Except for the opening hymn, all of the hymns in tonight’s service were among the top fifty favorite hymns of WELS members who took the WELS Hymnal Project’s “favorite hymn survey” earlier this year.
In the name of our newborn King, Jesus Christ, we welcome you to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church! We especially welcome our guests who have joined us this morning for our Christmas celebration. We pray that your soul will be strengthened by the good news of God’s grace, love, and forgiveness to us through his Son, Jesus, whose birth we celebrate tonight.
Our congregation operates a Lutheran elementary school for students in pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade. If you would like to learn more about our church or school, please contact one of our pastors, the principal, or another representative of our church or school. They would be happy to assist you!
Serving at Worship Tonight
Presiding Minister ..............................................................Pastor Johnold Strey
Piano.............................................Marty Pucket
Welcome to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church & School!
In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we welcome you to St. Mark’s. We especially welcome our guests who have joined us today. We pray that your soul will be strengthened by the good news about God’s grace, love, and forgiveness to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. If there is any way our church and school can serve your spiritual needs, please contact one of our pastors or our school principal; their information is listed on page 19 of this service booklet. Our entire staff at St. Mark’s would be happy to serve you with God’s Word!
* Luther’s Large Catechism—The Apostles’ Creed and Lord’s Prayer is led by Paul Baker in the Luther Room.
* Times of Turmoil—The Book of Judges, is led by Pastor Johnold Strey in the sanctuary.
Worship Focus: Just about this time of year, little children became filled with excitement at the thought that Christmas is just about here. Christians also can rightly became excited and joyfully eager to welcome our coming Savior, Jesus—both to celebrate his first coming at his birth, and to welcome his second coming at the end of time. And so the Church prays its Advent prayer with great joy: Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who led your people Israel with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ. May his Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are merciful, and you love your whole creation. We, your creatures, glorify you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
LESSON Luke 1:5-25
SERMON Based on Isaiah 11:1
