St. John’s
Evangelical Lutheran Church
Montello, WI
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
APRIL 7, 2019
PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP
We prepare ourselves to worship the one Savior God by expressing our humble repentance, offering our fervent prayers and singing our thankful hymns of praise.
OPENING HYMN
Please stand
CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION hymnal page 15
When we confess to God that we have failed to live up to the perfect standards in his law, the pastor announces the perfect forgiveness of sins won for us by Jesus.
LORD, HAVE MERCY hymnal page 15
The Church brings her concerns and prayers to a loving Father in heaven, who has shown great mercy to us and promised to hear our ardent cries for help.
GLORY BE TO GOD hymnal page 16
This song of praise reminds us of the wonderful things God has done for us, not the least of which is the salvation he gives through Jesus Christ.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: Eternal God and Father, help us to remember Jesus, who obeyed your will and bore the cross for our salvation that through his anguish, pain and death we may receive forgiveness of sins and inherit eternal life; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. C: ♫ Amen.
Please be seated for the day’s Scripture readings
SERVICE OF THE WORD
The Lord Jesus speaks to us in Scripture reading, preaching and song.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 43:16-21
Summary: In our Lord we can forget the horrors of the past
This is what the LORD says—he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
PSALM 73 hymnal page 94
Men sing first line, women sing second line, all sing refrains and Gloria
EPISTLE LESSON Philippians 3:8–14
Summary: In Christ we can forget what is behind and press on toward the heavenly goal
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
VERSE OF THE DAY Mark 10:45
During the season of Lent, the “Alleluia” is omitted
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Please stand
C: ♫ Glory be to you, O Lord!
GOSPEL LESSON (today’s sermon text) Luke 20:9-19
Summary: The parable of the tenant farmers
He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’
“But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”
When the people heard this, they said, “May this never be!”
Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ” ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
C: ♫ Praise be to you, O Christ!
NICENE CREED hymnal pages 18, 19
Please be seated
SERMON HYMN 528 Christ Is Our Cornerstone
SERMON Luke 20: 9-19
“This Cast-off Cornerstone Does Double Duty”
- Shattering hardened hearts
- Supporting hurting hearts
Please stand
CREATE IN ME hymnal page 20
Please be seated
OFFERING & WELS CONNECTION DVD
During the offering, please turn and greet one another! We also kindly ask that you fill out the red friendship register found at the end of each pew.
Please stand
OFFERING, LENT, & INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
– For those hospitalized, ill, shut-in and facing trials: George Alexander, Gene & Sharon Crook, Harley & Liola Crown & son Terry, Agnes Dassow, Jerre Duerr, Reinold Eckelberg, Elaine Emond (Mark’s mother), Earl Ewert, Marjorie Fabian, Harold Fandrey, Mike Farrell, Kellen Grucza (Judy Fandrey’s daughter), Del Henke, Dawn Hirn (Linda Krause’s niece), Xzander Jahr, Bob Klapper (Sandy’s husband), Arden “Bill” Klimke, Linda Krause, Pete Laun, Debbie Parrish, LuAnn Reber, Mark & Peggy Russell (Elsa’s son & daughter in-law), Al & Darlene Schmidt (Dawn Marcelain & Candace Sonnenberg’s parents), Carol Schumann, Dennis Schwanke (Mary Isberner’s friend), Amanda Stalker, Jennifer Strauss, Dennis & Ramona Wacholtz, Donny Weber (Betty’s son), Larry Wegner (Bob’s brother), Heidi Weishaar (Dennis & Sharon Kekow’s daughter), Karl Whitrock, Millie Wildt (John’s wife) – (added this week: Harold Fandrey, Del Henke)
– For teacher Sara Borck, who accepted the Lord’s call to teach Kindergarten next fall at Good Shepherd in Omaha, NE.
– For Larry & Lynn Sellnow, who accepted the Lord’s call to serve next fall as principal and K4-5 teacher.
– For our communicants at Emmanuel
LORD’S PRAYER hymnal page 20
Please be seated
HYMN 382:1-2 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
Please stand
CLOSING PRAYER & BLESSING hymnal page 25
Please be seated
CLOSING HYMN 382:3-4 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
As you leave today’s service, please give your completed Friendship Register sheet to an usher or pastor.
