Advent Midweek Service Thursday, December 17, 2015 Christ Lutheran Church (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) Rev. David Wetmore, Pastor Rev. Rick Kelm, Pastoral Assistant 1300 Townline Road Wausau, Wisconsin 54403 (715) 848-2040 Pastor Wetmore Cell: (715) 581-6084 Pastor Kelm Cell: (402) 200-0190 Website: www.clc-wausau.org The Mission of Christ Lutheran Church is to help all people know Jesus as their Savior and grow in relationship with Him.
A Totally Unexpected Future Thursday, December 17, 2015 VERSICLES PSALM Psalm 16:1-11 P: Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge. C: I say to the LORD, You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You. Page 2
P: As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. C: The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. P: The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You hold my lot. C: The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. P: I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. C: I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. P: Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. C: For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let Your holy one see corruption. P: You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. HYMN Amazing Grace... LSB 744 vs. 1-4 FIRST READING 1 Peter 1:3-9 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. P: O Lord, have mercy on us. C: Thanks be to God. Page 3
SECOND READING Luke 1:67-79 67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, 70 as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, 73 the oath that He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. P: O Lord, have mercy on us. C: Thanks be to God. RESPONSORY Advent HYMN Lamb of God... LSB 550 Page 4
SERMON MAGNIFICAT... LSB 934 Text (sts. 1 4): 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship Used by permission: LSB Hymn License.NET, number 100012765. Unknown: Public domain Created by Lutheran Service Builder 2006 Concordia Publishing House. OFFERING CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION P: If we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us. C: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father. C: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen. Page 5
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 Son and of the Holy Spirit. WORDS OF INSTITUTION THE LORD S PRAYER 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 P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. If you are a confirmed member of a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation, we invite you to commune with us. If you are not a confirmed member of an LCMS congregation and would like to come forward with your family and friends during the distribution, please place your hands over your heart and you will receive a blessing. DISTRIBUTION OF THE LORD S SUPPER DISTRIBUTION HYMN How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds... LSB 524 COLLECTS P: O Lord, hear my prayer. C: And let my cry come to You. P: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. P: O God, from whom come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, give to us, Your servants, that peace which the world Page 6
cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey Your commandments and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. BENEDICTION P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. HYMN Abide with Me... LSB 878 vs. 1,2,5,6 Acknowledgments Vespers from 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. READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK First Sunday after Christmas Exodus 13:1 3a, 11 15 Colossians 3:12 17 Luke 2:22 40 THIS WEEK (December 20th 27th) Sunday: Worship/HC, 9:00am; JANUARY 2016 CROSSWALK ARTICLES DUE Monday: Bible Study, 1:00pm Wednesday: No morning Bible Study; No Confirmation Classes Thursday: Christmas Eve Worship/HC, 6:30pm Friday: Christmas Day Worship/HC, 9:00am Sunday: Worship/HC, 9:00am OUR RESPONSE TO GOD S LOVE (Week ending 12/13/15) General Fund: $4999.99; Building Fund: $970.00; Blessings: $27.25; Seasonal: $1113.50; Memorial: $220.00; Miscellaneous: $12.15 Total Attendance: 193 (Midweek: 54; Sunday: 139) CLC ANNOUNCEMENTS GUESTS AND VISITORS: We are glad you are here! We invite you to join us for fellowship and Bible study following the service. Bathrooms are located upstairs on each end of the fellowship/bible study area. Page 7
ENJOY A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS as you celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior. CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR S EVE WORSHIP/HC SCHEDULE Christmas Eve, 6:30pm Christmas Day, 9:00am New Year s Eve, 4:30pm CLC PLANNING MEETING for all boards and council members is scheduled for Saturday, January 9th at 9:00am. Please mark your calendar. PLEASE NOTE: The carport doors will be locked on Thursday nights and the start of Sunday services. CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Please check out the Youth Group table near the office for those last minute gifts. Thank you for your support. CLAY THE FOLLOWING WILL RESUME JANUARY 2016: Christian Ed Sunday, January 10th Monday Afternoon Bible Study January 11th Tuesday Morning Bible Study January 12th Wednesday Morning Bible Study January 6th Confirmation Classes Wednesday, January 6th Choir Wednesday, January 6th Thursday Evening Bible Class January 7th THANK YOU CHRISTMAS CAROLERS! Thank you to all who participated. It was a joy to share our singing voices and visit members who are in nursing homes and home bound. They enjoyed it very much. BANKING REMINDER: The banks won t accept checks written with gel ink, colored ink, and sparkle ink. That means only black or blue ink accepted. Thank you. LIFE QUOTES from Lutherans For Life I encourage you to look upon the little hands [of baby Jesus] and remember they will be pierced to save you. See His beautiful brow and recall how it will be crowned with thorns. Listen to His first cry and hear that cry echo, 33 years later, upon Calvary s cross as He proclaims our salvation is finished. Rev. Ken Klaus, speaker emeritus on The Lutheran Hour (www.lutheransforlife.org) Page 8