Fourth Sunday of Advent

December 18, 2016 8:00 am

Trinity Lutheran Church 2163 Mayhew Lake Rd. NE

Sauk Rapids, MN 56379

Trinity is a member of the Prince of Peace Lutheran School Association and the Good Shepherd Community.

1

Those Serving Today

Officiating Today 8:00am & 10:30am Pastor Dave Strohschein

Organist 8:00am Daniel Reineke

Musician 10:30am Children’s Program

Screen Team 8:00am Chad Ramler

10:30am Jeff Zimmer

Lector 8:00am Rich Austin

10:30am Christine Miller

Visuals 8:00am & 10:30am Daniel Reineke

Acolyte 8:00am Andrew Kath, Abby Behrendt

10:30am Sydney Morin, Emma Schwartz

Altar Guild Jolyn Antonsen, Evora Sorokie

Information Desk 8:00am Zone – 5 Marie Mendel

10:30am Zone – 1 Barb Mingo

Greeters 8:00am Zone – 5 Diane Haffner, Marie Mendel, Amy

Schaefer

10:30am Zone –1 Tom Skuza, Shirley Skuza, Lori Zipp

Ushers 8:00am Zone –5

Bob Behrendt, Luke Wendt, Jim &

Kathy Stueve, Trevor Jevne, Andy

Behrendt

10:30am Zone –1

Mark Helgeson, Jim Gerchy, Dick

Mingo, Norm Greenwaldt, Bob Koroll,

Dan Reberg, Russ Riehm

Lay Minister 8:00am Bob Koroll, Delano Schultz

10:30am Justin Hackett

2

The Fourth Sunday of Advent Divine Service Setting 4 (LSB pg 203)

December 18, 2016 8:00 a.m.

AS WE GATHER Millions of names exist in this world. Some are similar but have variations in

different languages. Some have great historic meaning, while others are created new because they

sound good to the name-giver. Yet with all the names that exist throughout the nations, there is

only one name that saves, and that name is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. As we enter the last

week of Advent, we hear the power of His name prophesied to Ahaz, affirmed in Romans, and

spoken to Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, prior to His birth. And more than just a name,

“Immanuel” is a sign that God is with His people. As we approach Christmas joy, we give thanks

for the name above all names, through whom “the Lord saves.”

PRESERVICE MUSIC

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

OPENING HYMN: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” LSB 384

INVOCATION

P: As we approach the close of this season of Advent, we begin this time of worship and

recall our baptismal grace. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

Spirit.

C: Amen.

P: To the Father, who is constantly with us, sustaining the created world,

C: God is with us.

P: To the Son, born of a virgin,

C: come, Lord Jesus.

P: To the Holy Spirit, by whom the Son, Immanuel, was conceived,

C: God is with us. Amen.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION P: We pray for You to come to us, Lord Jesus. Even as we prepare to receive and

welcome You, we continue to sin against You.

Silence for meditation

Pa: We confess,

C: we have not loved You the way we ought, and have sinned against You in our

words and actions, and have not done what You command.

P: We know the name above all names, the name of Jesus, which means “The Lord

3

saves,” and Immanuel, “God is with us.” Yet so often we do not call upon Your name

in time of trouble.

C: We have misused Your name and have not called upon Your name as we should

to pray, praise, and give thanks.

P: With repentant hearts, we ask You to come, Lord Jesus.

C: Amen.

INTROIT

P: Oh that You would rend the heavens and come down,

C: that the mountains might quake at Your presence.

P: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

C: and in His word I hope;

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

C: more than watchmen for the morning.

P: O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love,

C: and with Him is plentiful redemption.

P: And He will redeem Israel

C: 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,

C: that the mountains might quake at Your presence.

SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY P: The Lord be with you.

C: And also with you.

P: Let us pray…Immanuel, we praise You for being God with us since creation. We

thank You for being God with us as the Word made flesh. We thank You for being

God with us in all eternity. We ask You to be with us now in Your Word, Your

Sacrament, and with the fellowship of this Body of Christ. In Your gracious saving

name we pray, as You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God,

now and forever.

C: Amen

Sit

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON: Isaiah 7:10-17

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, “Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the

deepest depths or in the highest heights.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask; I will not put the

LORD to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to

4

try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the

Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and

will call him Immanuel. He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to

reject the wrong and choose the right, for before the boy knows enough to reject the

wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste. The

LORD will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time

unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah—he will bring the king of Assyria.”

