Bethany Lutheran Church

Transcription

1 November 1, 2015 Bethany Lutheran Church This Week in Our Parish Tuesday, 11/3 9:15 Bible Study-FE Wednesday, 11/4 9:30 Men s Coffee- FE 12:30 Quilting 6:00 LYO -FE Friday, 11/6 9:00 Coffee & Goodies at Hub 71 1:30 Service at Heritage House in Sebeka Ministers: Every Disciple Pastors: Steven A. Bruer James M. Hallaway Parish Website: Sunday, 11/8 9:15 Coffee 10:30 Worship Service 10/25/15 20 Adults, 3 Children General $ Biblesticks $ Missions $ $ Worship Assistants Organist: Sandi Mickelson Ushers: Don & Evelyn Meech Reader: Verdell Shepersky Communion: Dave Mickelson Mission Statement Bethany Lutheran Church is a caring inclusive Christian Community, Dedicated to Word and Sacrament ministry; Growing in Christ; Sharing the faith; Serving neighbors; and Supporting each other.

2 PRELUDE Two minutes before service we will begin with Praise the King by Corey Voss (feel free to sing along) Praise the King-Corey Voss There s a reason why the curse of sin is broken There s a reason why darkness runs from light There s a reason why we stand here now forgiven Jesus is alive There s a reason why we are not overtaken There s a reason why we sing all through the night There s a reason why our hope remains eternal Jesus is alive Chorus Praise the king, he is risen Praise the king he s alive Praise the king, death s defeated Hallelujah he s alive Hallelujah he s alive There s a reason why our hearts can be courageous There s a reason why the dead are made alive There s a reason why we share His resurrection Jesus is alive Oh, he s alive Chorus Bridge The grave could not ignore it When all of heaven s roarin Hell where is your victory Death where is your sting The world cannot ignore it When all the saints are roarin Hell where is your victory Death where is your sting (2X from the top) Chorus *HYMN Red # 229 Our God Reigns

3 WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS AFFIRMATION OF FAITH I believe in God, the Creator of all life, the source of all love, and the giver of every good and perfect gift. I believe Jesus Christ is God s only Son and that he is my King. Jesus was born of a virgin, and lived as no other man has lived. Jesus suffered and died for the sins of the world. I believe Jesus death and resurrection has given me new life and I will live with him for all eternity. I believe in the Holy Spirit-God with us. I have been called by the Spirit, enlightened by the Spirit, and gifted for service by the Spirit. God is at work today and the Holy Spirit is the means by which God continues to demonstrate love and concern for me. I believe I can know and experience God in prayer, forgiveness, the Sacraments, and the community of faith. AMEN LORD S SUPPER *WORDS OF INSTITUTION Ava, her family and sponsors are invited to be served first. PRAYERS/LORD S PRAYER DISTRIBUTION OF ELEMENTS FIRST LESSON Isaiah 25:6-9 Pew Bible Page 745 SECOND LESSON Revelation 21:1-6a Pew Bible Page 1326 HYMN OF THE DAY LBW #439 What A Friend We Have In Jesus ALL SAINTS RESPONSE READING On this All Saints Day we will remember those from our congregations, former members, and family of members who have died this past year and we ll light a candle in their memory Today especially we remember before you the brothers and sisters you have gathered from our midst: (their names are spoken).

4 Also, we will recite Scripture to remind us of our future as disciples of Jesus Christ. Those who walk with Christ have the promise of heaven both now and not yet. The now is the reality of Christ in our world which we seek now. The not yet is the culmination of Jesus Christ calling his Church from this earth on that great day. Adapted from 1Thessalonians 4:14-18 P C P C P C P A For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. Be encouraged today with these words. Amen GOSPEL (please remain seated) SERMON-I Want to be a Saint HYMN LBW #306 Chief of Sinners Though I Be (v 1-4) OFFERING LBW # 410 We Give Thee But Thine Own 1st verse *BENEDICTION *CLOSING HYMN LBW 328 Crown Him Lord of All *DISMISSAL

