The 20th Sunday after Pentecost
God’s Gift of Marriage
St. John’s & Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Churches
Montello & Mecan, WI
Pastor Peter Zietlow
October 9, 2021
4:30p.m. St. John’s
October 10, 2021
8:00a.m. Emmanuel
10:00a.m. St. John’s
†PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP †
We prepare ourselves to worship the one Savior God by expressing our humble repentance, offering our fervent prayers and singing our thankful hymns of praise.
†SERVICE OF WORD AND SACRAMENT †
The “Service of Word and Sacrament” is a version of the historic liturgy of the Christian church. This order may be used as an alternate to “The Common Service” when Holy Communion is celebrated.
OPENING HYMN CW 230, Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now
*Saturday only.
JOINT CHOIR God’s Love and Power Proclaim
*Sunday, in place of opening hymn.
Stand
M: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
C: And also with you.
CONFESSION OF SINS
M : God invites us to come into his presence and worship him with humble and penitent hearts. Therefore, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and ask him to forgive us.
The congregation may kneel.
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.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 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: Amen.
†PRAYER AND PRAISE †
LORD, HAVE MERCY
Kyrie
M: For all that we need in life and for the wisdom to use all your gifts with gratitude and joy, hear our prayer, O Lord.
M: For the steadfast assurance that nothing can separate us from your love and for the courage to stand firm against the assaults of Satan and every evil, hear our prayer, O Christ.
M: For the well-being of your holy Church in all the world and for those who offer here their worship and praise, hear our prayer, O Lord.
M: Merciful God, maker and preserver of life, uphold us by your power and keep us in your tender care:
M: The works of the Lord are great and glorious; his name is worthy of praise.
O LORD, OUR LORD
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: Let us pray.
Almighty God, in your bountiful goodness keep us safe from every evil of body and soul. Make us ready, with cheerful hearts, to do whatever pleases you; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Be seated
†THE WORD †
FIRST LESSON Genesis 2:18-24
Summary: God established marriage
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam[a] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib[c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
PSALM OF THE DAY 139b
Lectern side sings 1st line, pulpit side sings 2nd line, all sing refrains and Gloria.
O LORD, you created my inmost being;*
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;*
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you;*
your eyes saw my unformed body.
Refrain
All the days ordained for me*
were written in your book before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!*
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,*
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
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
SECOND LESSON Ephesians 5:21-31
Summary: The roles of husband and wife
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as 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. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”
VERSE OF THE DAY Hebrews 2:12
M: Alleluia. I will proclaim your name to my people; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you. Alleluia.
Stand
GOSPEL Mark 10:2-16 (today’s sermon text underlined)
Summary: Jesus teaches about marriage and family
Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied.
4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”
5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’[a] 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,[b] 8 and the two will become one flesh.’[c] So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Be seated
HYMN OF THE DAY CW 600, O Perfect Love
SERMON Mark 10:2-12
“God’s Design for Marriage Endures”
It is to be…
- An intimate union (v. 2-8)
- An undivided union (9-12)
Stand
NICENE CREED
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and became fully human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Be seated
OFFERING
PRAYERS
*Read by pastor.
Stand
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.
†THE SACRAMENT †
Our Lord Jesus has given us a holy supper in which we receive his true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of our faith. In this supper we celebrate the gift of his redemption, we bear witness to the fellowship we share as confessors of the truth, and we proclaim his death until he returns.
M: The Lord be with you.
M: Lift up your hearts.
M: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
M: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In love he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. By the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he empowered his Church to be witnesses of Christ to the ends of the earth.
Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and thanks and honor and glory for ever and ever.
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
Sanctus
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
As he speaks the Words of Institution, the minister both proclaims the words of Jesus to the congregation and sets apart the bread and wine for the Lord’s use. The sign of the cross reminds us of Christ’s death.
M: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”
Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
O CHRIST, LAMB OF GOD
Agnes Dei
Be seated for the distribution
PERSONAL PRAYER BEFORE COMMUNION
Lord, I am not worthy to be a guest at your holy table. But you are the friend of sinners, and you will not cast me out. This bread is your body, which bore my sins upon the tree. This wine is your blood, which purifies me from all guilt. At your invitation, I come rejoicing. Receive me, my Savior. Amen.
At St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church & Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church we practice close Communion. If you are a guest at worship today and interested in receiving the Lord’s Supper, please speak with the pastor prior to the service.
DISTIBUTION HYMN CW 372, I Lay My Sins on Jesus
PERSONAL PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for nourishing me in this sacrament with your body and blood. You have given me forgiveness, life and salvation. Let me always remain in you as a branch remains in the vine. Send me out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. O living Bread of heaven, how richly you have fed your guest! The gifts you now have given have filled my heart with joy and rest. Lord grant me that thus strengthened with heavenly good, while here my course on earth is lengthened, I serve with holy fear. And when you call my spirit to leave this world below, I enter through your merit where joys unmingled flow. Amen.
