+ Fourth Sunday in Advent +
December 22, 2024
John the Baptizer Points Everyone to the Messiah
The coming of God in all His unveiled power at Mount Sinai was terrifying to the people of Israel. The thundering voice of the Lord puts sinners in fear of death (Deut. 18:15–19). God, therefore, raised up a prophet like Moses—the Messiah, the Christ. God came to His people veiled in human flesh. The skies poured down the Righteous One from heaven; the earth opened her womb and brought forth Salvation (Introit) through the blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of the Lord (Luke 1:39–56). The fruit of her womb is the very Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the One whose sandal strap John was not worthy to loose (John 1:19–28). In Jesus we are delivered from fear and anxiety. In Him alone we have the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:4–7).
Advent Rubrics
Unique to Advent and Lent the Liturgy drops the Greater Gloria (“Gloria in Excelsis”). The Church sets that magnificent hymn of praise aside until we hear the angels sing it at the birth of Christ! Also, you’ll notice that as the weeks of Advent go forth there will be two collects: the collect of the day (particular to the readings appointed) as well as the collect for the first Sunday in Advent. Finally, you can’t help but notice the Advent Wreath with four candles around the outside. This wreath is a calendar—slowing us down, week by week, drawing us in anticipation towards Christmas. Each of the four candles represents a different aspect of our waiting: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. Three candles are blue; one is pink. The pink calls us to rejoice and find the refreshment needed in a period of fasting (there’s something similar in Lent, too). Advent wreaths at home with daily family prayer and devotion is highly encouraged as well.
Sunday Resources:
Bulletin for The Fourth Sunday in Advent ~ December 22, 2024
Congregation at Prayer for The Fourth Sunday in Advent ~ 12/22/24
Children’s Bulletin for this Sunday
Sunday Readings:
Old Testament: Deuteronomy 18:15-19
Epistle: Philippians 4:4-7
Gospel: John 1:19-28
Sunday Catechesis:
- The Book of Judges
Wednesday Catechesis:
- The Book of Matthew
Week of the Fourth Sunday in Advent (December 22 – December 29, 2024):
Sunday
- 8:15 a.m. Choir practice in Fellowship Hall
- 9:00 a.m. Divine Service
- 10:30 a.m. Bible Study
- 4:00 p.m. Caroling and Fellowship
Monday
- 8:30 a.m. Matins
Tuesday ~ Christmas Eve
- 8:30 a.m. Matins
- 7:00 p.m. Lessons & Carols
- 11:00 p.m. The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord
Wednesday ~ Christmas Day
- 9:30 a.m. Choir practice in Fellowship Hall
- 10:00 a.m. Christmas Day Divine Service
Thursday ~ Feast of St, Stephan, Martyr
- No Matins or Private Confession; Office Closed
Friday ~ Feast of St. John, Apostle & Evangelist
- No Matins or Private Confession; Office Closed
Saturday ~ Feast of The Holy Innocents, Martyrs
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Caroling Sunday, Dec. 22 Please join us as we go caroling the neighborhood surrounding Trinity. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall at 4 p.m. Please bring a snack or appetizer to share in fellowship after singing. Warm drinks will be provided.
- OMT Theological Reading Group
Tuesday, January 28 (Trinity)
8:30 am Matins
9:15 am Reading Discussion
11:15 am Prayer
11:30 am Lunch
Reading Assignment: Due: Reardon, Patrick Henry. Christ in His Saints. Munster, Indiana, Ancient Faith Publishing, 2004. (320 pages)
- Catechesis begins with a meal at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. There are classes for all ages. Pastor Filipek is teaching confirmation and adults, Kendall Patterson is teaching elementary age, and Amy Filipek is with preschool and younger children. Everyone is welcome! The last day of Catechesis for 2024 was November 20. Wednesday classes will resume January 8, 2025.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- 2025 KS District Life Conference will be held Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Topeka (901 SW Fillmore St., Topeka, KS 66606). The 2025 Kansas District Life Conference will once again be in conjunction with the 2025 Kansas March for Life. Registration is open. Visit the Life Conference webpage on the District website, https://kslcms.org/2025-life-conference to register and find more information. The keynote speaker will be Rev. Jeffrey Hemmer, pastor of Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, Ill. Rev. Hemmer is also an assistant to LCMS President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison and the author of the book, Man Up!: The Quest for Masculinity. Find out more about Rev. Hemmer’s book by visiting the Concordia Publishing House website, https://www.cph.org/man-up-the-quest-for-masculinity.
- Offering Envelopes Please pick up your 2025 offering envelopes in the narthex on your way out of church. Thank you!
- Trinity Staff Christmas Gift If you would like to donate to a staff Christmas gift, please put your donations in the designated basket in the narthex. The Board of Elders
- Picture Directory There are copies of the church picture directory in the narthex. Please pick one up at your leisure.
- The last day of Catechesis for 2024 was November 20. Wednesday classes will resume January 8, 2025.
- Are You A Dillon’s Shopper? Designate Trinity as your Dillon’s rewards charity online, using the code QG377. You will need to designate Trinity every year for this rewards program.
- Happenings at Fairmount Ministries
- Fairmount Coffee: We will be closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day with shortened hours during the weeks of Christmas and New Year. See social media for adjusted hours.
- A Message from The Kansas District LCMS Office As many of you know, there is a great need in the eastern regions of the United States in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Countless people, including LCMS members and congregations, are grieving the loss of their businesses, homes, and even their loved ones. Yet equally swift have been the many congregations, organizations, church members, and volunteers from around the Synod who have contributed their time, resources, finances, and prayers to aid those affected by the hurricane. Provided below are links for the three districts receiving contributions:
LCMS Mid-South District: https://mid-southlcms.org/
LCMS Southeastern District: https://se.lcms.org/
LCMS Florida-Georgia District: https://flgadistrict.org/
Funds received will be distributed by these districts for survivor support and some volunteer support. This will be a long-term ongoing recovery. Let us join in prayer together as we “encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In the service of Christ, Rev. Justin Panzer, Kansas District President
HOLIDAY SERVICES
12/24/24 ~ ChristMass Eve Candlelight Lessons ~7:00 pm
12/24/24 ~ ChristMass Eve Midnight Mass ~ 11:00 pm
12/25/24 ~ ChristMass Day Divine Service~ 10:00 am
12/31/24 ~ Eve of the Circumcision and Naming of Jesus (New Year’s Eve Divine Service) ~ 5:30 pm
1/6/25 ~ The Epiphany Divine Service ~ 5:30 pm
RESOURCES:
Issues, Etc.
For the week of December 22
SACRED MUSIC & TALK FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON… You can listen 24/7 to sacred talk and music for the 12 days of Christmas at issuesetc.org, lutheranpublicradio.org, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, TuneIn, Apple HomePod and the Lutheran Public Radio mobile app. Listen Here for other Issues, Etc. programs.
As a result of Sunday’s Bible class discussion, these are link to Commemorations, Feasts, and Festivals with information about the Saints:
Link to Feasts and Festivals throughout the Church Year
Link to Commemorations throughout the Church Year
MISCELLANEOUS:
Trinity Lutheran Church tlcwichita.org
Concordia Academy Wichita Concordia Academy Wichita – Home
Kansas District LCMS LCMS Kansas District | (kslcms.org)
The Lutheran Church Missouri SynodLCMS.org – The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Eighth Day Books Eighth Day Books
Eighth Day Institute Welcome to Eighth Day Institute
Concordia Publishing House Home – Concordia Publishing House (cph.org)
Issues, Etc. issuesetc.org
Luther Classical College Luther Classical College