meant was that the people were deceiving themselves with these words, thinking that they promised something that they didn’t.

About 150 years before, the northern kingdom experienced the judgment of God at the hands of the Assyrians. They suffered God’s righteous wrath for all the years they had worshipped false gods in pagan places when the true temple and the true worship of the true God was in Jerusalem.

When Jeremiah spoke these words, the people of Judah were still worshiping in the temple. They were still offering up the sacrifices. They were still going through the motions of worship. Outwardly, it looked like things were fine.

But when Jeremiah came to them with God’s Word, warning them of judgment to come, calling them to amend their lives before it was too late—they turned a deaf ear to what God had to say and went on as before, denying that they even needed a savior.

You see, alongside of Jeremiah there were false prophets who told them they had nothing to be afraid of—that Jeremiah was just a fear-monger—the God would never think about letting anything happen to his temple-- and so long as they were saying the right words and doing the right things in worship-- they had nothing to fear.

But they were deceived-and there is no deception as dangerous to our souls as a religious deception-- for it blinds us to the truth about ourselves and the truth about God!

We have a beautiful sanctuary. The creeds and confessions of our church are faithful and true. We have worship services that are dignified and God-glorifying.

But they have a purpose beyond this time and place of worship: that you would repent of your sins and trust in Jesus and amend your ways and your deeds.

And if you tell yourself that it is plenty good enough that you have come to church—that God ought to be satisfied with your standing and sitting and bowing—you are in a particularly dangerous place spiritually because what God really wants is to change your life beyond this hour—for time and eternity. The Bible says:

“If you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own harm, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.

When we are truly sorry for our sins- and when we truly believe in Jesus -our lives will be different. Not perfect—but better. Not without sin—but always hating sin and desiring to be done with it. Striving to love God and man as the law demands.

Our faith in Jesus is not some set of theological propositions we try to keep straight in our heads—it has an impact on every facet of our lives—on our life with others and on our life with God. And so what does that mean for you this week?

Amendment of your ways and your deeds means that, when it comes to your life with others, you will make a real, concrete effort to do what you know is right from God’s Word. Anger and lust and coveting and gossiping will be taken to the cross and left behind, washed away in the blood of Jesus.

Amendment of life means that, when it comes to our relationship with God, we will make a real effort this week to be faithful in our prayers and bible-reading—that we will turn aside from occasions for sin and walk by the Spirit. It means that we will stop misusing God’s name and stop worrying--that we will rest in the forgiveness of Christ.

When it comes to amending our ways and our deeds we must resist the temptation so say: it’s too late to change now. It’s not! No more than it was for the Israelites.

This is a day of God’s grace—a day that he has given for us to hear that Jesus forgives us and that the Spirit will help us—that so long as we are living and breathing God will keep his promise to bless us and forgive us and change our lives for time and eternity. Sadly, the people of Jeremiah’s day refused God’s salvation and turned a deaf ear to his call for repentance. He told them:

“Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the Lord.

They did the very opposite of what God asked of them. They mistreated their fellow man and they abandoned the Lord for false gods. The regarded the Lord’s house as a lucky rabbit’s foot that would keep them safe-- rather than the place to hear the voice of God calling them to heartfelt repentance and faith. The way they lived- and the way they worshipped- revealed that they really had no faith at all.

They were going through the motions of worship—but God saw directly into their hearts. The temple that had been set apart for the worship of the true God (to hear his voice and receive his forgiveness) had become a den of robbers—not because God was not present there with his gifts of forgiveness-- but because the people had no faith to recognize him there.

This place too—this sanctuary at 10^th and Doddridge-- is set apart for the worship of the true God—to hear his Word and receive the forgiveness that Jesus Christ won for us on the cross—to be renewed in the power of the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacrament so that we can amend our lives. God is here with the gracious gifts of forgiveness and life he gives in Jesus Christ.

What about us? We must not think that we are magically immune from sins and failures of God’s ancient people --for we are not. We need the deliverance from sin and death God has given in Jesus just like they did-- and God’s call through the prophet to amend our ways and our deeds is spoken to us too!

And so I pray that, as we hear and learn God’s Word this Lord’s Day, we would take it to heart and put it into practice in our lives. Amen.

