Second Sunday of Advent December 9, 2018 Welcome to St. Mark s Lutheran Church & School In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we welcome you to St. Mark s. We especially welcome our guests who have joined us today. We pray you will be strengthened by the good news about God s grace, love, and forgiveness to us through Jesus. ASSISTANCE FOR YOUNG FAMILIES: o o o A staffed nursery is located in the back of the church lobby. A privacy room, especially reserved for nursing mothers, is located on the east side of the church entryway. Activity sheets for children can be picked up on the Information Center s shelf in the church lobby. HEARING AND READING ASSISTANCE: o o Personal hearing assistance devices are available on the entryway wall near the sanctuary s west entrance door. The sanctuary is also looped for those who have hearing aids that can pick up the signal. We also have LARGE PRINT service booklets that you can pick up on the shelf under the Information Center bulletin board in the church lobby CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER: o A connection card has been handed to you by one of the ushers. Please complete the appropriate side of the card and pass it toward the center aisle to the usher at the end of the offering.
THE ORDER OF WORSHIP Worship Focus: When you look in the mirror, who do you see? Do you see a redeemed child of God? If not, why not? What did Jesus come to earth to accomplish? He came to accomplish peace between God our Creator and you all people. Advent prepares our minds and hearts to thank our God properly for keeping His promise celebrated at Christmas and all which that kept promise led to then and now and forever. Rest assured peace is yours through Jesus, you have been redeemed. Give thanks! PRELUDE OPENING HYMN Prepare the Royal Highway Michael Burkhardt The King of Glory Comes Christian Worship #363 PLEASE STAND INVOCATION Minister: Congregation: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. And also with you. CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy. C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt. M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will. C: Amen. 2
M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord. OH TASTE AND SEE PRAYER OF THE DAY M: Lord God Almighty, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by your Holy Spirit that we may always look forward to the end of this present evil age and to the day of your righteous judgment. Keep us steadfast in true and living faith and present us at last holy and blameless before you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen BE SEATED 3
FIRST LESSON Malachi 3:1-4 Jesus is the fulfillment of these words. His first coming led to our being reconciled to God. His second coming will lead us into heaven. 1 I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come, says the LORD Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner s fire or a launderer s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. P: The Word of the Lord. C: Speak Lord, Your servant is listening. 4
PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 24 Christian Worship page 73 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;* in you I trust, O my God. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,* for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;* according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. Refrain Turn to me and be gracious to me,* for I am lonely and afflicted. Look upon my affliction and my distress* and take away all my sins. Guard my life and rescue me,* for I take refuge in you. Glory be to the Father and to the Son* and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,* is now, and will be forever. Amen. Refrain 5
SECOND LESSON Philippians 1:3-11 What do you pray about? Paul gives us some ideas. Note the goal of such prayers. 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may 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: The Word of the Lord. C: Speak Lord, Your servant is listening. ADULT CHOIR The Coming of the Lord Pepper Choplin 2017 Lorenz Publishing Company Lift up your heads, O gates, and make the highway straight, Prepare to celebrate the coming of the Lord. Your waiting soon will end, God s glory will descend, Rise up and welcome in the coming of the Lord, The coming of the Lord! Prepare the way for the coming of the Lord! The ancient words foretell, God with us, He will dwell, Christ, our Emmanuel, and all will see the glory of the Lord! (repeat) O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel. And then the deaf will hear, the blind will see Him clear, The mute will find their voice, the lame will leap for joy, Prepare the way of the coming of the Lord! Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, our God will come to us. Prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. Worship services center on the Gospel Reading; we rise to highlight its function. 6
