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Thursday, December 15, 2022

Weekly Newsletter

Glimpses of Glendale
Glendale Lutheran Church Newsletter

December 15, 2022

Gingerbread House Decorating!


Sunday December 18th from 11:30am to 2:30pm 


Christmas fun for all ages! Come to help prepare and celebrate for Jesus’ birth! 


Sign-up forms and payment will be available soon in the narthex before and after worship or in the church office. The cost will be $15 cash or check for each gingerbread house. Checks can be made out to Glendale Lutheran Church. 


Sponsors are needed to help pay for gingerbread houses, refreshments, and decorations. Thrivent action teams are perfect for this occasion! Contact Steph Chapa at 320-510-4862 if you would like to help. 


Donations of miniature candies and pretzels, winter decorations, and large cake disks for gingerbread houses can be dropped off in a labelled box in the entry way. 


Volunteers are also needed to help decorate, set-up, and serve refreshments. 


Please contact Steph Chapa with any questions at 320-510-4862. 

Altar Flowers 2023


The Altar Flowers 2023 dates are now available! You can sign up online via the link, or if you'd rather you can simply email or call Michelle. Altar Flower FAQ sheets are on the kiosk as well as over by the staff mailboxes (where the physical flower chart hung in years past).

Mortgage Update


We continue to publish our current mortgage activity on the kiosk but it is worth noting that in less than 5 years we have reduced our $900,000 indebtedness by $378,000 for a current balance of $521,602. This significant reduction in principal liability has been accomplished thanks to a steady stream of member specified gifts and most recently a $50,000 gift specified for principal reduction. These payments over and above our regular monthly principal and interest payment of $5,750 have saved us hundreds of thousands in interest expense and at the same time reduced the length of time of our mortgage obligation by many many months. We are currently still “enjoying” a mortgage interest of 4.75%. This means that almost 65% of our monthly payment goes directly to reduction of principal.


We acknowledge, with thankfulness, those who week by week keep chipping away to reduce this debt.

Born to Reign - article by Joel Hempel


Every Advent, we sing the Charles Wesley hymn: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (LSB 338), as we did on December 4th. When you all were singing the hymn, I was not. I was reading the verses or quietly speaking them. Why? Because I only have a one-octave range, and Jim can’t be expected to transpose a hymn’s melody to meet my needs.

 

But reading and not singing has its benefits. I see things others may miss because when singing a hymn – especially a familiar one, people may not always pay attention to the words. Sometimes, I stop, reread, and reflect on a line that jumps out at me. That’s what happened with verse 2 of this hymn:

 

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

 

Jesus was born not only to reign universally but also to reign within each of us individually. Yes, he is the Savior who came to destroy both Satan’s and death’s grip on us. Yes, he came to take our deserved punishment onto himself and replace it with undeserved grace and forgiveness. But that was only the beginning of why Jesus came among us. The King had and continues to have other intentions for our life:

 

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

 

That’s our prayer when we sing or speak that verse: Bring your kingdom, bring your reign, O Lord, into my life – now! Take charge of me, my decisions, my fantasies, my hopes, and my plans.

 

Are we ready for this Jesus? Are we ready for God in Christ to enter into our lives as King and to turn over control to him? He is ready for us! The Spirit of Christ comes to each of us with everything we need to turn over the reigns to him:    

 

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone.

 

There it is, thank God. That’s how we can let God have his way with us. God’s Spirit will equip us and enable us to submit to our Lord’s rule and empower us to lay down our resistance to following him  

 

If anyone has not yet asked King Jesus to take over leadership in their life, this Advent is the opportunity given to us so our joy can increase.

