St. Matthew's Lutheran
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St. Matthew’s Lutheran The First Sunday After Christmas Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod December 26 & 27, 2020 766 West Wabasha Street, Winona MN 55987 Church Phone: 507.452.2085 “Peace on Earth” School Phone: 507.454.3083 www.stmatthewswinona.org WELCOME www.facebook.com/stmatthewswinona Welcome and thank you for joining us for worship today! In our service we gather be- fore our gracious God to offer him our worship and praise. We assemble to hear God’s holy and powerful Word. Through this Word, God strengthens our faith and brings us ever closer to our eternal home. PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP Dear God, let your Word shine in our hearts by your Holy Spirit. Make it so bright and warm that we always find our comfort and joy in it. Amen. Out of courtesy for your fellow worshipers please also silence all electronic devices. OUR FACILITIES A restroom is located in the Mother’s Room at the back of church and also in the church basement. There is also a handicapped accessible restroom in the back of church. Ask an usher for help and directions. The members of St. Matthew’s believe that families should be allowed to worship together. If the need arises, we have an audio-equipped children’s room just outside of the church doors to your left. If you need anything during the service, please feel free to ask an usher. Pastor Matthew Schoell 1.507.615.0012 OUR COMMUNION PRACTICE [email protected] St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church still observes the biblical practice of close communion. If you are not currently a member of our congregation or a sister WELS/ELS congrega- Pastor Winfried Schroeder tion, we would kindly ask that you not come forward for communion today. If you 1.605.281.0155 would like to commune with us in the future please speak with the pastor. We look for- [email protected] ward to talking about this very important issue with you. Scott Schomberg, Principal 1.507.458.0926 [email protected] Page 1 THE COMMON SERVICE LORD, HAVE MERCY Kyrie OPENING HYMN “Peace Came to Earth” Christian Worship Supplement #707 stanzas 1-2 1 Peace came to earth at last that chosen night When angels clove the sky with song and light And God embodied love and sheathed his might— Who could but gasp: Immanuel! Who could but sing: Immanuel! 2 And who could be the same for having held P: God, our heavenly Father, has been merciful to us and has given his only Son to The infant in their arms and later felt be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, as a called servant of Christ and by The wounded hands and side, all doubts dispelled— his authority, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son Who could but sigh: Immanuel! Who could but shout: Immanuel! and of the Holy Spirit. The picturesque language of this Jaroslav Vajda hymn vividly illustrates the weighty significance of God becoming man in Christ. Text: Jaroslav J. Vajda, 1919–2008 © 1984 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission. PRAYER AND PRAISE P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. P: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord. GLORY BE TO GOD Gloria in Excelsis CONFESSION OF SINS P: Beloved in the Lord: let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God our Father, asking him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us for- giveness. C: Holy and merciful Father, I confess that I am by nature sinful and that I have disobeyed you in my thoughts, words, and actions. I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good. For this I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity. But I am truly sorry for my sins, and trusting in my Savior Jesus Christ, I pray: Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. Page 2 Page 3 P: Let us pray. Gracious Father, in your great love for the world you have given us the gift of your only Son as the light of the nations and the glory of Israel. Open our hearts to receive him and sanctify our lives to proclaim your grace through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. THE WORD OF GOD FIRST LESSON ISAIAH 45:20-25 (NIV2011) 20 “Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. 21 Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. PRAYER OF THE DAY 22 “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. P: The Lord be with you. 23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. 24 They will say of me, ‘In the LORD alone are deliverance and strength.’” Page 4 Page 5 All who have raged against him 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were will come to him and be put to shame. called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as 25 But all the descendants of Israel you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs will find deliverance in the LORD from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you and will make their boast in him. do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 111 VERSE OF THE DAY Colossians 3:15a P: Great are the works of the LORD; P: Alleluia. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Alleluia. C: they are pondered by all who delight in them. P: Glorious and majestic are his deeds, C: and his righteousness endures forever. P: He has caused his wonders to be remembered; C: the LORD is gracious and compassionate. GOSPEL LUKE 2:25-40 (NIV2011) P: The works of his hands are faithful and just; After the announcement of the Gospel, the congregation sings: C: all his precepts are trustworthy. P: He provided redemption for his people; C: he ordained his covenant forever. P: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He C: all who follow his precepts have good understanding. was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s ALL: Glory be to the Father and to the Son Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents and to the Holy Spirit, brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon as it was in the beginning, took him in his arms and praised God, saying: is now, and will be forever. Amen. 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. SECOND LESSON COLOSSIANS 3:12-17(NIV2011) 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with com- 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, passion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive and the glory of your people Israel.” one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect 33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon unity. Page 6 Page 7 blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the fall- and is seated at the right hand of the Father. ing and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, 36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was the Lord, the giver of life, very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a who proceeds from the Father and the Son, widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, who in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, fasting and praying.