https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaJ0pBYt5II

I have set before you life and death, choose life!

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY –February 12 & February 15, 2023

ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH – LCMS- 700 Main St.  P.O. Box 220   Clyman, WI  53016

 Pastor Dan 1-(920)-341-2025  shepherdatzion@gmail.com

 AS WE GATHER – What do you think of the commandments of God?  Are they a burden in your life to keep, or do you see them as how God wants to bless you in how you live?  Moses laid it out to Gods children- “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.  For the LORD is your life,”  As we live according to God’s commandments, we live according to His will and at God’s promise we will be blessed!

Ringing of the Bell and Welcome

 Hymn  “Hail, O Source of Every Blessing”          LSB 409

 Invocation- In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.    Amen

Opening Sentences  Baptism- How God brought us into His grace

These are the words of your Baptism. What is Baptism?

Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.   What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

 Confession and Absolution

 As God’s baptized people, let us repent anew that we may arise to live. But I ask, what is Confession?  Confession has two parts.  First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

(From the baptism service)- Do you renounce the devil, all his works and all his ways?  Yes, I renounce them.

Let us confess our sins.  I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.  (From the baptism service)  The almighty God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given you the new birth of water and of the spirit and has forgiven you all your sins, strengthen you with His grace unto life + everlasting.   Amen.  

 

Psalm   Psalm 119:1–8; antiphon: v. 1 – Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.  Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.  They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.  You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.  Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!  Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.  I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.  I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.  Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.

 

Kyrie In peace let us pray to the Lord.  For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.  For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.  For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.  Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

Gloria in Excelsis-  Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth.  Lord God, heavenly king, almighty God and Father:  We worship You, we give You thanks, we praise You for Your glory.  Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God: You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.  You are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.  For you alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.  Amen

 Salutation The Lord be with you.     And with thy spirit.

Prayer of the Day- Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning.  Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.   Amen.

Old Testament Reading  Deuteronomy 30:15–20- (The offer of life or death)

 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.  But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.  You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.  This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.  For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Epistle 1 Corinthians 3:1–9  (The Church and her leaders)

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly–mere infants in Christ.  I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it.  Indeed, you are still not ready.  You are still worldly.  For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?  Are you not acting like mere men?  For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men?  What, after all, is Apollos?  And what is Paul?  Only servants, through whom you came to believe–as the Lord has assigned to each his task.  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Verse     Ephesians 5:2- Alleluia. Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Alleluia.

Holy Gospel  Matthew 5:21–37          (The heart of the Law revealed) 

 The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fifth chapter.     Glory to You, O Lord.

 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.  Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin.  But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.  “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.  “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court.  Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.  I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.  “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’  But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.  This is the Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to You, O Christ.

 Nicene Creed- I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life X of the world to come.    Amen.

 Hymn  “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”      LSB 394

Sermon

Prayers of the Church

 ** We gather our Tithes and Offerings **

 Service of the Sacrament  

Proper Preface- It is truly meet, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who by His Word and teaching reveals to all the true heart of Your holy Law and by His death on the cross reveals the true glory of Your love.  Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and singing:

Sanctus LSB 161

Lord’s Prayer- Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.       Amen.

 The Words of Our Lord – Consecration of the Elements

 Pax Domini  The peace of the Lord be with you always.

 Agnus Dei LSB 163

We Celebrate our Lord’s Supper

 Distribution Hymns: “Renew Me, O Eternal Light”   LSB 704  “O Bless the Lord, My Soul”  LSB 814                 “Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways”            LSB 707

Post-Communion Canticle – Nunc Dimittis – Lord, now You let Your servant go in peace; Your word has been fulfilled.  My own eyes have seen the salvation which You have prepared in the sight of every people; A light to reveal You to the nations and the glory of Your people Israel.  Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen

Post-Communion Thanksgiving- O God the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in loving-kindness sent Your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank You that for His sake You have given us pardon and peace in this Sacrament, and we ask You not to forsake Your children but always to rule our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled constantly to serve You; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.   Amen.

 Benediction- The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and  X  give you peace.    Amen.

