Women’s Day Sunday Worship 10-11-2026
41st ANNUAL WOMEN’S DAY
10-11-2026 10:00AM Worship (in person and online)
“Clothed in the Word – Know Your Worth” Proverbs 31
+ We Rejoice in God’s Spirit +
OPENING VERSES:
L The Bible teaches: “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”’
I tell you, so blessed is the woman who respects and serves the Lord!
C Her faithful living is her strength,
and her fervent loving is her great gift to all.
L Through all of life’s changes and challenges may such a woman of faith and love be clothed with strength and dignity.
C May she know that her true worth and value come from God.
May she laugh at the days to come as she presses on with humility and courage.
L Oh, yes, “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.“
C She is worth more than all of this world’s glitter, glamour and gold.
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
PROCESSIONAL SONG: “ ” led by WOMEN’S DAY CHOIR
APOSTOLIC GREETING by the Pastor.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
Lord God,
NO MATTER WHAT MY SITUATION,
IN SPITE OF MY SITUATION,
let me remember that I am God’s redeemed child,
that I am God’s chosen servant,
that God cares for me,
that God is with me,
that God will never let me go –
not today, not tomorrow, not ever –
and therefore
it’s still the right time for me to continue or to get back to
living, showing, and telling the faith
with all my heart and also my hands. AMEN and AMEN again!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Saving Word +
FIRST READING: PROVERBS 31:10-31
[ INTRODUCTION: Some Christians and others love this familiar passage as a celebration of and even as a standard for wives and
mothers and women to strive for – they say that this is what a “capable wife” (Hebrew translation) looks like. Others despise it as
an unhealthy and unrealistic “Wonder Woman” portrayal of women – they observe that she is so busy working hard everywhere
on everything for everybody, and even from dawn to dusk. The preceding verses of this chapter in the Bible say it is the unnamed
mother of the unknown King Lemuel laying out the characteristics she wants in a daughter-in-law if he chooses to marry. And
Biblical scholars suggest that this passage is not even about an actual human person but rather a literary continuation of the
personification of Wisdom as a Woman that is found in the Book of Proverbs. Whether this chapter lifts up a flesh-and-blood
woman or is a symbol for a spiritual quality, the key is that relationship to God. Make living by God’s Word of life your highest
priority. Let it give you calm confidence and courage, spiritual wisdom and trust, kindness and compassion, and the
ability to lead and to serve. Don’t worry so much about doing all the many tasks and receiving the glittering certificates of
achievement. Find you worth in seeking to be faithful.]
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DANCE SELECTION: Timyk Mathis
SECOND READING: “I DIDN’T DIE LAST NIGHT”
[ INTRODUCTION: Many years ago a Lutheran pastor, Karl Lutze, wrote a book, entitled Forgive Our Forgettings, LORD! that
was reprinted in 1980 by the Lutheran Human Relations Association. This book contains brief meditations, in prayer form, for
Christians who are “amnesia victims”, that is, who sometimes forget those persons who are poor, those who are forgotten and exploited, those whom society counts for nothing. Pastor Lutze believed that THE battleground of our lifetime was located within us – a struggle for our own humanity, for the breadth and depth of our hearts and souls. Today’s reading is the first of 28 selections in the book. We can surely be forgiven our past and present failures and forgetting… and we can just as surely seek to live anew into justice and reconciliation.]
GOSPEL VERSE: “There is strength in the name of the Lord…
There is power in the name of the Lord…
There is hope in the name of the Lord…
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
GOSPEL READING: LUKE 10:38-42
[ INTRODUCTION: It’s a short and familiar story about Jesus and two sisters. Sometimes, as we live our lives and also seek to
serve God, we can be busy, busy, oh so busy… busy doing this, busy doing that… distracted with many things… filled up with anxiety… living as if the world revolved around us – our strength, our feelings, our desires, and our hurts… and becoming less attentive to God’s Word, less patient with one another, and frustrated and frazzled on the inside. If you are too busy for God’s living Word, then you are far too busy. Let us welcome Christ with an undistracted heart and serve Christ with unburdened joy. Our lives will be changed!]
