Sunday, February 7, :30am

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special welcome to those new to worshipping with us—we’re glad the spirit has called you here! Bethesda Lutheran Church is livestreaming church services on our website and Facebook, and we are offering a limited number of in-person opportunities. If you don’t already have a church home and would like to join ours, please call the office at 515-232-6256 and we’ll connect you to one of the Pastors, and make it easy.

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GATHER all people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ GROW as disciples by worship, prayer and study of God’s Word

GO into the world to share the gospel in word and deed

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February 14 . . . Mark 9:2-9

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9:30 am Sundays . . . Livestream & Limited In-person

View our livestream worship service at www.bethesdaames.org, and click on the banner that says “Livestream - Click here Sunday at 9:30 am”. Our Facebook page also hosts the Livestreams—

facebook.com/BethesdaAmes/ —just “Like” our Facebook page and you will receive notification that the stream is starting. And the video will be hosted on our YouTube channel for on-demand viewing after the service— tinyurl.com/y22d7om2.

Sign-up here tinyurl.com/17o9qst0 to reserve a seat in the pew on Sunday, February 14 at 9:30 am.

Finally, and most importantly, for today and all days, God is still with us. Do not be frightened. Or dismayed. Be strong. Be courageous. For the Lord your God is with you, wherever you go.

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PRELUDE: “In Thee Is Gladness” K. Hildebrand

P CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, +_{one God,}

whose voice is upon the waters,

whose mercy is poured out upon all people, whose goodness cascades over all creation. Amen.

Let us confess our sin, trusting in the abundant grace of God. Holy One,

you search us and know us. You are acquainted with all our ways. We confess that our hearts are burdened by sin—our own sins and the broken systems that bind us. We turn inward, failing to follow your outward way of love. We distrust those who are not like us. We exploit the earth and its resources and fail to consider generations to come. Forgive us, gracious God, for all we have done and left undone. Even before the words are on our tongues, you know them; receive them in your divine mercy. Amen.

How vast is God’s grace! Through the power and promise of +_{Christ Jesus, our sins are washed away and we}

are claimed as God’s own beloved. Indeed, we are forgiven. In the wake of God’s forgiveness, we are called to be the beloved community living out Christ’s justice and the Spirit’s reconciling peace.

Amen.

ANTHEM: “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright” (arr. J. S. Bach) Bethesda Virtual Choir

GREETING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY Let us pray.

Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint. Make us agents of your healing and wholeness, that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen. WELCOME

ANNOUNCEMENTS CHILDRENS’ MESSAGE

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FIRST READING: Isaiah 40:21-31

L_{A reading from Isaiah:}

21_{Have you not known? Have you not heard?} Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22_{It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,}

and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in;

23_{who brings princes to naught,}

and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. 24_{Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,} scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

25_{To whom then will you compare me,} or who is my equal? says the Holy One.

26_{Lift up your eyes on high and see:} Who created these?

He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name;

because he is great in strength, mighty in power,

not one is missing. 27_{Why do you say, O Jacob,} and speak, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the LORD,

and my right is disregarded by my God”? 28_{Have you not known? Have you not heard?} The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

29_{He gives power to the faint,} and strengthens the powerless.

30_{Even youths will faint and be weary,} and the young will fall exhausted;

31_{but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,} they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. The word of the Lord.

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The holy gospel according to Mark. Glory to you, O Lord.

29_{As soon as [Jesus and the disciples] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James} and John. 30_{Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.}31_{He came and} took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32_{That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.}33_{And the whole} city was gathered around the door. 34_{And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many} demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35_{In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.} 36_{And Simon and his companions hunted for him.}37_{When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for} you.” 38_{He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that} is what I came out to do.” 39

The gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ. SERMON

ANTHEM: “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright” (arr. J. S. Bach) FAREWELL AND GODSPEED for Miriam Chadima

PRAYERS LORD’S PRAYER Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

PEACE & OFFERING: Text three of your friends or family!

Please visit https://tinyurl.com//t4x6vz6

or scan the QR code at right, with your smart phone or other device, to go directly to Bethesda’s secure giving page.

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OFFERING PRAYER Let us pray.

O God, receive these gifts as you receive us: like a mother receives her child, with arms open wide. Nourish us anew in your tender care, and empower us in faithful service to tend to others with this same love, through Jesus Christ, our saving grace.

Amen.

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BLESSING

God the creator strengthen you; Jesus the beloved fill you; and the Holy Spirit the comforter T_{keep you in peace.}

Amen. DISMISSAL

Go in peace. Be the light of Christ Thanks be to God.

