Welcome!
“Jerusalem, my happy home, When shall I come to thee?
When shall my labors have an end? Thy joys when shall I see?” (618:5)
23RD SUNDAY after TRINITY Sunday NOVEMBER 23, 2025
ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH HIDEWOOD TWP, SD
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH WATERTOWN, SD
To prepare yourselves for worship you are welcome to meditate on:
Today’s Psalm 98
1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
2 The Lord has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
5 Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,
6 With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.
7 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell in it;
8 Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the hills be joyful together 9 before the Lord,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with equity.
ORDER for WORSHIP
The bell calls us for worship
Opening Prayer
P: Almighty, ever-living God, grant that we may gladly hear Your Word and that our worship may be acceptable to You, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn 613
P: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
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P: Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins to God, our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
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P: I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.
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P: Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we poor sinners confess to You that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against You in our thoughts, words, and actions. Therefore we flee for refuge to Your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ALL: O most merciful God, You have given Your only begotten Son to die for us! Have mercy upon us and for His sake grant us remission of all our sins; and by Your Holy Spirit increase in us true knowledge of You and of Your will and true obedience to Your Word, to the end that by Your grace we may come to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
P: Almighty God, who is our heavenly Father, has had mercy upon us and has given His only Son to die for us and for His sake has forgiven us all our sins. To those who believe on His name He gives power to become the sons of God and has promised them His Holy Spirit. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. Grant this, Lord, to us all!
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Hymn 609: 3
First Reading – Old Testament – Malachi 4: 1-6
Elijah will come before the day of the Lord
1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
3 You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.
4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,
Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,
With the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
P: Blessed are those who hear and believe God’s Word! Hallelujah!
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Zion / Trinity children sing – For These Blessings
1. Gracious God, for every blessing we would bring Thee thanks alway. Every gift Thy love expressing to Thy children day by day. Father, Father, all Thy creatures, great and small, give Thee now our thanks unending for these blessings, one and all.
2. Help us live, forever sharing from the plenty we receive, that the world may know Thy caring, and in Thee, in truth believe. Father, Father, all Thy creatures, great and small, give Thee now our thanks unending for these blessings, one and all.
Second Reading – New Testament Epistle – 2 Thessalonians 3: 1-18
The Lord be with you all!
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.
5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
P: So far with the Epistle reading.
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CONFESSION OF FAITH – THE APOSTLES’ CREED
ALL: I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven And is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; From there He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.
Hymn with the melody of TLH 516
1. At the name of Jesus Ev’ry knee shall bow,
Ev’ry tongue confess Him King of glory now.
‘Tis the Father’s pleasure We should call Him Lord,
Who from the beginning Was the mighty Word. >>>>
2. Humbled for a season To receive a name
From the lips of sinners Unto whom He came;
Faithfully He bore it, Spotless to the last,
Brought it back victorious When from death He passed.
3. In your hearts enthrone Him; There let Him remove
All that is not holy, All that is not true.
Crown Him as your captain In tempation’s hour;
Let His will enfold you In its light and pow’r.
4. Watch! For this Lord Jesus Shall return again
With His Father’s glory, O’er all things to reign;
For the day is coming When each knee shall bow,
All our hearts confess Him King of glory now! Amen.
Sermon – Luke 21: 5-38
5 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, 6 “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.”
7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”
8 And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them. 9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”
10 Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”
29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.
Hymn with the melody of TLH 50
1. Herald, sound the note of judgment,
Warning us of right and wrong,
Turning us from sin and sadness Till once more we sing the song.
Sound the trumpet! Tell the message:
Christ, the Savior King, is come!
2. Herald, sound the note of gladness;
Tell the news that Christ is here;
Make a pathway thru the desert For the one who brings God near.
Sound the trumpet! Tell the message:
Christ, the Savior King, is come!
3. Herald, sound the note of pardon – Those repenting are forgiv’n;
God receives His wayward children, And to them new life is giv’n.
Sound the trumpet! Tell the message:
Christ, the Savior King, is come!
4. Herald, sound the note of triumph;
Christ has come to share our life,
Bringing God’s own love and power, Granting vict’ry in our strife.
Sound the trumpet! Tell the message:
Christ, the Savior King, is come!
The Offering is collected / brought forward
Responsive Prayer
P: O Jesus, who my debt didst pay And for my sin wast smitten,
C: Within the Book of Life, oh, may My name be also written!
P: I will not doubt; I trust in Thee, From Satan Thou hast made me free
C: And from all condemnation.
P: Therefore my Intercessor be And for Thy blood and merit
C: Declare my name from judgment free With all who life inherit,
P: That I may see Thee face to face With all Thy saints in that blest place
C: Which Thou for us hast purchased.
P: O Jesus Christ, do not delay, But hasten our salvation;
C: We often tremble on our way In fear and tribulation.
P: Then hear us when we cry to Thee;
Come, mighty Judge, and makes us free
C: From every evil! Amen.
P: any special prayers there may be will be offered here...
P: We close the Lord’s Prayer with the words: “For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.” What does “Amen” mean?
C: “Amen” means that I should be certain that these petitions are really heard by the Father in heaven; for He Himself has instructed us to pray in this way and promised that He will hear us. “Amen! Amen!” that is, “Yes, indeed, it shall be so!”
P: And so we join to pray the words Jesus taught us:
ALL: Our Father, who art in heaven; Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil; For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Benediction
P: The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you His peace.