INTRODUCTION OF OUR PREACHER, A “GUEST” FROM OUR CHURCH FAMILY
SONG SELECTION: “ ” WOMEN’S DAY CHOIR
TODAY’S SERMON: Rev. Clesha Staten
SONG SELECTION: “ ” WOMEN’S DAY CHOIR
THE PRAYERS… We pray for NEW LIFE in the Spirit and for the MISSION of the Church to the world!
+ We Rejoice in God’s Nourishing Meal +
OFFERING OF OUR TITHES (10% giving) AND GIFTS… Before us is a world that is desperate, destructive, and in despair. We are a people holding a great treasure – the good news of Jesus Christ Help make real God’s love and mercy!
OFFERING… Let us LIVE for Christ and SHARE God’s generosity with others!
Without Christ we have nothing. With Christ we have everything. Let us offer all that have to the Lord.
In the Sanctuary, place your offering in the offering plate or scan the QR code on the screen.
At home, mail a check or money order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138 or scan the QR code on the screen. You can also contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a recurring weekly gift to the categories you select. Or you can text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions for your contribution. Thank God, praise God, and serve God and people with faithful giving.
[Those gathered “in person” in the sanctuary will come forward with their offerings. There will be one basket for regular support of Christ’s work at and beyond St. Peter’s. There will be another basket for WOMEN’S DAY offering, which is a special gift that is received each annual Women’s Day. Over the years, $104 per woman – each person setting aside $2 each week — has been the Women’s Day challenge that many have committed to.]
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SONG SELECTION: “ ” WOMEN’S DAY CHOIR
THE OFFERTORY SONG: “More about Jesus would I know, more of his grace to others show,
More of his saving fullness see, more of his love who died for me.
MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS… MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS…
MORE OF HIS SAVING FULLNESS SEE, MORE OF HIS LOVE WHO DIED FOR ME.
More about Jesus let me learn, more of his holy will discern;
Spirit of God, my Teacher be, showing the things of Christ to me.”
OFFERING PRAYER (see PHILIPPIANS 3:10-11) led by the Communion Assistant:
Dear God, I want to know Christ inside and out. I want to experience the power of his resurrection and join him
in his suffering. I want to be like him in his death and be raised like him from death. As I grow in the grace of
Christ, make me strong in my faith, bold in my witness, and fervent in my servant-love. There is no better life
than life in Christ! Amen.
THE PREFACE:
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L We are the Body of Christ! C His Spirit is in us! Alleluia!
L [continues the Preface]… we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
C [singing…] “Holy, holy, holy, holy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,
holy, holy, holy, holy.
Precious Jesus, precious Jesus,
We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (spoken)
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! You may come up by the center aisle and kneel or stand at the altar. Get an empty glass as you come forward if you want wine from the chalice. We will also have a tray of pre-poured glasses of grape juice at the altar. You may return to your seats by the side aisles.
If you cannot physically come to the altar but want to receive Holy Communion, please tell one of our ushers.
COMMUNION SONG: “LET US BREAK BREAD TOGETHER” Brown #123
Let us break bread together on our knees. Let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy on me.
Let us drink wine together on our knees…
Let us praise God together on our knees…
COMMUNION SONG: “IN THE NAME OF JESUS” Brown #265
In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, we have the victory!
In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, Satan will have to flee.
Oh-h-h, tell me: who can stand before us when we call on that great name?
JE-SUS! JE-SUS! Precious JE-SUS! We have the victory!
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COMMUNION SONG: “THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE” Brown #65
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine! This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine! Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Ev’rywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine… (4) In my neighborhood, I’m gonna let it shine…
All through my life, I’m gonna let it shine… (5) Jesus gave it to me, I’m gonna let it shine…
THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.
+ We Rejoice in God’s Mission +
THE BENEDICTION by the Pastor… We are sent forth to be and become and BODY OF CHRIST for the world!
CLOSING SONG “ ” led by WOMEN’S DAY CHOIR