Finance Update

Next Sunday's Bible Readings

Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-12; John 1:1-18

Worship Leaders

This Sunday - 12/18

Lector: Greg Frimel

Communion: Steve Phelps

Greeters: Ron & Carol Froesel

S/V: Paul Barbercheck

Ushers: Tony Petzoldt, Becci Sasser, Gerry Lucas

Children's Message: Janet Leet

Christmas Eve - 5pm

Lector: Pastor Scott

Communion: Derek Don

Greeters: Bob & Debbie Jacobson

S/V: Mike Toney

Ushers: Terry Buchholz, Ken Clark, John Steele

Children's Message: Tim Cosby

The Word Within the Word
Online Calendar

Glendale Lutheran Church

Monday-Thursday 8:00 am-4:30 pm

(314) 966-3220

glendalelutheranchurch@gmail.com

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Worship Bulletin


Welcome to Glendale Lutheran!


Today we bid farewell to Miriam Reimnitz, who has been a faithful member of this church family for more than forty years. Miriam will be moving this week to northern Illinois. We will have a cake and time to honor her following this service. We give thanks for these years of shared life and ministry and wish her God's rich blessings. Thanks to God for Miriam Reimnitz


Welcome to Dr. Richard Marrs, our preacher and celebrant this morning. Rick is a professor at Concordia Seminary, and Laura was on staff of CCLS on this campus. Rick was a fieldworker and is a tennis partner of Pastor Scott.


Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship will be held December 24 at 5:00pm. The theme for the service is “Birth is Just the Beginning.” There is no worship on Christmas Day.

Fourth Sunday in Advent

December 18, 2022

Sunday 9:15am

Divine Service I

Prelude

 

Greeting and Welcome

 

Lighting of the Candles

 

Hymn of Invocation – Savior of the Nations, Come (LSB 332, verses 1-3, 8)

 

Savior of the nations, come,

Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!

Marvel now, O heav’n and earth,

That the Lord chose such a birth.

 

Not by human flesh and blood,

By the Spirit of our God,

Was the Word of God made flesh—

Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.

 

Here a maid was found with child,

Yet remained a virgin mild.

In her womb this truth was shown:

God was there upon His throne.

 

Glory to the Father sing,

Glory to the Son, our king,

Glory to the Spirit be

Now and through eternity.

 

+ 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:  Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence.

C:  I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

P:  my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

C:  O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.

P:  And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

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:  Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence.

 

Kyrie

P:  In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P:  For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P:  For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.

C: Lord, have mercy.

P:  For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C: Lord, have mercy.  

P:  Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C: Amen.

 

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P:  The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P:  Let us pray. Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

 

First ReadingIsaiah 7:10–17

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted. The Lord will bring upon you and upon your people and upon your father’s house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria.”

 

P:  This is the Word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

 

Epistle Romans 1:1–7

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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 GospelMatthew 1:18-25

P:  The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the first chapter.

C: Glory to You, O Lord.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name  Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.


P:  This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ.

 

Children’s Hymn – Jesus, Name Above All Names (AGPS 145)

 

Jesus, name above all names

Beautiful Savior, glorious Lord,

Emmanuel, God is with us,

Blessed Redeemer, living Word.


Jesus, loving shepherd,

Vine of the branches, Son of God

Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor,

Lord of the universe, Light of the world.

 

Children’s Message – Janet Leet

 

Hymn of the Day – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (LSB 357, verses 1, 5)

 

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.  Refrain

 

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

             Shall come to thee, O Israel!

 

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.  Refrain

 

Sermon – “What About Joseph?”

 

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.

 

Prayer of the Church

+ Celebrating birthdays this week: 21 – Sherman Moore; 24 – Jean Peterson; 25 – Mary Skouby, John Willmann; 29 – William Sowers; 30 – Karen Frimel; 31 – Andrew Grossenheider

+ Wedding anniversaries: 29 – Jon & Sue Schultz

 

Special Celebrations and Needs:

+ Church family members: Valerie Wehmueller, recuperating at home; Pastor Scott, recovering from a stroke; Ken Kight Jr., diagnosed with colon cancer; Mark Schultz, undergoing radiation treatments

