Welcome!
“When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride.” (TLH 175:1)
FIFTH SUNDAY in LENT MARCH 26, 2023
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH WATERTOWN, SD
ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH HIDEWOOD TWP, SD
ORDER for WORSHIP
To prepare for worship – read Hymn 159
The bell calls us for worship
Opening Prayer
P: Lord God, we are glad and thankful to be able to honor You and receive blessing from Your holy Word. Be with us in our worship and bless us for Your mercy’s sake. Teach us, encourage us, strengthen us, and enable us to flee temptation and honor You in all that we say and do. Amen.
Hymn 153
Invocation
P: We begin in the name of the Triune God:
C: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Confession and Absolution of Sins
P: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve Him as His dear children. But we have disobeyed Him and deserve only His wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to Him and plead for His mercy.
ALL: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth. In countless ways I have sinned against You and do not deserve to be called Your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to Your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away my guilt.
P: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has removed your guilt forever. You are His own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to His will.
C [spoken]: Amen.
Hymn 151:5, 7
Scripture Reading – New Testament Gospel – John 11
The death and raising to life of Lazarus
1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”
12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”
38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
P: Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and treasure it - Alleluia!
ALL SING: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! These words are written that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
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 142
Sermon Theme – “Responses”
ALL SING: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence. Take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. Uphold with Your Spirit free.
The Offering is collected / brought forward
Responsive Prayer
P: O Lord God, almighty and ever-living King of all creation and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
C: hear our prayers.
P: We thank You for the matchless gift of Your Son, for the unsearchable wisdom which planned for our redemption through His death in our place,
C: and for the promise of eternal inheritance through His death.
P: Grant that through Your Son we may have Your richest blessings,
C: the forgiveness of all our sins,
P: deliverance from death and the power of the devil,
C: and the assurance of everlasting life.
P: Govern the nations of the earth, so that people may live everywhere without fear,
C: and in the light of Your saving Gospel.
P: Dear Lord, be the Comforter of the suffering and afflicted,
C: the aged, and those who are weak in body or spirit.
P: Be the Supplier of those in need, the Protector of the fatherless and the defenseless, and the Light of salvation for all people.
C: We ask these things in the name of Jesus, our Redeemer. Amen.
P: any special prayers there may be will be offered here...
We also 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.
C [spoken]: Amen.
Closing Hymn 206:1-3
Trinity Lutheran Church Watertown, SD – 9:00 a.m.
Zion Lutheran Church Hidewood Township, SD – 11:00 a.m.
trinitywatertownsd.com
Members: Church of the Lutheran Confession www.clclutheran.org
Pastor Paul Krause. . . parsonpaulkrause@gmail.com cell:920-238-5775
Teacher Collette Krause . . collettekrause@gmail.com cell: 920-238-5132
Church and School: 886-2976
Organists: John Klatt, Rebecca Larson, Naomi Rehder
STATISTICS – week of March 19, 2023
Attendances- Zion: 3/12: 15; 3/19: 15; SS: 5;
mdwk Lent (3/23): 15
Trinity: 47; SS: 5; midweek Lent (3/22): 25; Avantara: 7;
School Board: 3(+CK/PK)
CALENDAR and ANNOUNCEMENTS
TODAY >> Trinity: 9 a.m.; Zion: 11 a.m. >> SS sessions 10 a.m.
>> At Trinity – baby shower for Freyda Dummann - at noon - all women
invited
MON >> Freyda Dummann instruction class – 5:00 p.m.
>> Sarah Wiste instruction class – via Skype – 7:30 p.m.
TUE >> Brookings Bible Study – 7 p.m. – at the DeBough’s place
WED >> Bud/Sonja Bettendorf instruction class – 10 a.m. via Skype
>> Trinity – midweek Lenten service – 7:00 p.m. - J. Klatt speaks
THU >> Trinity - elders meeting
FRI >> 9 a.m. class with Shyla Tvedt
>> Education Fair (2:00-3:30 p.m.) at Trinity school. All are invited!
SAT >> 8 a.m. class with Manny Mertz – via Skype
NEXT SUNDAY >> Trinity: 9 a.m.; Zion: 11 a.m. >> SS at 10 a.m.
>> 7:30-8:30 a.m. Palm Sunday breakfast at Trinity served by the men
>> Lord’s Supper celebrated at both Trinity and Zion
>> Monthly potluck meal after church at Zion
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Apr 6 Trinity – Maundy Thursday communion service – 7 p.m.
