Unity Without Uniformity
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (One body, many parts)
What does it look like to honor diversity without demanding sameness? We read in Paul's writing that true unity doesn't erase our differences - it honors them. This week we celebrate the beauty of diversity within the church and discover how God weaves us into one withour demanding that all be the same.
Guest Preacher Joe Davis will join us on Sun. Feb. 22
A local poet, artist, and activist, Joe is the author of the poem “Gather,” which celebrates inclusion, belonging, and human dignity. His presence on the same Sunday that “Gather” is performed by the Shakopee High School choirs alongside St. Andrew’s Canticle Choir makes the day especially meaningful, offering a powerful blend of word, music, and message centered on hope and unity.
Love in a Divided World
We are living in a moment when division feels almost unavoidable. Families fracture over beliefs, communities splinter along cultural and political lines, and even the church is not immune to the forces that pull people apart. Yet into this fractured world, the gospel speaks a different word - a word of love, peace, justice, and unity. This series, Love in a World Divided, invites us to explore what it means to follow Jesus when the world around us feels polarized and anxious.
9:00 AM Service
Bulletin
PRELUDE
“A House United”
Alan Bach, Tim Graf, Worship Band
WELCOME
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.
OPENING HYMN
“In Christ There Is No East or West”
ELW # 650
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Uniting God,
you have called us together from many diverse backgrounds to be one body of Christ. Therefore, make us peacemakers who honor the differences between us even as we labor to find common ground, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
READING
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
READING
“Gather” (Joe Davis)
Joe Davis
ANTHEM
“Gather”
Canticle Choir/Chamber Choir/Shakopee HS Choir Students, Josh Eidem (Soloist) Larry Bach, director
SERMON
“Unity without Uniformity”
Joe Davis
OFFERING INTRO
Pastor Peter
OFFERING OF MUSIC
“Love Like Fire” (Joe Davis )
Joe Davis, Alan Bach, Worship Band, Canticle Choir/Chamber Choir/Shakopee HS Choir Students, Larry Bach (Director)
OFFERING PRAYER
God of grace, your love reaches to the heavens, and your abundance to the depths of the seas. Bless what we offer to your service: our gifts, our abilities, and our hearts. Let us overflow with gratitude and generosity, now and always. Amen.
PRAYERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
BEFORE YOU GO
BENEDICTION
SENDING SONG
“Hold Us Together”
SENDING
Go now in peace. Be the peace you want to see in the world.
Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE
“A House United”
Worship Band
Musicians for today’s worship
- Tim Graf (Director of Worship & Music)
- Alan Bach
- Joe Davis
- Worship Band
- Canticle Choir/Chamber Choir/Shakopee HS Choir Students
- Larry Bach (Director)
10:30 AM Service
Bulletin
PRELUDE
“A House United”
Alan Bach, Tim Graf, Worship Band
WELCOME
GREETING
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.
OPENING HYMN
“In Christ There Is No East or West”
ELW # 650
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Uniting God,
you have called us together from many diverse backgrounds to be one body of Christ. Therefore, make us peacemakers who honor the differences between us even as we labor to find common ground, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
READING
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect, whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
READING
“Gather” (Joe Davis)
Joe Davis
ANTHEM
“Gather”
Canticle Choir/Chamber Choir/Shakopee HS Choir Students, Josh Eidem (Soloist) Larry Bach, director
SERMON
“Unity without Uniformity”
Joe Davis
OFFERING INTRO
Pastor Peter
OFFERING OF MUSIC
“Love Like Fire” (Joe Davis )
Joe Davis, Alan Bach, Worship Band, Canticle Choir/Chamber Choir/Shakopee HS Choir Students, Larry Bach (Director)
OFFERING PRAYER
God of grace, your love reaches to the heavens, and your abundance to the depths of the seas. Bless what we offer to your service: our gifts, our abilities, and our hearts. Let us overflow with gratitude and generosity, now and always. Amen.
PRAYERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
THE LORD’S PRAYER
BEFORE YOU GO
BENEDICTION
SENDING SONG
“Hold Us Together”
SENDING
Go now in peace. Be the peace you want to see in the world.
Thanks be to God!
POSTLUDE
“A House United”
Worship Band
Musicians for today’s worship
- Tim Graf (Director of Worship & Music)
- Alan Bach
- Joe Davis
- Worship Band
- Canticle Choir/Chamber Choir/Shakopee HS Choir Students
- Larry Bach (Director)
Prayers
As a community of faith, we are connected through joy, sorrow, worship, and prayer. Please pray for the people listed below.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated!
Prayers of Mourning
We ask for God’s loving embrace to hold all those who mourn, especially:
- Buzz Hultberg on the death of his friend Carol
- Prayers for Mary and Ralph Hanson on the death of their son-in-law, Collin.
- The Swanson family on the death of their mother/Grandmother Lynn Trok
- Darlene Filsmeyer – our camp cook on the death of her brother
- Trudy, Tom, Turner, and Tatum Gunderson on the death of dad/grandpa, Gary Presser
- Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice.
–Psalm 130:1–2 - For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
–Romans 8:38–39 - Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’
–John 11:25–26
Prayers of Healing and General Prayers
As we are praying for all members of the St. Andrew community, this week we pray especially for God’s comfort, healing, protection, and strength to be present with:
- Victoria Vandersteen
- Jenn Herron
- Richard Johnson
- Dean Vilmo
- Carol Peterson
- Kelly Shephard
- Jane & Curt Goke’s niece, Nicole
- Jonathan King
- Stacy Trenda
Long Term Prayers
- Donna Jones and her family
- Collin Buzzel
- Crosby Urlick
- Nicholas Priest
- Madelyn Astry
- Paul Skoog’s Brother, Dan
- Jim Hornbacher
- Julie Bergquist
- John Rostad
- Kathy Hoagland
- Ron Wolfbauer
- For the people of Haiti, who are enduring ongoing political upheaval, severe economic challenges, and gang-related violence.
- For the people of the Middle East and Ukraine, non-violence and peace.
- All those in the military who are serving our country.
- Cast your cares on the Lord, and he will sustain you.
–Psalm 55:22a - Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
–Matthew 11:28
Names will remain listed until more are added unless otherwise requested. To add a name to the prayer list, click Prayer Requests or contact Pastor Peter Johnson.