Trinity 10 General Prayer

Lord God heavenly Father, we call to You in prayer, confident that Your hear our voice and will not hide from our pleas for mercy:

You have invited us to cast our burdens upon You with the promise that You will sustain us. And so Lord we ask Your blessing upon those who are ill and hungry and homeless, that their needs would be met. We pray especially for Cheryl and Anna that they would be strengthened as they recover from injury and illness and Thomas as he undergoes testing. We ask You to comfort those who mourn. Especially do we pray for all who mourn the passing of Betty Marie. Assure them that she rests in Your presence. Watch over all expectant mothers and grant them safe deliveries and healthy children.

We cannot help but look with fear and trembling upon our sins. Sorrow overwhelms us when see how often we have failed to walk in Your ways. We call to You in heartfelt repentance, asking for Your forgiveness, knowing that You have saved us at the cost of Your Son’s lifeblood. Because You have saved us, grant us the power of Your Holy Spirit to amend our ways and our deeds, serving You only and dealing justly with our neighbor.

Send Your blessing upon this congregation so that our worship would always be more than mere words and outward deeds but true and heartfelt and sincere. Make it our heart’s desire and earnest prayer that those around would also come to faith in Your Son Jesus Christ. Use our offerings for missions- and our own witness- to bring others into Your kingdom.

When we are reminded that Your Son wept tears of sorrow over Jerusalem because they would not repent, we think of our own nation and how far we have strayed from your ways. Withhold Your hand of righteous judgment and grant our fellow citizens a new opportunity to turn from evil and trust in You and walk before You in holiness of life.

We thank You for all of the earthly blessings You bestow upon us, especially for the gifts of marriage and family. Continue to bless J.A. and Bernice as they celebrate their anniversary and grant that their love for one another and for You would grow stronger each day. Watch over and protect all who travel, especially Zachary and Sadie.

All of these things we ask in the glad confidence that You hear us for Jesus’ sake in whose name we pray. Amen.

Rev. Franke's Theme Thoughts

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 14 August 12, 2012

Lessons for Proper 14

1 Kings 19:1–8 ~ When Elijah was at the end of his road, God gave him bread, water, and marching orders.

Psalm 34:1–8 (antiphon: v. 3)

Ephesians 4:17—5:2 ~ Christ has rescued us from a futile life without God, and given us a new life to live.

John 6:35–51 ~ Jesus, the Bread of Life, came from the Father and gave His flesh for the life of the world.

GATHERING THE TEXTS: Something to Live For

Elijah was hounded by Queen Jezebel until he was ready to die, but God miraculously provided food for Elijah that carried him on to the next job God had for him to do. In our new life in Christ we sometimes get discouraged because it is impossible to be faithful imitators of God as St. Paul charges us to be. Only when we are fed the spiritual food of Christ himself, the Bread of Life, can we have the energy to go on to the next task God has in mind for us.

PRAYER BEFORE THE SERVICE: O Lord, sometimes I am so discouraged that I am ready to give up on myself and my friends. Remind me that I can always trust You in the days ahead. Strengthen me in Christ my Savior to face the next task. Amen.

STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT: In Christ, we live new lives, not taking everything we can for ourselves, but always eager to share what we have with those in need; not wrapped up in the discouraging circumstances of our own life, but ready to strengthen our bodies for the journey before us, just as Christ gave His life that we may live for God.

OFFERING PRAYER: Lord, when Elijah thought there was no reason to go on, You showed Him Your purpose in his life. Show us what You would have us do, and give us the means and the will to do it. Amen.

CONVICTION AND COMFORT: Hearing St Paul’s injunction, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you,” we might very readily become discouraged in living a faithful, Christian life. Like Elijah, we might lose hope and declare, “It is enough; take away my life!” In Christ, God nourishes the faith He has created through the very strength of the Bread from heaven, given that we may receive Life from the One who gave Himself in body and blood, living bread for the life of the world

Wise Managers of God's Gifts

Luke 16:1-13

The story that Jesus tells is simple—the scheme that it reveals could be the headline in today’s Wall Street Journal. The manager of a business has mismanaged the owner’s money and possessions and he is about to get fired. His options are limited. No one’s going to trust him again with a similar position. He is unable to do physical work. He is ashamed to beg. What is he going to do when he loses his job? And so he comes up with a scheme.

