RUSHFORD LUTHERAN CHURCH
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
DECEMBER 8 & 9, 2024
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
8:00 & 9:15 AM Led by: Pastor Steve Chellew
Scripture Reader
8:00 AM: Vicki Nelson
9:15 AM: Alannah Skalet
Organist
8:00 & 9:15 AM: Shary Evavold
Projectionist
8:00 AM: Lisa Chellew
9:15 AM: David Brand
Videographer
9:15 AM: Andrea Brand
Ushers
8:00 AM: Dennie Darr, Gordy & Bonnie Elliott
9:15 AM: Tom Kopperud, Jim Bernier
Altar Guild:
June Vitse, Cindy Vitse, Lisa Chellew
(9:15 AM SERVICE IS LIVE STREAMED ON YOU TUBE.)
MONDAY COFFEE HOUSE WORSHIP
5:30 PM Led by: Pastor Steve Chellew; Pianist: Portia Lee
PRESERVICE MUSIC
Praise Team
Sing We The Song Of Emmanuel
CCLI Song # 7078042
Keith Getty | Matt Boswell | Matt Papa | Stuart Townend
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
GREETING ONE ANOTHER
SING TO THE LORD A NEW SONG (Please stand)
Lead by Praise Team
What Love My God
Jonny Robinson, Michael Farren, Rich Thompson
CCLI Song #7073335 © 2016 CityAlight Music; Farren Love And War Publishing; Integrity’s Alleluia! Music
What love my God would bring You down to earth
What king would take a low and lonely birth
Yet to this dark and broken place You came
To sleep beneath the stars that You had made
What love my God would send the Way of Life
To walk the road rejected and despised
That You might know the weakness I possess
And be my rock of strength and righteousness
O Your love my God like a flood
As heaven opened up pouring out on us
O praise the King who came to the world
In His love like a mighty flood
What love my God could hold You to the tree
To bear that overwhelming debt for me
The Son of heaven leaves the Father’s side
The Healer bleeds the Life was made to die
What love my God so gracious and extreme
Was strong enough to come and fight for me
To go through hell and down into the grave
And raise me up to see You face to face
You raise me up to see You face to face
INVOCATION
Pastor: In the name of the Father, and of Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
Lector: On the four Sundays in Advent, we light a new candle each week. We mark the four candles with these four words: hope, love, joy and peace. Today we light the candle of love, which is also referred to as the Bethlehem candle.
The prophet Micah declares: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.”
Jesus Christ is the love of God made flesh. We wait for the Lord, and in his Word do we find hope and love.
HYMN RESPONSE
Joy to the World
Reclaim 123, vs. 1
Joy to the world!
The Lord is come;
Let earth receive its King;
Let ev’ry heart
Prepare him room
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n
And nature sing.
CALL TO WORSHIP
(Based on Psalm 95)
Pastor: Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
People: Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Pastor: Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
People: Let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Pastor: Although we long to be in the presence of the Lord, we also long to continue holding onto our sinful habits and selfish attitudes. We have not acted as if our God is above all other gods. Indeed, like Adam and Eve, we have put ourselves in God’s place and placed our will over His.
People: For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
Pastor: Not only is our God the Creator of the heavens and the earth, through his Son, Jesus Christ, He has become our Savior and Redeemer.
People: Forgive us, O Lord, for our sinful habits and selfish attitudes. Restore to us the joy of our salvation. For you are our God, and we are the people of your pasture, the sheep of your hand.
(Silence for reflection on our sins)
Pastor: Through the sacrifice of the Great Shepherd, your sins have been forgiven. In Him we are made new; redeemed to be sons and daughters of our King and our Creator. For the sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
People: Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
SPECIAL MUSIC (Please be seated)
Praise Team
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/Reckless Love
OLD TESTAMENT
Ruth Chapter Two
Lector: A video portrayal of the book of Ruth, chapter two.
Video: Ruth Chapter Two
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE
Philippians 1:2-11 (ESV)
Lector: A reading from Philippians chapter one, verses two through eleven.
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
HOLY GOSPEL (Please stand)
Luke 1:26-38 (ESV)
Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the first chapter.
People: Glory to You, O Lord.
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And 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. 36 And 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. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And 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.
Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
CONFESSION OF FAITH
The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary,
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
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.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Be seated)
Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
Reclaim 93
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates,
Behold the King of glory waits!
The King of kings is drawing near,
The Savior of the world is here.
O blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the ruler is confessed!
O happy hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
Fling wide the portals of your heart,
Make it a temple set apart
From earthly use for heav’n’s employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy.
Redeemer, come! With us abide;
Our hearts to thee we open wide.
Let us thy inner presence feel,
Thy grace and love in us reveal.
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Ruth – Redeeming Love
Ruth 2:1-23 (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.
