THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT Order of Worship March 24, :00 am

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1 The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Luke 13:6 THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT Order of Worship March 24, :00 am Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) 3014 McKinley St NE, Minneapolis, MN info@gloriadeilcms.org website: 1

2 Welcome to God s House today!!! A special welcome to visitors and guests; we are pleased that you have joined us today! If you have no church family, and if we can be of any help to you, please speak with the pastor after the service. We pray you will feel God s love for you and be empowered to live as God s child this week. Today s Focus Unless you repent, you will all perish By this warning, the Lord would turn us away from wickedness and bring us to life in Himself. For He is patient with us that we not be cut down in our sin but live and bear fruit in Him. So the Scriptures have been written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come (1 Cor. 10:11), that we should not desire evil but trust in Christ. He alone is faithful, the Rock who feeds us with His spiritual food and pours out His spiritual drink (1 Cor. 10:3-4). Children are welcome in worship! If childcare is needed, an unattended nursery is open during worship services. It is located across from the restrooms next to the Church Offices. Is there something you d like us to pray for today? Prayer Request cards are in each pew. Please hand your request to an usher before the service or during the offering. They will give them to the pastor to include in the prayers for today. The Lord s Supper is celebrated on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month. We joyfully share our conviction that this is The Lord's Table. We receive the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, together with the bread and wine in a manner our human reason cannot understand. (Real Presence) By communing together with our Lord: - we express the belief that Jesus is the Son of God and Son of Man; - that Jesus is our Savior and only way for salvation; - that Jesus offers us His Body and Blood in a mysterious yet real way; - that Christ's sacrificial death grants the forgiveness of our sins; - and that God is strengthening us in this Sacrament to live a more godly; life and to amend with the help of the Holy Spirit, those areas not in conformity with God s will. We declare these statements because it is our concern for people to not be hypocritical between their faith and celebrate the blessings of God's Table at the Altar. Persons unable to approach the Altar may be communed in the pew, please notify the Pastor or Elder if you wish this service. The white wine is denatured (alcohol removed) 2

3 THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT AS WE GATHER The Scriptures warn us of the dangers of rejecting God. He was not pleased with those of Israel who rejected Him in the wilderness. Jesus too was rejected by His contemporaries. His warning is clear: Repent, or you too will perish. Yet God is patient and loving, desiring us to be saved, and He has given the Sacrament of Baptism to seal us as His own, that we may recall it in times of temptation and remember how God has claimed us. WE ENTER TO WORSHIP and BE BLESSED PRESERVICE MUSIC WELCOME CALL TO WORSHIP Today Your Mercy Calls Us LSB 915 INVOCATION from Psalm 4 OUR CONFESSION of SIN 1 John 1:5-10 GOD S ABSOLUTION HYMN OF PRAISE By Grace I m Saved 3 LSB 566 v1,2,6 PRAYER FOR THE DAY THE LORD COMES TO US IN HIS WORD OLD TESTAMENT READING Ezekiel 33:7-20 ESV EPISTLE LESSON 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 ESV GOSPEL ANTHEM Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me LSB 761 v.1-2 GOSPEL READING Luke 13:1-9 ESV STATEMENT OF FAITH HYMN OF THE DAY On My Heart Imprint Your Image LSB 422 SERMON Repent is Not a Four Letter Word Luke 13:1-9 WE RESPOND TO GOD S WORD OFFERTORY Create in Me Hopkins OFFERING OF GOD S PEOPLE OFFERING PRAYER PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH BENEDICTION (from 1 Corinthians 10) CLOSING HYMN Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing LSB 924 v. 1, 2 + Silent Prayer + ANNOUNCEMENTS POSTLUDE WE DEPART TO SERVE

4 TODAY S LUTHERAN HOUR March 24 "Death Doesn't End the Story" (John 11) Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler Some accept death as the end; others, as a new beginning. Jesus turned death into a sign that points us to the Author of life. NEXT WEEK ON THE LUTHERAN HOUR March 31 "Life Worth Living" (John 12:12-36) Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler Jesus calls us to hate life in this world, not because he wants hateful people. Rather, he wants us to more deeply love true life. On Sunday mornings, listen on 830 AM WCCO AM at 6:05 am, or 1110 AM, Omaha, at 6:30 am, or XM 170 Satellite Radio on Sundays at noon or listen anytime at STEWARDSHIP: March 24: Lent 3 Luke 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. The season of Lent is all about repentance turning back to the Lord, away from our sins, in faith. We know that it is only in the Lord that we can find salvation. So we do well in this season of repentance to examine ourselves, asking questions like, What is trying to keep me away from Jesus? What is a temptation I face? What is a sin I need to repent of and leave behind? Then we turn to the Lord for the strength to leave these sins behind, and we pray for the courage to follow Him in faith and faithful living. LUTHERANS FOR LIFE: March 24 The Virgin Mary s womb became the dwelling place of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Word by whom all things were made. Within the first month, the heart of the Logos in human flesh was beating, like ours, with electrical impulses, pumping blood through His body, blood He would later shed for our sins. But the full miracle of the Incarnation was not just in seeing the Man in the flesh but much more. In Mary s Son we saw with our eyes real things that are only visible by their effects: divine mercy, love, compassion, faith, meekness, and justice. James M. Kushiner, The Fellowship of St. James A Life Quote from Lutherans For Life PRE CALL & TRANSITION COMMITTEE MEETING Thank you to everyone who was able to join the meeting on Saturday, March 23. Please continue to pray for our church and our congregation on our next steps on this transition path. 4

