Trinity Lutheran Church

Transcription

1 Trinity Lutheran Church January 29, 2017 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany 217 Brackenridge Southwest Sleepy Eye, MN Website sleepyeye.org Phone: (507) Fax: (507) sleepyeyetel.net Office Hours Darlene Mon-Thurs 9am 3pm Ministers Every member Pastor Keith Ainsley Cell: sleepyeyetel.net Parsonage: Intern Pastor Stacy Pethke gmail.com Parish Secretary Darlene Brummund Financial Secretary Pat Stevermer Music Director Mary Mulry Educational Director Julia Coulson Custodian Alex Lazatin

2 FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY SERVICE OF THE WORD Sunday, January 29 9:00 A.M. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WELCOMES ALL who enter this house of worship! May God bless you as we offer to God our service of worship today. If you are visiting, we pray God s blessing upon you today as your presence is a blessing to this assembly. Please sign the Friendship Pad as it is passed down your row during the time of offering. WORSHIP AIDS A NURSERY is located upstairs by the balcony. Though the nursery is not staffed it is available for your use. ACTIVITY BAGS for young children are on a stand at the rear of church; please return after services. Thanks. LARGE PRINT BULLETINS ARE AVAILABLE. Please ask the usher. GATHERING WE PREPARE: Who are the blessed ones of God? For Micah, they are those who do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. For Paul, they are the ones who find wisdom in the weakness of the cross. For Jesus, they are the poor, mourners, the meek, those who hunger for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers. In baptism we find our blessed identity and calling in this countercultural way of living and serving. PARISH NOTICES /RINGING OF THE BELL CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. God of all mercy and consolation, come to the help of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that we may confess our sin, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Silence is kept for reflection. Most merciful God, we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen. In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 2

3 GATHERING SONG We Are Called ELW 720 CALLING THE ANNUAL MEETING INTO SESSION As there are many members in one body so we, though many, are one body in Christ. Where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them. I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received, being humble and gentle, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Let us pursue justice and peace, for mutual up-building. The Lord be with you. And also with you. 3

4 PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray. Lord God, you taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit. Grant that we, by your Spirit, may have a right judgment in all things, and evermore rejoice in his holy counsel; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. I now declare this Annual Meeting to be in session in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. WORD FIRST READING Micah 6:1-8 Hear what the LORD says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. "O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the LORD." "With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for 4

5 us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION GOSPEL Matthew 5:1-12 The gospel is found in Matthew chapter 5, verses Jesus opens the Sermon on the Mount by naming those who are blessed in the reign of God. And now The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 5 th chapter. Glory to you, O Lord. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. 5

6 NOISY OFFERING Given for Joe Fry SERMON The Measure of Goodness Pastor Keith Ainsley SONG OF THE DAY Blessed Are They ELW #728 CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God s 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 to the dead.* On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. 6

7 I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen PEACE The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. THANKSGIVING OFFERING SPECIAL MUSIC Be Thou My Vision TRINITY CHOIR OFFERTORY Christ Be Our Light ELW 715 (The offering is brought forward by the ushers to the acolyte) LITANY OF PRAYER As servants of Christ, we plant and support new congregations each year; we enable congregations to renew their ministries; we work with ethnic ministries to develop resources and networks for ministry, and we share resources for God s work. Together, we are partners in ministry. 7