Apr 7 Zion – Good Friday service – 7 p.m.
Apr 9 Easter Sunday – with communion (at Trinity only)
Apr 14 Trinity Church Council meeting – 7 p.m.
Apr 16 Trinity quarterly voters meeting – 1 p.m.
WOMEN’S COMMITTEE #2 MEETING AT TRINITY Committee #2 is asked to meet RIGHT AWAY after church this morning (since there are a couple that are SS teachers) – all of our women are invited to attend. Under discussion will be changes to the committee and its function.
MID-WEEK LENTEN SERVICES Our midweek/Wednesday services conclude this week with retired Pastor John Klatt speaking at Trinity.
BREAKFAST AT TRINITY NEXT SUNDAY! Our men have breakfast planned for next Sunday morning (7:30 to 8:30 a.m.)! Our men are welcome to come early to help with set-up and serving – and we also hope everyone else can come to eat – our men always put on a great meal!
TRINITY’S FOOD PANTRY It has been a long time since we have had a food pantry “request” – but what we have had on hand has expired, and we are in need of food items to build it back up again.
CLC NEWS
Undecided calls:
Mrs. Leah Ude, Eau Claire, WI, to Middleton, WI, to reopen their school
Pastor Luke Bernthal, San Francisco, CA, to Messiah, Eau Claire, WI
Call for seminary graduate:
Calvary Lutheran Church, Marquette, MI, has made a request
MANY THANKS!
>> 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!
CLC YOUTH CAMP 2023 Camp will be held at the Pillager location this year from June 11-17th! Registration is open as of March 18th at 3pm CST for campers entering 6th-12th grade. More information can be found at https://youthcampclc.wixsite.com/camp
Email youthcamp.clc@gmail.com with any questions!
-Sam Rademacher & Amber Casto
CHRIST’S EXPLORERS CAMP Holy Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church (W. Columbia, SC) will be hosting Christ's Explorers Camp July 20th - 23rd in Sevierville, TN. Camp is open to students entering grades 3-9 for the 2023-24 school year. Registration opens on Saturday, April 1st at 9 AM (EST). Registrations will be limited to the first 25 boys and 25 girls. You may register online at christsexplorerscamp.com.
IMMANUEL LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL VISITORS' DAY The following comes from Principal Joel Gullerud... Students in grades 7-11 are invited to attend Immanuel Lutheran High School Visitors Day in Eau Claire, WI on Friday, April 28, 2023. Please register students and chaperones by Friday, April 21. More information can be found at www.ilc.edu, including the invitation letter, a full schedule of events and the registration form. The Immanuel Band will perform on Friday at 7:00 pm, followed by the theater performance of The Westing Game at 7:30 pm. Saturday night will feature a variety of student music performances at 7:00 pm, followed by a repeat performance of The Westing Game at 7:30 pm. Performances will not be livestreamed. For more information please contact Prof. Joel Gullerud (joel.gullerud@ilc.edu 715-544-8446).
UPDATE ON PASTOR NEAL RADICHEL The following was received via e-mail on Thursday... Hello family and friends, First of all, I'm very thankful to our Lord Jesus for the many answered prayers for my health and for my family. We're thankful to all of you for sharing Bible verses and encouragement through warm texts, beautiful cards, calls and visits. It's been a tremendous blessing to my family, which feels so undeserved and humbling. We can see Jesus's love through all of you and are truly blessed.
I have been adjusting to my new medications and just started cardiac rehab this week. Everything has gone very well, and I will continue therapy for the next few weeks for sure, Lord willing. I am so thankful that the Lord has spared me, and with that has given me the opportunity to get back to work soon. He has shown me new perspectives, such as being on the other side of the hospital bed. We hope and pray that our Lord Jesus would bless you and your families even more than what He has done for us, during this rather brief testing, yet challenging time.
With love for you all, your brother in Christ, Neal
UPDATE ON PASTOR JOHN HEIN This was reported on caringbridge.org on Thursday, March 23...Today was my post-chemo consultation with Dr. King, my oncologist. Terrific news! After reviewing my PET scan and CT scan from yesterday, Dr. King is quite pleased that the chemo treatments have greatly helped me.
Metabolic activity in my main tumor has been greatly reduced. Much of the tumor verified to be necrotic (dying by lack of blood flow) as Dr. Rajan from the National Cancer Institute believed to be the case. There are a few areas where there still is some tissue that is active, but not nearly like back in October when I first learn about my thymic carcinoma. A nodule in the lung is still a bit metabolic. Something that seemed to impress and surprise Dr. King was that the boney lesions in my pelvic area and left hip are hardly metabolic any more. In fact, scans show that new bone is growing in those areas, a very good sign.
