SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE SUNDAY January 17, 2021

Please stand as you are able. WOV: With One Voice, the blue hymn book.

LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship, the green hymn book. __________________________________________________________________________________________

Prelude Music We prepare our hearts for worship.

Welcome and the Sharing of God’s Peace

Confession and Forgiveness Page 56 LBW

LEADER: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Spirit.

ALL: Amen.

LEADER: Almighty God, to Whom all hearts are open, all desires

known, and from whom no secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of

our hearts by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, that we may

perfectly love You and worthily magnify Your holy Name, through

Jesus Christ our Lord.

ALL: Amen.

LEADER: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the

truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and

just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Silence for personal reflection.

LEADER: Most merciful God…

ALL: …we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free

ourselves. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and

deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved You with our whole heart: we have not loved

our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus

Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so

that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways, to the

glory of Your holy Name. Amen.

Announcement of forgiveness.

♫ Opening Hymn “Our Father, by Whose Name” #357 LBW

Greeting Page 57 LBW

LEADER: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and

the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

ALL: And also with you.

Prayer of the Day – Psalm 8:1-6, 9

LEADER: Let us pray.

ALL: O LORD, our Lord, Your majestic Name fills the earth!

Your glory is so great – higher than the heavens – and even

children and infants reveal Your power. Their humble cries

silence everyone who would oppose You!

LEADER: I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers –

the moon and the stars You set in place – and I wonder: “What are

mere mortals that You should think about them? Why should

Almighty God care about us human beings?”

ALL: Yet You made us only a little lower than Yourself,

crowning us with glory and honor. You trust us to care for

everything You make, putting all things under our authority.

[And so, when we treasure the life You have given us,] O LORD,

our Lord, Your majestic Name fills the earth! Amen.

First Reading Isaiah 49:14-16a

Psalm 139:1, 13-16 READER: 1 O LORD, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me. ALL: 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

READER: 14 Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.

ALL: 15 You watched me as I was being formed in seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

READER: 16 You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in Your book.

ALL: Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

Second Reading 1 John 3:4-9

♫ Reading Response Page 62 LBW

ALL: Alleluia. Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words

of eternal life. Alleluia!

♫ The Gospel, God’s Good News Page 63 LBW

LEADER: This the holy gospel of Luke, the eighteenth chapter.

ALL: Glory to You, O LORD!

Luke 18:15-17

LEADER: The Gospel of the Lord.

ALL: Praise to You, O Christ!

♫ Hymn of the Day “Children of the Heav’nly Father” #474 LBW

Message “The Sanctity of Human Life”

The Apostles Creed Page 65 LBW

ALL: 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 crucified, died, and

was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose

again. He ascended into Heaven, and is 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 Christian Church, the

communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of

the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

♫ Offering Hymn “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry” #770 WOV

♫ The Offering Response Page 75 LBW

ALL: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit

within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not

Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your

salvation, and uphold me with your free Spirit.

Prayers of the People

LEADER: LORD, in Your mercy…

ALL: …hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer Page 76 LBW

ALL: 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.

Benediction A word of blessing.

♫ Closing Hymn “Rise Up, O Saints of God” #383 LBW

Postlude We depart in peace, ready to serve the LORD!

____________________________________________________________

The Mission Statement of American Lutheran Church

Led by the Holy Spirit and strengthened by the Gospel of Jesus Christ,

we seek to make the Kingdom of God real and present in our

world through ongoing worship, witness, and service.

WELCOME TO WORSHIP!

Visitors are welcome to sign our guest book in the narthex gathering area.

If you are looking for a church home, please contact Pastor Ethan or talk to

one of the ushers about our American Lutheran Church family!

Our current prayer list includes Deb Adamek, Marlys Arenson, Olivia

Beekman, Shelly Enfer-Triebenbach, Lee Fearing, Seth Hibbs, Mark

Holman, Lyle Lubbers, Ethan Lund, Blaine and Bernice Petrie, and Laurie

Poegel.

Today’s KEYL Radio Broadcast of our worship service is sponsored by

the Jacobsen family. Thank you for supporting this ministry, ensuring God’s

Word can reach people over the airwaves!

If you would like to sponsor a broadcast, please sign up on the sheet in the

narthex. The cost is $75. Thank you!

Please consider signing up to serve as an Usher or Greeter. Sign-up sheets

are on the wall in the back of the sanctuary. See Jody Ellingson, Head Usher,

with any questions.

