The Baptism of Our Lord Sunday, January 7, 2024

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #83 “From God the Father, Virgin-Born”

Prayer of the day: 

Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Reading:

Genesis 1:1–5

¹In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ²The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. ³And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Psalm 2:7–11, 12; antiphon: Isaiah 42:1

L: Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
C: my chosen, in whom my soul delights.
L: I will tell of the decree:
C: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
L: Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
C: and the ends of the earth your possession.
L: You shall break them with a rod of iron
C: and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
L: Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
C: be warned, O rulers of the earth.
L: Serve the Lord with fear,
C: and rejoice with trembling,
L: for his wrath is quickly kindled.
C: Blessèd are all who take refuge in him.
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.
L: Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
C: my chosen, in whom my soul delights.

Epistle:

Romans 6:1–11

¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For one who has died has been set free from sin. ⁸Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel:

Mark 1:4–11

⁴John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” ⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Message Hymn:  LBW #36 “On Jordan’s Banks the Baptist’s Cry”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #39 “Joy to the World”

First Sunday After Christmas Sunday, December 31, 2023

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #45 “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful”

Prayer of the day: 

O God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us and in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously restored our human nature. Grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Reading:

Isaiah 61:10—62:3

¹⁰I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
           my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
           he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
           and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
¹¹For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
           and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
           to sprout up before all the nations.

¹For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
           and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
           and her salvation as a burning torch.
²The nations shall see your righteousness,
           and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
           that the mouth of the Lord will give.
³You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
           and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Psalm 98:1–4; antiphon: Isaiah 52:10

L: The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations,
C: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
L: Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!
C: His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
L: The Lord has made known his salvation;
C: he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
L: He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
C: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
L: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
C: break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
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.
L:The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations,
C:and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Epistle:

Galatians 4:4–7

⁴When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Gospel:

²²When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, [Mary and Joseph] brought [Jesus] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

²⁹“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
    according to your word;
³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation
    ³¹that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

³³And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ³⁵(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. ³⁹And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Message Hymn:  LBW #54 “It Came upon the Midnight Clear”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #60 “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

Fourth Sunday in Advent The Nativity of Our Lord – Christmas Eve

Sunday, December 24, 2023

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #86 “The Only Son from Heaven”

Prayer of the day: 

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.

First Reading:

2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16

¹Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, ²the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” ³And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” ⁴But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, ⁵“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? ⁶I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. ⁷In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ ⁸Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. ⁹And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ¹⁰And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, ¹¹from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. . . .

¹⁶And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”

Psalm 19:1, 4c, 5–6; antiphon: Isaiah 45:8a, b

L: Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
C: let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit.
L:The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
C: In them he has set a tent for the sun,
L: which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
C: and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
L: Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them,
C: and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
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.
L: Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
C: let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit.

Epistle:

Romans 16:25–27

²⁵Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Gospel:

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” ³⁵And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Message Hymn:  LBW #180 “My Soul Now Magnifies the Lord”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #30 “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”

Third Sunday in Advent Sunday, December 17, 2023

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #34 “Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel”

Prayer of the day: 

Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Reading:

Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11

¹The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
           because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
           he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
           and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
²to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
           and the day of vengeance of our God;
           to comfort all who mourn;
³to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
           to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
           the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
           the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
⁴They shall build up the ancient ruins;
           they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
           the devastations of many generations. . . .

⁸For I the Lord love justice;
           I hate robbery and wrong;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
           and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
⁹Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
           and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
           that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.
¹⁰I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
           my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
           he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
           and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
¹¹For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
           and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
           to sprout up before all the nations.

Psalm 85:8-9, 12-13; antiphon: Psalm 85:7

L: Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
C: and grant us your salvation.
L: Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
C: for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.
L: Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
C: that glory may dwell in our land.
L: Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
C: and our land will yield its increase.
L: Righteousness will go before him
C: and make his footsteps a way.
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.
L: Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
C: and grant us your salvation.

Epistle:

1 Thessalonians 5:16–24

¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰Do not despise prophecies, ²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good. ²²Abstain from every form of evil. ²³Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Gospel:

⁶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. . . .

¹⁹This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²²So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” ²⁴(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) ²⁵They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ²⁷even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Message Hymn:  LBW #35 “Hark, the Glad Sound!”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #25 “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers”

Second Sunday in Advent Decorating of the Tree Sunday, December 10, 2023

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #29 “Comfort, Comfort Now My People”

Prayer of the day: 

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading:

Isaiah 40:1–11

¹Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
²Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
           and cry to her
that her warfare is ended,
           that her iniquity is pardoned,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
           double for all her sins.
³A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
           make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴Every valley shall be lifted up,
           and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
           and the rough places a plain.
⁵And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
           and all flesh shall see it together,
           for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

⁶A voice says, “Cry!”
           And I said, “What shall I cry?”
All flesh is grass,
           and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.
⁷The grass withers, the flower fades
           when the breath of the Lord blows on it;
           surely the people are grass.
⁸The grass withers, the flower fades,
           but the word of our God will stand forever.

⁹Get you up to a high mountain,
           O Zion, herald of good news;
lift up your voice with strength,
           O Jerusalem, herald of good news;
           lift it up, fear not;
say to the cities of Judah,
           “Behold your God!”
¹⁰Behold, the Lord God comes with might,
           and his arm rules for him;
behold, his reward is with him,
           and his recompense before him.
¹¹He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
           he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
           and gently lead those that are with young.

