Abounding Joy Lutheran Church

Welcome to worship. We rejoice in your presence among us and

invite you to participate fully as we experience the Lord of grace

who comes to us today in Word and Sacrament.

Communion Invitation and Directions:

At Abounding Joy we celebrate Holy Communion as a means of God's saving grace for us in Jesus. All Christians who believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Lord's Supper bringing His gift of the forgiveness of sins are welcome to participate. You'll be ushered up the center aisle. Go to the front, receive the bread in an open hand and take a glass of wine (or white grape juice for those who, for medical reasons, are not able to receive wine). Once you've communed, place your empty glass in the basket, and return to your seat by way of the side aisle. If you have mobility problems, contact an usher and communion will be brought to you where you are seated. Gluten free wafers are available upon request.

Abounding Joy Lutheran Church LCMC - Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (www.lcmc.net)

NALC - North American Lutheran Church (www.theNALC.org)

Ministers: All the people of Abounding Joy

Pastor: Thomas Wright Pastor Tom's contact info: (320) 291-2287 email: Pastor.Tom@ajlcmc.org

Church Secretary: Marilyn Schultz Custodian: Joyce Lloyd Financial Secretary: Marge Hubrich (292-0824)

Minister of Music: Ginny Shimota Choir Director: Jared Bahe

The Church Council welcomes your feedback and suggestions. Earl Mathison, President Mark Schultz, Vice-President Dean Peterson, Secretary

Wally Osterholt, Treasurer Al Kutz, Member Larry Miller, Member

Phone: (320) 217-8784 6000 County Road 120, St. Cloud, MN 56303

Email: general.info@ajlcmc.org OR bulletin@ajlcmc.org

Website: www.aboundingjoy.org

March 31, 2019

The Fourth Sunday in Lent

The Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 31 10:00 am Worship Service

11:00 am Fellowship/Refreshments

Monday, April 1 Pastor’s Sabbath/Office Closed

Tuesday, April 2 6:30 pm Worship Team Meeting

Wednesday, April 3 9:00 am Men’s Faith Talk

Noon Bible Study 1:00 pm Joyful Stitchers Quilt-tying

5:30-6:15 pm Soup and Sandwich Meal 6:30 pm Lenten Worship Service

7:15 pm Capital Appeal Team Meeting

Thursday, April 4 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal

Friday, April 5 5:00 pm Nina Jacobson/Brandon Clark Wedding Rehearsal

Saturday, April 6 3:30 pm Nina Jacobson/Brandon Clark Wedding

The Fifth Sunday in Lent, April 7 Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:4b-14; Luke 20:9-20

9:00 am Sunday School and Youth/Adult Bible Study 10:00 am Worship Service

11:00 am Mission Forum (Fellowship/Refreshments)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS this week go to: Vicki Peterson, Today, March 31 Jack Gabler, Margaret Rey, Monday, April 1

Macy Eisenschenk, Julie Jacobson, Wednesday, April 3 Jeffrey Karbedeh, Friday, April 5; Kayla Mueller, Saturday, April 6

OUR PRAYERS: Dick Wotzka, Bruce Rhoe, Margarete Huebner, Wanda Feist, Verna Watts, Jan, Michael (Jack Gabler’s son), Bernie and Doug (Marilyn Schultz’s brother & nephew), Larry (Dolly Swenson’s nephew), Pat (Don & Sandy Johnson’s friend), MiKenna (Michelle Bellrichard’s coworker’s daughter), and Mable and Stanley (Michelle Bellrichard’s co-worker’s mom and uncle). Hospitalized recently: Dick Wotzka PRAYER REQUESTS are made by filling out the lavender Prayer Request Forms, or phoning in an immediate request anytime for the prayer team. Daily prayer will be offered for one month. Long-term prayer needs will receive daily prayer but may be rotated weekly in the bulletin and altar prayer list. If you wish to have continued prayer, please submit a new request. Our Prayer Team coordinator is Betty Batdorf: carlandbetty76@gmail.com and cell: 291-5141. HOSPITALIZED? When you or a loved one are, or plan to be, hospitalized, please be sure to contact Pastor Tom so he may be able to visit you. THANK YOU for your thoughts, well wishes, and prayers during my recent travel and time in Liberia. I am safely home and very much appreciate you, my Abounding Joy family, and your support. Paul Lloyd