Announcements
| Activities for the week of April 7-April 13 | ||
| Sun. | 9:00-10:00 A.M. 11:00A.M.- 12:00P.M. | Northwestern Publishing House Bookfair in St. John’s link way |
| Mon. | 4:30 P.M. | St. John’s Softball Game @ Iron Ridge |
| 6:30 P.M. | Choir at St. John’s | |
| 7:30 P.M. | Adult Bible Study at St. John’s | |
| Tues. | ||
| Wed. | 8:00 A.M. | St. John’s School Chapel |
| 10:00 A.M. | Adult Bible Study at St. John’s | |
| 2:30 P.M.-6:30P.M. | Northwestern Publishing House Bookfair in St. John’s link way | |
| 3:30 P.M. | Emmanuel Lenten Devotion | |
| 3:45 P.M. | Public School Teen Confirmation Class at St. John’s | |
| 4:00 P.M.- 6:30 P.M. | Block Party in St. John’s Gym | |
| 4:30 P.M. | Lenten Supper at St. John’s | |
| 6:30 P.M. | St. John’s Lenten Devotion | |
| Thurs. | 8:00 A.M. | St. John’s School Teen Confirmation |
| 10:00 A.M. | Montello Care Center Devotion | |
| 6:00 P.M. | Griefshare (10th of 13 weeks) in St. John’s lower level | |
| 6:00 P.M. | St. John’s School Board meeting | |
| Fri. | ||
| Sat. | 9:00 A.M.- 12:00 P.M. | Easter for Kids at St. John’s |
| Theme for Next Sunday April 14, 2019Palm Sunday: “The King Comes to Us” | ||
| 8:00 A.M. | Emmanuel Worship | |
| 8:30 A.M. | St. John’s Sunday School | |
| 9:00 A.M. | Emmanuel/St. John’s Adult Bible Study | |
| 10:00 A.M. | St. John’s Worship with communion | |
| 11:15 A.M. | Bible Information Class begins at St. John’s |
NORTHWESTERN PUBLISHING HOUSE BOOKFAIR
St. John’s is having a NPH Bookfair on the following dates:
Today, April 7: 9:00am-10:00am & 11:00am-12:00pm
Wednesday, April 10: 2:30pm-6:30pm.
On all orders, there is 20% off, free shipping, and no tax! Checks can be made out to St. John’s. Stop on by and see what’s in!
PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL of your fellow worshipers preparing their hearts for worship. If you are visiting with others, please keep your voices down. Thank you!
EMMANUEL EASTER BREAKFAST April 21 following the 8:00 AM Easter service, everyone is invited (members, friends and guests) for pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, ham and fruit. A Freewill Offering will be taken for Emmanuel’s Education Fund. The breakfast is supported by a Thrivent Action Team Project. Join us for food and fellowship in the Parish Hall.
USHER AND GREETER SCHEDULE If you are signed up to be a St. John’s usher and/or greeter, please pick up your April-May hard copy in St. John’s Information Room. Schedules will be available for pick up every 2 months.
EASTER FLOWERS We are taking orders now through TOMORROW, April 8th! Please use the sign-up sheet located in St. John’s information room.
EASTER CARDS NEW Easter, Confirmation, & Graduation cards have arrived! Come to St. John’s lower level and get them while supplies last.
NEW ACTS BIBLE STUDY After completing our Study of Matthew last week, our Monday 7:30pm & Wednesday 10am Adult Bible Class members & I began our study of the book of Acts making use of the Acts DVD–“the only dramatization using the actual scriptures…word for word from the New International Version.” Join us in the SJ conference room!
WEDNESDAY LENTEN DEVOTIONS Join us as we gather for Lenten Devotions: 3:30pm at Emmanuel and 6:30pm at St. John’s under this year’s theme: “Three Words of Truth.” A soup supper will also be served from 4:30-6:15pm in the lower level of St. John’s. “Jesus, I will ponder now on your holy passion…” (Hymn 98) APRIL 10 HOST: St. John’s Youth Group WHAT’S ON THE MENU?: Taco bar
NEW MEMBERSHIP CLASS begins Palm Sunday 4/14 11:15am at SJ. Join us in the link-way conference room for an hour or so after the 10am SJ worship service.
