The 22nd Sunday after the Festival of the Holy Trinity
also known as The 24th Sunday of the Pentecost Season
November 08, 2020
Children of the Light Living In A Sin-Darkened World
A young Christian woman, just out of school, began her first job. Just hours into her first day, she realized how completely unprepared she was for the things she was hearing from and seeing in her co-workers. Their language shocked her, and the lifestyles they proudly talked about enjoying… sickened her. She couldn’t wait to get done that day. When she finally got home she told her Christian parents that she was not going back the next day. She was certain that she couldn’t survive in an environment so spiritually dark as her place of work was. In the middle of her complaining about her job (and especially about her work associates), her father asked, “Where do you put a light?” She shrugged the question off; it sounded so odd and inappropriate for what she was talking about. What could “where do you put a light” possibly have to do with her problem? So, she continued to tell her parents about the horrible things she had to endure that day. Once more her father interrupted, “Where do you put a light?” “Dad, what are you talking about? You know that you put a light….in a place that’s dark.” “Exactly” said her father. “As a Christian, my daughter, you are a light for your Lord. And spiritual lights are placed in spiritually dark places. You need to go back to work tomorrow, and you need to let the light of your faith in Christ shine out before your co-workers, through the way you speak and act as a Christian, so that the men and women who work with you may see your godly works, hear your godly words, and glorify your Father in heaven.”
That father’s advice to his daughter is good advice for each of us gathered here today….and it defines our “calling” as Christians living in this sinful world as we wait for our Lord to take us home to heaven. By God’s grace in Christ, each and every one of us are “Children of the Light Living In a Sin-Darkened World.” We are here for a purpose…..God’s purpose. Having chosen us from all eternity to be His children; having guaranteed us eternal life in heaven through the redeeming work of Jesus; and having brought us into a faith-relationship with Him the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Father also has equipped and commissioned each of us for the purpose of letting our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father Who is in heaven.”
Unfortunately many Christians do a less than stellar job of letting our light shine out. In fact, there are two basic reasons many people don’t know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior: either (1) they have never met a Christian; Or (2) they have met a Christian whose light obviously didn’t shine brightly. What a shame! Consequently every Christian’s responsibility before God to live according to the light of faith in Christ, and to let faith’s light shine out from us is a very significant matter! It matters to our God. It matters for the spiritual well-being of lost and misguided souls. And it needs to matter to each of us…..
That’s why, as we move toward the end of this “Church Year” (it’s only two Sundays away….on Nov 22nd and toward the beginning of a new church year that starts on November 29th (with the First Sunday in Advent), we’re continuing the traditional Christian end-of-church-year worship focusing on the “Last Times” by giving our attention today to what the Scriptures have to say to us about the “signs” (indicators) of the world’s end that can be found in nature, society, and inside the visible church. As we give our attention this morning to these words from our God – recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, as well as in II Peter and Ephesians – it’s my prayer that all of us will recognize, on the one hand, the great challenge before us to remain faithful to our Lord in a world that is growing increasingly evil as the Day of Judgment approaches, and on the other hand, the great opportunity we have before us to let the light of our faith in Christ shine out brightly and consistently into this sin-darkened world in which God has called each of us to live as we serve Him and others.
In this morning’s First Lesson Peter shows us a number of things related to the Day of the Lord (Judgement Day): 1) many people will scoff at that the Bible teaches about Christ’s return; 2) God will come, according to His own timetable; 3) The last day will come when no one expects it; 4) the existing heavens and earth will be laid bare; 5) God will bring into being a new heaven and a new earth; and 6) since the end is coming, we must heed God’s gracious warning to be prepared for Jesus return and our heavenly inheritance.
In today’s Epistle Lesson Paul is writing to Christians in Ephesus who had known only the spiritual darkness of unbelief and ungodly living, but who – by God’s grace – recently had been brought into the light of saving faith in Christ. He encourages them (and us today) to keep on growing in their Christian faith and faithfulness, intentionally and gladly setting aside the “darkness” of their formerly godless behaviors, and instead cultivating, through God’s enabling power, the light of faith that shines out through a variety of godly qualities and actions that enhance our lives, serve others and glorify God.
