WELCOME TO WORSHIP!

CHRIST REIGNS OVER ALL THINGS Christ the King Sunday

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ST. PAUL’S EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH | Wisconsin Rapids, WI

November 24, 2019

WELCOME TO WORSHIP

If you are a visitor to our church, we extend you a warm welcome. It’s encouraging to see

parents bring their families to worship the Lord. If your child is restless, you can use the

Family Room to calm your child. Restrooms are located in the hallways along either side

of the Worship Center. For those with special needs, large print copies of the service and

listening devices are available from the ushers. One of our ushers or greeters can help you

find the restrooms, family room or answer your other questions.

SERVICE NOTES FOR THIS SUNDAY

The Church Year ends with the lasting song of triumph for Christ our King. The promise

remains the same throughout all the ages: Christ will reign over all things for all time. We

will live and reign with him in his kingdom. Rejoice and rest today, knowing that Jesus is

your victorious King!

The liturgical color1 for this Sunday is white, which reminds us of the purity and

supremacy of Christ, the firstborn from among the dead (Colossians 1:18).

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION Scripture quotations marked (NIV84) are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION .

NIV. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Hymns and liturgy marked CW can be found in the red hymnals in the pew racks, Christian Worship: A Lutheran

Hymnal. Service of the Word. Words and Music. © 1993 Northwestern Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Reprinted under OneLicense.net A-719903

“He Is Exalted.” Text, Tune & Setting: Twila Paris. © 1985 Straightway Music and Mountain Spring Music. Used by

permission. CCLI#145043. Psalm 72. Music: © 2005 Lynn L. Petersen. All rights reserved. Reprinted under OneLicense.net A-719903

“Sing to the King.” Billy James Foote\Charles Silvester Horne. © 2003 worshiptogether.com songs\sixsteps Music.

Used by permission: CCLI #145043

1 The liturgical color is found on the pastor's stole and the piece of cloth hanging from the pulpit.

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SERVICE OF THE WORD Service of the Word draws the believer’s attention to the proclamation of the Gospel in the Word of God.

WELCOME

OPENING HYMN Hail, O Once-Despised Jesus | CW 351

Please stand.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Minister (M): The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship

of the Holy Spirit be with you.

Congregation (C): And also with you.

CONFESSION OF SINS

M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his

dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and

punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.

C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways

I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting

in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love.

Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.

M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent

death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own

dear child. May God give you the strength to live according to his will.

C: Amen.

PRAYER AND PRAISE

M: In the peace of forgiveness, let us praise the Lord.

When the congregation responds

to a prayer or blessing with the

word “Amen,” they are really

making a declaration of faith—

“Yes, what was just said is

certainly true and we trust that

God will keep the promises he

makes to us.”

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He Is Exalted

PRAYER OF THE DAY

M: Let us pray.

Lord Jesus Christ, by your victory you have broken the power of the evil one. Fill

our hearts with joy and peace as we look with hope to that day when every creature

in heaven and earth will acclaim you King of kings and Lord of lords to your

unending praise and glory; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy

Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C: Amen.

Be seated

The Word

FIRST LESSON Jeremiah 23:1-6

Your King reigns wisely.

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After the reading, the announcement is made:

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God!

PSALM OF THE DAY Psalm 72 | The People’s Psalter

The cantor will introduce the refrain, then all will repeat it.

Thereafter, the cantor sings the verses and all sing the refrain and the “Glory be”.

Cantor - Endow the King with your justice, O God,

the royal son with your righteousness.

He will defend the afflicted among the people

and save the children of the needy.

Cantor - He will endure as long as the sun,

as long as the moon, through all generations.

He will be like rain falling on a mown field,

like showers watering the earth.

Congregation - The light of Christ shines upon us.

Praise his glorious name.

Cantor - All kings will bow down to him

and all nations will serve him.

All nations will be blessed through him,

and they will call him blessed.

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Cantor - May his name endure forever;

may it continue as long as the sun.

Praise be to the LORD God, who alone does marvelous deeds.