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GRIEVING:

Joanne and family on the death of Chuck Frederiksen, February 3, at Israel Hospice House

Diane and family on the death of Pastor John E. Kerr, February 1, at Hospice in Coon Rapids, MN

HEALING:

Dolores Byriel; Gloria Egertson; Chuck Frederiksen; April Lawson; Bill Marion; Sabine Troster Pierick,

Julie Pike; Cooper Schmidt (great-grandson of Chuck & Darlene Schmidt, born University Hospitals Dec. 2020)

SERVING OUR NATION:

Colonel Mark Kappelmann, (D.C.), son of Glenn & Mary Kappelmann

Kristin Murray, Diplomat (US Embassy, Rabat, Morocco), daughter of Russ & Jan Melby

Drive-thru Ash Imposition

Wednesday, February 17

12-1 and 5-6:25 pm

Bethesda Opportunities

Tuesday, Feb. 16 @ 6:30 pm

Listen, Watch, Sing and Sip—in your car

The perfect way to usher in the Lenten season

Sign-up today at

https://bethesdaames.org/adult-education

Sign-up weekly

https://bethesdaames.org/upcoming-events/

Splash Sunday School

Now from 10:45-11:30 am

The new Zoom link will be published in Friday’s E-newsletter each week. Glenn Crosswait and Lori Woodcock are continuing our series on The Lord’s Prayer today, at our new start time of 10:45.

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Annual Congregational Meeting

January 31, 2021

Photos courtesy of Allan Schmidt

Bethesda Leadership 2021

Council President Tony Woodcock . . . .woodcock.ar@gmail.com President-elect Larry Otteman . . . larryaotteman@gmail.com Past President Joyce O’Donnell. . . jdodonn@icloud.com Council Member-at-Large Dave Anderson. . . davedanderson@mchsi.com Member-at-Large Chris Brakke. . . amesbrakkes@q.com Member-at-Large Rod Fischer . . . .videoguy@iastate.edu

Member-at-Large Sharon Haugen

Member-at-Large Jim Stewart. . . farm.stewart@gmail.com Admin & Finance Board Chair

Christian Education & Youth Eric Weber . . . .eric.weber@adm.com Christian Service, Mission, & Outreach Cheyenne Steward . . . cheyenne.steward@gmail.com Congregational Life & Care Jolene Frette . . . j.frette@mchsi.com Stewardship Daryle Vegge . . . .darylevegge@gmail.com Worship, Music & Arts Jeanne Stewart . . . jwstewart1@gmail.com

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Ministers . . . Pastor Bryan Simmons, Pastor Ryan Arnold Greeter / Lector. . . Tony Woodcock Musician . . . Mark-Kretsinger-Harries Sound Tech . . . Jim Stewart A/V . . . .Rod Fischer, Allan Schmidt

Office PHONE Hours

Monday–Thursday 9:00 am–4:00 pm Worship Schedule Sunday . . . 9:30 am Lenten Wednesdays . . . 6:30 pm (beginning Feb. 17)

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Joyce O’Donnell, Council President . . . jdodonn@icloud.com Bryan Simmons, Lead Pastor. . . .bsimmons@BethesdaAmes.org Ryan Arnold, Associate Pastor . . . rarnold@BethesdaAmes.org Miriam Chadima, Youth Engagement Specialist. . . mchadima@BethesdaAmes.org Lindsay Peters, High School Coordinator . . . .lpeters@BethesdaAmes.org Mary Nelson, Lead Organist. . . mnelson@BethesdaAmes.org Mark Kretsinger-Harries, Director of Worship and Music. . . mkharries@BethesdaAmes.org Lisa Ailshie, Communications Manager . . . lailshie@BethesdaAmes.org Lynn Anderson, Administrative Specialist . . . ljanderson@BethesdaAmes.org Cliff McDonald, Accounting Manager . . . cmcdonald@BethesdaAmes.org Cathy Wright, Bookkeeper . . . cwright@BethesdaAmes.org Linda Fevold, Database Coordinator . . . lfevold@BethesdaAmes.org Curtis Malone, Assistant Custodian

1517 Northwestern Ave. Ames, IA 50010

515-232-6256

www.bethesdaames.org

A congregation of the

We invite you to join our community and share in God’s abundant grace knowing that you cannot be separated from the love of God by your age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political beliefs, socioeconomic status, physical or mental abilities or faith background.

We are a proud member of Reconciling in Christ.