In our Gospel Lesson Jesus gives His disciples some of the signs to watch which will signal the nearness of the Last Day. We will hear about natural disasters, distress in society, persecution for the church, and the falling away of many. In addition, the Gospel will continue to be proclaimed and souls will continue to added to Christ’s Kingdom. Throughout these verses are two key emphases we dare not miss: 1) that we must remain prepared for Christ’s return for judgment and deliverance; and 2) that the Lord will preserve us and His Church as we remain steadfast and continue to let the light of faith shine out from us into the sin-darkened world in which we live and serve.
And, finally this morning’s Sermon is based on I Thessalonians 5:4-9. Our theme will be “Walk as Children of the Light.” Pastor Rick Tragasz will remind us how the Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, encourages them to rejoice, pray and always give thanks – regardless of their circumstances. Here, in the close of his letter, Paul instructs them about the return of the Lord Jesus, Whose second coming to judge the world, raise the dead, and defeat Satan forever provides hope, comfort and eternal deliverance for all believers, both living and dead.
Pre-Service Prayer – O God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in Whose name I am baptized and into Whose fellowship I have been received, bless my faith this morning as I meditate on Your holy Word., Heavenly Father, thank You for all the blessings You have given me; especially for sending Your Son to die for my sins. Dear Lord Jesus, I praise You for having redeemed me from my sins by sacrificing Yourself for my sake. Holy Spirit, for having sanctified me by bringing me into the true faith and safeguarding me in this faith, I worship You today. O Triune God, through Your almighty power, graciously enable me always to believe and obey, and evermore to worship and confess You; my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Sanctifier — the One true God, eternal and all-glorious forever. Amen.
Grace Lutheran Church of Northwest Arkansas
is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, a church body which spans the United States and Canada, and which also operates a number of foreign missions.
Our Vision: Extend God’s Kingdom through His Word, serving each Soul.
Our Mission: Share the Gospel, Encourage Faith, and Prepare Souls
through Worship, Education and Fellowship.
Scripture quotations in this worship flyer, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the EVANGELICAL HERITAGE VERSION of the Bible. Copyright 2019 by the Warburg Project. All rights reserved.
The Order of Worship for November 8, 2020
Pre-service prayer
Pre-worship music
We Praise Our God
Service Introduction and Invitation to Worship
after which the Congregation will rise for
The Invocation
Pastor We begin this service in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today’s Psalm Psalm 146
P: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
C: I will praise the Lord as long as I live; + I will make music to my God as long as I exist.
P: Do not trust in human helpers, in a mortal man who cannot save you.
C: His spirit departs. + He returns to the ground he came from. + On that day, his plans have perished.
P: Blessed is everyone who has the God of Jacob as his help.
C: His hope is in the Lord his God, + the Maker of heaven and earth, + the sea, and everything which is in them.
P: He obtains justice for the oppressed. He gives food to the hungry. The Lord releases prisoners.
C: The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. + The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. +
The Lord loves the righteous.
P: The Lord watches over the aliens. The fatherless and the widow he sustains, but he turns aside the way of the wicked.
C: The Lord reigns forever. + Your God, O Zion, rules for all generations. + Praise the Lord.
after which the Congregation will be seated for
Today’s Opening Hymn “Father Who the Light of Day”
Julia Elliot, 1835; cwh 2017, alt
melody 7.7.7.7.7.7 (Fred til Bod)
Father Who the light of day Out of darkness did create,
Bless us, Lord, we humbly pray — On Your Word, we meditate
Free us from the works of night. Make us children of Your light.
Savior, Who today o’ercame The dark prison of Your tomb.
Teach us to revere Your name. Shine through all our sin and gloom.
Savior, Brother, Shepherd, Friend…..Lead us to our heav’nly end.
Blessed Spirit, Comforter, Sent to us from Christ, on high,
Lord, on us Your gifts confer…. Cleanse, illumine, sanctify.
All sin’s darkness drive away. Keep us in faith’s light, we pray. Amen.
after which the Congregation will rise as
We Make Confession Of Our Sins To God
Pastor God, our Heavenly Father, invites us to come into His presence and to worship Him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us now turn to Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness for all our sins.
