July 19, 2026
8th Sunday after Pentecost

 Announcements 

Confession and Forgiveness

Blessed be the holy Trinity,☩ one God,
whose compassion endures forever.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin to God.

Silence is kept for reflection.


Compassionate God,
we confess to you all our sins.
Our burden is heavy, and we cannot free ourselves.
In your mercy, call us back to you.
Your yoke is easy and your burden is light.
Restore us to dwell in your peace.
In Christ’s name we pray,
Amen.

Jesus says, “Come to me,
all you who are weary
and are carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.”
In the name of God,
Father, ☩ Son, and Holy Spirit,
your sins are forgiven.
Rest in God’s love.
Amen.

Opening Hymn
 ELW 532 - Gather Us In (vs. 1 & 2)

Greeting
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.

Prayer of the Day
Faithful God, most merciful judge, you care for your children with firmness and compassion. By your Spirit nurture us who live in your kingdom, that we may be rooted in the way of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
Amen.

 

First Reading:  Isaiah 44:6-8

6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel,
  and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
 I am the first, and I am the last;
  besides me there is no god.
 7 Who is like me? Let them proclaim it;
  let them declare and set it forth before me.
 Who has announced from of old the things to come?
  Let them tell us what is yet to be.
 8 Do not fear or be afraid;
  have I not told you from of old and declared it?
  You are my witnesses!
 Is there any god besides me?
  There is no other rock; I know not one.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Psalm 86

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth. (Ps. 86:11)
 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk | in your truth;
  give me an undivided heart to re- | vere your name.
12 I will thank you, O Lord my God, with | all my heart,
  and glorify your name for- | evermore. R
 13 For great is your | love toward me;
  you have delivered me from the | pit of death.
14 The arrogant rise up against me, O God, and a band of violent people | seeks my life;
  they have not set you be- | fore their eyes.
 15 But you, O Lord, are gracious and full | of compassion,
  slow to anger, and full of kind- | ness and truth.
16 Turn to me and have mer- | cy on me;
  give your strength to your servant, and save the child | of your handmaid.
 17 Show me a sign of your favor, so that those who hate me may see it and be | put to shame;
  because you, Lord, have helped me and com- | forted me. R

Second Reading:   Romans 8:12-25

12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are obligated, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if we in fact suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

  18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God, 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor, 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what one already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation
WOV Setting 5

Gospel:  Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
This is the holy gospel according to Matthew the 13th chapter.
Glory to you, O Lord.

24 [Jesus] put before [the crowds] another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field,25 but while everybody was asleep an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”

  36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon 

Hymn of The Day
 ELW 679 - For the Fruit of All Creation (vs. 1 & 3)

The Apostle's Creed

Prayers of Intercession

Trusting in God’s steadfast love for all God has made, let us pray for the church, the world, and all of creation.

A brief silence.

God our source, protect your church from those who sow weeds among the wheat. Where we trade grace for judgment, restore us, and where we get lost among the complexities of life, guide us. God of grace,
hear our prayer.

God our creator, sustain creation in places not easily seen; the depths of oceans, microscopic plants and animals, galaxies beyond our own. May we share earth’s dedication to hope for what we do not yet see. God of grace,
hear our prayer.

God our soil, we yearn to live on your lands and waters with justice and in righteousness. Renew the hearts of all in authority, that our leaders guide wisely toward the flourishing of all. God of grace,
hear our prayer.

God our rock, be a source of constancy for those whose lives have been uprooted by war, eviction, global climate change, unemployment, harassment, false witness to their character, or illness or injury. (We pray especially for . . .) God of grace,
hear our prayer.

God our teacher, guide and provide for all summer camp staff and campers, daycare professionals, librarians, summer school educators and coaches, teachers preparing for the coming academic year, and youth becoming first-time babysitters. God of grace,
hear our prayer.
Here other intercessions may be offered.


God our hope, the message of your salvation is planted among us in all times and places. We give you thanks for the witness of all the saints who shine like the sun in your presence. God of grace,
hear our prayer.

Grateful for your abundant provision and trusting in your goodness, we cast all our cares upon you, through the abundant grace of Christ Jesus Amen.

The Passing of Peace
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.

Anthem

x

Offertory Hymn 
 ELW 692 - We Are an Offering

Offertory Prayer 

Loving God,
we offer at your table the gifts of our hearts.
Help us take heart in you and share freely of your love,
so that all creation can taste your abundance.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
through the Spirit abiding with us now and forever.
Amen.

The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all
times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty
and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our Savior Jesus
Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our
sin; who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought
us to eternal life.

And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of
the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and
with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise
your name and join their unending hymn:

WOV Setting 5
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory, full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.

Thanksgiving at the Table

Holy, living, and loving God, we praise you for creating the
heavens and the earth.
We bless you for bringing Noah and his family through the waters
of the flood, for freeing your people Israel from the bonds of
slavery, and for sending your Son to be our Redeemer.
We give you thanks for Jesus who, living among us, healed the
sick, fed the hungry, and with a love stronger than death, gave
his life for others.
In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Remembering, therefore, his life-giving death and glorious
resurrection, we await your promised life for all this dying world.
Breathe your Spirit on us and on this bread and cup: carry us in
your arms from death to life, that we may live as your chosen
ones, clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
Through him all glory and honor is yours, Almighty Father,
with the Holy Spirit, in your holy Church, both now and forever.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer 
Lord remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hollowed by thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
On earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.

Heaven has come near.
Come, share in the feast!

Lamb of God
WOV Setting 5

Communion Hymns

ELW 484 - You Satisfy the Hungry Heart
ELW 466 - In the Singing
ELW 801 - Change My Heart, O God

The Table Blessing
Citizens of the commonwealth of heaven:
Taste and know that God is good to all.

Post Communion
 ELW 465 - As the Grains of Wheat (vs. 1)

Prayer After Communion 
Compassionate God,
through the gifts of bread and wine
our hearts are filled with the abundance of your love.
Strengthen us that we, through this holy meal,
may share your love freely, as you have shared with us.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
through the Spirit nourishing us now and forever.
Amen.

Blessing

Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer,
☩ one God,
bless, heal, and hold you
today and always.
Amen.

Sending Hymn
  ELW 537 - On Our Way Rejoicing (all)

Dismissal

Heaven has come near. Go, share the good news!
Thanks be to God. 

Photo by Erika Giraud on Unsplash