December 15, 2019

Welcome to West Prairie Lutheran Church! Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)

Our Mission Statement: To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all through Worship, Education, Outreach and Fellowship

Worship Service for the Third Sunday of Advent 8:30 am, December 15, 2019

Welcome to our visitors! The people of this congregation welcome you as you join us in worship this morning. Please sign the register located in each pew so that we can be made aware of your presence. If you have questions or are interested in hearing about membership, please see the pastor or contact the church office.

Prelude

Pastoral Greeting

Lighting of the Advent Candles Please stand if you are able.

Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness .............page 77

Opening Hymn, Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming ....... Grey Book #174

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

Congregation: And also with you.

Prayer of the Day

ALL: Almighty God, You once called John the Baptist to give witness to the coming of Your Son and to prepare His way. Grant us, Your people, the wisdom to see Your pur-pose today and the openness to hear Your will, that we may witness to Christ’s coming and so prepare His way; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

You may be seated.

FIRST LESSON: Isaiah 35:1-10 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilder-

ness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst in-to bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.

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Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you.”

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The un-clean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Here ends the Old Testament lesson.

Psalm 146 (Responsively) L: Praise the Lord. C: Praise the Lord, my soul. L: I will praise the Lord all my life; C: I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. L: Do not put your trust in princes, C: in human beings, who cannot save. L: When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; C: on that very day their plans come to nothing. L: Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, C: whose hope is in the Lord their God. L: He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— C: He remains faithful forever. L: He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to

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the hungry. C: The Lord sets prisoners free, L: the Lord gives sight to the blind, C: the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. L: The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, C: but He frustrates the ways of the wicked. L: The Lord reigns forever, C: your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord.

SECOND LESSON: James 5:7-11

Patience in Suffering Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s

coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valu-able crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sis-ters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have per-severed. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of com-passion and mercy.

This is the Word of the Lord. Please stand.

Alleluia ...................................................................................................................... page 83

The Gospel: Matthew 11:2-15

Response: Glory to You, O Lord ...............................................page 83 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of

the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is any-one who does not stumble on account of me.”

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilder-ness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raid-ing it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Response: Praise to You, O Christ ............................................................. page 83 You may be seated.

Sunday School Christmas Program - “Christmas Hope”

Program and cast listing are on the back of the bulletin.

Angels, from the Realms of Glory .............................. LBW #50 vs 1&2

During Act 1: Congregation sings one verse between scene changes.

End of Act 1: Away in a Manger ......................................... LBW #67

Epilogue: Pastor Scalisi

Hymn: The Star Carol ................................................... Grey Book #201

Please stand.

Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven

and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was

conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cruci-fied, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is

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seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the res-urrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Pastor: The Peace of the Lord be with you always.

Congregation: And also with you.

Pastor: Let us share the Peace of the Lord with each other.

You may be seated.

Offering Please stand.

Offertory, Create in Me ................................................................ page 96

Pastor: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

Congregation: Hear our prayer.

Pastor: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Congregation: Amen

The Lord’s Prayer ....................................................................... page 97

Benediction .................................................................................... page 97

Congregation: Amen

Closing Hymn, Hark, the Glad Sound!.............................................. LBW #35

Pastor: Go in peace. Serve the Lord.

Congregation: Thanks be to God!

Postlude

Worship Leader: Pastor Tony Scalisi

Pianist: Janet Vinson

Lectionary: Lanette Branstad

Usher: Jan and Julie Reimann

Acolyte: Ushers

Email: info@westprairiechurch.com www.westprairiechurch.com

Friend us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/westprairie

ANNOUNCEMENTS Today . . . 9:30 am Fellowship Coffee/Meet the Cast and Crew 9:45 am Adult Sunday School

Next Sunday, December 22 . . . 8:30 am Worship Service with Holy Communion 9:30 am Fellowship Coffee Sunday School will resume in January 2020.

Tuesday, December 24 . . . 7:30 pm Candlelight Christmas Eve Joint Worship Service with Holy Communion at West Prairie

Wednesday, December 25 . . . 8:30 am Christmas Day Joint Worship Service with Holy Communion at Sion Lutheran in Lake Mills

Prayer List Jonie Bang, Alan Goranson, Chuck Holland, Denise Holst, Ralph Holst, Brittney Hawke, Dorothy Kall, Edora Reil, Roger Peterson, Rozella Hagen, Karen Johns; the mission of GoServ Global; Angela Haugen in the military.

Prayer Request and Messages To speak with Pastor Scalisi, leave a message, request a visit and/or prayer, or an emergency, please call 641-529–9476 or email to Pastor at arscalisi@outlook.com; or you may leave a message on the church answering system @ 641-567-3733.

Weather Related Worship Cancellation: Tune in to KIOW 107.3 or watch Channel 2 TV for service cancellation.

Worship Time Change: Worship at West Prairie January through April 2020 will be at 11:00 am, 9:30 am Sunday School for all ages, 10:15 am Fellowship Coffee. Sion Lutheran in Lake Mills - worship at 8:30 am.

Bulletin Announcements: Please leave a message on the church phone 641-567-3733 or send an email to info@westprairiechurch.com.

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Sunday School Christmas Program West Prairie Lutheran Church 8:30 am, December 15, 2019

“Christmas Hope”

CAST: Mom Madison Branstad Son Jack Holland Daughter Gabby Branstad Mary Teryn Branstad Joseph Zeke Reimann Angel Sarah Kirschbaum Isaiah Pastor Scalisi Manger Scene Wyatt & Waylon Bromeland Shepherds/Wisemen (actors not in scene) Act I Scene 1: Home; decorating the Christmas tree.

C: Angels, from the Realms of Glory................................LBW #50 vs 1 Scene 2: Mary, Joseph and the Angel

C: Angels, from the Realms of Glory................................LBW #50 vs 2 Scene 3: Home; setting up nativity.

Scene 4: C: Away in a Manager................................LBW #67 Act II

Scene 1: Home; mom and children.

Scene 2: Isaiah speaks.

Scene 3: Home; mom and children.

Directors: Jodi Fjeld and Sarah Kirschbaum

Lighting, Sound, Projection: Terry Durby

Written by: Tony Kummer

Thank you... ...to our hardworking, talented and motivated actors for bringing the Christmas story to life this morning. Please join us in the Fellowship Hall following the worship service where you will have the opportunity to meet the cast and crew and enjoy refreshments!