Congregation Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed You in my thoughts, words, and actions; I have done what is evil in Your sight and have failed to do what is good. For this I know that I deserve Your punishment, both now and for eternity. But I am truly sorry for all my sins and trusting in the perfect life and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I plead: God have mercy on me, a sinner.
(Sung) Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Pastor Our gracious Lord and Master has shown us His mercy: He has given His one and only Son to save us from all our sins. And now, having humbly and sincerely confessed your sins before Almighty God, be strengthened in your faith, mindful that our Lord is not willing that anyone should perish eternally, but that everyone should come to repentance, turning from their evil ways and receiving from Him everlasting life. God has commanded His ministers to declare His forgiveness of sins to all who are penitent. Therefore, addressing you as a called servant of Christ, and according to His command and under His authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May the peace of God rest upon all of you. Amen.
(Sung). Glory be to God on high. And on earth peace good will to men.
We praise You. We bless You. We worship You.
We glorify You. We give thanks to You for Your great glory.
O Lord God, heavenly king. God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
You take away the sin of the world. Have mercy on us.
You take away the sin of the world. Receive our prayer.
You sit at the right hand of God the Father. Have mercy on us.
For You only are holy. You only are the Lord.
You only, O Christ, with the Holy Spirit, are most high
In the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Our Prayer for This Morning
O Precious Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, + You in Whom the Fullness of the eternal God dwells in bodily form, + We thank and praise You for Your amazing, steadfast love for sinners like us! + Though we deserve rejection – not reconciliation with Your Father, + You chose to become one of us – human in every way. + You chose to live sinlessly under Your own divine Law – and then You credited us with Your righteousness, + so that we are freed from the Law’s demands and curse, + and regarded as sinless….for Your sake! + Then, through a sacrificial love we cannot comprehend, + You took sole responsibility for all our sins. + You endured for us Your Father’s rejection of our transgressions. + You died the death of hell that we deserve. + And now, because of Your sinless life and sacrificial death + we are fully forgiven and heirs of heaven – through faith in You, our Savior. + Grow our faith in You, through Your Holy Spirit, + as we meditate on Your Word this morning, + so that we might love You more completely + and serve You more faithfully all our days. + Also – through our words and our works – + may we let the light of our faith in You shine out brightly in this sin-darkened world + that many others might believe in You and receive eternal life + because of the Christian witness that You will enable us to give them. + We ask this in Your name, dear Savior, + For, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, + You reign as the One, True, and Only God, + for ever and ever. + Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated
We Hear God’s Word
The First Lesson II Peter 3:1-13
Dear friends, this is now the second letter that I have written to you. I wrote both of them to stir up your sincere mind with a reminder 2 for you to remember the words spoken earlier by the holy prophets and the command of the Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 First, know this: In the last days scoffers will come with their mocking, following their own lusts. 4 They will say, “Where is this promised coming of his? For from the time that our fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have from the beginning of the creation.” 5 You see, what they are intentionally forgetting is that the heavens came into existence long ago by the word of God and that the earth came together out of the water and between the waters. 6 Through these waters the former world perished, when it was flooded with water. 7 And now, by that same word, the heavens and earth have been stored up for fire, since they are being kept until the day of judgment and the destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: For the Lord, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to do what he promised, as some consider slowness. Instead, he is patient for your sakes, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day the heavens will pass away with a roar, the elements will be dissolved as they burn with great heat, and the earth and what was done on it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be destroyed, what kind of people ought you to be, living in holiness and godliness, 12 as you look forward to and hasten the coming of the day of God? That day will cause the heavens to be set on fire and destroyed, and the elements to melt as they burn with great heat. 13 But according to his promise we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
The Epistle Lesson Ephesians 4:17-5:21
17 So I tell you this and testify to it in the Lord: Do not walk any longer as the Gentiles walk, in their futile way of thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their hearts. 19 Because they have no sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality, with an ever-increasing desire to practice every kind of impurity.
