EMMANUEL AND ST. JOHN’S
Evangelical Lutheran Churches
Mecan and Montello, WI
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
MARCH 11, 2018
WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH! We extend a warm welcome to everyone today, especially our visitors. In the bulletin you’ll find an outline of today’s service, a calendar of events and other bits of information. In the red hymn book you’ll find the songs we sing and the order of service that we follow. If you would like a large print hymnal or bulletin please ask one of our ushers and they will gladly assist you. Restrooms and nursery area are located the parish hall at Emmanuel and in the lower level and “link-way” at St. John’s. It’s nice to have you visit today. May God bless our worship together!
GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY 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.
A PERSONAL PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP Dear Heavenly Father: I come to your house today to worship you, to give you the 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.
ORDER OF SERVICE–LITURGY
“Gathering Rite on the Word of God” (see below)
PASTOR’S GREETING
(Please stand)
M: In the name of the Father and of the Son (+) and of the Holy Spirit.
C: (spoken) Amen.
OPENING HYMN 221: 1,2,3,4 “Blessed Jesus, at Your Word” (printed below, sing accordingly)
- Blessed Jesus, at your Word
We are gathered all to hear you.
Let our hearts and souls be stirred
Now to seek and love and fear you,
By your teachings, sweet and holy,
Drawn from earth to love you solely.
M: Oh, how I love your law!
C: I meditate on it all day long.
M: Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
C: for they are ever with me.
M: I have more insight than all my teachers,
C: for I meditate on your statutes.
M: How sweet are your words to my taste,
C: sweeter than honey to my mouth!
2 All our knowledge, sense, and sight
Lie in deepest darkness shrouded
Till your Spirit breaks our night
With the beams of truth unclouded.
You alone to God can win us;
You must work all good within us.
M: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
C: so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
M: Yet so often we have despised God’s Word and failed to gladly hear and learn it. For this and all our sins, we bow before God and humbly ask his forgiveness.
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.
3 Gracious Savior, good and kind,
Light from Light, from God proceeding,
Open now our heart and mind;
Help us by your Spirit’s pleading.
Hear the cry your people raises;
Hear and bless our prayers and praises.
M: God gave his Word so “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name”. The Scriptures testify about Jesus, who lived a perfect life for you, died on the cross to pay for all your sins, and rose again to assure you of your salvation. 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.
4 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Praise to you and adoration!
Grant that we your Word may trust,
Confident of our salvation,
While we here below must wander,
Till we sing your praises yonder.
PRAYER OF THE DAY (read by pastor)
M: Let us pray.
C: (spoken) Amen.
(Please be seated)
THE DAY’S BIBLE READING THEME
The Fourth Sunday in Lent: Faith Looks to Jesus
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Numbers 21:4-9
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 (hymnal page 81, cantor sings the first line, congregation sings the second line, all sing refrains and Gloria)
EPISTLE Ephesians 2:4-10
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 (read by pastor)
“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.” (John 3:16)
(Please stand)
After the announcement of the Gospel, all sing:
“Glory be to you, O Lord!”
GOSPEL John 3:14-21 (today’s sermon text)
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.”
After the Gospel, all sing:
“Praise be to you, O Christ!”
APOSTLES’ CREED (hymnal page 19b, all read)
(Please be seated)
At Emmanuel, all children ages 2-6 are invited to Nursery Sunday School in the parish hall.
SERMON HYMN 391 “God Loved the World So that He Gave”
SERMON John 3:14-21 The Light Has Come
- Look to God’s Son
- Lean on God’s love
- Live by God’s truth
(Please stand)
LITURGY (hymnal page 20, all sing)
“Create in me a clean heart…”
(Please be seated)
OFFERING, GREETINGS, AND FRIENDSHIP REGISTERS
OFFERING PRAYER
(Please stand)
PRAYER FOR THE SEASON OF LENT (hymnal page 125, read responsively)
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
– For those hospitalized, ill, shut-in and facing trials: George Alexander, Chuck Boetcher, Gale “Blackie” Boyd, Alexandria Buehrens (Bob & Carolyn’s great granddaughter), Bob & Carolyn Buehrens, George Chapman, Gene & Sharon Crook, Harley & Liola Crown, Agnes Dassow, Elaine Emond (Mark’s mother), Marjorie Fabian, Mike Farrell, Donna Gatzke, Kellen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Brian & Bonnie Harmon (Linda Lou Wacholtz’ sister & brother-in-law), Brody Henke, Ardis Henning, Laurana Hoffman (Tim’s daughter), Drake Hunter (Bill & Cally’s grandson), Mary Isberner, Geri Kerl (Sue Brown’s mother), Bob Klapper (Sandy’s husband), Doris Klawitter, Anna Madigan, Kerry & Lily Mann, Sherry Miller (Candace Sonnenberg’s sister), David & Janette Mottis (Ed & Marlene Buchholz’ niece and husband), Steve Parrish, Wilma Rudolph, Bob Schrank, Bill Schroeder (Ashley’s father-in-law), Jane Torres (Stacie Starke’s mother) – (added this week: Mike Farrell, Lily Mann )
– For teachers called by the Lord through his Church at our 3/4 St. John’s voters meeting to serve at St. John’s Lutheran School: Corin Einhardt from St. Luke’s–Vassar, MI to serve as K-1 teacher and Daniel Kasten from Bethlehem–Hortonville to serve as 5-8 teacher and principal
– For our communicants at St. John’s
THE LORD’S PRAYER (hymnal page 20b, all read)
NOTE: At Emmanuel…
LITURGY (hymnal, page 25)
(Please be seated)
HYMN 343:1-2 “Christ is the World’s Light” (printed in hymnal, all sing)
(Please stand)
CLOSING PRAYER & BLESSING (hymnal page 25, read & sung responsively)
CLOSING HYMN 343:3-4 “Christ is the World’s Light” (printed in hymnal, all sing)
NOTE: At St. John’s…
HOLY COMMUNION LITURGY (hymnal page 21, read & sung responsively)
(Please be seated for Holy Communion)
The Bible tells us that those who take Communion together are to:
- Recognize that Christ’s true body and blood are present in the Sacrament (1 Cor. 10:17).
