Emden Christian Reformed Church Pastor David Zigterman

Sunday, December 3, 2017

WE GATHER FOR WORSHIP Prelude a time to prepare our hearts for worship Welcome and announcements Lighting of the advent candle *God’s Greeting of His People *We Greet One Another *Songs of Praise When Morning Gilds the Skies SJ 66 1,2,4 This is My Father’s World SJ 40 vs. 1-3 WE ARE RENEWED IN GOD’S GRACE Remembering God’s Redemption Exodus 20:2 Reflecting on God’s Law The 5th Commandment Confession of Sin Assurance of God’s Grace 1 John 2:1-2; 3:1 Song of gratitude Jesus Paid It All SJ 255 1-4 Vow of gratitude Prayer of God’s people Offering Ministry Shares Song of preparation Standing on the Promises SJ 181 vs. 1-3 WE HEAR GOD’S WORD Prayer for illumination *Scripture Daniel 3:1-30 pg. 1374 Reader: This is the Word of the Lord Congregation: Thanks be to God Message Enticing Rhythms Prayer of Application *Song of response Since Jesus Came into My Heart SJ 351 vs. 1-3 WE DEPART TO SERVE *Parting Blessing *Closing Song Precious Lord, Take My Hand SJ 494 vs. 1-2

On this first Sunday of Advent, we come together as the people of God to prepare

ourselves for the coming of Christ. Churches and Christian families now begin to celebrate the birth of Christ, whom God sent to earth for our salvation. With

expectant and joyous hearts, let us prepare ourselves to celebrate the coming of Christ A warm welcome to each of you!

Sunday Evening Worship Service 6:00 pm

We will not be having an evening worship service at Emden. You are encouraged to attend a service at one

of the neighboring churches.

Raymond CRC 7:00 pm Prinsburg First CRC 6:00 pm

Bunde CRC 5:30 pm

Next Sunday, December 10, 2017 Greeters: Darla Ruschen & Janel Watson Library: Julie Link Coffee Hour: Duane & Verla Mulder Sound System: Todd Groen Nursery: Andrea & Isabelle Ushers: Cody Strand & Dalen Fuls Letter to Michelsons: Marge Link Shepherding Elder: Gerald & Connie Mulder Offering: am General Fund

Elders: Deacons: Tim Link - President Gerald Mulder - Chairman Kim Mulder - Vice President Randy Zieske - Benevolent / Building Fund Dave Daugherty - Clerk Bob Swyter - Treasurer

SUNDAY SCHEDULE 9:00 am Catechism (Sept.—May) 10:00 am Morning Worship

Gene & Dawn Michelson B.P. 2210, Bamako Mali, West Africa E-mail address Usumaan@hotmail.com

From Back to God Ministries International A Theology of Star Wars - Are you excited about Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Some of the sharpest thinkers on theology and pop culture explore key themes in the preceding films in “A Theology of Star Wars,” an ebook from Think Christian. Sign up to receive Think Christian articles by email and the ebook is yours! Learn more at thinkchristian.net/starwars. Advent Devotional Series - Looking for more meaning in the midst of a busy Christmas season? This Advent, ReFrame Media offers a special email devotional series just for you. With daily devotions and encouragements from Today, Family Fire, Groundwork, and the fun of Kids Corner, we designed it to help your whole family experience the true wonder of Christmas, the coming Christ. Subscribe at reframemedia.com/advent. From World Renew Advent starts today. Is your heart ready? - Celebrating Christmas isn’t a day, it’s a season. Welcome Immanuel, Incarnate in 2017 with Advent devotions from World Renew and the CRC Office of Social Justice every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, starting tomorrow, Dec. 4. Join an exploration of the Incarnation of Christ and his presence in our lives as we prepare to celebrate his birth. To sign up, go to crcna.org/advent. This Advent - Will you stand in the gap with people in need? With your help, World Renew can fill the gap with literacy, agriculture, or good health. Include a gift catalog item on your Christmas list this year. Get your copy online at worldrenewgifts.net or call 800-333-8300 to request your catalog in the mail. VOLUNTEER OVERSEAS: - Are you looking for ways to contribute to ending poverty, restoring creation, and reconciling relationships? World Renew's Global Volunteer Program has overseas placements for individuals in teaching English, health, agriculture, engineering, and more. If you are identifying God's call in your life or looking for an opportunity to use your gifts and skills, let’s further God’s kingdom together. To find out more, contact Andrew at globalvolunteer@worldrenew.net.

