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Abounding Joy Lutheran Church
Welcome to worship. We rejoice in your presence among us and
invite you to participate fully as we experience the Lord of grace
who comes to us today in Word and Sacrament.
Communion Invitation and Directions:
At Abounding Joy we celebrate Holy Communion as a means of God's saving grace for us in Jesus. All Christians who believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Lord's Supper bringing His gift of the forgiveness of sins are welcome to participate. You'll be ushered up the center aisle. Go to the front, receive the bread in an open hand and take a glass of wine (or white grape juice for those who, for medical reasons, are not able to receive wine). Once you've communed, place your empty glass in the basket, and return to your seat by way of the side aisle. If you have mobility problems, contact an usher and communion will be brought to you where you are seated. Gluten free wafers are available upon request.
Abounding Joy Lutheran Church LCMC - Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (www.lcmc.net)
NALC - North American Lutheran Church (www.theNALC.org)
Ministers: All the people of Abounding Joy
Pastor: Thomas Wright Pastor Tom's contact info: (320) 291-2287 email: [email protected]
Church Secretary: Marilyn Schultz Custodian: Joyce Lloyd Minister of Music: Ginny Shimota Choir Director: Jared Bahe
Acoustic Joy Directors: Roger DeBoer and Cindi Rhoe
The Church Council welcomes your feedback and suggestions. Earl Mathison, President Mark Schultz, Vice-President Dean Peterson, Secretary
Wally Osterholt, Treasurer Al Kutz, Member Larry Miller, Member
6000 County Road 120, St. Cloud, MN 56303 Phone: (320) 217-8784 Email: [email protected] OR [email protected]
Website: www.aboundingjoy.org
Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9:00 am-1:00 pm
November 24, 2019
Christ the King Sunday, Nov. 24 10:00 am Worship Service
11:00-11:45 am Fellowship/Birthday Refreshments Sheets Galore for Liberia Mission Project closes
Monday, Nov. 25 Pastor’s Sabbath/Office Closed
Operation Christmas Child Collection closes 6:30 pm WOW Small Group Study
Tuesday, Nov. 26 10:00 am WOW Small Group Study
Wednesday, Nov. 27 9:00 am Men’s Faith Talk
Noon Bible Study NO WOW Small Group Study
Happy Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28 Office Closed
Choir Rehearsals Resume in December
Friday, Nov. 29 Office Closed
The First Sunday of Advent, Dec. 1 Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:8-10, 11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
9:00 am Adult/Youth Study 10:00 am Worship Service
11:00-11:45 am Fellowship/Refreshments
Monday, Dec. 2 Pastor’s Sabbath/Office Closed
Theme for Today On this last day of the Church year, we celebrate the kingship of Jesus as we hear of God’s impending judgment and the separation of the righteous from the wicked. As He was led toward death, our Savior warned those who mourned that things would get worse before they got better. Moments later, from the cross of His murder, He pronounced a thief forgiven and assured him they would meet in Paradise soon.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BIRTHDAY GREETINGS this week go to: Calvin Hahn, Monday, Nov. 25
Sam Luepke, Brad Lundquist, Tues., Nov. 26;Doug Batdorf, Mike Doble, Wed., Nov. 27 Sandy Johnson, Denise Kingery, Sat., Nov. 30
IN OUR PRAYERS: Penny Horton, Jeffrey Karbedeh, Don Anderson, Lou Laumb, Deanna Busch, Margarete Huebner, Brad Lundquist, Steve Sarff, Lyle Strand, Dolly Swenson, Verna Watts, Wendell Watts, Pat Hagen, Julie (Mike & Karon Doble’s sister-in-law), Karen (Vicki Peterson’s sister-in-law), Jan (friend of congregation), Anthony (Julie Jacobson’s co-worker’s son), Mable (Michelle Bellrichard’s co-worker’s mom), Lana (Johanna Peterson’s roommate), Renee (Vicki Peterson’s friend), Loretta (Marilyn Schultz’s friend), and Erin (Amy Armstrong’s friend’s daughter). Verna Watts is in Country Manor Rapid Recovery room 524. Jeffrey Karbedeh is in room 912 at Chateau Waters Rehab. If you wish to help Jeffrey’s family financially, you may write a check to Abounding Joy with Jeffrey on the memo line or go online to the gofundme link: (https://www.gofundme.com/f/jeffrey-karbedeh-st-cloud-teacher. We express our condolences to Bill and Jill Reck on the death of Jill’s mother, Eunice Sandhoefner who died on Saturday, November 9, in Sleepy Eye, MN. May the promise of the resurrection to new life in Jesus bring hope and comfort to all who grieve. THANK YOU to everyone for all the cards, good wishes, and especially the prayers for me as I go through this journey with cancer. Penny Horton PRAYER REQUESTS are made by filling out the lavender Prayer Request Forms, or phoning in an immediate request anytime for the prayer team. Daily prayer will be offered for one month. Long-term prayer needs will receive daily prayer but may be rotated weekly in the bulletin and altar prayer list. If you wish to have continued prayer, please submit a new request. Our Prayer Team coordinator is Betty Batdorf: [email protected] and cell: 291-5141. HOSPITALIZED? When you or a loved one are, or plan to be, hospitalized, please be sure to contact Pastor Tom so he may be able to visit you. EARLY BULLETIN DEADLINE The office will be closed on Friday after Thanksgiving. Please have bulletin announcements/information in by noon Wednesday, November 27. Thank you and may your exhaustion be from counting your blessings.
