https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hic2YluwwH0

Faith is not mere actions, but a heartfelt belief in God’s Wisdom-Christ!

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY – February 5, 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 – The Epiphany season continues to illuminate the mystery of God’s love for the world!  The Messiah promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would come for the children of Israel, but He also came for those outside the covenant.  He came for all people to fulfill His Fathers law, so that all can be saved through faith, not outward works and faithless actions.  As often as we have heard this message of forgiveness and believe in its message for us, we tend to forget that Christ’s message of forgiveness remains a hidden mystery to many, who ignore, reject, or explain away His act of love for them.  “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”  May the same Holy Spirit use us to share Christ’s message in our words and actions each day.

Ringing of the Bell and Welcome

 Hymn  “Blessed Jesus, at Your Word”               LSB 904

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

Confession and Absolution- Beloved in the Lord!  Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.  Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,  and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.     O almighty God, merciful Father, 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.  Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office, as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.  “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”  Amen.   

Psalm   Psalm 112:1–9; antiphon: v. 4-   Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the   gracious and compassionate and righteous man.  Praise the Lord.

Lectern: Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.
Pulpit: His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Lectern: Wealth and riches are in his house,
Pulpit: and his righteousness endures forever.

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Lectern: Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
Pulpit: Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.
Lectern: He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Pulpit: His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
Lectern: He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,

Pulpit: his righteousness endures forever;
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Praise the Lord.

Hymn of Praise-  Gloria in Excelsis  LSB 204   

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

 Prayer of the Day-  Gracious God, by Your light of grace shining in our hearts and enlightened by the cross of our Savior, Jesus Christ, inspire in us a faith that is alive and glorifies You in all we say and do; 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    Isaiah 58:3–9a    (True fasting, true faith)

 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it?  Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’  “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.  Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.  You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.  Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself?  Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?    Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?  “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter–when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Epistle  1 Corinthians 2:1–12  (God’s wisdom revealed by the Spirit)

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.  We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.  No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.  None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”– but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?  In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

Holy Gospel Matthew 5:13–20 

(Jesus explains that God’s blessings abound for people of faith no matter their circumstances.)             

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

 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.  “You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.        This is the Gospel of the Lord.   Praise to You, O Christ.

 Apostles’ Creed –  I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.  And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Hymn  “You Are the Way; through you Alone”    LSB 526

Sermon

Prayers of the Church

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.

 ** We gather our Tithes and Offerings **

Service of the Sacrament 

Preface   2 Timothy 4:22

The Lord be with you.  And also with you.  Lift up your hearts.  We lift them to the Lord.  Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.   It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

Proper Preface- It is truly good, 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 came that the light of Your salvation might shine through His cross to the whole world in order that whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness but have the light of life. 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 208

The Words of Our Lord – Consecration of the Elements

 Pax Domini- The peace of the Lord be with you always.     And also with you.  Amen.

 Agnus Dei  LSB 210

We Celebrate our Lord’s Supper

 Distribution Hymns:  “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness”  LSB 563    “Alleluia!  Sing to Jesus”  LSB 821   “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”  LSB 803

 Post-Communion Canticle –  Nunc Dimittis LSB 211

Post-Communion Thanksgiving-  We give thanks and praise to You, almighty God, heavenly Father, for in Your Son’s very body and blood You have increased in us the gracious light of saving faith.  Help us that this saving light may shine through us in our world giving praise and glory to You in all that we say and do.  We pray this 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:  “Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer”       LSB 918             

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*Announcements*

From the Board of Stewardship and Evangelism:   Matthew 5:17 – “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” We cannot keep the Law of God perfectly. We are sinners. For us to be saved, Jesus had to fulfill the Law in our place so that the threat of the Law is abolished and the Law itself is upheld. Now, in Christ, we do desire to fulfill the Law, to live out a godly Christian life, precisely because we are so full of thanksgiving toward God for His salvation in Christ.

The Pewpoint – THEME OF THE DAY – The Righteousness of Christ-  Jesus warns that “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20), but He also calls His imperfect people “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13, 14). That’s because the Lord Jesus came not to abolish the Law or the prophets, “but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17) in perfect faith and love. Since He does and teaches all of God’s commandments, He is “called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:19). God manifests His “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” in “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2–4), and through the preaching of the Gospel He gives His “secret and hidden wisdom” (1 Cor. 2:7). Christ gives this perfect righteousness to His people, and it leads them to true fasting, which is “to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free” (Is. 58:6) and “to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house” (Is. 58:7).

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

Attendance:  Sunday Service:  32    Communed:     30    Wednesday Service:  11   Communed: 10

Upcoming Opportunities to be involved at Zion

February 5^th   – Bell Choir after church

February 8^th   – Voice Choir 6pm

February 12^th   – Bell Choir after church

February 15^th   – Voice Choir 6pm

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

On their special day please wish them a Happy Birthday.

 

Lynn	2/6
Sharon	2/9
Luis	2/11
Pat	2/18
Chris	2/18
Robert	2/19
Lisa	2/21
Theodore	2/23
Diane	2/26
Happy Anniversary to Neal & Kris	2/14
Robert & Lynn	2/22

 The 2022 Annual report has been printed and is available in the back and the narthex.

 

How Do I Communicate to Someone That I Am Listening?       By David Barnes I would like to list briefly seven practices that I have found useful in listening to others, and that I have appreciated when someone else is listening to me. • Ask open-ended questions. I can communicate that I am listening by asking questions that have several possible answers, questions for which I can’t predict their answer. This is in contrast to asking leading questions that control the conversation, like a prosecuting attorney who already knows the answers before asking the question. So, for example, as an attentive listener, rather than asking, “When did you become a Christian?” I might ask, “Can you tell me about some of the key steps in your spiritual journey?” • Don’t speak too much. Resist the temptation to fill the silence. Leave room for pauses in the conversation. When I am really listening, I am not just nodding my head while mentally preparing to blurt out my response, or to share some parallel from my own life. When I am listening well, it is not about my story, but about their story. There is a time to be silent (Eccl. 3:7), and to listen. • Don’t be reactive. I can communicate I am listening by not reacting to intellectual or emotional triggers that I may encounter in what they are saying. As a good listener, my first job is not to argue point and counterpoint. As a pastor, and as a parent, I learned that I needed to be unshockable, because there is no faster way to shut someone down than to explode with anger or indignation or shaming or blaming or, “How could you?” or “How dare you?” • Show attentive body language. Perhaps this differs from culture to culture, but in US culture it includes an open posture, leaning forward, making eye contact, nodding, giving brief verbal acknowledgments. • Focus. I can communicate that I am listening by focusing—not texting, or reading other material, or watching TV, or checking email, while mechanically saying uh-huh. Good listening is not the time for multi-tasking. It’s so easy to say, “Oh, don’t worry, I’m still listening.” But the very fact the other person asked if you were listening, or that you felt you needed to protest that you really were listening, is a warning signal. • Invite them to tell you more. I have found this to be a deceptively simple but powerful way to communicate I am listening. You can just use the phrase, “Tell me more,” and wait for their response. You may need to say it several times before they fully unpack what they are thinking.

 

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.

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