Stand
THANK THE LORD
M: Hear the prayer of your people, O Lord, that the lips which have praised you here may glorify you in the world, that the eyes which have seen the coming of your Son may long for his coming again, and that all who have received in his true body and blood the pledge of your forgiveness may be restored to live a new and holy life, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
BLESSING
M: 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.
The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
CLOSING HYMN CW 506, Oh, Blest the House, Whate’er Befall
† ANNOUNCEMENTS †
October 10 – 16
| Sun. | 9:00a.m. | Emmanuel Worship with communion |
| 8:30a.m. | Sunday School at St. John’s | |
| 9:00a.m. | Adult Bible Study at St. John’s | |
| 10:00a.m. | St. John’s Worship with communion | |
| 11:00a.m. | WLA Presentation | |
| 11:30a.m. | Voters meeting at St. John’s | |
| Mon. | 6:30p.m. | Joint Choir at St. John’s |
| No Adult Bible Study | ||
| Tues. | 8:00a.m. | School Chapel |
| Wed. | NO Adult Bible | |
| 1:45p.m. | Early School Release | |
| 2:15p.m. | School Faculty Bible Study | |
| NO Public Teen Confirmation Class at St. John’s | ||
| Thurs. | NO St. John’s Teen Confirmation Class | |
| 6:00p.m. | Griefshare at St. John’s | |
| Fri. | ||
| Sat. | 4:30p.m. | St. John’s Worship |
| Next week’s theme:- October 17, 2021The 21st Sunday after Pentecost:Beware of Greed | ||
| 8:00 a.m. | Emmanuel Worship | |
| 8:30a.m. | Sunday School at St. John’s | |
| 9:00a.m. | Adult Bible Study at St. John’s | |
| 10:00a.m. | St. John’s Worship | |
| LWMS Mission Pie Sale |
† C H U R C H N E W S †
INTERCESSORY PRAYERS (read by pastor)
– For friends and loved ones in their need: Caryl Bassett, Mike Brown, Ed Buchholz, Darlene Burrough (Judy Fandrey’s niece), Sharon Crook, Jan Dahlke, Don Ebert, Reinold Eckelberg, Ken & Sally Elmer, Mike Farrell, Donna Gatzke, Kelleen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Carol Hamberger, Marian Heller, Louise Hillmer, Roger Hillmer, Jerry & Darlene Hunter (Bonnie Chapman’s parents), Xzander Jahr, Ellie Kendall, Bob Klapper, Arden Klimke, Robert Lederer (Jackie & Jeanne Buchholz’ father), Thomas Marcelain (Dawn’s son), Phil Nelson (Melanie Zuehls’ step-father), Kathy Ninneman, Karen Radke, Elsa Russell, Wanda Sellnow (Principal Larry Sellnow’s mother), Doris Smith, Mary Smith, Tom Stempniak (Carol’s husband), Dennis & Ramona Wacholtz, Kathy Weinfurter (Ken Pabelick’s mother-in-law) (added this week: Donna Gatzke )
– For Winnebago Lutheran Academy
– For our communicants
VOTERS MEETING TODAY Join us after our St. John’s worship!
FALL LWMS MISSION OFFERINGS totaled $316.00. 75% goes to our present Beaver Dam Circuit projects: HM-Family Ministry Outreach & WM-Central Africa Medical Mission. 25% goes to international LWMS projects to be voted on in spring. Thank you to all who shared their gifts for missions!
MISSION FESTIVAL COMING TO EMMANUEL & ST. JOHN’S on Sunday, November 21. Guest speaker during worship services will be Mr. Shannon Bohme, coordinator of WELS Mission Journeys, which provides an opportunity for all WELS members to walk together in the Great Commission. Through church- or school-based volunteer trips to WELS mission fields at home and abroad, members have the opportunity to engage in Christian service. Pre-trip training led by a team leader equips volunteers to have significant impact during their trip, which are self-funded by the team. While volunteering, the learning and sharing of outreach ideas will allow teams to explore how they can use their God-given abilities to engage in outreach activities in their home congregation upon their return home. With the Lord’s blessing, these trips will inspire a lifelong journey of service and outreach for all who volunteer.
Following the 10 a.m. service at St. John’s, all are invited to a lunch (Freewill Offering will be taken) in the lower level. Please plan to stay for a short afternoon presentation by Mr. Bohme. He will highlight what is happening in home missions and discuss where we want to go as a synod with 100 new church plants in 10 years starting in 2023! That’s exciting mission work!
