Gathering Rite, Service of Word and Sacrament (Gathering Rite below and then page 29 and following in CW)

Transcription

1 Second Sunday of Advent December 10, 2017 What people want to happen at this time of the year is often drastically different from what actually happens. Some want peace and get stress. Some want togetherness and they feel more alone than ever. What s wrong? We live in a sinful world. This Advent God wants us to know the reality he has given us. It helps us prepare with the right expectations both now and forever. With reality our expectations we be met and then some, because a Savior is coming who has won a perfect, eternal home for us. Today we see the reality behind God s delay in his return. He delays so that people might repent. Because God speaks of communing together as an expression of unity in faith and warns us against the dangers of not understanding what communion is, we practice close communion. WELS members are welcome to commune with us. Visitors, please speak with the pastor before communing. If you would like to learn more about communing with us in the future, please contact pastor. Personal Preparation for Holy Communion is found on page 156 in the hymnal. Gathering Rite, Service of Word and Sacrament (Gathering Rite below and then page 29 and following in CW) Music chosen for the seasons of the church year has the capacity to set the tone for a particular celebration. This year during the first two Sundays of Advent we will use O Lord, How Shall I Meet You as our Gathering Rite to set a tone of expectant preparation for Christ s coming. Stand M: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen. M: Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. C: Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (sung) O Lord, how shall I meet you, How welcome you aright? Your people long to greet you, My Hope, my heart s Delight. O Jesus, let your Word be A lamp to light my way, To show me how to please you, To guide me ev ry day. 1 Psalm 119:89,105 Morrison Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Our mission is to Glorify God as we Gather around the Gospel to help people Grow in the Gospel and Go with the Gospel Welcome! We thank God that you have joined us at worship today. Restrooms are located in the basement. Hearing loop headphones and Large Print Hymnals are available from an usher. If your children need to leave worship, please take them to the basement. A TV broadcasts the service in the basement. Today we gather together in the presence of God. He is present among us in a special way through his Word and Sacrament. We humbly acknowledge our sin and rejoice in the good news of forgiveness through the life and death of Christ. This is the focus of our worship.

2 M: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. C: Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. M: Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.. C: Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice Psalm 51:1-2,7-8 (sung) Sin debt, the fearful burden, Let not your souls distress; Your guilt the Lord will pardon And cover by his grace. He comes, for you procuring The peace of sin forgiv n, His children thus securing A heritage in heav n. M: The almighty God has been merciful to us and has sent his Son to die for all. For his sake, he forgives us our sins and calls us from darkness to his marvelous light. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit C: Amen. (sung) He comes to judge the nations, A terror to his foes, Alight of consolations, And blessed hope to those Who love the Lord s appearing. O glorious Sun, now come, Send forth your beams most cheering, And guide us safely home. Prayer of the Day M: Let us pray. Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for your only Son. By his coming give us strength in our conflicts and shed light on our path through the darkness of this world; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 2

3 Be Seated THE WORD Choir When Emmanuel Has Come (Sunday 8:00 a.m.) First Lesson: Isaiah 40:1-11 The message of God s messengers has not changed. It is a message that prepares us for his coming both at Christmas and on the Last Day. The messenger cries out: We are nothing; He is everything. We are born to die; He comes to give life. We know nothing and are sure of nothing; his Word of grace and pardon lasts forever and gives the pardon and grace that it promises. Crane your necks. Stand on tiptoes. Listen to his footsteps in the voice of the apostles and prophets, in the Word proclaimed this day from the pulpit. That s how the Savior King himself prepares you for his coming. 40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice of one calling: In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. 6 A voice says, Cry out. And I said, What shall I cry? 3

4 All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. 9 You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, Here is your God! 10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. 11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (NIV) Psalm of the Day: Psalm 14 (p. 40 of CWS) Second Lesson 2 Peter 3:8-14 A little child keeps asking during Advent: Is Christmas here yet? With like eagerness we ask the Savior King s messenger: How come it takes so long? The messenger has come in fulfillment of God s promise to send messengers. The messenger assures us that the promise of his final coming also will be kept, just as surely as the promise of his first coming was kept. Therefore don t lose heart in the midst of all the distractions that the world offers to make us forget our chief business of being and getting ready for his coming. Those lost in the distractions will meet him with dismay. Let us keep craning our necks and standing on tiptoe, busy with obedience to his Word and cherishing each proclamation of the message that helps us to prepare. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 4

