Our Savior Lutheran Church Newton, Iowa December 29, 2013
OR SAVIOR LTHERAN CHRCH Missouri Synod www.oursavlutheran.com Email: oursavr@iowatelecom.net Office Phone: 641-792-1084 Reverend John M. Moore, Pastor Email: pastorjmmoore@iowatelecom.net Cell Phone: 521-3000 Rev. Dr. Fungchatou & Kalia Lo, Our Missionaries, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Rev. Carl & Chen Hsi Li Hanson Our Missionaries, Hong Kong, China First Sunday after Christmas December 29, 2013 We have a hearing assistance system. Contact an usher if you would like to use a personal receiver. Welcome to Our Savior Lutheran Church! We thank God you are here and pray that God s Word will speak to you today. Guests, we hope you will join us often as we gather around the Word. We want to know how we may serve you, so please sign the guest book. Also, please introduce yourself to those around you and to the Pastor. Those desiring to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament at the Altar, please review both sides of the Communion Registration Card in the pew before. If you are in agreement you may hand it to our usher as you come for communion. During winter months: If the Elders decide conditions are unsafe for conducting service, a message will be left on the answering machine. We will contact KCOB, WHO & KCCI and attempt to send out an email. Those Serving This Week Celebrant: Elder: Organist: Praise Band Leaders: Choir Director: Media Team Lay Readers: shers: Greeters: Altar Guild: Acolyte: Bulletin Assembler: Pastor John Moore Randy Ervin Joy McGinley Sarah & Emma Glenn Julia Dlouhy Doug Woebbeking Carole Zimmermann Jim Krizman & Steve Shelton Tim & Linda Glenn Mary Ervin Jake VanDalen JoAnn Bringolf Elders at Our Savior Chairman Secretary Charities shers/music Altar Guild Lay Readers/Greeters 2 Doug Ringger Rick Hartz Bill Rozendaal Gary Gerdts Gary Gerdts Randy Ervin
THE BRIGHT STAR OF BETHLEHEM IS BORN A CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE Children s Christmas Service Christmas Has Gone to the Animals Fourth Sunday in Advent - December 22, 2013 WELCOME AND ANNONCEMENTS OPENING HYMN The First Noel BRIGHT STAR RESPONSORY P In the beginning God made the lights to brighten the sky. He made two bright lights, and he also made the stars. C In the beginning God made the light of the Bright Morning Star shine into a world of darkness. P Even after human beings fell into the darkness of sin, God said to his servant Abraham, Look up at the sky and count the stars if indeed you can count them. Then he promised him, C So shall your offspring be. P And when the time was right, God s one and only Offspring descended to earth to bring light and life to all people. C Come into our hearts, O Bright Morning Star. P God s promises have come true. The light has brightened the night. C The Star of Bethlehem rises in our hearts. LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT CANDLES P Darkness cannot overcome the light. Five flames remind us that the light of the Christ child defeats the deepest depths of darkness and brings life and immortality to light. One candle is lit to remind us of hope. C The prophets foretold a Messiah to come. People waited in expectation. Hope was fulfilled. P One candle is lit to remind us of love. C God poured out his heart in the form of his Son. The Child was born of a woman. Love was fulfilled. P One candle is lit to remind us of joy. C Angels sang Gloria. Shepherds ran to tell. Joy was fulfilled. P One candle is lit to remind us of peace. C The Prince of Peace was promised. The Child was peace in human form. Peace was fulfilled. P One white candle is lit to remind us of the Bright Star of Bethlehem sinless, spotless, shining, pure. C The Bright Star of Bethlehem shining this night has made us whiter than snow. CONFESSION AND ABSOLTION P The Psalmist said, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? The sheer number of stars sometimes makes us feel insignificant. But our sin makes us more than insignificant; it condemns us to darkness 3
and death. Let us take a moment to silently confess our sins to God, our heavenly Father. (Silence for prayer and reflection) P On Christmas Eve the Bright Star of Bethlehem was born to shine the light and love of God to a world filled with darkness and sin. His light has conquered the darkness, and his death and resurrection have given birth to forgiveness and life. Therefore, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. And all God s people said, C Amen. HYMN Angels from the Realm of Glory PRAYER OF THE DAY P O Bright Star of Bethlehem, on this night the beam of your light shines forth from the manger for all the world to see. As it reaches our eyes enable us to take in the love and peace it contains. Then let the warm glow you have placed in our hearts shine forth so that others see the glory of your light and your love. For your light is always new, never ending, ever shining. Amen. CHILDREN S SERMON OLD TESTAMENT READING Micah 5:2-4 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth EPISTLE READING Galatians 4:4-7 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba! Father! So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. GOSPEL READING Luke 2:1-16 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar HYMN SERMON by Pastor John Moore The Bright Star is Born O Little Town of Bethlehem OFFERING 4
