Zion Lutheran Church - Bethalto
Fourth Sunday in Advent
December 19 & 20, 2020 - 6:00pm & 8:15am
As We Gather: This Advent season our sermon series is focusing on the Characters of Christmas. We're looking at these ordinary people whose lives were changed by the most important story in the history of the world: the birth of Jesus. Today, we'll be looking at Mary, the mother of Jesus, who hears the promises of God and humbly responds with faith.
Confession and Absolution
Opening Hymn: 357 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (sts. 1, ref, 5–7)
P In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P 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.
P Our help is in the name of the Lord,
C who made heaven and earth.
P I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,
C and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.
Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.
P Almighty God, our maker and redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto You that we are by nature sinful and
unclean and that we have sinned against You by thought, word, and deed. Wherefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
C O most merciful God, who has given Your only-begotten Son to die for us, have mercy upon us and for His sake grant us remission of all our sins; and by Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
P Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His only Son to die for us and for His
sake forgives us all our sins. To those who believe on His name He gives power to become the children of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Grant this, Lord, unto us all.
C Amen.
Service of the Word
Psalm: Psalm 89:1–5P 1I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;
C with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
P 2For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
C 3You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant:
P 4‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’”
C 5Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
1 O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear. Refrain
Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!
5 O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home; Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery. Refrain
6 O come, Thou Dayspring from on high, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Refrain
7 O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind; Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace. Refrain
Kyrie LSB 186
C Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Salutation and Collect of the Day
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 6:8–13
8And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I!
Send me.” 9And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
10Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
11Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste
without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste,
12and the LORD removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
13And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.
P This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God. Epistle: Romans 16:25–27
25Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic
writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the
obedience of faith— 27to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
P This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God. Alleluia LSB 190
C Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. Holy Gospel: Luke 1:26–38
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the first chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed
to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and
said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern
what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with
God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be
great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36And behold, your relative
Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For
nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according
to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Apostles’ Creed
C 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.
Sermon Hymn 359: Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming
Sermon: “Mary: A Heart of Service” - Vicar Brandon Metcalf
Offertory Hymn 370: What Child Is This
Prayer of the Church Petition Response:
P let us pray to the Lord:
C Lord, have mercy. …
P O Most High, we give You thanks for Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Key of David and the scepter of
the house of Israel. By His death, He has opened the kingdom of heaven and closed the gates of hell for all who trust in Him. By His resurrection, He has rescued the prisoners who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death. Grant that, as we recall with thanksgiving His advent in the flesh, we may always confess Him and remain
watchful for His advent in glory at the Last Day; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
1 Lo, how a rose e’er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung! Of Jesse’s lineage coming As prophets long have sung, It came, a flow’ret bright, Amid the cold of winter, When half-spent was the night.
2 Isaiah ’twas foretold it,
The rose I have in mind; With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind. To show God’s love aright, She bore to us a Savior, When half-spent was the night.
3 This flow’r, whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air, Dispels with glorious splendor The darkness ev’rywhere. True man, yet very God,
From sin and death He saves us And lightens ev’ry load.
4 O Savior, child of Mary,
Who felt our human woe; O Savior, King of glory,
Who dost our weakness know: Bring us at length we pray To the bright courts of heaven, And to the endless day.
Text: Public domain
1 What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the king,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Haste, haste to bring Him laud, The babe, the son of Mary!
2 Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christian, fear; for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you; Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The babe, the son of Mary!
3 So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
Come, peasant, king, to own Him. The King of kings salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise the song on high, The virgin sings her lullaby; Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The babe, the son of Mary!
Lord’s Prayer
C 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.
Benediction
P 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 give you peace.
C Amen.
Closing Hymn 374: Gentle Mary Laid Her Child
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 © 2020 Concordia Publishing House.
