THIS WEEK AT IMMANUEL
Sunday (12/5)
- 7:30 am—Divine Service of the Word (On-Line Video)
- 9:00 am—Divine Service with Holy Communion
- 10:30 am—Bible Class & Sunday School
- 12:30 pm—Catechism Class
- 5:00 pm—Church-wide Live Nativity (Ervin Park)
Wednesday
- 7:00 pm—Advent Midweek Service
Saturday
- 9:00 am—Sunday School Teachers Meeting
- 3:30 pm—Individual Confession and Absolution
- 5:30 pm—Divine Service with Holy Communion
Sunday (12/12)
- 7:30 am—Divine Service of the Word (On-Line Video)
- 9:00 am—Divine Service with Holy Communion
- 10:30 am—Bible Class & Sunday School
- 11:15 am—Church Council Meeting
- 12:30 pm—Catechism Class
- 6:00 pm—Sunday School Christmas Service
IN OUR PRAYERS
HEALTH CONCERNS: Bernita Ashwill; Rev. Paul Brink (cousin of Ann Carroll); Connie Bruns (cousin of Mary Appleby); Lynn Corrie (friend of Arleigh Jones); Ellie Crawford (daughter of Laran Crawford); Leona Czerwonka; Cindy Ekstrom; Lisa Hall (sister of Holly Wikoff); Rick Hardesty (family of the Hoels); Kim Hausman (friend of Ann Carroll); Deanna Henningsen (sister-in-law of Jerry & Joyce Alexander); Reuben Hostetler; Becky Kappes; Mary Miller (friend of David Holzrichter); Dennis Pickett (friend of Ann Carroll); Cary & Beth Rahn; Joan Rahn; Emma Silver; Ocil Slone (grandfather of Josh & Jake Dyer); Carolyn Stremming (sister-in-law of Arleigh Jones); Dylan Taylor (friend of Becky Kappes), Doris Threet (sister of Wanda Long); Irene Wattjes; Lynn & Jane Whitson (parents of Mark Whitson); Brett Willoughby (friend of Matthew Waldrop); Dennis Wiltzius (father of Michelle Stumeier).
SEMINARY STUDENT: Gunnar Campbell; Logan Smith.
DEACONESS STUDENT: Elizabeth Fodor.
MISSIONARIES: The Jastram Family; The McDermott Family, Julie Lutz
HOMEBOUND: Bernita Ashwill; Janet Pollock; Ruth Rentschler; Ruth Sims; Glen Stumeier; Irene Wattjes.
MILITARY: Carl Crawford; Josh Dyer; Jeremy Gordon; Jack Leonard; Jake Lindgren; Raymond Longtin; Joey Pollock; Blake Stokes; Scott Walter; Ruben Wilson.
THE ANNOUNCEMENTS
NEXT WEEK’S READINGS . . . Isaiah 40:1–8; 1 Corinthians 4:1–5; Matthew 11:2–10.
ABOUT THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . . The day on which our Lord returns will be a “great and awesome day” (Mal. 4:5). For He will come in a cloud with great power and glory. To the wicked and the proud, it will be a Day of judgment that will “set them ablaze” (Mal. 4:1). The signs preceding this Day will bring them fear and fainting. But to those who believe, who fear the name of the Lord, this Day is one to look forward to and rejoice in: “. . . straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Christ our Redeemer is coming; the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings. Let us, then, give attention to the words of the Lord, which do not pass away. Let us “through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures” (Rom. 15:4) be strengthened in our hope by the Holy Spirit and watch diligently for Jesus’ coming. Then, by God’s grace, we shall escape all these things that will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.
THOUGHTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP . . . Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction.” God’s Word was given to us to bless us. The Bible warns us of our sin and points us to Christ for our salvation. The Bible also instructs us as to how to live out our Christians lives—this is the “third use of the Law.” As Christians we should welcome this instruction in humble faith.
REMINDER: IMMANUEL BOARDS MEET . . . on Monday, December 13. If you have not done so already, please submit your 2021 budget request to the church office as soon as possible following your board meeting.
THE NEXT VOTERS’ ASSEMBLY MEETING . . . is Monday, December 20, 7:30 pm. Please submit Voters’ meeting material to the church office by Wednesday, December 16.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS SERVICE . . . will be Sunday, December 12. The service is at 6:00 pm, followed by refreshments hosted by the Board of Education. Join us for a Christmas Service where our children will remind us of the real reason for the season with all your favorite Christmas hymns and then food and fellowship.
POINSETTIA ORDER FORMS . . . are available in the Narthex. Please complete and return them by next Sunday, December 12. Poinsettias are $13.00 this year and can be taken and enjoyed at home immediately following the Christmas Day service.
CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR SEMINARY STUDENTS . . . If you’d like to send Christmas greetings to our seminary students, their addresses are: Mr. Gunnar Campbell; Mr. Logan Smith, and Mrs. Elizabeth Fodor, at: 6600 North Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 46825-4996.
WHY? . . . Why does the pastor, facing the people, raise his hands for the Benediction? The Benediction (literally meaning, “good words”) comes from the blessing which Aaron gave to the people in Numbers 6:24–26, and is sometimes referred to as the Aaronic Blessing. It employs the very same words, and as Aaron lifted his hands to bless the people, so does the celebrant. Behind this is an understanding that Aaron was prefiguring Christ in His crucifixion, with arms outstretched. That is, the stretching out of Jesus’ arms on the cross is the true cause and source of God’s heavenly benediction, God’s good words to us. So important is the Benediction that in some traditions, the congregation even kneels to receive it. It is the last summarizing statement of our most holy faith, expressing bodily both the crucifixion and blessing of Christ as once. He was crucified for you, so now He blesses you with an eternal benediction.
UPCOMING SPECIAL SERVICES AND EVENTS
- Sunday, December 5 5:00 pm Live Nativity (Ervin Park)
- Wednesday, December 8 7:00 pm Advent Midweek Service
- Sunday, December 12 6:00 pm Sunday School Christmas Service
- Wednesday, December 15 7:00 pm Advent Midweek Service
- Monday, December 20 7:30 pm Voter’s Budget Meeting
- Friday, December 24 7:00 pm Christmas Eve Service
- *Saturday, December 25 9:00 am Christmas Day Service
- Friday, December 31 7:00 pm New Year’s Eve Service
* The Saturday night service is canceled on Christmas Day
IMMANUEL’S 125TH ANNIVERSARY COOKBOOK . . . The Board of Mission and Evangelism have prepared a cookbook for Immanuel’s 125th anniversary, which is next July. The cookbooks will be available in early December and cost $15.00. You may pr-order using the order form. They make great gifts for Christmas.
SERVICES ONLINE . . . A copy of the service bulletin, which includes all the responses and the hymns, is available at Immanuel’s website under the Sermons tab by clicking on the button labeled PDF. This video option will continue to be made available until our usual service times resume. You can access these online services in three places:
- On Immanuel’s Facebook page
- On Immanuel’s Website under the Sermons tab
- On Immanuel’s YouTube channel
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