BULLETIN

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church—LCMS 
40291 NE 40th Ave., Preston, Kansas 67583
Website: www.stpaulpreston.org              
Telephone: (620) 672-5354
Email: splcms@sctelcom.net (Office)        
mslcms@sctelcom.net (Pastor)
Rev. Michael Schotte, Pastor
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
 July 12, 2026
 
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. Hebrews 1:1–2 
 
A PRAYER FOR TODAY: Almighty and merciful God our Father, Your Word is powerful for creation and gracious for redemption. As You value every human life that You have made, restore to the light of life in Christ Jesus those who dwell in the darkness of sin and death. Release those who have been enslaved by the lies of the devil and lead them to walk in the abundant life Your Son Jesus gives. Renew your people daily through repentance to the forgiveness of our sin granted to us by the death and resurrection of Jesus. As we are reconciled to You through Jesus the Savior, let Your commandments guide us in love for You and for one another. All glory to You, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever. Amen 
 
IN OUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK: “O You Who hears prayer, to You shall all flesh come. When iniquities prevail against me, You atone for our transgressions” (Psalm 65:2-3). 
• Thanks be to the Father for giving gifts of daily bread to all people. 
• For wisdom from God’s Word that marriages, families, and homes will be strengthened in the peace of Christ Jesus. 
• For the Lord’s guidance upon delegates to the convention of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, that decisions will be made to promote unity in doctrine, confession, and practice among our congregations, based upon God’s Word. 
• For help and strength from the Lord’s hand for Marilyn Herren, Jama Hommertzheim, Ron Betzen, and all for whom we pray. 
• We pray for the Lord’s wisdom for our daily work and protection and safety upon our daily travel. 
 
THANK YOU to Rev. Timothy Gordish for bringing God’s Word to the people of St. Paul this morning. We pray for the Lord’s blessing upon his work among us and for safety in his travel. Pastor and Barbara Schotte are attending a nephew’s wedding in Lincoln, Nebraska. 
 
Introit Psalm 103:15–19; antiphon: v. 8 The LORD is merciful and | gracious,* slow to anger and abounding in | steadfast love. As for man, his days | are like grass;* he flourishes like a flower | of the field; for the wind passes over it, and | it is gone,* and its place knows | it no more. But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who | fear him,* and his righteousness to children’s | children, to those who keep his | covenant* and remember to do his com- | mandments. The LORD has established his throne in the | heavens,* and his kingdom rules | over all. Glory be to the Father and | to the Son* and to the Holy | Spirit; as it was in the be- | ginning,* is now, and will be forever. | Amen. The LORD is merciful and | gracious,* slow to anger and abounding in | steadfast love. 
 
Collect of the Day Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 
 
Old Testament Reading 10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 12“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the LORD, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:10–13 
 
Gradual Romans 11:33, 36 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowl- | edge of God!* How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable | his ways! For from him and through him and to him are | all things.* To him be glory forever. | Amen. 
 
Epistle Romans 8:12–17 12So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13For 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. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 
 
Holy Gospel Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23 1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9He who has ears, let him hear. . . . 18“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
NEWS AND EVENTS AT ST. PAUL 
July 12, 2026 
 
THE QUARTERLY MEETINGS at St. Paul are scheduled for this week as follows: 
• Council – Wednesday, July 15th, 7:00 pm 
• Voters’ Assembly – next Sunday, July 19th, after worship 
 
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH—MISSOURI SYNOD CONVENTION begins this Saturday, July 18th, in Phoenix, Arizona. It concludes on Thursday, July 23rd. The voting delegates who will represent our Circuit 11 from the Kansas District are Rev. Christopher Warneke of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Arkansas City and Mr. Kendall Patterson of Trinity Lutheran Church in Wichita. The theme of the convention is “Christ Is Risen Indeed,” based on 1 Corinthians 15:20–22: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” Information about the convention is available now at lcms.org/convention/national. The opening Divine Service and all convention sessions will be livestreamed and archived at lcms.org/convention/livestream. Note that the schedule will be based upon Pacific Daylight Time. 
 
NEWS AND MORE around the Kansas District – Be sure to check out this month's Workers Together newsletter for important information and upcoming events. You can find the newsletter by visiting the Kansas District website at https://kslcms.org. Click on the Workers Together large graphic located near the top of the homepage, or scroll down the homepage and look for the Workers Together small icon. Also visit the Communications page (under About Us tab) on the website to view the newsletter and monthly devotions. 
 
THE LUTHERAN HOUR - “Knight, Death, and the Devil” (Ephesians 6:12). Jesus has triumphed over all the powers of death and hell and He has pledged Himself to be your protector and the armor that you wear. Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler. 
 
A LIFE THOUGHT in the Church Year for today – Pentecost 7: Oh, how many sins against life occur because the devil has snatched the Word of God from peoples’ hearts and because the cares of this earthly life choke out the Word (Matthew 13:19-22)! We are often tempted to withhold preaching the Word to some, thinking that we know which people will believe and bear fruit. However, God calls us to continue casting out His Word onto every type of soil, knowing that His Word never returns to Him empty and will accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 55:11), sometimes in the most unlikely of places. (lutheransforlife.org) 
 
STEWARDSHIP SENTENCES based on Romans 8:12 – “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.” We owe the flesh, the world and the devil nothing at all. We are not debtors to these enemies; we are freed by the blood of Christ. We are joyful servants in Christ’s kingdom — servants that He calls friends. We share our Lord’s plans and purposes, and this gives direction and purpose to our lives. (lcms.org/stewardship)
 
ALTAR COMMITTEE: Leigh Ann Hall Donna Briggeman Jama Hommertzheim
 
HEAD USHER: Gary McGuire 
ELDERS: Derek Liggett, Shan Hullman, 
Lee Van Slyke 

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