• Preacher: Vicar Brandon Metcalf
• Keyboardist: (6pm) Barb Dorris (8:15am) Stephanie Bollinger
• Music: (10:45) Worship Band
• Elders: (6pm)Gary Niemeier (8:15am) Leroy Brakhane (10:45am) Mike Koch
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Christmas Eve Service Sign-up: This year, in order to remain at a safe distance but allow for in-person services, there
will be six Christmas Eve services to choose from. 10am, 2pm, 4pm, 5:30pm, 7pm, & 11pm. The 4 & 7pm services will be live streamed as well. Space for some of the times is filling up but there is still a lot of availability too so check out the options here: December Worship or call the church office at 377-8314. You can also sign up for the 5pm New Year’s Eve service using the same link or calling the church office.
Poinsettias will again be used to decorate the church for Christmas services through Epiphany service. The price is $9/
plant. Call or email the church office to order. Payment may be sent to the church office or put with your offering in an envelope marked “Poinsettia”.
Christmas Offering Thanks: As we enter a unique Christmas season, we want to take a moment to express our
gratitude for the generous gifts we receive this time of year. This year has been difficult in many ways but we’ve seen church members and visitors band together to help each other and Zion Church & School. Your support throughout the year has made our work possible, and during the holidays, we are especially aware of your generosity and how it benefits Zion and our community. While you are planning your seasonal giving, we have a suggestion to offer: Consider making your gift using our electronic giving tools. Giving online through our church webpage, is easy and convenient. You can use these eGiving tools to give from anywhere, wherever you are joining us for worship this holiday season. Look for the “Give” link in the upper right corner of the website or try clicking here: http://zionbethalto.org/zion-bethalto-online-giving/.
“Surviving the Holidays”: A recording from the main presentations from our “Surviving the Holidays” event is now
available on our church website and Facebook page. Feel free to share with anyone who could use some help and comfort dealing with loss and grief during the holidays. If you would like a copy of the presentation outlines or any of the resources shared during the event, contact the church office for more information!
1 Gentle Mary laid her child
Lowly in a manger; There He lay, the Undefiled, To the world a stranger. Such a babe in such a place, Can He be the Savior? Ask the saved of all the race Who have found His favor.
2 Angels sang about His birth,
Wise Men sought and found Him; Heaven’s star shone brightly forth Glory all around Him.
Shepherds saw the wondrous sight, Heard the angels singing; All the plains were lit that night, All the hills were ringing.
3 Gentle Mary laid her child
Lowly in a manger; He is still the Undefiled But no more a stranger. Son of God of humble birth, Beautiful the story;
Praise His name in all the earth; Hail the King of glory!
Pecan & Nut Sale - Zion Youth are holding their annual pecan/nut sale! There is a table in the Ministry Center or you can order by calling or emailing the church office or DCE Kristen at kwyzard@zionbethalto.org.
Items for sale: 16 oz bags: Pecan Halves - $10; Pecan Pieces - $10; Walnut Halves & Pieces - $9; Roasted/Salted Pistachios - $9; Roasted/Salted Cashews - $9; Mountain Mix (trail mix) - $6
12 oz bags: Milk Chocolate Pecans - $8; Honey Roasted Peanuts - $5
Sunday morning Bible class is studying: Songs of Christmas for Bible classes on 12/20 and 12/27.
Pericopes Bible Study: No class until January.
Facebook Life Wednesday Bible Study: No class until January.
Safety: If you choose to attend worship in-person, a mask will be required at all times. If you have any symptoms, or are
feeling sick, please do not enter the building. We are practicing an over-abundance of caution, especially in consideration for providing our Zion School students & staff a safe and healthy environment. We encourage you to utilize our Live Streamed services Sundays at 8:15 am & 10:45 am, especially if you are in the high risk category, or are not feeling well. We look forward to worshipping with you, in person or online!
Worship Schedule – Again, to remain on the safe side, we are continuing with the process of registering for church
through Signup Genius. Times and limits will remain the same. Wear masks and maintain social distance. Saturday at 6 pm Traditional, 50 people. Sunday services at 8:15 am Traditional (Live and Streamed) and 10:45 am Contemporary (Live & Streamed), 75 people. Please register online or call the church office at 377-8314.
