St. John's Lutheran Church Sketch

Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity

September 13, 2026

St. John’s Lutheran Church – LCMS
1101 6th Street, Sutherlin, OR 97479
Pastor Hoffman: pastor@brandthoffman.com
Office: sjlc1950@gmail.com • 541-459-3701
saintjohnslcms.org • Live Stream: tinyurl.com/streamstjohn
The Order of Worship
Divine Service II (LSB p. 167)
Opening Hymn: LSB 761 Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me
Psalm 146
Sermon Hymn: LSB 801 How Great Thou Art
Closing Hymn: LSB 923 Almighty Father, Bless the Word
The Readings from Holy Scripture
Old Testament Reading
1 Kings 17:8–16
Then the word of the Lord came to him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And behold, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading
Galatians 5:25–6:10
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel Reading
Matthew 6:24–34

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 6th chapter.

People: Glory to You, O Lord.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Lector: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
Life of the Parish
Sunday, September 13 – Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity
• 9:00 am Adult Bible Class & Sunday School
• 10:00 am Divine Service

Wednesday: Midweek Bible Study at 10:00 am.
Note on Holy Communion: All who have been prepared in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod to receive the Lord’s Supper are welcome to the table. If you have not been prepared, please hold off and speak with Pastor Hoffman after the service.
Trusting Our Heavenly Father’s Care On this Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, the Holy Scriptures call us to cast away anxiety and rely entirely upon the gracious provision of our God. In 1 Kings, the widow of Zarephath trusts the word of the Lord delivered by Elijah, and her jar of flour and jug of oil do not run dry through the famine. St. Paul encourages us in Galatians to walk by the Spirit, bearing one another’s burdens and sowing to the Spirit rather than growing weary. In the Gospel, Christ bids us to look upon the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as witnesses to our Father's care. Turning our eyes away from earthly worry, we are invited to seek first His kingdom and righteousness, confident that He who gives us Christ will supply all that we need for body and soul.