IMMANUEL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 421 North Second Street Mankato, Minnesota (507)

Transcription

1 IMMANUEL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 421 North Second Street Mankato, Minnesota (507) Word of Truth Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1 NKJV Epiphany Sunday January 6 & 9, 2013 Volume 76, No. 2 Deacon: Gary Hanel; Organist: Vivian Hanel Sound: Craig Stelter; Video: Tony Harris; Screen: Clifford Kuehne Head Usher: David Lueck; Asst. Usher: Karl Friedrichs WELCOME to all visitors! Please sign the guest register in the narthex. Visitors and members: feel free to speak with the Pastor after the service, or call: for Pastor Nolting or for Pastor Eichstadt or for the church office. Pre-Service Devotion: Psalm 72 (p. 517, pew Bible; p. 138, red hymnal) [Pew Bibles are located on the book shelves in the narthex or on the counter by the back entrance.] [Communion Preparation: The Christian Questions, inside the back cover of the red hymnals.] Pre-Service Prayer: O Lord God, my dear Heavenly Father, as I join my fellow believers in worship on this Festival of Epiphany, may my heart be filled with joy as I consider the gift of Your Son. By Your grace He came into this world to save me and all people. He kept Your law in my place. He died to take away my sin. He reveals Himself to me in Your Word. He invites me to come to Him with all of my burdens and promises me rest. Help me to honor and praise His name properly this day. Amen.

2 COMMUNION ORDER OF SERVICE I. WE PREPARE TO MEET OUR LORD Hymn: 716 (Worship Supplement) Now Greet the Swiftly Changing Year WELCOME in the name of our precious Savior Jesus! Invocation: Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation (sings): Amen. Our Confession of Sins: Pastor: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God, our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord. Congregation (sings): Who made heaven and earth. Pastor: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord. Congregation (sings): And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. All: O almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have offended You. I justly deserve Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for my sins and sincerely repent of them. I pray that You would of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being. Pastor: Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Congregation (sings): Amen. 2

3 II. WE PRAISE OUR LORD Responsive Reading: Psalm 72:18-19, 17 NKJV P: Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel: C: Who only does wondrous things! P: And blessed be His glorious name forever: C: And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. P: His name shall endure forever: C: His name shall continue as long as the sun. P: All men shall be blessed in Him: C: All nations shall call Him blessed. P: Glory be to God! Congregation (sings): Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen. The Kyrie Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. O God of God, O Light of Light (TLH 132:1) O God of God, O Light of Light, O Prince of Peace and King of Kings! To You where angels know no night The song of praise forever rings. To Him who sits upon the throne, The Lamb once slain for sinful men, Be all the glory He has won, All thanks and praise! Amen, Amen. Pastor: Let us pray. Congregation (sings): Amen. 3

4 III. OUR LORD SPEAKS TO US The Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 60:1-11 (p. 657, pew Bible) Isaiah urged Old Testament Israel to arise and to shine for their Light, the Promised Savior, had come. The Savior, the LORD Himself, would draw Gentiles from around the world to come to Him, believe in Him, and bring their gifts to Him. The Wise Men were the first, while we are among the rest! Congregational Praise (sung): Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! The Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:12-17 (p. 851, pew Bible) Congregational Welcome (sung): Glory be to You, O Lord! Jesus came, as Isaiah prophesied, bringing light in the midst of darkness by proclaiming repentance and the coming of the kingdom of heaven. Congregational Response (sung): Praise be to You, O Christ! Our Confession of Faith in the Nicene Creed I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by Whom all things were made; Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, Whose kingdom will have no end. 4