He tells all of those who owe money to the owner to take their bills and reduce what they owe so that then they will be indebted to him for saving them money and feel obligated to take him into their homes when he loses his position as manager. When the owner finds out about it, with a kind of rueful grin and shake of the head, he commends the man for the shrewdness of his scheme.

It’s important to note that when Jesus tells this story he is not commending the manager for his poor management or his dishonest solution. He is not commending the folks who got a good deal dishonestly. He is not commending the owner for his appreciation of the manager’s cunning.

He simply says: this is how the world works when it comes to money. Everybody is working an angle—everyone is scheming—and even when they get taken in, they can at least appreciate the subtlety of the scam that did them in.

But while Jesus does not approve of either man, he does use this story to make a judgment about us and about our use of money. He says, “The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” In other words, Jesus says, this man at least knew how the world’s economy works-- but much too often those who believe in me do not know how the “economy” of God’s kingdom works and the role that money plays in their lives in time and eternity.

From the story, Jesus shows us that in the kingdom of the world there are owners and managers of others goods—that money is important--and that a day of reckoning comes when managers will have to open up the books and give an account of how well they have managed the owner’s money. That’s how the world works.

In the same way, in the Kingdom of God, in Jesus’ “economy”, there is an owner—God—and there are managers or stewards—you and I—and how we use money is important because there will be a day of reckoning for us when we will be called to give an account of how well we have managed God’s money.

Jesus says that many who follow him fail to exercise the same wisdom regarding money and what is spiritually valuable as unbelievers do when it comes to what they value--especially when it comes to the future.

The manager knew that his time as a steward of another man’s possessions had come to an end and so with an eye to the future he made plans to make sure he was in good shape when his money ran out—that he would have friends to welcome him.

Jesus says that we ought to think the same way when it comes to our life as God’s stewards-that we ought to manage God’s gifts with an eye towards our eternal future. Jesus says: “I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.”

What does Jesus mean by that? After all, we know how to make friends in the world’s economy. We take clients out to lunch. We give Christmas bonuses. We give discounts to our best customers. We shop with this guy and he shops from us.

But how does this idea work spiritually in God’s economy? How do we make friends for ourselves eternally?

The first thing that we need to realize is that there will come a time for each of us when, in Jesus’ words, “unrighteous wealth fails us”—that is, when money will no longer matter—and that is when we die. All those things that the world values so highly (salary, possessions, investments) will not matter to us in the least—our life as a steward will come to an end.

BUT…what we have done with God’s money in this life will matter very much indeed in the life to come! While there is nothing holy or righteous to money in and of itself (it is simply a tool that we use for a time here on earth) money can be used in spiritual ways that matter eternally to us and to others.

How is that? How do we make friends for ourselves through our use of money —friends who will welcome us into heaven?

We do it when we give money for works of mercy and for works of mission—works that show our faith in Jesus Christ—works that benefit those around us for time and eternity.

In the story of the sheep and the goats found in the 24^th chapter of Matthew, Jesus gives us a vivid picture of the final judgment and the evidence that will be presented about each of us concerning our faith in Christ.

And a large part of that evidence involves the way we have used the material possessions that God has granted to us for a time: whether we have fed the hungry and clothed the naked and sheltered the homeless and cared for the sick. True Christians did.

On the day of reckoning, when the Lord reads from his ledger, no good deed that we have ever done in the name of Christ for the good of those around us is forgotten. Not one dollar that we have ever spent to help someone in need goes unaccounted for in the final judgment. And those Christians who have received our care—even if we never met them in this life—will be part of that welcoming committee that receives us into heaven.

And all the offerings we have given over the course of our life so that the Gospel can be preached and the sacraments administered here and around the world—mean that there will people who will be in heaven to welcome us home because of our generosity in giving to the work of the Lord’s mission.

So, do we do these things and give this money to be saved? NO! We do it because we are saved. We are merciful and generous and giving to others because Christ has been merciful and generous and giving to us—giving his entire life for us on the cross—and we are called to be sacrificial with the money entrusted to us.

It’s just plain old money that we receive in our paychecks—the same money that unbelievers use and misuse in so many different ways that are not pleasing in God’s sight —and yet that same money used by the child of God-- accomplishes eternal things in the Divine economy of the kingdom of God.

