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THIS WEEK AT IMMANUEL

Sunday (10/3)

• 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

Wednesday

• 7:00 pm—Bible History Class

Saturday

• 3:30 pm—Individual Confession and Absolution
• 5:30 pm—Divine Service with Holy Communion

Sunday (10/10)

• 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

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IN OUR PRAYERS

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEXT WEEK’S READINGS . . . Revelation 14:6–7; Romans 3:19–28; St John 8:31–36.

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . . The Pharisees ask a Law question. Jesus asks a Gospel question. The Pharisees seek to test Jesus in His own words. Jesus seeks to “test” them in the saving reality of who He is as the Messiah (Matt. 22:34–46). The Law requires you to “fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” and to “love the sojourner” (Deut. 10:12–21). Failure to keep the Law perfectly brings judgment. On the other hand, the Gospel brings the grace of God given by Jesus Christ, that you may be blameless in the day of His return (1 Cor. 1:1–9). Jesus is David’s Son yet David’s Lord, true God and true man. He is Love incarnate who fulfilled all the demands of God’s Law on our behalf, that we might be saved from the Law’s condemnation and sanctified in the Gospel’s forgiveness. Thereby we see that “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9).

THOUGHTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP . . . Matthew 22:40 “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” We serve God and our neighbor through the various vocations (holy callings) that God has given us. We do not need to go searching for or inventing good works: God has given us roles to fill in Home, Church, and Society and when we work hard at them as faithful Christians, God-pleasing works are the result.

ALTAR FLOWERS . . . are given by Wayne & Janice Arthur to the glory of God for blessings received.

REMINDER: VOTERS’ ASSEMBLY MEETING . . . is Monday, October 18, at 7:30 pm. Just a reminder that any voting member who is absent from the voters’ meetings for a full year without a valid excuse shall have his/her name removed from the roster of voting members. Those who are 65 and older can submit a written request to have their name placed on the senior voting member list and will be automatically excused. If any senior member is unsure whether or not there is a written request on file, please contact the office. If any member has been removed from the roster of voting members, he/she can be reinstated by a request to the elders and attendance at the voters’ meeting approving that request.

OCTOBER BI-MONTHLY MISSION . . . is Sunday, October 3. October’s bi-monthly offering has been designated for CID Campus Ministries (given to one campus ministry per year on a rotation). This year’s offering will be given to University Lutheran Church at Eastern Illinois University, Charleston. Checks may be made out to Immanuel Lutheran Church. An envelope will be placed in your member mailbox next week for your convenience. Your generosity is truly appreciated.

COME TO BIBLE CLASS . . . We have just begun a study of Proverbs. We are only seven chapters in, so it’s still a great time to join us for this study. We hope you will join us.

WHY? . . . Why do we bow or kneel to the altar? Jesus once said to the Pharisees that the gold of the temple is sanctified by the temple. So the holiness of the temple dictated that those things pertaining to it were also holy. Jesus also said, referring to Himself, “One greater than the temple is here.” Now if Jesus’ holiness is greater than the holiness of the temple, surely those things pertaining to Jesus Himself are also holy. In the Holy Supper, Christ Himself is truly present, for He said, “This is My Body.” Therefore, according to His own words, it is His true Body which sits on the paten (the plate) that sits upon the altar. For the bread is as much Christ’s Body as His Body on the cross. Since this is so, it is surely appropriate to give highest reverence to His Body there, according to this faith. Therefore the people of God rightly bend the knee, to honor and adore Him where He is truly found. Not only do we reverence the Sacrament sitting on the altar, however. Since the temple sanctifies the gold, so also the Body of Christ sanctifies the altar. We call the altar holy because it is the place from which Christ’s body is given. Therefore, when the Sacrament is on the altar, we knee (which is more profound than bowing) when we come to the altar to receive the Sacrament; but even when the Sacrament is not there, we bow, when we pass the altar. It is also appropriate to observe this custom before entering or upon leaving the pew: to kneel to one knee (genuflect) or to bow. This is a small way of reminding ourselves of the holiness of the altar because of the holiness of Christ’s body which sanctifies it. How very blessed it is to know this when we receive Christ’s Body and His Blood in the Supper. For thereby we ourselves are sanctified (and saved!).

CONTRIBUTIONS & ATTENDANCE . . . Total YTD offerings $123,077.35, budgeted YTD offerings, $127,503.00. Average weekend attendance for September, 65.

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:

1. On Immanuel’s Facebook page
2. On Immanuel’s Website under the Sermons tab
3. On Immanuel’s YouTube channel

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CHURCH MEMBER INFORMATION UPDATE

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PRAYER REQUESTS

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