This Past Sunday at St. Thomas: Ninth Sunday after Trinity
Believers of St. Thomas Evangelical Lutheran Church,
This past Sunday was...
+ The Ninth Sunday after Trinity +
The Sunday About Making Friends By Unrighteous Mammon
Join us this Sunday for the Divine Service at 9:00am and Family Catechesis at 10:30am
If you couldn’t be with us this past Sunday, click here for a recording of Divine Service from another congregation of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
RESOURCES FOR HOUSEHOLD PRAYERS THIS WEEK
Our Around the Word Devotions and Family Catechesis Sheet are always available during Family Catechesis. Digital copies of these as well as more notes from Family Catechesis can be found by clicking here!
The Readings for this past Sunday: 2 Samuel 22:26-34; 1 Corinthians 10:6-13; Luke 16:1-13
Our Hymn of the Day for this past Sunday: One Thing’s Needful, LSB 536
The Steward’s Shrewdness Sanctified
“The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness” (Luke 16:1–9). The steward’s shrewdness is praiseworthy for two reasons. First, he knew the master would be merciful. He trusted that the master would honor the debts he forgave in the master’s name. In the same way, though we have squandered our heavenly Father’s possessions in selfishness and sin, Jesus is the Steward who has canceled our debt, knowing that His forgiveness will be honored by the Father because of the holy cross. Secondly, the steward was shrewd in using oil and wheat to provide for his earthly welfare. So also do these earthly elements aid us when pressed into heavenly use in the anointing of baptism and the wheat of the Lord’s Supper. Those who have the Sacraments will have an eternal home when their earthly home fails. These provide us aid in times of temptation (1 Cor. 10:6–13). For the Lord is our strength and a shield to all who trust in Him (2 Sam. 22:26–34).
STEWARDSHIP THOUGHTS | From LCMS Stewardship Ministry
Luke 16:8 – “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” The sons of this world know that they should use their wealth wisely to provide for their future. Shouldn’t we “sons of light” know that the wealth God has allowed us to manage should be for God’s purposes in the roles He has given us to play in church, home and society? Don't we have more to live for, more to work for, and more to give toward?
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PICTORIAL DIRECTORY We are in the process of putting together our first pictorial directory! As a part of this process, please check the booklet in the back of the chapel to verify your contact information and either approve the use of the existing photo we have, or request/provide a new one. Lynea will be taking pictures on Sunday mornings for the next several weeks, so please see her before or after the service for a new photo! If your contact info needs to be updated or provided, please add it to the booklet. If your information isn’t in the booklet, please contact the church office to be added. The deadline for new photos/updated information is Sunday, September 7!
FALL FRESH START Check out the back of the propers insert for a full announcement about the kick-off of our schedule for the academic year, including Beginning Catechesis, music, Youth Night, and Saturdays in the Park. We’ve got a lot going on this Fall and we’d love for you to be a part of it!
CHOIR REHEARSALS RESUME in September for ages high school through adult! We will rehearse each Sunday following Family Catechesis for about half an hour, and once a month on the second Saturday we will have an intensive rehearsal at Lynea’s house for about an hour and a half in the morning. We will be singing during the service once or twice per month depending on the season. If you’d like to join the Choir, please contact Lynea!
BIBLE STUDY SERIES Join us during the 10:30 am Family Catechesis hour for our current Bible study series on St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.
BREAKFAST TACOS will be offered on the first and third Sundays of the month during the summer. Tacos are $2 each, with proceeds going to our youth’s Higher Things trip. Thank you for all your support!
EVENTS
TEXAS CONFESSIONAL LUTHERANS FREE CONFERENCE TCL will be holding its annual free conference at Grace Lutheran in Brenham on September 5-6. The presenter is Rev. Dr. Harold Ristau, professor at Luther Classical College in Wyoming, author, and retired military chaplain. He will present on the benefits of Lutheran classical education on Friday, and the Pastor as Seelsorger on Saturday. The conference is free to attend, and the BBQ lunch on Saturday is $17/plate. Fliers with more information are available on the table at the back of the chapel.
Blessings,
Pastor Lacey
For more about who we are and what we believe, visit the St. Thomas homepage.
