FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY February 5, 2023
ORDER OF WORSHIP: LSB — Divine Service, Setting I, 151ff
HYMNS: 397 - 578 - (580 - 873 - 650) - 698
SERMON: God’s Word, God’s Wisdom, God’s Power TEXT: I Corinthians 2:1-5
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gifts of light, both Your created light from the beginning, and the eternal light that is in Your Son Jesus. Lead us by the light of day to accomplish the tasks to do while it is day. Receive our honor, worship and praise as You have brought us into the eternal light through the redemption from sin and death given us by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Now let His light shine from us. Let Your Holy Spirit guide us by Your Word to confess Jesus, through our words and deeds, as the Savior for the life and salvation of the world. Amen
IN OUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK:
“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in His commandments!” (Psalm 112:1).
▪ Thanksgiving to our heavenly Father for His daily gifts and benefits.
▪ For the Lord’s continued healing and recovery for Kendric Hamilton and Evelyn Dye and Dana Gythiel.
▪ For the Lord’s protection upon all who travel and all who are called upon to serve their neighbor in cold days of winter.
▪ For the peace of Jesus Christ upon the people of St. Paul who are unable to regularly to be in this house for worship including: Geneva Briggeman, Evelyn Dye, Myron Falk, Charles Fritzemeier, Mary Lou Hearn, Richard Huckriede, LuAnn Hullman, John Paul and Sue Jorns, Edwin Lenkner, Elwood and Nola McGuire, Virginia McGuire, Ellen Parrish, JoAnn Pearce, Virginia Schneider, Bonnie Seidel, Edna Bell Studer, Lester Voshell, Jr., Sandy Voshell, and Jim and Ruth Wiltshire.
PRATT MUSICAL EXPRESSIONS . . . We would love to see you at the Winter Concert! Please join us for a wonderful afternoon of musical entertainment TODAY at 4:00 pm at Trinity Evangelical Church (403 N. Pine Street) in Pratt. The concert will feature, Duane Hanks, Grace May, Laura Krusemark, Nancy Kerr, Pam Mayo, Deborah Nasca, Elaine Worden, Don Buhler, and Gracie Bronson. There will be music for piano, cello, flute, clarinet, and voice. A brief reception will follow.
WORKERS TOGETHER, the Kansas District online newsletter for February, is now available. Go to www.kslcms.org to read this and to be up to date with the work our LCMS Kansas District does to serve the congregations in Kansas.
THIS MORNING IN THE DIVINE SERVICE we celebrate the Sacrament of the Altar in which the Lord gives the gifts to us of His. body and blood for our forgiveness, life, and salvation. With deep love for God’s Word and respect for the fellowship of faith in confessing His Word, we practice closed communion.
As the Scriptures teach, we receive in this Sacrament both the bread and wine and the true body and blood of Jesus Christ given and shed on His cross (1 Cor. 10:16; 11:27). We are also instructed: “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor. 11:28).
Visitors to our congregation today who desire to receive the Lord’s Supper should speak with the pastor before the service. To those joining in Holy Communion from a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, and having visited with the pastor, please fill out an attendance card that we may inform your congregation of your communion with us.
ALL LADIES of St. Paul are invited to Holy Cross on March 4th for a Women’s Retreat -- Love Rules: A Study of the Ten Commandments. Guest speaker is Christina Hergenrader. Early bird tickets are $25 before February 17. Registration forms with further details are located in the south narthex.
SUNDAY CHICKEN DINNER – Join the Youth Group in February for a fried chicken Sunday dinner in the St. Paul basement following the worship service on the 19th. There will be fried chicken served, as usual, but also meatloaf along with mashed potatoes, salads and desserts. See Brenda Schwertfeger or Barb Schotte if you would like to help. A freewill offering will be received to help with conferences and projects for St. Paul youth.
PRATT COUNTY FOOD BANK . . . The featured item for the month of February will be brownie mix. This or other non-perishable food items are always welcome and may be donated in the box at the south entrance of the church. Your support and care for those in need is very much appreciated!
FLOWER CHART - A flower chart has been posted for the congregation to provide flower arrangements for the altar throughout the year. Church vases that may be used are located on top of the refrigerator in the hallway. Find the chart near the church office and sign up anytime at your convenience.
REMINDER - Anyone who would like to attend the Higher Things conference July 25-28, in San Antonio, Texas, return the individual registration form and medical release form which you have received to start the online process of signing up. Visit with pastor if you need another copy of these. Join in travel and time in worship and learning God's Word at Beyond Reasonable Doubt with youth and adults this summer!
HEAD USHER: Gary McGuire ALTAR COMMITTEE: Gayla Schwertfeger
ELDERS: Lee VanSlyke Derek Liggett Shan Hullman Samantha Houtwed
Amanda Riggs
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH EQUIPS, ENABLES, AND ENCOURAGES ITS MEMBERS TO GROW IN FAITH AND SHARE CHRIST’S LOVE WITH ALL PEOPLE.
TODAY - 8:00 am – The Lutheran Hour, KGNO (Dodge City, 1370 AM)
8:00 am – The Lutheran Hour, KCVW (Wichita, Hutch., 94.3 FM)
8:25 am – The Lutheran Hour, KMMM (Pratt, 1290 AM)
8:30 am – The Lutheran Hour, KWBW (Hutchinson, 1450 AM)
10:00 am – St. Paul Radio Broadcast, KMMM (Pratt, 1290 AM)
6:00 pm - The Lutheran Hour, KREJ (88.1FM)
MONDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am – Secretary’s Office Hours
TUESDAY - 9:00 am - Ladies Quilt Group
5:00 - 6:30 pm – Bread of Life Community Kitchen open – Pratt
WEDNESDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am – Secretary’s Office Hours
6:00 pm - Bethany Guild
6:30 pm - Midweek Classes
7:00 pm - Choir
THURSDAY - 6:30 pm - Bible Study
FRIDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s Office Hours
SUNDAY - 9:00 am - Sunday School and Bible Class
10:00 am - Divine Service
THE LUTHERAN HOUR – “Your Time to Shine” (Matthew 5:14-16) Light is necessary for life; God’s light, even more so. Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr. John Nunes.
NOTES ON THE INVOCATION (as the liturgy begins) . . . “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” How many times have we heard those words? And yet, they testify with renewed freshness to our identity as children of God who’ve been baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. Wouldn’t it be something if God’s faithful would remember that every time they heard the words of the Invocation, perhaps tracing the sign of the cross as a visible reminder? St. Paul beautifully captures the eternal significance of our baptism into Christ when he writes to the Galatians that “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). We are clothed with his righteousness. Unlike the man in the parable of the wedding feast who had no wedding garment, when we stand before our Judge on the Last Day, we will be clothed and covered, robed in the purity of Christ. “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Already now, we stand with boldness before the Triune God who has claimed us and named us. (lcms.org).
About the Cover: The apostle Paul had a singular focus upon Christ crucified because nothing else mattered in comparison. In this First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul’s weakness in bringing this word to the Church in Corinth only cast greater light on the power of God for salvation. The heights of human eloquence, wisdom, and power pale in comparison to the cross of Christ, for this is the power of salvation for all who believe.
OLD TESTAMENT READDING - Isaiah 58:3-9a
EPISTLE - I Corinthians 2:1-12
HOLY GOSPEL - Matthew 5:13-20