Communion – Communion will be celebrated the second and last Sundays of the month. If you are not able to attend
church services but would like to set up a time to commune, please contact Pastor Kale.
KFUO Radio, a media ministry extension of LCMS, shares Christ for you on AM850 & kfuo.org via worship services,
Bible and theology studies, practical talk programs, and sacred music. You can find programs on demand at kfuo.org and wherever you get your podcasts! Find us on social: @KFUOradio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This week, we begin our special Twelve Days of Christmas programming full of sacred music, scripture, prayers, and special talk segments. Listen to this special programming for the Christmas season from December 24 to January 6!
Offering & Attendance Info
Prayer List
Members:
Last Week’s Offering: $26,316.46 Weekly Offering Goal: $19,414.95 Difference: $6,901.51 over ADendance 12/13/20: 293 YTD Offerings: $874,556.62 YTD Goal: $957,291.44 Difference: $82,734.82 short ADendance 12/15/19: 360
Ted Boettcher, health concerns Tammy Clements - tests
Danny Wieseman, biopsy being done on 12/15 Wayne Schmidt, recovery from back surgery 12/16 Mary Brewster, cancer
Tiffany Lubinski, colon cancer Charlotte Heeren, broken foot/ankle
Bobbie Kueker, health concerns, broken ankle
Mary Wood, health concerns Virginia Price, health concerns Jonathan Farris - cancer Cathy Sawyer, health concerns Bob Schaffer, cancer
Anna Ranz, hospice
Anna Mae Schoenbaum, health concerns Cathy Courtoise, cancer treatments Myron Bollinger, health concerns
Non-members:
Zion Lutheran Church
625 Church Dr.
Bethalto, IL 62010
618-377-8314
zionbethalto.org
Joe Podner, Sandy’s husband, health concerns Emmalyn Sellars, great granddaughter of Don and Karen Langendorf, in NICU/had heart surgery 12/9/20 Paulette McCollum, sister of Janet Waters, health concerns
Sylvia Watters - former member, Alton Memorial, COVID Mary Fay Armentrout, mother of Lloyd Armentrout, hospitalized with COVID
Ranae White, niece of Carl & Sandy Frankford, health concerns
Jim & Sherain Morton & son, friends of Bobbie Kueker, health concerns
Nancy Waltz, friend of Dennis & Sandy Madison, lung cancer
Karen Lahey, sister of Margaret Brewster, pancreatic cancer
Laurie Whipple, cousin of Derek Whipple, cancer Scott Seymour - brother of Mark Seymour, rehab Shirley Jones, grandmother of Michael Ambrose, health concerns
Colette Sawyer, friend of Holly Meyer, cancer Kristi Morris, friend of Walt & DeeDee Welch, health concerns
Coy Chaffin, relative of Joan Gusewelle, stroke Heidi Reynolds, relative of Joan Gusewelle, cancer Rita Pickard, niece of Mary Ann Dearing, colon cancer Brian Hale, brother-in-law of Janell Hale, cancer in lymph nodes
Dr. Miriam David-Brown, Pastor & Stephani Meyer’s friend, cancer
Missy Wallace, friend of Wieseman’s, breast cancer
David Wilson, son/stepson of Kerry & Jackye Wilson, stroke Cindy Stoner, mom to Sam Stoner, cancer
Levi Gott, son of Debby Scott’s coworker, brain tumor Tegan Davis-Holt, health concerns
Cecil Thomason, brother-in-law of Anna Mae Schoenbaum, health concerns
Ernie Hyman, friend of Dennis/Cheryl Wilschetz, cancer Bob Guthrie, friend of Lloyd/Debbie Armentrout, health concerns
Jim Woolsey, brother of Mary Lou Schmidt, health concerns Dan McRae, health concerns
Diane Ceretto, friend of Denise Schoppet, breast cancer Mary Miller, friend of Armentrouts, health concerns Don Laird, brother-in-law of Anna Seymour, cancer Toby Cook, brother of Tom Cook, health concerns
