Month: March 2021

The 4^th Sunday in Lent

Faith Looks To Jesus

St. John’s & Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Churches

Montello & Mecan, WI

March 14, 2021

10a.m. St. John’s

St. John’s  Ev. Lutheran Church 313 East Montello St. Montello, WI 53949 Emmanuel  Ev. Lutheran Church W1568 Evergreen Lane Montello, WI 53949

WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH We extend a warm welcome to everyone viewing our recorded worship service today. The bulletin includes the complete order of service, hymns, psalm, Bible readings and announcements. For those without internet access to our website stjohnsmontello.org, DVDs and written sermons plus the bulletin are available.  Just phone secretary Ciara Neuhauser at the church office (608) 297-2866 or contact Pastor Zietlow (talk or text) at (608) 408-7830. ONLINE SERVICE/PRINTED BULLETIN OR SPLIT SCREEN If you’re watching our worship services on-line and want to also follow along with the bulletin, you can just print the bulletin out and watch it together with the service. Or you can do a “split screen.” This means you would click the menu button on the top right corner of your screen, click “new window” and then open a second window to our website and recorded service page. Click “bulletin can be accessed here” and now you have two windows. Make each window half-size, so that you have a split screen–one side for the service and one side for the bulletin. GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY Today’s theme: The 4th Sunday in Lent: A Gracious Disposition – It has been noted that a drowning man will not complain about the size of the boat that comes to rescue him.  Yet today’s first lesson alerts us to illegitimate complaining as God rescued his people from slavery.  In each lesson God shows his merciful disposition of grace–undeserved love that rescues sinners.

 † P R E P A R A T I O N   F O R   W O R S H I P †

We prepare ourselves to worship the one Savior God by expressing our humble repentance, offering our fervent prayers and singing our thankfulness of praise.

Worshipers are kindly asked to maintain social distancing, refrain from singing, and wear masks that cover both mouth and nose.  Thank you for your consideration. Please refer to our church website or our church Information Room for a full description of our special COVID protocol.

PASTOR’S WELCOME, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP

P:             Dear Heavenly Father: I come to your house today to worship you, to give youthe praise you deserve and the prayers and hymns you desire.  Through your Word and Sacrament, come to me.  Take me by the hand and lead me to the cross where your Son offered sin’s sacrifice once and for all.  Forgive my sins, strengthen my faith, assure me of my salvation, and inspire and empower me to do good works.  Teach me today to look up to Jesus and live by faith.  Bless my worship.  Amen.

Please stand.

† G A T H E R I N G   R I T E   O N   H O L Y   B A P T I S M †

God’s people long to gather together for strength from God and for mutual encouragement.  This alternate beginning for worship is intended for use not only when there is a baptism but may be used on any occasion to remind God’s people of Baptism’s continuing blessings.

The minister conducts the gathering rite at the font.

P:             In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.

C:            (spoken) Amen.

During the introduction to the hymn, water is poured into the font.

HYMN 294:1                                             Baptized into Your Name Most Holy

*Sung by soloist. 

1             Baptized into your name most holy,

O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

I claim a place, though weak and lowly,

Among your saints, your chosen host,

Buried with Christ and dead to sin.

Your Spirit now shall live within.

P:             I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

C:            Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:5,6)

P:             Surely we were sinful at birth, sinful from the time our mothers conceived us.  (Psalm 51:5)

C:            But we were washed, we were sanctified, we were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

HYMN 294: 2                                            Baptized into Your Name Most Holy

*Sung by soloist. 

2             My loving Father, there you took me

To be henceforth your child and heir.

My faithful Savior, there you let me

The fruit of all your sorrows share.

O Holy Spirit, comfort me

When threat’ning clouds around I see.

P:             As baptized children of God, we confess our sins.

C:            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 and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.

HYMN 294:3                                             Baptized into Your Name Most Holy

*Sung by soloist. 

3             My faithful God, you fail me never;

Your promise surely will endure.