- Examine themselves (1 Cor. 11:28), and
- Be united in faith with the congregation with which they commune (1 Cor. 10:17).
For these reasons, it is our practice that only those who are members of our congregation or a congregation of the Wisconsin Lutheran Synod (WELS) join us for Holy Communion. If you are interested in learning more about becoming part of our fellowship, please speak to the pastor after the service.
DISTRIBUTION HYMNS 384 “By Grace I’m Saved”, 343:1-2 “Christ is the World’s Light” (printed in hymnal, all sing)
(Please stand)
SONG OF SIMEON, CLOSING PRAYER & BLESSING (hymnal page 24-25a, read & sung responsively)
CLOSING HYMN 343:3-4 “Christ is the World’s Light” (printed in hymnal, all sing)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Theme for next Sunday (3/18):
The Fifth Sunday in Lent: The New Covenant Was Established By Jesus, Our High Priest
Note: Please give your completed friendship register page to an usher or pastor as you leave today’s service.
| ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK MARCH 11-MARCH 17 | |||
| Sun. | 8:00 A.M. | Emmanuel Worship | |
| 8:20 A.M. | Emmanuel Nursery Sunday School | ||
| 8:30 A.M. | St. John’s Sunday School | ||
| 9:00 A.M. | Emmanuel/St. John’s Adult Bible Study | ||
| 10:00 A.M. | St. John’s Worship with communion | ||
| Mon. | 6:30 P.M. | Senior Choir at St. John’s | |
| 7:30 P.M. | Adult Bible Study at St. John’s | ||
| Tues. | |||
| Wed. | 10:00 A.M. | Adult Bible Study at St. John’s | |
| 1:40 P.M. | St. John’s School/Little Lambs early dismissal | ||
| 2:00 P.M. | St. John’s School staff meeting | ||
| 2:15 P.M. | Public School Teen Confirmation class at St. John’s | ||
| 3:30 P.M. | Emmanuel Devotion | ||
| 4:15 P.M.-6:00P.M. | Lenten Supper at St. John’s | ||
| 6:30 P.M. | St. John’s Devotion | ||
| 7:30 P.M. | Bible Information Class at St. John’s | ||
| Thurs. | 12:30 P.M. | SJS/LL EARLY RELEASE (parent/teacher conferences) | |
| NO GRIEFSHARE | |||
| Fri. | NO SCHOOL SJS/LL (parent/teacher conferences) | ||
| Sat. | |||
| SCHEDULE FOR NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 18, 2018
Theme for next Sunday (3/18): The Fifth Sunday in Lent: The New Covenant Was Established By Jesus, Our High Priest |
|||
| 8:00 A.M. | Emmanuel Worship | ||
| 8:20 A.M. | Emmanuel Nursery Sunday School | ||
| 8:30 A.M. | St. John’s Sunday School | ||
| 9:00 A.M. | Emmanuel/St. John’s Adult Bible Study | ||
| 10:00 A.M. | St. John’s Worship | ||
MEMORIAL In loving memory of Mavis DeWitt, $75.00 has been given to St. John’s by Karen (niece) and Donald Pieper. Thank you for your gift. “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11
ST. JOHN’S ALTAR FLOWERS Thank you Malsack family for today’s altar flowers given in loving memory of Linda.
GRIEFSHARE There will be no Griefshare this Thursday, March 15. See you next week!
