26 November 2021
*Friday after the Last Sunday*
Dear Saints and Friends of Grace & Trinity,
This Sunday is
*The First Sunday of Advent*
*T** Ad Te Levavi **T*
Jeremiah 23:5-8; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 21:1-9 <www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+23%3A5-8%3B+Romans+13%3A8-14%3B+Matthew+21%3A1-9&version=ESV>
*The Lord Jesus Comes in Humility to Redeem Us*
*The new Church Year begins by focusing on the humble coming of our Lord. “Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey” (Matt. 21:5). Even as He was born in a lowly manger, so Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a beast of burden. For He bears the sin of the world. He is the Son of David riding to His enthronement on the cross, where He shows Himself to be “The LORD is our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:5–6). Our Lord still comes in great humility to deliver His righteousness to us in the Word and Sacraments. Before receiving Christ’s body and blood, we also sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21:9) And as we receive the Sacrament, we set our hearts on His return in glory, for “our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11).*
*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, Peace, Love, and Joy. 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. *
*Bible Study this Week* is at Trinity and we’ll continue our discussion of Christian piety as rooted in the Word of God. Join us at 9:30am at Trinity.
*Those Serving* *at Grace & Trinity today…*
*Trinity** Grace*
*Counter: The Wortzes Counters: Jennifer*
*Greeters: the Pattersons Greeters: the Unruhs*
*Ushers: David Ketteman Ushers: Jim & Sandy*
*Altar Guild: the Pattersons Altar Guild: the Nickels*
*Elder: **Scott Smith*
*To prepare* your hearts and minds for the Sunday gathering of the faithful, here is the bulletin for Sunday <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/0739c29a-efa3-e640-3066-9bb94a17ae0f/2021_11_28_First_Sunday_in_Advent.pdf>. Meditate on the readings, pray the prayers, and consider what gifts our Lord has for us this week. Also, here are the news/notes <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/9985b0d5-62c7-5daf-08b7-381de04af084/11_28_21_News_Notes.pdf> and the congregation at prayer <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/6d777b2a-98a1-51ad-943c-a5957b51f37a/2021_11_28_Advent_I.pdf> .
*Prayer Requests…*
· For Roger Zwemke, who is still hospitalized in the ICU. He has a surgery scheduled for Monday, but at the moment he is intubated and not likely going to be able to undergo surgery.
· Also, prayers for Mary as she has recently moved into Regents Park. Visitors or lunch dates would be very welcome; however, you must know that there are a few covid positive cases in the memory unit. She recognizes faces from Church and it brings a great deal of comfort to her.
*Coming up this week…*
· *Sunday (11/28): **The First Sunday of Advent*
o *8am *Divine Service, Grace
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Trinity
o *11am *Divine Service, Trinity
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o *3:30pm *Elders’ Book Study, Grace
· *Monday*: *Commemoration of Noah*
o *6:30pm* New Member Catechesis, Trinity
· *Tuesday: **Feast of St. Andrew*
o *9am *Divine Service, Grace
· *Wednesday: *
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Grace
o *4:15pm *Bell Choir Practice, Trinity
o *6pm *Advent Meal, Grace
o *6pm *Private Confession & Absolution, Grace
o *7pm *Advent Compline, Grace
· *Thursday: **Thanksgiving Day*
o *9am *Matins, Grace
· *Friday: *
o *4pm *Private Confession & Absolution, Trinity
· *Saturday: **Commemoration of St. John of Damascus*
o *2-4pm* Advent By Candlelight, Trinity
· *Sunday (12/5): **The Second Sunday of Advent – Populus Zion*
o *8am *Divine Service, Grace
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Trinity
o *2pm **Misa en Español*, Grace
*Looking Ahead…*
· *December 1 – *Midweek Advent Meals (6pm) and Services (7pm) begin at Grace. These Wednesday evenings are a wonderful way of slowing down and preparing our hearts for the Nativity Feast. If you’d like to prepare a meal for one of these Wednesdays in December, please let me know.
· *December 4, 2-4pm* – Please join the ladies of Grace & Trinity for Advent-By-Candlelight at Trinity. Sign-up in the narthex to attend or to be a Hostess. Questions? Contact Vicki Lessman at 316-641-9392 or vlessman@cox.net.
· *December 11, 9-11:30am (both Churches) *– Church Decorating for Christmas. If you’re willing to help put up the lights and wreaths, or hang the chrismons on the trees, we could use all hands on deck! This is a great opportunity to spend some time together preparing the sanctuary for the festal season to come.
· *December 17, 6:30-8:30pm *– Advent/Christmas Caroling through the neighborhood at Trinity. We’ll carol for about an hour and then come back to the Church for warm drinks and desserts. This is always a great time and brings such joy to our neighbors. Please join us!
*Other Things*
· *Giving Tuesday *is the single largest charitable giving day during the year. There are many great not-for-profits that rely on your generosity to keep them doing the unique work they do (as you know, I’m intimately involved with two of them: Concordia Academy <www.concordiaacademywichita.org/contribute.html> and the Eighth Day Institute <www.eighthdayinstitute.org/>). As you consider your thankfulness and how that might overflow to the aid and support of others, remember that charitable giving does not replace your thank offering to the Lord, but is over and above that. That being said, our congregations are able to provide faithful preaching, teaching, and an administration of the Sacraments in prominent buildings for the sake of the life of the world because of your generosity. We support missionaries at home and abroad. We provide food for the hungry, offer an Hispanic ministry, and are boldly supporting a new school. Thank you!
· *My Newman University Lectures* on the Old Testament can be found here <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/c4fc878d-6f58-8aff-4087-8e259b721aa4/Zoom_Recordings.06.docx>. For some reason, today’s lecture had some zoom difficulties. Hopefully most of the lecture can be accessed. Enjoy!
Many blessings and much joy to you all in Christ our life.
-Pastor