TODAY Greeters: Patrick & Christy Nelson Library: Julie Link Coffee Hour: Cody & Missy Strand Sound System: Ryan Sietsema Ushers: James Santjer & Curt Groen Nursery: Rachael Zigterman Letter to Michelsons: Heidi Link Shepherding Elder: Gerald & Connie Mulder Visiting Elder: David Daugherty

CHURCH CALENDAR

Today 9:00 am Sunday School Christmas Program practice 9:15 am Prayer Time Monday 7:00 pm Ladies Bible Study Lesson 7 Wednesday 2:00 pm Ladies Aid

CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Today is the First Sunday of Advent. We begin now to prepare spiritually for the blessed event

we call Christmas. Let us vow to take part in as many church activities as possible. Let us engage in sincere worship and vow to walk daily with God.

Each Sunday morning, we will be having a time of prayer before the service beginning at 9:15.

Next Sunday, December 10 we will be hearing God’s word from Ezekiel 37:1-14 in the morning. In the afternoon the Renville County Christmas Choir program will perform at 2 pm at Emden. Bible Study has been cancelled.

Bible Study for the month of December has been cancelled. Instead, on Dec. 17 (time to be determined) will have a carol sing. Ladies Aid will meet December 6 at 2 pm at Meadows on Main. We will be studying Daniel 7 in the Bible and chapter 7, ‘On the Menu at the Lions’ Club’ in our study guide. This will be our Christmas celebration. Please bring a Christmas treat for all to enjoy. Sunday School Christmas Program: Beginning November 26th, all students will have practice every Sunday at 9:00 until the Christmas Program. If any students would like a ride to practice, please let Samantha Link know. Please let Samantha Link know if you are interested or if you have any other questions.

Emden Christian Reformed Church 320-329-3932 PO Box 390—518 5th Street NW Renville, MN 56284 e-mail: emdencrc@centurytel.net web site www.emdencrc.org Secretary: Judy C Groen (320) 905-3921 e-mail: j.k.groen56284@gmail.com All Bulletin announcements due by Thursday noon. Pastor David’s office hours: Tuesday - Thursday 8:30—12:00 Pastor’s Cell: 320-400-3023 Office phone: 320-329-3932 You are welcome to stop in and visit without an appointment.

Check out our church website at emdencrc.org - We have updated it! Please be sure to check your church mail box each Sunday for important information that is not in the bulletin or for publications for you to read from area or CRC organizations. If there are things you do not want to read or do not want to keep, please take them home to recycle them or put them in the recycle box in the janitors room (box on the floor by the chair rack). DO NOT shove them into an empty mail slot or lay them on the counter for someone else to clean up. Thank you! Lasagna - there are 1-2 lasagnas stored in the church freezer for anyone to give to others who could be blessed by a meal. Please just let Rachael know so she can replenish the freezer. Thanks to all those who participated in many different ways to make the lasagnas. THANK YOU FROM WORLD RENEW: Your donations to World Renew’s response to hurri-canes Harvey, Irma, and Maria will go toward the long-term recovery of the individuals, fami-lies, and communities that were affected most. Your generosity not only provides tangible as-sistance like home repairs but also provides long-term recovery and other expertise to commu-nity leaders. World Renew is not the first on the scene, but often the last to leave. Every service World Renew provides is carried out by volunteers (known as Green Shirts) who serve disaster survivors with the love and hope of Christ. Learn more at: www.worldrenew.net/UShurricanes Next Sunday, December 10, we will welcome the Renville County Christmas Choir to our church at 2:00 for their annual concert. This year they are performing And It Came To Pass...Emmanuel. Please join us for this Christmas Concert and stay for fellowship and refreshments following the concert.

REQUESTED ANNOUNCEMENTS Soles4Souls: Wearing out Poverty - If you have any shoes you are no longer using, please consider giving your shoes to this organization by placing them in the blue container near the entrance of the church.

Friends of the Arts presents: “A Nice Family Gathering” today at 2:00 pm It will be held at the RCW small gym. Tickets are available at the door: $15 adults, $10 students. Come and enjoy and bring a friend!

