December 20, 2020   The Fourth Sunday in Advent

Post date: Dec 17, 2020 6:01:34 PM

For The Fourth Sunday in Advent on December 20,  2020

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Romans 16: 25-27

Luke 1:26-38

Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”[b] 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

                     This Week at Trinity

Sun., Dec. 20      Fourth Sunday in Advent

                  8:00 am   Bible Class (CR)                  

                            9:00 am   Divine Service (CR)

                          10:00 am   Fellowship time in Mt. Ayr & Mt. Ayr

                          11:00 am   Divine Service/HC (MA)                                               

Tues., Dec. 22     6:30 am  Early Risers’ Bible Study

Thurs., Dec. 24  Christmas Eve  

                   5:00 pm  Christmas Eve Service in Mt. Ayr

                             7:00 pm  Christmas Eve Service in Creston

Fri., Dec. 25       Christmas Day

                            9:00 am  Christmas Day Service/HC  in Creston

                 12:00-5:00 pm  FH (CR) reserved by Cook family

Sun., Dec. 27   8:00 am   No Bible Class this morning.              

                            9:00 am   Divine Service/HC (CR)

                          10:00 am   Fellowship time in Mt. Ayr & Mt. Ayr

                          11:00 am   Divine Service (MA)

Thurs., Dec. 31  6:00 pm   New Year’s Eve Service/HC in Creston

       Prayer List

Cancer:  Denice Creveling (member)

Dan Lutrick (member)

Phil Burmeister (member)

Ellen Kearney (member)

Otto Guiter (grandson of Kathy Parker)

Brian Raske (brother in law of Deb Melzer)

Vivian Herzberg (sister of Bruce Herzberg)

Susie Seals (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Libbie Wilkenson (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Kent Larsen (brother of Mark Larsen)

Don Goodman (brother-in-law of Kathy Parker)

On-going health concerns, Hospitalized,  Surgery/Recovery: 

Members:  Norm Schroeder ,Jay Bochart, Jean Kruse, Tracy Booth

Jim Nelson, Beth Herzberg, Doyle Hembry, and Jean Stoll

Marie Burmeister

Oliver Gish (great nephew of Waunita Watt)

Bob Beatty (friend of Waunita Watt)

Rev. Dave Ericksen

Terry Melzer (brother of Deb Melzer)

Rev. Larry Troxel (former pastor at Trinity)

Roger Eyberg (friend of Eddie Ehm)

Bob Ritnour (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Beverly Lyon (friend of Mitzie Cellan)

Maggie Dory (former member of Trinity)

Makayla Burgmaier

Jerry Cellan (brother of Mitzie Cellan)

Shut-ins: May Carlisle, Bertha Jensen, Lawrence Herzberg,

Nelda Herzberg, Clara Buchanan, Doyle Hembry, Warren Kruse,

Mona Quee, Linda Schroeder

Military:  Nathan Nonneman (grandson of Sharon Nonneman)

Kyle Marchok (husband of Hembry’s granddaughter)

Missions: Concordia Mission Society

Pastor James and Christel Neuendorf (Puerto Rico)

Pastor Daniel Vogel (Denison Hispanic Ministry)

Pastor Herb and Markie Burch (Belize)

Pastor James and Angela Sharp and Family (Uruguay)

Pastor Stephen and Maggie Oliver and Family (Taiwan)

Life Care Clinic, (Stuart & Creston)

Trinity Preschool (Creston)

Condolences:  We pray for the family of Betty Mills, who passed

away last week.   Betty was Dorothy Cook’s sister.

 Attendance:  From December 13, 2020

Creston 36,   communed 29                Mt. Ayr 17

From December 16, 2020 Midweek Advent Service  

Creston 20

 Serving At Trinity    Sunday, December 20, 2020

Organist: (CR)  Julie Lang     (MA) Sharon Eklund

Ushers in  December:  (CR) Kevin Kruse, Randy Ehm, Dean Hadley, Dennis Brown

Elders on Duty in December: (MA) Mike Sickels & Greg Storhoff     (CR) Bruce Herzberg

Acolyte:  (CR) Maylee Riley  (MA)  Garrett or Jaxsen Walter

Finance Team in December: Dennis Brown and Joyce Kruse

Altar Guild for December: Ed & Tracy Booth

 LIFE TOGETHER

VISITORS:  We are so glad you joined us today.  We do 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 the 9:00 service or prior to the 11:00 service for a time of fellowship.

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. 

On Sundays when there is Holy Communion please list the names of those who will be communing on the Holy Communion registration side of the card.

If you have moved or your phone number or email address have changed, please note any changes on the attendance card so that we can update our records in the office.

Attendance via Livestreamed and You Tube Services:  During this pandemic period, if you watch the Divine Service online and wish to have your attendance recorded, please call Linda at the church office 782-5095 or email her at

lhadley@trinitycreston.org and let her know the date of the service that you watched.

Private Communion Times:   If you would like to take holy communion privately, please call Pastor to set up an appointment.  Common cup is also available to families or small groups upon request.

Weekly bulletins, announcements, and sermons continue to be available on the church website.

Upcoming Special Services in December

Dec. 24  5:00 pm  Christmas Eve Service in Mt. Ayr

Dec. 24  7:00 pm  Christmas Eve Service in Creston

Dec. 25  9:00 am  Christmas Day Service with Holy Communion in Creston

Dec. 31  6:00 pm  New Year’s Eve Service with Holy Communion in Creston

Installation of 2021 Officers and board members will be held during the services on January 3.

Removal of the Greens in Creston will be Sunday, January 3, 2021 following the Divine Service.

Offering Envelopes for 2021 are available to be picked up from a table in the narthex (Creston).  Envelopes have also been delivered to Mt. Ayr.

Library:  Don’t forget to stop by the church library and bookstore in the fellowship hall to check out the latest offerings.  A selection of materials is also  available at the Mt. Ayr location.

From the District Office:  Time is short – December 31 is almost here! The Iowa Lutheran Student Tuition Organization (ILSTO) will gladly accept your gift that will provide financial assistance to our students. Your donation needs to be postmarked no later than December 31. Tax credits are available but the closer you donate to the deadline please call to make sure credits are available. You will receive a 65% tax credit on your Iowa taxes and possible charitable contribution on your federal form. To get more information for donating to the ILSTO go online to www.iowalutheransto.org or call Dewey Torkelson at 712-260-2991 or email deweytorkelson@hotmail.com

To all our friends at Trinity:

First, we want to thank you again for your many prayers, cards, calls and concerns during Maggie's recent surgeries.  They were all so appreciated and so helpful to get her on the road for a smoother recovery.

Then we also want to thank you for the many Christmas cards sent-it's always so wonderful to hear from you.  We aren't sending many cards this year so this is our message to all of you, thanking you for your friendship, and we look forward to keeping in touch in the coming year.  Our very best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and God's many blessings bestowed on all of you in the New Year.

We send our love from your friends in the Cornhusker state.                  From Dave and Maggie Dory