5 OUR WEEKLY CALENDAR 3/24 Sun Third Sunday in Lent 8:45 am Education Hour 10:00 am Worship 6:00 pm NA 3/25 Mon 6:30 pm AlAnon 1 8:00 pm AA/AlAnon 2 3/27 Wed 10:00 am Bible Study 6:30 pm Lenten Midweek 3 Service 6:30 pm TLWCC Bible Class 3/28 Thurs 12:00 pm KOA/50+ Corned Beef Lunch 3/29 Fri 5:00 pm TLWCC Music Practice 8:00 pm AA/AlAnon 3/30 Sat 10:00 am TLWCC Worship 6:00 pm TLWCC Worship & Fellowship 3/31 Sun Fourth Sunday in Lent 8:45 am Education Hour 10:00 am Worship 6:00 pm NA SERVING TODAY Elder: Karmon Christopherson Ushers: Wade Billmeyer & Dale Raschke Counters: Tom &Patty Lyrenmann Altar Care: Shirley Holzinger Attendance: 3/17/2019: 28 Offerings Loose Plate $36; Regular $2,587; Lenton $130, LWML $31; Candles $6, Flowers $10 Total $2,800 Needed each week for 2019: $3, Main Street Living TV Program Main Street Living airs each Sunday at 10 a.m. on WFTC Channel 29/9-2. Next week s This is the Life episode Man Adrift will consider how believers are saved by faith, not works. The worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Patrick Simmons of St. Michael s Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. His message, Out of the Fog, will be based on Luke 9:28. For more information or to watch the program, go to mainstreetliving.com. 5

6 BIRTHDAYS: 28 th Millie House ANNIVERSARIES: None ETERNAL CANDLE: None FLOWERS: None PRAYER CONCERNS KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS Jean Brede, Granice Cloutier, Millie Demcho, Millie Eckhardt, Deb Forsberg, Angela Huizel, Robert & Delores Kluwe, Kevin Morelli, Lorriane Niemela, Nanc Rixe, Ada Samson, Bev Svac, Bill Woll We extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to Pastor Gade and his family. His mother passed away on Friday, March 15 IN OUR EXTENDED PRAYERS Julie (Tom Lyrenmann s sister) returned to ICU after surgery Lewis Gade (Pastor s father) COPD Lily Gilbert (Daughter of John/Sandra Gilbert) - Emotional Issues John Gillund (P & M s brother) waiting for kidney transplant Elaine Gillund (P & M s sister n-law) hip surgery recovery Roxie Johnson (Morelli s niece) heart issues Sarah Johnson (Lori Sharbono s daughter-in-law) Surgery Jan 30 Steve Kaiser (friend of Patty Lyrenmann s brother) COPD Dr. Lori Ongeri (Deb Forsberg s niece) Had a Baby boy!!! Mary Phillips and Dan Crocker Chronic Illness Doris Rixe (Nanc s mother) heart valve issues Jimmy Royal (friends of Dick Gillund) Recovering from heart attack LaDonna Sund (Lori Sharbono s Mom) Successful recovery THOSE BATTLING CANCER Dale (friend of Patty s brother, Dick) Stage 4 kidney/lung cancer Lynn & Edith Engel (friends of Sandy & Bob Bauer) Radiation Amy Price (Morelli s niece) treatments for stage 4 cancer Marvin Thor poor health Nancy Tousant (Krystal Kruse s co-worker) Cancer THOSE SERVING OUR COUNTRY IN DANGEROUS AREAS Brian Morelli now serving in Kuwait IN OUR PRAYERS AND REQUESTED PRAYERS If you have family members or friends who require our prayers, please use the prayer request cards found in the pews or at the Ushers counter and give to the office. They will be added to the Prayer list. Any updates to the current list? Thank you for your help with the Annual Spring Kitchen and Fellowship Hall Cleaning! 6

