FIFTH SUNDAY
AFTER EPIPHANY
+ Fifth
Sunday after Epiphany +
ELW Setting One,
page 94
+ WELCOME,
VISITORS +
Please sign
our visitor's book at our
CHILDCARE is
PROVIDED in lower level of the
“CRY ROOM” down the stairs off the Narthex where the service can still
be heard.
“BUSY BAGS ,CHILDREN’S BULLETINS and The LITTLE LUTHERAN BOOKS
are also provided in
the Narthex .
CONGREGATIONAL
RESPONSES ARE IN BOLD TYPE.
________________________________________________________________________
PRELUDE Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness (I) setting by
Johann
Gottfried Walther
GATHERING
GATHERING HYMN Praise the One Who Breaks
the Darkness #843
CANTICLE OF PRAISE ELW Setting One
SALUTATION
The Lord be
with you.
And also with you.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
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.
FIRST READING
Isaiah
40:21-31
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? It is God 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; who brings the great to naught, and makes
the rulers of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely
are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the
earth, when God blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them
off like stubble.
To
whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says
the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? The one who
brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because God
is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.
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”? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The
Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
The
Lord does not faint or grow weary; the understanding of God is unsearchable.
The Lord gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths
will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; 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.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM sung
in alternation by couplets, tone 8 Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
Cantor Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing praises / to our God!
how pleasant it is to honor / God with praise!
The Lord re- / builds
and gathers the ex- / iles of
People The Lord heals the / brokenhearted
and binds / up their
wounds.
The
Lord counts the number / of the stars
and calls them all /
by their names.
Cantor Great is our Lord and might- / y in power,
whose wisdom is / beyond limit.
The Lord lifts / up the lowly,
but casts the wicked / to the ground.
People Sing
to the Lord / with thanksgiving;
make music to our
God up- / on the harp.
God
covers the heav- / ens with clouds
and prepares rain /
for the earth;
Cantor God makes grass to grow up- / on the mountains
and green plants to serve / humankind.
God provides food for / flocks and herds
and for the young ravens / when they cry.
All The Lord is not impressed by the might / of a horse
and has no pleasure
in the strength / of a man;
But
the Lord has pleasure in / the God-fearing,
in those who await
God’s gracious favor.
/ Hallelujah!
SECOND READING
1 Corinthians
9:16-23
If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for
boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to
me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a
reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then
is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of
charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.
For though I am free with respect to
all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To
the Jewish people I became as a Jew, in order to win the Jewish people. To
those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under
the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I
became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under
Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became
weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, by
all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may
share in its blessings.
Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Arise, Shine, For Your Light Has Come Perry Nelson
HOLY GOSPEL
Mark 1:29-39
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the first
chapter.
As
soon as Jesus and the disciples left the synagogue, they entered the house of
Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed
with a fever, and they told him about her at once. Jesus came and took her by
the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve
them.
That
evening, at sundown, they brought to Jesus all who were sick or possessed with
demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. 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.
In
the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went out to a
deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for
him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.”
Jesus 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.” And he went
throughout
The Gospel of the Lord.
SERMON Pastor William Yancey
HYMN OF THE DAY Hail
to the Lord’s Anointed
#311
1. All. 2. Upper voices. 3. Lower voices. 4. All.
CREED
I believe in
God, the Father almighty,
creator
of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to
the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into
heaven,
he is seated at
the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the
dead.
I believe in
the Holy Spirit,
the holy
catholic Church,
the
communion of saints,
the forgiveness
of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and
the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS
As God's beloved people made radiant by the light of
Christ, let us pray for the church, the whole human family, and God's good
creation.
After each portion of the prayers:
Hear us, O God;
Your mercy is great.
IN OUR PRAYERS:
Holy
God, we lift our prayers to you in hope, entrusting all for whom we pray to
your great goodness and mercy, made known to us in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
MEAL
PEACE
OFFERING
VOLUNTARY
Our
volutaries today are meditations on the Epiphany and,
in particular, the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple, observed this past
week on Candlemas Day, that is, February 2.
(
1. On this day earth shall ring 3. God’s bright
star, o’er His head,
With
the song children sing Wise
men three to Him led,
To
the Lord, Christ our King, Kneel they low by His bed,
Born
on earth to save us; Lay their gifts before Him,
Him the Father gave us. Praise Him and adore Him.
