3 December 2021
*Friday of Ad Te Levavi*
Dear Saints and Friends of Grace & Trinity,
This Sunday is
*The Second Sunday of Advent*
*T** Populus Zion **T*
Malachi 4:1-6; Romans 15:4-13; Luke 21:25-36 <www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi+4%3A1-6%3B+Romans+15%3A4-13%3B+Luke+21%3A25-36&version=ESV>
*The Lord Comes on the Last Day*
*The day on which our Lord returns will be a “great and awesome day” (Mal. 4:5). For He will come in a cloud with great power and glory. To the wicked and the proud, it will be a Day of judgment that will “set them ablaze” (Mal. 4:1). The signs preceding this Day will bring them fear and fainting. But to those who believe, who fear the name of the Lord, this Day is one to look forward to and rejoice in: “. . . straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Christ our Redeemer is coming; the Sun of Righteousness will bring healing in His wings. Let us, then, give attention to the words of the Lord, which do not pass away. Let us “through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures” (Rom. 15:4) be strengthened in our hope by the Holy Spirit and watch diligently for Jesus’ coming. Then, by God’s grace, we shall escape all these things that will come to pass and stand before the Son of Man.*
*Bible Study this Week* is at Grace this month and we’ll continue our discussion of Christian piety as rooted in the Word of God. This week we’ll finish off our discussion of the Word of God and then turn toward the life of prayer. Join us at 9:30am at Grace.
*Those Serving* *at Grace & Trinity today…*
*Trinity** Grace*
*Counter: the Schneiders Counters: Tom & Sandy*
*Greeters: the Smiths Greeters: the Kennys*
*Ushers: Derrel Pressnell Ushers: Jim & Sandy*
* & David Ketteman*
*Altar Guild: Sheryl Anderson Altar Guild: the Nickels*
*Elder: Kendall Patterson*
*To prepare* your hearts and minds for the Sunday gathering of the faithful, here is the bulletin for Sunday <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/b2a1defb-bcbf-b151-3209-591e805ebc63/2021_12_05_Second_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/74dc6316-4a52-4bef-1745-78c7f02a1f06/12_5_21_News_Notes.pdf> and the congregation at prayer <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/a44ee459-fad3-2e38-c9bd-a22ee6daa239/2021_12_5_The_Second_Sunday_in_Advent.pdf> .
*Prayer Requests…*
· For Roger Zwemke, who is still hospitalized. He has undergone a couple of surgeries—one to put a plate in his chest to support his ribs, the other to remove a mucus plug from his lung.
· For Sarah, Brian, Richard (the younger), and Owen Lewallen, all suffering from COVID. Richard is also suffering from Influenza B.
· For Ruby Sites, also suffering from COVID.
*Coming up this week…*
· *Today: *
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
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· *Monday*: *Commemoration of St. Nicholas of Myra*
o *6:30pm* New Member Catechesis, Trinity
· *Tuesday: **Commemoration of St. Ambrose of Milan*
o *8:35am *Divine Service for Winkel, Trinity (*please join us!)*
· *Wednesday: *
o *9:30am *Bible Study, Grace
o *11am *Divine Service, Grace
o *4:15pm *Bell Choir Practice, Trinity
o *5:45pm *Advent Meal, Grace
o *6pm *Private Confession & Absolution, Grace
o *7pm *Advent Compline, Grace
· *Thursday: *
o *9am *Matins, Grace
o *7:30pm *Hall of Men, the Ladder
· *Friday: *
o *4pm *Private Confession & Absolution, Trinity
· *Saturday: *
o *9am* Church Decorating, Grace & Trinity
· *Sunday (12/12): **The Third Sunday of Advent – Gaudete (Rose Sunday!)*
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 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!
· *December 30, 6:30-10pm* – EDI’s annual Nativity Feast will be held again at Trinity. Registration will open soon!
*Other Things*
· *The December Newsletters* are ready! Here’s Grace’s Grace Notes <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/80a26ce4-79d8-303f-cbfb-14084db09dd5/December_Grace_Notes_2021.pdf> and Trinity’s Torch <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/dd707fbe-0444-6b3f-905c-206439fa9535/December_Torch_2021.pdf>, along with the December Calendar <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/ffabea51-656c-0754-18a2-85cfee49321d/December_2021_Calendar.pdf>. Remember, subscribe to our google calendar for the most up-to-date calendar. In this month’s study of the Service of the Word we look at the Prayer of the Church. What a joy to know that when we pray we are not alone!
· *Tube Socks for the Homeless: *The Board of Social Ministry at Grace is filling tube socks for the homeless again this year. We need your help in filling them with goodies. Some suggested items are: hard candy, small packages of snacks, “Slim Jims,” playing cards, small first aid items, trial size toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc. Items for donation can be left in the narthex at Grace in the Food Pantry collection box. Thank you!
· *Christmas Gifts for our homebound members: *Grace’s Board of Social Ministry will put together (with your help) some goodies this year to be delivered to our homebound members. We’d love to have a few baked goods, small personal religious items like (a cross, bible verses, little trinkets, ornaments) crossword puzzle books, socks, blankets, etc. If you would like to donate, please place your items in the narthex in the food pantry box. Thank you and God bless your giving hearts.
· *My Newman University Lectures* on the Old Testament can be found here <mcusercontent.com/a90ee03ff0810e6c55bae6a58/files/c03bd6a2-90c8-1771-d883-682853dd7fd1/Zoom_Recordings.07.docx>. This is the end of these lectures. Let me know if they were helpful to you!
· *New Class on the Prophets: *This past Monday I began teaching a class on the Prophets for the Seminary in Fort Wayne. It’s a class I’ve taught about half a dozen times. This time, however, I’m incorporating a weekly ZOOM lecture. I’ll try to make these lectures available beginning next week for those interested.
Many blessings and much joy to you all in Christ our life.
-Pastor