L: 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 and set apart for the gospel of

God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures

regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through

the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the

dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all

the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. And you also are

among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are

loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our

Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

L: This is the Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God

Stand

ALLELUIA AND VERSE

5

HOLY GOSPEL: Matthew 1:18-25

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

C: Glory to You, O Lord.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was

pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be

pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the

law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce

her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him

in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as

your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give

birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his

people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through

the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him

Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the

angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did

not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the

name Jesus.

L: This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C: Praise to You, O Christ.

NICENE CREED I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of

6

sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen

Sit

HYMN OF THE DAY: “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came” LSB 356

SERMON: "God Had a Plan!" (Matthew 1:22)

OFFERING (Please sign and date the Rite of Friendship pad located in the pew. The children are invited to bring their offerings to the front at this time.)

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

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… evermore praising You and saying:

SANCTUS

P: Hear us as we pray in His name as He has taught us:

7

LORD'S PRAYER

ALL: 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 INSTITUTION

PAX DOMINI

P: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C: Amen.

AGNUS DEI

About Holy Communion—The Lord’s Supper is celebrated here in the belief and glad

confidence that our Lord gives us as He says, not only bread and wine, but His very body and

blood to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with Him and

with one another. Our Lord invites to His table those who trust His words, repent of all sin, and

forgive and love as He forgives and loves us. If this is your belief, we welcome you to join us at

the Lord’s table.

Because we are called to examine ourselves before receiving the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians

11:28-29), we encourage you to consider the questions on p. 329-330 in the front of the hymnal.

8

If you are communing with us for the first time, or if you would like a fuller understanding of

what we as Lutherans believe about the Lord’s Supper, please pick up a copy of “What is the

Lord’s Supper?” at the Information table in the entryway.

Please reserve the white grape juice cups in the center of the communion trays for those who for

health reasons are unable to drink wine. If your health requires gluten-free wafers, they are

available upon request. Speak to the pastor prior to the service. Our pastors are happy to speak to

you further if you have any questions.

DISTRIBUTION HYMN: “O Sing of Christ” LSB 362

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 in 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.

BENEDICAMUS AND BENEDICTION

P: Let us bless the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God.

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: “Go Tell It on the Mountain” LSB 388

Good Shepherd Bus Tour to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to view the Martin Luther Exhibit with our clerical leaders, Pastor Paul Cloeter and Chaplain Wilke. Our tour takes place on January 12th and includes a lunch of German food served family style at the Black Forest Inn of Minneapolis. Pick up a brochure today in the church office or on the info desk.

Thank You I would like to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers, cards and hugs during this time of sadness at the loss of my mother, Albina Ackerman. I am so thankful to have such an amazing church family to help me through this time. GODS Blessings to all of you, Carol Truenow

9

IN OUR WORSHIP SERVICES NEXT WEEK

Christmas Day

9:00am Worship Z4 (HC)

Scripture Lessons: Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6

John 1:1-14

Church Office Hours:

M-F 8:30am-2:30pm Open during the noon hour.

Church Office Phone 252-3670

..\..\Attendance & Offering Master

Data.2015.xlsx

WEEK OF TIME ATTENDANCE OFFERINGS

12/11/16 8:00am 104 General Fund Offerings $13,681.01

12/11/16 10:30am 151 Building Debt Offerings $5,430.00

12/14/16 6:00pm 188 Total $19,111.01

Total 443

MISSIONS

Missions this Week $888.00 Weekly Need: $11,938.00

Received to-date $24,322.50

Annual Funds Promised $27,500.00

Trinity Lutheran Church Announcements December 18, 2016

Fourth Sunday in Advent

TODAY 8:00am Worship Z5 (HC) 9:15am SS & Bible Classes 10:30am SS Christmas Program Z1 12:00pm Anyuak Worship

MONDAY 7:00pm Friends in Harmony

Christmas Carol Event 7:30pm Narcotics Anonymous

TUESDAY 10:30am Bible Class 7:00pm POP Christmas Musical at

Love of Christ 7:00pm Friends in Harmony

WEDNESDAY 7:00am Men’s Bible Study @ GS 6:00pm Adult Choir Rehearsal THURSDAY 6:15pm Celebration Ringers 7:15pm Worship Team Rehearsal FRIDAY 9:00am Parish Workers

SATURDAY CHRISTMAS EVE 3:00pm Christmas Eve Worship Z2 5:00pm Christmas Eve Worship Z3

10

Sharing the Caring Christ with All People Matthew 1: 18-25: At first, Joseph had trouble believing that the Holy Spirit was directly involved with Mary’s pregnancy. He planned to divorce her quietly until an angel of the Lord came to assure him that Mary would bear a Son and he was to give this special Child the name “Jesus” because He will save His people from their sins. What a blessed privilege we have to share the Good News of Jesus for the salvation of many people. By just sharing the truth of His name, you are sharing God’s plan to save us from the slavery of sin, the wretchedness of the devil, the defeat of the grave and the challenges of the sinful flesh. It’s all in a name. It’s all in Jesus - the reason for the season.

