IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH43 Pine Street, East Aurora, NY

Church Office – 652-4240Pastor’s cell phone – 432-0687www.immanuellutheranea.com

THE PURIFICATION OF MARY AND THE PRESENTATION

OF OUR LORDFebruary 2, 2020

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AS WE GATHER

We consider today the witness of God’s faithful servants Simeon and Anna. As they beheld Jesus in the temple, they were overcome with joy and proclaimed the good news of God’s redemption and salvation. Jesus came into our world as light and peace. As you listen and sing of God’s salvation this day, may you be filled with the joy and peace that filled Simeon and Anna.

PREPARATION

HYMN – “Son of God, Eternal Savior” LBW 364

1 Son of God, eternal Savior,source of life and truth and grace,Word made flesh, whose birth among ushallows all our human race,you our head, who, throned in glory,for your own will ever plead:fill us with your love and pity,heal our wrong, and help our need.

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2 As you, Lord, have lived for others,so may we for others live.Freely have your gifts been granted;freely may your servants give.Yours the gold and yours the silver,yours the wealth of land and sea;we but stewards of your bountyheld in solemn trust will be.

3 Come, O Christ, and reign among us,King of love and Prince of peace;hush the storm of strife and passion,bid its cruel discords cease.By your patient years of toiling,by your silent hours of pain,quench our fevered thirst of pleasure,stem our selfish greed of gain.

INVOCATION

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

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OPENING SENTENCES

Pastor: How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!

People: Blessed are those who dwell in Your house, ever singing Your praise!

Pastor: For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.

People: I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Pastor: For the Lord God is a sun and shield.

People: The Lord bestows favor and honor.

Pastor: O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in You!

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

Pastor: The Lord indeed bestows His favor and honor upon us, but we take His

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favor and honor for granted. We place our trust in ourselves instead of in God. Our actions are for our own glory, not God’s. We are inconsiderate of our neighbors and too often neglect to gather for worship. But we come before our heavenly Father, seeking His favor and honor and forgiveness.

Silence for reflection.

Pastor: Heavenly Father,People: we confess that we have sought

our own way, not Your way. We have failed to open our doors and our lives to neighbors in need. We have chosen the tents of the wicked rather than Your house, but we are here seeking Your forgiveness. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive our sins. Restore us as Your beloved people.

Pastor: When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple for His

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presentation, a man named Simeon took Jesus in his arms and proclaimed that he had beheld God’s salvation. This Jesus is our salvation. He has died and is risen for you, and He forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen. The Lord bestows favor and honor. We are forgiven in Christ.

WORD

SALUTATION

Pastor: The Lord be with you.People: And also with you.

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PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor: Let us pray.

Almighty and ever-living God, as Your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, grant that we may be presented to You with pure and clean hearts; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

OLD TESTAMENT READING 1 Samuel 1:21–28

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.People: Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE Hebrews 2:14–18

Lector: This is the Word of the Lord.People: Thanks be to God.

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HOLY GOSPEL Luke 2:22–40

Pastor: The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the second chapter.

People: Glory to You, O Lord.

(The Gospel is read.)

Pastor: This is the Gospel of the Lord.People: Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY – “God of Grace and God of Glory”

LBW 415

1 God of grace and God of glory,on your people pour your pow’r;crown your ancient church’s story;bring its bud to glorious flow’r.Grant us wisdom, grant us couragefor the facing of this hour,for the facing of this hour.

2 Lo! The hosts of evil round us

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scorn the Christ, assail his ways!From the fears that long have bound usfree our hearts to faith and praise.Grant us wisdom, grant us couragefor the living of these days,for the living of these days,

3 Cure your children’s warring madness;bend our pride to your control;shame our wanton, selfish gladness,rich in things and poor in soul.Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,lest we miss your kingdom’s goal,let we miss your kingdom’s goal.

SERMON

APOSTLE’S CREED

People: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

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He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.He descended into hell.On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

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Pastor: Dear heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to be a light to the nations. Send out messengers and missionaries to every corner of the earth, that people from every tribe, nation, and language would know the saving Light of the world, Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, in Your mercy,

People: hear our prayer.

Pastor: Lord, send Your mercy to all who are advanced in years and struggling with their limitations. Grant them patience and give them purpose. Help them to share their faithfulness with others, as Simeon and Anna did in the temple. Lord, in Your mercy,

People: hear our prayer.

Pastor: Lord, walk with all those who are grieving in the shadow of death. Comfort them with the hope of the resurrection to eternal life. Lord, in Your mercy,

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People: hear our prayer.

Pastor: Lord, as Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord’s service, we pray that You would raise up pastors, teachers, musicians, missionaries, and other servants in Your Church, that all people come to see the salvation You have prepared for all people. Lord, in Your mercy,

People: hear our prayer.

Pastor: Lord, You sent Your Son into this world and by doing so changed the course of history. Comfort all those who are struggling to change their lives, those who live with mental illness, addiction, poor habits, and a lack of self-control. Transform their lives and bring them to You, for You make all things new. Lord, in Your mercy,

People: hear our prayer.

Pastor: Lord, look with favor upon all who are sick, injured, and recovering….. Have mercy upon them and heal

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them according to Your will. Lord, in Your mercy,

People: hear our prayer.

Pastor: Lord, we commend all of these things to Your infinite mercies, which are new every morning. Lord, in Your mercy,

People: hear our prayer. Amen.

