Welcome We extend the hand of Christian fel-lowship to all who come to worship. May our prayers and the hearing of God’s word make our burdens lighter, our hearts encouraged, and our souls refreshed. Visitor information pack-ets are available on the counter locat-ed in the Narthex. We encourage all visitors to take one.

All are welcome for coffee and doughnuts in Fellowship Hall be-tween services.

(9:00 a.m.)

PRELUDE “For the Beauty of the Earth” arr. by Jan Sanborn WELCOME/SHARING GOD’S PEACE

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS Bulletin — Page 4 CALL TO WORSHIP GATHERING HYMN “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” #693 ELW APOSTOLIC GREETING KYRIE/HYMN OF PRAISE p. 98-100 ELW PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord, your word is indeed life to us. May we receive it with joy, unencum-bered by the concerns of our lives, caring only to hear your invitation of grace: abundant life in your service. Through Jesus we pray, amen.

SPECIAL MUSIC “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” Senior Choir 17th Century French Folk Tune WE HEAR GOD’S WORD PSALM 40:1-11 (read responsively) Bulletin — Page 4 HYMN “Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil” #512 ELW

Gospel Acclamation p. 102 ELW P: The Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 4 C: Glory to You, O Lord SCRIPTURE/CHILDREN’S TIME Mark 4:1-20 The Gospel of our Lord! C: Praise to You, O Christ

SERMON Lexy Steinle HYMN OF THE DAY “For the Fruit of All Creation” #679 ELW RESPONSE APOSTLES’ CREED Bulletin — Page 4 OFFERING “O Jerusalem” Janet Vogt OFFERTORY “Create in Me a Clean Heart” #186 ELW PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH LORD’S PRAYER “Our Father in Heaven …” Bulletin — Page 4 SENDING BENEDICTION AND “THREE-FOLD AMEN HYMN “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing” #547 ELW DISMISSAL P. Go in peace and serve the Lord. C. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE “Toccata Brilliante” Ben Logan

January 19, 2020 2 Epiphany

Tim Stoa

Bethlehem Lutheran Church is a faith community that gathers to hear, teach and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, January 19 9:00 am Worship 10:00 am Christian Education/Large Group Family Event 10:00 am Communion in the Chapel 10:45 am Worship

Wednesday, January 22 6:00 pm Worship in the Chapel 6:00 pm Christian Education 7:00 pm Confirmation

Sunday, January 26 9:00 am Worship 10:00 am Christian Education 10:00 am Communion in the Chapel 10:45 am Worship

Wednesday, January 29 6:00 pm Worship in the Chapel 6:00 pm Christian Education 7:00 pm Confirmation

Sunday, February 2 Communion at Both Services

9:00 am Worship 10:00 am Christian Education 10:45 am Worship

Wednesday, February 5 6:00 pm Worship in the Chapel 6:00 pm Christian Education 7:00 pm Confirmation

Welcome to Worship! If you are a guest here, let us know.

A word about Bethlehem’s worship: We have two Sunday worship services. The 9:00 a.m. service usually features or-gan accompaniment; the 10:45 service features piano accom-paniment. Christian education classes for PreK through Grade 7 are held Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. throughout the school year. We also offer a Wednesday evening worship service at 6:00 p.m. For more information, check our website — www.blcfargo.org. You may also call the church office, 235-6522.

The Friendship Sheet is a way for us to take note of who worships with us each week. Please put your full name and any other information you want us to have. Pass the Friend-ship Sheet down the pew and back and leave it near the aisle so an usher can pick it up later. Thank you. Children’s Worship Bags are available for use by your youngster during services. They are located on the coat rack over the stairway (directly outside of the sanctuary). At the end of the service, put the bag on the ushers’ table at the back of the sanctuary so it may be refilled for the next service. Bulletin Announcements If you have information for the Sunday bulletin, please contact the office by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. In An Effort to Conserve Paper we ask that after the 9:00 a.m. service you take home only one bulletin per fami-ly. Extras can be returned to the ushers’ table at the back of the church to be used for the 10:45 a.m. service. Thank you.

Prayer Concerns Please be sure to call the office to talk with a pastor as to how you/your loved one are doing. We begin each month with an updated list.

Prayers For the Community of Faith: Members Hospitalized/Requesting On-Going Prayer: Laurie Asmus, Darren Baumgartner, Bob Dregseth, Myron Gough-nour, Jay Jenson, Kristen Kelly, Jacob & Joshua Ackerman, Kylie Krom, Keri Leach, Joyce Monson, Betty Opheim, Duane Peterson, Bob Poehler, Betty Raftevold, Gladys Spik-er, Maria Winters.

Friends/Family Members Sick or Hospitalized: Ralph Bar-tholomay (father of Scott Bartholomay), Paul Fisher (relative of Rosie Kolrud), Shelby Follman (niece of Deb Nybo), Janice Lee (mother of Cherie Storhoff & Bob Lee), Mark Nel-son (brother-in-law of Alvina Deyle), Joyce Olson (sister of Lillian Kopperud), Bruce Opheim, Jr. (son of Betty Opheim), Art Schuschke (brother of Dennis Schuschke), Ronda Smith (daughter of Dorla Hanson), Torrie Vader (cousin of Barb Danielson).

Sympathy to Phil & June Nelson on the death of June’s brother, Douglas Kirk. Bulletins are given by Don & Sharon Zeman. Communion Servers are needed for the first Sunday of each month. If you can help in this capacity, a sign-up sheet is located on the bulletin board outside the church office.

Super Bowl Sub Sales continue through January 26. Reg-ular: 1 meat and 1 cheese; Deluxe: both meats and 1 cheese. Meat options: ham or turkey. Cheese options: cheddar or pepper jack. All sandwiches are on Erbert & Gerbert’s wheat bread. Cost is $4 for a regular sub and $5 for a deluxe. Pro-ceeds benefit our youth programs.