20 But you did not learn Christ in that way, 21 if indeed you have heard of him and were taught in him (since the truth is in Jesus). 22 As far as your former way of life is concerned, you were taught to take off the old self, which is corrupted by its deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed continually in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new self, which has been created to be like God in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Therefore, after you put away lying, let each of you speak truthfully with your neighbor, because we are all members of one body. 26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. 27 Do not give the Devil an opportunity. 28 Let the one who has been stealing steal no longer. Instead, let him work hard doing what is good with his own hands, so that he has something to share with a person who is in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come from your mouths. Say only what is beneficial when there is a need to build up others, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of every kind of bitterness, rage, anger, quarreling, and slander, along with every kind of malice. 32 Instead, be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us.
5:1 Therefore, be imitators of God as his dearly loved children. 2 And walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But do not let sexual immorality, any kind of impurity, or greed even be mentioned among you, as is proper for saints. 4 Obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking are also out of place. Instead, give thanks. 5 Certainly you are aware of this: No immoral, impure, or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, who is God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words. It is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. 7 So do not share in what they do.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, 9 for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. 10 Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord, 11 and do not participate in fruitless deeds of darkness. Instead, expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention the things that are done by people in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes things visible. 14 Therefore it is said, “Awake, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Consider carefully, then, how you walk, not as unwise people, but as wise people. 16 Make the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 For this reason, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk on wine, which causes you to lose control. Instead, be filled with the Spirit 19 by speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (singing and making music with your hearts to the Lord), 20 by always giving thanks for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 and by submitting to one another in reverence for Christ.
After which the Congregation will please rise,
out of respect for the words of Christ
The Gospel Lesson Matthew 24:1-14; 36-51
As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, his disciples came up to him to call his attention to the temple buildings. 2 Then he replied to them, “Do you see all of these things? Amen I tell you: Not one stone here will be left on another that will not be thrown down.”
3 While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?”
4 Jesus answered them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 Because many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will deceive many people. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because all these things must happen; but that is not yet the end. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 But all these things are only the beginning of birth pains. 9 Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will put you to death. You will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away from faith. They will betray each other and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because lawlessness will increase, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But whoever endures to the end will be saved. 14 This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
………36 “No one knows when that day and hour will be, not the angels of heaven, not even the Son, but only the Father. 37 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be when the Son of Man returns. 38 In fact, in the days before the flood people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the very day that Noah entered the ark. 39 And they did not realize what was coming until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man returns.
40 “At that time two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 So be alert, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: If the master of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 You also need to be ready for this reason: The Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master finds doing this when he returns. 47 Amen I tell you: He will put him in charge of all that he has. 48 But if that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will return on a day when he does not expect it and at an hour he does not know. 51 The master will cut him in two and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The 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 Ghost; Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; Was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
After which the Congregation will be seated for
Today’s Sermon Hymn Hymn 207 “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near”
1 The day is surely drawing near When God’s Son, the Anointed,
Shall with great majesty appear, As judge of all appointed.
All mirth and laughter then shall cease When flames on flames will still incrase.
As Scripture truly teaches.
2 A trumpet loud shall then resound And all the earth be shaken.
Then all who in their graves are found Shall from their sleep awaken
And with the living in that hour By the Almighty’s boundless pow’r
Be changed at his commanding.
3 A book is opened then to all, A record truly telling
What each has done, both great and small, When he on earth was dwelling,
And ev’ry heart be clearly seen, And all be known as they have been
In thoughts and words and actions.
4 Then woe to those who scorned the Lord And sought but carnal pleasures,
Who here despised his precious Word And loved their earthly treasures!
With shame and trembling they will stand And at the judge’s stern command
To Satan be delivered.
5 My Savior paid the debt I owe And for my sin was smitten;
Within the Book of Life I know My name has now been written.
I will not doubt, for I am free, And Satan cannot threaten me;
There is no condemnation!
6 O Jesus Christ, do not delay, But hasten our salvation;
We often tremble on our way In fear and tribulation.
Your saints are waiting patiently; Come soon, Redeemer; make us free
From ev’ry evil. Amen.
