Search this Site

Over the Rainbow Preschool Our Over the Rainbow Preschool has been blessed to serve the families of Osceola and the surrounding area with quality Christian education for decades. We offer a... 2-day program for 3 year olds, 3-day program for 3 year olds 4-day program for 4-5 year olds. At Over the Rainbow, we teach the age-appropriate foundational lessons on the alphabet, counting, etc., as well as - and most importantly - the foundational truths of Holy Scripture. Our teachers love the Lord and sharing His Word and His love with little ones! We prioritize joy in learning, safety, and growing in our faith. (To learn more about what our church teaches, please explore our website, especially The Christian Faith and The Divine Service ). Parents of preschool students will find many opportunities to be involved throughout the school year. We have had parents volunteer to lead games and activities on special days, bring in farm animals for hands-on learning, and we have even had parents serving in local law enforcement come do a safety lesson which included showing us a police car! Parents are also invited to join us for our weekly chapel services with Pastor Wendorff , where we pray, learn precious Scripture verses and songs, and hear lessons from the Bible. For more information or to register your child today, contact our director Linda West at 641-414-3858 or you can email her here . Other Education Opportunities... Sunday School Adult Bible Class First Communion Class Confirmation Class Men's Group Women's Guild Congregation at Prayer Over the Rainbow Preschool Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Contact Us Whatever your questions, whatever your needs, we want to hear from you. Please use the form below to contact the church with your questions. We look forward to starting a conversation with you and will respond as quickly as we can. Contact Immanuel Lutheran Church First Name Last Name Email Write a message Submit Thank you for contacting us! Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Service Times We warmly welcome you and your family to join us in worship. Contact us with any questions beforehand, or just show up next Sunday and we'll look forward to meeting you then! Our regular Divine Service times and regular education opportunities are listed below: Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Monday & Wednesday: Brief Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Private confession by appointment. Midweek Services Wednesdays at 6pm during Advent and Lent Regular Education Opportunities Sunday: Adult Bible Class after Divine Service (year-round) Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. (breaks for summer) Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. (year-round) Women's Group: 2pm first Sunday each month Men's Group: 7am second and fourth Saturdays More About the Divine Service... God's Gifts Why the Liturgy? What the Service Means The Church Year and Its Symbols Mus ic Service Times Children in Worship Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Men's Group Men are called to provide for, protect, and lead their families, churches, and communities. The world is not interested in equipping men to do this, at least not in any sort of godly way. But God is. In His Holy Word, He gives us all we need to live as true and faithful men of God. Our Men's Group meets 7-8am on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of every month. On 2nd Saturdays we study a book of the Bible, and on 4th Saturdays we study the Lutheran Confessions. Coffee is provided (and usually snacks). Join us as we see and rejoice in God's Word attacking the lies of Satan and this world, and as we encourage each other to live as God has called us to by His Gospel. Other Education Opportunities... Sunday School Adult Bible Class First Communion Class Confirmation Class Men's Group Women's Guild Congregation at Prayer Over the Rainbow Preschool Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Resources This pastorally-curated list of resources is intended to support and enrich Christians. It includes, books, articles, podcasts, videos, and businesses whose content and offerings serve the Christian faith. Our recommendations are constantly growing, so check back often for new additions, and contact us with questions, comments, or additional materials to consider. For the New Christian The Holy Bible The Lutheran Study Bible The Small Catechism Print Version Online Version The Lutheran Confessions Print Version (Reader's Edition) Online Version For the Mature Christian Luther's Works Law and Gospel by C. F. W. Walther The Reason I Believe: The Basics of Christian Apologetics by Allen Quist For the Aspiring Pastor The Concordia Triglotta The Fire and the Staff by Klemet Preus Christian Dogmatics (Vols. 1-3) by Francis Pieper This podcast episode on The Lutheran Pastor by George Henry Gerberding For Families Teaching the Faith at Home by David Rueter The Lutheran Service Book For Men Man Up!: The Quest for Masculinity by Jeff Hemmer Practical Resources Lutherans For Life Ramsey Solutions Great Fiction The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Podcasts Issues, Etc. The Word of the Lord Endures Forever The Gottesdienst Crowd A Brief History of Power On The Line Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Sermon Archive [Sermons coming soon] Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Why the Liturgy? Immanuel follows the order of the Divine Service, known as the “liturgy.” It’s a simple, clear, and ancient way that Christians have worshipped for centuries and centuries. We follow that way because it is one of the best ever found in the church’s history to receive God’s gifts. We could organize things in other ways, but the liturgy keeps us on track: God’s Word and God’s Body and Blood stay at the center – where they belong. Our preferences, interests, and hobbyhorses have little to no room in the liturgy, and that’s all to the good. More About the Divine Service... God's Gifts Why the Liturgy? What the Service Means The Church Year and Its Symbols Mus ic Service Times Children in Worship Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