variety of soups, sandwiches, fruit, and dessert will be served April

3rd

JOYFUL STITCHERS will meet for quilt-tying and binding on Wednesday, April 3 at 1:00 pm. New quilters are always welcome.

ANNOUNCEMENTS THE GUSTAVUS COLLEGE WIND ORCHESTRA is presenting a free concert Today, March 31, at 3 pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. A freewill donation will be accepted. Open to the public. All are invited. Poster on bulletin board.

MEALS on a MISSION, a branch under the WOW umbrella, could use more cooks. This mission group gets together in the church kitchen to prepare and freeze meals that are later brought to members who are experiencing illness, mobility/health is-sues, etc. For more information on the cooking schedule and procedure, please contact Diana Wright (249-5065 or dianawright6485@gmail.com).

VISITORS Here are 4 ways that we can make the experience more enjoyable for our guests when they visit Abounding Joy: 1) wear your name badge so others may call you by name, 2) park in the farthest two rows of our lot so spots for guests are available near the building, 3) hang your coat on the large coat rack by the restrooms so there is room on the smaller rack by the front door, and 4) greet and introduce yourself to at least one person you haven’t met before.

Come one, come all - Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses. If you've sung in a choir or just in your shower, you're welcome to join us Thursday evenings from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Come, be joyful singing praises to God! THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS, a new animated version, will be shown on Saturday, April 20, at 12:55 pm at Marcus Parkwood 18 Cinema, Waite Park. The preview for the movie is not yet available but will be on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04WXlAcOtS0). DID YOU KNOW if you miss a Sunday or Wednesday worship service due to illness or being out-of-town, or simply wish to view the message again, you can. Go online to the Abounding Joy website (www.abounding joy.org), click on Worship, then on Videos, and select the one you wish to watch. LAST WEEK (Sunday, March 24): Attendance: 108

Offerings: General Fund $3,037 Building Fund $1,395 (Wednesday, March 27): Attendance: 73

Mid-Week LENTEN WORSHIP SERVICES - 6:30 pm “The Five Love Languages of God” is the theme for the

Wednesday night services: April 3 and 10. All Lenten services are preceded by a meal from 5:30 to 6:15 pm.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EASTER OUTREACH Abounding joy is providing gift cards for Easter dinner groceries for several local families who are in need. Please support our community missions project by picking eggs from the tree or the bulletin board display. Buy a gift card from the store you’ve chosen (please write the dollar amount on the card) and return them by next Sunday, April 7 along with the designated paper egg. Cash donations are always welcome! Place your cash donation or gift card (with the paper egg) in the decorated canister on the display table. If you know of an individual, couple, or family in need that we could bless this Easter please contact Pastor Tom. If you have any questions contact Mike or Karon Doble or Elaine Mullenmaster.

MARCH is Minnesota Food Share Month The Sunday school contin-ues the Food Shelf Drive through the winter months. We are encour-aging everyone to remember those in need and especially during March, the Minnesota FoodShare Month. Please bring fresh (not ex-

pired) non-perishable food items and/or cash or check (made payable to Abounding Joy with a memo 'food shelf') to help fill the basket. Thank you for your generous support. Carl and Betty have graciously volunteered to deliver the donations.

YOUTH/ADULT BIBLE STUDY Sundays, 9:00-9:45 am “The Gospel of Mark,” the first-ever word-for-word, unedited movie adaptation. This critically acclaimed, epic pro-duction by Lionsgate films, is based on the latest theological, historical, and archeolog-ical research and offers stunning production values. Dale Hellickson is facilitating this event (today) March 31 and April 7. You are welcome to come when you can.

