St. Johns - Weekly Bulletin

Hymn: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise                            LSB 394

Exhortation (p.184)
Corporate Confession (p.184)
Stand

 
Introit (responsively by whole verse)      Psalm 2:7–11, 12c; antiphon: Isaiah 42:1a
P   Behold my servant, whom | I uphold,*
             my chosen, in whom my | soul delights.
C   I will tell of | the decree:*
             The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have be- |
             gotten you.
P    Ask of me, and I will make the nations your | heritage,*
             and the ends of the earth your pos- | session.
C   You shall break them with a | rod of iron*
             and dash them in pieces like a potter’s | vessel.”
P   Now therefore, O | kings, be wise;*
             be warned, O rulers | of the earth.
C   Serve the | Lord with fear,*
             and rejoice with | trembling,
P   for his wrath is quickly | kindled.*
             Blessèd are all who take ref- | uge in him.

C    Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
             and to the Holy | Spirit;
        as it was in the be- | ginning,*
             is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
P    Behold my servant, whom | I uphold,*
             my chosen, in whom my | soul delights.

Kyrie (p.186)
Gloria in Excelsis (p.187)

Collect of the Day
P  Let us pray.
Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C  Amen.

Sit
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 43:1–7
¹But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
       he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
       I have called you by name, you are mine.
²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
       and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
       and the flame shall not consume you.
³For I am the Lord your God,
       the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
       Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
⁴Because you are precious in my eyes,
       and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
       peoples in exchange for your life.
⁵Fear not, for I am with you;
       I will bring your offspring from the east,
       and from the west I will gather you.
⁶I will say to the north, Give up,
       and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
       and my daughters from the end of the earth,
⁷everyone who is called by my name,
       whom I created for my glory,
       whom I formed and made.”

L  This is the Word of the Lord.
C  Thanks be to God.

Gradual                                                     Psalm 117:1–2a; 96:8
C   Praise the Lord, all | nations!*
             Extol him, all | peoples!
      For great is his steadfast | love toward us,*
             and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for- | ever.
      Ascribe to the Lord the glory | due his name;*
             bring an offering, and come in- | to his courts!

Epistle: Romans 6:1–11
             ¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
             ⁵For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For one who has died has been set free from sin. ⁸Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

L  This is the Word of the Lord.
C  Thanks be to God.

Stand
Alleluia (p.190)

             ¹⁵As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, ¹⁶John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
             ¹⁸So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. ¹⁹But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, ²⁰added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
             ²¹Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, ²²and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

L  This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C  Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Nicene Creed (p.191)

Sit
Hymn of the Day: To Jordan Came the Christ, Our Lord    LSB 406

Sermon

Stand
Offertory (p.192)
Prayer of the Church

Preface (p.194)
Sanctus (p.195)
The Lord’s Prayer (p.196) (congregation sings “For Thine is . . .”)
The Words of Institution (p.197)
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei (p.198)

Sit
Distribution of the Sacrament                            

Distribution hymns
To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord                                        LSB 405
O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright                                 LSB 395
God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It                                         LSB 594

Stand
Nunc Dimittis (p.199)
Post Communion Collect (p.201)
Benedicamus & Benediction (p.201)

Sit
Announcements
Hymn: Mark How the Lamb of God’s Self-Offering           LSB 600

Acknowledgments
Divine Service, Setting Three from Lutheran Service Book
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House.

 
Prayers – For the home-bound: St. John’s – Alfred Larson; Our Savior – Charlotte Scepaniak, Doris Vilhauer, Betty Zundel, Ken & Dorothy Maas, Loretta Podoll, Betty Meints, Verdena Dabbert, Lorraine Krage,  Lloyd Jerde, Phyllis Lassanske, and Wally and Fran Rutschke.
For the children we sponsor through Mission Haiti: Michelet Voltaire, Michel Djoury, and Orgea Djouna;
For those sick/injured or recovering: Nathaniel Wendt, Michael Wendt, Lloyd Dennert, Phyllis Yeske, Butch Podoll, Kevin Fehn, Carl Bulian, and Larry Vietmeier.

Schedule for the Week
Sunday            St. John’s Divine Service – 8:15 am
                       Our Savior Voters Meeting – 9:30 am
                       Sunday School – 9:30 am
                       Our Savior Divine Service – 10:45 am
Monday           Mat Ladies – 1:00 pm
                       Deacons – 3:30 pm
Tuesday           Coffee & Confessions – 6:30 am
                       Senior Potluck – 12:00 pm
Wednesday      Catechism Class – 5:00 pm
                       Vespers Service – 6:00 pm
                       Bible Study – 6:30 pm
Next Sunday    St. John’s Service of the Word – 8:15 am
                       St. John’s Bible Study – 9:30 am
                       Sunday School – 9:30 am
                       Our Savior Divine Service – 10:45 am
                       Installation of Officers
                       Board of Education – 12:00 pm
                       Higher Things Retreat in Brookings
 

Our Savior –
2025 Offering Envelopes – Please pick up your offering envelopes in the fellowship hall. Your number may have changed in order to keep the list in alphabetical order. Therefore, throw out any old envelopes you may have, to assist us with accurate record-keeping. Thank you!

2024 Offering Statements – Please pick up the record of your offerings in 2024 from the table in the narthex.

Installation of Officers for 2025 will take place during the service on Sunday, January 19^th. Members of all boards may come forward.

Superbowl Subs – The youth group will be selling Superbowl subs again this year as a fundraiser. They will be 6-inch meat and cheese subs, with veggies on the side, for free-will donation. If you would like one (or more!) please sign up in the fellowship hall by Wednesday, February 5^th. The subs can be picked up after the service on Sunday, February 9^th. If you have any questions, call Eric Johnson at 605-216-6701.

