| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – Of the Father’s Love Begotten (LSB 384, verses 1-3)
Of the Father’s love begotten Ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He, Of the things that are, that have been, And that future years shall see Evermore and evermore.
Oh, that birth forever blessèd, When the virgin, full of grace, By the Holy Ghost conceiving, Bore the Savior of our race, And the babe, the world’s Redeemer, First revealed His sacred face Evermore and evermore.
This is He whom seers in old time Chanted of with one accord, Whom the voices of the prophets Promised in their faithful word. Now He shines, the long-expected; Let creation praise its Lord Evermore and evermore.
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit C: Amen.
Confession and Absolution P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. C: But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Silence for reflection on God's Word and for self-examination.
P: Let us then confess our sins to God our Father. C: Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen. P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
+ Word +
Introit P: The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. C: Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. P: The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. C: He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. P: Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
Hymn – Of the Father’s Love Begotten (LSB 384, verses 4-5)
O ye heights of heav’n, adore Him; Angel hosts, His praises sing. Pow’rs, dominions, bow before Him And extol our God and King. Let no tongue on earth be silent, Ev’ry voice in concert ring Evermore and evermore.
Christ, to Thee, with God the Father, And, O Holy Ghost, to Thee Hymn and chant and high thanksgiving And unending praises be, Honor, glory, and dominion, And eternal victory Evermore and evermore. Amen.
Salutation and Collect of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. O God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us and in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously restored our human nature. Grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading – Isaiah 61:10—62:3 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – 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.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Alleluia and Verse Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia, alleluia. Holy Gospel – Luke 2:22–40 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Children’s Hymn – Away in a Manger (LSB 364, verses 1, 3)
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head. The stars in the [bright] sky looked down where He lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay Close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, And take us to heaven to live with Thee there.
Children’s Sermon – Janet Leet
Hymn of the Day – O God, Our Help in Ages Past (LSB 733, verses 1-2, 4, 6)
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home:
Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.
A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone, Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun.
O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Be Thou our guard while troubles last And our eternal home!
Sermon – “Faith with a Future”
Apostles' Creed 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.
Prayers
+ Celebrating birthdays this week: 1 – Frank Gaal; 2 – Maggie Bach; 3 – Abraham Ryan, Michelle Fiala; 6 – Matthew Schaefer
Special Celebrations and Needs:
+ Church family members: Vicki Lucas, recovering from a stroke; Terry Buchholz, recovering from an appendectomy; Dan DeFosset, undergoing surgery; Sharon Gaal, anticipating surgery; Cathie Albers, recuperating from hip replacement; Layton Wille, recovering from back surgery; Hank Schlichter, diagnosed with inoperable stomach cancer; Ken Kight, in the hospital + Friends of our congregation: Seminarian Ryan Barnett, healing from leg surgery; Gary Schouten, cousin of Valerie Wehmueller, fighting kidney cancer; Don, friend of the Wehmueller family, upon a diagnosis of liver cancer; Rebecca Guion, daughter-in-law of Mary Guion, in the hospital + Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jerry & Jane Keathley, Shirley Williams
Offering
+ Sacrament +
Preface P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Lift up your hearts. C: We lift them to the Lord. P: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C: It is right to give Him thanks and praise. P: It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
Sanctus Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow'r and might: Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
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 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.”
Pax Domini P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen. Agnus Dei Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace. Distribution
Distribution Hymn – Now Greet the Swiftly Changing Year (LSB 896, v 1, 4-6)
Now greet the swiftly changing year With joy and penitence sincere. Rejoice! Rejoice! With thanks embrace Another year of grace.
His love abundant far exceeds The volume of a whole year’s needs. Rejoice! Rejoice! With thanks embrace Another year of grace.
With Him as Lord to lead our way In want and in prosperity, What need we fear in earth or space In this new year of grace!
“All glory be to God on high, And peace on earth!” the angels cry. Rejoice! Rejoice! With thanks embrace Another year of grace.
Blessing
Thank the Lord Thank the Lord and sing His praise; tell ev'ryone what He has done. Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear His name. He recalls His promises and leads His people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Alleluia, alleluia. Post-Communion Collect P: Let us pray. We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
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 – Lord, Bid Your Servant Go in Peace (LSB 937)
Lord, bid Your servant go in peace, Your word is now fulfilled. These eyes have seen salvation’s dawn, This child so long foretold.
This is the Savior of the world, The Gentiles’ promised light, God’s glory dwelling in our midst, The joy of Israel.
With saints of old, with saints to come, To You we lift our voice; To Father, Son, and Spirit blest Be honor, love, and praise.
Postlude
+ + +
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Celebrant/Liturgist – Pastor Albers Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Lector – Greg Frimel Communion – Steve Phelps and Seminary Student Sound/Video – Jerry Nicolaus Ushers – Ron Froesel, Terry Buchholz, Rodger Lubben, Ken Clark Greeters – Steve & Phyllis Phelps
Altar Flowers this morning are given with the following dedication: “Remember not the former things…Behold, I am doing a new thing… I will make a path in the wilderness.” (Isaiah 43:18-19) “Ask using my name and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” (John 16:24)
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