March 31, 2019   The Fourth Sunday in Lent

Post date: Apr 1, 2019 5:55:30 PM

For The Fourth Sunday in Lent on March 31, 2019

For your own personal reading at home this week.

Isaiah 12:1-6     2 Corinthians 5:16-21         Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

                This Week at Trinity

Sun., Mar 31         8:00 am  Bible Class (CR)

                          9:00 am   Divine Service/HC(CR)

                        10:00 am   Sunday School (CR & MA)

                        10:00 am   Fellowship Time (CR & MA)

                        11:00 am   Divine Service/HC (MA)

                 Youth Confirmation Class after church in Mt. Ayr

                          3:00 pm   Installation Service for Rev. Mitchell

                           Schuessler at St. John, Clarinda

Mon.,  Apr. 1       8:30 am  Preschool

                          12:30 pm  Preschool

                            6:30 pm   Lifelight Bible Study in FH (CR)

Tues., Apr. 2       6:30 am  FH Early Risers

                           8:30 am   Preschool

                         12:30 pm   Preschool

                           1:00 pm   Lifelight Bible Study in FH (CR)

                           5:00 pm   Youth Conf. Class in Mt. Ayr

                           6:30 pm   Bible Study in Mt. Ayr

                           7:00 pm   Rachel Circle in FH (CR)

Wed., Apr. 3       Preschool Obstacle-a-Thon in FH (CR)

                            8:30 am  Preschool

                          12:30 pm  Preschool

                            6:00 pm  Lenten Service (CR)

                            Elders Meeting after the Lenten Service

                            Fellowship Time after the service   

Thurs., Apr. 4      Preschool Obstacle-a-Thon in FH (CR)

                             8:30 am   Preschool

                             9:45 am   Preschool Chapel

                           12:30 pm   Preschool

                             1:45 pm   Preschool Chapel 

Sat., Apr. 6        9:00 am  LWML Spring Inspiration (Rally)  

                           at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in  Leon 

                          11:00-3:00  FH (CR) in use by Megan Decker

Sun., Apr. 7       8:00 am   Bible Class (CR)

                          9:00 am   Divine Service (CR)

                        10:00 am   Sunday School (CR & MA)

                        10:00 am   Fellowship Time (CR & MA)

                        11:00 am   Divine Service/HC (MA)

  Prayer List  

Cancer:  Heidi Albaugh; Denice Creveling; Kent Larsen;

Diane England; Gary McCraken; Jamie Boos;  Randy Nemitz;

Steve McCann; Melynda Crawford; Ron Ludwig; Dale Snelling;

Libbie Wilkenson; Steve McDermott; Steve Townsend; Rev.

Blake Rickbiel; Paul Robinson; Kathy Eblen; Suzanne Troxel;

Otto Guiter

Illness, Surgery or Recovery:  Norm Schroeder; Kathy Parker;

Oliver Gish; Megan Magers; Tommy Stoner; Bruce Herzberg

Shut-ins: May Carlisle, Bertha Jensen, Sheree Zuniga,

Lawrence Herzberg, Walt & Nelda Herzberg, Clara Buchanan;

Doyle Hembry; Jo Ehm, Warren Kruse

Military:  Nathan Nonneman; Kyle Marchok

Missions: Concordia Mission Society

Pastor James and Christel Neuendorf (Puerto Rico)

Pastor Daniel Vogel (Denison, Iowa)

Pastor Herb and Markie Burch (Peru)

Pastor James and Angela Sharp and Family (Uruguay)

Pastor Joel and Clarion Fritsche & Family (Dominican Republic)

Pastor Stephen and Maggie Oliver and Family (Taiwan)

Life Care Clinic, (Stuart & Creston)

Trinity Preschool (Creston)

Student Ministry at SWCC

Seminary Student: Luke Watt

Attendance :  Please fill out an attendance card which is found in the pew rack.  List the names of each person in attendance.  Please hand the card to an usher.

In services when there is Holy Communion, please list the names of those who will be communing on the back side of card.

