The Service in PDF format is at: November 28, 2021 Service
Video of service is at: Facebook Video
Peace Lutheran Church
We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus. We are honored with your presence. If you do not have a church home, you are invited to join us regularly. Please introduce yourself to Pastor Jeremy Lucke or one of the Ushers as you leave today and sign the guest book in the entryway. We continue to observe the guidelines for health safety. If you have any questions, please see an usher. Everyone is welcome.
The ringing of the bell and the lighting of the Christ candle mark the beginning of our service and a time for quiet meditation, prayer and inward reflection as we begin our worship.
Children are welcome at our worship services. If you prefer, Peace Lutheran has a playroom equipped for children three years old and younger. The room is unstaffed and can be accessed in the fellowship hall where the service is also being live streamed for your convenience and enjoyment.
Holy Communion is celebrated every first and third Sunday and will follow the order of service in the bulletin. If you are a baptized Christian and share our faith in Jesus as Savior and have been instructed in the meaning and use of the Lord’s Supper, you are invited to partake. We have pre-wrapped communion wine or juice and wafers. We also have gluten-free wafers available. If you desire a gluten-free wafer, ask the server. May the body and blood of Jesus, present in the bread and wine, be a blessing to you.
There are times during the service when you will be asked to stand if you are able. Please feel free to remain seated if standing is difficult.
Serving You
Pastor Pastor Jeremy Lucke
Music Director Colleen Schulze
Choir Director Dan Johnson
Supt. Of Sunday School Brandy Stokes & Karyn Stanley
Admin Assistant Daniel Dusek
Parish Nurse Kathy Durling
Webmaster Jim Holroyd
Audio-Visual Johnathon Holroyd, George Abele, Nicholas Abele, Merv Munster, Haley Bentsen, Caleb Santora, Joyce Long, Aaron Bentsen, Oscar Gutbrod, Reese Grube, Rick Durling, Ingrid Hellesto, Jim Holroyd
Today, December 5, 2021
Musician Karen Motlock
Ushers Joe & Janette Payne
Flowers
Communion Janette Payne
THEME
Preparing for Christmas, we buy presents, attend social gatherings, decorate, make plans to gather with family, and some will brace for the pain of grief that can be so difficult this time of year. In the middle of all our preparing, today the voice of John the Baptist rings out, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” Undergirding all the preparing we are doing is preparing for the Lord. John calls us to “bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” In worship, we do just that. We repent. We turn again to God, seeking His mercy, receiving His forgiveness, partaking of His grace. This leads to bearing the fruit of the Spirit. John highlights the fruit of generosity and contentment. What fruit is God calling you to bear as you prepare for Christmas?
RINGING OF THE BELL
INVOCATION AND CALL TO WORSHIP
Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit,
People: Amen.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
Pastor: On the four Sundays in Advent, we light a new candle each week. We mark the four candles with these four words: hope, peace, joy, and love. Jesus Christ is the hope of all nations.
People: We wait for the Lord, and in His Word do we hope.
The first candle is lit during the Advent Song.
ADVENT SONG “My Soul in Stillness Waits”
People: For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits; truly my hope is in you.
Pastor: O Spring of Joy, rain down upon our spirits, our thirsty hearts are yearning for your Word, come, make us whole, be comfort to our hearts.
People: For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits; truly my hope is in you.
Pastor: Our help is in the name of the Lord,
People: who made heaven and earth.
Pastor: If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
People: But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
Pastor: Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in God’s infinite mercy.
Silence for reflection
Pastor: Heavenly Father,
People: have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
… HEARING GOD’S FORGIVENESS
Pastor: Jesus not only comes as an infant at Christmas and in glory at His return, but He also comes to you in words of forgiveness and life. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
PRAISE SONG “Good Christian Friends, Rejoice”
Text medieval Latin carol; tr. John M. Neale , 1818-1866, Tune: German carol, 14th, cent. ©1978 Lutheran Church in America, The American Lutheran Church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.
Good Christian friends,
rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before him bow,
and he is in the manger now.
Christ is born today!
Christ is born today!
Good Christian friends,
rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
now ye hear of endless bliss;
Jesus Christ was born for this
He has opened Heaven’s door
and we are blessed forevermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
Good Christian friends,
rejoice with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Call you one and calls you
all to gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
SERVICE OF THE WORD
Pastor: Let us pray. You are in our midst, mighty to save.
People: You rejoice over us as our loving Father.
Pastor: When we wonder if Jesus is truly the One,
People: You come to us in Your Word and refresh our souls.
Pastor: When we wander from You,
People: You remain strong and never give up on us, coming to us again and again in Word and Sacrament.
