PALM SUNDAY March 24, 2024
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
Wisconsin Synod
Pastor Rev. Christopher Oehlke Pastor’s Phone: 1-262-909-7827
Organist Karen Davis, Mindy Kane, Church Telephone 763-682-4573
Lorraine Roush Email pastor@myimmanuel.org
WELCOME, VISITORS: We are glad you could be with us and we welcome you back any time. Please sign our “Welcome” card found in the pew holders or sign the guest book in the narthex/entry.
Prayer upon Entering Church
Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. In the multitude of your tender mercies prepare my heart that I may enter your house to worship and confess your holy name; through Jesus Christ, my God and Lord. Amen.
SERVICE OF THE WORD
(Beginning on Page 38 in the hymnal)
OPENING HYMN Sunday School Students and bells v.1
Congregation join them for v. 2-5
(#133) “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty
M: The grace of our Lord (+) Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
C: And also with you.
M: Dear friends in Christ, for five weeks of Lent we have been preparing for the celebration of our Lord’s paschal mystery. Today we come together to begin the solemn celebration of Holy Week. Christ entered in triumph into his own city to complete his work as our Messiah: to suffer, to die, and to rise again. Let us remember with devotion his entry that culminated at the empty tomb and follow him with a lively faith. United with him by Baptism, we share in his resurrection and new life.
M: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
C: Hosanna in the highest!
CONFESSION OF SINS
M: We have come into the presence of God, who created us to love and serve him as his dear children. But we have disobeyed him and deserve only his wrath and punishment. Therefore, let us confess our sins to him and plead for his mercy.
C: Merciful Father in heaven, I am altogether sinful from birth.
In countless ways I have sinned against you and do not deserve to be called your child. But trusting in Jesus, my Savior, I pray: Have mercy on me according to your unfailing love. Cleanse me from my sin, and take away
my guilt.
M: God, our heavenly Father, has forgiven all your sins. By the perfect life and innocent death of our Lord Jesus Christ, he has removed your guilt forever. You are his own dear child. May God give you strength to live according to his will.
C: Amen.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
M: We praise you, O God, for the great acts of love by which you have redeemed us through your Son, Jesus Christ. As he was acclaimed by those who scattered their garments and branches of palms in his path, so may we always hail him as our King and follow him with perfect confidence; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
THE WORD
FIRST LESSON Zechariah 9:9-12
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your King is coming to you. He is righteous and brings salvation. He is humble and is riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle bow will be taken away, and he will proclaim peace to the nations. His kingdom will extend from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will release your prisoners from the waterless pit. 12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners who have hope. This very day I declare that I will restore double to you. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
PSALM OF THE DAY (sung) Psalm 24 (page 73)
SECOND LESSON Hebrews 12:1-3
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endurance the race that is laid out for us. 2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of God’s throne. 3 Carefully consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinful people, so that you do not grow weary and lose heart. (EHV)
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
VERSE OF THE DAY
M: The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. (John 12:23)
STAND
GOSPEL Mark 11:1-10
11 As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it, and he will send it back here without delay.’” 4 They left and found a colt on the street, tied at a door; and they untied it. 5 Some who were standing there asked them, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 The disciples answered them just as Jesus had instructed them, and the men let them go. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their garments on it, and Jesus sat on it. 8 Many people spread their garments on the road. Others spread branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 Those who went in front and those who followed were crying out, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest! (EHV)
M: The Gospel of the Lord
C: (Sung) Praise be to you, O Christ!
BE SEATED
HYMN (#716) “No Tramp of Soldiers Marching Feet”
SERMON TEXT Hebrews 12:1-3
SERMON THEME “Finish Strong”
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
OFFERING – Please leave offering in the plate as you depart.
