PERSONAL PRAYERS are on p. 255-258 in the Hymnal. LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM begins on p. 286
[Sun 10:00] Pre-School, “You Know What’s Best”
848 For Me to Live Is Jesus
Order of Service, The Service, Setting One, Hymnal, p. 154
(Second Option for Confession and Absolution)
Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you have knit your people together into one holy Church, the body of Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow the example of your blessed saints in lives of faith and willing service and with them at last inherit the inexpressible joys that you have prepared for those who love you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
[Sun 8:00] Kindergarten, “Soon and Very Soon”
First Reading Revelation 21:1–6 (EHV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And the sea no longer existed. 2 And I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And from the throne I heard a loud voice that said, “Look! God’s dwelling is with people. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain, because the former things have passed away.” 5 The one who was seated on the throne said to me, “Look, I am making everything new!” He also said, “Write, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me: It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To anyone who is thirsty, I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 150B Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christian Worship: Psalter
Praise God in his sanctu- / ary;
praise him in his mighty / heavens.
Praise him for his acts of / power;
praise him for his surpassing / greatness. Refrain
Praise him with the sounding of the / trumpet,
praise him with the / harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and / dancing,
praise him with the / strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of / cymbals,
praise him with resounding / cymbals. Refrain
Let everything that has breath / praise the Lord.
Praise / the Lord.
Glory be to the Father and / to the Son
and to the Holy / Spirit,
as it was in the be- / ginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen. Refrain
Tune: Walter L. Pelz
Text: Public domain
Tune: © 1978 Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 712959
Setting: © 1993 Kermit G. Moldenhauer, admin. Northwestern Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 712959
Second Reading Hebrews 11:32–40 (EHV)
And what more should I say? There would not be enough time for me to continue to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. 33 By faith they conquered kingdoms, carried out justice, obtained things that were promised, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, were made powerful after being weak, became mighty in battle, and caused foreign armies to flee. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. And others who were tortured did not accept their release, so that they may take part in a better resurrection. 36 Still others experienced mocking and lashes, in addition to chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were tempted; they were killed with the sword; they went around in sheepskins and goatskins, needy, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them as they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39 All of these were commended in Scripture by faith, yet they did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had planned something better for us, namely, that they would not reach the goal apart from us.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Stand
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Rejoice in the Lord for his love and faithfulness
Tune: © 2021 Northwestern Publishing House. Used by permission: OneLicense no. 71295
Gospel (Sermon text) Luke 6:20–23 (EHV)
Jesus lifted up his eyes to his disciples and said: Blessed are you who are poor, because yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, because you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you whenever people hate you, and whenever they exclude and insult you and reject your name as evil because of the Son of Man. 23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy because of this: Your reward is great in heaven! The fact is, their fathers constantly did the same things to the prophets.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise be to you, O Christ. Be seated
889 Jerusalem the Golden
Sermon The Lord Speaks Words of Encouragement
1. Encouragement to remain strong in this world, 2. Encouragement to look heavenward
Apostles’ Creed, Hymnal, p. 163
Reading the Names of the Departed
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:19-20)
With hope in Christ and in the resurrection to eternal life, we remember those in this congregation who have died in the last year:
The names of those who have died in the last year are read.
We remember in silence those who have died in previous years, and those who were members of other Christian congregations.
Silence.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.
Yes, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them. (Revelation 14:13)
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, you told Mary and Martha that you are the Resurrection and the Life. You promised your disciples that you would prepare a place for them. You promised the repentant thief that he would be with you in Paradise. And through the disciple John, you revealed to us that you will wipe away every tear from our eyes in the Day when there is no death or sorrow or crying or pain. Fill our hearts with these firm and certain promises. Comfort us with the assurance that those who have died in faith now see you face to face. You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, surrounded by a great multitude that no one can count, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
892:1, 4, 3 By All Your Saints Still Striving
Prayer, Lord’s Prayer and Blessing, p. 171
842 Jesus, Still Lead On
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Software distributed in partnership with Northwestern Publishing House.
Reading the Names of the Departed is from www.acollectionofprayers.com.
Created by Christian Worship: Service Builder © 2022 Concordia Publishing House.
St. Stephen’s Weekly News:
Week of November 6, 2022
Welcome Visitors If you are visiting today, we welcome you in our Risen and Living Savior, Jesus!
- Please let us know you worshiped with us by introducing yourself to a Pastor and filling out a Connect Card and hand it to an usher, pastor, or place in the offering box. Thank you!
- If visiting, please don’t feel obligated to give an offering. St. Stephen’s members express thankfulness to God through their voluntary offerings which then support the congregation’s work.