ST. JOHN’S OFFERING STATEMENT SIGN-UP The signup sheet is located in the church link way. Please sign up if you wish to have a copy of your 2017 offering statement.
CHURCH PHOTOGRAPHY SIGN-UP If you would like to be put on a sign-up list for your photography session for our new church directory, please fill out some information on the sign-up sheet located in the church link way. Ciara will sign you up and give you a confirmation call with your date and time of session. We will also have some volunteers in the office for online sign-up on Sunday, March 11, from 9:00am to 10:00am and then after church, 11:00am to 12:00pm. Stop on by!
EASTER FLOWER ORDER There will be a sign-up in the church link way for those who would like to order Easter flowers this year. The deadline is March 18.
EASTER BREAKFAST AT EMMANUEL April 1 following the 8:00 AM Easter Service. Everyone is invited (members, friends and guests) for pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, ham, cheese, and fruit. A freewill offering will be taken for Emmanuel’s Education Fund. The breakfast is supported by a Thrivent Action Team Project. Join us for food and fellowship in the Parish Hall.
LENTEN SUPPERS March 14, 4:15p.m. – 6:00p.m.
Hosted by ST. JOHN’S GRADES 5-8! A free will offering will be taken.
What’s on the Menu? Chicken alfredo, spaghetti, garlic bread, veggies, desserts and drinks. See you there!
HELP WANTED! St. John’s is in need of some volunteers to help clean the church. Let’s do our part and take care of God’s house that he has blessed us with! If you are interested, please contact the office.
WANTED: BABY ANIMALS for a PETTING ZOO
Part of this spring’s Easter for Kids will be a baby animal petting zoo. The event is Saturday, March 24. Would you have any of the following baby animals on that day that you would allow us to borrow? OR do you have leads and contact numbers of someone who might? Kittens, puppies, bunnies, chicks, ducklings, lamb, kids (goats), piglets—we are also open to suggestions. We already have some of the babies lined up, but we would like backup! Please contact Linda Wachholz at 608 369-2635 or lwmsreporter@stjohnsmontello.org
EASTER FOR KIDS DONATIONS APPRECIATED Planning for 75 children on Saturday, March 24. Monetary gifts help the most—used for advertising, mailings, crafts, baskets, anything & everything for the event. We appreciate donations of home-crafted items for the baskets. Volunteers are still needed to bake for the baskets & make jello jigglers for the lunch. Volunteers to help the day of the event are also welcome. Please contact Linda Wachholz 608-369-2635 to donate or volunteer.
Still collecting plain print-free ice cream pails (ValuTime brand at Frietags or others) for coming years. Donation box located in linkway.
CONTEST! Box Tops, Kwik Trip, and Tyson a+ contest has started and ends on APRIL 13th! Each classroom will compete to see which room can collect the most items and the winning class room will win a “Taco Boat” party. Box Tops do have expiration dates, so if everyone could please turn in what you currently have AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, it would be much appreciated! Thank you to everyone for supporting your school and have fun collecting! Remember that family and friends are happy to help! Good luck!
PRE-REGISTER FOR EASTER FOR KIDS Any child, age 3 through Grade 6, is welcome to attend Easter for Kids at St. John’s on Saturday, March 24. This is an outreach program–it would be great if St. John’s & Emmanuel kids who attend would invite a non-member or unchurched friend! Register online www.stjohnsmontello.org Get registration forms at both churches, in Monday Magazine, on church & school Facebook, & on public bulletin boards around Montello. This year’s theme is “Jesus—Giver of New Life.” Storytime, singing, crafts, baby animal petting zoo, egg hunt, & more bring the true meaning of Easter to the children. Deadline
EASTER FOR
is Friday, March 16.
HAVE YOU GIVEN YOUR SPRING MISSION OFFERING? They are being collected by the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society through Sunday, March 25. A container is located in the entrance at St. John’s and in the parish hall at Emmanuel—Please give your gift at the church where you are a member. Projects supported by gifts are listed by the container. Gifts are welcome from all who love missions!
SEND ONE SISTER PROGRAM assists women who would like to attend the LWMS Convention as a first-time attendee. This year’s Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society Convention will be held June 21-24 in Green Bay, and it’s time to register! Registration materials are available from your reporter (Helen Stelter at Emmanuel; Linda Wachholz at St. John’s). If you have never attended but have thought you might like to attend this mission-packed weekend, you are encouraged to complete a Send One Sister application, also available from your church’s reporter. The Beaver Dam Circuit Board will be holding a Silent Auction at it spring rally to raise SOS funds which will be given to first-time attendees from our circuit to help with their expenses. Why don’t YOU apply!! Deadline: April 15, 2018
YOU ARE INVITED TO HELP WITH A SERVICE PROJECT FOR CAMP PHILLIP-WAUTOMA 1) Donate items on the Camp Wish List (copies at the collection boxes at both churches) and/or 2) Donate monetary gifts towards Camp Phillip’s present $500,000 building project. Please give monetary gifts to the LWMS reporter at your church (Helen Stelter at Emmanuel; Linda Wachholz at St. John’s). Your LWMS sisters thank you for supporting your WELS Lutheran area camp! Collecting through April 15.