Pastor: Fill us with joy in You, that our lives radiate Your goodness to all the world;
People: through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Malachi declares the coming of a messenger
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.
3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’
Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
The Gospel Lesson: Luke 3:1-14
John the Baptist urges everyone to repent.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”
11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”
14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You O Christ.
SERMON SONG “Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful”
Text: attr. John F. Wade. c. 1711-1786; tr. composite Tune: attr. John F. Wade, c. 1711-1786
Oh, come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant!
Oh, come ye, oh,
come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the king of angels;
Chorus: Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come let us adore him,
Oh come let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
The highest most holy,
Light of light eternal,
Born of a virgin a
mortal he comes;
Son of the Father
Now in flesh appearing!
Chorus
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens
of heaven above!
Glory to God. In the highest:
Chorus
Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory giv’n!
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing:
Chorus
SERMON
Jesus: Friend of Sinners
People: 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will 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.
THE PRAYERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Pastor: As we prepare our hearts and minds for Christ’s coming, we turn to the Lord in prayer.
A brief time of silence
Pastor: O Wisdom from on high, guide Your Church throughout the world to repent – to turn each day to You, confessing our sins and being restored by You to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Move pastors and Your people to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. We pray,
People: hear us, coming Lord.
Pastor: O Desire of nations, bless the leaders of nations, our president and Congress, our governors and local leaders. Move all leaders to cease envy and boastfulness, injustice and corruption. Guide our leaders to be honorable people who do not neglect the poor and who strive toward the flourishing of all human beings. Bless those who serve in our armed forces and lift up refugees and all victims of war. Bring peace between us and our enemies and let Your peace reign over this broken world. We pray,
People: hear us, coming Lord.
Pastor: O Dayspring from on high, come to the aid of all who are in need. As You humble entered this world as a vulnerable baby, help all of us to enter humbly the lives of those who are sick, facing surgery, or dying, to offer comfort and hope, [especially…]. Bring healing according to Your will and peace to those whose suffering endures. Thank You for the work of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who work toward healing and restoration of wholeness. Guide scientists searching for cures for diseases that bring suffering to the world that their work might lead to healing for many. We pray,
People: hear us, coming Lord.
Pastor: O Key of David, let Your joy, forgiveness, and peace flow freely in and among the families of this congregation. Empower parents and grandparents to love their children and children to love their parents. Watch over all who travel and comfort families who are separated by many miles. Guide families to be places where Your love is demonstrated to strangers as well as to friends. We pray,
People: hear us, coming Lord.
Pastor: Into Your hands, Lord Jesus, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your ever-present mercy.
People: Amen.
THE 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
COMMUNE TOGETHER
POST COMMUNION PRAYER
Pastor: Let us pray. We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
CLOSING BLESSING
CLOSING SONG “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer”
Text: William Williams, 1717-91, abr.: tr. Peter Williams, 1722-96, st. 1, alt: tr. William Williams, 1717-91, sts. 2-3 Music: John Huges, 1873-1932 Copyright: Public Domain
Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more.
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fiery, cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer, strong deliverer
Be thou still my strength and shield.
Be thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs of praises, songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.
I will ever give to thee.
Pastor: Go in Peace! Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!
Announcements
Vina Moses Donations. The Vina Moses Center provides relief and builds resilience in underserved communities in Benton County. Peace is again supporting this mission during this holiday season and Sunday. Today, December 5, is designated as the donation day for Vina Moses. The gift sheets are attached to the windows in the narthex. For more information, please contact George Abele or Todd Muhly.
Bring Some Holiday Cheer to Those in Need. Philomath Community Services is again collecting baskets of hygiene items for people in need in the Philomath area this holiday season. A list of items needed is posted in the Narthex. Please bring whatever you can to support our community. Items need to be brought to the church not later than Monday, December 6. Thank you for helping support this mission.
Corvallis Nativity Festival. The 28th annual Corvallis Nativity Festival will be held Dec 3-7 at 4141 NW Harrison Blvd in Corvallis. The displays are indoors and free to view. If you have a special nativity that you would like to place on display, please see the instructions on the bulletin board in the Narthex.
Ladies Aid Christmas Brunch. You are invited Bethlehem Lutheran Church located at 434 E. Grant St. Lebanon, OR 97355 on Saturday Morning, December 11 at 10:00am. If you would like to attend, please contact Diane Sease at (541) 657-8469 or [email protected].
Advent Services. We will continue Advent midweek services this Wednesday, December 8, at 7:00pm. The last midweek service will be December 15 at 7:00pm. We will be following the Holden Evening Prayer format. These services will not be live streamed so you will need to attend in person.