Bible Readings for Next Week: January 24, 2021

Job 38:1-7, 20-21 2 Peter 3:3-9

Psalm 19:1-4 John 1:1-13

Sermon Title: “A Place in the Universe”

Worship Leaders

Pastor: Ethan Fearing Organist: Ruth Zinter

Altar Guild: Betty Oliver Acolyte: Sira Christians

Deacon: Larry Adamek

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thank you to: our Pregnancy and Life Resource Center representative(s)

for sharing about that mission of American Lutheran Church with today’s

presentation/message!

The January issue of The Daily Walk and January- March copies of

Christ in Our Home are on the small table at the rear of the sanctuary.

If you have changed your address or phone number please call the

church office and let us know. We are currently updating our church

directory for 2021.

From the Nominating Committee: If you are asked by a member of the

Nominating Committee to serve in one of our church’s elected positions

(President, Vice-President, Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer,

Deacon, Trustee, Youth & Family committee, Board of Education, etc.),

please pray about it and ask for the Lord’s guidance.

Your 2020 offering envelopes can be picked up on the table by the

bulletin board in the narthex.

Looking ahead, our Annual Meeting will be Sunday, January 31st at

11:30 a.m.

CHURCH OUTREACH

Missionaries: Dan and Nancy Butkowski; Dwight and Dorothy Hazard;

Chris Mikkelson.

Prayer Partners is our confidential chain of prayer. To request a prayer,

send an e-mail to prayer@americanlutheranchurch.org. If you would like

your name added or removed from the Prayer Partners’ e-mail list, contact

Patty Ostendorf or Becky Hillig.

Our Mission Focus for January…..is Place of Hope in St. Cloud.The

Place of Hope Ministries in St. Cloud is a Residential Program which

ministers to those with chronic addiction and despair by providing a place

to rebuild, restore, and repair the broken places in their lives. It is a

Christ-centered multi-faceted ministry for those who are struggling with

poverty, hunger, homelessness, chemical or other life-controlling

addictions. When participants graduate from the six-month, residential

program, they have normally gained victory over the root causes of the life

problems that brought them to POHM. They have attained inter-

dependent self-sufficiency and are in a position to begin giving back to

their families and communities.

Weekly Report:

Worship Attendance for last week: 62

General Fund receipts for last week: $3,769.50

General Fund budgeted weekly needs: $4,918.37

General Fund Year to Date (YTD) as of 12/31/20:

Budgeted needs: $255,755.24

Receipts: $232,557.68

Actual expenses: $229,240.01

Contact Information:

Pastor Ethan Fearing (320) 874-0104

Youth & Family/Music Coordinator Kari Christians (320) 533-3021

Church Secretary Lori Zellmann (320) 732-2932

General E-mail: americanlutheranchurchlp@gmail.com

Website: americanlutheranchurch.org

Facebook Page: American Lutheran Church

Sunday Worship Livestream: on Facebook

YOUTH & FAMILY January 17th, 2021

CO

Sledding, Skating,

& S’moring!

Today at 1:00 at Chuck and Kathy Parker’s

(19180 281st Ave, Grey Eagle)

Come out and join your church family in some

outdoor fun! Bring your sleds, skates, and we’ll

have a fire going to warm up. S’mores too if you

need a snack!

TODAY! Sledding, Skating, and S’moring at Cornerstone Pines

March 6th: 2021 LCMC Youth Event (details to come!)

How’s life? Want to talk about it? Feel free to contact me. Kari Christians (320)533-3021 karichristians@yahoo.com

2021 LCMC YOUTH EVENT

Save the date!

Saturday, March 6th

A one-day virtual event with:

• a powerful message

• Inspirational music

• interactive small groups

Registration info coming soon!

Family Night Supper Update:

According to the most recent

COVID-19 restrictions released on

1/6/21, indoor events with food are

limited to no more than two

families, up to a maximum of ten

people. Therefore, family night

suppers will continue to be

suspended until further notice.

SAVE THE

DATES

Weekly Schedule at American Lutheran Church

Sun. Jan. 17th 9:00 am Worship Service

10:15 am Sunday School

10:15 am Audio/Visual Committee Meeting

Mon. Jan. 18th 7:00 pm Sarah Circle Bible Study

Tue. Jan. 19th 9:00 am Staff Meeting

6:30 pm Growing Young Meeting

Wed. Jan. 20th 11:00 am Newsletter Articles Due

2:00 pm Student Study Session

4:15 pm 1st Year Confirmation Class

6:00 pm 2nd Year Confirmation Class

6:00 pm Worship Team Practice

6:00 pm Team Kid – Grades 1-6

7:00 pm Choir Practice

Sun. Jan. 24th 9:00 am Worship Service with Communion

10:00 am Audio/Visual Presentation

10:15 am Sunday School

* Radio Broadcasting on KEYL 1400 AM and 103.1 FM, live-

streaming on Facebook, and video recordings of services posted later

on website.