St. Mark Lutheran Church and School 3930 S. 19th Street, Lincoln, NE 68502 www.stmarklincoln.org School website www.stmarkles.org (phone) 402-423-1497 Pastor Teachers Joel Vogel Jeremiah Drews (4-8, Principal) Cell (740) 350-3261 Cell (402) 480-1940 Eva Van Egmond (K-3) Cell (920) 210-9813 Monday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday This Week at St. Mark - Worship Service 7:00 pm - Bible Class Lexington Assisted Living Center 3:30 pm - Choir 6:30 pm - Advent Service 7:00 pm - Ladies Aid 6:30 pm - BIC 6:30 am - Snow Removal James Mullen - Fall Clean Up Day 8:00 am - Children s Christmas practice 9 10:30 am - Church Christmas Decorating 9:30 am - Church Cleaning: Sec. 1 Dinges Sec. 2 Drews Sec. 3 Dorn - Caroling 1:30 pm Forward in Christ: It is time once again to renew our bulk subscription for the Forward in Christ magazine. Anyone interested in receiving this Biblically-based magazine put out by Northwestern Publishing House is asked to contribute $11.00 in a specially marked envelope with their name on the envelope. This subscription is good for a year. Please place the money in the offering and mark it Forward in Christ. There is a sign up sheet on the table in the entryway. Reach, Teach, Rejoice! 12
Advent 1 November 29, 2015 Gathering Rite on the Word of God God s people long to gather together for strength from God and for mutual encouragement. This alternate beginning for worship reminds God s people of the blessings of his Word. (During this gathering rite music will be played in the background while the responses are spoken by the minister and the congregation.) Please stand. M: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit. M: In this Advent season, we gather around the Word of God to anticipate the birth and the return of Jesus Christ, the Word who became flesh and lived among us. Let us hear God's call to repentance in his Word, confess our sins, and find peace in the forgiveness that Christ's advent brings and his Word proclaims. Coming Events: December 2 Advent Service 7:00 pm December 5 Fall Cleanup Day 8:00 am December 6 Caroling 1:30 pm December 9 Advent Service 7:00 pm December 10 Bookfair at Barnes & Noble 5:00 8:00 pm December 16 Advent Service 7:00 pm December 20 Children s Christmas Service 10:30 am December 24 Christmas Eve Service 7:00 pm December 25 Christmas Day Worship 10:00 am December 31 New Year s Eve Worship 7:00 pm St. Mark Lutheran School Book Fair at Barnes & Noble Do you have anyone on your Christmas list who wants books, movies, or CDs? What about a calendar, vinyl record, or Star Wars gear? Join St. Mark Lutheran School at the South Pointe Barnes & Noble on Thursday, December 10, 5 8 p.m. for our annual book fair. Enjoy a snack from the café while listening to performances and perusing artwork made by St. Mark students. All sales (including the café) can be applied to the book fair to help raise funds which will be used to buy books and other supplies for our school. If you d like to contribute more than funds, each teacher has completed a wish list of books they would like to get for our students. Purchases can be made and applied to the book fair, and the books donated to the school on the spot. If you can t make it out that evening, all purchases made instore that day can be applied to our book fair. Online orders completed between 12/10/15 and 12/15/15 at bn.com/ bookfairs can be applied to our book fair using book fair ID 11715760. Remember, Barnes & Noble SCRIP, supporting NELHS and St. Mark, can be used to purchase items for our book fair it s a win-win-win! We look forward to seeing you there! 11 2
St. Mark News and Notes Nursery At St. Mark, we love children and encourage their worship, too! In the foyer, we have some children s busy bags hanging from hooks that you are most welcome to use in church. If your child becomes restless during the service and you feel you both could just use a little break, you re welcome to use the nursery. Ask an usher to lead you to the nursery. If you need a private place to feed your baby, there is a chair downstairs in the women s restroom along with a changing table. Most of us have or have had young children, so you re with caring people who understand what it s like to have little ones. M: Oh, how I love your law! C: I meditate on it all day long. M: Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, C: for they are ever with me. M: I have more insight than all my teachers, C: for I meditate on your statutes. M: How sweet are your words to my taste, C: sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:97-99,103) Birthday Molly Wilkinson 11/29, Joshua Van Egmond 11/30, Valerie Ellsworth 12/2, Kurtis Kramer 12/2 Poinsettias The Ladies Aid will be purchasing Christmas poinsettias for the church altar. If you wish to give a donation toward the purchase of the poinsettias to help cover the cost, please make your check out to Elfi Lee and put your donation in her mailbox by Dec. 6. Christmas Church Decorating We are planning to decorate the church on December 5th at 9:30 am. Anyone who would like to come help decorate the church and glorify our God for the gift of his Son is welcome to help out. THANK YOU FOR SERVING Elders: Nate Workentine, Ben Schroeder Ushers: Rainer Gartzke, Rich Beltz (E), Brian & Trevor Wiles (L) Greeters: Mel & Sue Soyk (E), Lisa Duffield / Lori Meyer (L) Pianist: Jocelyn Vogel Stewardship Time and Talent Sheets are on the ushers table. Please fill them out when you have time and return them by December 6. Please give them to an usher or place them on the secretary s desk. Children s Christmas Service practices will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5, 12 and 19 from 9-10:30 am. Please make sure your children attend all of the practices. If your child is not able to attend please let his or her teacher know. 10 M: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, C: so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16,17) M: Yet so often we have despised God s Word and failed to gladly hear and learn it. For this and all our sins, we bow before God and humbly ask his forgiveness. 3
