kerry@inmarketsuccess.com – St. John's Evangelical

August 30, 2026

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

CROSS COMES BEFORE CROWN

EMMANUEL & St. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCHESWisconsin SynodMecan, WI & Montello, WISunday Worship: 8:00 AM & 10:00AM

WELCOME! WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE HERE!

We pray that you are blessed by God’s Word today. The order of worship is printed here, is projected on the screen, and live streamed at www.stjohnsmontello.org. Restrooms are located in the linkway, out the church entryway, to the left and down the stairs. At Emmanuel, they are located in the Parish Hall. A nursery changing station is located in the lower level of St. John’s.

UNEXPECTED TRUTHS

The opening lines of the United States Declaration of Independence boldly assert that certain truths are “self-evident”—truths accessible to human reason and widely recognized by observation of the world. Among these are that all people are created equal and possess unalienable rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The founders appealed to principles they believed reasonable people could recognize simply by reflecting on human nature and justice. These truths were meant to be obvious, clear to the mind, and persuasive in the public square. Lutherans, however, note that the most important truths revealed in the Bible are not self-evident at all. In fact, they frequently appear surprising or even contrary to human expectations. Scripture teaches that humanity is not naturally good but deeply sinful. It declares that salvation cannot be achieved through human effort but comes entirely by God’s grace. Most unexpected of all is the message that God brings forgiveness and eternal life through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. Biblical truth is revealed by God rather than discovered by reason alone. While some truths may seem obvious to human judgment, the truths of the Bible are often unexpected.

CROSS COMES BEFORE CROWN

Some churches teach that if a person follows God, God responds by granting prosperity and peace, as would only be expected. Today we see how that is nonsense. The Bible explains that if we are part of the Church of God, we will have bear crosses. Believers suffer in this world, sometimes just because they are believers. Why bother? We carry our crosses in gratitude for Jesus carrying his cross, one too heavy for us because it was weighted down with our sin. We carry our crosses because we know that in those moments of struggle, we are forced to turn to Christ and rely on his strength. This is the unexpected path, the one Jesus himself walked: the cross comes before the crown.

Today’s Worship Leader: Vacancy Pastor Bruce Hanneman

Today’s Accompanist: Mrs. Donna Kuenn

Today’s Order of Worship

OPENING HYMN: 806 Your Days And Ways To God Surrender

In the name of the Father and of the 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

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS

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 Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

KYRIE

In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

Amen.

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will toward men. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you, for your great glory, O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. You take away the sin of the world; receive our prayer. You sit at the right hand of God the Father; have mercy on us. For you only are holy; you only are the Lord. You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Let us pray. Almighty God, your Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption. Grant us courage to take up our cross daily and follow him wherever he leads; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 15:15-21

When Jeremiah complained about carrying his cross, the Lord called on him to repent and promised salvation.

¹⁵Lord, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering—do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. ¹⁶When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. ¹⁷I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. ¹⁸Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. ¹⁹Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. ²⁰I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,” declares the Lord. ²¹“I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

SECOND READING: Romans 8:18-25

No cross can compare with the crown of glory that is waiting.

¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. ²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION:

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Your words are my joy

and my heart’s delight.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL READING: Matthew 16:21-26 (Sermon Text)

Jesus calls his Church to walk in his path. First comes the cross, then comes the crown.

²¹From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ²²Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” ²⁴Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise be to you, O Christ!

HYMN OF THE DAY: 694 Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

SERMON: Matthew 16:21-26 “Sometimes the Truth Really Hurts”

1. Painful Truth Needs to be Shared

2. So, Hurting Souls Can be Repaired

APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

OFFERING

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Almighty God and Father, we thank you for all your mercies, especially for the gift of your Son, through whom you have revealed your gracious will. We praise you for the Holy Spirit and his working through the means of grace.

Plant your Word in our hearts, and cause it to produce fruit in our lives.

Strengthen and defend your Church, that by your Word and sacraments faith may grow and love toward all may increase.

Support all who spread the light of your truth throughout the world.

Keep our children in the grace of their baptisms. Enable their parents to train them in lives of faith.

