First Sunday of Christmas Sunday, December 31, 2017 St. Mark's Lutheran Church Mailing Address: P.O. Box 381 Street Address: 2840 Cold Springs Road Baldwinsville, NY 13027 www.stmarksbville.com stmarksbaldwinsville@gmail.com 315-638-0406
WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT ST. MARK S LUTHERAN CHURCH!! St. Mark s Mission: St. Mark s Lutheran Church exists to embrace all persons we meet with the Good News of God s unconditional love in Jesus Christ and to empower all for joyful service in the church and the world. Thank you for joining us today in worship, whether you re a life-time member of this congregation or a first-time visitor looking for a new spiritual home. About this service: Everything you need for this service is either in the booklet, the insert, or in one of our hymnals: Worship & Praise Songbook (W&P) - Purple Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) - Red If you have questions, a member sitting near you will be glad to help. Please stay after worship to share in refreshments and fellowship in our Gathering Room. CHURCH STAFF Pastor Hannah Benedict Deacons David Grindle, Tom Henry & Sue Sterner Youth Coordinator & Office Manager Megan Wolling Organist Julie Grindle OFFICE HOURS Monday - Thursday 9a-12p Pastor Hannah Benedict Pastor Benedict will be available by appointment. Please contact the office or email her at Rev.StMarks@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. In case of an emergency she can be reached on her cell at 563-213-3204
WELCOME/Pre-Service Music GATHERING INVOCATION Stand As You Are Able In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS Amid the shadows of this world, let us confess our sin and welcome the light of God s forgiveness. (Silence for reflection and self-examination.) God of grace and truth, in Christ Jesus you come among us as light shining in the darkness. We confess that we have not welcomed the light nor trusted the good news of great joy. Forgive us and renew our hope, so that we may live in the fullness of love, trusting in the grace of Christ our Lord. Amen. The angel said, You shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. With great joy, I announce to you the entire forgiveness of your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son +, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen GATHERING HYMN: ELW 267 Joy to the World GREETING Christ is born and we say: Alleluia, alleluia! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray Shine into our hearts the light of your wisdom, O God, and open our minds to the knowledge of your word, that in all things we may think and act according to your good will and may live continually in the light of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. WORD FIRST READING: Isaiah 9:2-3, 6-7 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. 3 You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
6 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. ELW 292 Love Has Come SECOND READING: Isaiah 11:1-4a, 6-9 1 A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth 6 The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. ELW 272 Lo, How a Rose E er Blooming THIRD READING: Luke 1:26-35, 38 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. ELW 265 The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came FOURTH READING: Luke 2:1, 3-7 1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ELW 279 O Little Town of Bethlehem FIFTH READING: Luke 2:8-16 8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors!" 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. ELW 275 Angels from the Realms of Glory
SIXTH READING: John 1:1 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. The Gospel of the Lord! Praise to you, O Christ! ELW 295 Of the Father s Love Begotten NICENE CREED Let us confess our faith together in the words of the Nicene Creed: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PEACE The peace of the newborn Christ be with you always. And also with you. ANNOUNCEMENTS/OFFERING OFFERING PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION Response: Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. 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. BLESSING The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them light has shined. We have beheld Christ s glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. To us a child is born, to us a Son is given. In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen. SENDING SONG: ELW 269 Once in Royal David s City POSTLUDE +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2017 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. All Hymns and Liturgy reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #40678. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserve
Christmas Poinsettias Our beautiful poinsettias were donated by the following members In honor of new life and loved ones by Butch & Kim Alberts In memory of our son Paul by Judy & Mike Coomes In memory of loved ones by Sally Frenza In memory of loved ones by Jim & Jean Goulet In memory of loved ones by Rod & Nancy Kellar In honor of our loved ones who cannot be with us today by the MacGregor Family In memory of loved ones, especially Ed and Ken by Bernice Scherfling Dedicated to my family Walter, Trina & Michael Sickler; and Craig, Heather, Hayden & Grace Johnson by Joan Sickler. To the Glory of God by Bob & Sue Sterner In memory of my husband Burton Wright by Karol Wright In honor of Krista, Alison & Mary-Margaret by Karol Wright Dedicated to family and friends by Mary-Margaret Wright Christmas Tree & Wreaths Our Christmas Tree was donated by Goodman s Tree Farm in Pheonix, NY. The wreaths on our doors were donated by Boy Scout Troop 114. Please pick up poinsettias following worship today! Pastor is on vacation until January 5 th. If there is a pastoral emergency please contact Pastor Rick Klafehn at 585-259-6554 or Pastor Janet Fechner at 315-560-1546 The Office will be closed on Monday, January 1 st. Please feel free to take home the insert with our announcements on it! 2018 Envelopes are available!!