C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. Give hope to the hopeless, Give comfort and peace. Trust in the Lord s promise That darkness shall cease. M: We light one Advent candle, remembering Jesus who is coming again. He will come to gather his people from everywhere, both the living and the dead. C: We remember Jesus who will come at the end of time. None of us knows what day that will be. M: We hear his call to watch. C: We light one Advent candle as a sign of our watchfulness and waiting. M: God gave his Word so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31). The Scriptures testify about Jesus, who lived a perfect life for you, died on the cross to pay for all your sins, and rose again to assure you of your salvation. 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. M: Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. C: Through your Word and Spirit may our souls be blessed. THE BLESSING M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness. 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. Amen. HYMN: CW 29 Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending 4 9
THE LORD S PRAYER M: O Lord, remember us in your kingdom, and teach us to pray: C: 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. HYMN: CW 9 Jesus, Your Church with Longing Eyes CONFESSION OF FAITH Luther s expl. to the 2nd Art. of the Apostles Creed C: I believe in Jesus Christ, God s only Son, our Lord. M: What do you mean when you make this confession of your faith? C: I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. All this He did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true. LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH As the Acolyte comes forward to light the candle the congregation sings the following hymn verse to the tune of Away In A Manger. PRAYER OF THE DAY M: Let us pray. Stir up your power, O Lord, and come. Protect us by your strength and save us from the threatening dangers of our sins; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Please be seated. THE WORD FIRST LESSON Genesis 19:15-17, 23-29 Psalm 25 CW pg. 74 Pastors sings the verses Congregation sings the refrains. SECOND LESSON 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 VERSE OF THE DAY Alleluia. He who testifies to these things says, Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Alleluia. (Revelation 22:20) Please stand. GOSPEL Luke 21:25-36 M: The Gospel for this morning is taken from Luke, chapter twenty-one. C: Glory be to you, O Lord! Prepare for Christ s coming, Keep watch through the night. We light one small candle And cherish the light. 8 M: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise be to you, O Christ! 5
Please be seated. HYMN: CW 8 SERMON Come, O Precious Ransom, Come hands we commend all entrusted with public service among us: our President, the Congress, the Justices, all state and local magistrates, and all who serve in our armed forces. C: Give them courage and wisdom in their duties and guide them in paths that please You. After a brief introduction, the congregation sings... O Advent King, our sins forgive; Come in our lives and hearts to live, And let our humble souls become A temple worthy of your name. Then in the last and dreadful day, When earth and heav'n shall melt away, Your flock, redeemed from sinful stain, Shall swell the sound of praise again. OFFERING Please stand. PRAYER OF THE CHURCH M: Father in heaven, You sent Your Son to us as our King, righteous and having salvation. Help all Your baptized people to wait in joyful hope for His appearing in glory, C: and, by a faithful use of the means of grace, to prepare themselves for the coming Kingdom. M: God of our salvation, remember our Synod and district presidents, all pastors, teachers, and servants of the Church. Strengthen each one to hold forth faithfully the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. C: Grant all congregations to increase and abound in love for one another and for all, that the schemes of the evil one may come to nothing. M: Our God and Father, Your Son is the righteous Branch whom You sent to execute justice and righteousness on earth. Into Your loving 6 M: Holy One of Israel, the words of Your Son do not pass away, but abide forever. Grant Your people grace in these Advent days to set aside time from the busyness and hectic pace of our lives, to enter the quiet joy of Your presence C: that we might hear and ponder our Savior s words and so come to the Christmas feast with glad and joyful hearts. M: Lord, You teach the humble Your way. Remember in Your tender compassion all who pass through difficult and trying times: the hospitalized, the elderly, those taking treatments, the grieving and the lonely. C: Bring them the comfort of Your mercy and steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Special prayers and intercessions may follow. M: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions. Silent prayer. M: These things and whatever else You know us to need, most Holy Father, grant us for the sake of Him who is the Lord our Righteousness and who now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 7