A Beautiful Sight, Seen from a Distance:

What Balaam Saw

Peace Lutheran Church 2090 Commerce Drive

North Mankato, MN 56003

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“Proclaim the wonders God has done!”

Church Staff

Church Office: 507-385-1386

Cell Phone: 507-382-6826

Email: pastorhartwig@gmail.com Website: peacemankato.com

Jesus’ Lambs at Peace Preschool

Teacher/Director: Joslyn Moldstad

Phone: 507-385-7752

Email: joslynm@chartermi.net

Divine Service – 6:30 PM

December 7, 2016 Second Wednesday in Advent

Welcome to Peace! – The purpose of our congregation is to worship God, who gives life through Word and Sacrament; to serve one another in love and fellowship; and to proclaim forgiveness and salvation to all through Jesus Christ alone.

Before Worship As you prepare to worship your Lord this evening, spend a few quiet minutes in prayer before the service. Review the lessons, the service notes, and pray this prayer:

Prayer of the Day Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the way for Your only Son. By His coming give us strength in our conflicts and shed light on our path through the darkness of this world; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

For the Children A Cry-Room is available if your little ones need a moment. It is the first room on the left as you walk into the church building. Sound and video are piped into the room to enable you to hear and see the service.

Facilities Restrooms are located down the hall and on the right side.

Peace Lutheran Church Evangelical Lutheran Synod

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Advent Vespers

A Beautiful Sight, Seen from a Distance: What Balaam Saw

The Confession of Sin P: Dearly beloved! We have come together in the presence of God our heavenly Father,

to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at His hand, to set forth His most worthy praise, to hear His holy Word, and to ask for ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are necessary for our life and salvation. O come, let us worship Him! Let us kneel and bow down before Him. Let us confess our sins with penitent hearts, and obtain forgiveness by His infinite grace and mercy.

C: Almighty and most merciful Father, we have strayed from Your ways like lost sheep. We have followed the devices and desires of our hearts. We have offended against Your holy law. We have done those things which we should not have done, and we have not done those things which we should have done. Have mercy on us, O Lord! Spare us and restore us, according to the promises You have declared to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord. For His sake grant that we may live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of Your holy name.

P: The almighty and merciful Lord has granted us pardon and forgiveness of all our sins, grace for true repentance and amendment of life, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn #87, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”

The Versicles P: O Lord, open my lips.

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P: Make haste, O God, to deliver me.

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The Psalmody – Psalm 27:1-6

P: The LORD is my light and my salvation—

C: whom shall I fear?

P: The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

C: of whom shall I be afraid?

P: When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,

C: when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

P: Though an army besiege me,

C: my heart will not fear;

P: though war break out against me,

C: even then will I be confident.

P: One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:

C: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,

P: to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

C: and to seek him in his temple.

P: For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

C: he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

P: Then my head will be exalted

C: above the enemies who surround me;

P: at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;

C: I will sing and make music to the LORD.

All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, forever more. Amen.

The Lection – Luke 1:26-38 26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord

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God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the

Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible with God.”

38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

A Responsory P: O Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Sermon Hymn: #230, “Speak, O Lord, Thy Servant Heareth”

The Sermon – Numbers 24:17 “What Balaam Saw” 17”I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.

The Offering The members of Peace Lutheran Congregation have joined together to do the Lord’s work in this community and around the world. Visitors need not feel obligated to participate in this offering which supports our ministry.

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

II Corinthians 9:7 Please fill out the Friendship Register.

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The Youth Choir, “Magnificat”

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel, God is with us.

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. Behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.

Text from Isaiah 7:14 and Luke 2:46-55; Tune: Timothy Shaw

The Prayers, beginning with The Kyrie

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The Lord’s Prayer

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The Collect P: Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent. Abide with us

and with Your whole Church. Abide with us in the end of the day, in the end of our life, and in the end of the world. Abide with us with Your grace and goodness, with Your holy Word and Sacrament, with Your strength and blessing. Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the night of fear and despair when death shall come. Abide with us and with all the faithful through time and eternity.

The Benedicamus P: Let us bless the Lord.

The Benediction P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the

Holy Spirit be with you all.

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The Closing Hymn #565, “All Praise to Thee”

Thank you to those who served in our service today: Guest Preacher: Rev. John Petersen;

The Youth Choir; Accompanist: Amanda Madson; Organist: Hannah Spivey; The ushers; Cover artwork: Don Moldstad.

To God be the Glory!

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Christmas Worship Schedule Midweek Advent Vespers – Wednesdays, 6:30PM

“A Beautiful Sight, Seen from a Distance”

12/14 5:30-6:15PM Advent Supper 6:30PM Daniel 7:13-14 “What Daniel Saw…” 12/16 6:30PM Preschool Children’s Christmas Program

12/18 8:30AM Divine Service with Holy Communion 10:45AM Sunday School Children’s Christmas Program

Worship services at 8:30 & 10:45am on December 25th and January 1st.

No Sunday School or Bible Class on December 25th and January 1st. Classes will resume again on January 8th.

No Solid Grounds Bible Study on December 20th or December 27th. Class will resume on January 3rd.

No Confirmation Class on December 28th. Class will resume on January 4th.

Christmas Eve Worship Service

6:30pm

Christmas Day Worship Service

8:30 & 10:45am

New Year’s Eve Scripture & Song Service

with Holy Communion

6:30pm