Everyone is invited to the RCW Winter Concert, 7-12 grade, on Monday, December 4 at 7:30 pm Everyone is invited to the CMCS K-6th grade Elementary Christmas Program on Tuesday, December 5 at 7:00 pm

Do you want to maximize the impact of the resources God has entrusted to You? Regardless of the size of your Estate, your age or your stage in life, Jim Prichard, a Christian attorney from Barnabas Foundation, will show you how. As a member of our congregation, a confidential Es-tate Planning consultation is offered to you at no charge and with no obligations. Jim Prichard will be meeting with Christian families in our area on December 5 & 6. Just call Deb Harder at the Barnabas Foundation toll-free at 888-448-3040 to schedule a conversation with Jim. To help you get started, you may also request a free special report titled “Top 10 Estate Planning Mistakes or Misconceptions” by simply sending an email request with “Top 10” in the subject line to info@barnabasfoundation.com Renville Volunteer Fire Department Appreciation Pancake Breakfast and Open House: Sunday, December 9th from 8 am to 10 pm. FOOTBALL FAMILY FUN NIGHT!

Please join us at UNITY CRC CHURCH IN PRINSBURG on .....DECEMBER 23rd, 2017, for a Football Family Fun Night with FREE food. Doors will open at 6:30pm with the VIKINGS versus PACKERS game starting at 7:30pm shown on the big screen in the Fellowship area. Hot dogs, nachos, Pizza Ranch chicken, popcorn, root beer floats, water and pop

will be provided. Wear your favorite football fan apparel and cheer on the game...... or...... come just for FUN/FELLOWSHIP! Kids games will be included. See you there! Bring a guest!

The long view of Advent

Advent is about preparing not only for Christmas but also for Jesus’ return. According to Scripture, that won’t be the calm, silent scene described in Christmas carols. In 1928, Dietrich Bonhoeffer preached: “It is very remarkable that we face the thought that God is coming so calmly, whereas previously peoples trembled at the day of God …. We have become so accustomed to the idea of divine love and of God’s coming at Christmas that we no longer feel the shiver of fear that God’s coming should arouse in us. We … [forget] the serious aspect, that the God of the world draws near to the people of our little earth and lays claim to us.” God is love; we’ll be in good hands at the end of time. But during Advent, also be in awe of God. Embrace a reverent fear of the Lord that reminds you how profound it is that God chooses again and again to draw near and lay claim to you.

PRAYER ~ Please remember those in our congregation who have continuous health concerns: Melvin Link, Marge Link, Linda Mayer, Gerald Mulder, Louise Peterson

************************************************************************** The Persecuted Church - Voice of the Martyrs Bless an Entire Village Bold gospel workers sacrifice comfort and safety to share the gospel with people in hostile and restricted nations — even with those who harass and persecute them. The One they serve and tell about is our Lord Jesus Christ, whose Incarnation and miraculous birth we celebrate this Christmas season. We invite you to bless one of those bold Christian workers this Christmas by sponsoring a Village Outreach Kit.

Each kit provides a front-line gospel worker with materials needed in the field for evan-gelism and discipleship. Village Outreach Kits include items like Bibles and discipleship re-sources; evangelism tracts and literature for distribution; materials for personal Bible study; and ministry tools such as a DVD player, projector or audio player, and discipleship films. These gifts equip bold gospel workers with tools to help them share the gospel with people liv-ing in their region, including those hostile to Christ. You can also choose to sponsor a Christmas Care Pack for the child of a persecuted Chris-tian in a hostile or restricted nation. Each year The Voice of the Martyrs works through its network of field leaders around the world to reach the children of persecuted Christians with a special Christmas Care Pack. The contents, which are packed in school-style backpacks, are tailored to meet the unique needs of children in each specific country. The backpacks include a variety of practical items as well as a small toy. But the most important item in each Christmas Care Pack is a full-color, illustrated children’s Bible in the appropriate language. For most of the children, it’s the first Bible they’ve ever owned. Voice of the Martyrs 1815 SE Bison Rd, Bartlesville, OK 74006 Persecution.com *************************************************************************** Continue to pray for area churches: Ebenezer Presbyterian, St. John’s Lutheran, First Lutheran, United Methodist, Holy Redeemer, Our Saviors Lutheran, Temple of Jesus Christ, Hispanic Church and Emden. Ask God to continue to move through His church to the glory of His kingdom. Remember, we are part of God’s kingdom and need to always be following Him. Are you continuing to pray that God would use us to share His love and the Good News of the Gospel with our community? Pray that the presence of God will shine through us, the Emden Church Family, and that He will use us in His Kingdom will.

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God” Philippians 4:6

Sunday, December 3, 2017 Daniel 3:1-30

Enticing Rhythms — Enticing rhythms — Dancing to a different tune