Upcoming Events December 17th - December 26th

Monday Morning 8:15AM - 9:30AM

Ladies Bible Study @ Resurrection

Friday 12/18 & Tues. 12/22 7:50AM - 11AM - PreK4 11:01AM - Lunch Bunch

Next Tuesday 12/22

8:15AM-11:15AM - PreK 3 11:01 AM - Lunch Bunch

This Saturday

9AM - 10:30AM Children’s Practice

10:30AM - 12:30 Christmas for Kids

This Sunday 9AM

Children’s Worship Service 10:30

Adult Bible Class

Christmas Eve 6:30PM

Christmas Eve Service

Christmas Day 9AM

Christmas Day Worship Service

Service Teams This Sunday 12-20-15

Next Sunday 12-27-15

Greeter Teams Ned Reimer Bill Baumann

Donna Behn Lori Burrow

Fellowship Teams #7 Pierce/Deegan/Plenge/Andrews

#8 Hobson/Huebner/Moore/

Kampen

Usher Teams Korth/Appelt/Larsen/Kreutz

Goddard/Woller/Deegan/Moore

Audio/Video Annaliese Ben

Communion Preparation No Communion Cate

Offering Counting Hobson Dahl

Church Cleaning Teams Neitzel/Janikowski Dilgard

Communion Assistants No Communion Krueger/Dilgard

Simeon’s

Song of Joy!

Pastor Nathan Strutz

Vicar Eric Melso

Simeon’s

Song of Joy!

“Nunc Dimittis”

December 17, 2015 The season of Advent is one of preparation. Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means “the coming.” So in it we prepare for our Lord Jesus’ coming in the flesh at Christmas, his coming in his Word, and his coming again in glory at the end of the age. Luke’s gospel gives us more details about the birth of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus’ coming, and the birth of Jesus Christ himself, than do the other three gospels. So our special Advent series, “Songs of Advent,” focuses on three songs or poems found in Luke in which faithful people of God burst out in song under the Spirit’s inspiration when they are given good news about God’s unfolding plan of salvation. This is why these three songs, the Magnificat (the song of Mary), the Benedictus (the song of Zechariah), and the Nunc Dimittis (the song of Simeon), have had a rich variety of use in hymns and liturgies throughout the centuries of the Church’s history. We pray you benefit from their words and take comfort in their message. The Nunc Dimittis is a Simeon’s song of thanksgiving to God for fulfilling his promise to let him see the “consolation of Israel” before he died (probably referring to Isaiah 40:1ff). So when according to God’s Law in Leviticus 12 Joseph and Mary presented Jesus at the temple, Simeon, inspired by the Spirit, burst out in this prophetic song, which recognized Jesus as God’s promised salvation for all people now come in the flesh. The traditional name Nunc Dimittis comes from Latin and means “you now dismiss.” It’s derived from the first words of the song in Latin.

Christmas for Kids! - Saturday, December 19th It's time to sign up for Christmas for Kids! The program starts at 10:30am and ends at 12:30pm on Saturday, December 19th. Sign-up slips for your children are found on the table in the church entrance. Just fill out the sheet and put it in the box also located on the table. Hope to see you there! Questions or concerns email vicarmelso@rlcverona.com New Year’s Eve Worship Service - 6:30PM, Thursday, December 31st Join us for the New Year’s Eve worship service. Since New Year's Eve falls on a Thursday this year, we will have a special service with communion. This will be different from any Sunday services. Ladies Sisters in Service (SIS) event in January SIS ladies are planning to have a “midwinter get the blahs out” luncheon. It will be to plan the next several months’ activities at church. We will meet at Paoli Schoolhouse on Sunday, January 10th at 12:30. We will eat and plan and chat all together. If you are interested and would like to attend please sign up by December 31st on the sign up sheet. Reservations will be made accordingly.

Resurrection Celebrates Ten Year Facility Anniversary - Thursday, January 14th at 6:30PM and Sunday, January 17th On Sunday, January 17 at the regular 9.00 a.m. service, Resurrection will give thanks to God for ten years of the facility built to his glory. Pastor Doug Tomhave, the first pastor of Resurrection, will preach for the service, which will focus on the symbolism of the facility and its distinctive Lutheran features. Pastor Tomhave will also lead the Bible study on the history of Resurrection up to and including the facility construction. A potluck will follow Bible study at 11.30 on Sunday. Members of Resurrection who were involved in the building process will share humorous stories and anecdotes about the facili-ty construction process. Join us to give thanks and glory to God. An RSVP if you plan to attend would be appreciated, especially for the potluck. Email to resurrection@rlcverona.com

Bible New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. *Evening Prayer: Text revised from The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941. *Opening Prayer - Prayer at the Close of Day: Text for “Confession of Sins” reprinted from Lutheran Book of Worship, Ministers Desk Edition ©1978 by permission of Augsburg Fortress. Holden Evening Prayer – Psalm 141: Marty Haugen Text: © 1990, GIA Publications, Inc. Tune: © 1990, GIA Publications, Inc Reprinted under Onelicence.net License #A-710422

CLOSING HYMN: 14 “Arise, O Christian People” (in the red book under your chair)

Announcements & Upcoming Events

With Christmas coming soon, there are many events to help spread the good news of Jesus’ birth!

*CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SERVICES*

Christmas Eve candlelight worship will be held on December 24th, 6:30 p.m.

Christmas Day worship will be held on December 25th, 9:00 a.m.

Worship will be on Sunday, December 27th, 9:00 a.m.

New Year’s Eve worship with communion December 31st, 6:30 p.m.

Join us for the annual RLC Christmas Party! - Friday, December 18th The sign-up and details about the upcoming RLC Christmas party is on the bulletin board. Sign-up today! Practice for the Children’s Christmas Service - Saturday, December 19th The RLC children will be meeting 9AM-10:30, Saturday, December 19th, to practice for the Children’s Christmas Service the following day, Sunday December 20th. After the practice we will have Christmas for Kids.

OPENING HYMN: 7 “ Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers” (in the red book under your chair) Please stand OPENING VERSES CHANTED RESPONSIVELY

Cantor:

Cantor:

Cantor:

People:

People:

People:

EVENING MEDITATION Leader: Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over. Luke 24:29

People: Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:20 Leader: Your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

People: The LORD will guide you always. Isaiah 58:10,11 Leader: Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more;

People: the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end. Isaiah 60:20 Leader: On no day will the gates of the Holy City ever be shut,

People: for there will be no night there. Revelation 21:25 PRAYER Leader: Lord God, bless us tonight as we gather to hear your Word. Forgive us our sins and speak to our hearts. You came in humility and you will come again in glory. So we cry with the Spirit you have given us: Come, Lord Jesus, come!

People: Amen.

SONG OF SIMEON - NUNC DIMMITTIS

People: BLESSING

Leader:

All:

ADVENT PRAYER OF THE CHURCH Leader: Eternal Father, throughout the centuries you repeated and affirmed your promise to send the offspring of the woman to crush the serpent’s head. Through your prophets of old, you continually directed the eyes of your people to the advent of their Savior.

People: We praise you, O Lord, for keeping your promise and sending your Son to destroy the works of the devil. Leader: As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our King, use your mighty Word to shatter our pride and to rouse us from spiritual slumber and apathy.

People: Move us to take to heart the words of John: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Leader: You sent your Son to redeem us from sin. Let this good news be our joy and strength. Use it to cheer the lonely, encourage the fearful, and give hope to the despairing. In these days before Christmas, spare us from the stress of deadlines and the frenzy of commercialism.

People: Fill our lives with the message of your peace and the music of your grace. Leader: Direct our eyes not only to the manger but also to the skies, where we will see your Son coming again, not as a lowly child but as the Lord of lords.

People: Lift up our hearts in joyful anticipation of that day. Leader: Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions. Silent prayer. Leader: Come quickly, Lord Jesus, in your grace, in your power, and in your glory.

People: Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

PSALM 141 (the refrain will be sung by the congregation and the verses will be sung by the choir) Refrain: Choir: O God, I call to you, come to me now; O hear my voice when I cry to you. All: Refrain Choir: Keep watch within me, God, deep in my heart; may the light of your love be burning bright. All: Refrain. Choir: All praise to the Father, creator of life; all praise to the Christ and the Spirit of love. All: Refrain. PRAYER

Leader: Let our prayers be acceptable in your sight. Come and help us in time of need that we may sing your praise in holy joy now and forever, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

People: Amen.

LESSON: LUKE 2:28-32 NIV

28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

HYMN OF THE DAY: 17 “God’s Own Son Most Holy” (in the red book under your chair)

SERMON BASED ON: LUKE 2:28-32

Be ready to meet Jesus!

Questions to consider while listening to the sermon: 1. Are you ready to meet Jesus at the end of your life?

2. What miracles had God done to help Simeon be ready?

3. Does Simeon's attitude and posture describe us?

4. What's Christmas all about?

5. Why was Simeon ready to meet Jesus?

6. How can we be (and are we) like Simeon?

7. Jealous of Simeon?

8. Why do we sing Simeon's song after the Lord's Supper?

For further discussion/thought/reflection Talk about meeting Jesus at Christmas, in the Lord's Supper, at the end of life.

Reflect on your own readiness to meet Jesus. Then think about whom else you can help be ready this Christmas.

What about Simeon would you like to imitate? OFFERING COLLECTION * Please fill out the communication card and place it in the offering basket. Thank you.