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Resources: Podcasts and Media Issues, Etc. Issues, Etc. is a ten-hour weekly syndicated radio talk show and podcast. The program features expert guests, expansive topics, while extolling Christ. It's hosted by Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Pastor Todd Wilken and produced by Jeff Schwarz. The Word of the Lord Endures Forever The Word of the Lord Endures Forever is a daily 15-minute verse-by-verse Bible Study hosted by Rev. William Weedon of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamel, IL. It is an excellent option for a solidly Lutheran "on-the-go" daily devotion. The Gottesdienst Crowd Gottesdienst was established in 1992 and had been responsible for providing outstanding liturgical material ever since. This organization is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the historic Lutheran liturgy. This is their regular podcast . Elsewhere on their website and in their quarterly print journal, they also routinely publish sermons new and old, fine articles pertaining to the historic liturgy and its rubrics, and conduct a podcast with leading Lutheran theologians with an aim to fostering a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the Divine Service in which our Holy and Triune God enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies, and keeps us in the true faith. A Brief History of Power Every week Dr. Koontz and RevFisk check their privilege against the backdrop of history’s vast and varied annals. You don‘t have to believe the Babel about the sons of Noah being a rosetta to understand the postmodern global politic to agree that an intellectual dark web exists because history always rhymes, no matter what you try to do about it. You might not save the world by listening, citizen, but that doesn‘t mean you won‘t save someone. Because knowing is only the first half of the battle. More Great Resources... The New Christian The Mature Christian The Aspiring Pastor Family Practical Resources Great Fiction Podcasts and Media Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Monday-Wednesday: Daily Prayer 9:15 a.m. Private confession by appointment. Bible Class and Sunday School Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 5:00 p.m.

What God Wants: The Law God has never wanted less than all of us. He gives us two great commandments in His Word: to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Every other commandment boils down to these two. What God wants from us: whether we find it to be a curb to bad behavior, a mirror to show us what’s wrong with us, or a guide to point out how to live, that is His Law. It doesn’t change, and it always accuses us since we’re sinners. Its best summary in the Bible is the Ten Commandments. The Ten C ommand me nts The Ten Commandments are a summary of what God wants from us. He wants us to love Him and to love our neighbors just like we already love ourselves. Each commandment helps us to properly order our love for God and others in specific ways. We sometimes divide the Commandments into two different "tables" or "tablets" because God originally gave Moses two tablets of stone on which He Himself wrote these Commandments. The First Table is composed of the first three Commandments that focus on the love of God, and the Second Table is made up of the last seven Commandments that focus on the love of our neighbors. Each Commandment has a "positive" side ("Do these things") and a "negative" side ("Avoid these things"), and gifts God seeks to protect for us in giving these Commandments. A fuller explanation can be found here , but below is a brief summary of each Commandment: The First Commandment – Worship only the true God. Do not worship any false god of any kind. (Gift of faith in the one true God) The Second Commandment – Use God’s Name the right way. Do not use it as a swear word, to cover your own lying, or to find out something you shouldn’t know. (Gift of refuge in God's saving Name) The Third Commandment – Set aside time and attention for God’s Word, especially on Sundays. Don’t use the time God has given you for anything less than His truth. (Gift of God's Word and Sacraments) The Fourth Commandment – Honor your parents and the other authorities God has given you in your life. Don’t destroy the family through what you do, what you say, or how you live. (Gift of parents, other authorities, and good order) The Fifth Commandment – Protect innocent life. Do not take the life of any innocent person through what you do or what you fail to do to care for him. (Gift of life) The Sixth Commandment – Protect marriage. Do not do, think, or say anything that destroys your marriage or anyone else’s, your chastity or anyone else’s. (Gifts of marriage and chastity) The Seventh Commandment – Protect property. Do not take something that truly belongs to someone else, whether the way you got it looked right or wrong to anyone. (Gifts of possessions and property) The Eighth Commandment – Protect other people’s good name. Do not say