May the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Congregation - 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.

Congregation - The light of Christ shines upon us.

Praise his glorious name.

SECOND LESSON Colossians 1:13-20

Your King reigns supreme over all things.

After the reading, the announcement is made:

M: The Word of the Lord.

C: Thanks be to God!

VERSE OF THE DAY

M: Alleluia. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Frist and the Last,

C: The Beginning and the End. Alleluia. (Revelation 22:13)

Please stand.

GOSPEL - Luke 23:35-43

Your King reigns over death.

After the reading, the announcement is made:

M: This is the Gospel of our Lord.

C: Praise be to you, O Christ! Be seated

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE

The children are invited to come forward for an object lesson.

The Holy Gospel is the pinnacle of

the Service of the Word because it

represents the direct words and

actions of our Lord during his

earthly ministry. Before the

reading of the Gospel, the people

stand in due reverence to Christ.

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HYMN Crown Him with Many Crowns |CW 341

SERMON - This is Your King

Please stand.

CONFESSION OF FAITH Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From there 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. Be seated

THANK OFFERING St. Paul’s members offer their first and their best to their Savior in order to

support the sharing of the Gospel through our church and our worldwide

church body, the WELS. Our guests do not need to feel obligated to

participate. We ask that everyone, guests and members, sign the Friendship

Register which will be passed out during the offering. If the gospel message

has moved you to give and you would like an electronic option, you can scan

this QR code with your mobile phone. It will connect you with our website’s

giving page.

VIDEO – Sacrificial Giving

Please stand.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Notice the strange paradoxes of this

hymn, especially at the end of verse 3:

“Christ died eternal life to bring and

lives that death may die.” The King

was dead! Long live the King!

In place of our usual musical offering,

devotional videos will encourage us as

we carry out the giving portion of the

10 for 10 emphasis.

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THE 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; lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Be seated.

HYMN Sing to the King

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Please stand.

CLOSING PRAYER

M: Let us pray together.

C: Almighty God, we thank you for teaching us the things you want us to believe

and do. Help us by your Holy Spirit to keep your Word in pure hearts that we

may be strengthened in faith, guided in holiness, and comforted in life and in

death, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

BLESSING

M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in

harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with

gladness. The Lord bless you and keep you. The

Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious

to you. The Lord look on you with favor and (+)

give you peace.

C: Amen.

Be seated.

CLOSING HYMN Saints, Behold! The Sight Is Glorious |CW 216

WELS CONNECTION – One Africa Team

Even though some might view the

action as “too Catholic,”

worshippers may make the sign of

the cross on themselves as they are

encouraged to live each day with

baptismal confidence. This is a

reminder that they have the Lord’s

blessing and presence with them.

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TAKE HOME QUESTIONS

1. Throughout the Bible, appearances can be deceiving. 1 Samuel 16:7 cues us into what

matters to God. Think of three specific ways in which this differs from the view of

the world. In other words, what sort of appearances do people focus on?

2. There are some sad, yet amazing, ironies in the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion,

especially in what is said about Jesus by the people and soldiers. What makes those

things sadly ironic?

3. Colossians 1:13-20 is one of Paul’s great sections about the supremacy Christ. He also

wrote similar “hymns to Jesus” in Philippians 2:5-11 and Ephesians 1:3-14. Read

these sections and simply appreciate the beauty of them. Also, if you have more

time, the book of Hebrews beautifully communicates the supremacy of Jesus.

4. What makes Jesus different than any other king that had ruled the people of Israel?

Think of what Jeremiah wrote in 23:5-6.

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NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

THIS SUNDAY’S BIBLE STUDY Bible Translations: Who, What, Why, and How?

Which Bible is the Word of God?

Join us in the cafeteria from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m.

ASSOCIATE PASTOR CALLED

On Monday, our voters called Pastor Luke Myslik to serve as our associate pastor. He is

currently the pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Peshtigo, WI. His wife, Susan teaches at

St. John’s Lutheran School in Peshtigo. Please pray for Pastor Myslik and his congregation

as he deliberates this call.

