3700 Washington Ave., Racine, WI (home) Organist, Choir & Music Director: Mrs. Elyse Adams. Welcome to Grace!

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1 GRACE EVANGELICAL Pastor: Rev. Brian T. Crane LUTHERAN CHURCH (LCMS) (mobile) 3700 Washington Ave., Racine, WI (home) Organist, Choir & Music Director: Mrs. Elyse Adams Welcome to Grace! December 23, 2018 What We Believe: As Lutheran Christians we stand with the church of the ages and confess the faith of the Holy Bible, which is God s Word. We believe that our Triune God created man and woman holy; however, since we sinned and still sin we cannot free ourselves from sin and death. Therefore God sent His Son Jesus Christ, who is our only way to salvation. By His death and resurrection and through no work or decision of our own, we have forgiveness, life, and salvation. We joyfully receive these gifts in His Word, and in the holy sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. In all our teaching and preaching we seek to be faithful to God's holy Law which shows our sin, and to proclaim His precious Gospel, which is the good news of our salvation in Christ! We subscribe also to Luther s Small Catechism and the other documents in the Book of Concord of 1580 because they faithfully confess these biblical truths. Guests and Holy Communion: Holy Communion is a gift Christ gives to His Church. In it, He offers His true Body and Blood, in, with and under the bread and wine. When received in faith, it brings forgiveness, new life and salvation. Holy Communion is also a statement of our unity in Christ (community). Those who receive the Lord s Supper at Grace Lutheran Church are baptized Christians who have been instructed in and publicly confess the Evangelical Lutheran faith. For this reason, only members of our congregation or sister congregations of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod are ordinarily communed at this altar. If you have any questions regarding the doctrine of Close Communion, please talk to the pastor before or after the service. Nursery: If your child becomes restless during the service, you are welcome to make use of the Nursery downstairs. Friendship Pad: Please sign the friendship pad as it is passed during the offering. Fellowship Time: Immediately following the 9:00 AM Worship in the Fellowship Hall. Large Print Hymnals: Are available from the ushers! Electronic Devices: PLEASE silence all devices during worship. Thanks! May the Lord bless your worship today!

2 Fourth Sunday in Advent December 23, 2018 Divine Service, Setting Three PRE-SERVICE MUSIC, CHIMES, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND SHARING OF THE PEACE CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came LSB 356 Invocation LSB 184 Confession of Sins and Absolution LSB 184 SERVICE OF THE WORD Introit 1 Samuel 2:1b, 2, 5b 7; antiphon: Luke 1:46b 47 P My soul magni- fies the Lord,* and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. C My mouth derides my enemies,* because I rejoice in your sal- vation. P There is none holy like the LORD;* there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. C The barren has borne seven,* but she who has many children is forlorn. P The LORD kills and brings to life;* he brings down to Sheol and raises up. C The LORD makes poor and makes rich;* he brings low and he exalts. Gloria Patri LSB 186 Kyrie LSB 186 The Gloria in Excelsis is omitted during Advent. Salutation and Collect of the Day LSB 189 P Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C Amen.

3 Old Testament Reading Micah 5:2 5a Pew Bible, p. 779 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. Grace Choir Anthem My Soul Magnifies the Lord Epistle Hebrews 10:5 10 Pew Bible, p When Christ came into the world, he said, Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book. When he said above, You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings (these are offered according to the law), then he added, Behold, I have come to do your will. He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Alleluia LSB 190 Holy Gospel Luke 1:39 56 Pew Bible, p. 856 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, Blessed are you among

4 women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever. And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home. Nicene Creed LSB 191 or inside back cover of hymnal Catechism Time The Creed Luther s Small Catechism, LSB 322 The Second Article Redemption [I believe] in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

5 What does this mean? [Jesus redeemed me] that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel LSB 357 Sermon Offertory LSB 192 Offering Guests/members please sign and pass the Friendship Pad at the end of the pew, check appropriate columns, and print clearly including children s names. Prayer of the Church SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT Preface LSB 194 Sanctus LSB 195 Lord s Prayer LSB 196 The Words of Our Lord LSB 197 Pax Domini LSB 197 Agnus Dei LSB 198 Distribution If you are visiting with us, please read Guests and Holy Communion, printed inside the cover of the Friendship Pad. Distribution Hymns: My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker LSB 820 Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord LSB 352 What Hope! An Eden Prophesied LSB 342 The Night Will Soon Be Ending LSB 337 Nunc Dimittis LSB 199 Thanksgiving LSB 200 Salutation and Benedicamus LSB 201 Benediction LSB 202 My Soul Rejoices LSB 933

6 + TO GOD BE THE GLORY + Acknowledgments Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Reprinted with permission. Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder 2006 Concordia Publishing House. CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK OF December 23rd THROUGH December 30th TODAY 9:00 AM DIVINE SERVICE III WITH HOLY COMMUNION 10:30 AM Bible Study 10:30 AM Sunday School Christmas Party MONDAY 6:30 PM CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP W/ HOLY COMMUNION 10:00 PM CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP W/ HOLY COMMUNION TUESDAY 10:00 AM CHRISTMAS DAY WORSHIP W/ HOLY COMMUNION Office Closed FRIDAY Office Closed SUNDAY 9:00 AM DIVINE SERVICE I WITH HOLY COMMUNION 10:30 AM Bible Study About the Bulletin Cover: The little town of Bethlehem was fruitful (the meaning of Ephrathah) because the Lord deigned to be born there. The places where the Lord chooses to be present are life-giving because He is there. How often He chooses humble means to do amazing things! Every Sunday, by His Word and Sacraments, He joins His Word to simple things like water, bread, and wine to do the amazing acts of creating and sustaining faith. Lectionary Summary: The Lord Comes to Visit Us in Peace: The Fourth Sunday in Advent turns our attention toward the nativity of our Lord. With Mary, we await the coming of the Christ, her Son, conceived in her womb by the Spirit of God. As the Lord dealt graciously with her and did great things for her (Luke 1:48 49), so also He manifests Himself and His glory to us in mercy and gentleness. He comes to rule His people in peace, to shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD. He comes forth not from the great capital city of Rome or Jerusalem, but from lowly little Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, 4). He comes to sacrifice Himself, in fulfillment of His Father s will, for the salvation and sanctification of His people (Heb. 10:10). He who once visited Elizabeth while hidden in the womb of Mary (Luke 1:39 45) now comes to visit us today, hidden in the lowliness of simple water, bread, and wine.

7 Our Partnership in the Gospel Grace s Mission: We are friends in God s family through Jesus, strengthened by His Spirit to represent Christ in our daily lives, our community and the world. Grace s Vision: To be an active, growing Christ-centered congregation offering youth and adults traditional Lutheran worship, Bible study and fellowship while reaching out especially to our neighbors, families and friends with the Gospel invitation Theme: And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42 Our Worship Attendance: December 12, 2018: 42 December 16, 2018: 141; Children s Christmas Service: 58