DEVOTION: Isaiah 61:1-4English Standard Version (ESV)
The Year of the Lord's Favor
61 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;[a]
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;[b]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.[c]
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
8 For I the Lord love justice;
I hate robbery and wrong;[a]
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,
and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge them,
that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations.
When you are going through tough stuff, whether it be loss, brokenness, guilt, or pain it is hard to see past it. If you've ever hurt your back, and it hurts every time you move, it is hard to function at all much less to rejoice in it and thrive in that time. When you're going through a divorce that you didn't choose, and your life as you know it has ended, it is hard to look past it to better days. When you just heard the cancer diagnosis, it is hard to think about much else besides the sickness the cancer and chemo will cause, how you will lose your hair, and your next doctor's appointment.
That doesn't mean that we shouldn't think of these things, or that it is wrong to think about better days ahead, even if those days will not occur on this earth for us. In fact, we need to be reminded of better days ahead often, because there is no rejoicing in our present circumstances if our present circumstances stink.
Isaiah's words in the passage above are your daily reminder of better days ahead. Isaiah was writing this while the Israelites are facing captivity, torture and death at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians. They are constantly under attack. They are losing family members. It is an awful situation. It is during this time that Isaiah speaks these words of better days ahead. What a better time to hear that the Lord will not let us stay our struggle forever. There will be a day when everything will be made new, when we will be covered with a robe righteousness, when the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before the nations!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding me of better days ahead when you will take us out of this veil of tears to an eternal and everlasting life. Thank you, in the meantime, for giving us the peace that passes all understanding right now. Amen.
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CALENDAR:
Tues- Quilting 9-2; Trustees 7
Wed- Supper 5:30; Worship 6:30; Choir 7:15
Thurs- Funeral for Ron Heitgerd at Pitman funeral home 10, luncheon at church 11; Blood Drive 3-7; Confirmation make up 6; Karate 6-7:45
Sat- Men's breakfast 8; Sunday school Christmas Program practice 9-Noon; Worship- 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Adult Bible class and Sunday school 9:45; Stephen Ministry 9:45; Choir practice 9:45; Holy Yoga 3pm
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WORSHIP WORKERS:
Acolyte- Wed- Nova Luebke 8:30- Savannah Masters; 11- Dulci Rahn
Ushers- Wed- Larry Schulze, Scott Schulze, Gary Scott, Dave Winter; Sun- Lew Feldkamp, Kent Jacobsmeyer
Altar- Wed- (Candles) Don Hance; Sun, Set up- Cheri' Hofeldt Clean Up- Terry McKenzie
Elder- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- John Hachtel; 11- Dave Winter
Greeters- 8:30- Don and Wanda Turnure; 11- Mike and Naomi Johnson
Lay Reader- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Don Nolte; 11- Ben Hoelscher
Pianist Sat- Pat Golden; Sun 11- Doug Walters
Organist- Wed- Pat Golden; Sun- Barb Dreyer
Projectionist- Sat- Fischer; 8:30- Schaumberg; 11- Vossen
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YESTERDAY'S QUIZ: Where was Paul arrested? Jerusalem (Thanks Don!)
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TODAY'S QUIZ: Who were Feliz, Festus, and Agrippa?
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NEWS:
OUR NEXT ADVENT DINNER IS TOMORROW AT 5:30! EVERYONE IS INVITED!!! INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS!!
All in elder groups 4-6 are responsible for bringing either a side dish, salad or dessert! Fried chicken will be the main course for all three meals! Worship will begin at 6:30!
We'll hear from Mary Magdalene and she proclaims that her "soul now magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God her Savior".
Week three will be our Sunday school Christmas program at which we will hear about the coming king with the program "Unfrozen". Supper will be at 5:30 and program at 6:30.
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SIGN UP SHEET TO BUY A POINSETTIA FOR CHRISTMAS EVE AND DAY IS ON THE COUNTER IN THE NARTHEX! COST IS $13.50
It is a wonderful way to honor the memory of someone or just someone you love!
THERE WILL BE TWO CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP SERVICES THIS YEAR AT 10am and 7pm, AND ONE CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE AT 10am!
The two Christmas Eve services will be slightly different from each other, so if you'd like to attend them both, you're more than welcome to do so. You can never get enough Jesus at Christmas.
I'm looking forward to seeing all of you!
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NEW YEARS CELEBRATION ON NEW YEAR'S EVE MORNING!!
We will have one service on New Year's Eve with a potluck afterward! Our main dish will be sloppy joes and we'll have chips there as well. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share! Bring all your leftover cookies!! There will be a sign up sheet to let us know you're coming on the counter in the narthex, but even if you don't rsvp, please come!! We'll have plenty of food!
We're going to plan our personal "goals" for 2018!!
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THERE WILL BE NO SUNDAY SCHOOL OR ADULT BIBLE CLASS ON EITHER CHRISTMAS EVE MORNING OR NEW YEAR'S EVE MORNING!!
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LITTLE LAMBS IS SELLING CANDY BARS AND COULD USE YOUR HELP!
If you'd like to help sell a box or two of candy bars as a fundraiser for Little Lambs preschool. Let Terry or one of the preschool ladies know. They'll hook you up right quick!
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SUNDAY SCHOOL MEMORY VERSE IS: The grass withers and the flower fades, but the Word of our God will last forever!
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DO YOU HAVE A THRIVENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNT OR POLICY?
You may be eligible to receive money for Little Lambs or Good Shepherd!! Go to www.thrivent.com/choicedollars to check it out!
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OPERATION BACKPACK DONATIONS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER IS INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED SNACKS AND PACKETS OF OATMEAL.
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PRAYERS:
For PEGGY TALBERT who is recovering from knee replacement surgery.
For TONI MAUCH who is having hip surgery Wednesday.
For the HEITGERD FAMILY. As they mourn the loss of Donna's son Ron.
THANKSGIVING for the birth of a grandson to the Burmeisters. He was born three weeks early so is spending a few days in the NICU, but is doing well.
For our CHURCH, as we begin to make some big changes to both our governance structure and our building, and as we move forward to make disciples of all nations.
For JENNIFER RAHN, who is recovering from heart valve replacement surgery and is dealing with rheumatoid arthritis problems.
For GEORGE HOELSCHER, BUCK HAMPTON, DENISE HOOKER (betty Tameler's daughter) as they continue to deal with cancer.
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PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL:
For COLTON FIGURA deployed to Turkey, SAM HARGROVE deployed in Kuwait and DAN DREYER deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, that the Lord would keep them safe from harm during their service and bring them home safely.
For DAVID TATE stationed in Japan, and ALEX WALTERS, stationed in Tennessee. That God would bless their service to our country and keep them safe as they all await possible deployment.
For CALEB FIGURA AND VINCE MASTERS who are both serving our country in the National Guard and take time out of their lives, jobs, and families to go on duty several times a year.
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