The 24th Sunday of after Trinity

 the 26th Sunday of the

Pentecost Season

at Grace Lutheran

Church & Academy

 

Our “More Beyond”

Faith’s Goal:   Heaven

 

           In Valladolid, Spain, where Christopher Columbus died in 1506, a monument stands commemorating the great discoverer.  The most interesting feature of the memorial is a carving of a lion destroying one of the Latin words that had been part of Spain’s motto for centuries. Before Columbus made his voyages, the Spaniards thought they had reached the outer limits of earth. Thus their motto was “Ne Plus Ultra,” which meant “No More Beyond.” The word being torn away by the lion is “ne” or “no,” making it read “Plus Ultra.” Columbus had proven that there was indeed “more beyond.”     We know that too, don’t we?   That there is “more beyond”…..not in connection with what’s still undiscovered on this earth, but in connection with what lies beyond this life for every believer in Christ: namely, everlasting life in God’s home – and ours – heaven…..a place of peace, perfection, “Paradise restored,” and being in the presence of God forever.   

           Isn’t that where you’d rather be?  And you will be in heaven, by God’s grace, through faith in Christ our Savior.

           A dying man asked his Christian doctor to tell him something about the place to which he was going. As the doctor fumbled for a reply, he heard a scratching at the door, and he had his answer. “Do you hear that?” he asked his patient. “It’s my dog. I left him downstairs, but he has grown impatient, and has come

up and hears my voice. He has no notion what is inside this door, but he knows that I am here. Isn’t it the same with you? You don’t know what lies beyond the Door, but you know that your Master is there….and that’s enough to satisfy you.”            Actually, we know very little about heaven.   However, a prominent  theologian once aptly described it as “an unknown region with a well-know Inhabitant.”   I don’t know that there’s any better way to describe heaven than that.
     “Is there a heaven?” “Where is heaven?”   “What’s heaven like?”   And, “Who goes to heaven?”   Those are just some of the questions that people have as death takes their loved ones away, as well as when they ponder what lies beyond the grave for themselves and the rest of us.   The views vary.   

           Some people have convinced themselves that the only life is the “here and now,” and that there’s nothing whatsoever beyond this life.   Others believe that a person’s spirit returns to earth in another form (or incarnation) – which form depends upon whether you were good or bad in that previous life.    Some religions (like Islam and Mormonism, among others) maintain that faithful obedience to their various principles/rules will earn the devout a preferred place in the next life – in the case of Mormonism, the “faithful” receive a “planet” to rule over as a god in the next life.  Then there’s Buddhism’s view (similar to that of other eastern religions):  that there really is no “heaven” per se, but that through death the deceased’s spirit (if he/she lived a devout, enlightened life on earth) escapes the prison of the physical and becomes part of the greater cosmic consciousness (….whatever that means!). 

           Unfortunately, there are also misguided, legalistic Christians who teach that eternal life in heaven requires more than faith in Jesus;   it has to be earned, they maintain, by a person’s goodness on earth, or is denied based on his/her badness – though they’re often vague about what constitutes “good” enough, and what is sufficiently “bad” enough.     There are also folks who believe that everyone (or almost everyone) will go to heaven, because God is going to let (almost) everybody in.  

           Yes, there are plenty of perspectives on what heaven is, and what

heaven isn’t………but they’re not all correct;   they can’t possibly be.   In fact, none of the aforementioned are right – which includes those views “lathered” in Christian terminology and proclaimed from some “Christian” pulpits and podiums.

           However, you and I can be certain not only that there is a heaven, we can also be sure of what heaven will give us and why we will be there……..provided we simply believe what God teaches us in His Word about heaven, and about the only way to heaven:   namely, through faith in Christ Jesus, God the Son and our Savior from sin. 

           Whenever the believing Christian, who accepts without questioning what the Bible has to say, pauses to think about heaven, those thoughts are always going to be amazing, precious and comforting.   We Christians love to hear about heaven.  We often talk about it.   And, by God’s grace, through faith in Christ Jesus, heaven is the home which we are certain we will occupy for all eternity!   “I can’t wait until I get to heaven!” is the sincere and confident cry of every Christian’s heart and soul.   And when we gather for Christian funerals – even with our personal losses, keen though they might be at the moment – we gather with joy in our hearts and souls, grateful that God has called another brother or sister in Christ “home” to heaven.

