ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK Sunday 12/9 8:00 AM Worship 9:15 AM Sunday School/Bible Class Be a Partner in Prayer. You are invited to join parents, grandparents, and friends of St. Paul s Lutheran School each Monday when school is in session from 8-8:15 am in the Parish Office. Each week, in addition to praying for the general needs of the school, we will pray for students by name one class each week as well as any special prayer requests. Pastor Michael will lead this weekly time for prayer. A guide will be provided. Come any Monday you are able. Participants are not required to pray aloud. Church Office M-F: 8am-12pm & 1pm-5pm (660) 463-2291 9:30 AM LGSH Worship Service 10:30 AM Worship w/communion Monday 12/10 8:00 AM Partner in Prayer (PO) 7:00 PM Worship w/communion Tuesday 12/11 8:00 AM Braille (CC) 10:00 AM Lectionary Readings (Senior Center) Wednesday 12/12 10:00 AM LGSH Advent Worship NOON BULLETIN DEADLINE 6:00 PM Ladies Aid #1 Advent Meal - Scalloped 7:00 PM Advent Worship 8:00 PM Voters Meeting (Church) Thursday 12/13 Pizza Hut Dough For Your School Night 12:00 PM Ladies Aid #3 Christmas Party Friday 12/14 10:00 AM LGSH Bible Study Saturday 12/15 Sunday 12/16 8:00 AM Worship w/communion 9:15 AM Sunday School/Bible Class 9:30 AM LGSH Worship Service 10:30 AM Worship Dial-A-Devotion (660) 463-7595 www.stpaulsconcordia.org stpaulsconcordiamo School Office M-F: 8-3:30 (660) 463-7654 DECEMBER 9, 2018 8:00 AM & 10:30AM ST. PAUL S LUTHERAN CHURCH CONCORDIA, MO P Pastor C Congregation/All T All may make the sign of the cross to remember their baptism. Opening Hymn - Lutheran Service Book # 344 On Jordan s Bank the Baptist s Cry Invocation P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen. Confession of Sins and Forgiveness P Confessing our failure to stay ready for Christ s return in power and glory; the crookedness of our thoughts, words, and actions; that we are helpless to rescue ourselves from our sinful condition; and relying on the all-sufficient grace of Jesus, we pray: C Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy, Lord, have mercy. Amen. P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit. C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Opening Sentences Psalm 66:1-5 P Shout for joy to God, all the earth; C sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! P Say to God, How awesome are your deeds! C So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. P All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; C they sing praises to your name. P Come and see what God has done: C he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
Prayer of the Day Tune: PUER NOBIS ( On Jordan s Bank the Baptist s Cry ) C (sung) Stir up our hearts, O Lord, we pray That we prepare for Christ the way. Oh, let His coming give us light And strength to conquer in the fight. Verse of the Month Psalm 98:1a C Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! Old Testament Lesson Exodus 3:1-15 The Lord calls Moses to lead His people from slavery in Egypt. 1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. 5 Then he said, Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 6 And he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. 11 But Moses said to God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 He said, But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain. 13 Then Moses said to God, If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? what shall I say to them? 14 God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And he said, Say this to the people of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. 15 God also said to Moses, Say this to the people of Israel, The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. P This is the Word of the Lord. C Thanks be to God. 2 Bible Class Today - December 9 Adult Bible Study - "The Christmas Story: From Four Perspectives." This study attempts to explore how each Gospel in the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) give us a different perspective--a different lens--through which to see the Christmas story, the birth and beginnings of Jesus Christ. Each Gospel's emphasis is different, and by studying them both individually and side by side, we catch deeper glimpses into this marvelous event, that God the Father would send His Son to take on human flesh, that God would become a baby who would grow into a man who would die our death and then be raised for our everlasting life. Today s class will meet in the gym. High School Sunday School - We will be worshipping at the Good Shepherd Home and assisting with wheelchairs. Meet at the GSNH at 8:45am or if you need a ride meet at the church office at 8:45am. Sunday School - Preschool -4th Grade will meet in Ms. Loges's Room and disperse from there at 9:15 each Sunday. Grades 5-8 will meet in their classrooms at 9:15 each Sunday. Parents may pick up their children at 10:15 in the following rooms: Preschool - Ms. Loges PreK & K - Mrs. Hess 1st & 2nd - Mrs. Martens 3rd & 4th - Mrs. Frerking 5th & 6th - Mrs. Hinck 7th & 8th - Mr. Ebers Remember in your prayers Healing for Wilbert Fruend, Charlie Henke, Diana Storck, Cheryl Spiegelhalter, Brandon Williams, Cherry Deke, Bradley Meineka, Terry Gerdts, John Carlton, Dr. Wayne Myers, Kelly Meyer, Shirley Kimball, Jeanette Fuehring, Marcus Bodenstab, Amy Gerdts, John Pittman, Gary Bartel, Carol Henning Robert Lange in celebration of his 90th birthday Mission of Christ Network, Tim and Hope Mehl. Trinity Lutheran Church; Altenburg, MO and Rev. Steven Dressler. The people of Albania. All Military Personnel.
Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) is just around the corner---january 19-21, 2019. TEC is a weekend designed for older youth (juniors/seniors/college) at a time when they are making life decisions and allows them to encounter the presence of Christ in their lives and to commit themselves to a life with Him. From the showmetec.org website, A TEC retreat weekend is intended to strengthen the faith of those who attend and to encourage them to exercise Christian leadership in their daily living. The TEC weekend leads participants from where they are when they arrive to a personal encounter with Jesus and the implications of that encounter for daily living. We have two youth planning to attend. Please keep them in your prayers as they study and strengthen their faith. If you have questions about the weekend, please contact Angela Kollbaum. Snow Removal Help If there is winter weather in the forecast the Trustees are always looking for a few more bodies to help. It is our goal to clean all of the property and to allow all scheduled events to proceed safely. We generally meet for cleanup Sunday mornings at 5:30am, for Mon-Saturday services we meet at 4pm. If it is a large snow overnight we will meet at 10:30am the following day. A little difficult to give exact times so if you are available to help and are questioning the time you can call the church office. But your help is much appreciated. Tools that are needed varies with the accumulation from shovels, leaf blowers and snow blowers. Bigger equipment is sometime needed as well. YAP This week, please keep Caleb Hentges, son of Allen and Rachael Hentgese in your prayers. Caleb is a sophomore at University of Central Missouri where he is studying Exercise Science and sports nutrition. He plays football for the CMU Mules. Caleb is a 2017 graduate of Saint Paul Lutheran High School and he uses his parents address for mail. Also, please keep Abram Frerking, son of Tony and Angela Frerking. He is currently working at Evans Equipment as well as renovating a home that he will be moving into soon. Abram is a 2018 graduate of Concordia High School and his address is available in the church office if you would like to send a note of encouragement. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. Philippians 1:3 You re Invited The 60 voice Lafayette County Chorus of Friends will once again be presenting a Christmas Cantata. This year s selection is Christmas Presence by Pepper Choplin. The chorus will be performing concerts on Dec. 9 at 4:00pm at Higginsville Lutheran Church; Dec. 15 at 4:00pm at Lexington Lutheran Church; and Dec. 16 at 4:00pm at Wellington United Methodist Church. SPLHS Fundraiser Come join us for a traditional British Fish and Chips Meal, 11:00a.m.-1:00p.m. Sunday, December 16 in Saint Paul High Dining Hall. We will be taking a free will donation to support the 2019 Saint Paul High International Trip to England. 10 Anthem - Joyful Sounds Choir (8:00am) Come Again Emmanuel Epistle Lesson Philippians 1:2 11 Saint Paul rejoices in his ministry partnership with the Philippian Christians. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. P This is the Word of the Lord. C Thanks be to God. Advent Verse O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, Lutheran Service Book 357:3 C (sung) O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai s height In ancient times didst give the Law In cloud and majesty and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! Gospel Reading Luke 3:1-14 John the Baptist prepares for the ministry of Jesus by calling the people to repentance. P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the third chapter. C Glory to You, O Lord. 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have 3
Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 10 And the crowds asked him, What then shall we do? 11 And he answered them, Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise. 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, Teacher, what shall we do? 13 And he said to them, Collect no more than you are authorized to do. 14 Soldiers also asked him, And we, what shall we do? And he said to them, Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages. P This is the Gospel of the Lord. C Praise to You, O Christ. Antiphon P O Adonai and ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and gave him the Law on Sinai: C Come with an outstretched arm and redeem us. Sermon Hymn - Lutheran Service Book # 348 The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns Sermon - O Adonai, Come Creed - (inside back cover of the hymnal) Offering and Rite of Fellowship (Please record your attendance on the friendship register in each pew and pass the register down the pew so all may record their attendance.) Prayer of the Church After each petition: P Lord, in Your mercy, C hear our prayer. (The 8:00am service will conclude with the Lord s Prayer, Benediction, and the closing hymn, Lutheran Service Book # 347 Comfort, Comfort Ye My People.) 