Raise up Christians to serve you in the ministry of the Word and in all godly walks of life.

Preserve our nation in justice and honor. Guide and bless all who make, administer, and judge our laws.

Give them wisdom that they may promote justice and hinder evil.

Let your blessing rest on planting and harvest, commerce and industry, medicine and science, the arts and culture. Protect all who travel, and care for those whose work is difficult or dangerous.

Be with all who devote themselves to any useful task.

Comfort all who are in sorrow or need, sickness or adversity. Remember those who suffer persecution for the faith. Have mercy on those for whom death draws near.

Grant them your love, and take them into your tender care.

Hear us, Lord, as we pray in silence.

Silent prayer

We remember with thanksgiving those who have loved and served you, who now rest from their labors. Console those who are mourning or living with sadness.

Keep us in the true faith, and bring us at last to the joys of heaven.

Grant us these things, Father, for the sake of Jesus, who died and rose again.

Amen.

Blessed Lord, you have given us your Holy Scriptures for our learning. May we so hear them, read, learn, and take them to heart that, being strengthened and comforted by your holy Word, we may cling to the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

BLESSING

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.

Amen.

CLOSING HYMN: 405 On My Heart Imprint Your Image

Acknowledgments – Setting One adapted, from CW 23. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, New International Version^®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. Software distributed in partnership with Northwestern Publishing House. Created by Christian Worship: Service Builder © 2024 CPH.

Meditations Devotion Booklets

The new series of daily devotions has begun. Books are available at the back of church,

Where are the Pew Attendance Books at St. Johns?

You may have noticed that pew attendance books have been removed for the time being. They will likely return in some form or another in the future. The condition of the books had deteriorated to the point that they need to be upgraded and/or replaced.

Looking ahead:

Labor Day Monday September 7^th. (No School Friday Sept. 4^th or Monday Sept. 7^th)

Sunday School begins Sept. 13^th

Calendar for August 30-September 6:

Monday 31^st: Choir Practice at St. John’s, 6:00pm

Thursday 3^rd: Ladies Aid Dessert and Meeting at St. John’s,

Friday 4^th: No School

CALA, LL and Sunday School Singing Schedule:

9/13/26 CALA & LL at Pastor Westra’s Installation Service

9/27/26 CALA & LL at Montello/Sunday School at Montello

GriefShare Begins at St. John’s on Thursday, September 17 at 6:00pm, and meeting on the following Thursdays. GriefShare is a 13-week course. If you want to join, or have any questions, please text or call our GreifShare facilitator, Mark Emond at 608-697-1600.

Newly Elected Officers at St. John’s

At the last meeting of the church council, Jon Vote and Jamie Stelter were elected as president and vice president of St. John’s. Congratulations to both. Pray for them and give them your support in the coming year. Other current council members are Aaron Wachholz, Jake Jaster, Chad Hunter, Matt Kath, Jeff Reimer (treasurer), James Wachholz (secretary) and a CALA board representative.

Area WELS Seniors Area seniors are invited to St. Stephen’s in Fall River on Tuesday, September 8th. We will meet in the church basement for a potluck meal at noon. After the dinner and devotion, we will have a presentation on “The terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001.” After the talk, people can recall their memories of that day. This month marks the 25th Anniversary. “Where were you that day?” All are welcome! Bring a friend!

A BRAND-NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL YEAR begins September 13! Assisting parents in their God-given responsibility of training their children in the Lord is a JOY for our Sunday School staff! In this sin-scared world, shouldn’t we take every opportunity to help our children build a firm spiritual foundation? Why not use Sunday School as one of those opportunities to help your child(ren) grow, and at the same time grow in your own faith by attending Sunday morning Adult Bible Class. Sunday School has open doors . . . open enrollment . . . no registration necessary . . . members & non-members . . . public school & day school … and a special invitation to our current Little Lamb students . . . ALL ARE WELCOME . . . starting at age 3. Students are encouraged “to be an Andrew” and bring a friend!

