1-18-2026

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Announcements:  January 18, 2026

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

                                          800 North Sumner                                                                 Pastor John Rutz

                                          Creston, Iowa      Website:  www.trinitycreston.org      Phone:  641-782-5095

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany on Jan. 18, 2026

Isaiah 49:1-7

I Corinthians 1:1-9

John 1:29-42a

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany on Jan. 25, 2026

 For your own personal reading at home this week.

Isaiah 9:1-4

I Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-25

This Week at Trinity

 Sun., Jan. 18 

  8:00 am   Bible Class            

  9:00 am   Divine Service/HC

Voter’s Meeting

Mon., Jan. 19

  9:00 am  Youth Confirmation Class

12:30 am  No Preschool Classes today—Teacher Inservice day

Tues., Jan. 20

  7:00 am  Early Risers

  8:30 am  Preschool

12:30 pm  Preschool

Wed., Jan. 21

12:30 pm  Preschool

Thurs., Jan. 22

  8:30 am  Preschool

  9:45 am  Preschool Chapel

12:30 pm  Preschool

  1:00 pm  Card Group in Fellowship Hall

  1:45 pm  Preschool Chapel

Sun., Jan. 25    Beginning of National Lutheran Schools Week

  8:00 am   Bible Class            

  9:00 am   Divine Service/HC

10:30 am  Sunday School and Fellowship Time

Serving at Trinity on Sunday, January 18, 2026

Accompanist: Julie Lang

Acolyte:  Charles Shawley

Ushers in January: Dennis Brown, Dane Wardenburg,

Phil Wardenburg and Jim Hagen

Elder of the month for Jan.: Dane Wardenburg

Finance Team in Jan.: Rick Hadley & Phil Wardenburg

Altar Guild for Jan.:   Phil & Anita Wardenburg        

Prayer List

Cancer:  

Neal Bowman (brother of Charlie Bowman)

Sharmen Lowenberg

Tyson Stuart

Jane McNeill (friend of Corene Walter)

Ron Still (friend of Ed Booth)

Brenda McIntosh (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Chad Simmons( friend of Melody Stoner)

Cloa Faulkner (sister of Cindy Isdahl)

On-going health concerns, Hospitalized, or Recovery:

Cindy Isdahl

Jack Quee

Martin Herzberg (son of Bruce and Beth Herzberg)

Shellie Wimer (friend of Doug Gooding

Kenny Kile (friend of Melody Stoner)

Curtis Decker (brother of Joy Brown)

Pat & Max Lowenberg (friends of Mitzie Cellan)

John Needles (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Bev (Bear) Denipah (friend of Deb Melzer)

Kristi Srans (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Shut-ins: Dorothy Cook

Military: 

 Kyle Marchok (husband of Lola Hembry’s granddaughter)

 Eric Green (husband of Elizabeth Green)

Missions:

Trinity Preschool (Creston)

Life Care Clinic, (Stuart, Creston & Atlantic)

Concordia Mission Society

Pastor James and Christel Neuendorf (Puerto Rico)

Pastor Daniel Vogel (Denison Hispanic Ministry)

Pastor James and Angela Sharp and Family (Uruguay)

Rev. Dr. Walter and Robyn Steele, (East Africa)

Jesse Liebmann (Romania)

Rachel Krause (Germany)

Rev. Thomas Park (Taiwan)

Rev. David & Jennifer Preus and family (Romania)

Rev. Christian & Lula Tews (Germany)

Vicar Gavin Johnson (Dominican Republic)

Condolences:  Prayers for the family of Bob Kerrigan (brother-in-law of Connie Kerrigan) who passed away on Jan. 10

Phone Numbers and Emails Addresses

To reach Pastor Rutz  phone the church office at

(641-782-5095) Ext. 3

Or, you may reach Pastor at 712-621-5971 (cell)

Pastor’s email is:

pastor@trinitycreston.org

---------------------------------------------------------------

Email Address for the Office Assistant

lhadley@trinitycreston.org

When you have announcements that need to be included in the weekly announcements, please turn them in by noon on Wednesdays.