Ideo – o – o, ideo – o – o, Aurum, thus, thus, thus,
Ideo – o – o, ideo – o – o, Aurum, thus, thus, thus,
Ideo gloria in excelsis Deo.* et
myrrham ei offerendo.**
2. His the doom, ours the mirth; 4.
Infant King, Lord of might,
When
He came down to earth, Enter’d
God’s temple bright.
Ox
and ass beside Him, of God’s revelation
From
the cold would hide Him. unto ev’ry nation.
Ideo… Ideo gloria in excelsis Deo.* Ideo… Ideo gloria in excelsis Deo.*
*Therefore…glory
to God in the highest! **Gold,
frankincense, and myrrh they offered.
(
The original title of this chorale is Mit Fried’ und Freud’ ich fahr
dahin: “In peace and joy I go forth” – the
Canticle of Simeon. Buxtehude composed these canonic variations in memory of
his deceased father.
OFFERING PRAYER
Merciful God,
it would have been
enough for you to give us the fruit of the earth by which we live. But in this
meal, by your promise, you also give us yourself. Use what we have gathered here in feeding the
hungry world with your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING
YOU ARE WELCOME AT GOD'S
TABLE. Believing in the real presence of Christ in the holy meal, this church
practices Eucharistic hospitality. We invite all baptized persons to share in
the Holy Eucharist. Children who do not commune are invited to come forward for
the blessing. GRAPE JUICE is provided in the tray of individual cups for those
who prefer this alternative. It is
recognized by a deeper rose color.
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 God thanks and praise.
It is indeed right and salutary…we praise your name and join in their unending hymn:
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY (SANCTUS)
THANKSGIVING
AT THE TABLE
You
are indeed holy, almighty and merciful God.
You are most holy, and great is the majesty of your glory.
You
so loved the world that you gave your only Son, so that everyone who believes
in him may not perish but have eternal life.
We
give you thanks for his coming into the world to fulfill for us your holy will
and to accomplish all things for our salvation.
In
the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again,
after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink,
saying: this cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all
people for the forgiveness of sin. Do
this for the remembrance of me.
For
as often as we eat this bread and drink from this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s
death until he comes.
Remembering,
therefore, his salutary command, his life-giving passion and death, his
glorious resurrection and ascension, and the promise of his coming again, we
give thanks to you, O Lord God Almighty, and we ask you mercifully to accept
our praise and thanksgiving and with your Word and Holy Spirit to bless us,
your servants, and these your own gifts of bread and wine, so that we and all
who share in the body and blood of Christ may be filled with heavenly blessing
and grace, and, receiving the forgiveness of sin, may be formed to live as your
holy people and may be given our inheritance with all your saints.
To
you, O God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be all honor
and glory in your holy church, now and forever.
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.
LAMB OF GOD (AGNUS
DEI)
COMMUNION HYMN Soul,
Adorn Yourself with Gladness #488
COMMUNION MOTET (8:15): Jesu, dulcis memoria Tomàs Luis de Victoria
(sung in Latin)
Jesus, sweet are those thoughts of thee
Which
fill our hearts most joyfully,
Yet
sweeter far that bliss will be
Evermore thy
face to see, thy blessed face to see.
POST COMMUNION I Leave As You Have Promised, Lord
PRAYER
God from whom are all things and in whom we exist, we give you thanks
that in this meal you have fed us with the presence of Christ. Use us as beacons of light and bearers of
Christ’s love for the sake of the whole world.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
SENDING
BLESSING
SENDING God, Whose
Almighty Word #673
DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE from Sonata, Op. 65, #6 Felix Mendelsson
Fuga. Sostenuto e legato.
Acknowledgements: Arise, Shine, For
Your Light Has Come, music by Perry Nelson. Copyright ©
1997. Service music reprinted from
ELW, copyright © 2006 Augsburg Fortress.
All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Augsburg Fortress license # 14709-LIT. Art work:
“Tell.. that their God is Coming!” by Annie Vallorton”. Cover
art: “All the City Was Gathered at the Door” by James Tissot.
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+ CHURCH NEWS+
* THE DEADLINE for items to run
in the
WEDNESDAY by
Office@bethel-ucity.org
*
***Year-End Contribution Reports are in the Narthex.***
DANKER MEMORIAL: Fred Danker’s
memorial service will be at
TOMORROW: GRACE & PEACE, MONDAY, FEB. 6:
or 314.772.0803 (home)
or 314.977.8879 (work).
AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR: We have reached our goal of $1000.
Details and training coming soon! We
hope all ushers and frequent users of space in the building will take part in
the AED training. It’s fairly quick
(two hours) and it’s free. If interested, let Mary know.