things, even if true, that are useless gossip when you stop and think about it. (Gift of a good reputation) The Ninth Commandment – Protect other people’s possessions, especially their real estate. Do not let your heart be ruled by obsessing over things that belong to someone else. (Gift of contentment, especially with your own possessions) The Tenth Commandment – Protect other people’s family, job, and their whole life, everything that makes their lives worthwhile, upbuilding, and good. Do not allow the desires of your heart to overwhelm the need to love your neighbor. (Gift of contentment, especially with the people God has placed in your life) Sin and Death All the evils we see in the world can be boiled down to either sin or death. Sin is every thought, word, and deed against God’s righteous Law, His holy will for us. And death is the obvious result of sin in this world. Scripture teaches that the first sin of our parents Adam and Eve has passed on to us a disease called “original sin.” This spiritual genetic disease infects every single human being and always brings us to death. And we commit many sins along our way to death. Those sins, called “actual sins” or “sins of omission and commission,” are all acts of rebellion against our Creator and symptoms of the underlying disease that’s leading us to death. So death is not natural except for sinners. If sin could be taken away from us, then we could be saved from death. If death could be taken away from us, life would look completely different; we would live knowing that we had already died and that we would not have to face the enemy of death anymore. The Gospel is the good news that in the death of Christ, our death has been defeated. That by the blood of Jesus, sin’s stain has been washed away. And that through baptism into Christ you can die with Him now so that you might live with Him forever. Three Us es of the Law God’s Law work s in three ways when we hear it or read it: Curb: It sets a boundary or curbs sin so that when w e hear that we will get in trouble for doing something, we don’t do it. In the same way that the curb keeps your car from running over someone on the sidewalk without consequence, the law curbs sin so that it doesn’t destroy everything. Mirror: It shows us our sin. This works as a mirror to make us aware of blemishes and stains we could not otherwise see. Sometimes we do not know our sin, not even its existence let alone its consequences, until God’s law is made known to us. Guide: It shows us a better way to live. We then know what we should do or not do so that we do not invent “good deeds” for ourselves but instead do those things God would have us do. Orders of Creation Life is not random. The Creator of all life is not Himself random and disorderly. He is a “God of order” so the life that He has made also has an order. Birds cannot become pine trees. Oceans do not turn into azaleas. Boys do not turn into girls. Women do not become men. These realities are called the orders of creation. We can deny them and fight against them. We can say that they are old-fashioned o r silly. We can make war on anyone who says that they are real or do exist. That won’t change anything. No amount of screaming will turn the bird into a pine tree. No amount of denial will change the Atlantic into an azalea. No social media post or politician’s speech will make boys into girls or women into men. Created life, including each one of us, can either conform to its created design or push against it. When we conform our thoughts and words and deeds to God’s orders, we live a better life than when we push – vainly – against them. When we expect to get pine cones from a pine tree and to see a boy grow into a man, we find wisdom. When we expect otherwise, our foolishness leads to all kinds of destruction. Table of D ut ies One of the best places to learn about the orders of creation is the collection of Bible passages found in t he Small Catechism – also known as the Table of Duties . This puts together how churches, families, workplaces, and governments all shou ld function and why they should. If you read the Table of Duties, you’ll find that the Bible is especially clear about how each of the different parts of life – the h ome, the local church, the workplace, the courts, and so on – is accountable to the one true God. Even if someone is doing evil and getting away with it now, he won’t forever. Even if someone is being lazy or foolish or wicked now, he will one day answer to God for all those things. Life is a serious thing because we live it in God’s presence, whether we acknowledge that fact or not, and one day we will all surely know that we must answer to Him, however much we now deny that. Marriage Marriage has three purposes: the procreation of children, faithfulness to one’s spouse, and the symb olizing of Christ’s marriage to His bride the Church. Marriage can therefore only be between one man and one woman since God Himself has only one Bride, the holy Christian Church, and when He instituted earthly marriage