NEW BIBLE STUDY SERIES BEGINS THIS SUNDAY Nov. 24 | 9:15-10:15 AM

It seems that there are multiple versions of the Bible out there. Why are there so many?

How do you know you are reading the actual Word of God? We will address those

questions and look at the translation process during our Sunday Bible Hour. Please come

to the cafeteria at 9:15 AM.

HELP DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS Nov. 30 | 9:00 AM

Many hands are needed to hang garland, set up Christmas trees, put up the nativity scene,

and more to get things ready for Advent (which begins Dec. 1). Work begins Saturday

morning at 9:00 AM. If you have artificial garland or red poinsettias that you can loan us

for the season, please bring it along.

Thanksgiving Worship Services Wednesday, Nov. 27 at 6:30PM

Thursday, Nov. 28 at 9:30AM

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SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR ADVENT

Advent begins next Sunday, Dec. 1. There are no Monday night services during Advent.

They will resume after New Year’s Day.

Our midweek Advent services are on Dec. 4, 11, & 18 at 4:00 & 6:30 PM. Please note the

new time for the first service. See our December newsletter for more on why that change

was made. This year’s theme is “Angels Proclaim.” The angels proclaim messages to the

people in the Bible, but they are also messages for us today.

Our Advent suppers will be served from 4:45-6:00 PM. As usual, we ask that everyone

help out with the meal once during the season. The schedule is:

Last Names A-J help on Dec. 4

Last Names K-O help on Dec. 11

Last Names P-Z help on Dec. 18.

UNINTERRUPTED TIME FOR CHRISTMAS TASKS

Dec. 7 | 8:45-11:45 AM

The Christmas season can be hectic – presents to find, buy,

wrap and hide; cookies to bake; homes to decorate. Give

yourself a few uninterrupted hours to get these things done, so

you can focus on the real reason for the season – the birth of our Savior. Bring

your kids to Christmas for Kids. The will learn about Jesus, play games, do crafts, sing

songs, and make a snack. You also have the option of staying for lunch. We even have

childcare for 1 & 2 year olds. You can pre-register at our website (under Events), or pick

up a form from the Ministry Table in the Welcome Center.

ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT: WOMEN’S EVENT Dec. 8 | 6:00 PM

This is a beautiful evening of God's word, music, dessert, and a fellowship to help every

woman enjoy a happy and peaceful Christmas focused on the true reason for the Season.

Join your fellow sisters in Christ on this amazing long running tradition. Hostesses are

still needed to make this event memorable. Please consider hosting a table! Please stop by

the Welcome Center to sign up to host or to participate. We hope to see you there.

The Father rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves

– Colossians 1:13

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FRUIT ORDERS DUE MONDAY Nov. 25

If you would like to purchase a box of fruit from Northland’s annual

fruit sale, please submit your order to St. Paul’s church office by

Monday, Nov. 25. Sausage, cheese, and snack mixes are also

available. Order forms were placed in your mailslots earlier this

month, plus extra order forms can be found in the office.

DELIVER CHRISTMAS CHEER FOR SHUT-INS! Dec. 17

Bring a smile and the congregational fruit baskets to a few shut-ins. If you can help on

Tuesday, Dec. 17, please call Hilde Henkel (715-435-3547) or email her (henkelfm@wctc.net).

JOURNEY: FROM BETHLEHEM TO THE CROSS Dec. 6 | 7:00 PM

Northland Lutheran High School’s Christmas Concert & Journey to Bethlehem are combined

this year, and everything is indoors! This unique and refreshing presentation will take place

on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7:00 PM. Come praise God and be filled with Christmas joy!

THE CRANKY MOM FIX Jan. 11 | 8:30-11:30 AM

Ladies, if we’re honest with ourselves, almost every mom knows she can go from being

kind to cranky in no time flat. When we’re tired, busy, anxious, preoccupied—okay, so

anytime, really—we tend to default to snapping and barking at the people we love best.

But life doesn’t have to be this way. With grace and good humor, Becky Kopitzke shares

how to tame the “Momster” in all of us.