The Greeting
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ, our Lord! May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
Sermon Text I Thessalonians 5:4-11
4 But you, brothers, are not in the dark so that this day takes you by surprise like a thief, 5 for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep like everyone else, but rather let us remain alert and sober.
7 To be sure, those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 You see, God did not appoint us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are also doing.
Walk as Children of the Light
- The world sleeps in darkness
- But Jesus says, “Watch and be alert”
following the sermon the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for
The Post-Sermon Blessing
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, Who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, now encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Amen.
We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord
Our Offerings of Love to our Lord
Because we aren’t able to pass an offering plate today during today’s worship service, those in
attendance may leave their offerings in the offering plates by the exits at the close of our service.
For those watching today’s service, we offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:
1) You can mail a check (no cash) to the church address (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)
2) You can go to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.
We Bring Our Prayers to the Lord
In Our Special Prayers, we remember:
Mary Pudas, who remains hospitalized at Regency Rehabilitation Hospital
in Springdale, recovering from the effects of the Covid virus
The General Prayer
The Lord’s Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come
Prayer 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.
We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing
The Benediction
Pastor – The LORD bless you and keep you.
The LORD make His face to shine upon You and be gracious unto you,
The LORD look upon you with favor, and give you His peace. Amen.
The Closing Hymn Hymn 333 Abide, O Dearest Jesus”
Abide, O dearest Jesus, Among us with Your grace
That Satan may not harm us Nor we to sin give place.
Abide with Your protection Among us, Lord, our strength,
Lest world and Satan fell us And overcome at length.
Abide, O faithful Savior, Among us with Your love;
Grant steadfastness and help us To reach our home above. AMEN
Silent Prayer
Announcements
Post-service music
Announcements
Last Week At Grace Lutheran: Sunday Worship: Bible Class: Sunday School:
Budgetary Offerings: $ School Fund: $ Capital Imv: $ Benevolence: $
Birthdays This Week: Nov 9 – Carl Boettcher; Nov 9 – JoAnn Diewock;
Nov 9 – Ava Hoyord; Nov 11 – Emily Watkins;
This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church
Today Morning Worship at 9:30 a.m Sunday School/Bible Class – 15 min after
Tuesday Morning Bible Class, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Wednesday Evening Bible Class, 6-7 p.m.
Sunday Morning Worship, with the Lord’s Supper 9:30 a.m.
Sunday School/Bible Class – 15 min after Youth Confirmation, 12:00pm
Serving Us Next Sunday Elders: Steve Stone, John Johnson
Ushers: Tim Huebner, Kent Mayer, Altar Guild: Tina Wambold, Harriet Johnson
Bible Classes This Week
Our Bible Class Today will consist of a very informative overview of the books of the New Testament, led by Pastor Tragasz. Class starts approximately 15 minutes after our service concludes.
Our Tuesday morning Bible Class (10:30 to 11:30; both in-person and over-the-phone) resumes this week. We’re working through the book of 2 Samuel, and this week will study the story of Absalom’s rebellion against David. We’ll start with chapter 16.
We also have Wednesday Evening Bible classes for Women and Men (both in-person and over-the-phone). The women are studying the book of Philippians under the theme: “Joy.” The men are studying the book of James, “Real Faith Works.” For over-the-phone participation, call the Tuesday Bible class number.) Class notes for the men’s class are on the table in the entryway. We’re still looking for someone to help on Wednesday evenings in a class for children. If you can serve, speak with Debbie Huebner, or Pastor.
Thanksgiving Day Worship Looking ahead, we’d like to encourage you to make your plans now to join us in setting the tone for a “proper” Thanksgiving Day by starting November 28th off here with a special service of celebration and thanksgiving at 9:30 a.m. In addition to it being a special occasion through which you can thank the Lord for His many mercies to you, we hope that you will also look at this service as an “outreach opportunity” (since so few churches even hold Thanksgiving Day worship services), and consider inviting a friend (or friends) to join us in worship on Thanksgiving morning.
Meditations Available on the Entryway Table The upcoming quarterly edition of “Meditations,” our church body’s daily devotional booklet is available for all our worshipers today. You can find it on the small table in the main entry. Please take home a copy.