SUMMERLIN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 1911 Pueblo Vista Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89128 www.summerlinlutheran.org Pastor Nathan Buch (414) 943-0812 pastor@summerlinlutheran.org December 28, 2014 WELCOME! We are happy to have you worship with us and extend to you our heartfelt welcome. Please introduce yourself, the congregation would love to meet you. Please leave a record of your visit with us by filling in a gold visitor card and handing it to an usher. If you have any questions or concerns please ask an usher for assistance. Little children are welcome in worship. Children are future pastors, teachers and members of God s church. They need to meet Jesus and hear his Word too. We have reserved the back row of chairs on the organ side of the church for families with small children. We welcome the busyness of the little lambs in our sanctuary. However, we understand that the little ones may not be able to sit quietly for an hour. We have a quiet room, located off the narthex, for infants, toddlers and their parents if the busyness turns into a distraction to other worshippers. If you are seeking a church home, our Pastor would be happy to visit with you and answer any questions you may have concerning our church. Please stop and speak with him for a few moments after worship. We respectfully request everyone turn off their cell phones and keep food and drink (except for little ones) at a minimum in our sanctuary. Thank you. WILLING HANDS THIS MORNING: Organist: Carol Johnson Altar Care: Melissa Longworth Ushers: Ken Dingman Com. Asst.: Al Rousseau Head Usher: Al Rousseau Tellers: Dick Yeakel, Cathy Yeakel Kitchen Helpers: Mary Rondeau, Delores Hansen SUGGESTIONS BEFORE WORSHIP: Today we celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. We have the opportunity to declare our unity of faith that Jesus gave his body and blood to save us. As we prepare to receive this sacrament it is always good to take a moment of personal preparation and prayer. Personal Preparation for Holy Communion is found on page 156 in the front of the red hymnal. SERVICE OF WORD AND SACRAMENT PASTOR S WELCOME AND PRAYER OPENING HYMN: 45 Please stand OH REJOICE, ALL CHRISTIANS LOUDLY P: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you. C: And also with you. CONFESSION OF SINS P: God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us. C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord have mercy on me, a sinner. P: God our heavenly Father has been merciful to us and has given us his only son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore 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. LORD, HAVE MERCY P: For all that we need in life and for the wisdom to use all your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from your love and for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ. C; Christ, have mercy.
P: For the well being of your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord. C: Lord, have mercy. P: Merciful God, maker and preserver of life, uphold us by your power and keep us in your tender care: C: Amen. P: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; his name is worthy of praise. PRAYER OF THE DAY P: Let us pray. Almighty God, in mercy you sent your one and only Son to take upon himself our human nature. By his gracious coming deliver us from the corruption of our sin and transform us into the likeness of his glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Please be seated
THE WORD OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: ISAIAH 45:20-25 Many in the world are already taking down the decorations. There might even be some that are breathing a sigh of relief that this stressful time of year is over. For many what happened in the manger has been something that is on Christmas cards and nativity scenes, but not in their hearts. They attended church because they felt they should, they sang hymns because that is what their family has always done on Christmas, yet, the joy of Christmas was lost on them because the Savior is not truly a part of their lives. They are Christians only at Christmas. God warns us to not fill our lives with false things that would take away from our Christmas joy, but to turn to him and believe in the one before whom every knee will bow. By faith, Christmas will be in our hearts all year long. 20 Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. 21 Declare what is to be, present it let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. 22 Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 24 They will say of me, In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength. All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. 25 But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult. SECOND LESSON: COLOSSIANS 3:12-17 Many people are Christ-ian only at Christ-mas. Yet, we know that Christians are Christians all year long. By this Christmas miracle, God made man, and the Easter resurrection God has made us his own dearly loved children. Now as children of God, knowing that we are forgiven and heaven is ours, we are the torch bearers of the Gospel. We do not live for gossip, revenge and cruelty, we live in peace and joy, forgiving each other, being patient and long-suffering with one another, understanding there will be differences of opinion. We are tied together in Christ, by the faith we have in our hearts. That faith which draws us together is the same faith that proclaims the Gospel message of this Christ-child all year long in the way we live and act with other people. 12 Therefore, as God s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. HYMN OF THE DAY: 78 O LIGHT OF GENTILE NATIONS SERMON TEXT: LUKE 2:25-40 SERMON THEME: Faith comes shining through. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord s Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 30 31 32 Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. 33 The child s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too. 36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
After the sermon is completed we respond by singing the words that Simeon sang. A soloist will sing through the song once, the congregation will join the second time through. was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully 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. 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 made, of one being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, God, begotten, not 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 in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy Christian 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. Please be seated THANKING GOD WITH OUR OFFERINGS Please fill out the GOLD Visitor s Card as the offerings are gathered, and either place into the offering plate or hand to an usher. SONGS AND PRAYERS FOR CHILDREN Please help your children to follow along as we sing these songs that provide the Gospel in a simple way. Oh, Come, All Ye Children 1. Oh, Come, all ye children, Oh, Come one and all To Bethlehem haste, to the manger so small God s Son for a gift has been sent you this night. To be you Redeemer, your Joy and Delight. 2. We ll bring thee glad hearts as our offerings today; Receive them, O Jesus, and keep them always. O cleanse us from evil, that pure we may be, And live there forever, dear Savior, with thee.