in the first times of the world, He brought together just one man, Adam, and one woman, Eve so that they should be “fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.” Marriage cannot be between two people of the same sex or multiple people at the same time because God did not establish marriage to be that way. What He established is what we acknowledge and honor, not what our hearts might want in their worst moments. We support and protect marriage so that God’s will might be honored and the children He has given us might be protected. Learn more about our church’s teaching on marriage here. Abortion No one has the right to take an innocent life. The Bible recognizes that guilty men could be punished for certain crimes with death, but no child may be punished for existing. We cannot support, vote for, much less practice abortion because we cannot support, vote for, much less practice murder. Murder is the ta king of innocent life, and abortion is the taking of an innocent life that is so pointedly and cruelly without the ability to defend itself. Learn more about our church’s teaching on abortion here. Sex and Gender We are not free to be whatever we would like. We were made to be some things and not others, to be male or female, neither both at the same time nor the opposite at some time nor something else altogether. If we were free to be whatever we would like, we would be greater and more powerful than God Himself, and since we plainly are not gods, do not have such control, cannot even keep ourselves alive without His help every moment, we can scarcely become something we were not made to be. We might playact, but we cannot become other than He has made us to be. This video is helpful to understand better what’s happening and how to think about it. Christian Freedom "A Christian is the freest lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, subject to all." - Martin Luther Christians are free from the regulations and traditions of men. We do not regulate one another in things that the Bible has left free – ceremonies, times of year, the drinking or not drinking of alcohol. Christian freedom must be maintained because it means that God’s Word is supreme in all things so that wherever and whenever God’s Word is silent, we are silent. Wherever and whenever God’s Word speaks – about the evil of being drunk, not the “evil” of drinking alcohol – we must speak. You can hear Martin Luther’s teaching on Christian freedom 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.

Donate to Immanuel Online Donation Options Coming Soon! Until then, if you would like to send us a check, you may address it to... Immanuel Lutheran Church 101 East View Place Osceola, Iowa 50213 Thank you, and God bless! More About Immanuel Lutheran Church... What is the Gospel? What is Immanuel Lutheran Church? Meet Our Pastor History of Immanuel Donate to Immanuel Contact 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.

Sunday Service Sundays Starting at 10 am Private Midweek Prayer Wednesdays Starting at 7 pm New to Immanuel Osceola 3? We’re excited you’re thinking of visiting Immanuel Osceola 3 and look forward to you coming to worship with us. There’s a lot going on in our busy church and we know it can be tricky to navigate the first time you come here. Feel free to get in touch to find out more and to discover how to make the most of your initial visit for you and your family. We can’t wait to meet you. Contact Us

What is the Gospel? We believe, teach, and confess that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord and that through faith in Him, we receive forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. We believe, teach, and confess that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord and that through faith in Him, we receive forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. We confess that “our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins and grace, but that we obtain forgiveness and grace only by faith when we believe that we are received into favor for Christ’s sake, who alone has been ordained to be the mediator and propitiation through whom the Father is reconciled” (Augsburg Confession, XX, 9). We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven and that all who die without faith in Him are eternally damned. We believe that those who believe in Christ are at peace with God even now and will enjoy a blissful relationship with Him during the time between their death and His second coming, and that on the Last Day their bodies will be raised. We, therefore, reject the following: That we may live or think as though there might be other ways of salvation than through faith in Jesus Christ. That anyone who lacks faith in Christ may be considered a Christian. That there is no eternal hell for unbelievers and ungodly men. More About Immanuel Lutheran Church... What is the Gospel? What is Immanuel Lutheran Church? Meet Our Pastor History of Immanuel Donate to Immanuel Contact 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.

