| Prelude
Greeting and Welcome
Lighting of the Candles
Hymn of Invocation – He Will Hold Me Fast
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast; When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast. I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path; For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast. Refrain
Refrain: He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast; For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast
Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast; Precious in His holy sight, He will hold me fast. He’ll not let my soul be lost; His Promises shall last; Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast. Refrain
For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast; Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast. Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast ‘Till our faith is turned to sight, when He comes at last! Refrain
+ Preparation +
Invocation P: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C: Amen.
Opening Sentences – Psalm 122:1; Hebrews 9:15 P: I was glad when they said to me, C: “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” P: Christ Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, C: so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. Confession and Absolution – Hebrews 9:22, 26b P: Scripture says, “under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. . . . But Christ has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Let us prepare to receive forgiveness and cleansing from God our Savior by confessing our need and repentance of our sin. C: Lord God, we come before You this day seeking Your mercy and grace for the forgiveness of our sins and the cleansing of our lives. We confess to You all our sins, both the wrong we have done as well as the love we have withheld and the good we have failed to do for others. Lord, have mercy on us. P: God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith. I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God to 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 +
Salutation and Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you. C: And also with you. P: Let us pray. Lord God, as from the very beginning of our rebellion You have promised salvation and eternal life to those who trust in Your Word, grant us the faith and trust in the deliverance and redemption given by the blood of Your Son’s eternal sacrifice; 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 – 1 Kings 17:8–16 Then the word of the LORD came to him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle – Romans 14:13–23 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
P: This is the Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God.
Holy Gospel – Mark 12:38-44 P: The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the twelfth chapter. C: Glory to You, O Lord.
In his teaching [Jesus] said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
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 – God Loves Me Dearly (LSB 392)
God loves me dearly, grants me salvation, God loves me dearly, loves even me. Refrain
Refrain: Therefore I’ll say again: God loves me dearly, God loves me dearly, loves even me.
He sent forth Jesus, my dear Redeemer, He sent forth Jesus and set me free. Refrain
Children’s Message – Ryan Philpot
Hymn of the Day – Lord, Whose Love through Humble Service (LSB 848)
Lord, whose love through humble service Bore the weight of human need, Who upon the cross, forsaken, Offered mercy’s perfect deed, We, Your servants, bring the worship Not of voice alone, but heart, Consecrating to Your purpose Ev’ry gift that You impart.
Still Your children wander homeless; Still the hungry cry for bread; Still the captives long for freedom; Still in grief we mourn our dead. As, O Lord, Your deep compassion Healed the sick and freed the soul, Use the love Your Spirit kindles Still to save and make us whole.
As we worship, grant us vision, Till Your love’s revealing light In its height and depth and greatness, Dawns upon our quickened sight, Making known the needs and burdens Your compassion bids us bear, Stirring us to tireless striving, Your abundant life to share.
Called by worship to Your service, Forth in Your dear name we go, To the child, the youth, the aged, Love in living deeds to show; Hope and health, goodwill and comfort, Counsel, aid, and peace we give, That Your servants, Lord, in freedom May Your mercy know and live.
Sermon
Offering
Choral Offertory – Bread of the World
(Lyrics provided for reflection)
Bread of the world in mercy broken, Cup of the world in mercy shed, By Him the words of life were spoken And in His death our sins are dead.
Look to the heart by sorrow broken, Look on the tears of sinners shed; And be Your feast for us a token That by Your grace our souls are fed.
Circle of hope, remain unbroken. Circle of love, reach out and spread. Then all the world will share the glory, Share in God's blessings, Share, and be fed. Bread of the world.
