This Past Sunday at St. Thomas—First Sunday in Advent
Believers of St. Thomas Evangelical Lutheran Church,
This past Sunday was...
+ The First Sunday in Advent +
Join us this Sunday for the Divine Service at 9:00am and Family Catechesis at 10:30am
RESOURCES FOR HOUSEHOLD PRAYERS THIS WEEK
Our Around the Word Devotions and Family Catechesis Sheet are always available during Family Catechesis. Digital copies of these as well as more notes from Family Catechesis can be found by clicking here!
Also, here is a link to the full text for the Hymn of the Month, LSB 333, “Once He Came In Blessing” & our church’s “How We Worship” page. You can find the “Liturgy and the Life of Christ” video I mentioned in this week’s sermon at the bottom of this page.
The Readings for this past Sunday: Jeremiah 23:5-8; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 21:1-9
Our Hymn of the Day for this past Sunday: Savior of the Nations, Come, LSB 332
The Lord Jesus Comes in Humility to Redeem Us
The new Church Year begins by focusing on the humble coming of our Lord. “Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey” (Matt. 21:5). Even as He was born in a lowly manger, so Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a beast of burden. For He bears the sin of the world. He is the Son of David riding to His enthronement on the cross, where He shows Himself to be “The LORD is our Righteousness” (Jer. 23:5–6). Our Lord still comes in great humility to deliver His righteousness to us in the Word and Sacraments. Before receiving Christ’s body and blood, we also sing, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt. 21:9) And as we receive the Sacrament, we set our hearts on His return in glory, for “our salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom. 13:11).
Prayer for the First Sunday in Advent
O Lord Jesus Christ, King of all wisdom, power, righteousness, and grace, look today with mercy upon us who are troubled, and through Your holy Word, grant us Your blessed friendship. And because You are the eternal light, and nothing is hidden to You, behold today our misery, danger, and distress. Come to our aid with Your grace and might. By Your meekness, cover our burdensome sin and transgression. Impute to us Your righteousness, and despise not our penitential sighing and wailing. Receive me, O blessed King, into Your protection, and stand against the devil, the world, sin, and hell, that they may have no power over me. Grant that I may spend my time here among the flock of Your people and Your Church, strengthen my heart with the rich consolation of Your Word, and refresh my body and soul through the partaking of Your true body and blood. To this end, I commit unto You not only my clothes and temporal goods, but also my whole self entirely. Lead me, Your poor orphan, upon the right way and ascent to eternal rest, that with Your dear angels, I may know, honor, and praise You fully in eternity. Amen.
—Esaias Heidenreich, Betbüchlein (1572)
STEWARDSHIP THOUGHTS | From LCMS Stewardship Ministry
Matthew 21:3 – “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” Just a colt and her foal. How significant could they be? Could they really be used by the Lord for some great, heavenly purpose? This is one facet of stewardship we often forget: the blessing it is to us to be of service in the Lord’s Kingdom. What honor the Lord bestows upon us by using our gifts for His goals!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MILITARY CARE PACKAGE The Youth Education Committee is coordinating the collection of a care package for our military! A friend of Pastor Lacey’s is a chaplain in the Army, so we will be sending our contributions to him for distribution to soldiers currently stationed in the Middle East. If you’d like to contribute, please pick up a list of suggested items on the back table in the chapel. A particular request is cards. Our Beginning Catechesis students will be making cards to include in the package, but cards are welcome from anyone! Please bring your contributions to church by November 30. A collection bin will be in the back of the chapel each Sunday.
DECEMBER CALENDAR A fridge-worthy monthly calendar is available on the table at the back of the chapel – pick one up to keep up with this month’s events!
FIRST COMMUNION CLASS for preparation to receive the Rite of First Communion Prior to Confirmation will begin in January. If you’d like your child(ren) to participate, please see Pastor Lacey. Children will be expected to recite the Primary Texts that we recite before Catechesis each week as a “precursor” to the class.
BREAKFAST FOR SALE The senior youth will be selling either breakfast tacos or kolaches each week in the narthex for $2 each to help raise funds for their annual Higher Things trip. Thank you for your continued support!
EVENTS
This Advent, St. Thomas will gather for Evening Prayer, potluck soup and sandwiches, and Family Catechesis in members’ homes each Thursday at 6:00 PM. Our theme is “The Time Is Near: Redeeming the Days Before Christ’s Advent” (Ephesians 5:15–16). Each week we’ll pray, sing, and study together as we prepare for the coming of our Lord. The gatherings will be held at the Winoske home in Tomball (Dec. 4), the Spannagel home in Conroe (Dec. 11), and the Arnold home in Magnolia (Dec. 18). Please bring a soup, sandwich, side, or dessert to share! This week (December 4): Winoske Home
Blessings,
Pastor Lacey
For more about who we are and what we believe, visit the St. Thomas homepage.
