St. Stephen’s Weekly News: Week of December 6, 2020

This morning our video stream will be on YouTube at 8:00 a.m., and on Facebook at 9:00 a.m.

Follow along with our video worship services with this week’s worship bulletin: https://2020bulletinpdf.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/2020_12_06_Advent+2.pdf

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.
• 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 Lucille Becker was called home to heaven on November 25, 2020, age 88.  Private funeral service were held December 1, 2020.

Radio Service: 9:30am on AM 1430 WBEV
Sunday, December 6, 2020
Sermon: Mary, a Favored, Blessed, Believing Servant
Hymns: TLH 73(2), 275, 74, 70
Sunday, December 13, 2020
Sermon: Keep Christ in Christmas
Hymns: CW 21, 134, 11, 17

Video on Facebook and YouTube

Sunday worship will be streamed on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ststephensbd/) and YouTube. Go to www.ssbdwels.com and click on “YouTube” and select Worship, Devotions or Bible Study.

Bible Studies

• Fall Bible Study “Gospel of John”. We are continuing our in-depth study of the Gospel of John. To join us for in-person Bible class, join us Mondays at 7:00pm and Wednesdays at 11:00am. Streaming video isn’t working from the basement, but we are recording the Monday session and putting it on YouTube, Wednesdays at noon. An archive of classes including all the previous chapters are available on Youtube for those who want to review or who haven’t attended and want to catch up and join the study in person or online.

Quarterly Voters’ Meeting is today at 11:45 am.  At this meeting we will adopt the 2021 Ministry Spending Plan (Budget), reading of reports, and extending a call for Principal.  Meeting will be held in church.  All voting members are encouraged to attend.

Special Christmas Video

Children’s Christmas Service

Premiers on YouTube

Thursday, December 24 at 4:00 p.m.

Special Radio Broadcast
Children’s Christmas Service
WBEV AM 1430
Thursday, December 24 at 6:00 p.m.,
with streaming audio at www.ssbdwels.com

With the season of Advent we enter a new Church  Year.  For the next six months our Sunday worship will follow the life of Christ, lived and died for us that we might live with him. We will “watch” him be born (Christmas), live a holy life revealing him as our God and Savior (Epiphany), suffer and die (Lent & Holy Week), rise to life again (Easter), ascend to his heavenly throne (Ascension) and keep his promise to send the Holy Spirit to draw us and keep us near to him in faith (Pentecost). Advent is the season of preparation for his coming into our world, which has happened (Christmas) and will happen again (Judgment Day).  The color of Advent (altar paraments and Pastors’ stoles) is blue. Jesus told his disciples in today’s Gospel lesson (Mark 13) that the Son of Man will come “on clouds”. He will come as he left them at his ascension – through the sky for all to see.  The blue of the sky becomes for believers a color of expectation and hope for Jesus’ coming again.

Travel Opportunity  Do you like to travel? Have you always wanted to see lands mentioned in the Bible? We have a special opportunity for you. Pastor Dorn will be leading a Footsteps of Paul tour in June 2022. It seems like a long time away, but it will be here fast. There will be an informational meetings on December 2 and 15, at 6:30 PM, for anyone interested. No obligation required. This trip is open for anyone, so feel free to invite family and friends. Brochures are also available in the back of church.

2021 Offering Envelopes are now available for pick-up in the church basement.  Please use the initial offering envelope in the front of your packet to cover the cost of the envelopes.  Envelopes may then be placed in the collection plate or in the box in the basement.

Our Response to God’s Grace in Christ:

Participation:

Wednesday, November 25    57 + 26=83

Thursday, November 26   72 + 35=107         Total for weekend: 410

Sunday, November 29       65+56+67+32= 220

Calendar: 

Sunday, December 6

8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 am – Worship

9:30am – Radio Service,
WBEV 1430

11:45am – Quarterly Voters’ Meeting

Monday, December 7

7:00pm – Bible Class

Tuesday, December 8

6:00pm – Board of Education Meeting

7:00pm – Radio Taping

Wednesday, December 9

11:00am – Bible Class

3:30pm – Public School Catechism

Thursday, December 10

6:00 & 7:00pm – Worship

Friday, December 11

1:30pm – Worship

Sunday, December 13

8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00 am – Worship

9:30am – Radio Service,
WBEV 1430