Funeral Mark Paul was called home to heaven on October 30, age 64. Funeral services were held November 4, 2022, here at St. Stephen’s. MaryEllen Buschke was called home to heaven on October 30, age 90. Funeral services were held November 2, 2022.
Radio Service: 9:30am on WBEV 95.3 FM
Sunday, November 6, 2022
Sermon: Jesus Gives Hope to His Saints
Hymns: CW93 (Red) 214, 606, 422
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Sermon: Wake Up!
Hymns: CW93 (Red) 207, 217, 213, 219
NOTE: Radio taping will be on Tuesday, November 8th, at 7:00pm, in the church. The ramp door will be open.
Coffee Fellowship Presentation Pastor Dorn will make a presentation on his trip to Greece today during the Coffee Fellowship hour. Join us to learn more about the “Footsteps of Paul”.
Bible Study
- Sunday Bible Class Come and join us for this opportunity to grow in our faith together as we study “The Life of Abraham”.
- “Don’t Forsake Jesus!” The Letter to the Hebrews is our Monday / Wednesday Bible Study for this Fall.”
Challenges to those 1st century believers’ faith made forsaking Jesus rather tempting. God used this writer to give them reasons to remain faithful to Jesus. Obviously, there are many applications to us and to our faith challenges in 21st century USA. Join us for this relevant study; Mondays at 7 P.M. and Wednesdays at 11 A.M. (same lesson) in the Church basement.
Board of Property Maintenance Seeks to Hire Custodian / Maintenance Person Our school is looking to hire a full-time custodian who also can perform light maintenance work. Application forms may be picked up weekdays at Church Office and Sundays in the Pastors’ Sacristy (chancel office).
Advent By Candlelight Information. Advent by Candlelight will be held on December 4th, 2022. There is a sign-up sheet at both church entrances for any of our ladies and guests who would like to attend the event. Please join us! If you have a seat request or hostess preference or food allergy, please note that on the sign-up sheet. If you would like to be a table hostess, decorating a table and providing a dessert, please indicate that on the sign-up sheet also.
Fall Festival Thank You to all who participated and donated to our Fall Festival this year. The Lord truly blessed our day, by not only providing us with beautiful weather, but also by bringing in over 250 people to our event.
Hospital Reminder Your pastors love to bring God’s comforting Word to our hospitalized members! All hospitals however, cannot let the church office know unless you call us or ask them to call us. Please do not hesitate to call the church office at 885-3309.
8th Grade DC Trip Pancake Breakfast The 8th grade students are hosting a pancake breakfast today starting at 10am, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church located at 1310 N Center Street, to help fund the trip to Washington DC this April. The suggested donation is $5, but any donation will help. Thank you for your support.
Luther Prep Fall Band Concert will be held Sunday, November 13th at 7:00pm in the LPS Auditorium. The program is entitled a Dockside Concert: Music from the Waterfront. No tickets necessary, freewill collection will be taken.
Blessings abound at St. Stephen’s – Help the Food Drive!
The school will be collecting nonperishable foods for a food drive. Collection containers have been placed in the narthex and the ramp so that members of the congregation can bring donations also. God’s Richest Blessings!
Beaver Dam OWLS (Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors) Area seniors are invited to St. Stephen’s of Beaver Dam on Tuesday, November 8th. We will have a potluck meal in the church basement at noon. After a devotion, Naomi Plocher will speak to us as Katie Luther, (Martin’s better half). All seniors are welcome!
Special call meeting A call meeting will be held on Sunday, November 13, following our 10:00 AM service. With the retirement of Miss Geiger at the end of the current school year, we will call a teacher for 2nd grade and to coach forensics. All voting members of the congregation are encouraged to attend this meeting.
Our Response to God’s Grace in Christ:
Bible Study Participation:
Sunday – 18 Monday – 11 Wednesday – 11 Total: 40
Worship Participation
Thursday, October 27 –60 Friday, October 28 – 46
Sunday, October 30 – 116 + 177= 293 Total: 399
Calendar:
Sunday, November 6
8:00 & 10:00am –Worship
9:10am – Greece Presentation/Coffee Fellowship/Sunday School
9:30am – Radio Service, WBEV 95.3 FM
Monday, November 7
7:00pm- Bible Study
Tuesday, November 8
Noon – OWLS Meeting
6:00pm – Board of Education
7:00pm – Radio taping
Wednesday, November 9
11:00am – Bible Study
2:00pm – Hillside Manor
3:30pm – Public School Catechism
6:00pm – Restoration Committee
7:15pm – Handbells
Thursday, November 10
6:30pm – Communion Worship
7:30pm- Senior Choir
Friday, November 11
1:30pm – Communion Worship
Sunday, November 13
8:00 & 10:00am –Communion Worship
9:10am – Sunday School & Bible Study
9:00 – Noon – PTS Scholastic Book Fair
9:30am – Radio Service, WBEV 95.3 FM
Additional Announcements
Veterans Day Program
Dear Veterans and Guests,
You are cordially invited to attend a Veteran’s Day program at St. Stephen’s Lutheran School on Monday, November 14. The program will begin at 1:30pm. Please arrive around 1:15pm and enter by the church office to check in (Door S1). There is an elevator or stairs that lead to the gym on the second floor.
