Today’s Theme – “Catch Me!”

Final Trinity Theme –

“What have we learned about

Our Amazing God?”

Trinity 24

Sunday, November 18, 2012

WELCOME… thanks so much for choosing to worship with

us today. If you need anything please speak to a pastor or

one of the ushers.

CONTACT INFORMATION…

Phone – (608) 839-3770

Email – info@abidingshepherd.org

Website – www.abidingshepherd.org

Facebook – Like us @ www.facebook.com/abidingshepherd

Twitter – follow us @ http://twitter.com/abidingshepherd

SNACKS… please help yourself to some

refreshments before and after the service.

WORSHIP CARDS… if you are a first-time

guest, or if you didn’t get a chance to fill out

a card on your last visit, please take a

moment to fill out one of our guest cards,

then place it in the offering plate after

today’s sermon.

FOR YOUR CHILDREN… we have coloring bulletins in

the lobby on the table. There are changing tables in the

handicapped stalls of each restrooms. Please also feel free

to make use of the Little Lambs Room off the lobby if you

would like more privacy with your child(ren).

Prayer Board (early) & Prayer Sheets (late)

Opening Prayer

Pastor – O Lord, our Maker, Redeemer and

Comforter, we are assembled in Your

presence to hear Your holy Word. We ask

You to open our hearts by Your Holy Spirit,

so that through the preaching of Your Word

we may be taught to repent of our sins, to believe on

Jesus in life and in death, and to grow day by day in

grace and holiness. Hear us for Christ’s sake. Amen.

How Firm A Foundation

How firm a foundation, O saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!

What more can he say than to you he has said

Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

In ev'ry condition, in sickness, in health,

In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth,

At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea --

The Lord, the Almighty, your strength e'er shall be.

"Fear not, I am with you. Oh, be not dismayed,

For I am your God and will still give you aid;

I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

"When through the deep waters I call you to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow,

For I will be with you your troubles to bless

And sanctify to you your deepest distress.

"Throughout all their lifetime my people shall prove

My sov'reign, eternal, unchangeable love,

And then, when gray hair shall their temples adorn,

Like lambs they shall still on my shoulders be

borne."

Confession & Absolution of Our Sins

Pastor - Our dear Lord invites us to come

before Him and make confession of our

sins. He has promised pardon and

peace for all who repent and trust in His

forgiveness. Trusting in His mercy, let us

humbly confess our sins. I ask you in the

presence of God who knows our hearts:

Do you confess that you have sinned,

and do you desire the Lord’s forgiveness?

If so then answer: “I DO”

Do you believe that Jesus Christ has

redeemed you from all your sins by His

perfect life and His sacrificial death on

the cross?

If so then answer: “I DO”

Upon your confession, by virtue of my

office as a called and ordained servant of

the Word, I announce to you the grace of

God, and in the stead and by the

command of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive

you all your sins in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you. Amen.

Gloria

Glory be to God the Father,

Glory be to God the Son,

Glory be to God the Spirit,

Great Jehovah, Three in One!

Glory, glory, While eternal ages run!

Prayer for the Day Pastor – Heavenly Father, You have made us. You take

care of us. You guard and keep us. You give us eternal

life through the gift of faith. So why do we so often

struggle to trust You? Why do we find reasons to doubt

You? Why do we, at times, run away from You?

Lord, You know the weakness and darkness of our

sinful hearts. Forgive us our small faith and bless us with

an ever-increasing trust in You as our amazing God.

Amen.

We learn from the Scriptures

2 Kings 5:1-15b Now Naaman was commander of the army of the

king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his

master and highly regarded, because through him the

LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant

soldier, but he had leprosy.

2 Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken

captive a young girl from Israel, and she served

Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my

master would see the prophet who

is in Samaria! He would cure him of

his leprosy.”

4 Naaman went to his master and

told him what the girl from Israel

had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the

king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of

Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of

silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of

clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel

read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman

to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore

his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring

back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me

to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick

a quarrel with me!”

8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of

Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message:

“Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come

to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his

horses and chariots and

stopped at the door of

Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent

a messenger to say to him,

“Go, wash yourself seven

times in the Jordan, and

your flesh will be restored

and you will be cleansed.”