8 As partners in ministry, we pray for and support The Lutheran World Federation s communion of Lutheran churches around the world. Together, we accompany others in doing God s work. As people who accompany others, we send more than 200 missionaries to more than 40 countries, training congregation leaders and evangelists to proclaim the kingdom of God. Together, we equip people to be disciples, evangelists and stewards. As disciples, we equip God s people to be current and future leaders through our colleges, universities, seminaries and lay schools. We pray for our more than 9,000 rostered leaders. Together, we are members in the body of Christ. As members in the body of Christ, we pray for and support congregations and synods with resources to assist in asset-thinking, planning, operating matters and risk management. Together, we are stewards of God s gifts. As stewards, we pray for and engage our culture to work for justice, including dialog about current social, political, environmental and public issues. Together, we are advocates of God s work for the sake of the world. As advocates, we pray for common action among other faith communities, seeking unity in faith and life with all Lutherans and our six full communion partners. Together, we are the Evangelical Lutheran Church in God s grace. For those poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are persecuted, and those who face anxiety and illness, we pray for LaDonna Fox; Lill Johnson, Marian Thiessen; Loretta Tostenrud, Dave Thorson; Ana Turbes; Oliver Zamzow; Cletus Ludewig s mother, Alice; Doug Domeier s grandson, Landon Reece King; and all who are near us in need, Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. For all of those blessed in the Lord, who gave their lives for the sake f the gospel and now rejoice in heaven, grant us hope and courage to seek first the kingdom of God, Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. As we are servants in Christ, partners in ministry, people who accompany others, members in the body of Christ, stewards and advocates our faith comes through the good news of Jesus Christ and gives us the freedom and the courage to wonder, discover and boldly participate in what God is up to in the world. May God, our Father, keep us in the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us and give us strength to speak and work for the sake of the world. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Let us pray with confidence the words our Savior taught us: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. ANNUAL MEETING PROCEEDS WITH REPORTS Anyone in need to depart may do so now. (Please refer to the 2016 Annual Report) ADJOURNMENT 8

9 SENDING BLESSING God the Father, light-creator; God the Son, Light from Light; and God the Holy Spirit, light-revealer, bless you and + give you peace. Amen. SENDING SONG The Spirit Sends Us Forth to Serve ELW# 551 DISMISSAL Go in peace. Be the hands and feet of Christ someplace else! Thanks be to God. Our Thanks To All Who Serve The Body Of Christ SUNDAY 9:00 am Worship Wednesday 6:45 pm Worship Accompanist Mary Mulry Mary Mulry Acolyte A.J. Arneson McKenna Strong Readers Paul Dunn McKenna Strong Sound Techs John Hirschboeck *** Greeters Brian and Carol Polesky Doug Domeier Ushers Jeff & Maren Briard, Eric Wahlborg Doug Domeier Altar Guild Cathy Blackstad & Lori Hirschboeck Annual Reports available from the ushers. Please plan on attending as decisions are made for 2017 What you think matters! 9

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11 Please sign up on the board. Trinity is registered to participate. 11

12 A Message From PRESIDING BISHOP ELIZABETH EATON Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a church striving to grow and thrive in a changing world. As you connect with people in your neighborhoods, workplaces and beyond, you have likely discovered some approaches are more effective than others. In your pursuit of growth, it is often necessary to take risks and leave the comfort of being with people like you. This means there is an opportunity to offer a radical welcome to all God s children. Living with a daring confidence in God s grace, we are called forward together in Christ as both servants and leaders to welcome others. In these roles we are called to be spiritually grounded, ecumenically minded, responsible, value-driven, accepting of others, nurturing and together in our efforts to do God s work. These traits help us to be faithful and walk the way of Jesus. As we accompany each other in this walk, we remember the cross of Christ helps us share our joys, burdens and tears. When your faith community gathers to review progress, you see how God has blessed and challenged your efforts. Through dialogue and discernment, you engage issues that affect your ability to grow and thrive. You make decisions about how to use the gifts entrusted to you to do God s work in and beyond your community. Hopefully, this is also a time you realize you are not alone. You can find courage and hope in seeing the ways God and the people of the ELCA accompany each other in our walk and our work. Our prayers are with you as you gather to plan and make decisions about how you are called forward together in Christ. May you remember Jesus, who gave his life that you might live. Walking together and serving Christ, Elizabeth A. Eaton The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 12