Tickets are just $10 and include a light breakfast! Childcare is not available for this event.

You can purchase your tickets thru the St. Paul's facebook page under events, (there is a

small processing fee), or you can make checks payable to High Gear Promotions for

$10/ticket-no fees apply, or pay cash to the church office-noting The Cranky Mom Fix. Any

questions, please contact Michelle Gear at michellemgear@gmail.com or 920-784-4643.

HIRING: CHILDCARE WORKERS

Our Little Lambs Childcare needs more workers, so we can serve more families. The most

urgent need is for early morning and late afternoon, although more hours are available.

Duties vary according to age group and time of day. For more information, please contact

Carole Melso at 715-421-3634. 15 or littlelambs@stpaulswr.org

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PIES FOR THANKSGIVING

Pick one up from the Willing Workers. They have many frozen take-and-bake apple pies

and a few frozen fully-cooked pumpkin pies. There is also some frozen chicken soup, if

you need a quick meal during the busy holiday weekend. Pies are $11 each and quarts of

soup are $7. These items are available from the church office.

USE AMAZON SMILE FOR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

If you are shopping online for gifts, be sure to use Amazon Smile.

You can designate St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church to

receive a gift equal to 0.5% of your purchase. For the last quarter

(July-Sept), we received $9.25. If everyone used Amazon Smile for

their Amazon purchases, we would easily surpass that! Just go

to smile.amazon.com. They have the same selection as the

regular Amazon site, but you can generate donations for charities

by using this site. Another tip: Pay for your purchases with

Amazon scrip, and increase your giving to our ministries.

HIRING: PART-TIME JANITORIAL WORKER

We are in need of someone to daily clean the restrooms, hallways and more. This position

is for 20 hours per week. For more information, please contact Fred Camacho at 715-323-

4566 or facjac@charter.net.

SCRIP FOR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Scrip is available for most major retailers. If you have set up a scrip account online, you

may be able to purchase your scrip while you shop online or even while you are in the

store! If you want to find out how to do this, just contact St. Paul’s Scrip Coordinator, Deb

DeWilde at 715-569-4018 or StPaulsScripWR@gmail.com.

NOVEMBER MEMBERSHIP CHANGES

We forgot to list the membership change in our December newsletter. Shaylyn Lee Hayes

was baptized. She is the daughter of Tara Voda. Also, the Lord called home Mitzi Casey

and Carol Heiser.

The church office is closed on Friday, Nov. 29.

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CALENDAR Nov. 24-Dec. 1

SUNDAY 8:00 AM Worship

9:00 AM Bible Study in the cafeteria

9:15 AM Sunday School for grades 4K-6 in Room 106

10:30 AM Worship

MONDAY 6:30 PM Worship

TUESDAY 6:45 AM Men’s Bible Study at From the Ground Up Coffee Shop

9:45 AM Women Walking in the Word in the Resource Center

6:30 PM Stephen Ministers Peer Group in the Resource Center

WEDNESDAY 6:30 PM Thanksgiving Worship

THURSDAY 9:30 AM Thanksgiving Worship

SATURDAY 9:00 AM Decorating for Christmas

SUNDAY 8:00 AM Worship

9:00 AM Bible Study in the cafeteria

9:15 AM Sunday School for grades 4K-6 in Room 106

10:30 AM Worship

UPCOMING EVENTS

Dec. 4 Midweek Advent Services

Dec. 7 Christmas for Kids

Dec. 8 Advent by Candlelight

Dec. 14 School Christmas Service

ATTENDANCE & OFFERING REPORT

Last Week’s Attendance: 299 Year-to-date average attendance: 245

From July 1, 2019 to November 15, 2019

Actual ministry income: $418,284

Actual cost of ministry: $416,585 Mortgage balance: $1,443,485

311 14th Ave S | Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495 | 715-421-3634 | churchoffice@stpaulswr.org

Pastor Lucas Proeber | 989-780-3184 | pastorproeber@stpaulswr.org

www.stpaulswr.org