MORNING MEN'S FAITH TALK This weekly men's gathering is held at Abounding Joy on Wednesday mornings from 9:00-10:00. Current sessions are open discus-sions of questions and topics of interest that participants may have concerning the Bible and real-life issues. If you would like to be a part of this opportunity to grow in faith and fellowship, come every Wednesday morning or whenever you can. WEDNESDAY NOON BIBLE STUDY On Wednesdays, noon-1 pm, Pastor Tom offers an informal 1-hr Bible study based on the scripture readings for the coming Sunday. Feel free to come every week or once in a while. Please bring a sack lunch and bev-erage (if you wish), a friend, and a desire to grow in faith. WELCOMING OUR VISITORS Here are 4 ways that we can make the experience more enjoyable for our guests when they visit Abounding Joy: 1) wear your name badge so others may call you by name, 2) park on the outer edges of our lot so spots for guests are available near the building, 3) hang your coat on the large coat rack by the restrooms so there is room on the smaller rack by the front door, and 4) greet and introduce yourself to at least one person you haven’t met before. CHOIR REHEARSAL is at 7:00 pm, Thursdays. The choir usually sings the second and fourth Sundays. All voices are welcome! We’ll see you at rehearsal Thursday evening. Questions? Contact Roger DeBoer (492-2167). CD’s AVAILABLE Heart Songs: It’s All About Jesus and Christmas: It’s All About Jesus by Ginny Shimota and others are available in the office for $10 each. All pro-ceeds go to support the orphanages in Liberia. FOOD SHELF MISSION The Sunday School sponsors this mission project and in-vites the congregation to participate by filling the shopping cart in the gathering area. Perishable and expired items are not accepted at the food shelf, but all other canned and dry goods are needed by the hungry in the local area. Another way to support this project is to write a check with “food shelf” in the memo area. We thank Carl & Betty Batdorf for faithfully delivering our donations.
LAST WEEK (Sunday, Nov. 17): Attendance: 205
Offerings: General Fund $5,559 Building Fund $1,806 MN Adult/Teen Challenge: $2,615
REMINDER — Please return your 2020 Giving Plan (in sealed envelope for confidentiality) and your Time and Ability Response Form-2020. There are
designated boxes in the office for both forms.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
There is still time to pack a shoebox for National Collection Week. Our drop-off location is open today 11:00 am–2:00 pm, and Mon-day, 9:00 am–11:00 am. OCC shoeboxes are available to take for anyone to fill. Visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ for more information.
SHEETS GALORE for Liberia Dale and Kris Hellickson are offering sales of Sheets Galore bedsheets as a fundraiser for Liberia. This opportunity ends today Nov. 24. You may place your order, make payment, and receive your sheets a week later. Sheets are $39/set or 3 sets for $99 with all profits donated to the Liberia church and orphanage outreach project. For more information contact Dale (250-0440).
SHARING OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IN DAILY LIFE At three Sunday morning ses-sions (on Dec. 1, 8 and 15 at 9 am), we'll gather to view some videos on, and discuss the topic of, how we can become more comfortable and confident in sharing our faith with the people we encounter every day. All are welcome. WHITE ELEPHANT CHRISTMAS PARTY Friday, December 6, plan a drive or catch a ride to Dan and Belinda Tysver’s home (39782 Ulster Road, Rice). Arrive about 6:30 pm with an appetizer/snack to share, and bring one wrapped family friendly "white elephant" gift per person. Bottled water, coffee, and punch will be served, or bring your own beverage. Sign-up sheet is on the table in the gathering area. If you would like a ride, please indicate on the sign-up sheet and a ride will be provided. CHRISTMAS CAROL SONG NIGHT On Tuesday, December 17 at 6:30 pm, we'll gath-er for 45 minutes to sing our favorite Christmas carols. Invite your friends and neighbors to join us. All are welcome to bring Christmas cookies or other treats to share during the fellowship event that will follow the singing. Donations of Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) from Retirement Accounts Did you know that you can make a donation of all or a portion of the RMD from your retirement account to tax exempt charities such as Abounding Joy and your do-nation will be tax exempt? Here's how it works. Persons at least age 70½, must take at least a minimum dis-tribution from their IRA or incur a penalty equal to one-half of the otherwise re-quired minimum distribution amount. They may take more than the minimum at their discretion. These individuals may instruct their IRA account manager to dis-tribute any amount of their choosing to one or more tax exempt charities such as Abounding Joy. When that is done, it is considered to be a tax-exempt contribution. Abounding Joy would acknowledge to the giver the receipt of that contribution from their IRA. Also, this contribution is tax exempt even if the individual does not item-ize deductions for income tax purposes because the IRA account manager would not identify this to the IRS as reportable income in accordance with the tax code. For more information about Qualified Charitable Distributions, check out the Internal Revenue Service Publication 590-B, “Distributions from Individual Retirement Ar-rangements (IRAs)” or speak with your tax advisor.