5 LEAVE THIS SERVICE READY TO SERVE OUR LIVING GOD! * Please stand for these portions of the service if able. Today s Announcements We are again collecting donations for the Bible Sticks to send to those serving in the military. The cost is $25/Bible Stick. We challenge all three congregations to see who can purchase the most Bible sticks this year. Fired up for Fall LYO Bonfire & Hayride will be held this coming Wednesday, October 28 th from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the home of Chad & Heidi Hasbargen. There is more information on the LYO Facebook page and there are flyers available by the bulletins. The LYO is selling Poinsettias. Orders need to be placed by today! Please see any LYO member or Pastor Jim. One young woman of Bethany has completed her First Communion training and is ready to receive her first communion today. This young woman is: Ava Etzler. Ava, her family and sponsors will be served before the rest of the congregation this morning. Please remember Ava in your prayers on this special day as she has increased her understanding of Holy Communion and that she might continue to receive this Holy Sacrament on a regular basis! Also receiving their first Communion today at Friends in Christ are: Collin Olson and at First English: Emma Jackson, Karson Kocurek, Gracie Makela, Alec Reysack. Please remember to pray for all these young folks as they respond to God s invitation to receive His heavenly meal on a regular basis! Remember in Prayer Jim Johnson Pat Olson Ashley Anderson (Russ & Carol Olson s granddaughter) Tammy Yrjo Marie Wortiska Ray Holzworth Marie Seikkula Lynnette Yliniemi Kyle Soppeland Tracey Skroski Simon Eckman Colton Polman Brittany Kondos Carol Mortenson Ramona Olson Joann Koskela Jason Wilker Bruce Blanchard Elvin Yrjo Dale Lubitz Thomas Thelen Gail Hawkins Maryann Lusti Carol Alm Susan Gullekson Our Country & Military Luke Hallaway Our Churches, Pastors, Leaders, and Staff

6 This morning at each service, we will remember those from our congregations, former members, and family of members who have died this past year and we ll light a candle in their memory. Our Lord Jesus says, The righteous shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father. (Matthew 13:43) Let us remember them and their families in our daily prayers in the coming days. If anyone else has lost a loved one this past year, you are welcome to light a candle in his/her memory. Birth Death First English: Doris Sellin 3/16/ /19/2014 Hilda Lindroos 7/6/ /15/2014 Doris Simpson 3/28/ /19/2014 Ebert Simi 7/24/1936 1/1/2015 Terry Burkman 6/25/1943 3/25/2015 Ellen Koski 10/16/1943 4/5/2015 Irene Dempsey 9/25/1921 4/11/2015 Eldon Ike Marjamaa 7/24/1944 5/2/2015 Richard Torgerson 10/27/1952 5/13/2015 Barbara Halvorson 8/18/1927 5/16/2015 Regina Polman 11/3/1927 5/29/2015 Charles Greenwaldt 12/10/1957 6/9/2015 Rebecca Stetzler 6/22/1916 6/3/2015 Paul Schiotz 7/24/1939 6/13/2015 Don Pauna 9/20/1936 6/15/2015 Louise Jannusch 5/31/1922 7/11/2015 Hilda Salminen 5/31/1922 8/30/2015 Bethany: Shirley Anderson 8/15/1933 1/6/2015 Charles Hasbargen 1/7/1942 3/29/2015 Nick Nelson 12/31/1929 4/30/2015 Kathy Yliniemi 10/26/1948 5/18/2015 Virginia Nelson 5/25/1934 9/17/2014 Rae-Ann Mueller Spadgenske 1/4/ /4/2015 Gladwin Walker 9/5/ /15/2015 Friends in Christ: Florence Lillquist 4/14/1920 6/16/2015

7 Saints Or Celebrities Celebrities distance themselves from us by their fame, whether it lasts 15 minutes or a lifetime. But saints share our common ground and open a place in the circle of forgiven sinners. This is the standard New Testament designation for saints: the forgiven who know it, act upon it and live by grace without angling for stained-glass-window status. The late William Stringfellow described saints as those men and women who relish the event of life as a gift and who realize that the only way to honor such a gift is to give it away. Saints are sideline onlookers who are moved to come down with Jesus to where the needs are raw and the realities untidy. Saints are not always serene, dauntless and inexhaustible. But those pronounced blessed by Jesus are able to stay with him in the thick of it because that is where he is continually found. The saintly ones remember that the kingdom belongs to the impoverished before God, who hunger for his fullness and weep when his righteousness is spurned. The harsh kickback of reviling and defaming goes with the territory; saints are tough-skinned and can t be taken completely off guard. Saints are given a clarity about what passes for the good life but is phony at the core. They can hear Jesus pronouncement on those who would appear to have anything but woes: you who are rich... who are full now... who laugh now... who are well spoken of by all. Why woes on these? The good life portrayed here is detached from its foundation in God. These ideals of life have become idols, ends in themselves which finally bring not blessing but blight. Thus saints are given the backbone to warn with woes as well as uplift with blessings. Not to be missed and much closer at hand are the saints of the rank and file of daily life. See them teaching in classrooms of public high schools in our cities. See them in hospital emergency rooms, serving with skill and embracing with compassion. See them in retirement homes, speaking to the fragile ones who sit, mute and staring, in the wheelchair line in the hallway. See them in high school kids who tutor youngsters. See them in the person sitting next to you today. Deo gratias, see a saint in the face of a forgiven sinner who meets you in the mirror.

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