P: The Lord of hosts is with us

REFORMATION SUNDAY October 28, 2018 American Lutheran Church, Filley, Nebraska, 402-662-3125 LuRae Hallstrom, Pastor; Cell: 402-269-7147, Home: 402-269-3147 PROCESSIONAL HYMN: A Mighty Fortress #229(LBW), vv. 1,2,4 WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS CALL TO WORSHIP (based on Psalm 46) P: God is our shelter and strength C: A very present help in trouble. P: Therefore we will not fear C: Though the earth should change P: Though the mountains shake. C: The Lord of hosts is with us P: The God of Jacob is our refuge. C: Be still, and know that I am God! P: I am exalted among the nations C: I am exalted in the earth. P: The Lord of hosts is with us C: The God of Jacob is our refuge. CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS P: On this Festival of Reformation we ask God to hear our confession. C: We so often see the need for change and reform in others but seldom do we see that need in ourselves. C: In the Church we tend to hang on to old ways and old forms much like the Church of the 1500 s Jesus taught that forms and traditions do not save. C: We confess that we can love structures and traditions more than we love the Lord. C: We can be self-centered in our lives. We often see no need to change, even when we are out of step with the life and words of Jesus. C: We seek forgiveness for our lack of passion to know the truth in Jesus. We seek forgiveness for not wanting this truth to set us free P: In the lesson for today we are told that we are justified by God s grace as a gift. C: We are also told that God justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. P: We are indeed saved by grace through faith. As a called and ordained pastor of the Church of Christ and by his authority, I 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. C: Amen. SHARING THE PEACE PRAYER OF THE DAY: P: Let us pray

C: Gracious Lord, we are grateful for the reformers who cherished your gift of grace through faith. Help us to understand and cherish this greatest of all gifts and live in joy and obedience to your Word. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM READING OF GOD S WORD: The First Lesson Jeremiah 31:31-34 The Second Lesson Romans 3:19-28 The Holy Gospel: John 8:31-36 MESSAGE Pastor LuRae Hallstrom HYMN OF THE DAY: Borning Cry #770(WOV) (Offering & noisy offering is received and dedicated.) PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING P: Merciful Father, C: we offer with joy and thanksgiving what you have first given us, our selves, our time, and our possessions, signs of your gracious love. Receive them for the sake of him who offered himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BLANKET DEDICATION SERVICE Please place your hands on a Blanket as we dedicate them to serve those in need. P: God of love and comfort, we gather together to celebrate one of the ministries of American Lutheran Church. We give thanks for the opportunity out of love and out of concern for our Christian brothers and sisters to share a tangible gift to those in need. While we know that you are always present in our lives and that your love transcends all tragedy, illness and pain, we also know that sometimes a physical reminder can bring hope, healing and peace to someone who is crying out. We pray that these blankets bring comfort to those who will receive them. C: O God, open our eyes so that we might see, open our ears so that we might hear and open our minds so that we might know who is in need of your healing power and presence. Open our hearts so that we might reach out to them. P: Without even knowing who would receive it, this blanket was made specifically for the person who will receive it. C: May they see the love and care given to this blanket, mirroring the love and care that God bestows upon all his people. P: This blanket was made to bring warmth to someone who feels a chill. C: May they feel the warm breath of the Holy Spirit as they wrap themselves with it. P: This blanket was made to bring comfort to someone who feels alone. C: May they feel comfort in knowing that someone prayed for them as they pieced it together. P: This blanket was made to bring peace to someone in need of prayer. C: May they feel the power of our prayers as they hold this tangible gift in their hands. P: This blanket was made to remind the recipient that we are all children of God, loved by him, and cared for by others in this world. C: May they feel touched by our love and held up by our support. P: God of creation, redemption and sustaining grace, we praise you for the opportunity to take part in this ministry so that we might see a world beyond ours. We thank you for putting those in need on our hearts and in our minds so that we might fully live out your call to love and serve. We ask that you bless these blankets and those who will receive them. May they feel the love, comfort and peace of your presence. And may your light shine in them and be a beacon of the hope that is promised to all of us. Amen. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE: P: Lord, in your mercy, C: hear our prayer. THE GREAT THANKSGIVING