           Of course, since heaven is the dwelling place of the LORD, whatever knowledge we have of heaven can only come to us from the Bible – which is God’s exclusive revelation of spiritual and heavenly things to mankind.   Without this divine revelation we wouldn’t even know that there is a heaven!    What’s more, if our LORD had not spoken to us in His Word about His abiding love for us all in Christ Jesus, not one of us here could ever say with any confidence, “When my body dies, I know that the real me will still be alive, because I will have passed on from this mortal life to eternal life in heaven.”    ……..But because God has spoken the absolute truth to us in His Word, and because He has sent His Son to be our Savior, we know that heaven is a guaranteed destination for all of us who believe in this one, true, Triune God.

           And so this morning we’ll turn – as we always do in our worship services – to what God’s own written revelation has to say to each one of us concerning heaven.   May these precious truths provide each of us with comfort as we contend with death, and with confidence as we look forward to our eternal, heavenly future….one which God has promised and will certainly provide for all who are part of His Church on earth.

 

Today’s Scripture Lessons

           In today’s Old Testament Lesson, using language that is clearly figurative, the inspired prophet Isaiah gives us a description of heaven as a place of peace, contentment, and joy — a concept which is entirely foreign, yet very encouraging, to us living in this sin-corrupted world.           In our Epistle Lesson John gives us another inspired vision of what heaven will be like, this time describing it as a place where the LORD is endlessly praised and worshiped by the saints (believers) and angels.  Thus, as we praise Him here today and through our lives, so we will praise God eternally in heaven.

           Today’s Gospel Lesson is Jesus’ familiar story of the Rich Man and Poor Lazarus.   Of particular interest to us this morning is the comfort that Lazarus, having lived and died as a believer in the LORD, received in heaven.   His earthly woes forever past, Lazarus would know only the peace, perfection and pleasure of everlasting life in heaven.   When life’s labors end for us, we too – dying in faith in Christ, by God’s grace – will live forever in the Paradise that heaven is.

           Through our Children’s lesson today we’ll talk about why heaven is the place where every Christian – regardless of age – should eagerly look forward to living.

Finally, our Sermon for today will consider in more detail the

Biblical doctrine (teaching) of heaven – specifically, what heaven will be like, and so what we can look forward to as we live out our lives of faith in Christ here on earth.  

.

The Final Weeks of the Church Year

           This morning’s worship service finds us at the second- last Sunday

of the Church Year.   Over the last three weeks of the “Church Year,” Christian congregations like ours traditionally focus on Biblical topics and themes dealing with the Last Times.   Those themes include our being spiritually prepared for the Lord’s Return, the signs that the end of the world is close at hand, the events of Judgement Day, the reality of hell and its agonies. our anticipation of the glories of heaven, and our assurance of eternal life in heaven, and the truth of the bodily resurrection on the Last Day.    

           As you might recall, the Church Year is an ancient Christian arrangement that is not the same as our secular, “Calendar Year” (Jan 1 to Dec 31).   The Church Year begins either in late November or early December with the season of Advent (a four week time of preparation and anticipation for celebrating Christ’s birth).   Advent is followed by the Christmas Season, the Epiphany Season (when we typically focus on various Scriptural proofs of Christ’s deity),  the Lenten Season (with its penitential emphasis on our sins that necessitated Christ’s sacrifice), and the Easter Season (during which we celebrate Christ’s resurrection and the various assurances it gives us).   Those five “seasons” comprise what is known as “The First (or Festival) Half” of the Church Year, running from approximately December through May.  

     With the arrival of the Summer months and stretching through the Fall, we enter the second part of the Church Year, which is alternately referred to as either “The Trinity Season” or “the Pentecost Season.”  (The Festival of Pentecost always comes one week before the Festival of the Holy Trinity.)   Sometimes it’s also called the “Non-Festival Portion of the Church Year.”    Also roughly 6 months long, it covers between 24 and 27 Sundays (this year it is 27 Sundays long), depending on when Easter falls in the spring.   This second part of the Church year, as noted earlier, always concludes with three to four Sundays during which Christians study what God’s Word tells us about the end of our lives as well as about the impending end of the world.   As we did last Sunday, so this morning (and next week) we are following that custom in our worship services. 

 

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.

 

The portions of God’s Word used in this worship flyer have been taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version    Copyright 2019,  

The Wartburg Project, Inc.   All rights reserved.   Used with permission

Music and lyrics, as needed, are used with permission via OneLicense.net #A712831

 

 

Pre-Service Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, be present now,

Our hearts in true devotion bow,

Your Spirit send, with grace divine, 

And let Your truth within us shine.

