RUSHFORD LUTHERAN CHURCH
THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT
DECEMBER 14 & 15, 2025
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
Worship Leader
8:00 & 9:15 AM:
Pastor Steve Chellew
Organist
8:00 & 9:15 AM: Shary Evavold
Scripture Reader
8:00 AM: Carol Jeffers
9:15 AM: Cayne Eide
Projectionist
8:00 AM: Lisa Chellew
9:15 AM: David/Andrea Brand
Videographer
9:15 AM: Jeremy Tesch
Ushers
8:00 AM: Denny Darr, Gordy & Bonnie Elliott
9:15 AM: Tom Kopperud, Jim Bernier, David & Andrea Brand
Altar Guild
June Vitse, Cindy Vitse, Lisa Chellew
MONDAY COFFEE HOUSE WORSHIP
5:30 PM Led by: Pastor Steve Chellew; Pianist: Portia Lee
Held in the Fellowship Hall. No service on holiday Mondays.
LIVESTREAM
If you are not able to attend live worship, please join us at 9:15 a.m. on You Tube (Search for Rushford Lutheran Church) Previous services are also available for viewing
OFFERINGS
Offering plates are located at the door. There is no collection during the service. See our church website for electronic options for supporting our mission and ministry.
PRESERVICE
Youth Praise Team
O Come, All You Unfaithful
Bob Kauflin, Lisa Clow
CCLI Song #7160115, CCLI License #11170614
© 2020 Sovereign Grace Praise
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
GREETING ONE ANOTHER
OPENING HYMN (Please stand)
Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel
Reclaim 103
Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.
Oh, come, oh, come, great Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.
Oh, come, strong Branch of Jes-se, free
Your own from Satan’s tyr-anny;
From depths of hell your people save,
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.
Oh, come, blest Dayspring, come and cheer,
Our spirits by your advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel.
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM (9:15 a.m.)
Layah Ray Majerus
CONFESSION OF FAITH (on screen)
Pastor: Do you renounce all the forces of evil, the devil, and all his empty promises?
People: I do.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Father?
People: I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
Pastor: Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People: 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 sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the living and the dead.
Pastor: Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People: 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.
SACRAMENT OF HOLY BAPTISM
Layah Ray Majerus
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Pastor: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.
People: The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
Silence for self-examination.
Pastor: Holy and gracious God,
People: I confess that I have sinned against You this day. Some of my sin I know—the thoughts and words and deeds of which I am ashamed—but some is known only to You. In the name of Jesus Christ I ask forgiveness. Deliver and restore me that I may rest in peace.
Pastor: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
Pastor: He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
People: Amen.
RESPONSIVE PSALM
Psalm 146 (ESV)
Pastor: Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
People: I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Pastor: Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
People: When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
Pastor: Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
People: Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever;
Pastor: Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;
People: The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
Pastor: The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
People: The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!
SPECIAL MUSIC (Please be seated)
Youth Praise Team
Angels (Glory To God)
Jonathan Smith, Phil Wickham
CCLI Song #7244750, CCLI License #11170614
© 2024 Be Essential Songs; Cashagamble Jet Music; Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs
OLD TESTAMENT
Isaiah 35:1-10 (ESV)
Lector: A reading from the prophet Isaiah, chapter thirty-five, verses one to ten.
1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE
James 5:7-11 (ESV)
Lector: A reading from James, chapter five, verses seven to eleven.
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
HOLY GOSPEL (Please stand)
Matthew 11:2-15 (ESV)
Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the eleventh chapter.
People: Glory to You, O Lord.
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Please be seated)
On Jordan’s Banks the Baptist’s Cry
Reclaim 101
On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s cry,
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings,
Glad tidings of the King of kings!
Then cleansed be ev’ry life from sin;
Make straight the way for God with-in,
And let us all our hearts prepare,
For Christ to come and enter there.
We hail you as our Savior, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward;
Without your grace we waste away,
Like flow’rs that wither and decay.
Stretch forth your hand, our health restore,
And make us rise to fall no more;
Oh, let your face upon us shine,
And fill the world with love divine.
All praise to you, eternal Son,
Whose advent has our freedom won,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Spirit, evermore.
TODAY’S MESSAGE
The Parables of Jesus: Talents
Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV)
PRAYERS OF GOD’S PEOPLE (Please stand)
Pastor: Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
Each petition ends with: Lord, in your mercy,
To which we respond: Hear our prayer.
Pastor: Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
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 (Numbers 6:24-26)
Pastor: 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 X give you peace.
People: Amen.
DISMISSAL
Pastor: Go in peace. Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!
CLOSING HYMN (Please be seated)
Angels We Have Heard on High
Reclaim 108
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous strains.
Glo—————ria in excelsis De-o;
Glo—————ria in excelsis De-o.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Glo—————ria in excelsis De-o;
Glo—————ria in excelsis De-o.
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn king.
