THE SERMON – Part I
(Professor Paul Schaller – former pastor of the congregation)
1 Peter 2:1-6 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him– 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Theme: “LOOK WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN 100 YEARS”
Anthem sung by the Pastors
Hymn 467 “Built on the Rock the Church doth Stand”
1. Built on the Rock the Church doth stand, Even when steeples are falling;
Crumbled have spires in every land, Bells still are chiming and calling,
Calling the young and old to rest, But above all the soul distrest,
Longing for rest everlasting.
2. Surely in temples made with hands, God, the Most High, is not dwelling;
High above earth His temple stands, All earthly temples excelling.
Yet He whom heavens cannot contain Chose to abide on earth with men,
Built in our bodies His temple.
3. We are God’s house of living stones, Builded for His habitation;
He through baptismal grace us owns Heirs of His wondrous salvation.
Were we but two His name to tell, Yet He would deign with us to dwell,
With all His grace and His favor.
6. Here stands the font before our eyes Telling how God did receive us;
The altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice And what His table doth give us;
Here sounds the Word that doth proclaim Christ yesterday, today, the same, “My peace I leave with you.” Amen.
THE SERMON – Part II
(Pastor David Schaller – son of the congregation)
1 Peter 2:7-10 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” 8 and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message–which is also what they were destined for. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Theme: “LOOK WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED IN THE YEARS TO COME”