For All –
The Lutheran Witness – The January issue of LW is available in the narthex. The theme this month is “God’s Two Kingdoms”. Featured articles are “Two Kingdoms, One Lord” and “City on a Hill”. An insert about our own South Dakota District is included. The church provides this wonderful resource for you.

Bible Bowl – The youth in grades 6-12 will begin practicing for the Bible Bowl today at 12:00 pm in the fellowship hall of Our Savior. The competition will take place in Pierre on March 29^th, with the main topic being the Gospel of John. There is a sign-up sheet on the kitchen counter for anyone who would like to provide a lunch for the youth in the coming weeks.

***Lighthouse Preschool/Jr. Kindergarten***
Registration for our NEW full-day Jr. Kindergarten program is now open!  This new Jr. Kindergarten program is designed to help students transition for the needs and demands of a full-day Kindergarten lifestyle.  We have purchased a new, faith-based, Jr. Kindergarten Classical Education curriculum, that will help students grow academically, physically, socially, and spiritually. Please note that our new program will be limited to 12 students, ages 4-5.  Turning in your application and deposit in a timely manner is essential to guarantee your child a spot! Applications and information can be picked up in the narthex.  Please reach out to the preschool or Jenelle Siebert if you have any questions about our new program! (215 7^th Ave SW, across the street from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Phone 605-725-1855)

Annual Reports – A reminder to the chair persons of all boards and circles: please turn in your group’s annual report for 2024 to the office or email it to oursaviorlutheran@nvc.net as soon as possible.    Thank you!

Christian Foundations Class starts in February – Pastor Schopp will be teaching adult education classes twice a year starting this spring.  The name of this class is “Christian Foundations” and it is a ten-week class that he has developed over years teaching new and current members in multiple congregations.  Although it is labeled an “adult education class”, high school aged youth are welcome as well.  Members who want a refresher are also encouraged to attend. 
The class begins on Tuesday, February 4 and runs through April 6, from 6:00-7:30pm.
PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE!  We need to place an order for materials in mid-January and want to make sure we have enough.  Contact the church secretary, Cherise Johnson, at oursaviorlutheran@nvc.net or call 605-225-7106 with your name and contact information.

Lutherans for Life 2025 South Dakota Essay Contest – For students in Grades 6-12. This year’s theme will be “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” using Psalm 139:13-14. If you are interested, please pick up the contest guidelines and information in the narthex. The deadline for submission is February 15, 2025.

LCMS Stewardship Ministry – Baptism of Our Lord
Luke 3:21 – “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying ...” We know why the people were baptized, but why was Jesus baptized? He didn’t need repentance or forgiveness. The answer is that He did it for us. The reason God sent His Son into the world is to fulfill all righteousness for us, to do what we could not do. The whole of Jesus’ life, everything He did and said, was one great offering to the Father in our stead to fulfill all righteousness for us. With our righteousness fulfilled in Jesus and given to us in Baptism, our hearts now overflow with thanksgiving and praise.

Building Healthy Families: Parents, grandparents, and pew buddies! Our church families are made up of many people with different roles and gifts. With your child(ren), take note of and count the many ways individuals and families are serving. Maybe you observe ushers welcoming people and handing out bulletins, musicians playing and leading our singing, acolytes and crucifers lighting candles and carrying the cross in a procession, or members of the altar guild setting up for the Lord’s Supper and caring for the altar area. And don’t forget those who clean and tend to the building, so we have a nice space to gather for worship! As a family, consider how you might serve together and ask your pastor or other church leaders how to get involved!.    Lutheran Family Service  www.LutheranFamilyService.org

Main Street Living – 10:00 AM- This Is the Life – “Homecoming” – A man struggles to reconnect with his family after a car accident.
10:30 AM- Rev. Sam Handschke, pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Pierre, SD, presents the message “God’s Beloved,” based on Isaiah 43:4. Watch Main Street Living on Sunday mornings on KDLT NBC TV. The worship segment also airs on Saturdays at 5:00 pm. Past shows are archived at www.mainstreetliving.com.   

The Lutheran Hour – When you're not limited by the size of your table, you can invite everyone. Speaker Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler delivers the message "What’s This Neighborhood Coming To?” based on John 1:14. Listen to The Lutheran Hour on Sunday mornings at 9:00 on KAWZ 88.1 FM, or on Sirius-XM Family Talk 131 at 9:00 am. Sermons are also archived on the website www.lutheranhour.org.

EDUCATING A NEW GENERATION OF LUTHERANS… Issues, Etc. is a podcast and radio talk show produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken.  This week’s teachings include:  The Bible & Other Religious Writings; The Small-Town Lutheran Church & Pastor; Church Discipline; Roman Catholic Indulgences and more.  You can listen on-demand at issuesetc.org, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomePod, TuneIn, the LPR mobile app and a podcast provider.
 
The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod’s Statement on Close Communion:
 The Lord’s Supper is celebrated at this congregation in the confession and glad confidence that, as He says, Our Lord gives into our mouths not only bread and wine but His very body and blood to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our union with Him and with one another. Our Lord invites to His table those who trust in His words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as He forgives and loves us, that they may show forth His death until He comes.
 
Because those who eat and drink our Lord’s body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet instructed, in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from that of this congregation and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and yet desire to receive the Sacrament, are asked to first speak with the Pastor.
(CTCR, Admission to the Lord’s Supper, Nov 1999)