WEDNESDAY LENTEN DEVOTIONS “Jesus, Our Great High Priest” (based on the New Testament book of Hebrews) is the theme for this year’s midweek Lenten devotions that began Ash Wednesday, 2/14 3:30 p.m. at Emmanuel and 6:30 p.m. at St. John’s. Supper will be served in the St. John’s lower level from 4:15–6:00 p.m. “Jesus, I will ponder now, on your holy passion.” (Hymn 98)
CHRISTIAN ONE-LINERS (from a WELS pastor): People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the idle of the road, and the back of the church.
LUTHER PREPARATORY SCHOOL SACRED SPRING CONCERT
Is TODAY, March 11th at 2:00pm in the Luther Prep gym.
THE LUTHERAN GIRL PIONEERS The Lutheran Girl Pioneers invites girls ages 8-15 to join us at the LGP International Camp July 29- August 4, 2018. We have many classes to choose, from canoeing to Zumba, from crocheting to archery. There are also nightly campfires, daily devotions, and so much more!
LGP Camp is located at Camp Bird, Crivitz, Wisconsin.
You don’t have to be a member of Lutheran Girl Pioneers to come! Girls from all over the U.S. and Canada have joined us! Registrations come out in March.
For more information, email LGPcamp@gmail.com.
Lutheran Girl Pioneers serves girls of the WELS and ELS. For more information about LGP, email girlpioneers@gmail.com.
| Usher Schedule | |
| March 11 SJ
(with comm) |
James Wachholz; Chief, Jerre Duerr, Robin Smith, Del Henke, Joe Zauner |
| E | Wayne Stelter, Glenn Buchholz, Jim Stuempges |
| March 14 E | Don Stelter, Dave Radke |
| SJ | Dennis Wacholtz; Chief, Richard Freitag |
| March 18 E | Lucas Stelter, Warren Buchholz, DuWayne Sommerfeld |
| SJ | Jack Yates; Chief, Gerhardt Voigt, Mitch Simon, Karl Whitrock, Matt Borzick |
| March 21 E | Don Stelter, Dave Radke |
| SJ | Don Smith; Chief, Glen Bubolz |
| St. John’s Greeter Schedule | |
| March 11 | James & Linda Wachholz |
| March 18 | Scott & Debbie Ritz |
| March 25 | Karl Whitrock & Elsa Russell |
| Attendance | Emmanuel | St. John’s | |
| 3-4 3-7 | 70 51 | 161 46 | |
| St. John’s Altar Committee
March 2018 |
Diane Eisermann
& Delores Cotte |
||
St. John’s & Emmanuel Lent & Holy Week Worship Schedule
Theme: Jesus Christ is Our High Priest
| 3/14/18 | Emm – 3:30p.m.
SJ – 6:30p.m. |
Midweek 5 | Pastor John Stelter
St. John’s-Princeton |
| 3/21/18 | Emm – 3:30p.m.
SJ – 6:30p.m. |
Midweek 6 | Pastor Pete Zietlow |
| 3/29/18 | Emm – 7:00p.m.
(communion) |
Maundy Thursday | Pastor John Dolan |
| 3/30/18 | SJ – 1:00p.m.
(communion) |
Good Friday | Pastor Pete Zietlow |
| 4/1/18 | SJ – 6:00a.m. & 10:00a.m
Emm – 8:00a.m. |
Easter Sunrise & Easter Service
Easter Service |
Pastor John Dolan (6am)
Pastor Pete Zietlow |
Welcome To Our Visitors!
Please Sign Our Guest Register
Visit our website & Facebook link at: www.stjohnsmontello.org
https://www.facebook.com/St-Johns-Evangelical-Lutheran-Church-107160252675/
Pastor Peter Zietlow Office (608) 297-2321
Cell & Text (608) 408-7830, E-mail: zietlowpl6@hotmail.com
Principal Tim Hemling (608) 745-2549
Teacher Karin Stellick (920) 342-3689
Teacher Sara Borck (858) 731-7919
Teacher Sandra Hemling (608) 745-2776
Parish/School Secretary Ciara Neuhauser (608) 297-2866
Altar Ladies Elaine Kelm (920) 344-0025 &
Carolyn Rosenthal 589-5036
Mail to: 313 E Montello St, Montello, WI 53949
OR scsecretary@stjohnsmontello.org
Winnebago Lutheran Academy
Principal Mr. David Schroeder/WLA office (920) 921-4930
WLA website: www.wlavikings.org