Unseal our lips to sing Your praise

Our souls to You in worship raise.

 Make strong our faith, increase our light

That we may know Your name aright.   Amen.

 

 

Pre-service prayer

Pre-worship music                                                                                                                                            

 

Pre-Worship Hymn Singing, beginning at 9:25 a.m.

 

Let Us Praise The Lord

 

Welcome and Introduction to Worship

 

at the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise for

 

Invocation           We begin this service in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

 

Our Psalm for Today                                                                                                                         Psalm 126

 

P:         When the LORD restored the captives to Zion,                    

     C:        we were like dreamers.

  • Then our mouths were filled with laughter,

 

  • and our tongues with songs of joy.

 

  • Then they said among the nations,

 

  • The LORD has done great things for them.”

 

  • The LORD has done great things for us,

 

  • We are glad.

 

  • Restore our fortunes, O LORD,

 

  • like the dry gulches of the Negev.

 

  • Those who sow with weeping

 

  • will reap with joyful shouts.

 

  • The one who walks along weeping, carrying a bag of seed to sow,

 

C:        will come back again with joyful shouts carrying his sheaves.

After which the Congregation will be seated for

 

The Opening Hymn                                                              Hymn 230 “Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now”

 

                                                                                                                                                                           

After which the Congregation will rise

 

Hear Us and Forgive Us, Lord

 

Pastor –    “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.                   

 

Congregation        “And also with you.”

 

Pastor –    “God invites us to come into His presence and worship Him with humble and penitent hearts.  Therefore, let us now turn to

Him, acknowledging our sinfulness and seeking His forgiveness.

 

Congregation –    “Holy and most merciful Father,     I confess that I am by nature sinful, and that I have disobeyed you in my

thoughts, words, and actions; Each day I turn away from Your Will.    I have left undone those things which  You have asked me to do,    and I have done those things which You tell me not to do.    I do not love You or my neighbor the way I should.     Because of these,    and all of my other sins,    too numerous for me to recall,    I acknowledge that I deserve nothing less than Your punishment      both now and for eternity.  But I am truly sorry for the evil that I have thought, spoken, and done,     and trusting in the perfect life,   and innocent death of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I pray:    Lord, forgive me all my sins,      restore to me the joy of Your salvation,   and strengthen my weak faith through the promises of Your divine Word     that I may obtain Your promised grace.

 

Pastor –    “Find comfort for your souls, then, in these words of our Lord:  ‘If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just,  and will purify

us from all unrighteousness,  because we have One Who speaks to the Father in our defense — Jesus Christ, the Righteous  One.   We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.’   And now, upon this, your voluntary confession,  I, because of my office as a called servant of God’s Word,  announce the grace of God to all of you.  And, in the place of, and according to the command of my Lord Jesus Christ,  I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.   May the peace of God be with you.  Amen.”

 

 

Our Response To God’s Forgiveness

 

ALL sing:                                                                             to the tune of “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”

 

All praise, eternal Son, to Thee

For Thy forgiveness, full and free,

He, who by grace, this truth believes

The blessings of Christ’s love receives

 

Praise God the Father, God the Son

And God the Spirit,   Three in One,

As ’twas, is now, and so shall be

World without end,  eternally!     Amen.

 

 

Lord, Have Mercy Upon Us

 

Pastor      For all that we need in life, Lord God, hear our prayer.   We pray for the wisdom to use everything You have made with God-pleasing responsibility, gratitude and joy:

 

Congregation Lord, have mercy upon us!

 

Pastor      We pray for the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate

                 us from Your love:

 

Congregation Christ, have mercy upon us!

 

Pastor      We pray for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil:

 

Congregation Lord, have mercy upon us, as we place our trust in You.

 

Pastor      Merciful God, Maker and Preserver of life, uphold us by Your power and keep us always in Your gracious care.

 

Congregation Amen.

 

 

after which the Congregation will be seated for

 

Feed Us, Lord

 

The Old Testament Lesson                                                                                                       Isaiah 65:17-25

 

17 Watch this! I am about to create new heavens and a new earth.  The former things will not be remembered.    They will not come to mind. 18 Instead, rejoice and celebrate forever, because of what I am creating. Watch this! I am about to create Jerusalem to be a source of gladness, and her people will be a source of joy. 19 I also will be glad because of Jerusalem,   and I will rejoice over My people. The sound of weeping will not be heard in her again,   nor will the sound of crying. 20 There will never again be an infant there who lives for only a few days, or an elderly man who does not fill out all his days, for one who dies at a hundred will be considered a young man, and one who fails to attain the age of one hundred will be regarded as cursed. 21 Then they will build houses and live in them. They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.  22 They will not build a house and have another person live in it.  They will not plant and have another person eat the crop, for the days of My people will be like the days of a tree, and My chosen ones will enjoy all the work of their hands.