Attendance from March 24, 2019  CR 64 , H/C 61       MA 12

Attendance from Mar. 27 Lenten Service   CR   47                        

Serving At Trinity    Sunday, March 31, 2019

Organist: (MA) Greg Storhoff    (CR) Julie Lang

Ushers in March:  (CR) Jim Nelson, Kevin Kruse, Rick Hadley, Dennis Brown

Elders on Duty in March: (MA) Mike Sickels  (CR) Jim Nelson

Finance Team in March: (CR) Jim Nelson and Eric & Jeanna Eklund

Altar Committee for March : (CR) Lola Hembry and Mike & Janette Lang

 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. 

Attendance Cards:  Visitors and members are asked to fill out an attendance card (found in the pew rack) and to list names of each family member in attendance.   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.   Hand the card to an usher. 

Sunday Morning Bible Study:  8:00 a.m. in the fellowship hall.  All are welcome to attend. The topic we are studying is:

The Augsburg Confession: Lutheran Doctrine and Practice Today 

The Augsburg Confession is just as relevant to the life of the Church today as it was during sixteenth century Reformation.

Topics include but are not limited to:

Biblical marriage and the civil government

How to approach church fellowship with all Christians

The important roles of clergy and laity, according to Scripture

Reformation heresies we still see in the Church today

Persecution and terrorism.

Rev. Mitchell Schuessler will be installed as pastor at St. John, Clarinda, TODAY, March 31 at 3:00 p.m.   All are invited to attend this service.

Rachel Circle:  Nichole Hanson and Mitzie Cellan will be hosting Rachel Circle in the fellowship hall on Tuesday, April 2nd at 7:00 pm. 

Trinity Preschool’s Annual Obstacle-a Thon will be held on April 3 and 4.   This is a fitness awareness event.  Funds from the event will be used to make improvements to the preschool facility.  See the insert for more info.

Fellowship Time Following Lenten Services:   There will be fellowship time after each 6:00 pm Wednesday Lenten service.  Everyone is invited down to the fellowship hall for refreshments and fellowship.  There is a sign up sheet on the table in the Narthex for any group or individual that would like to bring bars, cookies or cakes.  Check for openings.

Altar Guild will meet at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 13 to clean and polish the altar ware and furnishings. Supplies will be provided. Please come to help us prepare for the Easter season.

Please contact Janette Lang if you have questions.

Easter Flowers : If you are interested in providing flowers to decorate the chancel (in Creston) on Easter Sunday, please see the insert in today’s bulletin for more information .               

MISSIONS

Used Portals of Prayer can be placed in the box located below the mailboxes in the Narthex. These will be distributed free next summer by the LLL at the Iowa State Fair.  There is a big demand for these. Thank you.

 LWML Spring Inspiration:  Saturday, April 6th, beginning at 9 a.m. with registration will be the LWML Spring Inspiration (formally known as the Spring Zone Rally) at Our Savior’s in Leon.  Our speaker will be Kathy Coady, from Hope Ministries in Des Moines.  She will share with us the ministries Hope offers to women and children.  The ingathering will benefit the women and children and items to be collected are:  High efficiency laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels and Kleenex.  Please join us for an for an inspirational morning!!!

Ladies of Trinity:    A wonderful opportunity is yours on Saturday, April 13, 2019, when Deb Burma, renowned Christian speaker and author who formerly belonged to Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in West Des Moines, will return to present a half-day retreat at Shepherd of the Valley.  Her theme is “Sip, Savor, and Drink Deeply”—how perfect for the blessed Easter season and a fantastic way to “fill your cup” with His abundant blessings!  Further details and registration forms are available on-line at www.shepherd-valley.org or on the narthex table. 

Thank You for your kind donation of diapers for our babies at LC Clinic.  Diapers are such an important part of our “Earn While You Learn” program.  Your generosity allows us to share God’s love with women facing an unplanned pregnancy and helps to meet the many needs of a precious child.  God Bless You!               From the staff at the LC Clinic