7 WORSHIP SCHEDULE FOR LENT Midweek Series: The God Given Senses Even today, we encounter God and God s salvation in embodied ways -- in our bodies abilities to perceive familiar realities and to interpret new ones. Lent provides opportunities to acknowledge this. The season begins with smelly and greasy ash as a stark liturgical reminder of our flesh s dusty finitude. It will end with our feet washed in cool water or a bittersweet taste of wine in our mouths as we imagine the horrible sight of a man s body mangled on a cross. In between, Lent allows us to consider together who we are and how we encounter an incarnate God. Midweek Services will be on Wednesday at 6:30 pm March 27 Midweek 3 Taste April 3 Midweek 4 Hear April 10 Midweek 5 Smell April 18 Maundy Thursday 6:30 pm April 19 Good Friday 6:30 pm April 21 The Resurrection of our Lord 10:00 am Thrivent Choice Dollars Expire Sunday, March 31 Attention Thrivent Members Please direct your Thrivent Choice Dollars to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church before they expire on March 31, Plan ahead! If you plan to call and have your Choice Dollars designed to Gloria Dei, remember, March 31 is a SUNDAY and Thrivent is closed over the weekend (online is the only option for those two days). So why not designate your Choice Dollars TODAY. Please keep in mind that the phones will be very busy on Friday, March 29. It s simple and doesn t cost you anything but your time. Only about 1/3 of Thrivent members take advantage of this great opportunity to designate their Choice Dollars to the charity of their choice. You must have Thrivent products with annual premiums of $750 or more per year, Thrivent investments, or retirement products with a value of at least $20,000 to earn Choice Dollars. You must renew the distribution of your Choice Dollars every year, your choice of a prior year does not carry over. There are two ways to direct your Choice Dollars, go to OR call and say choice dollars at automation. 7

8 St. John in Exile (DVD) There are still two copies of the Broadway presentation by Dean Jones available. Only $ 6 so hurry before they are gone. SENIOR LINKAGE LINE When you are looking for information and help and don t know where to start, call the Senior Linkage Line (M-F 8:00 am-4:30 pm) at Trained information specialists answer your call. They work to understand your needs and goals and connect you to services that support them. To locate resources online, go to and click the Senior Link. March is Minnesota FoodShare Month! Your gift will be matched during March by Minnesota FoodShare! East Side's food programs served over 1,000,000 pounds of food in we can only increase that number in 2019 with your help. And in March, Minnesota FoodShare will proportionally match donations, so your gift will stretch even farther! So far for the month of March, Gloria Dei donated 102 pounds of food to the Salvation Army! Thank you everyone for your very generous giving! Orphan Grain Train Collection of New Socks and Undies These items will be taken to Texas border missions and other places where new items are allowed. All sizes of undies and socks (for men, women, and children) are being collected, but children s socks for age 3 to 6 th grade are in the highest demand, as children in Mexico cannot go to school without socks and shoes. Gloria Dei will be sending our collected NEW socks and undies with Pastor Gade when he attends the MN State Pastors Conference on May at Maddens Resort in Brainerd, where Orphan Grain Train will have a collection booth. Vital Fitness Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30am Drop by for East Side's Vital Fitness group! The group meets weekly in East Side's gymnasium for a variety of exercises that improve balance, strength, and coordination. First time participants are always welcome! There is no cost to participate. Contact Carmel with questions at Nutritious Lunch Monday - Friday, 11:30am-12:00pm Join friends for a warm, nutritious meal in our bright, welcoming community room, hosted by Volunteers of America. For older adults 60+, the suggested donation per meal is $4.00. Please make your reservation three days in advance by calling Dawn at

9 EASTER GARDEN The weather may still be saying WINTER, but SPRING and Easter are right around the corner. Easter Sunday is Sunday is April 21 st. As in the past, we will be putting together an Easter Garden to be displayed in front of the Church. The flowers will be ordered from Bachman s and the prices and assortment are listed below. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet on the entryway bulletin board with your selection you will be billed through the church. As always, you can bring in your own flowers too! Below is the list of flowers with prices. 14 Pansy Bowl $ Easter Lily $ Asiatic Lily (Yellow, Orange, Pink) $ Azalea (Pink, White, Pink/White Bicolor) $ Hydrangea (Blue, Pink) $ Tulip (Yellow, Purple, Pink, Orange) $ Mum (Yellow, White, Purple) $10.00 Jesus His Life, 4-Part Series March 25 HISTORY CHANNEL s eight-episode event JESUS: HIS LIFE explores the story of Jesus Christ through a unique lens: the people in his life who were closest to him. Each chapter is told from the perspective of different biblical figures, all of whom played a pivotal role in Jesus life including Joseph, John the Baptist, Mary, Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate, Mary Magdalene, Peter and Judas. Check your local listings for times and dates. Minneapolis CIRCUIT PRAYER Requests Congregations with a Pastoral vacancy Minneapolis, Faith, Minneapolis, Holy Cross, Minneapolis, Mt. Zion, Minneapolis, St. James, Minneapolis, Trinity First Gloria Dei for decisions and wisdom in the transition Arden Hills, The Gathering Place, (Trinity Lake Johanna) (Pastor David Maki died in January) Circuit Mission focus for: The Philips Neighborhood (Franklin Ave area) South Minneapolis Mission direction and vision North Minneapolis mission direction and vision 9