Psalm 80:1,8,9,7; antiphon: Psalm 80:3

L: Restore us, O God;
C: let your face shine, that we may be saved!
L: Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock!
C: You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
L: You brought a vine out of Egypt;
C: it took deep root and filled the land.
L: Restore us, O God of hosts;
C: let your face shine, that we may be saved!
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.
L: Restore us, O God;
C: let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Epistle:

2 Peter 3:8–14

⁸But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. ⁹The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. ¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. ¹¹Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ¹²waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

Gospel:

Mark 1:1–8

¹The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

²As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way,

³the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight,’”

⁴John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Message Hymn:  LBW #36 “On Jordan’s Banks the Baptist’s Cry”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #26 “Prepare the Royal Highway”

First Sunday in Advent Hanging of the Greens Sunday, December 3, 2023

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #22 “The Advent of Our God”

Prayer of the day: 

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. 

First Reading:

Isaiah 64:1–9

¹Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
           that the mountains might quake at your presence—
² as when fire kindles brushwood
           and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
           and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
³When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
           you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
⁴From of old no one has heard
           or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
           who acts for those who wait for him.
⁵You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,
           those who remember you in your ways.
Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;
           in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
⁶We have all become like one who is unclean,
           and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
           and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
⁷There is no one who calls upon your name,
           who rouses himself to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
           and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.
⁸But now, O Lord, you are our Father;
           we are the clay, and you are our potter;
           we are all the work of your hand.
⁹Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,
           and remember not iniquity forever.
           Behold, please look, we are all your people. 

Psalm 25:1–3; antiphon: Zechariah 9:9, alt.

L: Behold, your king is coming to you;
C: righteous and having salvation.
L: To you, O Lord,
C: I lift up my soul.
L: O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame;
C: let not my enemies exult over me.
L: Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
C: they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
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.
L: Behold, your king is coming to you;
C: righteous and having salvation.

Epistle:

1 Corinthians 1:3–9

³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—⁶even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—⁷so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Gospel:

¹When they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples ²and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. ³If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” ⁴And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. ⁵And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” ⁶And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. ⁷And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. ⁸And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. ⁹And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! ¹⁰Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

Message Hymn:  LBW #28 “Savior of the Nations, Come”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #24 “Come, O Precious Ransom”

Clarification: Midweek Advent Services dates.

Clarification: Midweek Advent Services dates.

 December 6
 December 13
 December 20

Circle these dates. We hope to see you there!

Advent services correction

Advent services start Wednesday at 12:00pm and 7:30pm.  The first service is Wednesday, December 6 – Midweek Advent 1.   The theme of the Advent Season is “The Long-Awaited King is Coming!”

Last Sunday of the Church Year Sunday, November 26, 2023

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #328 “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” 

Prayer of the day: 

Eternal God, merciful Father, You have appointed Your Son as judge of the living and the dead. Enable us to wait for the day of His return with our eyes fixed on the kingdom prepared for Your own from the foundation of the world; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

First Reading:

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24                                                                              

The Lord God Will Seek Them Out

¹¹ “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. ¹² As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ¹³ And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. ¹⁴ I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. ¹⁶ I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

²⁰ “Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. ²¹ Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, ²² I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. ²³ And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. ²⁴ And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

Psalm 39:4-5, 7-8, 12; antiphon: 2 Peter 3:13 

L:  In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,

C:  the home of righteousness.

L:  O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days;

C:  let me know how fleeting I am!

L:  Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

C:  and my lifetime is as nothing before you.

L:  And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?

C:  My hope is in you.

L:  Deliver me from all my transgressions.

C:  Do not make me the scorn of the fool!

L:  Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears!

C:  For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen.

L:  In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth,

C:  the home of righteousness.

Epistle:

1 Corinthians 15:20-28                                  

²⁰ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God^[a] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Gospel:

Matthew 25:31-46                       

The Final Judgment

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Message Hymn:  LBW #556 “Herald, Sound the Note of Judgement”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #170 “Crown Him with Many Crowns”

Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Sunday, November 19, 2023

Entrance Hymn:  LBW #407 “Come, You Thankful People, Come”

Prayer of the day: 

Almighty and ever-living God, You have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You. Dispel from us the works of darkness and grant us to live in the light of Your Son, Jesus Christ, that our faith may never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

First Reading:

Zephaniah 1:7-16                                                                              

The Day of the Lord Is Near

⁷ Be silent before the Lord God!
    For the day of the Lord is near;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice
    and consecrated his guests.
⁸ 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.
⁹ On that day I will punish
    everyone who leaps over the threshold,
and those who fill their master’s house
    with violence and fraud.

¹⁰ “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.
¹¹ Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar!
    For all the traders are no more;
    all who weigh out silver are cut off.
¹² 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.’
¹³ 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.”

¹⁴ 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.
¹⁵ 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,
¹⁶     a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
    and against the lofty battlements.

Psalm 143:2, 5-6; antiphon: Psalm 143:1 

L:  Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy!

C:  In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

L:  Enter not into judgement with your servant,

C:  for no one living is righteous before you.

L:  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done;

C:  I ponder the work of your hands.

L:  I stretch out my hands to you;

C:  my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

L:  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!

C:  Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

L:  For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!

C:  In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen.

L:  Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy!

C:  In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!

Epistle:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11                                  

The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. ² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Gospel:

Matthew 25:14-30                       

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹ Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ 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.’ ²¹ 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.’ ²² 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.’ ²³ 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.’ ²⁴ 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, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ 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. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ 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. ³⁰ And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Message Hymn:  LBW #321 “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near”

Closing Hymn:  LBW #412 “Sing to the Lord of Harvest”