Oh, cast me not away forever

If words and deeds become impure.

Have mercy when I come defiled;

Forgive, lift up, restore your child.

P:             Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless (Ephesians 5:25-27). Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.

C:            (spoken) Amen.

Be seated.

RITE OF HOLY BAPTISM

HYMN 294:4                                        Baptized into Your Name Most Holy

*Sung by soloist. 

4             All that I am and love most dearly—

Receive it all, O Lord, from me.

Let me confess my faith sincerely

And help me your own child to be!

Let nothing that I am or own

Serve any will but yours alone.

† T H E   W O R D †

This service offers the congregation a form of worship that focuses on the proclamation of God’s Word. Believers respond to this divine gift with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.

FIRST LESSON                                         Numbers 21:4-9 (today’s sermon text)

Summary: The bronze snake–a picture of Jesus

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert?   There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

PSALM 38

*For your personal devotion at home.

 Refrain

Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger*

or discipline me in your wrath. 

For your arrows have pierced me,*

and your hand has come down upon me. 

My guilt has overwhelmed me*

like a burden too heavy to bear.

 Refrain

All my longings lie open before you, O LORD;*

my sighing is not hidden from you. 

I wait for you, O LORD;*

you will answer, O Lord my God. 

Come quickly to help me,*

O Lord my Savior. 

Glory be to the Father and to the Son*

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,*

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

 Refrain

EPISTLE LESSON                                                                      Ephesians 2:4-10 

Summary: By grace you have been saved through faith

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

VERSE OF THE DAY                                                                                  John 3:16

P:            For God so loved the world the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

Please stand.

GOSPEL LESSON                                                                             John 3:14-21

Summary: Believe in the one who was lifted up

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

 Be seated.

SERMON HYMN 715                                                 What Grace Is This!

*Sung by soloist. 

SERMON                                                                                         Numbers 21: 4-9

“Memoirs of an Israelite: Live By Faith”

1.             By its desperate cry

2.             By its daily confidence

APOSTLES’ CREED

*For your personal devotion at home.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker or heaven and earth.

I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there 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.

LENTEN SEASON PRAYER & INTERCESSORY PRAYERS    

*Read by pastor.

 Please stand. 

LORD’S PRAYER

*Spoken by congregation.

C:            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.

CLOSING PRAYER

P:             Blessed Lord, you have given us your Holy Scriptures for our learning.  May we so hear them, read, learn, and take them to heart, that being strengthened and comforted by your holy Word, we may cling to the blessed hope of everlasting life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

BLESSING                                                                                                                    

P:             Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.

Then Lord look on you with favor and + give you peace. Amen.

CLOSING HYMN 391                         God Loved the World So that He Gave

*Sung by congregation.

Songs are reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-722228. Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ® (NIV ®). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

 

† A N N O U N C E M E N T S †

March 14 – March 20

Sun.		Daylight Saving Starts
	8:00 a.m.	Emmanuel Worship with communion
	10:00 a.m.	St. John’s Worship with communion
Mon.	6:30 p.m.	Evangelism meeting at St. John’s
Tues.	8:00 a.m.	School Chapel
Wed.		St. Patrick’s Day
	11:40 a.m.	School & Little Lambs Early Release
	3:30 p.m.	Emmanuel Lenten Devotion
	6:30 p.m.	St. John’s Lenten Devotion
Thurs.	8:00 a.m.	St. John’s Teen Confirmation
	6:00 p.m.	Griefshare at St. John’s
	6:30 p.m.	Joint Worship Committee meeting at St. John’s
Fri.
Sat.	4:30 p.m.	St. John’s Worship
Next week’s theme: March 21, 2021 The Fifth Sunday in Lent: The New Covenant Was Established By Jesus, Our High Priest
8:00 a.m.	Emmanuel Worship
10:00 a.m.	St. John’s Worship