Visitors:  We are so glad you joined us today.  We collect offerings during our worship services.  While we believe this is a chance for each believer to be a good steward of the gifts they have received from God, you are welcome but not expected to give an offering while you are our guest.  If you would like to learn more about the Lord’s ministry here at Trinity please call Pastor Rutz.  He would love to get acquainted and visit at a time that is convenient for you.  You are also invited to join members in the fellowship hall after this morning’s service.

Attendance Cards:  Visitors and members are asked to fill out an attendance card and to list names of each family member in attendance.  Turn in your card at the back of the church at the end of the service.  When there is Holy Communion, please list the names of those who will be communing on the Holy Communion registration side of the card.  Hand it to an usher as you go up for communion.  If you have moved or you phone number or email address have changed, please note any changes on the attendance so that we can update our records in the office.

Weekly bulletins, announcements and sermons are available on the church website.

Children in the Divine Service Sheets are available from the basket in the back of the church.  Parents are encouraged to read these to/with their children.  Each week will have a short explanation of a different part of the church service or about something found in the church.  They are another way to aid parents in teaching their children.

 Attendance from last Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026

 Church Attendance 70  Communed 61

Membership Information:  It’s a new year and time to update church membership in our computer program. If any of you have a new address, phone number or email address and haven’t already shared it with the office please do so.  If your young adult children are out on their own now please help us update their information.

Card Display:  Check out the card display in the narthex.  There are Valentine cards also available to give to that special person.

German Dinner:  Clarinda Lutheran School will be hosting their 23rd Annual German Dinner on Sunday, Feb. 1 beginning at 11:00 a.m.  This is a benefit dinner for the operational expenses of the educational ministry of Clarinda Lutheran School.  Cost of the meal is a free will donation.   Reservations may be made on their website:  Clarindalutheranschool.com/german-dinner

Some flyers with menu information are available on the table in the narthex

Quarterly Voter’s Meeting:  TODAY, Sunday, Jan. 18, in the fellowship hall,  following Divine Service.

Lutheran Witness Subscriptions:   If you would like to begin a new subscription to the Lutheran Witness Magazine, the cost for 2026 is $31.10.  Use the Lutheran Witness envelope found in the front of your offering envelope box and place it in the offering plate.  Make checks payable to Trinity Lutheran Church. The church will be billed for all subscriptions in one lump fee.   The deadline to subscribe is Sunday, February 8 so Linda can send the list of addresses to Concordia Publishing House.   There is a sign up sheet for new subscription names/addresses on the counter in the office.  Sign up if you want to begin a subscription.  

Attention Adult Men & Women:  Do you like to play cards?  Join us Thursday, January 22 at 1:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall.  We would like to get a group together to play Pitch, Pinochle, Five Crowns or whatever you like.  In addition to playing cards, we will discuss how often to meet and what day works best for everyone.  If you are interested but this date doesn’t work well for you, let Joyce Kruse know.  Bring a friend---doesn’t need to be a church member.  Hope to see you there!

 Rachel Circle will meet at the home of Cindy Nelson’s on January 27 at 6:30. Carpool leaves the church at 6:15. This Bible study will cover both January and February meetings.

OWLS are planning pizza for lunch on Wednesday, Jan. 28th.  Let Sharon Eklund know if you plan to come so there will be plenty. 

Birthday Party:  Mark your calendars for the congregational birthday party on February 22. More details to come. We’ll be looking for people to sign up for birthday months.

Additon to the Church Website:   CPH offered a free download of the whole Book of Concord.   This has been added to our church website at www.trinitycreston.org

You will find the link for it at the bottom of the menu found on the left hand side of the Welcome page. You may also find more information about it at bookofconcord.cph.org if you would like to download your own copy.

Lutherans confess the crucified and risen Christ, the obedient Son of the Father who gave his life on the cross for the redemption of sinners. Christ whose body and blood brings sinners forgiveness. Christ who will return to judge the living and the dead.

The documents assembled in the Book of Concord are the Confession of Faith of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. At all times trinitarian, biblical, pastoral, and Christ-centered, they bear witness to the truth of God's Word and the salvation of the world.