5 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. (NIV) Verse of the Day (sung) Stand Gospel: Mark 1:1-8 Since he is coming, as we heard last Sunday, both to destroy and to save, the sending of forerunners to help us prepare is a special mark of the Savior s grace and kindness. Notice that the forerunner is the lowliest man in the world: He is not even fit to untie the shoes of the one whose coming he proclaims. Since he is so lowly, no one needs to be afraid to listen to him; he will not scare us away. The one whose way he prepares is so eager that we be ready that the messenger and the message alike are lowly. But the message is powerful at the same time. For the message is one of forgiveness, a message that washes away sin and guilt in the Word and in the water, so that those who receive it will be fit for the only one who is great: Our coming Savior King. Give thanks to God that for these thousands of years and to this very day God has sent forerunners to prepare us for his coming at Christmas and on the Last Day, so that his coming for us would be a coming in grace, not a coming in dread and terror. Heed their call to repentance and trust in the Word and work of the coming Savior. 5

6 1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way 3 a voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. (NIV) M: This is the Gospel of the Lord. Be Seated Hymn of the Day: Hymn 16 Sermon Matthew 11:28-30 An Advent Invitation From Our Savior An invitation not accepted by all But meant for all 28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Stand Nicene Creed We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. 6

7 We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. Be Seated Offering During the offering, please sign the friendship register in your pew. Thank you! Stand Prayer of the Church M: Eternal Father, throughout the centuries you repeated and affirmed your promise to send the offspring of the woman to crush the serpent s head. Through your prophets of old, you continually directed the eyes of your people to the advent of their Savior. C: We praise you, O Lord, for keeping your promise and sending your Son to destroy the works of the devil. M: As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our King, use your mighty Word to shatter our pride and to rouse us from spiritual slumber and apathy. C: Move us to take to heart the words of John: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. M: You sent your Son to redeem us from sin. Let this good news be our joy and strength. Use it to cheer the lonely, encourage the fearful, and give hope to the despairing. In these days before Christmas, spare us from the stress of deadlines and the frenzy of commercialism. C: Fill our lives with the message of your peace and the music of your grace. M: Direct our eyes not only to the manger but also to the skies, where we will see your Son coming again, not as a lowly child but as the Lord of lords. 7

8 C: Lift up our hearts in joyful anticipation of that day. Special prayers and intercessions may follow. M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions. Silent prayer. M: Come quickly, Lord Jesus, in your grace, in your power, and in your glory. C: Come, Lord Jesus! Amen Northwestern Publishing House. Reprinted by permission. Lord s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. M: The Lord be with you. THE SACRAMENT M: Lift up your hearts. M: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. 8

9 Proper Preface M: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Through his holy prophets, he promised a King to bring light to those living in darkness and in the shadow of death. Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory for ever and ever. Holy, Holy, Holy (sung) Words of Institution M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 9

10 Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. M: The peace of the Lord be with you always. O Christ, Lamb of God (sung) Be Seated Because God speaks of communing together as an expression of unity in faith and warns us against the dangers of not understanding what communion is, we practice close communion. All WELS members are welcome to commune with us. Visitors, please speak with the pastor before communing. If you would like to learn more about communing with us in the future, please contact the pastor. 10

11 Distribution Hymns: Hymn 366 Hymn 702 Stand Thank The Lord (sung) M: Hear the prayers of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son, may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Benediction M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness. 11

12 The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. Be Seated Closing Hymn: Hymn 315:6 Service of Word and Sacrament 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved. OneLicense.net License #A Questions/Comments about Zion? Contact: Pastor Randy Ott home: ; mobile: ; Principal Rick Muchka mobile ; school , President Charles Edinger , Elders: Howard Schultz School Board: Mike Feldkamp School Faculty: Hannah Holzhueter, Brenda Kuchenbecker, Katie Muchka, Tim Pingel, Rick Muchka Website: Custodians: Dick Tisler (church) Synod : Paig Alexander (school) Secretary: Nancy Pantzlaff Wisconsin Lutheran Child and Family Service Appleton (WELS counseling) Kathleen Jasman Living Hope Counseling Ministries De Pere (WELS counseling) Dr. John Johnson, Director