13 January 29, 2017 Jesus teaches us about the ways of God. DAILY BIBLE READINGS These readings are related to the Lectionary readings for this Sunday. We invite you to take time each day to read the assigned Bible passages. Sunday Matthew 5:1-12 The sermon on the mount Monday Isaiah 57:14-19 God will revive the lowly Tuesday Isaiah 51:12-16 Our God of comfort Wednesday Jeremiah 22:1-5,15-16 Do what is just and right Thursday Matthew 9:10-13 Jesus speaks of mercy Friday James 3:13-18 Sowing in peace Saturday Psalm 15 Living on God s holy hill Sunday Matthew 5:13-20 Salt and light SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS WEEK The Lord has told you what he wants from you: to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying your God. Micah 6:8 (NCV) SAY, PRAY AND BLESS: A Prayer for the Week: God, help us to live in peace with one another, and to bring peace where there is trouble. Amen. (Matthew 5:9) Mealtime Prayer: God, you have blessed us with daily bread. Bless us also with gratitude, generosity and compassion for others. Amen. A Blessing to Give: May God bless you with a thirst for what is pure, right and good. May the Lord make your life a great blessing to others. Amen. CARING CONVERSATION Discuss in your household or small group: Name a teacher whom you admire or respect. What have you learned from them? One day, Jesus taught his followers up on a mountain (Matthew 5:1-11). He said that God blesses those who are humble, those who stand up for what is good and right, those who are forgiving, and those who work for peace. Share some real life examples of these behaviors with one another. Which of Jesus teachings do you find the hardest to follow? DEVOTIONS Read and discuss Matthew 5:3-11. Write the key words from Jesus sermon onto cards (e.g. humility, goodness, mercy, purity, peaceloving, etc.) and attach these to blocks, small containers or boxes. Then, build a mountain to display these in a prominent place. In your home devotion times this week, talk about what it means to show those godly qualities in your lives. Pray for God s help to obey Jesus teachings. SERVICE The prophet Micah told God s people that God wanted them to worship not only with their words but with their actions to show kindness and mercy to others and to treat them in good and right ways. Decide on a Micah challenge you can take on as a household to bless your community this month. RITUALS AND TRADITIONS Matthew 5:3-11 speaks of blessings. A wonderful ritual to practice regularly in your home is that of blessing one another. When we bless another person, we are calling forth the goodness of God that is within them as well as demonstrating our own caring and concern. There are three basic elements to a personal blessing God s name, words and touch (e.g. a hand on a shoulder, or making the sign of the cross on their forehead or palm). Good times for using blessings in the home are mealtimes, bedtimes and at daily farewells (e.g. when children leave for school or parents leave for work). Duplicate this week s Blessing to Give for each member of your household and experiment with the practice throughout the week Vibrant Faith Ministries. All rights reserved. Written by Pr. Greg Priebbenow and edited by Vibrant Faith Ministries. Go to for more faith-forming activities. Please take your bulletin home for weekly devotions 13

14 Peek at the Week Sunday, January 29 9:00 am Worship 10:00 am Education Hour Monday, January 30 8:00 am Quilting & Bandage Making 5:30 pm Al anon Tuesday, January 31 7:00 am Men s Bible Study 6:30 pm AA Wednesday, February 1 9:00 am Women s Bible Study 5:10 pm Fellowship Board 5:30 pm Supper No Bell Choir 6:00 pm In the Spirit 6:45 pm Confirmation ~ Confirmation 7:20 pm Senior Choir 8:15 Parish Planning Council Sunday, February 5 9:00 am Holy Communion 10:00 am Education Hour Monday, February 6 8:00 am Quilting & Bandage Making 5:30 pm WELCA General Meeting and Soup Supper 5:30 pm Al anon Trinity s Mission Statement We are a community where Jesus is Lord: our mission is to invite, welcome, nurture, and equip all people to be disciples in His name. TRINITY S WEBPAGE Send an to the church office at trinity@sleepyeyetel.net and let Darlene know you want your newsletter via ! TRINITY IS NOW ON FACEBOOK CHECK IT OUT!! Trinity Lutheran (ELCA) Sleepy Eye MN The Trinity Tidings newsletter is now also posted on watch this site for community news and events. Last week at Trinity Weekly Worship Attendance: 134 (No Wednesday Service-Snow) Weekly Giving: $ January Giving: $17, Yearly Contributions to Date $17, If you haven t already, please consider Simply Giving, an automated giving program for your offering. You determine the frequency of your offering which is deposited into Trinity s account the same day it is withdrawn from your account. It s a hassle-free way to give. Talk to Pat or Darlene if you are interested. Thank You. 14

