Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church
Dispelling the Darkness
July 20, 2008

Prelude                                                                                                                           Elaine Anderson

Welcome

Opening Hymn                                   Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee                                              #197

Scripture Readings:
                       Old Testament: I Chronicles 29:10-13                                                                  OT p. 322
                       New Testament: Luke 12:41-48                                                                            NT p.   60

Confession of Faith:                                        Apostle’s Creed                                    Hymnal front p.4

TConfession of Sin:                                                                                               Hymnal front p. 48 #2

 Hymn                                                Just As I Am, without One Plea                                            #417

Pastoral Prayer

Children’s Object Lesson

Offering                                             We Give Thee but Thine Own                                               #391

Hymn                                                     Wonderful Words of Life                                                   #514

Sermon                                       "A Sin Problem and a Grace Solution"
                                                                                        Romans 5:12-21
                                                                             Pastor Patrick Lohse, Intern

Hymn                                                     Grace Greater than Our Sin                                             #522

The Benediction

The Doxology                                                                                                          Hymnal (front) p. 24

A pastor and deacons will be in the front of the sanctuary following the service to meet with those who desire to receive Christ as Savior and Lord, those who wish to renew their relationship with Him, and those who need prayer for specific needs. Anointing with oil, according to James 5:14, is available upon request.

Stand (optional)

We are thankful to have you join us for today’s service. It is our desire that you experience the presence of the Lord and the love of God’s people. If you are a first-time guest, please sign a registration card located in your pew and place it in the offering plate.

Deacons at the Altar: Bruce Egeland and Gordy Vaksdal

Greeters today: Rich and Judy Stump

Gwen Wilmington celebrated her 90th birthday on Tuesday, July 15th. Happy birthday, Gwen!

I would like to thank all of you for the cards and remembrances for my 90th birthday. It means so much to me. - Gwen Wilmington.

Thank you so much for the prayers, cards, phone calls, and visits. Your kind words and concern has been a blessing while I was recovering. – Martha Fritz

Thank you to Ken Willis for letting the Ambassadors stay in your home Tuesday night. The kids appreciated your hospitality, and we appreciate your willingness to serve.

Pastor and Cheryl will be leaving for Minneapolis right after the service. Pray for safe travel and for the Coordinating Committee meetings that Pastor will be attending. They will return Wednesday.

Last Sunday’s attendance: 144

Last Sunday’s offering: Current $3,153 Missions $214

Needed to meet budget: Current $4,250 Missions $306

Weekly offering average (June 1 to present): $3,895

Let’s pray this week for the persecuted Church in Colombia. Christians are targeted by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a Marxist-Leninist group. Some churches are now closed and all have a 6:00 pm curfew. Guerillas have banned public religious activity. Bibles are needed! Pray for the protection of the lives of Christians in Colombia.

Bethlehem is again responsible for delivering Mobile Meals for the month of August. All routes (A, B, D) are picked up at the Morris Hospital. Participation drops on weekends, so Routes A and B are combined on Sunday and A and D are combined on Saturday.
There is a sign-up sheet in the office. Please consider helping even if it is just for a day. Please include your phone number as you sign up. Any questions, call Merle McTague at 942-2024. Thanks.

First Christian Church is having their annual "Price-less Day" on Thursday August 7, from 7 am to 2 pm. There will be rooms full of clothing, shoes, linens, home décor, bikes, computers, toys, tools, books, and baby items. Everything is free.
If you are interested in donating items, please drop them off on Monday, August 4, from 9 am to 7 pm, or Tuesday, August 5, from 9 am until noon. No items will be accepted after noon on Tuesday. All items must be safe, clean, usable, in good working condition, and free of stains, odors, and holes. Large items that require more than one person to move are not acceptable. Receipts are available for tax purposes. Please sort and mark bags. Questions? Call 942-3454.

"O to grace how great a debtor,
Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now
Like a fetter,
Bind my wond’ring heart to Thee.
Prone to wander,
Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart,O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above."

-Robert Robinson

Prayer Connection —July 20, 2008

God's promises show His heart; our prayers show ours. It must please God to the utmost to have us stand in the gap for others. That was His desire in Ezekiel 22:30, "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but found none." Lloyd John Ogilvie said, "...The Lord wants us to be to one another what He has been to us in love, forgiveness, and unlimited concern. The mystery of it all is that often He will not bless another until we pray. When we do pray, His love flows through us to the other person." When the Holy Spirit brings someone or a circumstance to our hearts, He is asking us to pray for that person. We must be ever conscious of His voice so that we can intercede on their behalf. There are probably many times when God will bring to mind a name but not necessarily a circumstance. In that case, we should pray that the person will know God, be kept in His name, be kept from harm, and be sanctified in the truth.  "...The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results" (James 5:16).

Heavenly Father,

Open our hearts and minds to the prayer needs of others. Make us sensitive to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit. Help us to realize that interceding for others is not only a privilege, but also a responsibility for Your children. We want to lift our brothers and sister up to You for Your blessings. We thank You for giving us Your Son, the Ultimate Intercessor and for showing us how You want us to pray. Help us to follow Jesus' Divine example and make praying a high priority in our lives. We need You in every moment of our lives, and we believe Jesus' words, "...apart from me you can do nothing, (spiritual)." Thank You for loving us and being so generous with Your loving grace and mercy. We send You endless praise and glory! In the blessed name of Your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

"For when the honest love in you for other people causes you to ask God to act to strengthen, heal, defend, change, or bless them, there is someone else praying with you: the Holy Spirit." - Martin Luther   When we pray for someone, we need to give ourselves whole-heartedly to God and submit completely to the Holy Spirit as our Guide in prayer. Also keeping in mind to give all praise and glory to God and sustain a clean and open heart to hear God's direction. Sometimes when we pray for someone else, the Holy Spirit is working to change us, to help us to care more and to get us to focus on what others are going through rather than only seeing it from our vantage point. Luke said in Acts 20:32-35, "Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build', you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine', have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: `It is more blessed to give than to receive."  Call on me anytime at schwiesowfam@sbcglobal.net or 941-4645.  I wish for you a prayer-filled week!

                                                                                                         Ann Schwiesow

 

This Week at Bethlehem

Today:                            8:00 am      Men’s prayer in Pastor’s study

                                        9:00 am      Worship Service-Radio 95.7 FM

Thursday:                       6:00 am      Men’s Bible Study (IHOP)

Saturday:                        7:30 am      Men’s breakfast (Kitchen)

Sunday:                           8:00 am      Prayer in Pastor’s Study

9:00 am      Worship Service-Radio 95.7 FM

 

Please remember the following people in your prayers this week:

Missionaries: Steve & Linda Kvale & family, Wycliffe Bible Translators

Special Needs:
Arlene Johnson                Vivian Walker            Gene Timmons                Tom Mickelson
Florence Whyte               Bailey Bergstrom        Jim Koedding                  Aaron Noone            Martha Fritz                    Roy Egeland                Mickey McComas          Chris Perry

(Special Needs requests will be in the bulletin for two consecutive Sundays.

Please call the office to be included for a longer period of time.)

Church of the Week: Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Praise: For grace greater than our sin!

Pastor Dave and Cheryl Skordahl
38 Lynwood Drive Morris, IL 60450
815 942-3670 (Home) 815 735-7329(Cell)

 

Patrick Lohse, Intern Pastor
Patrick and Jennifer Lohse

510 Narvick Ave. Apt. 6 Morris, IL 60450
815 941-2407 (Home) 815-584-7122 (Cell)

And the Law came in that the transgression might increase;
but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 5:20-21