13 News From Zion Mo rr is o n Z io n L u th e ra n Chu rc h w w w.m z lu th.o rg It has pleased the Lord to call the soul of Grace Falck to the Church Triumphant. Grace went to heaven on Monday, Dec. 4, Her Christian funeral will be here on Monday, Dec. 11 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation is 9:30-11:00 a.m. in church. Please pray for all who mourn. Thank You to Pastor Roy Rose for leading us in worship today! Pastor Ott will return home late Sunday. Special Voters Meeting will be after late worship today to discuss the tuck pointing bid for the parsonage. We will meet in the front of church. Call Meeting On Sunday, Nov. 19 the Lord called Pastor Timothy Wagner to be our Young Adult/Outreach Pastor. Pastor Wagner currently serves Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio. He is married to Elisabeth. They have five children, ages 1 through 12. Please pray that the Lord leads Pastor Wagner to the best decision for God s kingdom! His letter acknowledging the call is in the December The Christian Light. Commons Bible Study What does it mean to be a Lutheran Christian? Martin Luther sparked the Reformation when he nailed his protest to the door of the Castle Church in That protest had one goal: bring the church back to the foundation of the Bible. To be a Lutheran Christian means to base our teaching and practice on the Bible alone. Our new study, Reformation: Grace, Faith, Scripture, presents 12 important biblical principles that are still important to us and all Bible-believing Christians today. Join us as we explore these important and enduring truths. We meet Sundays at 9:15 a.m. Adult Christ Light Bible Class We meet in church at 9:15 a.m. each Sunday. Join us! We will not meet Dec. 24 & 31. Sunday School for 3-5 year olds meets in the church basement at 9:15 a.m. No class Dec. 24 & 31. Broken Book Study will not meet this Sunday. Next Sunday we will look at chapter 5 at 7:00 p.m.in the church basement. No class Dec. 24 & 31. Hope For The Holidays On Monday, Dec. 11 Nickel Funeral Home is sponsoring this meal and presentation. Many find the month of December to be one of the most difficult months of the year. The presentation will focus on ways to cope with extra holiday stress and sadness. Join us at 6:00 p.m. in the commons. Lead Us To Your Light is the theme of this year s midweek Advent worship. We will worship at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Advent Meals will be served in the basement after the morning service on Wednesdays and at 6:00 p.m. before the evening service. Join us! Women s Home Bible Study meets each Thursday at 8:00 p.m. at the home of Michaela Hagenow.! If you have questions, contact Abbey Laabs. Announcements P a s to r Rand y O tt (h o m e ) (m o b ile) o t t rr@m z luth.o rg (e m a il) Reformation 500 Grace Alone is the theme of our worship next Sunday. It is the third of our four special celebrations of the solas of the Reformation. Join us and bring a friend! A business card you can use to invite friends, neighbors, or co-workers is available on the radiators in the back of church. There is also a big postcard with all our December activities you can share! Hand Bells? Our congregation has been offered a 3 octave set of hand bells. Before we decide to accept this gift, we need to know if members are interested to play in a bell choir. Being in a bell choir would involve commitment to attending weekly rehearsals during the bell season. A background in music is helpful but not required. If this is something you would be interested, contact Bonnie Brandenburg ( elroy.brandenburg@gmail.com or by text (920) by Dec. 15. If you have any questions about any of our music opportunities at Morrison contact. Mrs. Kuchenbecker. Soup For Souls The meals are free and have been restocked. You can find the meals at church and school in the freezers. The meals at school are in the freezer in the commons. Have a new neighbor? Take them a meal! Don t forget to pick up a free card to share Jesus with your meal! Food Pantry If you would like to give a tangible expression of thanks to the Lord, please consider a donation of food or cash to our Food Pantry. You can give ash donations to Linda Bruegge, Diane Suchomel, or Nancy Pantzlaff. Scrip Order Dates to order in person: Sun., Dec. 10 church between services Mon., Dec. 11 school 8:00-8:30 a.m. Sun., Dec. 17 church between services Mon., Dec. 18 school 8:00-8:30 a.m. (on hand only items) If you want to place an order outside these times you can either call or text Michelle at or drop your order off in the office.! All is Calm All Is Bright is the name of a flyer from Northwestern Publishing house. It is full of gifts to give this Christmas that share the love of Jesus! The flyers are on the table on the wall opposite the mailboxes in the basement. Church Band will play at Parkview Estates on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church, Brillion seeks to fill the position of Financial Assistant. This person will manage the financial affairs of the congregation, oversee and coordinate Human Resource related items, as well as oversee and continuously improve all office processes. You may request a copy from Pastor Henzi at r.henzi@trinitybrillion.org Please submit resume and cover letter/application to Trinity s church office by Jan. 15. Volume 5 Issue 49 Dec. 10, 2017 Second Sunday of Advent Our Mission is to Glorify God as we Gather around the Gospel so that we Grow in the Gospel and Go with the Gospel