Church News   INTERCESSORY PRAYERS (read by pastor) – For those hospitalized, ill, shut-in and facing trials: Jim & Caryl Bassett, Pat Bornick, Glenn Buchholz, Bob Buehrens, Darlene Burrough (Judy Fandrey’s niece), Gene & Sharon Crook, Liola Crown, Roberta Davison (Beth John’s daughter), Reinold Eckelberg, Ken Elmer, Mike Farrell, Kelleen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Louise Hillmer, Jerry & Darlene Hunter (Bonnie Chapman’s parents), Xzander Jahr, Eleanor Kendall, Julie Klawitter, Betty Kozlowski, Robert Lederer (Jackie & Jeanne Buchholz’ father), Jenell Mann, Lilly Mann, Delvin Mittelsteadt, Kathy Ninneman, Barbara Petrick, Al Pompa (Pete & Lucy Laun’s brother-in-law), Karen Radke, LuAnn Reber, Jeff Reimer, David Scharf, Roxanne Schmanke, Don & Doris Smith, Mary Smith, Carol Stempniak, Jennifer Strauss, Ramona Wacholtz (Dennis’ wife), Dixie Wagner, John Wildt, Harold & brother Paul Wuerch – (added this week: Mary Smith) – For Abraham John Finger, the son of Dan & Amanda Finger, who will be baptized in today’s (3/14) service at St. John’s – For Amanda Finger who, after completion of our 20-lesson Bible Information Class, will join St. John’s as a communicant member – For our communicants   SPRING MISSION OFFERINGS are being collected by the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society throughout March.Containers are located in the entrance at both St. John’s and Emmanuel—Please give your gift at the church where you are a member. 75% of gifts given will support Beaver Dam Circuit projects—HM/Pastoral Studies Institute & WM/Latin America Special Projects.  25% of gifts given will support home & world mission projects that will be decided by ballot in May and will be presented at the 2021 LWMS Convention, June 24-27, in Sharonville, Ohio.  Gifts welcome from all who love missions!   HOLY COMMUNION Communion is offered at both Emmanuel and St. John’s on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month and at St. John’s on the Saturdays  following those Sundays sing   “continuous flow” and “pew communion” distribution methods. Private communion by request is also available from Pastor Zietlow or an Elder at church or at your home.

 

School news   FREE MEAL SIGNUP FOR SCHOOL FAMILIES ONLY Hello School Families! Please find the link on our school Facebook page to sign up for free meals. Breakfast and lunch included! The offer is good until May. Meals will be dropped off on Wednesdays at St. John’s.         WISHLISTS Little Lambs – Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade – 3rd, 4th & 5th Grade – 6th , 7th & 8th Grade –Tuition Assistance   LIST OF DEDICICATED ACCOUNTS Want to make a donation and know exactly where your money is going?! Here is a list of accounts between St. John’s Church and School that you can choose from: Church General School General House/Parking Lot Family Easter Festival Sunday School Vacation Bible School School Technology Church Video/Audio System Security System Tuition Assistance Athletic Fund Outreach Events School Server Upgrade School HVAC/Purifying System

Due to COVID, we are unable to hold our annual Art For Dinner fundraiser. In place of this year’s event, we will be doing a school/congregation cookbook along with St. John’s goodies that will be for sale. The AFD committee is working with the students to create a design that will be printed on these items.

For the cookbook, we are asking the congregation to submit a recipe they would like included in the cookbook to Ciara in the school office BY MARCH 15!!!!!

All proceeds will go to the school’s technology fund in hopes to upgrade the student’s chrome books. This will be our only fundraiser for this year. Talk to the school office about order forms for the cookbook and how to make donations to this year’s fundraiser. We would like to thank everyone that has helped support Art For Dinner in the past. We are hopeful that the dinner can take place again in the future.

–Art For Dinner Committee

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lent is the six week observance of the “passion” of Christ, that is, his suffering and death for our sins and the eternal rescue of all! The Church traditionally observes Lent with midweek worship that helps point to and prepares God’s people for Holy Week and Easter.