OFFERING

OFFERTORY HYMN “Take My Life and Let It Be”

Take my life, that I may beconsecrated, Lord, to thee;take my moments and my days;let them flow in ceaseless praise.

OFFERTORY PRAYER

Pastor: O heavenly King, you have made us happy with your multitude of gifts.

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People: We are truly blessed.Pastor: We bless your name, O Ruler, as we

offer you these gifts—People: Knowing that, in the wisdom of

your kingdom, our giving will return to us.

Pastor: Through Jesus Christ our Lord.People: Amen.

SACRAMENT

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Pastor: Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy, we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.

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Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People: Amen.

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; Luke 22:19–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25

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LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9–13

People: Our Father who art in heaven,hallowed be Thy name,Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done on earthas it is in heaven;give us this day our daily bread;and forgive us our trespassesas we forgive thosewho trespass against us;and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.For Thine is the kingdomand the power and the gloryforever and ever. Amen.

DISTRIBUTION

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POST-COMMUNION PRAYER

Pastor: What sort of meal is this, O Lord? What banquet do you prepare for us?

People: The feast consists of your body ... your blood.

Pastor: Through your wisdom—foolish in the eyes of the world—you offer yourself to us.

People: Make us hungry for your love.Pastor: You are the Lord forevermore.People: Amen.

BENEDICTION

Pastor: The Lord bless you and keep you.The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Numbers 6:24–26

People: Amen.

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HYMN –“May We Your Precepts, Lord, Fulfill”

LBW 353

1 May we your precepts, Lord, fulfilland do on earth our Father’s willas angels do above; still walk in Christ, the living way, with all your children and obey the law of Christian love.

2 So may we join your name to bless,your grace adore, your pow’r confess,to flee from sin and strife.One is our calling, one our name,the end of all our hopes the same,a glorious crown of life.

3 Spirit of life, of love, and peace,our hearts unite, our joy increase,your gracious help supply.To each of us the blessing givein Christian fellowship to live,in joyful hope to die.

Creative Worship for the Lutheran Parish, Series A, Quarter 1. Copyright © 2019 Concordia Publishing House. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to all guests and visitors who are worshiping with us this morning! We hope that your time with us gives you the hope and peace that only our Lord can provide.

The Lord’s Supper is celebrated at Immanuel Lutheran Church in accordance with the Holy Bible and the Lutheran Confessions. We take

Jesus at His Word, when with simple elements, He gives us His body and His blood. If this is your confession of faith, join us at the Lord’s Table. If not, please contact the Pastor prior to the worship service. If you are unable to join us at the communion rail and would like to have communion at your seat, please contact Pastor before the worship service. Please note, both white wine and grape juice are available in the individual cup tray.

Our book study “How Happiness Happens” will take place immediately our worship service. We will meet in the Sunday School room. Please join us.

Golden Group will gather together for lunch at the Town and Country Restaurant (adjoining the Tops Plaza) on Route 20 in the village of Alden. Plan on

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meeting at noon on Wednesday. Please call Nan Weber at 652-8319 to make your reservation.

For those of you who enjoy singing together we will be having a special Valentine’s Day Sing-Along on Friday, February 14th at 1pm.Bring a friend as we share in songs that are fitting to celebrate the day set aside for love.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER – A planning meeting will be held on Friday, February 21st at 10am. The meeting will be held at First Baptist Church of East Aurora located at 591 Porterville Road. If interested please contact Christ Hartmann at 655-1042 or Marge Lowrey at 714-5808. The actual day of the World Day of Prayer service will be on Friday, March 6th at 10am.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The great philanthropist Stanley S. Kresge was often in the company of college presidents or other fund-raisers asking for endowment or financial aid. During the course of discussion, Mr. Kresge would always ask one question, "Do you think the world is better today than it was 2,000 years ago?" I’d like to ask you that question today. Is the world any better after 2,000 years since Christ came?

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I say to you on this first Sunday of the month of February that Jesus Christ and his teachings lie behind all the efforts at social reform. It was he who put an end to slavery. It was Jesus who abolished the gladiatorial shows of ancient Rome. It was Jesus who elevated the status of women. It was Jesus who sanctified childhood.

It was Jesus, who by his emphasis upon the worth of human personality, conferred on us our liberty. It is Jesus who has given us a new way of life, a new standard of conduct, a new power for living. Christ can save our world when Jesus is born again in the hearts of men and women.

May you proclaim Christ to all by yours and actions!!

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Organist – Jan DalboPastor - Rev. Darrel MoenPastoral Assistant- Doug Hager

Next week – Bill BeckstrandLector – Cindy Hager Next week – Bill BeckstrandAltar Care – Marsha Barber Next week – Sharon Rhodes, Sandy Schickler, Lois Schnizler, Margaret Matthies

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You are an important part of the life shared here. Please read over and complete this sheet. This will serve as an attendance and communion registration for February 2, 2020

Name_______________________________________

Those who communed__________________________

( ) Visitor – home church_______________________

( ) Interested in membership.

Email address_________________________________

Address:_____________________________________

City: _______ State:_______________ Zip:________

Phone:_______________________________________

I have a prayer request for_______________________

__ hospitalized ___in rehab. ___ at home recovering.

__awaiting surgery ___ongoing illness

Hymn Requests _________________________________

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