5 And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, Who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, And I look for the resurrection of the dead And the life of the world to come. Amen. Hymn: Hail, O Source of Every Blessing 1. Hail, O Source of ev ry blessing, Father of our human race! Gentiles now, Your grace possessing, In Your courts obtain a place. Grateful now we fall before You, In Your Church rejoice to live, See Your glory and adore You, Thankful for the grace You give. 2. Once far off, but now invited, We approach Your sacred throne; In Your covenant united, Reconciled, redeemed, made one. Now revealed to eastern sages, See the Star of Mercy shine; Myst ry hid in former ages, Myst ry great of love divine. 3. Hail, O all-inviting Savior! Gentiles now their off rings bring; In Your temples seek Your favor, Jesus Christ, our Lord and King. May we, body, soul, and spirit, Live devoted to Your praise, Glorious realms of bliss inherit, Grateful anthems ever raise! Amen. Text from Christian Worship #87. Tune: TLH 129. Text & Tune: Public Domain. 5

6 The Sermon: Text - Acts 8:26-39 (p. 974, pew Bible) Sermon Notes: Theme - DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE PRAY, THY KINGDOM COME! I. Draw us to worship! II. Instruct us regarding Your Son! III. Cause us to rejoice! Pastor Paul D. Nolting IV. WE OFFER OURSELVES TO OUR LORD The Offertory Congregation (sings): Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me with Your free Spirit. Amen. Offering of Thankful Hearts [Wed. service offering may be left in narthex basket.] Prayers including a prayer of thanks upon the occasion of Gene Schreyer s 75 th birthday V. OUR LORD GIVES HIMSELF TO US The Communion Liturgy Pastor: The Lord be with you. Congregation (sings): And with your spirit. Pastor: Lift up your hearts. Congregation (sings): We lift them up unto the Lord. Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. Congregation (sings): It is meet and right so to do. Pastor: It is truly fitting, right, and beneficial that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, O Lord, holy Father, almighty, everlasting God:... Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying: 6

7 Congregation (sings): Pastor: The Lord's Prayer Congregation (sings): For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. The Words of Institution Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you alway! Congregation (sings): Amen. 7

8 The Distribution Our Practice of Close Communion We believe that God desires unity of faith and confession among all who commune together. All communicant members of Immanuel and of our sister congregations in the CLC (Church of the Lutheran Confession) are welcome at the Lord's Table. If there are visitors present who wish to commune with us in the future, you are invited to speak with the Pastor about this at your convenience. For more information pick up the tract from the narthex titled Why Close Communion. Communing Members who have difficulty at the kneeling rail may sit in the front pew on either side. The pastors will bring communion to you there. Any communicants sitting in the balcony should please come down to the narthex for direction to the table. Communicants are ushered to the communion table. If you desire the bread in your hand, simply extend your hand to the Pastor as he approaches you with the bread. Those desiring an individual cup, please take a cup when the tray is offered. The common cup will immediately follow. Please dispose of your individual cup in the baskets located behind each pillar or in the center aisle. Communion Hymns: 127 As with Gladness Men of Old Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior 1. Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior, Turned away God's wrath forever; By His bitter grief and woe He saved us from the evil Foe. 8

9 2. As His pledge of love undying He, this precious food supplying, Gives His body with the bread And with the wine the blood He shed. 3. Jesus here Himself is sharing; Heed then how you are preparing, For if you do not believe, His judgment then you shall receive. 4. Praise the Father, who from heaven To His own this food has given, Who, to mend what we have done, Gave into death His only Son. 5. Firmly hold with faith unshaken That this food is to be taken By the sick who are distressed, By hearts that long for peace and rest. 6. Agony and bitter labor Were the cost of God s high favor; Do not come if you suppose You need not Him who died and rose. 7. Christ says: "Come, all you that labor, And receive My grace and favor; Those who feel no pain or ill Need no physician's help or skill. 8. For what purpose was My dying If not for your justifying? And what use this precious food If you yourself were pure and good? 9. If your heart this truth professes And your mouth your sin confesses, You will be your Savior s guest Be at His banquet truly blest. 10. Let this food your faith so nourish That its fruit of love may flourish And your neighbor learn from you How much God s wondrous love can do. Text (sts. 1-2,4-5,7,9) & music: public domain. Tune: TLH 311 Text (sts. 6,10 and sts. 3,8): 1980 and 2006 Concordia Publishing House All rights reserved. OneLicense.net License #A