14 Page 2 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wed. 9:15 a.m. Commons Bible Study, school 9:15 a.m. Adult Christ Light Class, church 9:15 a.m. Sunday School church basement 11:30 a.m. Voters meeting, church 7:00 p.m. No Book Study 6:00 p.m. Hope for the Holidays, commons 6:30 p.m. Elders 6:30 p.m. Band 7:00 p.m. Council 11:00 a.m. Lead Us To Your Light Advent Worship 12:00 pm. Soup Supper, basement Weekly Calendar Sunday News From Zion 5:00 p.m. Confirmation Class 5:30 p.m. Bible History Class grades 1-4, school 6:00 p.m. Soup Supper, basement 7:00 p.m. Lead Us To Your Light Advent Worship 7:45 p.m. Choir 8:00 a.m. Reformation 500 Worship Grace Alone 9:15 a.m. Commons Bible Study, school 9:15 a.m. Adult Christ Light Class, church 9:15 a.m. Sunday School church basement 10:30 a.m. Reformation 500 Worship Grace Alone 7:00 p.m. Book Study, chapter 5 News From Our High Schools FVL Parents enrolling 8 th graders for are asked to complete the online enrollment form to receive a link for making their scheduling appointment. Scheduling appointments are available on the evenings of 12/11 and 12/14. If those dates don't fit your family s schedule, please contact the Guidance Office. The online enrollment application is available on fvlhs.org. Our Stewardship of the Means of Grace Worship: 276 (27, 174, 75) Bible Study: 81 (8, 41, x, 15, 17) Youth Study: x Tuition Grants for American Sign Language Class Martin Luther College (MLC), New Ulm, Minn., is offering American Sign Language and Introduction to Deaf Culture (ASL 8001), an online, threecredit course, from Jan. 3 to May 4, The course provides the basic foundation of American Sign Language through an overview of deaf culture and an introduction to the signing of finger spelling and basic vocabulary with beginner-level conversations. The instructor is Matthew Buchholz, a member of the WELS Mission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Here is what previous students have said: I never expected to receive so Junior Lancer Band & Youth Choir Concert Sunday, Dec. 17 at 1:00 p.m. in the MLHS Gymnasium. much from this experience.... I have a deeper understanding of the culture, needs, and resources available to the deaf and hard of hearing community and a whole bunch of signs in my arsenal. Trisha I already have oodles and oodles of ideas on how I can revamp some of my lesson plans for next year to include sign language. Sandy Thank you also for making this course available and affordable. Beginning to learn ASL has been a wonderful challenge, but for me, learning about deaf culture in this course has been invaluable. I hope that this course is made available in the future so that MLHS Christmas Concert The Christmas concert will be Thursday, Dec. 21 at the Capitol Civic Centre South 8th St. Manitowoc, WI. It will be presented twice that evening at 4:30 & 7:30 p.m. Pre-Concert Music will begin 30 min. prior to the start times. This is free & open to the Public. Photo Gallery for MLHS-see all the great photos of the MLHS students in action. Visit: today! WELS News more people can have a greater understanding of the deaf and hard of hearing. Cori A limited number of $450 grants toward tuition are available upon request and will be paid upon the completion of the course. The deadline to register is Dec. 13. Learn more at mlcwels.edu/continuing-education/ registration. A poster to promote the class can be downloaded from the Special Ministries Resource Center at csm.welsrc.net/mission-for-the-deafand-hard-of-hearing. Pastor Randy Ott ; ; ottrr@mzluth.org Principal Rick Muchka , richard.muchka@mzls.org President Charles Edinger , candmedinger@icloud.com Elders: Howard Schultz psalm1830ministries@gmail.com School Board: Mike Feldkamp Website: Synod : Secretary: Nancy Pantzlaff Church Custodian: Dick Tisler School Custodian: Paig Alexander Wisconsin Lutheran Child & Family Service Appleton (WELS counseling) Kathleen Jasman Living Hope Counseling Ministries De Pere (WELS counseling) Dr. John Johnson Glorify Gather Grow Go