 Hymn:  “On What Has Now Been Sown”          LSB 921                  

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*Announcements*

From the Board of Stewardship and Evangelism: 1 Corinthians 3:7 – “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” Isn’t that the truth! And it’s not just true about preachers like Paul, but about all of us throughout the Christian life. God can do such wonderful things with our feeble efforts. This is so very true of our gifts to the Lord’s work in the church. From His generous giving to us, we learn to give generously. The Lord then blesses this response to His grace in turn. He uses our very giving to bless us in the church where we hear of His gracious generosity to us. And the cycle repeats, and the Lord gives growth!

The Pewpoint – THEME OF THE DAY – Christ Sets Life Before Us so that We Can Walk in His Ways

 The God who reveals Himself in His incarnate Son promises life and blessing to all who obey His commandments “by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules” (Deut. 30:16). However, we are “people of the flesh” and “infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1), among whom “there is jealousy and strife” (1 Cor. 3:3). Jesus must instruct us against the human ways of anger, adultery, divorce and false witness (Matt. 5:21–37), because all who live in these ways “shall surely perish” (Deut. 30:18). On the cross, He died to forgive our sins and free us from the ways of curse and death. Since Jesus Christ is our “life and length of days” (Deut. 30:20), we can be reconciled to our brother, live in chastity and marital faithfulness, and speak with honesty. He who serves from His cross also offers His gift of reconciliation at His altar, and we can be at peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are “God’s field, God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9).

 YES IN CHRIST  —  Saying Yes With Our Treasures  Needed per week to make budget: $3,072              Envelopes $1,820    General Memorial: Eli Dornfeld $50   Ardis Kelling $20

Attendance: Sunday Service:   52    Communed:  44    Wednesday Service:  9    Communed:       8

Upcoming Opportunities 

February 12^th   –   Bell Choir after church

February 15^th   –   Voice Choir 6pm

February 16^th   –   Quilting 11am to 2pm

February 17^th   –   Bell Choir after church

February 22^nd    –  Voice Choir 6pm

February 22^nd    –  Soup Supper 6pm

February 22^nd –     Ash Wednesday 7pm

March 2^nd       –       Council Meeting @ 6pm

On their special day please wish them a Happy Birthday.

 

Pat	2/18
Chris	2/18
Robert	2/19
Lisa	2/21
Theodore	2/23
Diane	2/26
Happy Anniversary   Neal & Kris	2/14
Robert & Lynn	2/22

 Attend the Elder’s Ash Wednesday-Soup Supper at 6pm February 22nd!

Ash Wednesday Service-7pm- February 22^nd.  Plan to attend this special service and all the Midweek services as we make our Lenten journey.  This year we look at “The Crucial Hours” of our Lord’s passion, which demonstrate how complete His saving work was for us, the depth of His love for us, and how He joined us to the salvation He won for all.  The word crucial is derived from the Latin word for “cross.”  In that sense, the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were crucial because they led to Jesus’ cross, His sacrificial death, and the empty tomb three days later.

The Februay Lutheran Witness has arrived, pick up copy for yourself

January 31, 2023

Dear Friend of The Gathering Source,   The Gathering Source (TGS) had an excellent 2022 and we expect more success in 2023 improving food security for our rural southern Dodge County, Wisconsin neighbors. We expect a continuation of the challenges faced in 2022, but will overcome these challenges with your ongoing support.  We continue to experience significant increases in demand for our services. The stress on household budgets of increasing food and other costs, including the cessation of free meals at school for all students, are the primary drivers. And, our community awareness efforts are attracting more households to TGS for assistance.  In 2022, the pantry served 42% more households (1,561) and 56% more members (4,870) than in 2021. This included 213 new households with 625 new members. Our school supply filled backpacks are up 21% to 180 in 2022 and weekend meal packs are still provided to students in need. We are a local service provider as over 95% of the households served are within a 10-mile radius of TGS.  Please help us continue to provide our services and programs to a growing percentage of residents in our service area.  Check out the Give Help section of our website (www.thegatheringsource.org) for more details.  You can also learn more about our current activities and needs on Facebook.

Please email me (execdirector@thegatheringsource.org), call me (920-927-1702) or drop by the pantry anytime with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,  Bruce Wadman, Board President

The Gathering Source- W7115 State Road 60-16, Juneau, WI 53039                                                                                  (w) 920-927-1702 (c) 920-948-6985    thegatheringsource.org

There’s quilting Thursday February 16^th from 11am to 2pm. All are welcome.