God is with us in Word and Sacrament

Immanuel News & Notes (Palm Sunday)


THIS WEEK AT IMMANUEL

Sunday (4/2)

  • 9:00 am—Divine Service with Holy Communion
  • 10:30 am—Bible Class
  • 2:30 pm—Tuscola Health Care Center

Thursday

  • 7:00 pm—Maundy Thursday Divine Service with Holy Communion

Friday

  • 7:00 pm—Good Friday Tenebrae Vespers

Saturday

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

Sunday (4/9)

  • 6:00 am—Easter Sunrise Divine Service with Holy Communion
  • 7:00 am—Easter Breakfast
  • 9:00 am—Easter Day Divine Service with Holy Communion
  • 10:30 am—Easter Egg Hunt

IN OUR PRAYERS

HEALTH CONCERNS: Mary Appleby: Bernita Ashwill; Connie Bruns (cousin of Mary Appleby); Jack Bubb (classmate of Sofia Reifsteck); Brad  Butler (friend of the Hilgendorf’s); Connie Coats; Lynn Corrie (friend of Arleigh Jones); Nash Foreman (friend of Sofie Reifsteck); Lisa Hall (sister of Holly Wikoff); Rick Hardesty (family of the Hoels); Kim Hausman (friend of Ann Carroll); Adriane & Baby Heins (sister of Lauren Braaten); Deanna Henningsen (sister-in-law of Jerry & Joyce Alexander); Glenda Klim (sister-in-law of Irene Wattjes); John Lamkin (friend of Dave Slaughter); Kurt McDaniel (friend of Joan Vukelich); Ellen Pitman (mother of Sara Urban); Joan Rahn; Emma Silver; Carl  Smith (husband of Lynette Ashwill-Smith); Doris Threet (sister of Wanda Long); Irene Wattjes; Lynn & Jane Whitson (parents of Mark Whitson); Brooklyn Wiegel (great granddaughter of Linda Brewer).

SEMINARY STUDENT: Gunnar Campbell, Preus Hasselbrook

DEACONESS STUDENT: Elizabeth (Fodor) Dobbelaire.

HOMEBOUND: Bernita Ashwill; Leona Czerwonka; Janet Pollock; Ruth Sims; Glen Stumeier; Irene Wattjes.

MILITARY: Carl Crawford; Josh Dyer; Jeremy Gordon; Jack Leonard; Jake Lindgren; Raymond Longtin; Blake Stokes; Scott Walter.

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . .

  • Holy Thursday—Exod 12:1–14; 1 Cor 11:23–32; John 13:1–15
  • Good Friday—Isaiah 52:13–53:12; Hebrews 4:14–16; 5:7–9; John 18:1–19:42
  • Vigil of Easter—Gen 1:1–2:3; 7:1–5, 11–18; 8:6–18; 9:8–13; Exod 14:10–15:1
  • Easter Sunrise—Isaiah 25:6–9; 1 Cor 15:1–11; John 20:1–18
  • Easter Day—Job 19:23–27; 1 Cor 5:6–8; Mark 16:1–8

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . . “Behold, your King is coming to you . . . humble and mounted on a donkey”(Zech 9:9–12; Matt 21:1–9). Our Lord rides in this humble fashion because He is entering Jerusalem to humble Himself even to the point of death on a cross (Phil 2:5–11). His kingly crown will not be made of gold but of thorns, the sign of sin’s curse. For His royal reign is displayed in bearing this curse for His people, saving us from our enemies by sacrificing His own life. The sinless One takes the place of the sinner so that the sinner can be freed and bear the name “Barabbas,” “son of the Father” (Matt 26 and 27). It is at the name of this exalted Savior, Jesus, that we bow in humble faith. With the centurion who declared, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matt 27:54), we are also given to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:11).

THOUGHTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP . . . Matthew 21:3 “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” Did Jesus really need the donkey? If the man had refused to give the donkey, would the work of salvation have been derailed? Of course not. But what an honor for the man who owned this donkey and foal! Likewise with us—the Lord needs none of us, but what an honor for God to choose to use our generosity in the work of His Church.

EASTER LILY ORDER FORMS . . . are due today. Lilies are $17.00 each. Extra forms can be found on the table in the Narthex.

EASTER BREAKFAST . . . It’s time to sign up for the Easter Breakfast—Easter is April 9! We’re asking for donations of food, drink, and kitchen volunteers. Signup sheets are located on the table in the Narthex. Come have a tasty breakfast from 7:00–8:30 am on Easter morning. Thank you!

REMINDER: VOTERS’ ASSEMBLY MEETING . . . is Sunday, April 16, at 11:30 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.

THE CELEBRATION OF THE TRIDUUM . . . the holy three days of Christ’s Passover begins on HOLY (MAUNDY) THURSDAY on the eve of our Lord’s Crucifixion. The service on Holy Thursday culminates the Lenten period of preparation for Christ’s Passion and Resurrection and leads into his sacrifice on our behalf. On this day we remember Christ’s sacrificial service demonstrated in his washing of the disciples’ feet, a servanthood enacted on the cross, whose benefits are bestowed in his means of grace. The service culminates with the Lord’s ministry to his people through the Sacrament of the Altar. The depth of Christ’s servanthood is also demonstrated as the altar is reverently stripped in preparation for the church’s observance of Jesus’ death on Good Friday.

GOOD FRIDAY . . . is not observed as a funeral for Christ. It is a day for repentance over sin and restrained joy and praise for the redemption Christ accomplished for us on the cross. In keeping with its character, music is kept to a minimum, though not silenced, and elaborate words of praise are omitted. Because this service is part of the Triduum, the three holy days, it has neither an entrance rite nor benediction. The concluding hymn ensures that the final note of the service is one of triumph, for God’s faithful know the end of the story.

THE VIGIL OF EASTER . . . which is celebrated at the end of Holy Saturday as the conclusion to the sacred Triduum, ushers in the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord. To hold vigil means to “keep watch.” In some places in the early centuries of the church’s life, a vigil in expectation of Christ’s return at Easter became a common feature of the celebration of his Crucifixion and Resurrection. It was also a common time for individuals to be baptized. Because the Vigil of Easter marks the final day in the sacred Triduum, the service ends with the Benediction (which has not been heard since the Triduum was begun) and the Easter acclamation: Christ is Risen!


CHURCH MEMBER INFORMATION UPDATE


PRAYER REQUESTS


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