There will be 3:30pm worship at Emmanuel with Pastor Dolan leading.

Also, there is 6:30pm worship at St. John’s led by Pastor Zietlow and the pastors of our nearby sister congregations.

The Scripture devotions will talk about “The Hands of Lent.”

The 3:30pm Emmanuel worship will be recorded and be made available for viewing on the St. John’s website, stjohnsmontello.org.

A Gracious Disposition

The Fourth Sunday in Lent – B

God’s Word for Today

It has been noted that a drowning man will not complain about the size of the boat that comes to rescue him.  Yet today’s first lesson alerts us to illegitimate complaining as God rescued his people from slavery. In each lesson God shows his merciful disposition of grace–undeserved love that rescues sinners.

First Lesson (Numbers 21: 4-9)

• Which flaws of human nature led to the painful, in some cases deadly, lesson of venomous snakes?
• God could have saved the people without having them look at something.  What did He want to teach them (and us) by having them look at the snake on a pole?  

Second Lesson (Ephesians 2: 4-10)

• Find five different words or phrases that Paul uses to emphasize how God saves us out of his own goodness.
• Find four different words or phrases Paul uses to emphasize that no part of the rescue is our doing.
• If our good works have no part in paying for our eternal life, why do we still do good works?

Gospel (John 3: 14-21)

• How is Jesus similar to the bronze snake of today’s first lesson?
• What is the criterion for God’s judgment?  When does this judgment take place?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Answers:

1.             Moses tells us the people grew impatient.  We hear their sins of complaining and ingratitude.  Even daily free food from God (manna) is criticized.  It all started with lack of trust and love for God.  (“You brought us… to die in the desert.”)

2.             Trust God!  God found a way to heal their soul and body at the same time.  Their underlying problem was spiritual—a lack of trust—and God taught them to trust his promise.  Sure enough, anyone bitten who looked at the bronze snake lived.

3.             “his great love for us,” “rich in mercy,” “by grace,” “in his kindness to us,” and “the gift of God.”

4.             “We were dead in transgressions,” “not from yourselves,” “not by works,” and “no one can boast.”

5.              Good works are the natural result when people realize the great gift God has given them.  A living fruit tree will naturally bear fruit, so also a person who realizes God gave him or her eternal life at the cost of God’s own precious blood will then respond to that love with love for God and others.  The reason God created us was to produce fruits of faith and love.

6.             Both the bronze snake and Jesus were lifted up.  Both were lifted up so many could look, see the solution promised by God, and be saved.  Both required no payment or human work, instead they both called dying people to look with trust to the only savior for their problem.

7.             Whoever believes in Jesus shall not perish.  God’s criterion is that you trust in Jesus.  This judgment is already valid, not just a future “will be so,” but already “is not condemned.”  A believer already has crossed over from death to life. (Jn 5:24)

Attendance	Emmanuel	St. John’s
3-6
3-7	46
3-10	37	31
St. John’s Altar Committee March 2021	Delores Cotte & Diane Eisermann

●●● Welcome To Our Visitors! Find & Like us on Facebook Visit our website:  www.stjohnsmontello.org Pastor Peter Zietlow: (608) 408-7830, E-mail: zietlowPL6@hotmail.com Little Lambs Director & Teacher Mrs. Lynn Sellnow: 616-826-0816 K, 1st & 2nd Grade Teacher Ms. Shelley Myers: 920-285-7554 3rd-5th Grade Teacher Ms. Katlynn Tindall: 262-352-7021 Principal & 6th – 8th Grade Teacher Mr. Larry Sellnow:  616-822-6689, Email: principal@stjohnsmontello.org Church & School Secretary/Office Ciara Neuhauser: (608) 297-2866 Church & School Address/Mail: 313 E Montello St, Montello, WI 53949 Church & School E-mail: scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org   ●●●