ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH Fourth Sunday of Advent December 20 Welcome & Announcements HYMN “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” LSB #341 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates! Behold, the King of glory waits. The King of kings is drawing near; The Savior of the world is here. Life and salvation He doth bring; Therefore rejoice and gladly sing. To God the Father raise Your joyful songs of praise. A righteous Helper comes in thee; His chariot is humility, His kingly crown is holiness, His scepter, pity in distress. The end of all our woe He brings; Therefore the earth is glad and sings. To Christ the Savior raise Your grateful hymns of praise. How blest the land, the city blest, Where Christ the ruler is confessed! O peaceful hearts and happy homes To whom this King in triumph comes! The cloudless sun of joy is He Who comes to set His people free; To God the Spirit raise Your happy shouts of praise. 1
Transcript
ST. MARK’S LUTHERAN CHURCH Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 20
Welcome & Announcements
HYMN “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates” LSB #341Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates! Behold, the King of glory waits.The King of kings is drawing near; The Savior of the world is here.Life and salvation He doth bring; Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.To God the Father raise Your joyful songs of praise.
A righteous Helper comes in thee; His chariot is humility,His kingly crown is holiness, His scepter, pity in distress.The end of all our woe He brings; Therefore the earth is glad and sings.To Christ the Savior raise Your grateful hymns of praise.
How blest the land, the city blest, Where Christ the ruler is confessed!O peaceful hearts and happy homes To whom this King in triumph comes!The cloudless sun of joy is He Who comes to set His people free;To God the Spirit raise Your happy shouts of praise.
Fling wide the portals of your heart; Make it a temple set apart From earthly use for heav’n’s employ, Adorned with prayer and love and joy.So shall your Sov’reign enter in And new and nobler life begin.To God alone be praise For word and deed and grace!
(Please stand)
Redeemer, come and open wide My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!O enter with Thy grace divine; Thy face of mercy on me shine,Thy Holy Spirit guide us on Until our glorious goal is won,Eternal praise and fame We offer to Thy name.
INVOCATION and CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION P: In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.C: Amen.
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P: Our help is in the Name of the Lord.C: Who made heaven and earth.P: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?C: But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.P: Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word and call upon Him in prayer
and praise, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God- and one another- that we have sinned in thought, word and deed; and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition.
P: Together, as His people, let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God our Heavenly Father: seeking His grace for the sake of Christ and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
All: Almighty God, have mercy upon us; forgive us our sins and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P: Almighty God, merciful Father: in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church- in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life though Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES from Ps. 90P: I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;C: with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations.P: For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;C: in the heavens you will establish Your faithfulness.”P: You have said, “I have made a covenant with My Chosen One;C: I have sworn to David My servant:P: ‘I will establish your offspring forever,C: and build your throne for all generations.’” P: Let the heavens praise Your wonders, O Lord,C: Your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
KYRIE (“Lord, have mercy”) sung to the tune of “Amazing Grace”Have mercy on Your people, Lord Have mercy, Christ, our King. Renew us by Your mercy, Lord; Accept the prayers we bring.
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COLLECT (prayer) OF THE DAYP: O Lord, stir up Your power and come among us with great might. And,
because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let Your bountiful grace and mercy come speedily to help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit: one God, now and forever.
C: Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE sung to “Hark the Herald Angels”“Glory be to God on High!” This is now our joyful cry.Peace to all who live on earth, Grace and favor for new birth.You we praise and glorify, Worship You, O Lord most high.Gracious Father, heav’nly King, To Your Name alone we sing:Praise the glory of Your Name, Now and evermore the same!
Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, Sole-begotten, holy One,Born on earth from realms on high, Born true man for us to die, Lamb of God, You take away This world’s sin: Grant peace we pray. With the Spirit, You alone Are most high, O God the Son,And the Father, God above. Praise we now Your glorious love.
OLD TESTAMENT READING 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16Now when the king [David] lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.” But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build Me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for My dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?” Now, therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over My people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.
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And I will appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over My people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house... And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before Me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
P: This is the Word of the Lord.C: Thanks be to God!
EPISTLE READING: Romans 16:25-27Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.C: Thanks be to God!