The Church Year and Its Symbols Our congregation follows the Christian church year to order our life together and our focus in the Divine Service. Semesters of Christ and the Church The Christian Church year has two parts, divided roughly in half into semesters or half-years: The Semester of Christ from Advent through Easter (winter and spring) The Semester of the Church from Pentecost through the Last Sunday of the Church Year (summer and fall) In those semesters or half-years there are smaller seasons: The Semester of Christ has Advent when we focus on Christ’s coming, Christmas when we celebrate His birth, Epiphany when we hear of His revealing to the whole world, Lent when we prepare for His suffering and death, and Easter when we rejoice in His resurrection from the dead. The Semester of the Church has Pentecost when we hear of the Holy Spirit’s coming to the church for the world’s sake and Trinity when we learn how to grow in the life of Christ. Each season has its own color that goes with its focus: Advent is purple for hope of the coming of Christ our King. Christmas is white for Christ’s purity and beauty. Epiphany is white for the light of Christ being revealed to all the nations. Pre-Lent (Gesimatide) is green for growth in our understanding of God's grace to us in Christ as we approach the season of Lent. Lent is purple for repentance and sadness over sin. Easter is white for Christ’s victory over death. Pentecost is red for the fire of God’s Spirit. Trinity is green for continued growth in the life of God. There are special days throughout the year with their own colors such as Ascension and Reformation and others, the color of the day always linking it to some other day with similar colors, similar readings, similar themes. Vestments and Paraments The church and pastor are dressed along with those seasons. The different pieces of furniture and the pastor will be covered in the colors of the day or the season, so that the whole focus for that day is on Christ and His Word, not on how nice the minister’s suit looks or whether his jeans are too tight. The church’s coverings (called “paraments”) and the minister’s clothing (called “vestments”) also have symbols on them that go with that season or day. You will find images of Christ’s birth on the banners on the back wall of the church (the “chancel wall”) at Christmas and symbols of resurrection such as Easter lilies at Easter. At every service our church is overlooked and blessed with the towering cross on our chancel wall and the crucifix, the image of Christ crucified, standing above the altar. This reminds us of our sin and still more of Christ’s love that He would die for us, taking away the sin of the world. The crucifix puts in front of our eyes what Paul said he put in front of his churches’ eyes, “I resolved to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified.” All the church’s art helps us to hear the gospel more clearly and to know the Bible better. More About the Divine Service... God's Gifts Why the Liturgy? What the Service Means The Church Year and Its Symbols Mus ic Service Times Children in Worship Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Who God is: The Gospel The Bible teaches two doctrines above all others and including all others: the law and the gospel. On the law you can see this section of our website . The Bible teaches the law in each book but does not teach a law that could save sinners. God’s holy law always accuses sinners. So the Bible also teaches a way of rescue: the gospel or good news that Jesus Christ was born, suffered, died, and rose from the dead to give us life and forgiveness. There is no hope for sinful men except in Jesus Christ, His work, His death, His resurrection, but in Him we have every hope of mercy and peace from our heavenly Father. The Bible also teaches this good news in each book, and only this gospel or good news can save us from certain death and the punishment of sin in Hell. This gospel is the heart and soul and purpose of Christ’s Church and so also of Immanuel Lutheran Church. In this gospel God opens to us the truth and reality of His heart and desire – to save sinners from death and Hell through the blood and resurrected life of Jesus Christ. It is the reason we are and the reason we do all that we do. The Ecumenical Creeds This gospel is summarized for us in the oldest of our church’s confessions – the three Ecumenical Creeds. A “creed” is something that someone or some group believes, and “ecumenical” means worldwide. Any Christian can and should believe what these three creeds – the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed – teach. You can find all three creeds here. The oldest creed is the Apostles' Creed. It’s so old we don’t even know exactly how old it is but find it used at baptisms in Rome a couple centuries after Jesus' resurrection. We still use the Apostles' Creed at baptisms and other Sundays throughout the year. It teaches the basics of who God is – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – and what He has done and does to create us, to redeem us, and to make us holy so that we can live with Him forever. The second-oldest creed is the Nicene Creed, which resolved disagreements in the church about who Jesus is and who the Holy Spirit is. It is about 1,700 years old, and we say it every Sunday at Immanuel. It teaches very clearly that Jesus Christ is true God and true man and that the Holy Spirit is not some kind of power or force but the Third Person of the Holy Trinity and the One who makes us spiritually alive through the gospel. The newest creed is the Athanasian Creed; it’s only 1,400 years old. It was written against people who believed that Jesus was not truly God in the same way His Father is – a group then called Arians but similar to modern-day Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormons. We say this creed once a year on Trinity Sunday in early summer because it teaches us clearly who Jesus is, what He’s done for our salvation, and what we must believe to have eternal life. What is the Bible? The Bible is God’s Word, sixty-six distinct books written over more than a thousand years’ time, all with some human author, all with a single divine Author, the Holy Spirit. If we are reading Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are reading the Holy Spirit’s words. If we are reading Jonah’s prayer in the belly of the fish, we are reading the Holy Spirit’s words. If we are reading Moses’ account of the world’s creation, we are reading the Holy Spirit’s words. Since the Holy Spirit has written all these things through the human writers He chose to use, the Bible is inerrant (it has no mistakes) and infallible (it will not mislead us). Since God Himself is totally trustworthy, His Word is also totally trustworthy. How should I read t he Bible? You should read the Bible the way it wants to be read: as God’s Word centering on the person and work of Jesus Christ. See the section above (“What is the Bible?”) to understand the fact that it’s God’s Word, not man’s. Look at the gospel of Luke, chapter 24, to see how Jesus Himself read the Bible. When people were confused about what God was doing and what His Word meant, Jesus explained that the Bible centered on who He is and what He has done in His death and resurrection that the world might be saved through Him. When you read the Bible, read as much as you can at a time. Don’t read one verse and then put it down. That’s like watching one minute of a movie per day. You’ll never understand what’s happening, and you’ll never finish it all! Here are some reading plans that will help you get more deeply into the Bible than you have before: Professor Horner’s Bible Reading System M’Cheyne’s Plan Genesis to Revelation Learn more about how we read the Bible here. What is a Confessional Church? A confessional church is a church that clearly tells you what it believes and teaches and does. Many churches do not have a confession of faith, or if they do have a faith statement, it’s not very long or very clear. So you never know what you’re going to get, and it probably depends on who’s preaching that week. Our church is confessional as all Lutheran churches are. Our confessions are listed here , and you can read more about them and more of them here and here . All that means is that at Immanuel what you see is what you get. What we believe drives what we say and what we do, and you can see for yourself what we believe. We need confessions because almost every church will say that it believes in Jesus and believes that the Bible is true or at least helpful. Confessions make clear what we mean when we say that so you don’t have to wonder, and they hold us accountable for what we’re doing or saying. It's not that we don’t need confessions or creeds because the Bible isn’t clear. The Bible is very clear. That’s how we can write a confession: because we know what the Bible says. We need confessions because human beings aren’t very clear and can be erratic and change their minds often. Confessions hold us on course, keep us biblically grounded, and help you know what our church is all about. How does God save us? God saves us from our sin, death, and Hell through the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. He made atonement for our sin through the blood He shed on the cross for us, and He gave up His life for ours when He gave up His spirit at the end of His crucifixion. That message is brought to us through the preaching of the gospel, whether we hear it first when we’re very young or when we are much older, and it is that good news that alone saves us. Since that has to do with God’s work for us and God’s message preached to us, we say that God’s salvation or rescue is entirely His doing. Theologians call that idea “monergism,” from the Greek word meaning that only one Person is doing the work. The work of saving us from everything that threatens us or terrifies us or would destroy us either today or forever is up to God and depends alone on God. If everything depends on