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought

that he would surely come out to me and stand and

call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand

over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not

Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better

than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in

them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in

a rage.

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My

father, if the prophet had told you to do some great

thing, would you not have done it? How much more,

then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and

be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down

and dipped himself in the Jordan

seven times, as the man of God

had told him, and his flesh was

restored and became clean like

that of a young boy.

15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to

the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I

know that there is no God in all the world except in

Israel.

Matthew 18:1-4 At that time the disciples came to Jesus

and asked, “Who is the greatest in the

kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child and had him

stand among them. 3 And he said: “I tell

you the truth, unless you change and

become like little children, you will never

enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore,

whoever humbles himself like this child is

the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Confession of our Faith (Apostles’ Creed)

I believe in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, His 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 into hell;

The third day He rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of God the

Father Almighty;

from there He shall come to judge the living

and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of

Saints,

the Forgiveness of sins,

the Resurrection of the body,

and the Life everlasting. Amen.

Oh, For A Faith That Will Not Shrink

Oh, for a faith that will not shrink

Though pressed by many a foe,

That will not tremble on the brink

Of poverty or woe,

That will not murmur nor complain

Beneath the chast'ning rod,

But in the hour of grief or pain

Can lean upon its God,

A faith that shines more bright and clear

When tempests rage without,

That, when in danger, knows no fear,

In darkness feels no doubt,

That bears unmoved the world's dread frown

Nor heeds its scornful smile,

That sin's wild ocean cannot drown

Nor Satan's arts beguile,

A faith that keeps the narrow way

Till life's last spark is fled

And with a pure and heav'nly ray

Lights up the dying bed.

Lord, give us such a faith as this,

And then, whate'er may come,

We'll taste e'en now the hallowed bliss

Of an eternal home.

Sermon - Luke 18:15-17 - “Catch Me.” People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have

him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they

rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him

and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do

not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to

such as these. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not

receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never

enter it.”

Prayer & Lord’s Prayer 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.

Gathering of the Thank-Offerings & Tithes

Shawl Blessing Ceremony

Closing Hymn (next page)

Closing Prayer Pastor - Lord, we offer to You our heartfelt thanks that

You have taught us what You would have us believe

and do. Help us, O God, by Your Holy Spirit, for the sake

of Jesus Christ, to keep Your Word in pure hearts, for

through it our faith is strengthened, our lives renewed,

and we are comforted in life and in death. Amen.

All Depends On Our Possessing

All depends on our possessing

God's abundant grace and blessing,

Though all earthly wealth depart.

They who trust with faith unshaken

In their God are not forsaken

And e'er keep a dauntless heart.

He who to this day has fed me

And to many joys has led me

Is and ever shall be mine.

He who ever gently schools me,

He who daily guides and rules me,

Will remain my help divine.

Many spend their lives in fretting

Over trifles and in getting

Things that have no solid ground.

I shall strive to win a treasure

That will bring me lasting pleasure

And that now is seldom found.

Well he knows what best to grant me;

All the longing hopes that haunt me,

Joy and sorrow, have their day.

I shall doubt his wisdom never

As God wills, so be it ever --

I to him commit my way.

THANK YOU to those who helped serve us today...

Music – Mark Hoenecke

Ushers – Karow family

Hospitality Helpers – Reason, Finger, Speidel families

CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK…

Today – 8:45 am – Social / Snack time

9:00 am – Worship

10:00 am – Social / Snack time

10:10 am – Sunday School / Choir Practice

10:45 am – Worship

6:00 pm – WOMEN’S ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT

6:00 pm – E.P.I.C. Youth Ministry

Monday – 10:00 am – Staff Meeting

7:00 pm – Contemporary Worship

Wednesday – 7:00 pm – THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE

Next Sunday

8:45 am – Social/Snack Time

9:00 am – Worship Service with Communion

10:00 am – Social / Snack Time

10:10 am – Sunday School / Choir Practice

10:45 am – Worship Service with Communion

5:30 pm – Hecht / Cleven Small Group

6:00 pm – E.P.I.C. Youth Ministry

Next Monday – 7:00 pm – Worship with Communion

~ OUR MISSION ~

Bring them in! Lift them up! Send them out!

~ OUR VISION ~

Every Member in the Word!

Every Member a Servant!