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St. Paul Lutheran Church Church Services
Sundays at 10:15 am

10/11/2026

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23A)
Oct. 11, 2026

In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For grace, that we may hear and heed the invitation of our Lord and joyfully wear the baptismal clothing of His righteousness, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For the Church purchased with Christ’s precious blood, that God would preserve her in the pure teaching of His Word, in the right use of His Sacraments and in the unity of the faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

That the estate of marriage would be honored and upheld as God has ordained it, with husbands and wives loving and serving each other, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For our nation and the world, for our president and Congress, for our governor and all local government officials, and for an end to war and conflict, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all who weep here, that the Lord of hosts, who will at last wipe away all tears, would comfort them as they await full restoration at His heavenly banquet, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all who commune this day, that in the midst of a world that refuses Christ’s gracious invitation, the Church may remain unstained by the world and not fail to partake of His Supper worthily, clothed in His baptismal grace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For those who mourn, that they may be comforted with the certainty of life everlasting for all who die in Christ, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

Heavenly Father, give us such joy in pursuing what is true, just, pure and worthy of praise, that spurning the temptations of this world, we would suffer no anxiety. Let our trust be placed fully in Christ, and let our hope rest in the life of the world to come; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

10/11/2026

October 8, 1515: Sixteen year old Katharina von Bora is consecrated as a nun at the Marienthron (St. Mary’s Throne) convent in Nimbschen, near Grimma, Germany. Katie had lived here for the past six years and had lived in convents since the age of five.

Life in the convent was strictly regimented. Rules of silence were observed. Regular hours of prayer were kept for worship. Each nun had specific duties in the convent. Here Katie would have learned basic housekeeping skills and possibly some nursing skills since her aunt Magdalena von Bora ran the convent’s infirmary.

Did Katie make her vows willingly or did she feel coerced? There is no record that she ever answers that question. However, since convent life was really all she knew, it is understandable that taking the vows would have seemed a part of the natural progression of her life. It is also possible that, even if she had a strong inclination to not take the vows, there would not have been any where else for her to live. We don’t know when her father died and it seems that she was originally placed in the convent because of the family’s poor finances as much as the educational opportunities afforded there.

So now, for the next seven and one half years, Katie would be a nun, striving to serve God in everything she did.

Shown is the ruins of the Nimbschen convent as they look today.

-Rebecca DeGarmeaux for Katie Luther

10/11/2026

+SERVICE OF THE WORD+
Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 23A)
Oct. 11, 2026

OLD TESTAMENT
Isaiah 25:6–9

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged w**e,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged w**e well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

EPISTLE
Philippians 4:4–13

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

GOSPEL
Matthew 22:1–14

Again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

10/04/2026

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22A)
Oct. 4, 2026

In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

That works of justice may flourish in the vineyard of Christ’s Church, and that we may abide where He has planted us, bearing fruit in His name and welcoming many into His new Jerusalem, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For Matthew, our Synod president; our district president; our circuit visitor; and our pastor(s), that their voices may not waver in the face of threat, and that the Church may be saved from her enemies, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all Christian homes, that husbands and wives may love and forgive each other, that parents may be faithful examples to their children, and that orphans may know the joy of a home, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For our president, our governor, and all elected and appointed leaders, that the light of the Lord may shine upon our nation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all who suffer in this world, that they would not fear but fix their eyes on Jesus as they await the fullness of their salvation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For all who commune, that faith may be strengthened and love renewed until at last we feast with all the saints in His everlasting presence, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For united hearts and voices lifted in response to the Lord’s love, that we would praise His lavish grace and proclaim His great salvation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

10/04/2026

🎓 Lutheran is in our name. But do you have to be Lutheran to study at ILT?

Absolutely not.

At the Institute of Lutheran Theology, our Lutheran identity shapes who we are, but our classrooms welcome students from across the Christian tradition. ✝️

We value thoughtful conversation between Christians who don't always agree. The goal isn't to prove one church body has all the answers, but to seriously engage Scripture and theology, understand why others believe what they believe, and become more thoughtful and gracious in the process. 📖

Students can pursue rigorous theological education while remaining rooted in their own denomination and community. And because our classes are live and online, you don't have to leave your congregation, ministry, career, or community to study with us. 💻

You don't have to agree with every perspective you encounter to learn from it.