HYMN (#457) “Fight the Good Fight”
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Church of Christ, that her faith would remain fixed upon His death for our salvation, and that His Gospel would be proclaimed and lived out until He comes again in glory, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the world, that the Lord would uphold it in His order; for the Church, that she would be defended from all enemies; for our homes, that God would bless parents and children in service toward each other and faith until life’s end; and for the government, that God would grant all authorities health and wisdom, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For a mind like Christ Jesus to spurn all worldly equality, that we would humble ourselves here and find His greater portion in the life of the world to come, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all who suffer in this world, that they would not fear but fix their eyes on Jesus as they await the fullness of their salvation, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! We praise You, Father, that You have sent Your Son not in wrath but in mercy. As we enter this most holy week and ponder together the mysteries of Your great salvation, show us the answer to Your people’s prayers of “hosanna” in the Passion of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
C: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
M: O Lord God, our heavenly Father, pour out the Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep us strong in your grace and truth, protect and comfort us in all temptation, and bestow on us your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (Sung) Amen.
M: Brothers and sisters, go in peace. Live in harmony with one another. Serve the Lord with gladness.
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look on you with favor and (+) give you peace.
C: (Sung) Amen. Amen. Amen.
CHOIR “The Lord Bless You and Keep You”
Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church
THE SCHEDULE
Mon., March 25 7 p.m., Choir Practice
Wed., March 27 No Catechism Class
Thurs., March 28 7 p.m., Maundy Thursday Worship Service
Fri., March 29 7 p.m., Good Friday Tenebrae Service
Sat., March 30 7 p.m., Saturday Easter Eve Vigil
Sun., March 31 9:30 a.m., Sunday Easter Service
Next Sun., March 31: Greeters: Gutknecht Family
Shut-In Visitors for April: Lila Rancour and Olga Bruska
OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS
FISHERS PALM SUNDAY BREAKFAST: The Fishers Youth Group invites you to their 31st annual Palm Sunday Breakfast after the Worship Service this morning. Proceeds will benefit those attending the International Youth Rally this summer. Thank you to our youth and their families for their hard work hosting this breakfast.
LWMS PLATE OFFERING/SPRING RALLY: The plate offering for LWMS totaled $277. Thank you to all who participated. The Spring Rally of the Hannah Circuit LWMS (Lutheran Womens Missionary Society) will be on Sunday, April 7 from noon to 3 p.m. here at Immanuel. Pastor Sam Lor will share information about the True North Campus Ministry. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the narthex for anyone willing to help host this event. The 2024 National LWMS Convention is slated for June 27-30 at the Denny Sanford Convention Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Check their website for details: www.lwms.org.
FOOD SHELF: March is Food Shelf Month. Immanuel continues to gather donations to benefit the Buffalo Food Shelf (items and cash). There are silver labeled buckets in the coat racks in both the upper and lower narthex for this on-going service project.
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE AND POSTCARDS: There are postcards printed outlining Immanuel’s Holy Week schedule. If you’d like to send any out, they are available on the table in the narthex.
~March 24: Palm Sunday Worship, 9:30 a.m., followed by breakfast
~March 28: Maundy Thursday Worship Service, 7 p.m.
~March 29: Good Friday Tenebrae Service, 7 p.m.
~March 30: Saturday Easter Eve Vigil, 7 p.m.
~March 31: Sunday Easter Service, 9:30 a.m.
THRIVENT CHOICE DOLLARS: The Thrivent Choice program provides Thrivent members an opportunity to support charitable activities such as Immanuel. Choice Dollars must be directed by March 31. If you have any questions, contact your Thrivent representative or Julie Gutknecht. According to the 2023 financial report, we received $1,855 last year.
ATTENDANCE AT THE LORD’S HOUSE:
Sunday, March 17 69
Wednesday, March 20 47
FOR THE LORD’S WORK: March 17: General Fund-$1,525 (Minimum Weekly Amount Needed-$2,375); Salem-$12; West-$160.
VERSE OF THE DAY:
During the week memorize and think about this verse of the day:
The hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
(John 12:23)
