12-14-2025

The Third Sunday in Advent

Announcements:  December 14, 2025

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

                                        800 North Sumner                                                                 Pastor John Rutz

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

For the Third Sunday in Advent on Dec. 14, 2025

Isaiah 35:1-10

James 5:7-11

Matthew 11:2-15

 For the Fourth Sunday in Advent on Dec. 21, 2025

 For your own personal reading at home this week.

Isaiah 7:10-17

Romans 1:1-7

Matthew 1:18-25

 This Week at Trinity

Sun, Dec. 14   Third Sunday in Advent

  8:00 am   Bible Class

  9:00 am   Divine Service/HC

10:30 am  Sunday School and Fellowship Time

Mon., Dec. 15 

12:30 pm  Preschool

Tues., Dec. 16 

 7:00 am  Early Risers

 8:30 am   Preschool

12:30 pm   Preschool

Wed., Dec. 17 

12:30 pm   Preschool

 4:30 pm    Youth Confirmation Class

  6:00 pm   Advent Service

Thurs., Dec. 18  

  8:30 am  Preschool

  9:45 am  Preschool Chapel

12:30 pm  Preschool

  1:45 pm  Preschool Chapel

Sun., Dec. 21  Fourth Sunday in Advent

8:00 am   Bible Class            

9:00 am   Divine Service/HC with children helping to lead the  

             Children’s Message

10:30 am   Sunday School & Fellowship Time

Serving at Trinity on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025

Accompanist: Sharon Eklund

Acolyte: Charles Shawley 

Ushers in December: Dennis Brown, Mike Swanson, Kevin Kruse and Dean Hadley

Elder of the month for December: Mike Swanson

Finance Team in December: Dennis Brown & Joyce Kruse

Altar Guild for December:  Ed & Tracy Booth           

 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

Mitzie Cellan

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)

Wendy Stickens (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Shut-ins: Dorothy Cook

Military: 

 Kyle Marchok (husband of Lola Hembry’s granddaughter)

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)

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

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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.

Prayer Box:  The Sunday school class has started a prayer box.  It may be found in the narthex area. They ask the congregation to put prayer requests in the box.  The box will be checked each week and prayers of thanksgiving and needs will be shared to support our congregation and community.

 Attendance from last Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025

 Church Attendance 77 Communed 62

 Bible Class 13                Sunday School 11

 Attendance from Dec. 10  Advent Service 33

Offering Envelopes for 2026 have been placed in the church mailboxes found in the narthex.  If you are missing a set or have any questions speak with Kevin Kruse, the financial secretary.

Altar Guild Volunteers Needed

We are looking for two new teams to set up communion in 2026.  You would serve for one month.  March and April are available.  If you can help, please speak to Cindy Isdahl.

On Tuesday, December 16, we need volunteers to help clean all of the communion ware as well as cleaning the lectern and pulpit.  We will meet at 10:00 a.m. If you have any questions, speak with Cindy Isdahl.

Deadline for gathering food for ASPIRE Food Pantry in Afton will be this Wednesday, December 17, so that food can be distributed to families before Christmas. Place your donations in the plastic tote in the narthex.

Upcoming Special Services

Wednesday, Dec. 17  Advent Service 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 21  Children will help to present the Children’s Message during the service.

Wednesday, Dec. 24  Christmas Eve Service 6:00 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 25  Christmas Day Service/HC 9:00 a.m.

Wed., Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve Service/HC 6:00 p.m.  

LWML You can now find Trinity LWML on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).  You don’t have to be a lady or member of the church to follow us online. The next quarterly meeting for Trinity LWML is January 3 at 9 AM.  If we get some bad weather we’ll move the meeting to Sunday, the 11th.  All women who are members of Trinity are welcome.  We will be choosing one more voting delegate for district convention at Camp Okoboji, June 11-13, 2026. If you have questions about this or would like to be considered as a delegate but are unable to attend the meeting please reach out to Alexis Swanson (641-344-6084).   The SW Zone would also like to send one or two Young Women’s Representatives (YWR) to district convention; they should be in their 20s or 30s and a member of a congregation in the SW Zone.

2nd Annual PS Fundraiser Garage Sale:  Save the date for June 6, 2026. The Preschool Board will be having another free will donation garage sale. As you clean your house for your Christmas guests, you may find some items to save for the garage sale. No item is too big.

Calendar Deadline:  Deadline for events that need to go on the January Church Calendar is December 22 to allow time for printing before Christmas.  Calendars will come out in the Dec. 28 bulletins.