FAITH MATTERS Q: What’s Advent?
A: The word advent means “coming.” For Christians, Advent is the first season of the new church year. It’s the four-week period leading up to the joyous celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus. Rather than rushing headlong into Christmas in November, as Christians we intentionally pause to first reflect on what Christmas is all about. During Advent (this year beginning next week on Sunday, Dec. 1) we focus on the three-fold gracious coming of Jesus: in the past, in the present, and in the future. Advent is a time to take the path less traveled. We’re invited to forsake the hurried, hectic, stress-filled path of our world and instead intentionally engage in the practices of waiting, lis-tening, watching, preparing, and anticipating. In so doing we will discover anew the healing and saving presence of our Lord Jesus in our lives. I encourage you to walk in the way of Advent this year. Participate in worship each Sunday. Make use of an Ad-vent wreath to count down to Christmas. Set aside some time each day to read the Bible and pray. Perhaps commit your household to a community service project in De-cember. May Advent 2019 be a time of growth and renewal in your relationship with God and with others as we together prepare to celebrate Christmas! Pastor Tom
ANNOUNCEMENTS Today we celebrate the November birthdays. Happy Birthday to: Nov. 2 - Dolly Swenson 21 - Gary Anderson 27 - Doug Batdorf 8 - Dick Wotzka 22 - Becky Spanier Mike Doble 9 - Marlys Hopke 23 - Val Mueller 30 - Sandy Johnson 10 - Patty Johnson 25 - Calvin Hahn Denise Kingery 12 - Glen Rey 26 - Sam Luepke Brad Lundquist All members and friends are encouraged to sign the birthday calendar on the information table. DECEMBER SERVICE TEAM meets Today, Nov. 24 after worship. Please get your re-freshments and meet in the classroom down the hall on the left. If you are wonder-ing what month you are serving, a complete list is posted on the bulletin board. THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY OUTREACH Thank you for caring, sharing, and be-ing generous. Due to your generosity, we were able to brighten the Thanksgiving hol-iday for five households. Please pray for the Lord’s blessings on this ministry as we remember those in need. TRANSPORTATION Leader, Dean Peterson, will be unavailable from November 22 through December 17. In his absence, please contact Wally Osterholt (320-255-1705) if you need a ride to church or know of someone who does.
The Word of God The First Reading: Malachi 3:13-18
13“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’” 16Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17“They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.” The Second Reading: Colossians 1:13-20
13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things were created through him and for him. 17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. The Gospel: Luke 23:27-43
27There followed Jesus a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” 32Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Cho-sen One!” 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
G A T H E R I N G (* - indicates when congregation stands)
Please silence your voices and prepare your hearts for worship. Prelude: “The King of Glory” (Willard Jabusch) Welcome *Confession and Forgiveness of Sins *Opening Hymn: “Come People of the Risen King” (Getty, Getty, and Townend) *Greeting and Prayer of the Day
W O R D
Children’s Lesson First Reading: Malachi 3:13-18 Second Reading: Colossians 1:13-20 *Gospel Verse: “Jesus Shall Reign” #530 LBW (verses 1 & 5) *Gospel Reading: Luke 23:27-43 Message: “When He Reigns He Pours” *Hymn of the Day: “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” #328 LBW (verses 1, 3, 6, & 7) *Confession of Faith: The Apostles’ Creed *Prayers of the Church
M E A L *Sharing of the Peace Offering of Gifts Choir: “Ah, Holy Jesus” (Arr.: Craig Courtney) *Offering Prayer *Words of Institution and the Lord’s Prayer Communion Distribution Choir: “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross” (Arr.: Gilbert Martin)
“Give Thanks” (Henry Smith) Blessing, Prayer, and Announcements
S E N D I N G *Benediction *Recessional Hymn: “Crown Him with Many Crowns” #170 (verses 1-4) *Dismissal and Postlude
All are invited to stay for fellowship and birthday refreshments after worship.