Prayers + Celebrating birthdays this week: 12 – Karl Das; 13 – Spence Bach; 15 – John Loscuito; 16 – Marilee Sauer + Wedding anniversaries: 10 – Karl & Jean Das; 16 – Vince & Flo Ryan
Special Celebrations and Needs: + Church family members: John & Miriam Lee, celebrating the birth of a grandchild; Paul Schultz, now in hospice; Sue DeFosset, with back issues; Gloria Nobis, recovering from knee surgery; Sherman Moore; Sharon Gaal, recovering from surgery; Vicki Lucas, recovering from a stroke; Ken Kight + Friends of our congregation: Karen, extended family member of Valerie Wehmueller, diagnosed with cancer; Barbara Huggins, in rehab + Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guion, Jane Keathley, Cindy Smith, Shirley Williams
+ 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, who, out of love for His fallen creation, humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant, becoming obedient unto death, even death upon a cross. Risen from the dead, He has freed us from eternal death and given us life everlasting. 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. Prayer of Thanksgiving P: Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross. Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: 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.”
Proclamation of Christ P: As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. C: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. P: O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, in giving us Your body and blood to eat and to drink, You lead us to remember and confess Your holy cross and passion, Your blessed death, Your rest in the tomb, Your resurrection from the dead, Your ascension into heaven, and Your coming for the final judgment. So remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
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.
Pax Domini P: The peace of the Lord be with you always. C: Amen.
Distribution
Distribution Hymn – At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing (LSB 633)
At the Lamb’s high feast we sing Praise to our victorious King, Who has washed us in the tide Flowing from His piercèd side. Alleluia!
Praise we Him, whose love divine Gives His sacred blood for wine, Gives His body for the feast— Christ the victim, Christ the priest. Alleluia!
Where the paschal blood is poured, Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword; Israel’s hosts triumphant go Through the wave that drowns the foe. Alleluia!
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed, Paschal victim, paschal bread; With sincerity and love Eat we manna from above. Alleluia!
Mighty Victim from the sky, Hell’s fierce pow’rs beneath You lie; You have conquered in the fight, You have brought us life and light. Alleluia!
Now no more can death appall, Now no more the grave enthrall; You have opened paradise, And Your saints in You shall rise. Alleluia!
Easter triumph, Easter joy! This alone can sin destroy; From sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free, Newborn souls in You to be. Alleluia!
Father, who the crown shall give, Savior, by whose death we live, Spirit, guide through all our days: Three in One, Your name we praise. Alleluia!
Blessing
Post-Communion Collect P: Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, we give You thanks for giving us a participation in Your body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and Your gift of eternal life. Help us to live with a clear conscience and confidence in Your eternal promises; for Your live and reign with the Father 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 – Before You, Lord, We Bow (LSB 966)
Before You, Lord, we bow, Our God who reigns above And rules the world below, Boundless in pow’r and love. Our thanks we bring in joy and praise, Our hearts we raise to You, our King!
The nation You have blest May well Your love declare, From foes and fears at rest, Protected by Your care. For this bright day, for this fair land— Gifts of Your hand—our thanks we pay.
May ev’ry mountain height, Each vale and forest green, Shine in Your Word’s pure light, And its rich fruits be seen! May ev’ry tongue be tuned to praise And join to raise a grateful song.
Earth, hear your Maker’s voice; Your great Redeemer own; Believe, obey, rejoice, And worship Him alone. Cast down your pride, your sin deplore, And bow before the Crucified.
And when in pow’r He comes, Oh, may our native land From all its rending tombs Send forth a glorious band, A countless throng, with joy to sing To heav’n’s high King salvation’s song!
Postlude
Altar Flowers this morning are given by Spence and Sylvia Bach in celebration of the October 26 wedding of their granddaughter, Amanda Bach, to Zachary Sunshine, and for Spence's 80th birthday
+ WORSHIP LEADERS + Preacher/Celebrant/Liturgist – Pastor Scott Organist/Pianist – Seth Carruthers Lector – Jerry Nicolaus Communion – Mike Toney & Seminary Student Sound/Video – Ken Clark Ushers – Rodger Lubben, Jack Hurley, Terry Buchholz, Gerry Lucas Greeters – Jerry & Beth Nicolaus | 