+ Friends of our congregation: Myron, father-in-law of Grace (Jonas) Morse, receiving radiation treatment; Mary Ann, friend of Jan Cosby, upon her metastatic cancer diagnosis; Kelly, a CCLS teacher, who miscarried at 20 weeks; Charlie, nephew of Tim Cosby, fighting RSV; Penny Jonas, mother of Pastor Jonas, in a rehab facility; Kim, daughter of Karen and Greg Frimel, fighting cancer

+ Those who are homebound or in nursing facilities: Twylah Atwood, Mary Aufderheide, Jules & Mary Bush, Frank & Sharon Gaal, Mary Guinon, Jerry & Jane Keathley, Rosemary Orloff, Judy Thielker, Shirley Williams

Offering
Please scan the following QR code or visit https://tithe.ly/give?c=815174 to make a donation using your mobile device.

+ 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:  And also with you.

 

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 – 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.

 

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 – A Great and Mighty Wonder (LSB 383, verses 1, 2, 4)

 

A great and mighty wonder,

A full and holy cure:

The virgin bears the infant

With virgin honor pure! Refrain

 

Refrain: Proclaim the Savior’s birth:

             “To God on high be glory

             And peace to all the earth!”

 

The Word becomes incarnate

And yet remains on high,

And cherubim sing anthems

To shepherds from the sky. Refrain

 

Since all He comes to ransom,

By all be He adored,

The infant born in Bethl’em,

The Savior and the Lord. Refrain.

 

Postlude

 

+ WORSHIP LEADERS +

Preacher/Celebrant/Liturgist – Pastor Richard Marrs

Organist/Pianist – Jim Thielker

Communion – Steve Phelps

Sound/Video – Paul Barbercheck

Lector – Greg Frimel

Ushers – Tony Petzoldt, Becci Sasser, Gerry Lucas

Greeters – Ron & Carol Froesel

 

 

Altar flowers this morning are given by Kathy and John Brugere

In remembrance of loved ones passed.


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.

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Worship Bulletin

Midweek Advent Worship

December 14, 2022

6:30pm

+ ADVENT PROMISES +

 

Prelude

 

Greeting and Welcome

 

Lighting of the Candles

 

Call to Worship and Invocation

P: Lift up your heads and open your eyes,

C: For He is coming!

P: Who is coming?

C: The King of Glory!

P: Praise and honor to the One who comes as King,

C: Who comes in the name of the Lord.

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

C: Amen.

P: He came as a baby in a manger.

C: Come, Lord Jesus.

P: Let us open our hearts to Him,

C: And walk in His ways.

P: He will come again to take us to Himself in heaven.

C: Come, Lord Jesus.

 

Promise - Micah 5:2–5

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men…

 

Advent Song – O Little Town of Bethlehem (AGPS 183, verses 1-2)

 

O little town of Bethlehem,

How still we see Thee lie!

Above Thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by;

Yet in Thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting light.

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in Thee tonight.

 

For Christ is born of Mary

And, gathered all above

While mortals sleep, the angels keep

Their watch of wond’ring love.

O morning stars, together

Proclaim the holy birth,

And praises sing to God the king

And peace to all the earth!

 

Fulfillment - Luke 2:1–4

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David…


Advent Song – O Little Town of Bethlehem (AGPS 183, verses 3-4)

 

How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is giv’n!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of his heav’n.

No ear may hear His coming;

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him, still

The dear Christ enters in.

 

O holy Child of Bethlehem,

Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in,

Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels

The great glad tidings tell;

Oh, come to us, abide with us,

Our Lord Immanuel!

 

Message – “Advent Promises: A City Set Apart”

 

Prayer

 

Luther’s Evening Prayer

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angels be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.


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.

 

Blessing

 

Hymn of the Evening – Abide with Me (AGPS 54, verses 1, 4)

 

Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.

The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

 

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes,

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

 

+ + +

 

+ WORSHIP LEADERS +

Preacher/Liturgist – Pastor Steve Albers

Pianist – Janet Leet

Sound/Video – John Steele


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.