THE
Walk-Through
is Saturday, February 11
Join us for
Bethel Follies! We're putting on a variety show as a fundraiser for the
Youth Group's triennial trip to the ELCA Youth Group Gathering. The theme
this year for the gathering, and our Follies,
is Jesus, Justice & Jazz.
Bethel Follies also needs your help -- it's a variety
showcase of entertainment offered by
Also, we need donations of
appetizers and desserts. To donate, contact deborah.bohlmann@gmail.com.
CALLING ALL WINE LOVERS: At this year's Bethel Follies, we will be holding a
Wine Grab! Directions will be explained the night of the event, but be assured
that all proceeds will benefit the Youth Group's trip to the ELCA Youth
Gathering. If you are interested in donating a bottle (or more) of nice wine to
be "grabbed" and enjoyed by a fellow wine lover, please email Claire Flesch at claire.flesch@gmail.com.
HELP: Tellers are the folks who count the
offering and make the
weekly deposits. We are in need of a few good women (or men). We will
provide high quality one on one training. If you have only a few hours a
year to serve
ASSISTING MINISTERS NEEDED: Have you ever considered sharing your talents as an
assisting minister? We are currently looking for volunteers who are
interested in assisting in our Sunday worship services. If interested, please
email David Lee at dkl_phd@yahoo.com or call him at 314.302.2523.
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THE ADULT EDUCATION HOUR
February 12th at
February’s Adult
Education and the 100th Anniversary Celebration
The Adult Education
Hour in February will focus on
February 12: Ideas for a
§
§ Relocation of Baptismal Font
February 19: Repurposing the
February 26: Brainstorming
·
Generating
Ideas for
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We want everyone’s input on how to best repurpose the
space that had been devoted to
BUILDING REPURPOSING SURVEY
Please indicate the extent to
which you agree or disagree with the following statements. For each item, the statement begins with “The former
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Disagree |
Neither Agree nor Disagree |
Agree |
Strongly Agree |
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1. …used to generate revenue for |
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2. …used for mission, and recover only added
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3. …used to serve the people in the
neighborhood. |
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4. …programmed in conjunction with any plans
for the LCM house. |
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5. …used for child care. |
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6. …used for a preschool. |
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7. …used for student housing in support of
LCM. |
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8. …used for an adult daycare or respite
facility. |
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9. …available to exercise groups. |
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10. …available to weight management or
addiction support groups. |
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11. …available for occasional parents’
day/night out. |
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12. …used to house nonprofit office spaces. |
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13. …available for public meetings. |
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See overleaf for more……..
Would you like to be involved
with the reprogramming process for the space?
If so, please give us your contact information:
Name:
Email: Phone:
Do you have any additional
comments or ideas you would like to share?
If so, please include them here:
_____
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+ + +
+COMMUNITY NEWS +
BRING
STORYTIME TO A CHILD: Every
night thousands of children go to bed upset because their parents are incarcerated.
You can make a real difference in the lives of these children. Storybook
Project of Lutheran Social Services help parents to record themselves reading a
book to their child, then ensures that that book and recording get to the
child. Volunteers are needed for four hours a month. If interested, please
contact MaryEtta Skinner at 314.773.1347 or
meskinner@att.net.
BACH AT THE SEM: The Bach at the Sem
concert series will return for two concerts in the remainder of
the academic year in spring 2012. The series had been put on hold due to the
passing of its beloved conductor and music director, Rev. Robert Bergt. The first concert will be held on
Parents and Prospective Students (any grade level!) are invited to
learn more about Lutheran High School North’s well-balanced approach to
Christian education. Don’t decide on a high school without visiting us! Come
and see for yourself how Lutheran North can give your child a strong foundation
of faith, education, and character.
AUTOBAHN: Soundstage Productions/R-S Theatrics presents the St.
Louis Premiere of Neil LaBute's Autobahn (a
short-play cycle in which all seven stories take place within the confines of
the front seat of a car.) (
LFCS WINE
TASTING PARTY: Is the winter getting
a bit long? We have just the event for you! Come join LFCS as we
sample wines at the St. Louis Racquet Club on
LUTHERAN
SENIOR SERVICES: Seeking Donations of
Artwork to Support Seniors
On March
29, Lutheran Senior Services’ Meramec Bluffs community in
NEED MORE TIME FOR GOD? Want to spend more moments in quiet connection with God, but there
NEVER seems to be enough time to do it? Pastor and Spiritual Companion Tom Schoenherr will reveal the transforming power of creating
Sabbath in our lives, and the wonder that God can reveal when we step away from
the crazy pace, and into awesome peace. Life Coach Jill Farmer teaches tools
for getting more time in your life for the really important things, like faith
and family. Tackle big projects, learn to make unpleasant tasks more palatable,
and most importantly, learn how to create time for communion with God (without
quitting your job or ignoring family obligations.) Explore how a Sabbath
practice can connect you to peace and prosperity in ways that the "rat
race" never will. When:
A NIGHT FOR KIDS: Save the date. The Lutheran Elementary School Association is hosting
its ninth annual dinner and auction on Friday, April 13th, 2012 at
Royale Orleans Banquet Center 2801 Telegraph Rd., St. Louis, MO 63125. For more
information, visit www.lesastl.org.