10 Catechesis Note for the Week What is Private Confession? Private Confession is not just a Catholic thing as it is a Lutheran thing, too. Luther did not get rid of Private Confession, he just reformed it, cleaned it up of its abuses. There were three abuses in particular that needed to be corrected. The first abuse was that Confession was forced, mandatory, done under coercion and compulsion. The second abuse was the enumeration of sins, that you had to come up with a complete listing of your sins, in detail, or else you could not be sure that you had confessed adequately. The third abuse was that, instead of putting the emphasis on the absolution, God s free gift of forgiveness, the priest would give the penitent works of satisfaction to perform, works of penance, to offset his sins. Luther strongly encouraged people to go to Confession. He even wrote A Brief Exhortation to Confession, in which he says such things as the following: If you are poor and miserable, then go to Confession and make use of its healing medicine. Or, So we teach what a splendid, precious, and comforting thing Confession is. Or again, When I urge you to go to Confession, I am doing nothing else than urging you to be a Christian. You don t have to go to confession, it s more of a matter of get to. You get to go to Individual Confession and Absolution. It s a gift! It s the gospel! To be sure, God is rich in his grace, and he gives us his forgiveness in other ways as well. In Holy Baptism all your sins were washed away, and Baptism is a gift that keeps on giving. These are all glorious, wonderful means of grace, by which God delivers the forgiveness won by Christ on the cross to us. Holy Baptism, Holy Gospel, Holy Communion all gifts of God, all means of grace, and each one has its own distinctive value and benefit and place in the life of the Christian. Luther puts it this way in his Brief Exhortation: So any heart that feels its sinfulness and desires consolation has here a sure refuge when he hears God s Word and makes the discovery that God through a human being looses and absolves him from his sins. 10

11 Today s Scripture Readings Ezekiel 33:7-20: The righteous are not those who trust in their own righteousness, but those who trust in Christ s righteousness. The humble heart of a broken and contrite spirit places its confidence for salvation in Christ alone. This passage contains one of the most memorable statements of the Gospel in the book of Ezekiel: As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live (vs. 11a) 1 Corinthians 10:1-13: Paul uses Old Testament examples to warn the Church about the dangers of impenitence and unbelief. It is important to note that the Lord s saving presence was truly there for the children of Israel in the Old Testament according to the Lord s Word of promise. Unbelief is what prevented them from receiving and enjoying its benefits. The story of the Old Testament Church of Israel is written for the New Testament Church to call us to repentance for impenitence so that we do not reject the very gifts of salvation that God has given in His holy Word and Sacraments. Luke 13:1-9: We have all witnessed tragedies, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other calamities. Why do these things happen? Is it because God has abandoned us? Is it because God is not good? Is it because there is no God? By no means! The things, through which we suffer, like the Galileans whom Pilate slaughtered or the eighteen innocent people upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, are signs to us of the fallen world in which we live. God uses these things to teach us the reality of human rebellion against God and the havoc that this rebellion has brought upon the world. Finally and ultimately, God wishes to use such tragedies as occasions to call us to repentance and renewed faith in the only One who can save us from our sin and the evil of the world in which we live: Jesus Christ our Savior. He took all the evil and suffering upon Himself to redeem us. Next Week s Readings 4th Sunday in Lent Isaiah. 12:1-6 Psalm 32 2 Corinthians. 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, Don t just go to Church.. BE the Church 11

12 Springtime Your message of hope to a world tiring of winter s starkness, longing for that first crocus to push through snow s icy blanket and spread its leaves, like arms outstretched, to its Creator. Springtime! Our yearly reminder, if we needed one, that to a world that was dark and cold, a world devoid of love s sweet warmth, You sent Your Son to break through sin s icy blanket, and, arms outstretched on a cross, He brought us hope. Thank you 12