VIDEO: Wednesday November 6, 2024

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m.
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. — The Book of Hebrews
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

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AUDIO: Readings & Sermon for Wednesday November 6, 2024

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m.
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. — The Book of Hebrews
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of BULLETINS

Jeremiah 8:18—9:12 
My joy is gone; grief is upon me;
my heart is sick within me.
Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people
from the length and breadth of the land:
“Is the LORD not in Zion?
Is her King not in her?”
“Why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images 
and with their foreign idols?” 
“The harvest is past, the summer is ended, 
and we are not saved.” 
For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded; 
I mourn, and dismay has taken hold on me. 
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Why then has the health of the daughter of my people
not been restored?
Oh that my head were waters,
and my eyes a fountain of tears,
that I might weep day and night
for the slain of the daughter of my people!
Oh that I had in the desert
a travelers' lodging place,
that I might leave my people
and go away from them!
For they are all adulterers,
a company of treacherous men.
They bend their tongue like a bow;
falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
and they do not know me, declares the LORD.
Let everyone beware of his neighbor,
and put no trust in any brother,
for every brother is a deceiver,
and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.
Everyone deceives his neighbor,
and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongue to speak lies;
they weary themselves committing iniquity.
Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,
they refuse to know me, declares the LORD. 
Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Behold, I will refine them and test them,
for what else can I do, because of my people? 
Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
it speaks deceitfully; 
with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor, 
but in his heart he plans an ambush for him. 
Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the LORD, 
and shall I not avenge myself 
on a nation such as this?
“I will take up weeping and wailing for the mountains,
and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness,
because they are laid waste so that no one passes through,
and the lowing of cattle is not heard;
both the birds of the air and the beasts
have fled and are gone.
I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,
a lair of jackals, and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation,
without inhabitant.” 

Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? 

Matthew 23:13-39 
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. 

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’” 

The Lord’s Prayer - The Introduction 
What is the Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer? 
Our Father who art in heaven. 
What does this mean? 
With these words God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father. 

Congregational Art Show - Friday, November 8, 2024

Zion’s 2024 Congregational Art Show is almost here!

Join us on Friday November 8th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall
In addition to great artwork by Zion members, which will include paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, fiber art, jewelry and more — you can also enjoy:

• Wine

• Hors d’oeuvres

• Lemonade

• Cookies

• Live music by Zion members

Sunday School News

During a recent lesson on the missionary travels of Paul and Barnabas, Deaconess Joanna spoke to a combined class regarding her missionary work in Taiwan. 

In November, we continue our study of Enduring Faith, Unit 9, "Jesus Sends the Church": 

Date Lesson Description 
Sunday November 3rd
Lesson 9: The Unknown Revealed - Paul Preaches in Athens 

Sunday November 10th
Lesson 10: Preaching & Perils - Paul’s Ministry and Hardships 

Sunday November 17th
Lesson 11: Paul’s Prison Protection - The Plot to Kill Paul 

Sunday November 24th
Lesson 12: All Overboard - Paul’s Shipwreck 

Tess Carter has been working on creating our SS Christmas pageant video. By early November, Mark Killinger will be working with the children to practice for their Christmas singing performance. December 15th will be the big day for our Sunday School: During the SS hour we'll have our Christmas party (starting in the Fellowship Hall), then during the second service the students will perform their song, and we'll view the Christmas video (shown after both services). 

We are all looking forward to the video and the song performance, so please make sure your children are in Sunday school throughout November to practice for this special event! 

Adult Bible/Teen Bible Study ... As always, adults and youth 7th grade and older are invited to the Fellowship Hall for Pastor's fascinating bible studies. All are welcome - bagels, donuts and coffee provided. Sunday School and Adult/Teen Bible Study are from 9:15-10:15 am. 

Please Mark Your Calendars for Sunday Dec. 15th 

• SS Christmas Party at 9:15 with "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake in the Fellowship Hall prior to class. 

• Christmas Video shown after both services 

• Christmas Song Performance during Late Service 

Food Bank Sunday – Sunday November 10th

The November collection for the Bridgeville Area Food Bank is Sunday, Nov. 10th The “items of the month” are Canned Meats & Proteins. Items may be placed in the wicker receptacle in the narthex near the coat rack. 

During the October distribution, 107 families were assisted. Thank you for supporting this vital community service! 

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The Food Bank would like to bless the 30 registered children with gifts at the December distribution. Starting November 17, you will have the opportunity to participate in purchasing a gift for a child in need. If you wish to participate, choose an angel gift tag marked with the child’s age from the tree set up in the back of the church. Please use the sign-up sheet to record your name next to the number and age listed on the angel. Then purchase a gift costing around twenty dollars. Return your unwrapped gift with the gift tag attached no later than Sunday, DEC. 15. 

In Christ’s Service,
Barb Oechslein
Bridgeville Area Food Bank Rep. 

Bulletin: Wednesday November 6, 2024

View the Bulletin for Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Worship Service: 2:00 p.m.
Bible Study: 2:30 p.m. — The Book of Hebrews
All are welcome, bring a friend, neighbor or relative

Visit our YouTube channel — Click the red “subscribe” box, and then click on the “bell” next to that box to receive Live Streaming notifications. You must be logged into YouTube to activate these features.

Archive of AUDIO “Readings & Sermons”
Archive of VIDEO “Complete Service”
Archive of BULLETINS

Pastor's Corner

“Oh, give thanks unto the Lord for He is good.” 
-Prayer of Thanksgiving, LSB pg. 200 

In a few weeks Thanksgiving will be upon us, and along with it, a lot of work. Thanksgiving means picking up family from airports , car rides, large meals, family gatherings (maybe many family gatherings) food shopping, and soon enough, planning for Christmas. Your list could probably go on and on. 

Sometimes the “busy-ness” of our holidays and lives is unavoidable. But we do not have to harbor in our hearts an unrelenting “busy-ness.” During this time of year, especially as we prepare for Advent, we should remember the story of Mary and Martha. You may remember, Martha was running around preoccupied with all her busy preparations while Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. Jesus told Martha that it was Mary who had chosen what is best (Luke 10:38-42). 

It is inevitable that we will have busy moments in our lives. That is normal. However, as Christians, we do not have to allow the busy moments to take our focus off Christ. As we begin our celebrations of Thanksgiving, let’s remember the One to whom we are giving thanks, Christ Jesus our Lord. As we take the leap into Advent and Christmas, let’s not forget the reason for these celebrations; our Lord is coming to do great things for us! Like Martha, it can be so easy for us to get wrapped up in OUR plans, and all the work WE have to do, that we can completely forget that this time of year our thoughts should especially be turned to our Lord Jesus who has worked so hard for us. 

The quote at the beginning of this article comes from a portion of our liturgy. We say it immediately after we have received the Lord’s Supper, “Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good.” We say this because our Lord has just given us a foretaste of the feast to come in heaven through the Lord’s Supper. As we begin our preparations for Thanksgiving and Christmas, may we always remember the preparations our God made for us in the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. 

The Lord be with you, 
Pastor Grimenstein