MORNING MEN'S FAITH TALK This weekly men's gathering is held at Abounding Joy on Wednesday mornings from 9:00-10:00. Current sessions are open discussions of questions and topics of interest that participants may have concerning the Bible and real-life issues. If you would like to be a part of this opportunity to grow in faith and fellowship, come every Wednesday morning or whenever you can. SUNDAY SCHOOL classes are offered at 9:00 am for 3-year-olds thru 6th grade. If you would like to help with the Sunday School program, please contact Joan Thoren, Sunday School Superintendent. Volunteers are welcome! WEDNESDAY NOON BIBLE STUDY On Wednesdays, noon-1 pm, Pastor Tom offers an informal 1-hr Bible study based on the scripture readings for the coming Sunday. Feel free to come every week or once in a while. Please bring a sack lunch and bever-age (if you wish), a friend, and a desire to grow in faith.

G A T H E R I N G (* - indicates when congregation stands)

Prelude and Welcome *Confession and Forgiveness of Sins *Opening Hymn: “Only By Grace” (G. Kendrick)

*Greeting and Prayer of the Day

W O R D

Children’s Lesson First Reading: Isaiah 12:1-6 Second Reading: II Corinthians 5:17-21 *Lenten Verse: “Return to the Lord” *Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Message: “Varieties of Lostness” *Hymn of the Day: “Amazing Grace” #448 LBW *Confession of Christian Faith: The Apostles’ Creed *Prayers of the Church

M E A L

*Sharing of the Peace Offering of Gifts “Our Father, We Have Wandered” #733 WOV *Offering Prayer *Words of Institution and the Lord’s Prayer Communion Distribution “Chief of Sinners though I Be” #306 LBW “I Lay My Sins on Jesus” #305 LBW Blessing, Prayer, and Announcements

S E N D I N G *Benediction *Recessional Hymn: “Shout for Joy Loud and Long” #793 WOV (Vss. 1-3) *Dismissal and Postlude Thank you to our song leader, Jared Bahe. All are invited to stay for fellowship and refreshments.

to feed pigs. 16And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. 25Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has re-ceived him back safe and sound.’ 28But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Theme for Today Forgiveness is an incredible gift and is not something to take lightly. To for-give is to let go of all anger, hatred, and pain and offer a new reality where it is undeserved. This new reality is one of joy and freedom for the recipient and the giver and is demonstrated most clearly in the life, death, and resur-rection of our Lord Jesus. God gives us a new relationship with Him through faith in Jesus.

The Word of God

The First Reading: Isaiah 12:1-6 1You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were an-gry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. 2“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” 3With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalt-ed. 5“Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. 6Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

The Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; be-hold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was recon-ciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrust-ing to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

1The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. 2And the Phari-sees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3So he told them this parable:

11… “There was a man who had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his fa-ther, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reck-less living. 14And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that coun-try, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citi-zens of that country, who sent him into his fields (Continued on next page)

FAITH MATTERS

Q: What is the mission of our congregation?

A: In a general sense the purpose and mission of Abounding Joy is the same as that of every church (as summarized by the words of Jesus in “the Great Commission” at the end of Matthew 28): “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you….” But what is our specific and particular God-given mission and purpose in the greater St. Cloud area in the year 2019? Our church council has made it a high priority to answer this question. Our first step will be to hold an open forum on Sunday, April 7 from 11 am to noon (during refreshment time). We’ll briefly review what the Bible says about the mission of our Lord’s church and then we’ll open it up to all of you to share your ideas, hopes, dreams, and understandings regard-ing what God is calling us to be and do as His church in this community now and in the years to come. Please plan on being a part of this important discussion next Sunday, April 7. Pastor Tom