Dr. King wants to call Dr. Rajan to see what he thinks the next phase of treatment should be. But based upon what I could convey, he may likely do radiation on the main tumor 5 days a week for at least 4 weeks. He would hand me off to a radiation oncologist for that. He may still want to do some chemo in addition, but that's something he would consult Dr. Rajan about. So everything is on hold until that consultation. He's also going to check my A1C in my next blood work to see about my diabetes since my glucose readings have been so good even with him recommending my diet being open to anything, something he greatly encouraged me to do since I had lost so much weight and he wanted me to put some weight back on so that my body would be strong enough for chemo treatment. He wonders if even the diabetes is much of an issue any more, something that would also be very good news!
Back in October when I learned about my thymic carcinoma, Dr. King did not say much about any timeline of my mortality. However, when I was trying to decide whether or not to go with chemo, he did say that it could possibly give me a couple more years. When I mentioned how thankful to the LORD I was for today's news, I reminded him of that. He responded by saying that maybe it's even much better than what he anticipated!
Please join me in thanking and praising the LORD for this news! I am so humbled that the LORD is leading me through this. His goodness and mercy are so great and undeserved!
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE JOHN HEIN FAMILY Those who would like to help can send contributions designated "Hein Gift" directly to Grace Lutheran Church (attn: treasurer) at 460 75th Ave. NE, Fridley, MN 55432. An online option is at:
https://www.gofundme.com/john-and-janelle-hein-family
MISSIONARY TODD OHLMANN’ CURRENT TRAVELS Ohlmann posted this to lutheranmissions.org earlier this week... Today (21 MAR 2023), I head to Tanzania for a short two-week trip. The main reason for the visit is to be there for the first couple of weeks that newly commissioned Missionary Bruce Naumann will be on site. He's certainly more than capable of getting there on his own and getting acquainted with his new surroundings, Tanzanian co-workers, and duties, but the Board of Missions and I thought it would be a good idea for me to be there to assist with the transition from me to him and to make sure everyone is on the same page moving forward. I also want to introduce him to a couple of people I have met over the years who will be helpful in some of the more practical logistics of getting settled in Arusha. There are also some really good places to eat (and a few to avoid) that I want to introduce him to!
I've been very involved with the restart of the seminary over the past six years, so it holds a special place in my heart. I am so thankful to the Lord for providing a resident missionary to Tanzania. I look forward to the Lord's blessings as Missionary Naumann assists them in taking the next steps in further developing the seminary and preparing the next generation of faithful preachers and teachers of God's saving word. Praise the Lord for providing a missionary with such tremendous gifts for this important work!
And...I'm excited to share Tanzania with my youngest daughter Lydia. When I first started this call, one of the things that Beth and I were excited about was the opportunity for our homeschooled kids to be able to travel with me. I've been at this for six years now, and unfortunately, it just hasn't worked out to this point. We had plans for Lydia to join me on a trip to Nepal a couple of years ago, but Covid had other plans. She's eager, packed, and excited, and so am I! I am looking forward to spending a few hours showing Lydia some of my favorite sights - especially in London.
Once we arrive in Tanzania, we have a busy schedule waiting for us. We'll visit the Adonai Children's home, several independent Lutheran congregations/pastors to the West of Arusha who have expressed interest in joining the TZ-CLC, a newly formed TZ-CLC congregation in the Maasai lands near Lake Manyara, and we'll do outreach among the Hadzabe tribal peoples. We'll also have an opportunity to take in a day of sightseeing on a safari to Tarangire National Park. Pastor Jeremia's son Elisha owns a tourist/safari company and has offered to take Lydia, Missionary Naumann, and me on a one-day trip to see the big animals of Africa! It's going to be a busy couple of weeks!
Your prayers for safe and uneventful travels, wisdom and patience, and the Lord's promised blessings on the work He has sent us to do, and for Beth and family back home are requested and much appreciated as we trust in our Savior's love!
CLC MISSIONARIES ONLINE INFORMATION To keep up on our CLC missionaries, you are encouraged to go to the following:
Todd Ohlmann http://missionaryohlmann.blogspot.com/
Bruce Naumann https://clc-tz.blogspot.com/
ALSO – new video is available at:
https://missionaryohlmann.blogspot.com/2023/03/new-mission-field-video-and-youtube.html