Whether we always recognize it or not, there is a strong connection between the faithfulness of our stewardship of money and our faithfulness to Christ. Jesus says:

"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?

We heard earlier in the sermon about the similarities between the world’s economy and the divine economy of the kingdom—that there are owners and managers in each—that there are things that are valued in each—that there is always a day of reckoning when we will have to give an account of how well we have done—and that money plays a role in each.

But there is also a huge difference between the world and the kingdom: and that is the value that is given to money. In the world’s economy, money is counted as pretty much everything—but in the divine economy money itself counts for very little.

Compared to the forgiveness that Christ won for us by his death and resurrection, what is money? Compared to the Word of God and Baptism and Holy Communion, what is an offering? What is earthly wealth compared to eternal life with God?

Money is a small thing compared to the spiritual treasures we have in Christ and yet the way that we handle our money says a lot about us—and a lot about our faith in Christ—whether it is real and living-- or a pious lie. Jesus says:

"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. Jesus’ point is this: the way we use money says a very great deal about us completely out of all proportion to the money’s actual value.

Our giving reveals what’s in our hearts—what we truly believe in. The confession of faith we make in the words of the Creed is important—but so is the confession of faith found in our checkbooks.

So who is the faithful steward? It is the one who uses money in such a way that it shows that he recognizes and lives by kingdom values in the Divine economy—who believes that God is the owner of all things and that we are managers—that money and it’s use will come to an end us and that until that time it is to be used for eternally valuable things—and that we will one day give an account of how we have used God’s gifts.

The question for us here this morning is this: Am I a faithful steward and how can I tell? A couple of things. Do I give an intentional, sacrificial, proportionate, first-fruits gift to the LORD? Am I generous to those in need or do I turn a blind eye to the hardships of others? Am I filled with worries about my finances or am I at peace—not because I know how much money I have but because I know the One who provides it? Am I in debt for things that were merely wants and not needs? Do I see my money as a tool to accomplish the LORD’S purposes or as a resource to provide luxuries for myself?

The judgment of the Jesus is this: No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."

The Good News for us today is that even though we have sinfully tried to have it both ways—serving God and money--Jesus Christ forgives us—not by taking away our debt in part like the unfaithful steward-- or using someone’s else resources to pay it--but by taking the whole thing away and paying our sin debt by his shed blood on the cross.

You see, Jesus is the faithful steward of God’s treasure-house of love and grace and forgiveness. It is these most precious gifts, received in faith, that open our hearts and our hands and our wallets and makes us wise and generous stewards of God’s gifts. Amen.

Trinity 9 General Prayer

Lord God heavenly Father, we come to You in prayer, asking for the things we need, in the firm confidence that You are our Helper:

Let Your hand of blessing rest upon our nation and make us a humble people, ready to acknowledge Your wise and gracious rule. Defend us against our enemies and protect our military men and women.

Be merciful to those who stand in need of Your aid. Send rain on this dry land. Heal the sick, comfort those who mourn, bless those whose material needs are unmet. Use us to show them that faith in Jesus is not mere words but also loving deeds.

Enlighten all of those dark places in our lives that are lived outside of Your Fatherly will and empower us by Your Holy Spirit to make those needed changes in our lives that seem impossible.

Again and again O Lord Your Word has been proved true. Order our individual lives- and our life as a congregation- by that perfect standard of Your written Word.

When we read Your Word, let it never be a word merely for others but also a Word for us. Let us take heed of Your judgments and repent of our sins and let us be comforted by Your promises of forgiveness and peace.

Grant us faithfulness in little things so that we can be trusted with much. Help us to be faithful stewards of Your earthly gifts and in this way show our faithfulness in treasuring the gifts of Your grace. In all that we say and do grant that we would serve You as our one true Master.

As Keith and Yvonne and Reinhrad celebrate birthdays we see how true it is that You are the upholder of our lives. Continue to bless them with every good gift of body and soul.

Bless us all throughout our lives so that as we stand before at the end we can look with triumph on our enemies and joyfully confess that You have delivered us from every trouble.

We ask all of these things in the name of Jesus Christ confident that You will give ear to the words of my mouth and hear our prayers. Amen.