GRADUAL from Rev. 7 and Luke 21:36P: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.C: Shout, daughter of JerusalemP: See, your King comes to you, C: righteous and having salvation.P: Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!C: From the house of the Lord we bless You!
GOSPEL READING: Luke 1:26-38 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And
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behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name 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 father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered 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 called holy- the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Pastor: This is the Gospel of our Lord.People: Thanks be to God.
HYMN “O Lord, How Shall I Meet You” LSB #334O Lord, how shall I meet You, How welcome You a-right?Your people long to greet You, My hope, my heart’s delight!O kindle, Lord most holy, Your lamp within my breastTo do in spirt lowly All that may please You best.
Your Zion strews before You Green boughs and fairest palms;And I too will adore You With joyous songs and psalms.My heart shall bloom forever For you with praises newAnd from Your name shall never With-hold the honor due.
I lay in fetters, groaning; You came to set me free.I stood, my shame bemoaning; You came to honor me.A glorious crown You give me, A treasure safe on highThat will not fail or leave me As earthly riches fly.
Love caused Your incarnation; Love brought You down to me,Your thirst for my salvation Procured my liberty.Oh, love beyond all telling, That led You to embraceIn love, all love excelling, Our lost and fallen race.
Sin’s debt, that fearful burden, Cannot His love erase;Your guilt the Lord will pardon And cover by His grace.He comes, for you procuring The peace of sin forgiv’n,
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His children thus securing Eternal life in heav’n.
(continued on the next page)He comes to judge the nations, A terror to His foes,A light of consolations and blessed hope to thoseWho love the Lord’s appearing. O glorious Sun, now come,Send forth Your beams so cheering, And guide us safely home.
SERMON Pastor Wolter
CREED sung to “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”In God we believe: the Creator whose pow’rIn mercy has brought us for worship this hour.He graciously grants us our years and our daysAnd blesses with kindness our work and our ways.
In Jesus, the Savior, our hope is secured.True God and true man once the cross He enduredTo grant our lives wholeness, forgiveness of sin.With hearts freed from guilt, we know true peace within.
God’s Spirit at work in our lives we confess;With power and truth the Church now He does bless.As saints, God’s forgiven, one day we shall thenBe living in glory forever. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
THE LORD’S PRAYER Our Father, Who art in Heaven: Hallowed by 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. 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.
BENEDICTIONP: The almighty and merciful Lord: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, bless you and
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keep you, now and forevermore.C: Amen.
CLOSING HYMN “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns” LSB #348The King shall come when morning dawns And light triumphant breaks,When beauty gilds the eastern hills And life to joy awakes.
Not as of old a little child, To bear and fight and die,But crowned with glory like the sun That lights the morning sky.
Oh, brighter than the rising morn When Christ, victorious, roseAnd left the lonesome place of death Despite the rage of foes.
Oh, brighter than that glorious morn Shall dawn upon our raceThe day when Christ in splendor comes And we shall see His face.
The King shall come when morning dawns And light and beauty brings.Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray: Come quickly King of kings!+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
IN OUR PRAYERS TODAY: We pray for Beth Fridgen, Elizabeth Broich, Ruth Cleary, Belwin Rode, Amy Schmidt-Glass, Michelle Goossen, Steven Morse, Trevor Sanders, Rebecca Burns, Melody Reuss, Rosemary Mills, Maddilynn Amundson, Heather Ollendick, Gisele Freitag, Linda Jansen, Jim (Rosemary Mills’ brother), Peggy Wold, Lydia Peterson, Roger Vergin, Lin Roder, Ken Halverson, Paul Peterson, Mark Brehmer, Sara Krupke; Kelyn Myer (step-grandson of Becky Halverson), Denny Rohloff, Orlyn Hamborg, Darlene Tolin, Gene Molden and Donna Peickert.
PRAYING FOR OUR MEMBERS THIS WEEK: Luke Muehlbauer; Sandy Muehlbauer; Shawna Muehlbauer and Ruger and Emersyn Kylve; Stephanie and Tayton Muehlbauer; Wade Muehlbauer; Allen and Hazel Mumm; Isaac Mumm; Karen Mumm; Lance Mumm; Wally Mumm; John, Erica, DeLaynie and Faith Naig; Alison Nash; Dudley and Stacie Nash; Heather Nash; and Amanda Ness.
