The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

PSALM 31 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol. Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt. Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

In this month's Campus Clips, celebrate the achievements of recent graduates of CUS schools, a surprise festschrift for a long-time seminary professor, the 50th anniversary of Concordia University Irvine, and more. https://thelc.ms/3PQg1LY

Both seminaries are recruiting tomorrow's pastors through creative and collaborative efforts. In this midst of this energetic work, we can still rest in Christ's promise that He is the Lord of His church.

+SERVICE OF THE WORD+ St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles June 29, 2026 GOSPEL Matthew 16:13–19 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” COLLECT OF THE DAY Merciful and eternal God, Your holy apostles Peter and Paul received grace and strength to lay down their lives for the sake of Your Son. Strengthen us by Your Holy Spirit that we may confess Your truth and at all times be ready to lay down our lives for Him who laid down His life for us, even Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

We invite you to memorize Isaiah 40:8 with us this week. Memorizing Scripture is a valuable practice for Christians, even in a digital age. Join us each week as we hide God's Word in our hearts. Learn more at lcms.org/memoryverse.

These visual memory cards from LCMS Family Ministry help young children learn the Ten Commandments and the days of creation, with memorable visual cues on the front and the answers on the back. Download today: https://thelc.ms/4agFXaq

+SERVICE OF THE WORD+ Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 8A) June 28, 2026 GOSPEL Matthew 10:34–42 [Jesus said:] “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 8A) June 28, 2026 In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For God’s people, that with songs of God’s steadfast love we may make known His faithfulness as we live in Christ’s favor and light, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For all pastors and ministers of the Church, that they would be preserved in the pure doctrine of Christ’s saving Word, defended against all adversaries, and strengthened in faith and love, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For our homes, that God would bring them peace and not a sword, fostering common love and the knowledge of His ways, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For the authorities of our nation, that God would give them integrity and honor; and for all citizens, that God would bless them with charity and preserve them from sinful contempt of good order and godly laws, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For those in any trouble, want, sickness, anguish of labor, peril of death or any other adversity, that the healthful Spirit of God’s grace would heal, strengthen, comfort and give them relief, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. That those who suffer for the sake of Christ’s name would have the courage and patience to stand firm in their afflictions until the day of His deliverance, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. For those who gather at the table of the Lamb to receive His body and blood, that in this feast of victory, they may be granted a foretaste of the feast to come, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. In thanksgiving for all who have died in the faith and now rest from their labors; and that the Holy Spirit may preserve us in faith until we stand with them in glory, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

HYMN OF THE DAY Fifth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 8A) June 28, 2026 "The Law of God Is Good and Wise" (LSB 579) 1. The Law of God is good and wise And sets His will before our eyes, Shows us the way of righteousness, And dooms to death when we transgress. 2. Its light of holiness imparts The knowledge of our sinful hearts That we may see our lost estate And turn from sin before too late. 3. To those who help in Christ have found And would in works of love abound It shows what deeds are His delight And should be done as good and right. 4. But those who scornfully disdain God’s Law shall then in sin remain; Its terror in their ear resounds And keeps their wickedness in bounds. 5. The Law is good; but since the fall Its holiness condemns us all; It dooms us for our sin to die And has no pow’r to justify. 6. To Jesus we for refuge flee, Who from the curse has set us free, And humbly worship at His throne, Saved by His grace through faith alone.

As The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) gears up for its next convention this July, it also commends Lutherans to renew their zeal for spreading the faith. The 2026–2029 National Offering, under the theme “Christ Is Risen! Tell the Next Generation,” will support congregations, districts and Recognized Service Organizations as they spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to all. Read on to learn how congregations across the nation are working to grow the faith of the next generation and bring children and young people to the arms of their loving Savior. https://thelc.ms/4sWzEzM