Music Music in the Christian Church Music is central to the life of Immanuel Lutheran Church. We take to heart the words of Martin Luther on the role of music in the church: "[N]ext to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our thoughts, minds, hearts, and spirits... Our dear fathers and prophets did not desire without reason that music is always used in the churches. Hence, we have so many songs and psalms. This precious gift has been given to man alone that he might thereby remind himself that God has created man for the express purpose of praising and extolling God." More from Martin Luther on music: "Music is a fair and lovely gift of God which has often wakened and moved me to the joy of preaching. I have no use for cranks who despise music, because it is a gift of God. Music drives away the devil and makes people happy; they forget thereby all wrath, unchastity, arrogance, and the like. Next after theology I give to music the highest place and the greatest honor. I would not exchange what little I know of music for something great. Experience proves that next to the Word of God, only music deserves to be extolled as the mistress and governess of the feelings of the human heart. We know that to the devil music is distasteful and sufferable. My heart bubbles up and overflows in response to music, which has so often refreshed me and delivered me from dire plagues." (From Roland Herbert Bainton's Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther ) The Lutheran Service Book Immanuel uses the music of the Lutheran Service Book (LSB ), the hymnal of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Within this hymnal one will find the historic liturgy as it has been handed down through the ages by Christians in the West. As the liturgy is sung at the various church services Christians will recognize and share in various portions of the Scriptures and various prayers of the biblical saints. With the blind and with worried parents we pray according to ancient song the Kyrie, “Lord have mercy.” With John the Baptist we anticipate and sing of Christ’s arrival bringing with Him the forgiveness of sins in the words of the Agnus Dei. With Mary, the Mother of God, we praise the Father in heaven in His Spirit who knocks down the proud and raises up the lowly. Every Sunday has the songs of the angels as they gave glory to God for the birth of Christ (the Gloria) and a bit of Palm Sunday as with the children waving branches we pray for God to intervene in this world with His salvation singing their ancient song “Hosanna in the highest.” The Psalms Through the course of a year most nearly every service sings some of the hymnbook of the Bible, the Psalms, spanning the various thanksgivings, emotions, and needs of Christians. These are songs that Jesus Himself knew by heart and sang with His disciples and family. They are first to be understood as coming forth from God’s lips so we can sing them to one another’s ears and back all the more again to our Father in heaven’s ears who loves us and delights in hearing His children's prayers. Luther called the Church's hymns "the people’s psalms." Luther is a special person in the history of Christianity for many reasons, but he especially gave a voice to be heard to the ordinary people including the children when he put music and hymnody into their language. The Lutheran Service Book contains a large portion of Luther’s hymns, more ancient hymns still than these, as well as contemporary hymns written by a variety of authors and people you could even meet today. Hymns to know and learn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB 656) : Known as the Battle Hymn of the Reformation, this Lutheran favorite comes from Psalm 46, which Christians have long prayed in the face of disaster. Written by Martin Luther. Holy, Holy, Holy (LSB 507): Originally composed for Trinity Sunday, this beautiful hymn is easy to memorize, and celebrates the Triune God in all His glory using the words of the cherubim themselves. Written by Reginald Heber and based primarily on Isaiah 6:2-3 and Revelations 4:1-11. Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me (LSB 756): This hymn carries a powerful proclamation that even in the midst of life's greatest sorrows, in Christ we have comfort, victory, and joy that cannot be taken from us. Written by Paul Gerhardt, another great writer of Lutheran hymnody. 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.

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About If you're looking for our key teachings you can start with "What is the Gospel?" below ("The Christian Faith " and "The Divine Service " sections of our site will also help with that!). Or maybe you want to learn more specifically about our congregation , pastor , and history. Or to find out how you can support the ministry of Immanuel. Or even just to contact us. You can find all these things on the list of links below: About What is the Gospel? What is Immanuel Lutheran Church? Meet Our Pastor History of Immanuel Donate to Immanuel Contact 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.

The Divine Service Our Sunday service is called the “Divine Service” because in it our God comes to us with His gifts and we come to Him with our prayers and gifts. The service is “divine” because in it we meet with and hear from and receive life from our great God and Savior. It is not so much that we have something to give Him as that He has so much to give us. That’s why we go to church – the Divine Service. 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.