P: Let us fold our hands, bow our heads and ask Jesus our loving Savior, to hear us as we pray together: C: See the baby Jesus lying in the hay; He came to earth to show us love and teach us how to pray. See the baby sleeping; he came for you and me. To save his people from their sins; he dies to set us free. Amen In a Little Stable 1. In a little stable, Far across the sea. Was a little Baby, Just like you and me. 2. Shepherds knelt before him, Angels watched with care For this Babe was Jesus, lying smiling there. 3. Oh, I love this Jesus, Who was little then. For I know he loves me, Little though I am. PRAYER OF THE CHURCH 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. THE SACRAMENT Please be reminded that we follow the Scriptural principle (I Corinthians) that a person should only receive the Lord s Supper if properly instructed, capable of self-examination, and united in faith with the congregation. We take these commands of our Lord very seriously. If you are not a member of one of our fellow Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) or Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) churches, we ask that you first speak with our pastor to learn how you may establish this communion fellowship. We thank our guests who are worshipping with us this morning for respecting this Biblical practice and waiting to come forward to communion until we have established this unity. Thank you for this courtesy. P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them up to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give him thanks and praise. P: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. When the time had fully come, he sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of son. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory forever and ever.
WORDS OF INSTITUTION P: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying, Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Then he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen. Please be seated for distribution of Holy Communion. During The Distribution Of Communion The Congregation with sing hymn 391 God Loved the World So That He Gave After the Distribution of Communion is completed please stand for the Communion response. THE NUNC DIMITTIS: THE SONG OF SIMEON O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD
PRAYER P: Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen BLESSING P: 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. CLOSING HYMN: 71 THE OLD YEAR NOW HAS PASSED AWAY V 1,2,5,6 Announcements: Today 12/28: 9 AM Worship with Communion NO BIBLE STUDY OR SUNDAY SCHOOL Next Sunday 1/4: 9 AM Worship with communion NO BIBLE STUDY OR SUNDAY SCHOOL January 11: 9AM Worship 10:30 AM Bible Study and Sunday School January 12: 6:00 PM Back to the Basics January 14: 10:00 AM Wednesday morning Bible Study Bible Study We will be taking a couple of weeks off of Sunday and Wednesday Bible Study while people are traveling. We will have no Sunday or Wednesday morning Bible Study this morning or on January 4 th. We will resume Sunday and Wednesday morning study the week of January 11 th. Back to the Basics A new Back to the Basics session will begin Monday, January 12 th at 6:00. God has blessed our Sunday morning session with lively discussions and growth in God s Word. Come and review the truths of Scripture or dig into them for the first time. Bring a friend or family member too! Carpet and Chairs cleaned. This past Monday, the carpets and the chairs in the sanctuary were cleaned. We thank Steve Hansen and Loren Schlotfeldt organizing and coordinating. We thank Michael and Rilee (Steve s boys) for helping to reset all the chairs in just the right way. Finally, we thank the Ladies Guild for funding the project. New Chairs. You may have also noticed that new chairs are in the fellowship hall. A portion of the proceeds from the Craft Bazaar went towards the purchase of these new chairs. Thanks again ladies for your hard work and dedication. To God be the Glory, great things he has done. SERVING THE LORD NEXT SUNDAY! Ushers: Steve Thiel, Jack Turner; Altar: Dee Hansen, Mary Rondeau; Tellers: James Moldenhauer and Jean Tartaglia Kitchen helpers: WE PRAY FOR ALL WHO CARRY HEAVY LOADS! We remember: Nancy Daniell, Aaron & Ruby Laurent, Don and Glen Eide (at the passing of their wife and mother) and all other of our members, friends and families who are struggling physically
or emotionally. If there are special needs you want to share with the Prayer Circle, please call Sandy Thiel (645-2697). OUR THANKS TO THE LORD: We give thee but thine own, whate er the gift may be, all that we have is thine alone, a trust oh Lord from thee. Sunday Worship: 112; Bible Study: 34, Sunday School: 18, Christmas Eve Worship: 142 Christmas Day Worship: Treasures : $ 3837 May the Lord who blesses us with every good gift, continue to shower us with his blessings that we may hear and grow in his Word. Members of Summerlin Lutheran Church, We would like to thank all who generously gave gifts and cards to us this Christmas season. What a blessing it is that we can celebrate this Christmas season together. We are very happy that that we have become part of the Summerlin Lutheran family so quickly. We pray that the thoughts and feelings of our Savior expressed in the Christmas cards may extend throughout this year and bring you joy and that God would bless us with a very wonderful New Year. God s blessings, Pastor and Kelley Buch and the kids