10 VI. OUR LORD BLESSES US Benediction Congregation (sings): Amen. Amen. Amen. Closing Hymn: 215:1,3,5 Draw Us to Thee Liturgy from The Lutheran Hymnal 1941 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. License #

11 Following the service: Mon. Jan. 7 Immanuel s WEEKLY Activities Take down Christmas decorations in the church ALL men, women, and children are welcome to help take down Christmas decorations in the church. We would benefit from a few good men to get up and down the attic ladder and move boxes into storage. There are a few simple projects that will only take a few minutes each: 1) assemble the new ornament storage boxes, 2) remove ornaments from the trees, 3) take down the garland and wreaths around the church, 4) take down all the window box decorations, 5) disassemble the trees, 6) pack away the nativity scene and all other boxes in the attic. Pictorial Directory photography appointments can be made in the upper school hallway. ILS School K-12 classes resume 10:00 AM-3:00 PM Pastors Study Immanuel 5:45 PM Immanuel Church Service CCTV Charter Ch. 13 or Hickory Tech Ch. 7 6:00-9:00 PM Safety & Respect Driving Classes Tues. Jan. 8 1:00 PM Seniors Bible Orness Plaza (900 Hope St.) 3:00-5:00 PM Pastor s Office Hours [PDN] 6:00-9:00 PM Safety & Respect Driving Classes 6:30 PM Board of Deacons meeting 7:00 PM Board of Education meeting 7:00 PM Board of Property meeting 7:30 PM Board of Finance meeting 8:00 PM Church Council meeting Wed. Jan. 9 12:45 PM Immanuel Church Service CCTV Charter Ch. 13 or HickoryTech Ch. 7 4:00-7:00 PM Safety & Respect Driving Classes 5:30 PM Youth Instruction 6:00 PM Wed. Bible Study in upper hallway Mr. Owings s classroom (discussion of God s Word based on key points from daily Bible reading) 7:00 PM Worship (repeats previous Sunday s service) 11

12 Thurs. Jan. 10 9:00 AM Immanuel Christmas Eve Service CCTV Charter Ch.13 or HickoryTech Ch.7 10:00 AM Bible Walnut Towers (105 E. Walnut St.) 1:00 PM Bible Old Main (301 S. 5th St.) 3:30 PM Bible Keystone (100 Dublin Rd.) 6:00-9:00 PM Safety & Respect Driving Classes 7:15 PM Church Choir Practice Fri. Jan. 11 6:30 AM Men s Breakfast / Bible Study 8:00-10:00 AM Pastor s Office Hours [PDN] 6:00-9:00 PM Safety & Respect Driving Classes Sun. Jan. 13 8:15-8:20 AM Immanuel Meditations KTOE 1420 AM or FM radio 8:15-9:15 AM Sunday School, Youth Ambassadors, & Bible Study 9:30 AM Worship Service [WCE Elem. Ch. sings] Altar Flowers: D. Wolff, K. Olmanson; Deacon: Steve Wolle; Sound: Andrew Stelter Video: Paul & Diane Bode; Screen: Rachael Hanel Ushers: Second Sunday of the Month; Head Usher: Daryl Pischner ( ); Asst. Usher: Dale Spear ( ); Paul Bade; C.J. Buckley; Alex Carlson; Zachary Carlson; Michael Clobes; Ethan Gibson; Dylan Herme; Holden Herme; Steven Herme; Todd Kruse; Mike Manthe; Justin Mueller; Bennett Olmanson; Andrew Pfeiffer; Mike Schweim "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Mt. 11:28 Communion Registration: Members of Immanuel: If you plan to commune today, Sunday, Jan. 6, or Wednesday, Jan. 9, communicants are asked to register by placing a check by your name on a list of our communicants. The lists are found in the narthex or on the counter by the back entrance. Or you may register via to church@immanuelmankato.org or call the church office. CLC Guests: please sign your name on the "Guest Sheet." 12

