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Thursday, December 3, 2020

Weekly Newsletter

Glimpses of Glendale
Glendale Lutheran Church Newsletter
December 3, 2020
I got a wonderful text from a Glendale family this week. It was a video from the DeBord family. Jason, the father, is an elder. Emma is the daughter. Mom, Lisa, took the video on her phone from the front seat of their car. It was focused on their youngest, William, in the back seat. William looks in the camera and asks, “Pastor, can bears be a pet in heaven or can they not be a pet in heaven?” 

I love this sooo much! I love that the DeBord family talks about God. I love that their kids feel free to ask questions about heaven and bears. I love that they included me as a resource for their family faith life. I sent an answer to William but this Sunday in the Children’s message I will answer the question once and for all, “Can bears be a pet in heaven?”

I was so inspired by William’s question that I came up with an idea that I’m very excited about. Almost all of our families with children are worshipping with us from home: the DeBords, the Lanes, the Climers, the Boehmes, the Grossenheiders, the Aubles and the Dons. I encourage them to come up with a question about God or the Bible and send it to me in a video on my phone (805-345-6658). Each Children’s message I will try to answer their question to the best of my ability. By the way, I encourage grandparents to do the same. If you are with your grandkids, come up with a question together and send it to me. Kids have inquisitive minds and ask great questions. Of course answer their question according to your understanding of the faith. I don’t promise to have the best answer but I promise to give it my best effort. This is an opportunity to talk about God together in your home. This will let kids know that they are important in the kingdom of God and Glendale Lutheran. I can’t wait to hear from you.
Please wear a mask during worship services.
Daily Bible Reading
The Glendale Lutheran Food Drive
It is a very sad picture to watch the long, long lines of people waiting to be given some food to take home.  

Although there is a short time (deadline December 18) to make this project work, any contributions of food or money will be welcome. You can place the food on the table in the hall. Please think about bringing things like canned chicken and tuna, peanut butter, soups, etc. If you want to contribute but cannot do the shopping, you can give whatever amount--nothing is too small or too large--to either Marcia Hempel, Cathie Albers or Pastor Scott. We will be identifying a local pantry able to receive the food for distribution. Thanks to the Schlichters for getting the program started with a $250 Thrivent card - and to all the others who participate, thank you.
Angel Tree
Our Seminary Families Tree in the back of church is decorated with ornaments with the names of children of seminarians. Please select an ornament, if you wish to participate, and purchase a gift for the child whose name is on the ornament. Wrap the gift and place it under the tree with the child’s name and your name and address on it by Sunday, December 13. The gifts will be delivered to the children that week. The seminary families really appreciate our thoughtfulness and generosity in making this Christmas extra special for the children. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Skouby.
Next Sunday's Bible Readings
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28
Worship Leaders 12/6
Lector: Oliver LaMie
Communion: Steve Phelps
S/V: Andy Ortstadt
Bible Class S/V: Tony Petzoldt
Usher: Ken Clark
Worship Leaders 12/13
Lector: Ryan Barnett
Communion: Tony Petzoldt
S/V: Mike Toney
Bible Class S/V:
Usher: Mike Toney
The Word Within the Word

Worship Bulletin


Welcome to Glendale Lutheran!

Pastor Scott Jonas would love to talk to you. You can contact him via cell 805-345-6658 or email scottjonas314@gmail.com.
Second Sunday in Advent
9:15am
Prelude

Greeting and Welcome

Lighting of the Candles

Hymn of Invocation – Hark the Glad Sound (LSB 349)

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,
The Savior promised long;
Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne
And ev’ry voice a song.

He comes the pris’ners to release,
In Satan’s bondage held.
The gates of brass before Him burst,
The iron fetters yield.

He comes the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of His grace
To enrich the humble poor.

Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heav’n’s eternal arches ring
With Thy belovèd name.

+ Preparation +

Invocation
P:  In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C:  Amen.

Confession and Absolution
P:  Prepare the way of the Lord. Recalling our Baptism into Christ, we confess our sins to God in the full assurance of the gift of forgiveness by the mighty sacrifice of His Son.
C:  O God, from the wilderness of lives disfigured and crushed by the devil, our own sin, and the sins of others, we cry out to You for the forgiveness of our sins, those that trouble us as well as those of which we are not aware. Restore our life and faith by Your own command for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
P:  Upon this, your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to all of you. And in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C:  Amen.

+ Word +

First Reading – Psalm 22:1-11
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
   Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
   and by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises[a] of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
   in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
But I am a worm and not a man,
   scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
   let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”
Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
   you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
On you was I cast from my birth,
   and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help.

P:  This is the Word of the Lord.
C:  Thanks be to God.

Epistle 2 Peter 3:8–14
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

P:  This is the Word of the Lord.
C:  Thanks be to God.

Holy Gospel – Mark 1:1-8
P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the first chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.                                                                                                 

Children’s Hymn – Soon and Very Soon (AGPS 218)

Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!
Soon and very soon we are going to see the King!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King!

No more crying there, we are going to see the King!
No more crying there, we are going to see the King!
No more crying there, we are going to see the King!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We’re going to see the King!

Children’s Sermon

Hymn of the Day – A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB 656)

A mighty fortress is our God,
A trusty shield and weapon;
He helps us free from ev’ry need
That hath us now o’ertaken.
The old evil foe now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.

With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One,
Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this? Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth Lord, and there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.

Though devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow’r us.
This world’s prince may still scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none. He’s judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.

The Word they still shall let remain
Nor any thanks have for it;
He’s by our side upon the plain
With His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone, our vict’ry has been won;
The Kingdom ours remaineth.

Sermon
Apostles' Creed
C:    I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life + everlasting. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

+ Celebrating birthdays this week: 7 – Jerry Keathley, Hunter Lane; 9 – Jon Schultz, Glee Schultz; 10 – Andrew Schultz; 12 – Pastor Scott

Special Celebrations and Needs:
+ Church family members: Jim and Judy Thielker, recovering from Covid; Vicky Petzoldt, who has been diagnosed with Wegener’s; Sue Schultz, recovering from hand surgery
+ Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Mary Guion, Corinne Gutzler, Anne Hammann, Bettie Welch, Joan Winkler, Ruth Wussler

Offertory 
Offering
We are excited to announce a new option for electronic giving using your mobile device. Please scan the following QR code or visit https://tithe.ly/give?c=815174 to make a donation.
+ Sacrament +

The Words of Our Lord
P:  Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
     In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Lord’s Prayer
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 us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Pax Domini
P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C:  Amen.

Distribution

Blessing

Benediction
P:  The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.
C:  Amen.

Closing Hymn – Once He Came in Blessing (LSB 333)

Once He came in blessing,
All our sins redressing;
Came in likeness lowly,
Son of God most holy;
Bore the cross to save us;
Hope and freedom gave us.

Now He gently leads us;
With Himself He feeds us
Precious food from heaven,
Pledge of peace here given,
Manna that will nourish
Souls that they may flourish.

Soon will come that hour
When with mighty power
Christ will come in splendor
And will judgment render,
With the faithful sharing
Joy beyond comparing.

Come, then, O Lord Jesus,
From our sins release us.
Keep our hearts believing,
That we, grace receiving,
Ever may confess You
Till in heav’n we bless You.

Postlude

+ + +

+ WORSHIP LEADERS +
Preacher/Celebrant/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Jonas
Pianist/Organist – Al Loesel
Communion – Tony Petzoldt
Sound/Video – Mike Toney
Lector – Ryan Barnett
Usher – Mike Toney
Bible Class Sound/Video – Mike Murphy

+ + +

Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.