GREETING P May Jesus, the Baby of Bethlehem, be with you always. C And also with you. P Sing to the LORD a new song for He has done marvelous things. C His right hand and His holy arm have worked salvation for Him. Psalm 98:1 PROPER PREFACE P It is truly good, right, and salutary... evermore praising You and saying: SANCTS Holy God, We Praise Thy Name LSB 940 Stz. 1 & 4 P As we prepare to receive Christ today in the Lord s Supper we join as one in praying our family prayer. LORD S PRAYER WORDS OF INSTITTION AGNS DEI When All the World Was Cursed LSB 346 Stz. 3 DISTRIBTION HYMNS O Come, All Ye Faithful LSB 379 Gentle Mary Laid Her Child LSB 374 Now Sing We, Now Rejoice LSB 386 Joy to the World LSB 387 BENEDICTION CLOSING HYMN Away in a Manger By Tom Eggebrecht. 2013 by Creative Communications for the Parish, 1564 Fencorp Dr., Fenton, MO 63026. 800-325-9414. www. creativecommunications.com. All rights reserved. Printed in the SA. 5
Lord, Teach us to Pray Remember in your prayers... Gladys Jenkins, hospitalized at niversity of Iowa Hospital. Max Hodges, who now resides at the Veterans Home in Marshalltown. Darlene Seibert, Amanda Hartz s mom, as she has started radiation. Roger Holst, ongoing health concerns. More than 10,000 people who feared dead and thousands more who have lost their homes in the wake of the typhoon in the Philippines. The Ministry of the Hephzibah House. Rod Brouwer of the Ministries of Grace Without Borders. The Ministry of The Pregnancy Center of Central Iowa. Fungchatou & Kalia Lo, Pastor Jesse and Pastor Sarath, Our Missionaries to Cambodia. Carl & Chen Hsi Li Hanson, Our Missionaries to Hong Kong, China. Ed Strohschein, Business Manager for LCMS World Mission - Asian - Pacific. The Malaria Initiative and the end of Malaria deaths in the world. Jon & Julie Muhly, Our Missionaries in Eurasia 6
This Week at Our Savior... Sunday (22).............. 9:00am Children s Christmas Service........................ 10:30am Sunday School & Adult Bible Study Tuesday (24)............. Christmas Eve........................ 7:00pm Star of Bethlehem Candlight Worship...................... Bulletin Deadline Wednesday (25)........... Christmas Day Friday (27)............... 6:30am Bible Study @ Midtown Sunday (29).............. 9:00am Children s Christmas Service........................ 10:30am Sunday School & Adult Bible Study Happy Bir thday December 23rd Bethany Ann Stanzyk December 25th Mary Bunse December 26th Doug DeJong 7
Announcements BILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES As you prepare for the celebration of Jesus birth, please remember those who are struggling. LFS is here to help as an extension of our church s ministry to those in need. Because of gifts received from Lutheran individuals, congregations and organizations in Iowa, help is provided for families all year long! And because of this unique way LFS is funded, your year-end gift will make a significant impact. Your gift can be made securely online at www.lfsiowa.org or sent by mail to LFS Administrative Office, 409 Kenyon Road, Suite C, Fort Dodge, 50501. To visit with Wanda Pritzel about making a gift, call 515-573-3138 or email pritzel@lfsiowa.org. God bless you for sharing His love! Lutheran Family Service of Iowa -7177 Hickman Rd, Ste. 3, DM, IA 50322 (515-251-4900) LIFE QOTES The great joy of Christmas is multiplied when we realize our Savior, at His birth, has already been humbling Himself for nine months because of His unparalleled love for all humanity from the moment of conception. Rev. Dr. James I. Lamb, executive director of Lutherans For Life - A Life Quote is from Lutherans For Life - www.lutheransforlife.org ASK AND YO SHALL RECEIVE What a blessing OSL members are to the St. Nicks Christmas Club. I would like to inform you that we have received over $3000. We will be helping over 40 kids this year. That s a record for us! Many thanks for donations received, prayers that were said, elves that are helping with the shopping including Elf Gail for her bargain shopping. Well Done OSL. FOOD PANTRY We are collecting food items for the local food pantry. These 3 items are particulary needed year round: Ramen noodles, tuna and macaroni & cheese. READY-SET-RECYCLE I hope you are still turning in your ink cartridges and other items. As of March, $26,000 had been raised. These funds are being used to support and prepare for the upcoming National LWML Convention, which will be held in Des Moines in June of 2015. YO ARE INVITED to attend the installation of Rev. Dr. Fungchatou Lo as the Executive Director for LINC Twin Cities. The service of installation will be held Sunday, January 26, 2014, 10:45 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 6810 Winnetka Ave North, Brooklyn Park MN 55428. For more information contact Stephanie Sofhenke (763-213-6968). 8