23 They will not labor only to receive nothing, and they will not give birth to children doomed to disaster, for they will be offspring who are blessed by the Lord, and their descendants will be with them. 24 Then even before they call, I will answer.   While they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will graze together,   and lions will eat straw like  cattle,

but the serpent will eat dust as its food.  They will not harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain, says the Lord.

 

The New Testament Lesson                                                                                                 Revelation 19:1-9

 

After these things I heard what seemed to be the loud sound of an immense crowd in heaven, saying: “Alleluia!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,  2 for his judgments are true and just, because he has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged his servants’ blood that was shed by her hand.   3  A second time they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”

 

4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures bowed down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

5 And from the throne came a voice that said, “Praise our God, all you his servants and you who fear him, small and great.”  6 And I heard what seemed to be the roar of a large crowd or the roar of many waters or the sound of loud rumblings of thunder, saying: “ Alleluia! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.  7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory, because the wedding of the Lamb has come. His bride has made herself ready, 8 and she was given bright, clean, fine linen to wear.  (In fact, the fine linen is the “not guilty” verdicts pronounced on the saints.)

 

9 The angel said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

 

After which the Congregation will rise for

 

The Gospel Lesson                                                                                                                     Luke 16:19-31

 

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A beggar named Lazarus had been laid at his gate. Lazarus was covered with sores and 21 longed to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Besides this, the dogs also came and licked his sores. 22 Eventually the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell,[g] where he was in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus at his side. 24 He called out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in misery in this flame.’

 

25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in misery. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been set in place between us and you, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’   27 “He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s home, 28 because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’  29 “Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.’

 

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’  31 “Abraham replied to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

 

 

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 on 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

 

 

The Children’s Lesson                                                                                                                   II Peter 3:13

 

But according to his promise we look forward to new heavens

 and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

 

I’m Looking Forward to Living in Heaven

– Are You?

 

 

The Hymn of the Day                                                                          Hymn 417   “I’m But A Stranger Here”

 

 

The Salutation

 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ.   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.

 

 

The Sermon Text                                                                                                                   Revelation 5:1-14

 

6 And I saw a Lamb standing in the center, near the throne, surrounded by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. The Lamb seemed to have been slain, and he had seven horns and seven eyes (these are the seven spirits of God that have been sent into all the world). 7 The Lamb came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when the Lamb took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls full of incense (these are the prayers of the saints). 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain,  and you bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You made them to be a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on the earth.

 

11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels who were around the throne and around the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands upon thousands. 12 With a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. 13 I also heard every creature that is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever.”   14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders bowed down and worshiped.

 

Heaven Is Definitely Our Home

 

after the Sermon, the Congregation will REMAIN SEATED for

 

The Blessing

 

May the God of peace, Who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will!   Amen.

 

 

We Offer Our Gifts to the Lord

 

Our Offerings of Love to our Lord

 

We offer you the following suggestions for providing God with Your thank-offerings through our ministry:

1) Those in the chapel can  place their offerings in the offering plates

2) You can send a check (no cash) in the mail to Grace Lutheran Church (415 N. 6th Place, Lowell, AR 72745)

3) Or, go online to our website (www.gracelutherannwa.com) and use the giving option there.

 

At the Pastor’s invitation, the Congregation will rise

We Offer Our Prayers to the Lord

 

The Prayers for this Day

 

In our Prayers this morning we include:

A Prayer of Thanksgiving on behalf of JoAnn Diewock,

who successfully underwent knee surgery t his past week;

 

A Prayer of Thanksgiving for Lisa Pudas, who successfully

went through brain surgery in Little Rock last Tuesday;

and also

A Prayer of Thanksgiving for the following couples,

celebrating their anniversaries this week:

Vic and Vicki Walker (Wednesday);

John and Tina Wambold (Wednesday); and

Roger and Rachel Kattestad (Saturday)

 

The Prayers of the Church        

 

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.

 

We Leave With The Lord’s Blessing

 

Pastor        Now, to Him Who is able to keep you from falling  and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy –

 

Congregation  to the only God, our Savior,   be glory, majesty, power and authority,    through Jesus Christ our Lord,   before all ages,  now and forevermore!  Amen.