GOLF
TOURNAMENT: Hope Fore Families Golf Tournament -- New Location! Please join
us
FOSTERING
FAITHFUL FAMILIES: Did you know that
1,400 kids in
STL UNITED WAY
AND LFCS: In late December, Lutheran
Family and Children's Services of Missouri learned that it has been named a
"95 Percent" agency by the
TAX
CREDITS: LFCS has been
awarded tax credits again for 2012! Eligible donors can take a 50%
state tax credit on the value of a donation. Businesses are
eligible for our Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) tax credits, and
individuals are eligible for our Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC) tax
credits. If you are interested in taking advantage of the tax credits,
reserve your credits by contacting Carrie Hequembourg
at 314.754.2789 – carrieh@lfcs.org. NAP credits expire
on
HOSPICE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Hospice is a special kind of care designed to provide
sensitivity and support for people in the final phase of a terminal illness.
Heartland Hospice’s goal is to provide palliative and supportive services
to meet physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients and
their families in the home, health care facilities or other residential
settings. Volunteers are the heart of the Hospice Team. We depend
on our Hospice volunteers to help us provide the extra love and care our
clients and their families need at this time in their life.
Heartland volunteers offer support, companionship and practical,
caring help to this special group of people. Whether it is making
cheerful crafts, running errands, staying with the patient so family members
can take a break, reading to patients, or holding their hand, the help and
support our volunteers give is returned to them in countless ways. We also
welcome volunteers to assist in the hospice office with filing, photocopying,
data entry, etc. You can donate as little or as much of your time as you
desire. Please contact Christine 314.413.6442 if you would like to bring
something special into someone’s life.
What are the Follies?
When are the Follies?
What’s going on now?
Send submissions, questions to
follies@bethel-ucity.org or call Mary in the Church Office 314.863.3112.
Calling All Wine Lovers!
At this year's Bethel Follies, we will be holding a Wine Grab! Directions will be explained the night of the event, but be assured that all proceeds will benefit the Youth Group's trip to the ELCA Youth Gathering. If you are interested in donating a bottle (or more) of nice wine to be "grabbed" and enjoyed by a fellow wine lover, please email Claire Flesch at claire.flesch@gmail.com.
Lutheran
Campus Ministry
WELCOME,
STUDENTS!
LCM invites students
to “Live, Love, Serve” with us! We are here to help you build community in
NEW
TIMES for Spring 2012!
SUNDAY DINNER (
TUESDAY
Discussion Group @ LCM House:
OUR TOPIC: "Religious
Literacy": learning about the top 8 world religions and how they
compliment or challenge our own tradition. Join us for thoughtful engagement
with this important skill in our pluralistic world.
WASH U Speaker Series: Parker Palmer,
best-seller author & educator, presents his newest book Healing
the Heart of Democracy. Friday, February 10 @
314.863.8140 Jessica
White (admin) lcm-stl@sbcglobal.net
NEXT WEEK’S SCHEDULE
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
WORSHIP LEADERS
Preacher and Celebrant Pastor William Yancey
Assistant
Ministers David Reichert (
Jody
Kluender (
Lectors John Holahan
(
Tony
Kluneder (
Acolytes Andrew Gutknecht (
Kasia White (
Musicians Dr. Stephen Mager, Music director and organist
Rev. Dr. William L. Yancey, Pastor
Stephen Mager, D.M., Music
Director
Rev. Rebecca Boardman, Lutheran Campus Ministry, e-
mail: pastor.rebeccab@sbcglobal.net
Mary Works, Office Secretary
(314) 863-3112
FAX (314) 863-3393 Church website:
www.bethel-ucity.org
Church E-mail: Office@bethel-ucity.org
A Reconciling in Christ (A welcoming ministry to
persons of all sexual orientations
and gender identities) and
In Covenant with Lutheran Campus Ministry
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