Installation of Pastor Charles Westra

Sunday, September 13^th at 2:00PM

Installation Sunday is fast approaching! All members and friends of Emmanuel and St. John’s will want to be here for this historical day as we begin to write a new chapter in the history of our parish! Let’s give a warm welcome to the Westra’s, their family and friends, as well as clergy and guests from neighboring congregations who will join us … Vacancy Pastor Bruce Hanneman will serve as worship leader. Pastor Matthew Crass, president of Luther Prep School in Watertown, and close friend Pastor Westra, will be the festival preacher. President of our Northern Wisconsin District, Pastor Kevin Westra will read the Rite of Installation. He also happens to be the brother of our pastor-elect…. Robert Mateske, a 1965 graduate of our school, will serve as organist. Our choir will sing (see below) and our school faculty will be preparing our school children to sing as well.

An Installation Choir will be part of the afternoon installation worship. Our Emmanuel/St. John’s choir members will sing and they want to invite all past choir members and anyone who likes to sing to join the choir in this one-time worship. Our rehearsals will be on Monday Aug. 31^st at 6:00pm at St. John’s. If you cannot make the rehearsals, copies of the music can be available for personal/home practice.

A Post-Worship informal reception is being planned to follow the installation worship and will be held in the Linkway/Gym area. *** Members are being asked to provide desserts. *** Also, helpers are being sought to help carry and set up tables and chairs on Saturday morning the 12^th beginning at 9:00AM.

Welcome Gifts for the Westra’s

A gift basket has been put out at both churches for those who would like to welcome Pastor and Deb Westra in a tangible way. Cards expressing support and God’s blessings are welcomed as are monetary gifts or various gift cards. Please pray for and support the Westra’s as they make the transition to their new life among us, our parish, and our community. The gift basket will be out today and gifts can also be left at the church office after today.

“Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay aside in store as God hath prospered him, “

Stewardship of the Word Last Week:

Sunday Worship at Emmanuel 75 and at St. John’s 89

Hebrews 10:25 Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing. Rather, let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Stewardship of Gifts and Offerings at St. John’s

Beginning September 1, our dual parish will begin supporting a fulltime pastor. That reflects a major change. For a year we have supported part-time and donated pastoral ministry. God has blessed us with a Shepherd, and everyone will be needed to play a part in supporting him and his ministry among us. God help us do that.

2026-27 Fiscal Year Summary (1 month, ending July 31): July marked the first month of the new fiscal year. Member offerings were quite low, at 26% under budget. Two factors helped offset this. Firstly, Emmanuel’s quarterly cost-sharing check for April-June was received along with both of their CALA-support checks for June and July. Secondly, expenses were 13% under budget. Book equity (assets minus dedicated account obligations) remained in positive territory and continued to improve. The expense budget will reflect higher numbers in the next months as student scholarship(s) will be awarded. in August and Pastor Westra’s compensation begins in September. However, the 2026-27 fiscal year budget projects an unfavorable $50K year-end shortfall.

The regular first fruit giving is a Holy Spirit driven fruit of faith.

Our Stewardship of Time:

This week ushers at St. John’s are: Matthew Kath, Martin Schmanke, Glenn Bubloz and Dan Finger. The St. John’s ushers for Sept. 6 are: James Wachholz, Zeb Zuehls, Chuck Boetcher, Jesse Schable, Aaron Wachholz, Wally Wolsdorf.

Welcome to Our Visitors – Help Us Stay In Touch

Scan the barcode using your smartphone camera and fill out the prompted information…OR… fill out the attendance card located at the end of each pew and place it in the offering plate

Vacancy Pastor: Bruce Hanneman 507-317-5772 bwhanny@frontier.com

CALA Principal – Lucas Wolter

principal@christalonelutheranacademy.net

Mrs. Elizabth Wolter – Grade 6-8

ewolter@christalonelutheranacademy.net

Miss Beth Barenz –Grade 3-5

bbarenz@christalonelutheranacademy.net

Mrs. Bethany Ibeling – Grades 1-2

bibeling@christalonelutheranacademy.net

Mrs. Sylvia Straschinske – Kindergarten

sstraschinkski@christalonelutheranacademy.net

Miss Rachel Huebner – Little Lambs Teacher