St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Cumberland, MD

09/05/2026

All are welcome to join with us tomorrow, Sunday, September 6, 2026, the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, for worship at either 8:30 a.m. in the Luther Chapel on the lower level, (the last Sunday for this summer time offering) or at 10:00 a.m. in the Nave of the church.

The Lectionary readings:
Exodus 12:1–14
Outlines God's instructions for the first Passover and institutes an annual memorial to mark the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

Psalm 149
A song of praise that calls believers to worship God with joyful music, dance, and a dual role of praising Him while holding a two-edged sword for divine justice.

Romans 13:8–14
Teaches that loving your neighbor is the ultimate fulfillment of God's law, and believers must urgently live as children of the light.

Matthew 18:15–20
Jesus outlines steps for handling disputes and sin within a community, emphasizing private reconciliation, communal witness, and Christ's presence among believers.

08/29/2026

All are invited to join with us tomorrow, the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 30, 2026, for worship at 8:30 a.m. in the Luther Chapel on the bottom level or at 10:00 a.m. in the Nave of the church. The Lectionary follows:

Exodus 3:1-15:
Moses encounters God in the burning bush at Mount Horeb. God hears the suffering of the Israelites and calls Moses to lead them, revealing the divine name: "I AM WHO I AM".

Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45b:
This psalm recounts God's faithfulness to Abraham's descendants. It remembers how God sent Moses and Aaron to bring Israel out of Egypt.

Romans 12:9-21:
The Apostle Paul teaches believers how to live out genuine love. He urges Christians to bless their persecutors and overcome evil with good.

Matthew 16:21-28
Jesus predicts his upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem. He also rebukes Peter for rejecting this path and calls his followers to take up their cross.

08/24/2026

Today, August 24 is the Feast Day of the Apostle, Bartholomew, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, also identified by biblical scholars with Nathanael in the Gospel of John.

He is revered for his foundational missionary work, traveling widely to preach the Gospel, bringing Christianity to Mesopotamia, India, and especially Armenia, where he and St. Jude Thaddeus are credited with planting the seeds of the faith.

He suffered a brutal martyrdom by being flayed alive (skinned) and beheaded on the orders of King Astyages for converting members of the royal family.

Jesus praised him as an "Israelite without deceit," and he is known as the patron saint of leatherworkers and butchers.

08/22/2026

All are welcome to join with us tomorrow, Sunday, August 23, 2026 for worship at 8:30 a.m. in the Luther Chapel on the lower level, or at 10:00 in the Nave of the church.

The Lectionary readings for tomorrow:

Exodus 1:8-2:10:
A new Egyptian king who enslaved the growing Israelite population, and the deviance and rescue of baby Moses from the Nile River by Pharaoh's daughter.

Psalm 124:
A hymn of thanksgiving that celebrates God's protection and rescue.

Romans 12:1-8:
Teaches believers to give their lives to God, change how they think instead of copying the world.

Matthew 16:13:
Jesus asks his disciples near Caesarea Philippi who people think he is. When Simon Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus blesses him, declares he will build his church on this rock, and gives him the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

All are welcome in this place.

08/15/2026

God's inclusive mercy, boundary-breaking grace, and the expansion of the covenant to all nations, is the theme of the Lectionary readings for tomorrow, Sunday, August 16, 2026. All are welcome to join us at 8:30 a.m. in the Luther Chapel on the lower level, or at 10:00 a.m. in the Nave of the church.

The scriptural focus highlights how God's house and salvation are open to outsiders, foreigners, and the marginalized.

Isaiah 56:1, 6-8:
This is what the LORD says: “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness."

Psalm 67:
God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32:
God has not rejected the nation of Israel, despite their general unbelief in Jesus.

Matthew 15:[10-20] 21-28:
Jesus teaches that what comes out of a person's mouth defiles them, not what goes in. In verses 21-28, a persistent Canaanite woman begs Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Impressed by her great faith and clever reply, Jesus heals her daughter instantly.

08/13/2026

All are welcome to join us this afternoon from 4:00 - 6:00 pm for Bountiful Blessings. Please bring a photo ID with a current address, utility bills are also accepted with current address.

Please do not arrive prior to 3:30 pm.

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19

08/11/2026

Today, August 11th is the Feast Day of a contemporary of Francis of Assisi, St. Clare, Abbess of San Damiano.

Inspired by the teachings of St. Francis, St. Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies, a monastic religious order for women in the Franciscan tradition. The Order of Poor Ladies was different from any other order or convent because it followed a rule of strict poverty. Clare wrote their Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guideline known to have been written by a woman.

Founded in Italy in 1212 by Clare of Assisi and Francis of Assisi, they live a radical life of poverty, silence, and prayer within monasteries.

Following her death, the order she founded was renamed in her honor as the Order of Saint Clare, commonly referred to today as the Poor Clares, a contemplative order of nuns.

Famous quote: “We are to become vessels of God's compassionate love for others.” ✛ “Love that does not know of suffering is not worthy of the name.”

08/08/2026

Please join with us for worship tomorrow, August 9, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in the Martin Luther Chapel on the lower level, or at 10: a.m. in the Nave of the church. The Lectionary for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time is:

Genesis 37:1–4, 12–28
The story of Joseph, seventeen years old, tending flocks of sheep with his brothers. Jacob loved Joseph most and gave him an ornate robe, causing his brothers to hate him. Sent to check on them, Joseph was thrown into a cistern and sold by his brothers to Midianite traders for twenty pieces of silver.

Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b:
A song of praise that tells God's people to give thanks, remember His mighty deeds, and look at the story of Joseph as proof that God keeps His promises through every hardship.

Romans 10: 5-15:
Salvation comes by believing in Christ in your heart and confessing Him with your mouth, emphasizing that the message is for all people. The passage contrasts righteousness through the law with righteousness through faith.

Matthew 14:22-33:
The disciples struggle against strong winds and waves in their boat during the night. Jesus walks out to them on the lake. The disciples are terrified and think they see a ghost. Peter asks to come to Jesus on the water. He steps out of the boat and walks on the water successfully, becomes afraid and begins to sink, crying for the Lord to save him, and Jesus catches him. Jesus and Peter climb into the boat, the wind stops, and the disciples worship Jesus as the Son of God.

All are welcome in this place.

08/03/2026

08/01/2026

Please join with us for worship tomorrow, August 2, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in the Luther Chapel on the lower level or at 10:00 a.m. in the Nave of the church. The Lectionary for this 10th Sunday after Pentecost:

Isaiah 55:1-5:
A free invitation from God to find spiritual satisfaction, life, and a lasting promise, calling people to come to the waters, listen, and turn to the Holy One of Israel.

Psalm 145:8–9, 15–16, 17–18:
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, helps those who fall, and receives praise from every creature.

Romans 9:1-5:
The Apostle Paul's deep sorrow and heavy grief for his own Jewish people, expressing his willingness to be cut off from Christ if it could save them, and highlighting the rich spiritual heritage, covenants, and human ancestry of the Messiah given to Israel.

Matthew 14:13-21:
The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, showing his compassion, the miracle of the loaves and fish, and the disciples sharing food with the large crowd.

All are welcome in this place.