Him, then our salvation is all grace – a free gift, a present you don’t have to do anything to get or do anything once you get it. Our salvation is His to do and ours to enjoy eternally. How many religions are true? There are thousands and thousands of different beliefs and practices throughout the world that you could call “organized religion.” There are even more private beliefs and practices that people do on their own that you could also call “religious.” Are those all the same? Do they all get you to the same place? No, they don’t because they can’t. All religions other than Christianity boil down to: do this, so that you can be saved or fixed or however they express the goal of what they believe and do. Every other religion than Christianity boils down to a religion of the law – maybe not God’s law as we read it in Scripture but some kind of command or rule. You might be using healing crystals to overcome something horrible that happened to you or washing yourself before Friday prayers in a mosque. The idea is always the same: do something so you can get something. Christianity is the only true religion because it is the only religion of the gospel. It is not defined by what you do or don’t. It’s defined by God’s good news that everything necessary for salvation from sin and shame and death and Hell has been done and is brought to you in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. That’s the only religion you can rely on. That’s the only true religion. You can learn more about the two religions here. More About the Christian Faith... What God Wants Who God is How to Pray God With Us Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Women's Guild Women of all ages are invited to join our Women's Guild, where we spend time both sitting at the feet of our Lord Jesus, as well as rolling up our sleeves and getting to work in serving our Lord and others...following in the footsteps of both Mary and Martha! (Luke 10:38-42). This usually takes the form of a book study, followed by a brief meeting focused on action items for service. We typically meet at 2pm on the first Sunday of the month in the church's Fellowship Hall. Other Education Opportunities... Sunday School Adult Bible Class First Communion Class Confirmation Class Men's Group Women's Guild Congregation at Prayer Over the Rainbow Preschool Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

God's Gifts In the Divine Service, God gives us His gifts. He speaks to us and is with us, just as Isaiah predicted that He would be Immanuel, "God with us," when He was born for us at Bethlehem. Preaching and how to listen to it The Bible is God’s Word. Our pastor teaches you what the Bible says and encourages you in the life Christ gives you. In preaching God’s ministers unfold the meaning of God’s Word, not their opinions, God’s will, not their preferences. In the sermon you will hear God’s truth applied to your life so that you might have hope for now and forever in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord's Supper and how to receive it In the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion, our Lord Jesus Christ is physically present for us and with us just as He promises, “This is My Body...This is My Blood.” That’s why our church takes the Lord’s Supper so seriously – God Himself is present. And that is why... We kneel to receive the Lord’s Supper. We are silent when Christ’s Words of Institution are chanted. We say “Amen!” when we are served Christ’s Body and Christ’s Blood from the pastor. We prepare ourselves through confessing our sins and receiving God’s forgiveness early in the Divine Service. We ask guests and inquirers to talk to our pastor before receiving the Lord’s Supper. Sacrament and sacrifice In the Divine Service God is with us, and we are with Him. Whenever the family gathers, the Father with His children, everyone has something to give, something in which the other delights. When God gives to us, that is called a “sacramental” act, and when we give something to God, as a child might give his poorly drawn picture to his father but the father is nonetheless delighted to have that drawing, that is called a “sacrificial” act. When the pastor forgives our sins in Christ’s Name, reads the Word of God to us, preaches God’s Word in the sermon, celebrates Holy Communion, or feeds us with Christ’s Body and Blood, those are the sacramental acts, where God is giving us Himself and all His gifts. When the pastor prays on our behalf or presents the congregation’s offerings, these are “sacrificial” acts–small sacrifices of our prayers or our gifts for the sake of our God and His work. More About the Divine Service... God's Gifts Why the Liturgy? What the Service Means The Church Year and Its Symbols Mus ic Service Times Children in Worship Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

The Christian Faith Almost every church claims to believe the Bible or practice Jesus’ ways. How can you tell the difference between what God teaches and what people have made up? Our Lutheran Church boils down what God teaches into a brief form called the Small Catechism. Look around here more to understand what’s in the Small Catechism and how it summarizes everything Christians believe and do (You can also check out the entire Small Catechism here ): The Christian Faith What God Wants Who God is How to Pray God With Us Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.