Today’s Radio Broadcast is sponsored by the Hospitality Guild in praise of our Newborn King, Jesus! We thank them for sponsoring this broadcast. We have sponsorship openings in January and February. If you would like to sponsor a broadcast please complete a form and turn it in. Forms are available in the church office. The radio transmission enables our shut-ins, as well as others in our community to hear and participate in our worship. The service airs on WVAL 800 on the AM dial, at 8:00am, and live on the internet at www.800wval.com.

Sunday Morning Fellowship Our servers for December are John and Raquel Alstrup. Members who have last names beginning with the letter “W & Z” are

asked to bring treats for our fellowship time during the month. If you can help, please sign up on the bulletin board.

FAITH PROMISE SUNDAY Reception of member “faith promises” for the coming year took place last Sunday, but it’s not too late to turn yours in! Please place your completed forms in the box at the back of the sanctuary. Extra forms are available there if needed.

Salt and Pepper are proud to welcome the Friends in Harmony to sing for us tomorrow, Monday, Dec. 19th at 7 pm! Please join us for an evening of Christmas music. All you need to do is bring a donation for the Trinity Food Shelf. Refreshments will be served.

SCRIP is Here! SCRIP gift cards are available for you to purchase here at Trinity. SCRIP are gift cards you purchase and the business gives Prince of Peace money for each gift card sold. Christmas is almost here! This is the perfect time to purchase cards you can give as a gift, or to use yourself on your everyday purchases. Cards from 90 businesses including gas stations, restaurants, movies, and retailers will be available. THANK YOU from Prince of Peace!

A Warm Thank You to all of you! We were overwhelmed by all the generous support and donations for the benefit for Keith’s treatments. Your prayers and Pastor Paul’s visits have been greatly appreciated. God bless you. Keith and Cathy Bjorklund

11

Do you know someone who could use a turkey this holiday season? Call the church office and let us know! 252-3670

Do You Like to Crochet or Knit? Do you have extra yarn to donate to a project? A small group of members is meeting on Tuesday after Bible Study, approximately from 11:30-1:30, to make simple prayer shawls. If you would like donate yarn, it needs to be at least 600 yards of the same color or complimentary colors to begin this project. Prayer shawls are to be given to members of any age, after surgery or during illness, at no charge. Monetary donations are also welcome. If you have questions or interest in participating, contact Judy in the church office, 252-3670.

COME AND JOIN Boy Scout Troop 20 at their 31st annual Christmas Dinner at St. Joseph Church, 106 North 7th Ave. Waite Park. Why spend Christmas alone when you can share food and friendship with others? Dinner will be served from 11am until 3pm (Christmas Day) in the church basement. Transportation or a meal delivered is available in the Waite park, St. Joseph, Sartell and Sauk Rapids areas, if needed. Call 380-3794 for reservations, a ride or a meal delivered.

“How to Grow a Connected Family” will be offered at Trinity beginning Sunday, January 8th through Sunday, February 12th from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 am. This 6-week Bible study will focus on helping parents to purposefully raise children who know, love, and serve God. Pastor Dave will facilitate this class. Please share your intention to participate in this class with Pastor Dave by December 18th so that we can have adequate materials on hand.

Tri-Cap Program Volunteers Needed! To assist with Tri-Cap’s free tax preparation program. Tax Site Assistants, Preparers, and Reviewers needed. January thru April: 4 hours per week. For more information, visit www.tricap.org/volunteer or call 320-251-1612.

Year End Contributions: Please make any year-end contributions in a timely manner so they are in on or before December 31st. Thank you.

Two Invitations from Prince of Peace Lutheran School: • You are invited to come to our school’s Christmas Musical on Tuesday, December 20th to be held at Love of Christ Lutheran Church. The musical begins at 7:00 p.m. Come and enjoy the Christmas story told in a special Prince of Peace way! • On Wednesday, December 21st we will close out the school day and enter into our Christmas vacation with our annual “Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long” at 2:00 p.m. Come and join us in singing all of the favorite traditional Christmas Carols with a joy and enthusiasm that raises the roof of our gym! You will definitely go home with a Christmas carol in your heart!