13 Needed: ice cream buckets and smaller plastic containers with lids are needed for the church kitchen. These are used for leftover food from funerals. Please leave on the counter in the basement kitchen. WSO 2013 Kick-off and Updates Meeting: following the church service on Jan 13 th we ll meet for a few minutes in one of the classrooms to finalize the division lists and make any adjustments/changes we need for the new year. All interested parties are welcome to attend this meeting! Annual Reports for all Immanuel organizations are needed! When possible, please your report as an attached WORD document or EXCEL document (or for Mac users as a rich text file) to church@immanuelmankato.org. Those without a computer may leave a paper copy of their report on Sara s desk. Each year these reports are due before the Annual Meeting (Monday, Jan. 21, 2013), so that copies can be available for nonvoters to read and make comments to voters before the meeting, and available for voters to read in preparation for the meeting. Please give ANNUAL REPORTS to Sara by Sunday, January 13th Offering Envelopes can be picked up in the narthex. In order to save money and to cut down on waste, only those who used envelopes in the past have been given an envelope pack. If you would like to make use of envelopes in 2013, please place your name on the sheet. If your address is incorrect, please sign the sheet by the envelopes. ARTS CAMP 2013: scheduled for April 5-7. If you have ideas for classes, please contact Kristen Friedrichs klfriedrichs@gmail.com or Kym Stelter kymberly.stelter@hotmail.com by January 31st, so that registration forms can be mailed. If you are interested in helping out in any capacity, please contact Kristen or Kym. 13

14 Christian Women s Retreat: April 5-7, 2013 Pick up a registration form from the narthex table Mission Helper Trip to India: The deadline for applications is January 10, For more information take a bulletin insert from the narthex bulletin board. Immanuel s Christmas Eve Worship Service may be viewed on CCTV Charter Ch. 13 or Hickory Tech Ch. 7 Thursday, Jan. 10, 9:00 AM In the Hospital: "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point." The following gifts are received with thanks by Immanuel In Memory of Rosemary Doehling Foreign Missions $100 In Memory of Ruth Flanagan Immanuel School $10 14

15 Our Response of Faith Attendance: 12/28 Men s Breakfast = 10 12/30 Sunday School = 21 / Ambassadors = 6 / Bible Study = 51 12/30 Sunday Worship = 297 1/3 Walnut Towers = 7 / Old Main = 15 Offerings from Dec. 30 Immanuel (Sunday Current NEED = $10,678) CLC (Weekly Missions NEED = $1,273) Sunday Current = $10,237 Missions = $755 Endowment = $80 ILC Building = $0 Expansion / Relocation = $0 ILC Student Aid = $0 Major Improvement = $119 MDF: Mission Develop. Fund = $0 Debt = $500 OTHER: Benevolent = $13 OTHER: Food Shelf = $5 Immanuel School = $10 Imm. Student Aid = $80 Tuition Aid = $50 New Year s Eve (December 31) Attendance: Worship = 111 / communed = 96 Offering: Current: $13,543 / Missions: $695 / Endowment $30 / Expansion Relocation $10 / Food Shelf $10 / Imm. Student Aid $1 / Mission Development $10 / MPF free will offering $91.85 / Tuition Aid $1,250 Attendance Candlelight Service with midnight bell ringing: Worship = 10 15

16 Church / School Logos: The PR Committee would like to thank all the members who provided feedback regarding the proposed church and school logos. The feedback, which was plentiful, was carefully considered and weighted. The committee then returned to the graphic designer for several more design revisions. The committee has selected two concepts: one for the school and one for the church. Both would be available in color, b/w, or grayscale, and without text inside the banners. Additional feedback on these two designs is welcomed by only prior to January 7 th, in order to be considered. Please any feedback positive, negative, or neutral to kirstenrbecker@yahoo.com. 16