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
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost 
August 16, 2026 
 
When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:4–6 
 
A PRAYER FOR TODAY: O Lord God, loving Creator and Redeemer, Your Word is the gift You give to all people. Preserve Your Word among us as we give thanks for it, hear it, read it, study it, and learn it. As Your Holy Spirit works through it, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, through Whose death and resurrection forgiveness of sin, eternal life, and salvation come to all who believe in Him. Continue to give to Your Church faithful pastors who will preach Your Word of Law and Gospel in fullness and truth and purity. Sanctify us in the life Your Word gives. We pray in the grace of Jesus Your Son. Amen 
 
IN OUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK: “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations” (Psalm 67:1-2). 
• Thanks be to God Who made us, still takes care of us, and blesses us with many daily gifts. 
• Thanksgiving for medical care and improved health for Aubrey Weber; for strength and healing from the Lord for Brian Houtwed through medical treatment; for a good recovery and benefit for Donna Briggeman as she will have surgery on Friday; for healing and strength for Jim Dye as he receives medical care. 
• For the peace of Jesus, risen from the dead, to be with the family of Larry Junker at the time of his death last Wednesday. (Larry most recently served as the Executive Director of the St. John’s College Alumni Association.) 
 
THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR is served today. Jesus said, “This is My body . . This is My blood” (Matthew 26:26-28). We honor the words of Christ Jesus and believe what they say. His words form the fellowship of our receiving this gift together. Jesus gave and shed His body and blood for you. Martin Luther, in his Small Catechism, wrote: “The words for you require all hearts to believe.” We practice closed communion. If you are a visitor of St. Paul Lutheran Church today, we ask that you please visit with the pastor before the service about receiving this Sacrament. 
 
ORDER OF WORSHIP TODAY: LSB, page 184 ff. HYMNS FOR WORSHIP: 811, 615, 719, 779, 632, 919 
 
Introit Psalm 28:1–2, 6–7; antiphon: v. 8 The LORD is the strength of his | people;* he is the saving refuge of his a- | nointed. To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not | deaf to me,* lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down | to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to | you for help,* when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctu- | ary. Blessèd | be the LORD!* For he has heard the voice of my pleas for | mercy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and | I am helped;* my heart exults, and with my song I give | thanks to him. 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 the strength of his | people;* he is the saving refuge of his a- | nointed. 
 
Collect of the Day Almighty and everlasting Father, You give Your children many blessings even though we are undeserving. In every trial and temptation grant us steadfast confidence in Your loving-kindness and mercy; 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 1Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. . . . 6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” 8The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” Isaiah 56:1, 6–8 Gradual Psalm 34:9, 19, alt. Fear the LORD, | you his saints,* for those who fear him lack | nothing! Many are the afflictions of the | righteous,* but the LORD delivers him out | of them all. 
 
Epistle Romans 11:1–2a, 13–15, 28–32 1I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. . . . 13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? . . . 28As regards the gospel, they are enemies of God for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 
 
Holy Gospel Matthew 15:21–28 21Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
NEWS AND EVENTS AT ST. PAUL 
 August 16, 2026
 
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL and our Church Picnic will be held next Sunday, August 23rd. The children and families who attend VBS will meet in the church
basement after worship for lunch. Bible Lessons, crafts, and other activities will follow. When VBS concludes, we will move to the Iuka Community Center for the
picnic from 5-7 pm to enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, and side dishes, as well as friendship, fellowship, and conversation in Christ Jesus. Come, bring a friend, and a dish to share. Welcome to all!
 
STEWARDSHIP SENTENCES based on Matthew 15:27 – “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” These are the words of faith, for faith means receiving what God gives. And God has given us so much more than just the crumbs that fall from the table — He has given us life, salvation, body and soul, eyes and ears, possessions and income. That’s
where our stewardship starts: with faith in the God who is the greatest Giver. (lcms.org/stewardship)
 
THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER . . . This is the truth, and it is also the name given to a daily 15-minute online Bible study hosted by Rev. Will Weedon. Tune in to the study online at thewordendures.org. Hear God’s Word, and study the Bible with the Church, past and present. Currently, the daily studies are from the book of the Psalms.
 
ST. PAUL BULLETIN . . . Any announcements or notes to be included in our weekly church
bulletin should be brought or sent to the church office (splcms@sctelcom.net) by Friday morning.
Thank you.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR - “Look at Me” (Luke 18:1-8). Archives August - God hears our cry for justice, not as an indifferent judge, but as our merciful heavenly Father. Lutheran Hour Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler.
 
A NOTE FROM Circles of Hope in Pratt County . . . We believe that lasting change happens through community. We match our Circle Leaders with Allies—middle-to-upper income community volunteers who offer friendship, encouragement, and practical support with financial budgeting and life goals. We provide full training and ongoing support so you feel confident every step of the way. We are recruiting Ally volunteers for our new Circles leaders. The Commitment:
2 Mondays a month for 18 months (about 10 hours total per month). Meeting Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM. Free dinner and free childcare are provided at every meeting. Complete volunteer training and ongoing team guidance is included. Learn more at circlesprattcounty.org, or email
with questions to circlesofhopekc@gmail.com.
 
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED to attend the Installation Service and Reception for Pastor
Jacob Anderson at Holy Cross, Wichita (600 N. Greenwich) today at 3:00 pm. Join us in
welcoming Pastor and his wife Brianna, who are moving from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri
 
ALTAR GUILD: Terri Liggett, Kathie Thurman, Heather Van Slyke
 
HEAD USHER: Gary McGuire 
ELDERS: Derek Liggett, Shan Hullman, Lee Van Slyke 

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