What the Service Means The whole Divine Service is built on the Bible. If you look in the book we use for worship, our hymnal, you will find that each part of the Service has one or more Bible passages that explain where that part comes from – why we are confessing our sins or why the pastor is singing or what Baptism is. If you take all those parts, you can divide the Service into two major parts: 1) the Service of the Word, where the Bible is read and preached, and 2) the Service of the Sacrament, where Holy Communion is celebrated and received. Service of the Word The Service of the Word, the first part of the Divine Service, features: Confession and Absolution, where God hears and forgives our sins through the pastor whom He’s sent to us Hymns of praise and humility such as the Kyrie and Gloria in Excelsis Psalms fitting for that day’s readings, such as the Introit and Gradual The Old Testament lesson, which is connected especially to the Gospel for that day The Epistle, which is an excerpt from a New Testament letter and is also generally connected especially to the day's Gospel The Gospel, which always centers on the words and works of Christ Himself and interprets the other two readings The sermon, where the pastor explains and applies one or more of the Scripture lessons The Offering and Offertory, where we bring gifts to support the church’s work The Prayer of the Church, where we ask God for His blessings and mercies on all Service of the Sacrament The Service of the Sacrament, the second part of the Divine Service, features: The Preface and Proper Preface where the pastor's prayer and our song asks God’s blessing on the congregation and retells what God has done, especially in that season’s focus The Sanctus (“Holy” in Latin), where we sing the ancient song from the Jerusalem temple and the welcome that the crowds sang when Jesus came into Jerusalem to welcome Him as He comes in Holy Communion The Lord’s Prayer, which Jesus taught us Himself The Words of Institution, which Jesus used to establish the Lord’s Supper in His Church The Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God” in Latin), which John the Baptist used to describe Jesus as God’s Sacrifice for our sins The Distribution of Communion, where we receive Christ’s Body and Blood The Nunc Dimittis (“Now Depart” in Latin), the song that elderly Simeon sang after he saw the child Jesus – we sing it after we have received Jesus in Holy Communion Prayers after Communion that it would bless our lives The Benediction, where the pastor gives the same blessing to the congregation that the ancient Israelite priests gave thousands of years ago (Numbers 6) 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.

Meet Our Pastor Pastor Aaron Wendorff was ordained and installed on July 2, 2022 to serve as Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church here in Osceola, as well as at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Leon, IA. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne with a Master of Divinity degree. Born and raised by farmers in Hutchinson, Minnesota, he met his wonderful wife Leah while working at Camp Omega, a Lutheran summer camp in southern MN. He and Leah have been blessed with five beautiful children: Miriam, Hazel, Abraham, Josiah, and Lois. Please don't hesitate to contact Pastor Wendorff via email anytime using the form below for any questions concerning our church's faith and ministry. Email Pastor Wendorff First Name Last Name Email Message Thanks for contacting me! Send More About Immanuel Lutheran Church... What is the Gospel? What is Immanuel Lutheran Church? Meet Our Pastor History of Immanuel Donate to Immanuel Contact 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.