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 (Hebrews 13:20-21)
Pastor: The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
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.
OFFERING
THANK YOU FOR WORSHIPPING WITH US TODAY
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.
The following individuals have requested prayer:
Family of Don Sanders, Family of Robert Bunke, The family of Vonnie Helleland, The family of Adeline Agrimson, Lyle Nelson, Mary Hoiland, Arlene Wenzel, Deanna Stennes, Scott Bestul, Corrine Hill
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 864.7152
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DON’T FALL FOR IT! About every three months scammers try to use the Church Council listing we provide publicly in our newsletter to solicit funds. A typical message sounds something like: “This is Pastor. I’m really busy right now. Would you please pick up some gift cards from local stores for our homebound members…” Or something to that effect. Please know that the pastor, staff members, or any of the members of Council would never directly solicit funds from members, ask for gift cards, are ask for money in any way using e-mail. If you check the e-mail addresses carefully you will see that they did not originate from the staff or Council person’s actual e-mail, but from one that appears much like it. It is highly recommended that when you receive such solicitations to block the sender. Don’t fall for it!
MiEnergy Cooperative is hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive at its Rushford office on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Call 800-733-2767 or visit www.RedCrossBlood.org and enter: MiEnergy to schedule an appointment.
Christmas Poinsettias: Please let Deanna in the office know how you would like it listed in the Christmas Eve bulletin.
RLC Youth Baking Night: the 2nd annual youth baking night will begin Sunday, 12-8 @ 4:00 PM, all students 7th-12th are invited to come learn how to make cookies & treats from the pros. If you would like to help out, please contact Kristin
New Church Website: Rushford Lutheran Church is excited to announce our newly redesigned website. It can be found at www.rushfordlutheranchurch.org. The site was developed with a more modern look and feel, brighter colors and images that show the beauty of our church and church family. It will also provide a more user-friendly experience for those seeking information about our church. From the homepage, you can easily access the current week’s bulletin, watch the service online and find information about how to give back to the church. It’s easy to find the church’s mission, contact information, calendar, worship times, family education, youth, music and much more. Forms will be available online for easy access and a photo gallery of our youth and church events. Please update any bookmarks you have set to reflect the new site, https://www.rushfordlutheranchurch.org.
RLC Youth Movie Night: There will be a private showing of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at the Jem Theatre in Harmony at 12:30 on Sunday, December 15th for members of RLC + DLC. This faith-based movie is based on the 1972 novel by Barbara Robinson, and directed by Dallas Jenkins of The Chosen. This is open to all ages; provide your own transportation or arrange to carpool. Admission is covered by RLC Youth and DLC Youth as our thank you for all your support throughout the year. Students are encouraged to invite a friend. The movie is rated PG, and is 1 hour 40 minutes long.
Cookie Walk: The RLC Youth Cookie Walk will be held on Sunday, 12/15 beginning after first service. All families are asked to bring two dozen baked goods on or before Sunday morning. Proceeds support youth activities throughout the year.
Gifts and Caroling for Good Shepherd: Each year RLC Youth brings gifts to residents of the Good Shepherd Campus. In order to stretch our dollars, we will be accepting donations of large-print puzzle books and fuzzy socks WITH GRIPPERS this week. Please give to Kristin by 12/15. Thank you!!
All ages are invited to join RLC Youth as we deliver gifts to GSLS and sing Christmas Carols. Meet at RLC at noon (after the Christmas program) to prepare the gift bags and arrange for carpooling. Thank you for being a part of this special day!
RLC Youth Lock-in: The third annual Christmas break lock-in for grades 7-12 will be held Friday, 12/27 beginning at 8:00 PM and going until 6:00 AM Saturday. Adults and college students are wanted to help chaperone a shift. Contact Kristin to sign up!
Ignite Youth Leadership Conference: for students and leaders will be held March 14/15, 2025 in Des Moines. $75 will cover registration, lodging, and transportation. Sign up with Kristin and watch for more info!
CALENDAR
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
8:00 AM & 9:15 AM Worship service
10:15 AM Bible Study & Sunday School
11:15 AM Praise Team
4:00 PM Youth Group Baking Night
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9
5:30 PM Coffee House Worship
6:30 PM Membership Committee Meeting
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11
9:00 AM Men’s Helping Hands & Ladies Mission Work
5:00 PM Choir Practice
6:00 PM Confirmation Class
6:00 PM Youth Committee Meeting
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14
4:00 PM 4th & 5th Grade Christmas Program rehearsal
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
8:00 AM & 9:15 AM Worship service w/Communion
9:00 AM Cookie Walk
10:15 AM Bible Study & Sunday School
11:00 AM Sunday School Christmas Program w/meal to follow
NO PRAISE TEAM OR YOUTH GROUP