BAPTISMAL BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK: December 20th: James Mast
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December 21st: Attaviah Vergin December 22nd: Maryn Molden December 23rd: Brayden Jobgen December 25th: Dustin Niemeier December 26th: Bobi McGee
SUNDAY ATTENDANCE: 87 OFFERINGS: $5,517.80 ADVENT ATTENDANCE: 41 SUNDAY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE: 10 OFFERINGS: $7.00 SPECIAL OFFERINGS:
Operating Expenses of St. Mark’s 2020Needed each week beginning January 1, 2020:
$3,579.00Offerings collected 12/09/20 & 12/13/20: $5,517.80Budgeted needs through 12/13/20: $178,950.00Offerings received (01/01/20 – 12/13/20):
$174,235.81Thrivent Choice Dollars Received 08/06/20:
$15.00Total Thrivent Choice Dollars Received in 2020:
$160.00Memorial & Special Offerings (so far this year): $7,120.98
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WOMEN’S GUILD COMMITTEE SIGN-UP SHEETS are on the back table; these are for women’s committees, which will all be listed in The Guild Handbook that our ladies will receive in 2021. These committees (that we’re signing up for) are 2-year terms. We encourage all our ladies to sign up and serve. Thank you!
ADVENT DEVOTIONALS are available on the back table. Feel free to take one... and share one with a friend / loved one!
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VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS CANTATA! Although we are not going to be able to have an “in-person” Cantata this year, we CAN have one “virtually” (online). Send videos of yourself- or your “group / ensemble”- to Pastor Wolter, and he will edit them all together into a wonderful service of music and Scripture. Please let Pastor Wolter know if you will be submitting something... and then make sure to get it to him sometime today.
2021 ENVELOPES 2021 envelopes are now available. Because of the amount of 2020 envelopes that did not get picked up, we decided to remove some people off the list. Please look in your church mailbox for your envelopes. If there are no envelopes in your mailbox and you would like to get your own box of envelopes contact Robin in the church office. If you don’t have envelopes and you give to the church, you will still get credit for it because you are still assigned a number.
PORTALS OF PRAYER (January - March 2021) are available on the back table. There are large print portals still available. If you would like one, contact Robin in the church office.
SUNDAY SCHOOL (9:15am – 10am on Sundays) COVID-19 REMINDERS:Please do NOT come to Sunday School if:
o You are in quarantine.o You are waiting for results of a Covid test for someone in your household.o Someone in your household has been in direct contact with someone who tested
positiveo You have symptoms of Covid-19.
Before coming to Sunday School:o Please take your temperature.o If able and willing, please wear a mask and/or shield.
Please remind your child to stay in their assigned seat to practice social distancing
SUNDAY SCHOOL There will be NO Sunday School on Dec. 27th or on Jan. 3rd.
LOOKING AHEAD (worship schedule): We will only have ONE service on December 27 and Jan. 3: at 9am. We will be having TWO services on Christmas Eve: at 4pm and 7pm. Our service
will also be online at 7pm (on our church webpage). This is to make it easier to maintain social distancing guidelines during the services.
Starting on Jan. 10th, our worship schedule will go back to two services on Sunday mornings... and NO services on Wednesday nights. There also will not be a Wednesday service on Dec. 30th.
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S erving our church today: ORGANIST: Mary Weckwerth
Serving our church next week:ORGANIST: Mary Weckwerth
COUNTERS: Staci Ascheman and Jason Schwendemann
CAMERA: Gary Weckwerth
Sunday, December 20 Worship: Divine Service I (online at 8am)………………..................8am & 10:30 am Bible Study & Sunday School............................................................................ 9:15 am
Wednesday, December 23 NO ConfirmationChristmas Cantata (online only)………………………………………….…. 7pm
Thursday, December 24~Christmas Eve Worship: Created Liturgy (Candlelight Service) ……………….............. 4pm & 7pm
Friday, December 25~Christmas Day Worship: Created Liturgy (w/Communion)………………..................................... 9am
Sunday, December 27 Worship: Created Liturgy (online at 8am)……………………………………….. 9am
Baptism for Everleigh Ann Hermes
Readings for next week: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-40