The Congregation at Prayer "The Congregation at Prayer" is a brief form of devotion included on the back of our every Sunday bulletin. Following a devotion like this is part of a way of life in which we bring Sunday's Divine Service into our daily life of prayer and study of God's Word. Each week, there are daily Scripture readings, prayers, a Psalm, and a hymn stanza. Members and their families are encouraged to pray and confess out loud as much from this order of meditation and prayer as they are able, or as works best for their family size and ages. Here's an example of the brief format. If you scroll further down, you will also find a brief explanation of each part. EXAMPLE: Invocation: In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer: 7th Petition—Conclusion Psalm: Psalm 19 Readings: S: Matthew 5:17-26; M: Judges 2:1-5; T: Acts 4:13-22; W: Matthew 4:23-25 R: 2 Chronicles 33:9-13; F: Hebrews 13:1-6; S: John 7:32-36 Apostles’ Creed Hymn: 708 “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart” Prayers: For yourself, your family, the Church, the lost Lord’s Prayer Luther’s Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer Blessing Benediction: The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen. EXAMPLE WITH EXPLANATION: Invocation: In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The head of the household says these words of invocation, with the rest of the household giving their "Amen." As we say these words from Matthew 28:19 and make the sign of the holy cross, we bind unto ourselves the strong name of the Trinity, rejoicing that He has created us, redeemed us, and sanctified us, making us His own. And "Amen" simply means "Yes, it shall be so!" Catechism: The Lord’s Prayer: 7th Petition—Conclusion This portion of Luther's Small Catechism corresponds with the part we read/recite on Sunday as a congregation following the Service. You may choose to go through smaller or larger portions in your home devotions. The Catechism is much more than a textbook to use for Confirmation classes and then be done with. It is, in fact, a prayer book and a meditation book and a life book. Dr. Luther himself once wrote, "I pray the Catechism every day...and ask God to keep me in His dear, holy Word, lest I grow weary of it." Psalm: Psalm 19 The Psalter (Book of Psalms) has been called the "prayer book of God's people" and "the book of all saints." In it, everyone finds psalms and words that fit his situation so precisely "that it seems they were put in this way only for his sake" (Luther). The Psalms included in "The Congregation at Prayer" match the theme(s) from the Sunday's Propers (Scripture readings, prayers, etc.), so that you can continue to meditate upon and pray for yourself and others in connection with the Divine Service. Readings: S: Matthew 5:17-26; M: Judges 2:1-5; T: Acts 4:13-22; W: Matthew 4:23-25 R: 2 Chronicles 33:9-13; F: Hebrews 13:1-6; S: John 7:32-36 The Sunday reading here is the Gospel of the week, with the rest of the readings being generally related to the themes of that Gospel reading. Throughout the year, the readings bring encounters with material all throughout Holy Scripture, yet on a daily basis they are brief so that families with young children may more easily make them a part of family devotions. (If you are interested in a longer set of readings, you may want to check out the Daily Lectionary, pp. 299-304 in the Lutheran Service Book). Apostles’ Creed A creed is a statement of what one believes. In the Apostles' Creed, we make bold confession of the Christian faith as delivered to us in Holy Scripture. Most Sundays, we confess the Nicene Creed, and on occasion we confess the Athanasian Creed (both of these being fuller, longer Creeds developed in faithful response against various false teachings that had arisen in the Church). The Apostles' Creed is short and simple, and excellent for daily devotion, expanding upon the Invocation in detailing the work of each Person of the Holy Trinity. The text of the Apostles' Creed, along with an explanation of each part, can be found here. Hymn: 708 “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart” The hymns of the Church give voice to our praise of the Almighty God who has brought about our salvation through Jesus. They also serve a teaching function, telling and retelling profound truths of Holy Scripture. You can find hymns from Lutheran Service Book by searching for them (by number or title) here, or you can get your own LSB for your home at CPH.org . Prayers: For yourself, your family, the Church, the lost Whether using written prayers or praying ex corde (from the heart), you might follow this simple fourfold list, expanding it to include specific people you know and their specific troubles. For guidance in your own prayers, look to the prayers of Jesus, especially in John 17, and in the Lord's Prayer. Lord’s Prayer Our Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9-13, and Christians have been praying it ever since. There are no better words to pray than these, and no better guide for our other prayers to God. The text of the Lord's Prayer, and an explanation, can be found here . Luther’s Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer These two simple prayers contain thanksgiving, asking God's protection, confession of sins, and commending all that we are and have to God's almighty care. The text for these prayers can be found here. Blessing: Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God. This little portion is often overlooked, but in this call and response we are trained in this simple and beautiful reaction to everything in life: In our most joyful times we want to remember to give God all thanks and praise. And even in our most challenging times, along with Job we bless and the Lord and give Him thanks. Benediction: The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the + Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen. Beginning and ending our time of devotion in the name of the Triune God, we remember that in this same way our life in Christ was begun and that when our last hour comes, through faith in Him we will be brought unto everlasting life with Him. 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.