| Greeting and Welcome
Prelude – Come, Ye Thankful People Come
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – Thy Strong Word (LSB 578, verses 1-3)
Thy strong word did cleave the darkness; At Thy speaking it was done. For created light we thank Thee, While Thine ordered seasons run. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light dost send! Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia without end!
Lo, on those who dwelt in darkness, Dark as night and deep as death, Broke the light of Thy salvation, Breathed Thine own life-breathing breath. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light dost send! Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia without end!
Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous; Bright with Thine own holiness, Glorious now, we press toward glory, And our lives our hopes confess. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light dost send! Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia without end!
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Opening Sentences – Zephaniah 1:7b; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Matthew 25:29a P: The LORD has prepared a sacrifice C: and consecrated His guests. P: Encourage one another C: and build one another up. P: To everyone who has will more be given, C: and he will have an abundance.
Confession and Absolution – 1 John 1:8–9; Psalm 90:17 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. P: Let us in all honesty hear His Word again and confess our sins.
P: The Lord has consecrated His guests, C: but we have been more attentive to the things of this world. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us. P: Build one another up, C: but we are used to the darkness of this world and fear His coming like a thief in the night. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us. P: To everyone who has will more be given, C: but we seldom recognize the abilities and opportunities He has given. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us. P: The favor of the Lord is on you! 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: Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! C: Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. P: I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. C: I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. P: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! C: For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! 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 P: Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. Heavenly Father, Your Son died for the sins of the whole world. C: Embolden us to share His love with everyone we meet until the day we hear His gracious blessing, “Well done, good and faithful servant”; P: through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: Amen.
First Reading – Zephaniah 1:7–16 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. And on the day of the LORD’s sacrifice—“I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire. On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s house with violence and fraud. “On that day,” declares the LORD, “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, a loud crash from the hills. Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off. At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, ‘The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.’ Their goods shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them.” The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – 2 Corinthians 4:7–18 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Installation of Officers
Holy Gospel – Matthew 25:14-30 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the twenty-fifth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to You, O Christ.
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.
Children’s Hymn – Brothers and Sisters in Christ (AGPS 78)
Sing Alleluia! Amen! Let your prayers and your praises ascend. Lift up your voices and sing To our Lord God, our Savior and King! Here brought together by grace, We are gathered as friends in this place.
And assembled as one, In the name of the Son, Lifting hearts, lifting hands, Celebrating as friends And proclaiming the Lord All our praises afford. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Children’s Message – Janet Leet
Hymn of the Day – Thy Strong Word (LSB 578, verses 4-6)
From the cross Thy wisdom shining Breaketh forth in conqu’ring might; From the cross forever beameth All Thy bright redeeming light. Alleluia, alleluia! Praise to Thee who light dost send! Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia without end!
Give us lips to sing Thy glory, Tongues Thy mercy to proclaim, Throats that shout the hope that fills us, Mouths to speak Thy holy name. Alleluia, alleluia! May the light which Thou dost send Fill our songs with alleluias, Alleluias without end!
God the Father, light-creator, To Thee laud and honor be. To Thee, Light of Light begotten, Praise be sung eternally. Holy Spirit, light-revealer, glory, glory be to Thee. Mortals, angels, now and ever praise the holy Trinity!
Sermon
Offertory | 