P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give him thanks and praise. P: It is indeed right join their unending hymn: All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might: Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. WORDS OF INSTITUTION P: In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. THE LORD S PRAYER DISTRIBUTION (continuous) POST-COMMUNION BLESSING P: The body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. C: Amen. POST-COMMUNION PRAYER P: Let us pray. All: Pour out upon us the spirit of your love, O Lord, and unite the wills of those whom you have fed with one heavenly food; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BENEDICTION SENDING HYMN: Amazing Grace #448(LBW) ******* (Portions of this service reprinted from Lutheran Book of Worship, 1978. Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress license #13855-L) (Excerpts of this service are taken by permission from Worship Resources, Making it Work in the Parish by Rev. Jerry Nelson) WELCOME TO WORSHIP! It s wonderful to gather as the body of Christ to worship and give thanks to God! Thanks be to God for all of you here! If you are a visitor, please sign the guest book and feel welcome to come again. You are invited to come downstairs for refreshments and fellowship following worship. WORSHIP HELPERS: Greeters-Ray & Ginger Boevink, Reader-Duane Lenners, PowerPoint-Tanner/DeeAnn Schmidt, Fellowship-Delores Huls, Helen Fritzen, Sara Miley. Next Sunday: Greeters-Norm & Sandy Flesner, Reader-Sandy Flesner, PowerPoint-Tanner & DeeAnn Schmidt, Fellowshp-Ginger Boevink, Janice Uecker. PRAYER CONCERNS: Becky Lasley, Marlene Frerichs, Helen Fritzen, Dustin Fritch, Raynette Essman, our shut-ins. OUR SYMPATHY to the family of Lee Schmoldt, Lisa Svoboda s dad who passed away Saturday, Oct. 20. Graveside services were held at Evergreen Home Cemetery yesterday, Oct. 27. We commend Lee to God s care and ask His blessings on his family and friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Travis Baehr, Jolene Huls (Oct. 28), Edus Harder, Autumn Schmale (Oct. 29), Bill Harder (Oct. 30), Larry Weyers (Nov. 1), Gayle Robinson, Renee Vogel (Nov. 2). SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GREETINGS to Edus Harder, 200 Levi Lane, Adams, NE 68301, who will celebrate her 88 th birthday tomorrow, October 29. God s richest blessings be with you, Edus! SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM: This morning, Rhetlee Keith Shufeldt, son of Dallas & Lacey (Hill) Shufeldt is being received into God s family through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Rhetlee was born September 24, 2018 at Beatrice and his sponsors are Amber & Nick Buss and Aaron & Tiffany Robertson. Rhetlee has two brothers Taven Borcher & Callan Shufeldt and a sister, Madisyn Shufeldt. Welcome, Rhetlee, to God s family! CONGRATULATIONS to Phillip & Melissa (Wehrbein) McKernan who were married Saturday, October 27. We pray for God s richest blessings on their marriage! BELOVED PAINTINGS will be on display downstairs in the Fellowship Hall after worship this morning and then will be sent home with the kids. Be sure to check out their great art! ALC/FILLEY CONFIRMATION STUDENTS will be offering unframed prints of the Stone Barn by Mark Norling for pre-purchase of $25 each. Great for Christmas gifts. Today is the last day to sign up and pay! Proceeds will go toward the Tanzania Mortuary project. FELLOWSHIP HOUR 2019: Please sign up for dates you can help. The sign-up sheet is on the table in the narthex. Thank you!! SUNDAY SCHOOL for age 3 and older each Sunday morning following worship. OCTOBER IS PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH. We hope you will take part in this opportunity to show Pastor LuRae your appreciation for her with cards and notes of thanks! You are invited to a reception in Pastor LuRae s honor this morning following worship. PLEASE REMEMBER to bring your Blessings Jar to church by Sunday, November 18th for the Women of ELCA Thankoffering Service. If you need a Blessings Jar, please pick up one downstairs on the rack on the east fellowship wall. DONATIONS in the bowl on the table in