GOSPEL Luke 3:1-6 See the Lord s salvation in and through Jesus. The way was prepared for His coming in flesh. Stay prepared for His coming in flesh a second time. 1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: A voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all people will see God s salvation. BE SEATED CHILDREN S SERMON Children who are in grade four and younger may come forward and sit on the front step for the children s devotion. Older children, parents, or other family members may come forward to encourage the younger children s participation. HYMN OF THE DAY On Jordan s Bank the Baptist s Cry Christian Worship #16 SERMON Based on Malachi 3:1-4 PLEASE STAND Your Value Comes From God 7
APOSTLES CREED I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his 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 into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. BE SEATED OFFERTORY O Jesus Christ Thy Manger Is Paul Manz THANK OFFERING The offerings are gathered at this time. We ask that everyone complete the connection card you received from the usher before the service and pass it to the center aisle. The ushers will collect the cards after the offerings have been received. THE LORD S PRAYER 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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen. 8
HYMN O Jesus So Sweet, O Jesus So Mild Christian Worship #366 PRAYER M: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen. 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. C: Amen. CLOSING HYMN Joy to the World Christian Worship #62 Verses 1 & 4 ANNOUNCEMENTS The WELS Connection video for November, featuring information from St. Mark s national church body, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), will be viewed at the conclusion of the announcements. POSTLUDE Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasures Eternal Kevin Hildebrand Content requiring a copyright license is reproduced under OneLicense.net #A-711071. All rights reserved. Scripture Quotations: From the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV 2011), copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Psalm 24: Refrain Tune: Marty Haugen. 1983 GIA Publications, Inc., Chicago, IL, www.giamusic.com. All rights reserved. Used by permission. 9
Serving at Worship Presiding Minister: Pastor Jonathan Kolander Musical Accompanist: Lisa Thiesfeldt TODAY AT ST. MARK S Ushers: 8:00 Terry Drennon, Jack Fox, Jack Hopping, Tim Hull 10:45 Rich Baker, Ed Russell, Zachary Russell, Jim Well. Altar Committee: Joan Perlberg Gail Raglen Altar Flowers: Flowers beautifying the altar have been placed in celebration of Hilma Wolcott s ninetieth birthday, and in loving memory of Hilma s parents, Bill and Joy Elsasser. Nursery Supervisors: Today Next Sunday 8:00 Kaisa Miller Diane Bishop 9:15 Heather Groth Beth Waterman 10:45 Pam Egle Hannah Rausch Greeters: Today Next Sunday 8:00 Phil and Ann Swan Steve and Ellie Ennis 10:45 Joan Perlberg Greg and Barbara Lazaga Children s Sunday School 9:15 a.m. In Sunday School today, the children will hear the message The Birth of Jesus Foretold. God favored Mary, choosing her to be the mother of Jesus. God favors us because of Jesus Christ, choosing us to be His children! Ask your children, How did God show Mary, and us, His unmerited grace and favor? Adult & Teen Bible Studies Today at 9:30 a.m. Church Fellowship: Led by Pastor Kolander in the church sanctuary. Isaiah Gems (pictures of the Savior): Led by Pastor Groth in the chapel. Teen Class: Led by Noel Ledermann in the Teen Room. THIS WEEK AT ST. MARK S 10
Saturday, December 15 Church Cleaners: Galen and Barbara Carpenter Bill and Linda Halfhill Weekly Calendar Today 5:00 p.m. Bible Information Class Monday 6:00 p.m. Men s Bible Study No Monday Worship Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Coordinating Council Meeting Wednesday 8:20 a.m. School Chapel Service 5:30 p.m. Advent Supper 7:00 p.m. Advent Worship Service 8:00 p.m. Adult Choir Thursday 9:30 a.m. JOL Women s Bible Study Saturday 9:00 a.m. Children s Christmas Service Rehearsal 9:00 a.m. Confirmation Meeting 10:00 a.m. LWMS Meeting Next Sunday 8:30 & 10:45 a.m. Children s Christmas Service 5:00 p.m. Bible Information Class Birthdays and Anniversaries Birthdays 09 Mike Rostad 10 Loren Puckett Hilma Wolcott 11 Edna Bellamy 13 Jen Hopping 14 Dave Haugen Hunter Waterman (10) 15 Stephen Lane Anniversaries 13 J.J. and Kayla Oswald (4) 11
Founded on the Word. Focused on the Cross. St. Mark s Lutheran Church and School 7869 Kingswood Drive Citrus Heights, California 95610 Phone: (916) 961-7891 Fax: (916) 961-5034 Website: www.stmarkslutheran.com St. Mark s Guest Wi-Fi Password: stmarks7869 Sunday Services at 8:00 & 10:45 a.m. Children s Sunday School from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. Adult & Teen Sunday Bible Classes from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday Evening Service at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday School Chapel Service at 8:20 a.m. Jonathan Kolander Pastor Brock Groth Pastor Greg Thiesfeldt Principal / Grades 7-8 Julie Dushane Junior Kindergarten Adrienne Bengel Kindergarten Judy Thrams Grades 1-2 Rosemarie Boushek Grades 3-4 Brett Bengel Grades 5-6 Lisa Thiesfeldt.(part-time) Grades 7-8 Jerry Steward.. (part-time).grades 7-8 Glorify God Grow in Grace Go with the Gospel 12