EASTER FOR KIDS COORDINATOR I am looking for someone to assist with the planning this year who would be willing to take the lead in the future. If you would be interested in working with me this year, please call me 608-369-2635. Thank you! –Linda Wachholz
LAST MINUTE REGISTRATIONS FOR EASTER FOR KIDS STILL ACCEPTED THIS WEEK Your Easter for Kids staff does not want any child left out of the fun planned for next Saturday, April 13—the Message of Easter is too important for anyone to miss out!
EASTER FOR KIDS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
VOLUNTEER to help pack Easter baskets on Thursday, April 11, time 9:00A.M.. VOLUNTEER to help set up the Bible Giveaway on Friday, April 12, time 9:00 A.M. VOLUNTEER to help at the event on Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m. to Noon. (Grade 7 through Adult – girls-boys-women-men–all welcome! Thrivent T-Shirts for all helpers). VOLUNTEER to assist with snacks and setting up for crafting sessions on the day of the event. NEEDED: a few empty parmesan cheese sprinkle containers (We could return them if you would consider emptying your canister and allowing us to use it.) Contact Linda Wachholz 608-369-2635.
JOIN US FOR THE EASTER FOR KIDS CLOSING PROGRAM Parish & community members are cordially invited to attend the closing program “Parade & Praise for the King” in the church next Saturday, April 13, at 11:30 a.m.. A free lunch and Bible giveaway will follow in the church’s lower level.
CHRISTIAN ONE-LINERS (from a WELS member): “We don’t change the message. The message changes us.”
OUR SMALL OFFERINGS (from a member)
A young boy elbows his way to the front of the crowd and tugs on a man’s sleeve. Andrew looks down to see the boy holding out an open sack. Inside Andrew sees five small loaves of bread nestled beside two cooked fish. “I heard the rabbi ask for food,” the boy says with a shy shrug. “My mother packed this for me, and—she said I should share with someone who doesn’t have anything.”
Eyebrows raised, Andrew places a hand on the boy’s shoulder and walks him over to Jesus. Jesus turns and twinkles a smile down at the child; Andrew flashes Jesus a sheepish grin. “So…this boy has offered to share his lunch, but” —he casts a glance over his shoulder at the thousands of people milling around behind him, waiting to hear the rabbi’s next words— “how far will they go among so many?”
Jesus tousles the boy’s dark hair and gives him a smile and a wink. “Thank you, son. This is just what I need.” The boy looks down at his sandals, blushing with pride. Rubbing His palms together, Jesus turns to Andrew with an excited—almost mischievous—glint in his eye. Andrew has seen this look before; a tingle of anticipation floods his veins. With barely contained glee, Jesus says, “Have the people sit down.”
He rolls up His sleeves.
We all know the rest of the famous account in John 6—how Jesus goes on to turn a little boy’s lunch into a feast for thousands. He makes so much food that the disciples collect twelve basketfuls of leftovers!
We often look at our gifts—our talents, our possessions, our skills, our wisdom—and think, “They aren’t worth much. How far can they really go?” Let us never underestimate what God can do with our “small” offerings. We don’t have to give Him the biggest thing, the best thing, the shiniest thing—we just have to give Him whatever we have to offer. The smallest gift is still a treasure in His eyes. Our gifts may be small, but our God is big. And His powerful hands can take our small gifts and multiply them. Our mighty God can turn a little into a lot—more than we could ever imagine. What small gift can you offer to Jesus today?
Joint Worship Committee Update
Worship the Lord – the Purpose of Worship
If you ask members about the reason why we worship, the various answers include “praising God, giving thanks, and singing and praying together.” It is true that all these things happen during worship, but are they really the purpose of worship?
As Lutherans, we know that we “cannot by our own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ or come to him.” Faith, forgiveness, and the sacraments are all received. Worship is primarily God serving his people with Word and Sacrament. Simply put, God gives, we receive. Christian worship enables people to receive the riches of Christ.
What does Christian worship look like? Well, that depends! In churches it includes hymns and liturgies, lessons and creeds. In school it can include Bible-based action songs and murals on the walls. Understanding worship’s purpose will help us understand our various worship practices.
“But I want to feel closer to God. I need emotion.” It’s true, we often feel emotion when we worship. (O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder…” CW 256:1) These human emotions, however, are not the purpose of worship. Rather, they spring from the heart of worship: the Gospel.
It is hard to find the right balance of church doctrine and expressive worship. In our defense of solid doctrine, it is easy to forget that God created us with human emotions. If we want more expressive worship, it becomes easy to downplay the importance of correct teaching.
