October 19, 2025

THE SERVICE

NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST—CHRIST THROUGH US

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2025 under the theme “Christ Through Us.” From one seminary in 1865, one world mission in 1893, and 800 congregations mostly in the Midwest as of 1965, we can now easily see how Christ has worked through his good news of salvation in Word and sacraments to move this body of believers to establish a Scripture-based ministerial education system, world missions in 45 countries, and more than 1,200 congregations across the United States. The “Christ Through Us” theme will also inform the work of WELS in a ten-year detailed plan to proclaim our Savior’s love.

OPENING HYMN 870 O Church, Arise

1 O Church, arise and put your armor on;
    hear the call of Christ our captain.
For now the weak can say that they are strong
    in the strength that God has given.
With shield of faith and belt of truth
    we’ll stand against the devil’s lies;
an army bold whose battle cry is love,
    reaching out to those in darkness.

2 Our call to war—to love the captive soul,
    but to rage against the captor;
and with the sword that makes the wounded whole
    we will fight with faith and valor.
When faced with trials on ev’ry side,
    we know the outcome is secure,
and Christ will have the prize for which he died—
    an inheritance of nations.

3 Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet,
    as the Son of God is stricken;
then see his foes lie crushed beneath his feet,
    for the Conqueror has risen!
And as the stone is rolled away,
    and Christ emerges from the grave,
this vict’ry march continues till the day
    ev’ry eye and heart shall see him.

4 So Spirit come, put strength in ev’ry stride,
    give grace for ev’ry hurdle,
that we may run with faith to win the prize
    of a servant good and faithful.
As saints of old still line the way,
    retelling triumphs of his grace,
we hear their calls and hunger for the day
    when with Christ we stand in glory.

Text: Keith Getty, b. 1974; Stuart Townend, b. 1963
Text: © 2005 Thankyou Music, admin. CapitolCMGPublishing,com. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 717826

Please Stand

INVOCATION 154 Setting One

In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

CONFESSION

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Let us confess our sins to the Lord.
Holy God, gracious Father,
    I am sinful by nature
        and have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.
    I have not loved you with my whole heart;
    I have not loved others as I should.
        I deserve your punishment both now and forever.
    But Jesus, my Savior, paid for my sins
        with his innocent suffering and death.
    Trusting in him, I pray: God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Silence for meditation and reflection

Our gracious Father in heaven has been merciful to us. He sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS 176 Glory to God in the Highest

♫ Refrain Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Refrain

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer. Refrain

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Amen. Refrain

THE WORD

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray.

God, our refuge and strength, have mercy on your church as we come in prayer before you. Answer us not in judgment on our sins but in peace and forgiveness; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Be seated

FIRST READING Deuteronomy 6:1–9

The Lord speaks his Word to our children and grandchildren through us.

1These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING 2 Corinthians 5:18–21

God makes his appeal through us as ambassadors for Christ.

18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Please Stand

GOSPEL (in English and Karen) Luke 5:1–11

Christ calls us and grants his blessings through us.

1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

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

Be seated

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE

HYMN OF THE DAY 716 O Christ, Who Called the Twelve

1 O Christ, who called the Twelve
    to rise and follow you,
forsaking old, familiar ways
    for ventures bold and new:
grant us to hear your call
    to risk security
and, bound in heart and will to you,
    find perfect liberty.

2 O Christ, who taught the Twelve
    the truth for ages sealed,
whose words and works awakened faith,
    the ways of God revealed:
instruct us now, we pray,
    by your empow’ring Word.
True teacher, be for all who seek
    their light, their life, their Lord.

3        O Christ, who sent the Twelve
    on roads they’d never trod
to serve, to suffer, teach, proclaim
    the nearer reign of God:
send us on ways where faith
    transcends timidity,
where love informs and hope sustains
    both life and ministry.

4       O Christ, th’‿apostles’ Lord,
    the martyrs’ strength and song,
the crucified and risen King
    to whom the saints belong:
though generations pass,
    our tribute still we bring,
our hymns a sacrifice of praise,
    our lives an offering.

Text: Herman G. Stuempfle, Jr., 1923–2007
Text: © 1993 GIA Publications, Inc. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 717826

SERMON

Please Stand

CONFESSION OF FAITH Nicene Creed 325 & 381 AD

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Be seated

OFFERING PRESENTED BEFORE THE ALTAR

EAST CAMPUS STUDENTS SING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Almighty God and Father, your Holy Spirit has called us by the gospel, enlightened us with his gifts, sanctified and kept us in the one true faith.