FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT November 30, 2025
ORDER OF WORSHIP: LSB - Matins, pgs. 219ff
HYMNS: 336 - 332 - 331
SERMON: “It Shall Come to Pass. . .”
TEXT: Isaiah 2:1-5
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Almighty and merciful God, we rejoice in the coming of the King, Your Son Jesus Christ. Through the work of Your Holy Spirit, prepare our hearts and lives in repentance as we welcome and receive Him. We remember with thanksgiving that He came to us in flesh and blood, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We ask You for grace and patience as we wait for His coming again to give us Your promised new heavens and a new earth. And now, as we struggle against the temptations of the devil and our sins of thought, word and deed, give us strength to resist them and the forgiveness and healing that Jesus gives as He comes to us in His Word and the Sacraments. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord! Amen
IN OUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK:
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” (Psalm 122:1).
• We give thanks to the heavenly Father for every gift of daily bread.
• We ask the Lord for continued strength and help for Glen Honeman during days of medical care; for healing for Warren Briggeman after a fall last week, and for Regan Price who recently suffered serious injury; for healing for people of our congregation, our families and friends, who suffer injury or illness in body or mind.
• For wisdom, blessing and guidance from the Lord’s Word for Rev. John Philipp Augustine as he is installed to begin his service today at Christ, Augusta and Grace, El Dorado (Circuit 10—Installation today at Grace, El Dorado at 3:00).
• For the Lord’s peace, courage, and bold confession of Jesus Christ for the congregations and individual Christians who suffer severe persecution in the Lutheran Church of Nigeria.
THE MONTHLY CIRCUIT 11 Pastors’ meeting will be held this Tuesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wichita, beginning at 8:00 am. Pastor Schotte plans to attend.
UPCOMING EVENT you don't want to miss! St. Paul ladies will have a Christmas luncheon this Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. starting with appetizers, and a meal following at 12:00 noon. All ladies of all ages are invited, please bring a neighbor and friend! Come celebrate the birth of Christ in song and Scripture, and enjoy the day together.
CHRISTMAS EVE PRACTICES . . . Work will begin on the children’s Christmas Eve program. Practices will be held following the worship service on Sundays before Christmas Eve. Please let Terri Liggett know of any children who would like to participate in the Christmas Eve program.
LADIES OF ST. PAUL - Please join us for food and fellowship from 5-8 pm this Thursday, December 4th. We will gather at Kathie Thurman’s house at 316 Grove St. in Pratt. Bring a friend to share our Advent joy!
DATES TO REMEMBER AT ST. PAUL:
• First Wednesday Midweek Advent activities, December 3rd—Worship at 6:30, followed by supper in the church basement, evening concludes with Midweek School classes until 8:00 pm
• Remaining Wednesdays in Advent - December 10th and 17th - worship at 6:30 followed by supper in the church basement, evening concludes with Midweek School classes until 8:00.
GROW IN GOD’S WORD . . .
• Sunday mornings – Sunday School for children and Bible Class for youth and adults at 9:00 am; worship at 10:00 am. Classes are available for grades pre-K through 2nd; grades 3rd through 6th; and 7th & 8th grades through high school .
• Midweek School for children in grades 3-8 each Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm
• Thursday evening Bible Class at 6:30 pm
OPEN DOOR HEALTH SERVICES in Hutchinson (315 W. 1st Ave.) will hold its Christmas Open House this Monday, December 1st, from 6 to 8 pm (come and go). See details and requested needed items on posted fliers.
SACRED MUSIC FOR THE ADVENT SEASON… “Savior of the Nations, Come,” “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry,” “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending,” “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding,” “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” You can listen to sacred music for the Advent season 24/7 at lutheranpublicradio.org, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomePod, TuneIn and the Lutheran Public Radio mobile app.
A LIFE THOUGHT in the Church Year for November 30 – Advent 1: Being a Gospel-motivated voice for life means loving all our neighbors, regardless of their size, condition, or past. As servants in the Master’s house (Matthew 24:43), we not only need to be prepared for Christ’s coming (Matthew 24:44; Romans 13:11), we should be eager to make all others ready, preaching the Gospel to them, inviting them “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3) that they, too, might be brought into the safety of the ark of the holy Church.
HEAD USHER: Gary McGuire ALTAR COMMITTEE: Gayla Schwertfeger
ELDERS: Derek Liggett, Shan Hullman, Samantha Houtwed Amanda Riggs
Lee Van Slyke Sharon Schwertfeger Erin Schwertfeger
TODAY - 8:00 am - The Lutheran Hour, KGNO (Dodge City, 1370 AM)
8:00 am - The Lutheran Hour, KCVW (Wichita, Hutch., 94.3 FM)
8:25 am - The Lutheran Hour, KMMM (Pratt, 1290 AM)
8:30 am - The Lutheran Hour, KWBW (Hutchinson, 1450 AM)
10:00 am - St. Paul Radio Broadcast, KMMM (Pratt, 1290 AM)
6:00 pm - The Lutheran Hour, KREJ (88.1 FM)
MONDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s Office Hours
TUESDAY - 8:00 am - Circuit Pastors’ meeting, Wichita
9 am-2 pm - Quilters meet
WEDNESDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s Office Hours
6:30 pm - Advent Vespers & Supper and Midweek
7:10 pm - Choir
THURSDAY - 11:30 am - Ladies’ Aid Christmas Luncheon
5-8 pm - Ladies Gathering at Kathie Thurman’s
6:30 pm - Bible Study
7:30 pm - Men’s Club
FRIDAY - 8:00 - 11:00 am - Secretary’s Office Hours
SUNDAY - 9:00 am - Sunday School and Bible Class
10:00 am - Worship with Holy Communion
THE LUTHERAN HOUR - “Rise and Shine” (Romans 13:11). Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is no siesta. It’s a 5am wake-up call, a jolt out of bed that will turn your world upside down. Speaker: Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler.
SERVING ON ALTAR GUILD for the month of December will be Marsha Giggy, Leigh Ann Hall, Judy Sinclair, Barb Schotte, and Marilyn Herren.
About the Cover: Although Jesus is the King from eternity, His earthly life was marked by humility. He was humbly born of a virgin and laid in a manger. His life of humility led to His entry on a donkey into His holy city during the week of His Passion. Christ the King willingly died a humiliating death upon the cross, but on the third day, He rose. One day, the King will come again. On that day, He will return in the fullness of His glory.
OLD TESTAMENT READING - Isaiah 2:1-5
EPISTLE - Romans 13:11-14
HOLY GOSPEL - Matthew 21:1-11