15 This Week s Prayer Concerns Pray for the church that God would give such a hunger and thirst for justice, and perseverance in striving for peace, that in our words and deeds the world would see the life and face of Jesus Pray for the nations that God would deliver us all from war, bloodshed, and violence; from corrupt and unjust government; and from sedition and treason.. Pray for the creation that wisdom and action, driven by the Light of the world, would prevail in restoring and protecting the earth for ourselves and all who come after us Pray for Bishop Jon Anderson, and our synodical staff that they would be filled with the Light of Christ and the power of the Spirit to faithfully guide and govern us in the love of God s Word and holiness Pray for the Internship Committee and Intern Stacy that God would bless their shared work reflecting, challenging, and evaluating Stacy s internship experience of learning and doing ministry throughout the year Pray for those who travel especially those who winter in the south that their departures and arrivals would be kept safe and filled with renewal & joy Pray for all who are ill or afflicted or in recovery that the Holy Spirit would bring comfort and daily strength to LaDonna Fox; Lill Johnson, Marian Thiessen; Loretta Tostenrud, Dave Thorson; Ana Turbes; Oliver Zamzow; and all who are near to us, including: John Agrimson and Melissa Agrimson Nelson (Beaty Ainsley s cousin waiting for transplant and goddaughterniece s recovery from recent surgery); Noreen Allenspach (LaDonna Fox s sister); Kim Barka (Adam Barka s sisterin-law); Albert Brummund (Rod Brummund s brother); Beth Chapdelaine (Terry Newgord s sister); Janice Coulter (Tammy Shenk s mother); Gordon Diesch (Neil Neidt s step-father); Julie Hirschboeck (John s sister); Estephanie Hanson and Andrew Tynan (Jim/Jackie Hutchins niece & nephew); Landon Reece King (Doug Domeier s newborn grandson for recovery from surgery); Tom Leith (Rod & Darlene Brummund s friend); Alice Ludewig (mother of Clete Ludewig). Pray for all the beloved those who now rest from their labors in God s mercy and for their families and loved ones who grieve their absence especially Beaty Ainsley s family in the loss of her last uncle, Joel Agrimson of Eden Prairie and her aunt Margaret Agrimson who was recently buried at Arndahl LC, Peterson, MN that all would receive the comfort and assurance of our Lord s promise to unite us, bringing us together in a new heaven and earth where suffering, crying, pain and death will be no more. Pray for peoples safety in the midst of disaster that God would provide the help people need who have been affected by disasters and the loss of life, especially the winter storms where the weather has become life threatening and damaging to people Pray for those condemned and in prison that the Holy Spirit would guide their hearts to return to the Lord in faith, and bring them opportunities to grow and become contributing members of society Pray for families that the Holy Spirit would bring compassion and mercy to all who are embittered or arrogant or hateful so that their separation from others would give way to mercy and love and reconciliation Pray for Jay Beech and the Center for Worship and Music Studies that his leadership in gathering musicians throughout the church would be Spirit-filled, serving worship needs throughout the church Pray for the men and women serving in the Armed Forces and those far from home Brady Augustin (Donna Augustin s son stationed in Japan) that the Holy Spirit would guard and keep their hearts in Christ Pray for the missionaries of our church (ELCA) that the Holy Spirit would bless their lives and keep them from danger and harm as they proclaim their witness of the Gospel throughout the world *Pray for Krista Allgor (Rex Beech s granddaughter) that God would bless her and her staff in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in their continuing mission and work to serve girls and women who have been abused by sex trafficking, and especially for Krista s need as she attends the 2017 Malaysia Retreat for missionary women next month in Penang, Malaysia Pray for Joe and Deb Fry in his ministry with Authentic Community Transformation (ACT Worldwide) teaching and mentoring church leaders to grow the church throughout the world and in his current travels to Cambodia (Joe s latest newsletter is posted on the bulletin board in the narthex for more details go to for more info. * If you are interested in the opportunity to bless and help Krista financially with her Thrive Ministry Retreat costs please see Pr. Keith and thriveministry.org 15

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