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 (6-8, Principal) Cell (740) 350-3261 Cell (402) 480-1940 Administrative Assistant Jocelyn Vogel (2-5) Carolyn Schwede Cell (740) 350-3260 Stephanie Peitsmeyer (K-1) Cell (614) 935-2190 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday This Week at St. Mark - Worship Service 7:00 PM - PTO 6:30 pm - Bible Class Lexington Assisted Living Center 3:30 pm - Catechism 6:00 pm - Choir Practice 7:00 pm - Bible Class All Welcome 6:30 am - No School (Principals Conference) - Church Cleaning: Sec. 1 Schroeder Sec. 2 James Rehm Sec. 3 Schmidt - Turn your clocks back 1 hour Daylight Savings Ends Just a Reminder Sunday, November 6th we set our clocks back one hour. The Lincoln Fire Department would like everyone to Change your Clock, Change your Battery. This program encourages us to check our smoke detectors when we change our clocks in order to help keep our families safe. Ladies Aid Meeting will be on Thursday, November 3rd at 6:30 pm. Come and get to know other ladies in our congregation and the work we do to support our church and schools. Sue Soyk, President/Karen Dinges, Treasurer/Laura Drews, Secretary Reach, Teach, Rejoice!
Festival of the Reformation HYMN 8:00 CW 390 (verses 1-4) Salvation Unto Us Has Come 10:30 Choir & Cong. (pg. 10) Rock of Ages OPENING DIALOGUE From the Formula of Concord Article III, The Righteousness of Faith Before God. The Formula of Concord is one of seven Lutheran Confessions. A confession is a statement of faith a summary of what we believe and teach. Building Addition Fund: If you would like to give specifically to the new building addition, please write Building Addition Fund on the envelope to be sure that the money is allocated correctly. Put the envelope in the offering plate. Did you know? An efficient Boxtop lady can earn $25 per hour for your school, but she needs Boxtops to do it! Please put your Boxtops, in any number, shape, or form, in the designated box on the bulletin board in the office. You may use the same box for Labels for Education and Best Choice UPC's. If you have any questions, ask Tracy Jamison. Thank you! M: This is our righteousness before God. C: God forgives our sins out of pure grace, without any work, merit, or worthiness of our own in the past, present, or future. M: He credits to us the righteousness earned by Christ s obedience. Because of this righteousness, we are accepted by God into grace and regarded by Him as righteous. C: We believe, teach, and confess that faith alone is the instrument through which we receive this righteousness from God. Choir Cong. Choir Cong. M: Yet this faith is not a mere knowledge of the stories about Christ. This faith is a gift of God. By the gift of faith, we truly learn to know Christ, our Redeemer, in the word of the Gospel. C: By faith we trust in Him, that for the sake of His perfect obedience we have the forgiveness of sins. By God s grace, we are regarded as righteous by God the Father, and are eternally saved. M: Therefore it is considered to be the same thing when the Apostle Paul says that we are justified by faith. C: For faith justifies, not because it is so good a work and so fair a virtue, but because it lays hold of and receives the merit of Christ in the promise of the Gospel. 2 11
St. Mark News and Notes St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church exists to make disciples of Christ Jesus, the only Savior from sin and eternal death. Christ brings us peace, hope, joy and purpose for our lives. If you need any assistance, please speak with one of the ushers. We thank you for joining us in worshiping our Savior Jesus Christ and we invite you to join us again. ******** 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 our nursery. Ask an usher to lead you to the nursery. 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. Birthday Gus Stamps 10/31, Ben Hoefler 11/2, Nate Workentine 11/3, Alta Beltz 11/5 THANK YOU FOR SERVING Elders: James Mullen, Bryan Hodges Ushers: Rainer Gartzke, Tyson Martin (E), Tom Bork, Rich Randazzo Greeters: Mark & Carolyn Schwede (E), Harold & Verna Rank (L) Organist: Cindy Krushenisky Auto offering is now available! If you are interested, please pick up an authorization form on the ushers table. Please complete the form and give it to Tyson Martin or any one of the council members. If you have any questions please contact Tyson Martin at (402) 741-1396 or tyson.s.martin@hotmail.com. Please remember in your prayers Shirley Zacherson Tammy Koepsell, Wendy Colson & Eric Richert s sister Sarah Brauer, Margaret Booth s daughter Jacob Kander, Jean & Denny Riegsecker s nephew M: Therefore the righteousness which is imputed by faith to the believer out of pure grace, is the obedience, suffering, and resurrection of Christ, because He has kept God s law for us, and paid for our sins. As a result of his complete obedience in his deeds and suffering which He performed for God on our behalf, God forgives our sins, regards us as upright and righteous, and saves us. C: This righteousness is conveyed to us by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and in the Sacraments. It is applied and received through faith. Therefore believers have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God, and are children of God and heirs of eternal life. CONFESSION OF SINS M: Knowing our own unrighteousness, let us confess our sins and our need for God s righteousness. C: Holy and merciful Father, you created us to love and serve you as your dear children. But we have disobeyed you and deserve no good things from you. Your Word declares, There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who does good, not even one. Yet, Lord we come before you because of your mercy, trusting that you will forgive us for Jesus sake. WORD OF FORGIVENESS M: Jesus' death paid for the guilt of your sins and the sins of the whole world. Through faith you are now covered with Christ's own righteousness. Do you believe this? C: Yes, I believe. M; 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. C: Amen. All songs used in accordance with CCLI License 2600684 /OneLicense A-725873 3