If you are able attend, please RSVP to rgeiger@saintstephen.org or call the church office (920-885-3309) by Tuesday, November 8, and include how many guests will be attending. Also, please let us know if you have any memorabilia that we would be able to display. If you do, please bring it to the office on Wednesday 11/9 or Thursday 11/10. Thank you and we look forward to showing honor and acknowledging your service and sacrifice.
Bible Study Service Help On Sunday mornings when Bible Study is held in the church basement, the Evangelism Committee provides coffee and treats. A way to serve your church family is to volunteer to set up and clean up the coffee and snacks. One person could do all the work, but it is especially fun for two to do it – a mom and child; a dad and child; a husband and wife; two friends. Please consider adding your name to the volunteer list located in the cabinet above the phone in the church kitchen. There is also an instruction sheet detailing what needs to be done. Any questions may be directed to the church office. Praise God for this opportunity to be nourished spiritually and physically.
Milwaukee Bucks WELS Night: WELS Night is back at Fiserv Forum as the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, December 30th!
All WELS members and guests will receive discounted tickets in blocked out sections by using promo code: WELS through the link https://fevo.me/wels2022 – For groups of 10+ call 414-294-4905 or email CSchwarz@bucks.com. Also, the first 100 people will be able to participate in our pregame pass experience to watch warmups near the court before doors open!
Seminary Chorus Christmas Concert: The Seminary Chorus, a 68-voice choir composed of men studying for the pastoral ministry at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, WI, will present its annual Christmas concert on December 11 at 3pm and 7pm in the auditorium. The program includes anthems by the choir and hymns for the congregation. The 3pm (central) service will be streamed live and recorded at https://livestream.com/wlslive/2022-christmas-concert.
The Seminary Chorus is directed by Prof. Aaron Christie and has toured throughout the country in its 91-year history. Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary is located at 11831 N. Seminary Dr., Mequon, WI 53092. God bless!
School News
St. Stephen’s Lutheran High Honors 1st Quarter (97%-100%)
8th Grade: Alydia Bradley, Ella Czarnik
7th Grade Quinn Apple, Vivian Fister, Vivian Lichty,
Bayleigh Schaefer
6th Grade: Trinity Kittel
St. Stephen’s Lutheran Honors 1st Quarter (93%-96.9% overall)
8th Grade: Holly Grebel, Tristan Kittel, Reece Mielke
7th Grade: Sevanna Fairbank, Quinn Franke, Micah Larson, Raegan Przybylski, Jordyn Schulz
6th Grade: Oliver O’Brion
5th Grade: Auburn Brzezinski, Lainie Franke, Zoey Rechek, Emmanuel Schuman
St. Stephen’s Commendable List 1st Quarter (90%-92.9%)
8th Grade: Caleb Ravanelli, Ethan Roen, Kelin Schmuhl,
Taylor Weekes
7th Grade: Liliana Balleza, Sydney Bradley, Kashton Craig
6th Grade: Micah Dorn, Elise Estervig, Eli Hafenstein, Guy Lehner, Brayden Schwandt, Wyatt Yerges
Membership Change acted upon at the October Council Meeting:
New Member by Profession of Faith
Debra Pascoe
We welcome our new member into our Christian family. May the Lord Jesus bless her membership in our midst.
Thank you letter received from Pastor Dan Lindner
Dear fellow saints/family at St. Stephen’s,
Thank you for the opportunity to be your guest on Thursday, September 15 and Sunday, September 18. Not only is it a joy to be able to proclaim God’s Word and give information about campus ministry but even more so to do it at a place and with people from a home that is special/near and dear to us Lindner children. I enjoyed being able to see many of you again and meet some new people. What a joy it is to have partners in the gospel! I ask the Lord to continue to bless the work you do!
In Christ,
Pastor Daniel M. Lindner (WELS Campus Ministry Mission Counselor)
PTS Book Fair The PTS will be hosting a Book Fair starting next Sunday, November 13th in the church basement and is open for the whole week, ending after services on Sunday, November 20th. A wide variety of books will be set out on Sundays from 9:00am -Noon, and weekdays from 3:15pm-4:00pm. This is open for anyone. Bring your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and anyone else interested in picking up a good book. Sales from the book fair help our teachers fill their classrooms with books.
