Welcome to Worship at

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH

STORY CITY, IOWA December 27, 2015

Mission Statement Building Strong Relationships in Christ,

And Making Him Known to All

604 Lafayette Avenue

Story City, Iowa

515.733.4972

Website - www.immanuelstorycity.org

E-mail - immanuel@iowatelecom.net

Ministers – All Members

Stephen Anenson, Senior Pastor

Kurt Jensen, Associate Pastor

Zachary Bauknecht, Youth & Education Ministry Coordinator

The First Sunday of Christmas December 27, 2015

We Prepare to Meet God Prelude

Opening Hymn “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” No. 277

Prayer

Time for Greeting

Announcements

“Who's Got the Story Bag?” Jennifer Seaton

Christmas Carol Sing

Children's Message Zachary Bauknecht We Hear God’s Word Lesson – Colossians 3:12-17

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly

loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

13 Bear with each other and forgive

one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

14 And over all these virtues

put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly

as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

17 And whatever you do,

whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Gospel – Luke 2:22-40 Dramatic Reading We Confess Our Faith Apostles’ Creed (on screen) We Respond to God’s Blessings Offering

Offertory “We Are An Offering” (on screen)

We Hear God’s Word Proclaimed in Song and Word Anthem “Welcome to Our World” The Senior Choir – Susan Amensen, Director

Sermon “Simeon's List” Pastor Jensen

Video Meditation “Mary, Did You Know?” Pentatonix

We Receive God’s Promise to Go with us into Daily Life Prayers of Praise and Intercession Lord's Prayer Benediction Hymn “Love Has Come!” No. 256 Postlude

Organist: Emily Anderson

Candlelighter: Kaia Skaar

Greeters: Gayle Tate & Sierra Tate

Ushers: Joel Danielson, Jacob Chodur, Ole & Jackie Skaar

Reader/Narrator: Sierra Tate

Drama Participants: Trent, Tosha & Branch Whipple, Ole Skaar, Solvay Twedt

Sound Engineer: Craig Sargent

Visitors: We welcome you to worship today! We sincerely desire that everyone present will feel welcome in the Lord’s house. Please make a special effort to greet those around you in the spirit of Christian fellowship.

There will be a time of fellowship and refreshments in the Social Hall following the worship service. Members are invited to sign up to serve coffee fellowship in 2016. A signup sheet is located on the bulletin board in the kitchen.

There are no Sunday School classes today. Classes will resume next Sunday.

Next Sunday is Food Pantry Sunday. Bring your items and place them in the grocery cart. Checks can be made out to Immanuel with a notation for the Food Pantry and can be placed in the offering plate.

Attendance last Sunday: 441

The church office will close at 4:00 P.M. Thursday, December 31 and will be closed on Friday, January 1.

Pastor Anenson is on vacation today.

You are invited to come up and take a closer look at the ornaments on the Christmas tree following the service today.

Next Sunday we will need a number of people to help take the decorations off the Christmas tree following the worship service.

We thank our members for their faithful giving week after week throughout the year. Together we seek to fulfill God’s plans for his church now and in the New Year. To be able to have your gifts credited to your giving for 2015 please have them to the church office by 3 P.M. this Thursday, December 31.

On this last Sunday of the year, we want to thank all of our members who have shared their time, talents, and treasures in various ways to enhance the ministry of our congregation. All the willing volunteers who help out in so many various ways are greatly appreciated.

Thanks again to all those who participated in our Christmas Eve worship services.

January is Mission Month. In the weeks ahead we will have representatives from various mission organizations that we help support share at our Adult Class (8:30-9:15 A.M.) in the Social Hall.

Our Trinity and Confirmation classes and Junior Choir will not meet again until January 6 because of Christmas break.

Mark your calendar for Immanuel Quilt Tying Work Days to be held Thursday, January 14 from 9 A.M. to 12 noon.

Thank you to Thrivent. A special thank you to Thrivent for providing us with Thrivent Action Team Funds of $250. Thrivent’s generosity provided us with seed money which was used to help pay for expenses for the Christmas Tea and Bazaar.

As a congregation, let’s be in prayer for:

Christ to deepen His reign over our hearts and world.

Comfort, joy, and peace for those who now mourn and suffer. We praise God for:

Providing everything we need in abundance throughout 2015.

Opportunities to share Christ's love with people around us.

Reminders

Nursery facilities are available across from the restrooms on the main floor of the educational wing.

The Children's Activity Bulletins are available from the ushers for young children.

Hearing devices for those who have a difficult time hearing the service can be found on the shelf in the narthex. Please ask an usher to assist you.

Youth Activities

High School Youth Activities

Our next meeting will be January 3rd at Noon as we gather for lunch

together. We will decide the location of our get together in the next couple

days. Hope to see you there!

Middle School Youth Activities

Our next meeting will be YOUTH QUAKE weekend for those who signed up!

Middle and High School Youth Activities

Happy New Year - Have a safe and wonderful Christmas Break and New

Year! May God bless your 2016 with good health, good grades and meaningful

friendships. God is Good!

Youth Group Volunteering - ALL adults over the age of 18, we need your

help!! We're using VolunteerSpot to organize our Sign-ups for the Immanuel

Lutheran Church Youth Group. Go to this link to see our Sign-Up on

VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/UYDWZS Thank You so much!

After Christmas to-do list When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers, to make music in the heart. — Howard Thurman

December 27, 2015 - January 3, 2016

Worship & Study Opportunities at Immanuel

Sunday, December 27

8:00 A.M. Radio Broadcast on KASI (1430 AM) 9:00 A.M. Coffee Fellowship (Narthex) 9:30 A.M. Worship 10:30 A.M. Coffee Fellowship (Social Hall)

Monday, December 28 Tuesday, December 29 Wednesday, December 30

Thursday, December 31

Friday, January 1 - New Year's Day

Church Office Closed

Saturday, January 2

Sunday, January 3 - Communion Sunday

8:00 A.M. Radio Broadcast on KASI (1430 AM) 8:30 A.M. Sunday School 9:00 A.M. Coffee Fellowship (Narthex) 9:30 A.M. Worship 10:30 A.M. Coffee Fellowship (Social Hall) 10:30 A.M. Take down Christmas Tree 12:00 Noon HS Youth Group Lunch