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY: COLLECTING BOOKS FOR TOTS During October congregational members are invited to donate new or gently used storybooks for ages 1-5 for Smart Start Day Care, Inc. in Montello. Board books would be especially welcome. St. John’s Sunday School children are sponsoring this community service project. They are learning to “shine for Jesus in their community.” Will you help us? A collection box is located in the linkway.
COMING NEXT SUNDAY – DELICIOUS PIES FOR SALE! Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 17. The women of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society are hosting a mission pie sale. Plan to take home a delicious homemade pie for just $10.00. All proceeds will help our local LWMS with mission projects and presentations.
SEND ONE SISTER “Hooked forever!” That’s a common comment from women who have the opportunity to attend an LWMS Convention. Here’s another: “Once you’ve experienced the Convention, you don’t want to miss it! There’s no better place to hear and learn how our WELS missionaries and their families are working to spread God’s Word around the world! The 2022 annual Lutheran Women’s Missionary Society Convention will be held June 23-26 in Rochester, NY. The Send One Sister program challenges LWMS Circuits to encourage first-time attendees by assisting them with expenses for their first Convention. Any woman who would like this opportunity at “free money” to attend a convention, must submit an application no later than October 1, 2021. Ask Linda Wachholz (608-369-2635) for an application.
FALL LWMS RALLY TO BE HELD AT PRINCETON on Saturday, October 16. Tom & Janie Niedfeldt (former owners of Tom’s Christian Tours) will speak about the mission work of distributing proclaimers, solar-powered audio Bibles that help our mission fields reach more people with the saving gospel message. 9:30 registration; 10:15 Bible study; 11:15 business meeting; 11:45 lunch; 12:45 devotion/speaker. All are welcome! “I will come and proclaim your mighty acts” Psalm 71:16. A carpooling signup is located in the linkway or call your LWMS reporter, Emmanuel Helen Stelter 608-297-7116 or St. John’s Linda Wachholz 608-369-2635.
GIFTS FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS Please consider making a gift towards the following church or school projects. Your gift, to the project of your choice, will be recorded under your member account in our Shepherd’s Staff program unless you specifically request it be recorded as anonymous. Donor names and gift amounts are not published. Your gift can be placed in the offering plate, the locked drop box by the office, or mailed. Please contact the church/school secretary, Ciara Neuhauser, if you have any questions.
Project Name & Brief Description Amount Needed
Church & School Computer Server Upgrade (costs for replacing server) $7,851.64
House Demolition (costs related to tear down of old Little Lambs house) $9,500.00
Church Piano $6,000.00
Church A/V Upgrades $2,996.29
School Athletic Fund (jerseys, equipment, tournament fees) $1,000.00
Ministerial Tuition Assistance (assistance for members pursuing the ministry) No limit in place
Outreach Activities (church and/or school outreach supplies, fees) No limit in place
St. John’s School Tuition Assistance (assistance for parents of students) No limit in place
School Technology Fund (maintain teacher and student computers, smartboards) No limit in place
† S C H O O L N E W S †
SAVE THE DATE: TRUNK OR TREAT Wednesday, October 27 at 4:00pm at St. John’s parking lot.
Don’t Underestimate Jesus and His People!
Pentecost 20 – B
God’s Word for Today
God’s plan for man was perfect. He created woman for man. They were to “become one flesh”. Sin entered the world and separation replaced union – separation from God and from one another. Divorce brings suffering. But thanks be to God, Jesus “even suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone” and create new life and new promise of union.
First Lesson (Genesis 2: 18-24)
1. What lesson did God teach Adam by having him name the animals?
2. What does the expression “one flesh” mean?
Second Lesson (Hebrews 2: 9-11)
3. Does the word “perfect” mean Jesus wasn’t perfect?
4.What was Jesus’ goal in life?
Gospel (Mark 10: 2-16)
5. If marriage is to be forever, why did Moses hand down some conditions that made divorce possible?
6. What remains God’s standard for marriage?
Answers:
1. God taught Adam that he was incomplete and needed companionship as well someone to partner with him for reproduction.
2. The phrase “one flesh” expresses the depth of unity in marriage – physically, emotionally and spiritually. Since the woman was created from man, the two originally were one, and when they came together, they again are one.
3. Jesus, being God from eternity and without sin, already was perfect. However, through His incarnation, life, suffering and death, He acquired the experience and knowledge of what it is like to be human.
4. Jesus’ goal was to “redeem those under law.” He accomplished that goal through suffering. He did this by submitting himself to the Law.
5. Moses handed down some conditions for divorce only because the people had totally disregarded God’s will for them. Their hearts were hard.
6. God’s standard for marriage is the union of a man and a woman for life. “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
| Attendance | Emmanuel | St. John’s |
| 10-2 | ||
| 10-3 | 39 | |
| St. John’s Altar Committee for October 2021:Kathy North & Lucy Laun |