If worship is my primary opportunity to receive the riches of Christ and to proclaim the Gospel to my neighbor, then, in Christian love, I need to put aside my personal preferences and focus on my neighbor’s interests above my own.
Satan knows that if he can confuse the purpose of worship, he will get us to take our focus off of Christ and to place it on our emotion or our reaction to Christ. Instead of a purpose-driven church, or a mission- minded church, let us strive to be a Christ-centered church! Everything else flows from there.
We gather in worship for a very specific purpose; to receive the riches of Christ! To God be the glory!
(Excerpts from “Worship the Lord” No. 36,”Worship is Really Purpose-Driven” by Aaron Christie)
| Attendance | Emmanuel | St. John’s |
| 3-31 4-3 | 72 62 | 136 74 |
| St. John’s Altar CommitteeApril 2019 | Diane Eisermann&Delores Cotte |
SJ GREETER SCHEDULE
| April 7 | Paul & Christa Van Treeck |
| April 14 | Susan Brown & Kathy North |
| April 21 | Kay Maass & LuAnn Zieman |
| April 28 | Ciara Neuhauser & Jennie Utke |
| May 5 | Phyllis Farrell & Pat Henning |
| May 12 | Jim & Diane Eisermann |
| May 19 | Wayne & Marilyn Riemer |
| May 26 | Aaron Kendall & Christopher Smith |
| April 10 Lent 3:30pm ELent 6:30 pm SJ | Wayne Stelter, Bruce Stelter, Joe HellerJack Yates; Chief, Al Rosenthal, Christopher Smith, Calvin Wojtalewicz, Zeb Zuehls |
| April 14 E (with communion) SJ | Don Stelter, Warren Buchholz, Brian NinnemannDon Smith; Chief, Mark Emond, Kevin Kaul, Scott Ritz, Ken Borzick |
| April 18 Maundy Thurs.7:00pm E | Darrell Buchholz, Don Stelter, Gary Wegner |
| April 19 Good Friday 1:00pm (with comm.) SJ | Kenon Smith; Chief, Ben Emond, Thomas Wojtalewicz, James Henke, Paul Van Treeck |
| April 21 Easter ESunrise 6:00am SJ 10:00am SJ | Brian Ninnemann, Bob Ferber, Paul DahlkeCal Kapp; Chief, Martin Schmanke, Lee Ollendorf, Aaron Kendall, Chuck BoetcherJames Wachholz; Chief, Jim Eisermann, Corey Kaul, Jerre Duerr, Robin Smith |
| April 28 E (with communion) SJ | Darrell Buchholz, Jim Stuempges, Joe HellerJack Yates; Chief, Del Henke, Joe Zauner, Gordon Krause, Richard Freitag |
| May 5 (with communion) E SJ | DuWayne Sommerfeld, Noah Buchholz, Gary Wegner, Darrell Buchholz (comm. assist.)Don Smith; Chief, Gerhardt Voigt, Mitch Simon, Karl Whitrock, Matt Borzick |
| May 12 E (with communion) SJ | Wayne Stelter, Bruce Stelter, Brian NinnemannKenon Smith; Chief, Glen Bubolz, Al Rosenthal, Christopher Smith, Calvin Wojtalewicz |
| May 19 ESJ | Lucas Stelter, Paul Wuerch, Paul DahlkeCal Kapp; Chief, Zeb Zuehls, Mark Emond, Kevin Kaul, Scott Ritz |
| May 26 E (with communion) SJ | Don Stelter, Glenn Buchholz, Joe HellerJames Wachholz; Chief, Ken Borzick, Ben Emond, Thomas Wojtalewicz, James Henke |
St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church
313 E. Montello St. U.S. POSTAGE
Montello, WI 53949 P A I D
Permit No. 8
Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
W1568 Evergreen Lane
Montello, WI 53949
Located 4 miles east of town
Montello, WI 53949
Website: www.stjohnsmontello.org
Like us on Facebook
Office: (608) 297-2866
Holy Week Worship
4/14 Palm Sunday 8am/10am at Emm/SJ
4/17 NO Wednesday 6:30pm Service
4/18 Maundy Thursday 7pm at Emm with communion
4/19 Good Friday 1pm at SJ with communion
4/21 Easter 6am/10am at SJ & 8am at Emm