Believing Is Seeing. 2 nd Sunday of Easter

Transcription

1 Believing Is Seeing 2 nd Sunday of Easter April 2 & 3, 2016

2 Ebenezer Lutheran Church Port Hudson The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 9100 Highway YY Leslie, Missouri Parsonage Church Rev. William F. Zastrow, Pastor Mary Sprick, Secretary ebenezerlutheranchurch.wordpress.com AS WE GATHER: Easter is not merely a day but a season, and every year we begin the rest of the story with John s description of Thomas and his encounter with the risen Lord. Perhaps this is descriptive of our attitude as a church and as individual believers. We daily wrestle with our doubts and fears, with what it means to believe and what it means to confess our faith openly in the world. Could it be that we are so conditioned by the reality that is death that we struggle to hold on to the new reality of life that is ours in Christ? Thomas found out that seeing is not believing, but believing is seeing. We daily struggle with this very same truth. PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP: Almighty God, give to us Your Holy Spirit that we may see with eyes of faith and confess with joy our Lord and our God. Bless our words of witness that all the world may know Your Son, Jesus Christ, and have life in His name; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. THE DIVINE SERVICE DIVINE SERVICE HS98 page 6 HYMNS 828, 831, 833, 893, 867 2

3 OUR MISSION AND MINISTRY To our members and guests who are here with us today. May the Lord refresh you with peace and love during our worship services on this Second Sunday of Easter. Please join us here at Ebenezer again soon! Please sign the guest register near the front entrance with your name, address, and Church affiliation We rejoice with Doug and Sarah Eckelkamp on the birth of the their son, Bryce Matthew, on Tuesday, March 29. Mother and child are doing fine. May God bless the Eckelkamp family as they grow in Christ. May God s grace, mercy and peace be to family of Roy Helling who died at his home repairing a tractor this past Thursday. No funeral arrangements were made at the time of our printing of the bulletin. Roy is survived by his father and mother, brother and sisters, his daughter, Amber and son Christopher. We express our sincere sympathy to the family of John and Jane Redhage. John s sister, Joyce (Redhage) Stricker, passed away this past Tuesday morning in Pennsylvania. Her funeral was held this past Friday in Pennsylvania. She is also survived by her husband, Alan Stricker, one son and three grandchildren. An Update on Alec Ingram Alec is back in the hospital with pneumonia. His heart is very weak and has 3

4 an EMO implanted to help it function. He is on a breathing machine to help his breathing and his heart. His kidneys also stopped, so he is on some device to help with that. Many prayers are needed! You can follow his battle on facebook by searching Alec Ingram s fight with cancer. On April 4, at 7:00 PM and again on Thursday, morning at 10:00 AM we will have the special presentation of The First Rosa Teacher, Confessor, and church planter. The Rev. Dr. Roosevelt Gray Jr., director of LCMS Black Ministry, led the late 2014 production of an LCMS film chronicling the unprecedented mission work of Rosa Young and Lutheran missionary Rev. Nils Bakke in Alabama during the early 1900s. Rosa J. Young was awarded an honorary doctorate by Concordia Theological Seminary during their commencement service in May She was both the first woman and the first African-American to be honored in this way by the Lutheran Church. Young led a life of service, accomplished so much to the Glory of God, and enabled others to do the same. Relay for Life We will be having a pulled pork and baked ham dinner in our dining hall next Sunday, April 10 th. The dinner will be served from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM benefitting the American Cancer Society. All profit from this dinner will go to provide lifesaving work in the fight against cancer. A free will offering will be collected with checks written to the American Cancer 4

5 Society. During the Church service on April 10 th, we will be celebrating a Sunday of Hope! The sanctuary will be decorated with luminaria bags a paper bag containing a candle and displaying a name. We all know someone who has been touched by cancer. If you would like to recognize a loved one by ordering a luminaria in honor of a cancer survivor or in memory of someone who lost the battle, please fill out the form and put it in the collection plate by today. You may order more than one. More forms are on the table at the back of Church if you need more. Concert - On Friday, April 8, at 7:00 PM, Immanuel Lutheran Church of Washington will host the Concordia Men s Chorus. The concert is titled Laudamus. There is no charge for this concert but a free will offering will be taken. A Note of Appreciation Thank you to everyone who brought food for our Easter Breakfast and to everyone who helped serve the breakfast. Your help was much appreciated! $ was raised for the Leslie Food Bank. Also thank you to everyone who brought eggs, etc. for the children s Easter Egg Hunt last Sunday after Church. It sure looked like the children had a great time! We are very grateful for all the beautiful Easter Lilies that were given to our Church. Please feel free to take your lily home after our Church service to enjoy. Please mark your calendars for the date of Voter s Meeting on April 18 th at 7:30 PM. The officers 5

6 meeting will be on Tuesday, April 12 th at 7:00 PM. Please make plans to attend. Request from Mercy Hospice Mercy Hospice is currently seeking volunteers to offer support and comfort to patients and families in our community. Volunteers are matched with opportunities to serve according to their schedules, skills, comfort levels and geographic area. Volunteer opportunities include: caregiver relief, emotional support, Alzheimer s program, life review videos, bereavement support, Mercy Companions, administrative assistance, etc. The next free four week training classes will be Mondays, April 4 th, 11 th, 18 th, and 25 th from 9:00 AM 12:30 PM. For more information, please contact Stephanie Marquart, Volunteer Coordinator at or stephanie.marquart@mercy.net Those Serving Today Organist Saturday Laura Nichols Organist Sunday Ruth Marschel Head Usher Saturday Tracey Bade Head Usher Sunday Marvin Kassebaum Altar Guild Nancy Quinn and Mary Sprick Acolytes Kayleigh Crego Danielle Gerding Paige Thurmond Bell Ringer Cody Adams 6

7 Offerings and Attendance Maundy Thursday March 24 th Maundy Thursday Offerings $ Plate Lenten Offering 2.00 Weekly Offering 3.00 $ Attendance: Morning Worship 15 Evening Worship 27 Good Friday March 25, 2016 Good Friday Offerings $ Plate Maundy Thursday Offerings Easter Offerings Weekly Offerings Edna Deppermann Memorial Lawrence Pelster Memorial Recycle Money $ Attendance: Morning Worship 24 Evening Worship 38 Easter Vigil Service March 26, 2016 Easter Offerings $ Weekly Offerings Plate 5.00 $

8 Easter Sunrise Service March 27, 2016 Easter Offerings $ Weekly Offerings Good Friday Offering 2.00 Plate $ Attendance: Worship Service 40 Easter Sunday Worship 10:00 AM Service Easter Offerings $1, Weekly Offerings Plate Sunday School Lenten Offerings Maundy Thursday Offering $2, Attendance: Worship Service 168 Sunday School: Children 13 Adults 16 This Week at Ebenezer Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday - Friday Saturday - 8 Bible Study The First Rosa 7:00 PM Elders Meeting 7:00 PM Confirmation 6:30 PM Bible Study The First Rosa 10:00 AM Pastor at Immanuel Rosebud 7:00 PM Washington, 7:00 PM Worship 5:00 PM