Glo—————ria in excelsis De-o;
Glo—————ria in excelsis De-o.
THANK YOU FOR WORSHIPPING WITH US TODAY
OFFERING
All songs and hymns CCLI 11170614. Parts of the liturgy © Creative Worship, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO, 1994 to today; or © Lutheran Book of Worship, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, Minneapolis, MN, 1978, or © Reclaim Resources, St. Paul, MN, 2013 Scripture references, unless otherwise noted, from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYER REQUESTS Ione Olstad, Nikki Schultz, Family of John Hoegh, Deanna Honsey, Eldon Jonsgaard, Pat Volkman, Arlene Wenzel, Deanna Stennes
PRAYER CONCERNS Please contact Pastor Steve by emailing steve.chellew@gmail.com or calling 507.703.1221. You may also call the church office at 507-864-7152
BAPTIZED TODAY We welcome Layah Ray Majerus into the family of God today at the 9:15 a.m. service. Layah is the daughter of Spencer and Savannah (Skalet) Majerus. Sponsors are Alannah Skalet and Evan Skalet.
CHRISTMAS EVE WORSHIP Three services will be held on Wednesday, December 24th to celebrate the birth of our Lord. The 3:30 p.m. service features soloists Ron Torkelson and Karen Nelson (trumpet), with Shary Evavold on organ. The 5:30 p.m. service features our new Adult Praise Team, with Robyn Steffens leading carols on the Clavinova. The 10:00 p.m. service features our Youth Praise Team. Candle lighting will be held at all three services.
CHRISTMAS AT GOOD SHEPHERD RLC Youth is looking forward to delivering Christmas gifts to our friends at Good Shepherd, Bremmer Suites, and the Good Shepherd Apartments. Students and adult helpers should meet at RLC at 1:00 PM Sunday, December 14th. Each gift bag costs approximately $10, and there are 90+ residents to shop for. If you would like to sponsor a gift for $10, please reach out to someone from the youth committee. We are so grateful to have the help of a Thrivent Action Team, but your support makes this possible.
BETHELEHEM EVENT/ROTARY LIGHTS Students in grades 7-12 that would like to attend the Bethlehem Experience at English Lutheran Church in La Crosse should meet at RLC at 2:30 PM on Sunday, December 14th. The event is free and consists of a one-hour indoor tour of the church, which is set up like Bethlehem at the time of Christ’s birth. It’s very cool! RLC youth has reserved 25 spots, and they are halfway filled. We will go to Rotary Lights as a group afterwards, so students should also come prepared to be outside. Cost is free, and non-perishable food donations are encouraged. Spending money on food is recommended. Those that would only like to attend the Rotary Lights can meet in the RP parking lot at 4:00 PM with a group from the RP Community Youth. RSVP to guarantee enough drivers, and adult drivers/chaperones are welcome to contact Kristin to go along!
ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE Will meet on Wednesday, December 17th at 5pm in the Quilting Room.
YOUTH LOCK IN Final Friday of the year lock in for grades 7-12 will be held from 8:00 PM 12/26-6:00 AM 12/27 at RLC. Chaperones are needed! The event will go from 8:00 PM-6:00 AM; take a shift or stay the whole night. Great opportunity for young adults, college students, parents, and grandparents to be there for our teenagers this holiday season. Contact Kristin to help out!
CHOIR ACCOMPANIST RLC is looking for a skilled pianist to accompany our adult choir. Compensation is provided. The adult choir rehearses a couple of times a month, in the evenings, and performs typically once a month and on holidays. Please talk to Pastor Steve or Kristin Burdey if you are qualified and interested.
GOOD SHEPHERD BIRTHDAY PARTY On Monday, January 5th, at 2:00 p.m. RLC will host the monthly birthday party for our friends at Good Shepherd. All are invited to attend and hear ” Driftless Revival” sing for us. Let’s have a good turnout
WEEKLY CALENDAR
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14TH
8:00 AM & 9:15 AM Worship Service
Coffee served by Priscilla Circle – in the Fellowship Hall
10:15 AM Sunday School & Adult Bible Study
11:15 AM Praise Team
5:30 PM Youth Bible Study
6:30 PM Youth Group
MONDAY, DECEMBER 15TH
1:00 PM Pastor at Bremmer Suites & Good Shephard
1:30 PM Priscilla Circle
5:30 PM Coffee House Worship
6:30 PM Church Council
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17TH
9:00 AM Ladies Mission Work
9:00 AM Men’s Helping Hands
5:00 PM Choir Practice
6:30 PM Confirmation Class
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18TH
9:30 AM Ruth Circle
1:00 PM Miriam Circle
1:30 PM Hannah Circle
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21ST
8:00 AM & 9:15 AM Worship Service (w/communion)
Coffee served by Ruth Circle – in the Fellowship Hall
10:15 AM Sunday School & Adult Bible Study
11:00 AM Sunday School Christmas Program