A Praying Church
651.645.2575
www.mtolive-wels.net
Carl R. Henkel, pastor
651.631.8625
The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Thank You for sharing this time of worship with us. We're glad you're here! Please sign the Friendship Register. Do come
again! If you do not have a local church
home, we invite you to make your home with us.
Here you will find Christian love, opportunities for spiritual growth,
warm friendships, and a feeling of being part of the family of God.
The Lord's Supper is being celebrated today. This special meal, instituted by Christ, unites us with Him and our brothers and sisters in the faith. This sacrament is intended for those who are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; trust in Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven; and believe that the true body and blood of Jesus are present with the bread and wine of Holy Communion. Guests who share this faith are invited to speak with the pastor before joining us in this holy meal.
Assisting Us In Worship This Morning
Florence Juth and Linda Henkel, greeters ~
Jerry Holen, head usher
Margaret
Meier, organ & Clavinova ~ Ryan Jacobs, communion assistant
Order of Service: The Common Service (hymnal, page 15)
and
Liturgy
for the Family of God (hymnal insert)
Hymns: 226 337 304 316
Message: Luke
15:1-3a, 11-32
“Quick!”
OLD
TESTAMENT Isaiah 12:1-6
(The prophet rejoices that God's anger has been turned away from us.)
In that day you will say: "I will
praise You, O Lord. Although You were angry with me,
Your anger has turned away and You have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and
not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my
salvation." With joy you will draw
water from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say: "Give thanks
to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done,
and proclaim that His name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious
things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of
EPISTLE
LESSON I Corinthians 1:18-31
(The ways of God are foolishness to the world, but they are the way of
wisdom for the believer.)
For the message of
the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being
saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the
wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise
man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God
made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not
know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save
those who believe.
Jews demand
miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a
stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has
called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the
weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
Brothers, think of
what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human
standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God
chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak
things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this
world and the despised things-- and the things that are not-- to nullify the
things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.
It is because of
Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-- that
is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written:
"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
GOSPEL
LESSON Luke
15:1-3,11-32
(The Parable of the Prodigal Son)
Now the tax collectors and
"sinners" were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law
muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." Then Jesus told them this parable:
"There was a man who had two sons. The
younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he
divided his property between them.
"Not long after that, the younger son
got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his
wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine
in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself
out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He
longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one
gave him anything.
"When he came to his senses, he said,
'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving
to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I
have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called
your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his
father.
"But while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw
his arms around him and kissed him. The
son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.'
"But the father said to his servants,
'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and
sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast
and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost
and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the
field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called
one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,'
he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him
back safe and sound.'
"The older brother became angry and
refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered
his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never
disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could
celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your
property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
"'My son,' the father said, 'you are
always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be
glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost
and is found.'"
tttttttttt
Today: 8:45am Prayer Time (Fireside Room)
9:00am Family Worship/Holy Communion (at
front pew)
10:00am Fellowship
Hour
10:30am Education Hour
Monday: 11:30am Mt.
Olive Worship Service on Cable Channel 14
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday: 10:00am “Explorers
of the Word” Bible Study
Saturday:
Next Sunday: 6:30am “Time of Grace” on KMSP, Channel 9
9:00am Family Worship Service
10:30am Education Hour
A Door Offering will be taken this
Sunday to cover the cost of a digital camera for Missionary Terry & Mary
Schultz, as well as other items needed for their mission work in
Because Of The February 25th “Snow
Day,” we have fallen behind in
our financial obligations. We were not
able to make our February commitments to synod and to
Lenten Worship This Wednesday: The evening begins at
7th Annual English Tea: The Outreach Committee would like to invite
you to the 7th Annual English Tea.
It will be held this Saturday, March 24th at
Our Education
Sunday has
been rescheduled for Palm Sunday,
Anna Zibell Will Be 100 years old on April 3rd.
An open house reception will be held in her honor at Lyngblomsten
on Sunday, April 1st, from
Easter Flower
Orders
must be turned in today, March 18th.
An order form was included in your March Olive Branch. Order forms
were also included in previous Sunday bulletins. Copies are available in the tract rack in the
back of church. Be sure to get your order
in today. Thanks!