Reach, Teach, Rejoice!

Reach, Teach, Rejoice!

Christmas 2 January 3, 2016 Promises Kept HYMN: CW 6 Come, O Long-Expected Jesus Please stand. THE INVOCATION M: 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 M: 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. WORD OF FORGIVENESS: M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given 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. 2 15

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 (4-8, Principal) Cell (740) 350-3261 Cell (402) 480-1940 Eva Van Egmond (K-3) Cell (920) 210-9813 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday This Week at St. Mark - Worship with Lord s Supper 7:00 pm - Church Council 6:00 pm - Bible Class Lexington Assisted Living Center 3:30 pm - Bible Study 6:30 am - BIC 7:00 pm - Snow Removal P. Dinges - Church Cleaning: Sec. 1 Hoefler Sec. 2 Jamison Sec. 3 Krushenisky PRAYER AND PRAISE LORD, HAVE MERCY Kyrie M: 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. M: 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. M: 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. M: Merciful God, maker and preserver of life, uphold us by your power and keep us in your tender care: M: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; his name is worthy of praise. 14 3

Birthday Kristine Dorn 1/3, Lydia Drews 1/4, Gary Spring 1/5, Ellie Shidler 1/8 January Meal Every year St. Mark is asked to help with one service event at Nebraska Lutheran High School. This year we will be helping four area churches furnish and serve a meal for the January 9 th Nebraska Lutheran Cheer Camp and basketball games. Monetary donations will allow us to purchase the groceries needed to prepare this meal. If you are interested in helping support our area Lutheran high school in this way, please give your donations to Carol Hans or any one of our Ladies Aid members. Checks should be made payable to St. Mark Ladies Aid. Your help is greatly appreciated! Coming Events: January 3 Open forum on the school and calling a third teacher 9:15 am January 10 Annual Open Forum 9:15 am January 17 Potluck 12:00 pm January 17 Voter s Meeting following the potluck January 22 Mustang Bingo Bash 6:30 pm 8:00 pm 4 13

St. Mark News and Notes 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. If you need a private place to feed your baby, there is a chair downstairs in the women s restroom along with a changing table. 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. PRAYER OF THE DAY M: Let us pray. Almighty God, you have filled us with the new light of the Word who became flesh and lived among us. Let the light of our faith shine in all that we do; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever... Please remember in your prayers Dave Duffield Joe Merklinger Oriah Uecker, Tracy & Curt Jamison s niece Sarah Brauer, Margaret Booth s daughter Jacob Kander, Jean & Denny Riegsecker s nephew Alida Freese, Julie Nelson s mother THANK YOU FOR SERVING THE WORD FIRST LESSON Genesis 17:1-7 PSALM 148 CW pg. 121 Sung responsively with the pastor SECOND LESSON Galatians 4:4-7 VERSE OF THE DAY M: Alleluia. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Alleluia. (Psalm 98:3b) Brief organ introduction Elders: James Mullen, Bryan Hodges Ushers: Larry Hans, Tim Hans (E), James Mullen, Mark Nelson (L) Greeters: Dwayne & Dorothy Burianek (E), Tom & Pam Bork (L) Organist: Cindy Krushenisky Nebraska Lutheran High School in Waco is looking for a facilities manager to begin immediately. This is a full-time position. Contact Administrator Mark Otte at motte@nelhs.org if you would like to see a job description or receive an employment application. 12 5

Please stand. GOSPEL Luke 1:68-75 M: This is the Gospel of the Lord. Please be seated. HYMN: CW 34 Now Sing We, Now Rejoice SERMON Following a brief organ introduction, the congregation sings... Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heav'nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! CONFESSION OF FAITH: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. The Nicene Creed 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 fully human. 6 M: 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 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. HYMN: CW 43 (verses 1,3) 11 To Thee My Heart I Offer

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 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. OFFERING Please be seated. During the distribution of Holy Communion, the following hymns will be sung. CW 315 CW 28 Brief organ introduction... Here, O My Lord, I See You Face to Face Let the Earth Now Praise the Lord THANKSGIVING 10 RECEPTION OF NEW MEMBER (10:30 service) Please stand. PRAYER OF THE CHURCH 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 7

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 We follow the historic Christian practice of close communion. We ask that only members of Saint Mark Lutheran or one of our sister congregations partake of the sacrament. If you are not a member, please speak to the pastor before communing. M: The Lord be with you. M: Lift up your hearts. WORDS OF INSTITUTION M: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. M: 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 full rights of sons. Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory for ever and ever. M: 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. The peace of the Lord be with you always. 9