Believe What is Accomplished at Christmas

8:30 A.M.

Peace Lutheran Church

2090 Commerce Drive North Mankato, MN 56003

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“Serving Christ with united hearts and hands and voices”

Church Staff

Pastor Timothy Hartwig: 507-382-6826

Vicar Matthew Behmer 763-516-1967 Church Office: 507-385-1386

Jesus’ Lambs at Peace Preschool

Teacher/Director: Joslyn Moldstad

Phone: 507-385-7752

Email: joslynm@chartermi.net

Divine Service Sunday – 8:30 AM

December 20, 2015 Fourth Sunday 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 today, 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 Your power, O Lord, and come. Take away the burden of our sins and make us ready for the celebration of Your birth, that we may receive You in joy and serve You always; for You live and reign with the Father 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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The Divine Service

Matins, p. 109

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: #110:1-4, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

The Versicles P: O Lord, open my lips.

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

The Invitatory P: O come, let us worship the Lord.

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The Venite exultemus

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The Lesson – Micah 5:2-5a 2"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

3Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.

4He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 5And he will be their peace.

The Epistle – Hebrews 10:5-10 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7Then I said, 'Here I am-- it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.'"

8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Holy Gospel – Luke 1:39-55 39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,

40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and

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blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

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

Hymn: #113 “A Great and Mighty Wonder”

Sermon: Luke 1:39-55 Believe What is Accomplished at Christmas

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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.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

(II Corinthians 9:8) Please fill out the Friendship Register.

The Canticle Hymn: #47, “My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord”

The Prayers, beginning with The Kyrie

The Lord’s Prayer

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The Collect P: Let us pray: O Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, having safely

brought us to the beginning of this day, defend us in the same with Your mighty power and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger, but that all our doing, being ordered by Your governance, may be righteous in Your sight; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever.

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.

The Closing Hymn: #110:5-7, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

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Thank you to those who served in our service today: Organist: Amanda Madson; The ushers; Cover artwork: Don Moldstad.

To God be the Glory!

Announcements

Sunday School and Adult Bible Class meet today at 9:45am.

Thank you to the Sunday school children and to the Peace Lutheran Sunday school staff – Heidi Riehl, Ashley Olsen, Denice Woller, Darci Theiste, Jen Wosmek, Kyle Jore, Denise Geistfeld, Emily Klammer, accompanist Amanda Madson and Superintendent Mike Madson.

There will be no CROSSED tonight. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Ask your family to spend a few minutes each night to focus on God’s greatest gift - his Son who lived, died, and rose for us!

Solid Grounds Bible Study is taking a two week break. We will start again on January 5th.

Youth Choir rehearsals will take a break and resume again on Wednesday, January 6th, at 4:00pm. If your child is interested in joining, please contact Anna Tecken (atecken@blc.edu; (712) 539-8745).

Adult Choir rehearsal this Wednesdays is at 7:00pm. We will take a break and start up again on January 6th, at 7:00pm. We welcome new members! Please contact Eric Harstad (emh_music @hotmail.com) for more information.

Jesus’ Lambs at Peace Preschoolers thank everyone who participated in the Puffin Pastry Fundraiser. We sold a total of 243 boxes and raised $1,335 in profits and donations. We send God’s richest blessings to preschooler Ben Flantz and family. In January Ben will be attending preschool at St. Peter

Lutheran Preschool. We will miss you, Ben! Our second semester is right around the corner. If you would like to register your child, please call Joslyn at 385-7752.

Offering counters needed for after second service. You would only be scheduled for one Sunday per month. If you are interested or would like more information please contact Brian Koch at 605-941-5521. Please prayerfully consider if you can serve Peace in this way. Thank you.

HELP! We are in need of a few volunteers to record baptisms and the various choirs during the 10:45 service. You won't need to record the entire service - only the baptism and/or special music. If you would like to help, please contact Paul Fries (507-381-6807; paul.fries@blc.edu).

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NAVIGATORS NEEDED! We are starting a program to help new members feel at home at Peace. Only a small time commitment is involved. If you'd like to help with this important activity, we'd love to

have you! Contact the church office or Paul Fries (507-381-6807; paul.fries@blc.edu) for more information.

Group One is responsible for Sunday morning refreshments in January. The information has been posted on Volunteer Spot. (check your email or www.volunteerspot.com) Volunteer Spot is a very easy way to view where help is still needed and to sign up for bringing treats, serving or cleaning up.

To watch our services live, go to: www.peacemankato.com/live-streaming. The service will start automatically when it is live (8:30AM). For recorded services, go to www.vimeo.com/peacemankato and you can choose which service you want to watch.

Last week at Peace: Divine Worship 332 Advent Service 143

Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School Events Housing for an international student - Would your home be a good fit for an international student? Make a lasting connection with a young world traveler. Consider hosting a new MVL student from China for the Spring Semester. Contact Jason Jaspersen at jjaspersen@mvlhs.org for more information. Please respond by December 22.

One Worship service at 9:00am on December 27th.

No Sunday School or Bible Class on December 27th. Classes resume again January 3rd.

No Solid Grounds Bible Study on December 22nd or 29th. Class resumes on January 5th.

No Confirmation Class on December 23rd or 30th. Class will resume on January 6th.

Christmas Eve Divine Service

6:30pm

Christmas Day Divine Service

9:00am

New Year’s Eve Scripture & Song Service

6:30pm