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Closing Hymn (on page 11)
STATISTICS - week of November 16
Zion: –; SS: –; Trinity: 39; SS: 7; Wed BC: 14
Zion Lutheran Church Hidewood Township, SD – 8:30 a.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church Watertown, SD – 10:30 a.m.
trinitywatertownsd.com
Members: Church of the Lutheran Confession www.clclutheran.org
Pastor Paul Krause. . . parsonpaulkrause@gmail.com cell:920-238-5775
Teacher Mikkela Schmitt . . . . . . . .cell: 715-933-1502
Church and School: 605-886-2976
Organists: John Klatt, Rebecca Larson, Naomi Rehder
CALENDAR and ANNOUNCEMENTS
TODAY >> Zion – 8:30 a.m. service; Trinity – 10:30 a.m.
>> Sunday School - after church at Zion; 9:20 a.m. at Trinity
>> ALL CHILDREN are singing at Zion / Trinity this morning
>> at Trinity – committee # 1 meets after church
>> Zion – Ladies’ Aid – 2 p.m.
WED >> Zion – Thanksgiving Eve service – 7 p.m.
THU >> Trinity – Thanksgiving Day servicer – 10 a.m.
NEXT SUNDAY – start of a NEW CHURCH YEAR – ADVENT
>> Zion – 8:30 a.m. service; Trinity – 10:30 a.m.
>> Sunday School - after church at Zion; 9:20 a.m. at Trinity
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
12/03 Wed 1st midweek Advent service at Trinity – 7 p.m.
12/07 Sun Trinity – children’s Christmas practice – 11:30 - 12:15
12/07 Sun Trinity – Christmas dinner – 12:15 p.m. (details below)
12/09-15 PK (CK) gone to California
12/20 Sat Zion/Trinity – Christmas VBS at Trinity – 10 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
MANY THANKS!
>> from Rosy Mertz – Thank you to all for prayers, condolences, cards, and monetary gifts for my family on the passing of my mother. It was thoughtful and greatly appreciated. Thank you!
>> Do you have something you are thankful for at Zion/Trinity? Let Pastor Krause know, and he will be happy to include it in the bulletin!
BACK TABLE SIGN UP SHEET AT TRINITY This sheet is to sign up for things you can bring to our Christmas dinner – two weeks from today!
LUTHER’S EXPLANATION TO THE LORD’S PRAYER Today we conclude our review of Luther’s explanation to the parts of the Lord’s Prayer in our worship service. It is my hope that this recitation has led to further understanding and appreciation for this prayer!
KRAUSE FAMILY UPDATE This is to follow up on what was in last Sunday’s bulletin. We do have our red car back! The mechanic discovered a problem with the fuse box wiring. Collette is still in Rapid City (!) as our new granddaughter has not arrived yet! We continue to appreciate your prayers!
TRINITY THANKSGIVING OFFERING This comes by way of reminder of our custom at Trinity – at Thanksgiving time we especially remember the work of the various “non-budgetary” or “auxiliary” funds and endowments and programs of our CLC. Envelopes for contributing to these funds have been set out on the back table; a description of the funds can be found in this bulletin.
CHRISTMAS “VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL” We have found it necessary to move our Christmas VBS to Saturday, December 20, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the day we will be reviewing the Christmas story, doing crafts, having lunch and games, and having a Christmas service practice. We really hope all of our Zion and Trinity children can come, as rehearsal days possibilities this year are a precious few. Please confirm with PK or Rebecca Larson that you can come (for planning purposes). Also – please bring $4.00 per child to cover for expenses for lunch. Thanks!
NATIONAL WOMEN’S RETREAT IN JANUARY Before your 2026 calendar begins to fill up, we want you to mark your calendars and get ready to Press Pause with women across the country!
What: Press Pause for the National Women's (Virtual) Retreat 2026
When: Saturday, January 31, 2026 // 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (Pacific Time)
How: Join us virtually via Zoom
Cost: Free event – all are welcome!
Register now: https://tinyurl.com/PressPause26
CLC NEWS
Current pastoral/ILC faculty vacancies: ILC professor; Red Wing, MN; Appleton, WI; Eau Claire, WI; Spokane, WA; Phoenix, AZ
Undecided calls:
Pastor Ben Libby, Cheyenne, WY, to Phoenix, AZ
Pastor Ben Libby, Cheyenne, WY, to Messiah, Eau Claire, WI
Retired Pastor Mike Eichstadt as vacancy pastor at Phoenix, AZ
Ret. Pastor D Schierenbeck, as pastor’s assistant, Inver Grove Heights, MN
Pastor Terrel Kesterson, Batavia, IL, part time to Red Wing, MN
Pastor Johnathan Schnose, Morris, MN, to Appleton, WI
Returned call:
Pastor Tom Schuetze, Lakewood, CO, to Spokane, WA
2026 CLC MISSION HELPER TRIP The CLC Mission Helper Program is making preparations for another Mission Trip to Africa for the summer of 2026. The main focus of this trip will be presenting the Gospel, through a series of child evangelism lessons, to member and non-member children in village congregations. Possible areas of evangelism include the CLC−Tanzania, CLC−Kenya, CLC−Zambia, and CLC-Uganda. CLC members are welcome and encouraged to apply. For more information and to apply, visit www.mht.lutheranmissions.org.