The Immanuel Messenger

For the Week of 28 November

From the Pastor

While the world celebrates Christmas long before Christmas is here, trying only to make a buck: our Lord Jesus Christ, who once laid in an animal's feeding trough, who went hungry in the desert and thirsty on the cross, He comes to you, quietly, in Word and Sacrament.

And the world rushes by without knowing what a true cause for celebration is, or even what a true celebration is. Advent is a quiet season of repentance and contemplation. "Hosanna." is the eager cry of God’s people - a cry for God to be God, to fulfill the prophesies, and to save His people.

The Church waits. You and I wait patiently for the Lord - Why? Because He promised!

He promised He would come - and He did - as the Babe born in Bethlehem.

He promised He would come - and He does - oh, taste and see that Lord is good!

He promised He would come - and He will - He will come again to take you to be with Him forever - if it were not so, He would have told us.

You have this promise - hold on to His promises - Hold God to His promises - for in the prayer He gave us, He instructed us to pray - Thy Kingdom come. Before meals we pray - Come Lord Jesus. For Our God came then and there – He comes here and now – and He will come again everywhere at once.

The Christian waits patiently for the Lord - we wait - begging for mercy and confessing our sins. Jesus Christ comes to you with comforting words of forgiveness, He comes to you in His Body and Blood, He answers our prayers. We wait not as those who are uncertain or have no hope. We wait with full confidence. We wait - tasting the foretaste of the feast to come. We wait confidently – for we are at peace with God and with each other.

See you Sunday!

+Pastor Gaub

Sunday's Propers

Collect

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Readings

Jeremiah 23:5–8

Romans 13:11–14

Matthew 21:1–9

Hymns

332 Savior of The Nations, Come

341 Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates

350 Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come

331 The Advent of Our King

Preparing to Sing the Litany

We begin Advent by chanting the Great Litany. The Great Litany, often called simply “the Litany,” is a responsive form of prayer inherited by the Lutheran Church from the early church and the Middle Ages, that quickly became popular in the Reformation. However, in modern times the Litany has declined in popularity, and in most places has become deformed and estranged from its original function. The Litany, once seen by Luther and the Reformers as a model prayer by which to protect Christian Europe against the invading Muslim Turks and by which all the necessities of life are requested from God, has lost its place as a popular hymn of the people and has been relegated to the status of an obscure liturgical antiquity. Yet, the needs and dangers of our time are no less than when Luther reintroduced the Litany against the threat of Muslim invasion in Europe and against papal suppression of the fledgling Reformation movement. Our need for this ancient prayer is no less than it was in the sixteenth century. Even today, it can cease to be an obscure liturgical antiquity and can become a well-known hymn and one of “the topics with which it is necessary to deal in the true Christian church and about which we are concerned.”

Taken from Restoring the Great Litany of the Lutheran Church

Rev. Prof. Benjamin T.G. Mayes

Concordia Theological Quarterly Vol. 81:3-4

This Week @ Immanuel

Sunday, 28 November

9:00am - Divine Service

10:25am - Sunday School Opening

10:30am - Sunday School and Bible Class

Wednesday, 1 December

5:30pm - Dinner

7:00pm - Evening Prayer

7:30pm - Hanging of the Greens

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Hanging of the Greens

The hanging of the greens and decorating of the Sanctuary and Narthex for Advent and Christmas will take place Wednesday, 1 December following Evening Prayer.

Copies of the church membership directory are available in the Narthex

If you need to update any information, please call the church office.

Advent begins Sunday, 28 November

Advent Midweek

Wednesday, 1 December

Dinner at 5:30pm

Menu: Lasagna, Salad, and Garlic Bread

Dinner is sponsored by our wonderful ECE staff.

Evening Prayer at 7pm

Weekly Memory Verse

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18

Let Us Pray

For those suffering from cancer:

Carla Faske

Jim Froehlich

Susan Hayden

For Evelyn Robinson who awaits a blessed death in Jesus.

For Erwin Zander, that Christ the Good Shepherd would continue to watch over him, and grant him strength of body and soul.

For the calling of a faithful pastor.

For Sandi Hrozek, that the Lord Jesus would grant her full healing.

For Winnie McNamara, that she would be granted strength and healing.

Submit a Prayer Request

Plastic Bags Needed

The ECE is in need of your used plastic grocery bags. You may drop off the plastic bags in the ECE Office.

An Advent Message From Chaplain Daenzer

If you have suggestions about things that you'd like to see in the Immanuel Messenger, please let the church office know. We would love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Rev. Richard Gaub

Vacancy Pastor

Immanuel Lutheran Church and ECE

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Immanuel Lutheran Church and ECE

1440 Cortlandt Street,

Houston, Texas 77008

713-864-2651