M: In the peace and joy of sins forgiven, let us praise the Lord! After a brief introduction the congregation sings Since Christ has full atonement made And brought to us salvation, Each Christian therefore may be glad And build on this foundation. Your grace alone, dear Lord, I plead; Your death is now my life indeed, For you have paid my ransom. All blessing, honor, thanks, and praise To Father, Son, and Spirit, The God who saved us by his grace All glory to his merit! O Triune God in heav'n above, You have revealed your saving love; Your blessed name be hallowed! PRAYER OF THE DAY M: Let us pray. C: Gracious Lord, our refuge and strength, pour out your Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your Word, protect and comfort them in all temptations, defend them against all their enemies, and bestow on the Church your saving peace; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. THE WORD FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 46 Sung responsively with the pastor Nothing of this article can be yielded or surrendered, even though heaven and earth and everything else falls (Mark 13:31). For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). And with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Upon this article everything that we teach and practice depends. CLOSING DIALOGUE M: We give thanks to You, our God and Savior, for all the good things You have given us, and especially for the gift of your Word. C: Keep us faithful to its truth and hopeful in its promises that we may never lose the blessings it brings. M: Keep us under the shadow of Your protecting goodness, and continue to purify our bodies and souls, for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven: C: For you, O Lord, are worthy of continual praise and thanksgiving: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. M: Confident of our forgiveness and God s power working in us, our mission is clear: We dedicate ourselves... C: to REACH all the world with the Gospel of Jesus. to TEACH all according to His saving Word, and to REJOICE in the salvation that Christ has won for us all. 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. C: Amen. HYMN: CW 201 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God 4 9
C: Create in us pure hearts, O God, and renew steadfast spirits within us. M: Let this be a time, O Lord, when we recommit and reconsecrate ourselves to the ministry of the gospel. Let us find joy in our unity, zeal for our work, and success in our labor. C: May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us, that his ways may be known on earth, his salvation among all nations. Amen. SECOND LESSON Romans 3:19-28 HYMN: CW 401 Your Works, Not Mine, O Christ SERMON John 8:31-36 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 441 Confession of Faith: Martin Luther Published 1538 O God, Our Help in Ages Past The Smalcald Articles The Second Part, Article I The Chief Article The first chief article is this: Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification (Romans 4:24-25). He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29) and God has laid on him the iniquities of us all (Isaiah 53:6). All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works or merits, by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in his blood (Romans 3:23-25). This is necessary to believe. This cannot be otherwise acquired or grasped by any work, law or merit. Therefore, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us. As Saint Paul says: For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law (Romans 3:28) that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26). 8 5
M: When the time had fully come, you bestowed your Spirit on your people as a testimony that you had called them to proclaim the gospel to every creature. Equipped and encouraged, they carried the Word of salvation into all the world. C: The Lord reigns. Let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. M: When the time had fully come, you raised up your servant Martin Luther to restore the pure and right teaching of the Scriptures to a troubled Church. You renewed the truth of your Word. You renewed your people with the light of your love, and your holy church grew and prospered throughout the world. C: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. M: When the time had fully come, you made our forefathers bold to take their stand on the truth of your Word. You have blessed their sons and daughters and have enabled us to preserve and proclaim the saving gospel. C: Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. OFFERING PRAYER OF THE CHURCH M: Almighty and eternal God, when the time had fully come, you sent your Son to take our place under the demands of the law and to endure the just punishment for our sins. For our sake you accepted his sacrifice on the cross and raised him from death to glorious splendor. C: Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits. 6 M: Let this be a time, O Lord, when you renew us again by Word and sacrament, where you reform our hearts and minds, and when you restore to us the joy of fellowship and service. Grant to us in this age and in this place the courage of the apostles, the steadfastness of the reformers, and the dedication of those who have gone before us. C: May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. M: May this be a time, O Lord, for confession and repentance. Forgive us for the apathy that harms our faith and hinders out works. Forgive us for boasting of our past achievements and for blaming others for our present problems. Rid us of indifference to public worship and Bible study. Destroy the distrust that plagues us, and shatter every thought and word that harms the unity of the Spirit and bond of peace. 7