the narthex during October will go to the Discretionary Fund at American Lutheran. LUTHERAN CHRISTIANS BELIEVE AND TEACH that Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, is truly present in the Lord s Supper, and that in this meal of the baptized children of God, our Lord gives forgiveness of sin, life and salvation. All who seek the mercy and grace of God in the body and blood of our Lord Jesus are welcome to the Lord s table. Those who desire to partake of this communion are invited to receive the Lord s body and blood by eating the bread and drinking from the cup of wine. Grape juice and gluten free bread are available-please let your server know if you would like it. Those who desire to participate but cannot receive the bread and/or the cup of wine are invited to come forward with hands folded to hear the words of promise. Children may be communed or blessed, according to the practice of one s church or home congregation. Those who are physically unable to come forward should notify one of the ushers of their desire to receive. WOMEN OF THE ELCA are collecting coats for A Warmer Day, a non-profit organization, to be distributed to underprivileged children & families in SE Nebraska. Donations can be used or new items, all sizes needed, infant through adult. They will also accept sweaters, boots, gloves/mittens, wool socks,

stocking hats, and snow pants. Items can be left in the tote in the northeast Sunday School room downstairs. The Warmer Day truck will be in Beatrice on December 12, 2018 at the Blue Valley Community Action. A Warmer Day website: awarmerday.org PLEASE SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS! SunMart/Spartan Nash Co. supports a fundraising program called Support Our Schools and Churches. All you have to do is save your SunMart cash register receipt tapes and put them in the box in the Fellowship Hall. When we have collected $150,000 in receipt tapes Spartan Nash Company will award us a check for $1000. You can also ask your check-out person if they have any extra receipts. They save the ones that people don t want and give them out first come, first serve. Our last counted total was $34,884.00. If you have any questions, please contact Sandy. Thank you to everyone who is donating toward this ministry!! PLEASE DONATE TO OUR LOCAL FOOD PANTRY: American Lutheran Church gathers food donations for the Community Pantry and Emergency Services in Beatrice on an ongoing basis. The Food Pantry serves all of Gage County. If you would like to give to this ministry, please leave your donated items in the shopping cart in the Fellowship Hall at any time. Special items needed at this time are: CEREAL, SUGAR, FLOUR, HAMBURGER & TUNA HELPER, cake mixes, brownie mix, ketchup, mayo, vegetable oil, tea, coffee, saltine & graham crackers. THANK YOU for your continued support to this ministry! FREED FOR LIFE 2018: Friday, Nov. 9, 5:30-8:00 p.m. at Sheridan Lutheran Church, Lincoln. Guest Speaker: Shon Hopwood. Details at freedforlife.org or bridgestohopene.org. Prison ministry exhibits open at 5:00 p.m. AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH WEBSITE: You can find our church website at www.filleylutheranchurch.com or by scanning this QR code: WINDOW REPLACEMENT UPDATE: At our semi-annual meeting, the congregation voted to move forward with the replacement of the two stained glass windows on the west side of the church in addition to the east window that is currently under construction. Funding is to come from Memorial money and the Building Fund, however, we are still soliciting donations for this work as we do not wish to deplete the Building and Memorial Funds any more than we have to. Please consider an additional donation for the replacement of the west windows. If you wish to do so, please contact a member of the Council or the Long Range Planning Committee. Thank you! BULLETIN ITEMS are due by Tuesday evenings. Please email to Sandy at smahleris@gmail.com or leave in the bulletin tray. Thank you! BLANKETS IN NEED OF HEMMING! There are blankets on the table in the Fellowship Hall that are in need of hemming. All help is much appreciated! COMING UP: Every Wednesday, 4:00-5:30 p.m. BeLoved (will not be held Oct. 31) Every Wednesday, 4:00-5:30 p.m. Confirmation (No Confirmation on Oct. 31) November 4 All Saints Sunday November 11 Veterans Recognition November 18 Thankoffering Sunday November 21 Thanksgiving Eve Service, 7:00 p.m. November 25 Christ the King/Covenant Service Hanging of the Greens following worship Dec. 2 First Sunday of Advent Dec. 24 6:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Service/Children s Program/Candlelight Service/Communion