Youth Lock Ins:

3rd-5th grade mini lock in is January 25 from 4:00-9:00 p.m. We’ll have worship, games, good and a movie!

6th-12th grade lock in begins January 31 at 8:00 p.m. and ends February 1 at 8:00 a.m. We fill the entire night with worship, games, food, crafts, a service project and lots of fun!

Sign up on the youth board so we know how many to expect. Please complete a health/behavior form (found on the youth board) prior to the event. Youth Groups:

W.N.A. meets Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Youth Room

God Squad will meet January 19. Oak Grove Lutheran School is holding an Early Learning Center & Kindergarten Open House on Thursday, January 23, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. They are located at 2720 32nd Ave S, Fargo. You are invited to meet teachers, visit classrooms, learn about their programs and explore the South Campus. Come see what it means to be a Grover!

Voters’ Assembly Tuesday, January 21

7:00 p.m. Fellowship Hall

This is our annual budget meeting.

Please plan to attend.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church / 613 16th Street South / Fargo, North Dakota 58103 Office—701-235-6522 / Warm Line—701-235-6548

www.blcfargo.org

Community Employment Opportunity Employment: Part-Time Office Manager/Ministry Assistant at Crossroads Lutheran Campus Ministry, Minnesota State University Moorhead Crossroads Lutheran Campus Ministry at Minnesota State Uni-versity Moorhead is seeking applicants for an Office Manager/Ministry Assistant. The part-time commitment consists of 15-20 hours (flexible!) per week during the academic year (September-May) and about 5 hours per week over the summer (June-August). Applicants should exhibit a heart for ministry and exemplify the mission statement of Crossroads: “Accepting all, feeding faith, and creating community at MSUM.” Organization, strong communication, and confidentiality are also key qualities. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

Completing general clerical duties (bookkeeping, conduct-ing banking business, tracking donations, etc.);

Communicating and working closely with the Campus Pas-tor to coordinate and promote activities and events, includ-ing the Ministry’s ;

Actively monitor and update the Ministry’s social media account;

Light cooking, cleaning, and shopping; and

Being a point of contact for four house residents and stu-dents

Previous experience with Microsoft Office programs and Quick-Books is helpful, but not required if applicant is willing to learn. For more information, please call 218-233-4720 and ask for Steve or Shelley. To apply, please send a resumé/job history to Laura Grefsrud, Board Secretary, at laura.trosdahl@gmail.com

January 19 — January 29

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. Christian Education/Large Group Family Event 10:00 a.m. Communion in the Chapel 10:45 a.m. Worship 1:00 p.m. God Squad MONDAY, JANUARY 20 Pastor Tim’s Day Off 6:00 p.m. Girl Scouts 7:00 p.m. SA TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 9:00 a.m. Staff Meeting 3:00 p.m. Elizabeth Circle 7:00 p.m. Voters’ Assembly WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22 9:00 a.m. Quilting 5:30 p.m. Youth Choir 6:00 p.m. Bell Choir 6:00 p.m. Worship in the Chapel 6:00 p.m. Christian Education 7:00 p.m. Confirmation 7:00 p.m. Senior Choir 7:00 p.m. W.N.A. (5th-7th Grades) THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 1:00-8:30 p.m. Adoption Class (Village Family Service) FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 Lexy’s Day Off 8:30-4:30 Adoption Class (Village Family Service) SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 4:00-9:00 p.m. 3rd-5th Grade Mini Lock In SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 9:00 a.m. Worship 10:00 a.m. Christian Education 10:00 a.m. Communion in the Chapel 10:45 a.m. Worship MONDAY, JANUARY 27 Pastor Tim’s Day Off 6:00 p.m. Girl Scouts 7:00 p.m. SA TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 9:00 a.m. Staff Meeting WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 9:00 a.m. Quilting 5:30 p.m. Youth Choir 6:00 p.m. Bell Choir 6:00 p.m. Worship in the Chapel 6:00 p.m. Christian Education 7:00 p.m. Confirmation 7:00 p.m. Senior Choir 7:00 p.m. W.N.A. (5th-7th Grades)

January 19, 2020 — 10:45 a.m.

WELCOME/SHARING GOD’S PEACE CALL TO WORSHIP “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” Senior Choir 17th Century French Folk Tune CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS Pastor: We confess our sins before God and one another.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Pastor: Living God,

All: You have given us all we need to follow you, yet we doubt ourselves, criticize others, grasp for mean-ingless pleasures and seek hollow assurances. For-give us for refusing to see what is in front of our faces. Restore us by the power of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pastor: The Son of Man is powerful, yet compassionate. Take heart in the pardon that he offers: you are forgiven. You are beloved children of God. Your faith has healed you.

All: Amen. GREETING P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and

the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. C: And also with you.

KYRIE/HYMN OF PRAISE p. 213 ELW PRAYER OF THE DAY

O Lord, your word is indeed life to us. May we receive it with joy, unencumbered by the concerns of our lives, caring only to hear your invitation of grace: abundant life in your service. Through Jesus we pray, amen.

PSALM 40:1-11 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods. You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare to you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted. Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great con-gregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. “Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil” #512 ELW

SCRIPTURE/CHILDREN’S TIME Mark 4:1-20 SERMON Lexy Steinle “For the Fruit of All Creation” #679 ELW APOSTLES’ CREED I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the res-urrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. OFFERING PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. THE BENEDICTION “Sent Forth by God’s Blessing” #547 ELW Leader: Go in peace. Serve the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Accompanist: Alvina Deyle/Joanna Erber