 

The Benediction

 

     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 214   “Jerusalem the Golden”

 

silent prayer, announcements, post service music

 

Announcements

 

Last Week At Grace:    In Worship: 64                                                              Online views of the service: 27

Bible Class:   28     Online views: 5

Budget: $7510         Online Budget: $110.71        School: $51

Capital Improvement: $60              Bev Anderson Memorial: $700

 

This Coming Week at Grace Lutheran Church

Today      Morning Worship,  9:30 a.m.        Fellowship Time, 10:45 a.m.   Bible Class/Sunday School, 11 am    Confirmation Class 12:15

Tuesday  Morning Bible Class, 10:30 -11:30 a.m.

                 Church Council Meeting, 6 p.m.

Wednesday   Evening Bible Study 6-7 p.m.

Saturday  Outreach Calling/Visitation, 11 a.m.

Sunday   Morning Worship with the Lord’s Supper, 9:30 a.m.

                 Fellowship10:45 a.m.   Bible Class/SS 11:05 a.m.          

                 Youth Confirmation Class, 12:15 pm.

 

Serving Us Next Sunday (11/21)                                                             Elders:   Steve Stone, Tim Pfortmiller

Altar Guild: Harriet Johnson       Video: Tim Huebner

Ushers:    Terry Bruns, Tom Otto,  Kent Mayer

 

This Week’s Birthdays & Anniversaries       11/17 Tina & John Wambold;

11/17 Vic & Vicki Walker;   11/18  Bill Franzmeier;   11/18 Vince Larson;  11/20 Steve Stone     11/20 Roger & Rachel Kattestad

 

The Upcoming Edition of “Meditations”, our WELS’ daily devotional

booklet is available through our congregation to everyone who

worships here.  The November 28-February 26, 2022 edition can be

found on the table in the front entry.  It starts in two weeks and covers three months’ worth of devotions for time well-spent in God’s Word. 

 

We’re Looking for a More Voices … (perhaps yours???)  to be  part of our church choir – even if only for the Advent/Christmas season.   We rehearse on the first, second, and third Sundays of each month from 8:40  to 9:10 a.m.    For more information, speak with Debbie Huebner,  or simply join us at our next rehearsal, Sunday, November 21st   We’d be grateful and honored to have you as a part of our church choir. 

 

Thanksgiving Day Worship and Special Dinner   Please plan on joining us on November 25th, Thanksgiving Day, as we join in a special service of celebration and thanksgiving at 9:30 a.m.   We’ll follow our worship service with a pot-luck/fellowship Thanksgiving  dinner.  

     In  addition to this service being a special occasion’  through which you can thank the Lord for His many mercies to you, please see this as an   “outreach  opportunity” (since few churches even hold Thanksgiving Day worship services), and consider inviting family members and a friend (or  friends) to join you in worship here Thanksgiving morning as we worship and enjoy a special fellowship meal together.

 

We’ll Decorate Church for Christmas on Saturday, November 27th ….That’s just under two weeks from today.  We could use your help in putting up the Christmas trees and other decorations in the chapel and throughout the church.   We’ll start at  9:00 a.m. (come whenever you can, and for as long as you can) and we’ll go until we finish decorating.

For more information, please speak with Pastor.

 

Midweek Advent Worship Services Ahead  – As part of our congregational preparation for the celebration of our Savior’s birth, we’ll hold 3 special, midweek worship services in December.   The Advent season anticipates the coming of Christ as the Savior from sin; its purpose is to encourage repentance preparation for celebration.   This year’s services will be on the Wednesday evenings (7:00 p.m.) of December 1, 8, and 15.  Incidentally, the first midweek service will include a celebration of the Lord’s Supper.    Also, preceding each service we will hold a soup and sandwich dinner.   Meals will run from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m.         

 

Do You Know Anyone….  within your circle of friends, relatives, acquaintances, or neighbors who is not currently attending a church?   Have you prayerfully taken the opportunity to invite them to worship with you (and us) some Sunday morning?   Would you be willing to share his/her/their name with us, so that we might include them on our monthly mailing list?   If you can answer “yes” to this last question,  please speak with Pastor, as our Outreach ministry is always looking for more souls to which we can reach out with our Savior’s Gospel of love, forgiveness, and everlasting life. 

 

Church Council Meeting Reminder…..THIS TUESDAY, at 6 p.m.