4 Christmas Decorations Forms to contribute a poinsettia or make a donation towards decorating the church for Christmas may be picked up in the Church Narthex or Church Office. Contributions must be received by Monday, Dec. 17th. Thank You to everyone who participated in the SPLC Youth Thirty-One fundraiser and especially Kristi Dittmer for organizing and donating her commission. We are doing a Pampered Chef fundraiser from December 1-14 th. There are online links on the SPLC Youth and St. Paul s Lutheran Church Facebook page, but if you would like to order in person contact Julie Bonar or Angela Kollbaum. We appreciate your support of our youth! Proceeds will assist the youth in attending the National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis in July 2019. Lifelight Classes on Acts 2 will begin the week of January 8th. Participants prepare for the nine weekly classes by reading a portion of Scripture and answering related questions in the student guide (copies are available in the church office). You are most welcome to join one of the following classes: Tuesdays at 10am at the Parish Office, led by Joanne Reinke, starting 1/8 Wednesdays at 7pm in the Parish Office, led by Karen Bauer, starting 1/9 Thursdays at 9am at Biltz Hall (SPLHS), led by Sharon Bobzin, starting 1/10 Mondays at 9am at the Parish Office, led by Kathy Schnakenberg, starting 1/14. Books are available for pick-up in the church office, cost is $10. Angel Tree Help make Christmas special for everyone by taking an ornament from the Giving Tree, located in the Church Narthex. Purchase the item(s) listed and then bring the gift to the school office by Dec. 20. Christmas Meal Bags On December 15 we will once again be handing out our Christmas Dinners. Approximate cost is $40.00 per meal for a family. The past few years we have distributed 35 meals. If you would like to contribute to this event please see Melissa at the church office with your contribution. If you wish to request a meal bag on behalf of someone please stop by the church office for a request form. It brings us all great joy to help families out at this time of year. The meals will need to be picked up at the Conference Center at 9 a.m. on the 15 th of December. The Scrip Program at St. Paul s School Gifting that gives back! Find gifts for everyone on your list while raising funds for our school with the holiday gift guide. Shop gift cards from over 750 top brands, including Best Buy, Amazon, Land s End, Lowe s, and more. Whether you buy the gift cards to give as presents to family and friends, or use them to buy your gifts, our school earns with every gift card purchased. It s simple, it s thoughtful and it s truly the gift that keeps on giving. Shop the gift guide at ShopWithScrip.com/GiftGuide SPLHS Christmas Concert The music department of Saint Paul Lutheran High School will perform its annual Christmas concert TODAY, Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 7:00pm in the sanctuary of St. Paul s Lutheran Church. 9
2019 Contribution Envelopes are available in the church narthex. If you can not find your envelopes please contact the church office (463-2291). If the address on your box of envelopes has changed please contact the church office. The SPLC Jr. Youth would like to thank everyone who attended the Advent dinner on Wednesday. We are so thankful for the support from our church family. A special thank you to the Joel Oetting family for the donation of the ground beef for the dinner. The proceeds from the dinner will assist with the cost of the Confirmation Retreat and the Missouri District Spring Retreat. May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. - Colossians 3:15 The Sr High Youth Christmas Gathering will be this Friday, December 14 th at 6pm at the Kollbaums. We will have soup for dinner and ask that the youth bring a treat to share. We will have a white elephant gift exchange (which is always fun!!) Please let Angie Kollbaum know if you will be able to attend. Family Footnotes One of my devotions this week posed this question, Have you been too distracted to see God s glory? Oh, how I wish I could say that especially during this season of Advent I am able to keep my focus on Jesus in the middle of the maelstrom, but the truth is, I cannot do it by myself, and Satan knows that. My brain buzzes with tedious to-do lists that are mountains high, not to mention adding the daily drudgery of duties that are needed to keep my household functioning. I found myself this past week conversing with (well, let s just call it what it was...complaining to) a friend, listing out in a text a string of things that were obviously not going to be accomplished in a timely manner and rambling on about my unfortunate plight. After I ranted, I had the opportunity to glance back at the things I had just listed. Wow! I sure found a lot to complain about! And not only that, I had also burdened someone with reading all of that garbage. As I combed back through that list, I was able to find blessings in every single one of those complaints. In that very moment, my mind wandered back to a time not too long ago when I longed to be busy and active again as I sat weeks on end with my daughter in a hospital room. Fall came and went, snowflakes fell softly outside my window, and silent tears trickled down my cheek as our family waited. Which trials can you reflect upon? The truth is, I was on my knees, and when you are on your knees in prayer, the world s clamor silences. When you have exhausted every amount of earthly resources and inner strength, you realize that it is God that you are left with. Why didn t you start there in the first place? Because you thought you could handle it on your own? Because you thought if you just stayed positive and focused your energies, things would get better? Because your overwhelming worry or busyness clouded the Lord s strength from view? My friends, let our trials and mountains be a reminder to start with Christ this Advent season, focusing our energies on staying in step with Him instead of marching to mayhem of the world. Let our hearts be open to His words of mercy, grace, and peace as we prepare for His coming. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 ~Gina Martens, Family Life Director 8 Service of the Sacrament We believe that in the Lord s Supper our Lord gives to us His true body and blood with the bread and the wine for the forgiveness of our sins. We recognize the charge that St. Paul offers in 1 Corinthians 11:27-28 that those who come to receive the Lord s Supper ought to examine themselves so that they do not eat and drink in an unworthy manner. Therefore, out of concern for those who have not been instructed in the faith or who hold to a different confession, we ask that only members of Lutheran Church Missouri Synod congregations receive the Sacrament. If you would like to learn more about what our congregation teaches, to inquire about becoming a member or have questions about our practice, please speak to one of the pastors. Adults and children who have not yet been baptized or instructed in the Christian faith are invited to come forward and receive a spoken blessing at the altar rail. For those who have problems consuming alcohol, you are invited to receive diluted wine from the purple glasses in the center of the tray of individual cups. For those who have dietary restrictions, gluten free wafers are available upon request. Preface 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 truly good, right, and salutary evermore praising You and singing: Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 21:9 Tune: PUER NOBIS ( On Jordan s Bank the Baptist s Cry ) C (sung) O holy, holy, holy One All pow r and might are Yours alone. With loud hosannas now we sing Our praises to our coming King. Words of Our Lord Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 Proclamation of Christ 1 Corinthians 11:26 P As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. C Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 5
Lord s Prayer Matthew 6:9-13 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. Pax Domini Peace of the Lord John 20:19 P The peace of the Lord be with you always. C Amen. Agnus Dei Lamb of God John 1:29 Tune: PUER NOBIS ( On Jordan s Bank the Baptist s Cry ) C (sung) O Lamb of God, upon the cross You bore the weight of sin for us. In Your great mercy and Your love Give us Your peace from heav n above. Distribution Hymns Lutheran Service Book # 334 O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (sung to the tune of All Glory, Laud, and Honor ) Lutheran Service Book # 346 When All the World Was Cursed Lutheran Service Book # 512 v.1-6 At the Name of Jesus Closing Hymn - Lutheran Service Book # 347 Comfort, Comfort Ye My People ******* Preacher - Rev. Michael Pottschmidt Organist - Kathryn Oetting Choir Director - Karol Meyer Acolytes - Carly Fahrmeier 8:00am Emily Grass 10:30am Greeters Everett and Alice Hinck 8:00am Connie Crowder and Dena Koch 10:30am LGSH Service Leader - Rev. Warren Schmidt LGSH Message - Comforted and Comfortable? LGSH Pianist - Grace Grass Acknowledgments Lutheran Service Book 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Reprinted with permission. Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder 2006 Concordia Publishing House. 6 Next Sunday s (12/16/18) Scripture Readings: First Reading - Isaiah 11:1-10 Second Reading - Philippians 4:4-7; Gospel - Luke 7:18-28 The Lutheran Hour can be heard any time on the internet. Type in Lutheran Hour; click on the first paragraph, THE LUTHERAN HOUR; click on LISTEN. This week s message by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Redeemer with a Capital R. 8:00 AM The Lutheran Hour, KCMO (710 AM) 8:00 AM The Lutheran Hour, KLEX (92.5 FM) 10:00 AM The Lutheran Hour, KMMO (1300 AM) 10:10 AM The Lutheran Hour, KSIS (1050 AM) 1:30 PM The Lutheran Hour, KWIX (1230 AM) Thanksgiving Robert Lange has given a thankoffering to St. Paul s Lutheran Church in celebration of his 90th birthday. Voters Meeting A regular Voters meeting of St. Paul's Lutheran Congregation will be held on Wednesday, Dec.12, at 8:00pm, in the Church. Pre-Service Hymn Sing: Join us 10 minutes prior to each evening midweek Advent service to sing our favorite Advent songs and Christmas carols. Kid-friendly songs will also be included. Funeral Fellowship providing lunch for bereaved St. Paul s families. The 2019 Funeral Fellowship calendar is still being finalized. Thank you to the many additional volunteers who agreed to help bring food for next year, when contacted. Completed calendars will be put in your pigeonhole later this month. The Funeral Fellowship Coordinators: Sharon Bobzin, 660-641-1248; Karen Heins, 660-584-2452 or 417-234-2343; Sharon Oetting, 463-7889 or 660-641-5889; Kathy Schnakenberg, 463-8086 Attendances & Offerings Last Week 8:00am & 10:30am Sunday: 321, 189; LGSH: 89; Advent Worship: LGSH: 81; 7pm: 257; Bible Classes - High: 2; Adult: 47; LGSH: 50; Home - $26,429.43 Missions - $2,709.77 Debt Reduction - $260 Home Improvement - $581.50 Building - $20 SPLHS - $120 Lutheran Bible Translators - $100 Mehl Mission - $85 Comfort Dog - $82.22 Grade School - $59.14 LERT - $25 Christmas Meal Bags - $1,150 Orphan Grain Train - $60 World Relief - $25 Leckband Scholarship - $25 Faith/Campus Ministry - $100 World Mission - $10 Give Online at www.stpaulsconcordia.org 7