🤔 Can studying alongside Christians who disagree with you actually strengthen your theology rather than threaten it?

Different traditions. Serious theology. Meaningful conversation. One shared desire to know Christ and His Word more deeply.

🔗 Learn more at ilt.edu

10/04/2026

Lucas Cranach the Younger was born on October 4, 1515 in Wittenberg, Germany, to Lucas and Barbara Cranach. He grew up and trained in his father’s workshop where he became an accomplished artist in his own right. When his father died, he took over control of the famous artist’s workshop and continued in his famous style. It is surmised that when Katie Luther lived in the Cranach house, one of her duties was to help Barbara with Lucas and his siblings.

Shown is the painting “Martin Luther and the Wittenberg Reformers” by Lucas Cranach the Younger from 1543. The five most prominent figures in the painting, from left to right are: Martin Luther, Georg Spalatin, Prince John Frederick I, Gregor Brück, and Philipp Melanchthon.

-Rebecca DeGarmeaux for Katie Luther

10/04/2026

HYMN OF THE DAY
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22A)
Oct. 4, 2026

"O Love, How Deep" (LSB 544)

1. O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
Beyond all thought and fantasy,
That God, the Son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortals’ sake!

2. He sent no angel to our race,
Of higher or of lower place,
But wore the robe of human frame,
And to this world Himself He came.

3. For us baptized, for us He bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptation sharp He knew;
For us the tempter overthrew.

4. For us He prayed; for us He taught;
For us His daily works He wrought,
By words and signs and actions thus
Still seeking not Himself but us.

5. For us by wickedness betrayed,
For us, in crown of thorns arrayed,
He bore the shameful cross and death;
For us He gave His dying breath.

6. For us He rose from death again;
For us He went on high to reign;
For us He sent His Spirit here
To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.

7. All glory to our Lord and God
For love so deep, so high, so broad;
The Trinity whom we adore
Forever and forevermore.

10/04/2026

There is one member of Martin and Katie Luther’s household that we normally don’t hear to much about - the family dog.

At some point, Luther adopted a dog whom he affectionately called Tölpel, which translates to English as “fool”. Whether this name was indicative of the dog’s personality or meant as an ironic joke isn’t clear. In either case, Tölpel was a full member of the family who apparently followed his master around the Black Cloister and played with the Luther children.

Tölpel, and dogs in general were occasionally mentioned by Luther in his famous Table Talks. We include a few of these quotes here:

“The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were dogs not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.”

When Luther's dog Tölpel happened to be at the table, he looked for a morsel from his master, and watched with open mouth and motionless eyes, Luther said, "Oh, if I could only pray the way this dog watches the meat! All his thoughts are concentrated on the piece of meat. Otherwise he has no thought, wish, or hope.”

And then when one little boy asked Luther about if his puppy would go to heaven too, Luther patted the dog on the head and said, “Be thou comforted, little dog, Thou too in Resurrection shall have a little golden tail.”

This illustration of a dog is from George Turbervile’s 1576 Booke of Hunting found on Wikimedia Commons.

-Rebecca DeGarmeaux for Katie Luther

10/04/2026

+SERVICE OF THE WORD+
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 22A)
Oct. 4, 2026

OLD TESTAMENT
Isaiah 5:1–7

Let me sing for my beloved
my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a w**e vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?
And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice,
but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness,
but behold, an outcry!

EPISTLE
Philippians 3:4b–14

If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith — that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL
Matthew 21:33–46

[Jesus said:] “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a w**epress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

09/27/2026

HYMN OF THE DAY
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21A)
Sept. 27, 2026

"Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word" (LSB 655)

1. Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word;
Curb those who by deceit or sword
Would wrest the kingdom from Your Son
And bring to naught all He has done.

2. Lord Jesus Christ, Your pow’r make known,
For You are Lord of lords alone;
Defend Your holy Church that we
May sing Your praise eternally.

3. O Comforter of priceless worth,
Send peace and unity on earth;
Support us in our final strife
And lead us out of death to life.

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716 N Clay
Memphis, MO
63555

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Wednesday 9:30am - 3pm
Thursday 9:30am - 3pm

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