St. John's Lutheran Church Sketch

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

September 20, 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
The Readings from Holy Scripture
Old Testament Reading
1 Kings 17:17–24
After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. And his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!” And he said to her, “Give me your son.” And he took him from her arms and carried him up into the upper chamber where he lodged, and laid him on his own bed. And he cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, “O Lord my God, let this child's life come into him again.” And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and delivered him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading
Ephesians 3:13–21
So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel Reading
Luke 7:11–17

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 7th chapter.

People: Glory to You, O Lord.

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.
Lector: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
Life of the Parish
Sunday, September 20 – Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
• 9:00 am Adult Bible Class & Sunday School
• 10:00 am Divine Service

Thursday: Recurring Study Group at 10:00 am.
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.
The Lord of Life Visits His People On this Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, the Holy Scriptures proclaim Christ's divine power over death and sorrow. In the Old Testament reading, the Lord hears the cry of Elijah and raises the widow's son back to life, demonstrating that His Word is truth. St. Paul prays in Ephesians that we may be strengthened in our inner being and rooted in the boundless love of Christ, who works beyond all we ask or think. In the Gospel, Jesus approaches the funeral procession at Nain, moved with deep compassion for the grieving widow. With a word of command, He raises her son from the dead and restores him to his mother, demonstrating that in Christ, God has visited His people to turn our mourning into joy.