Welcome! We ask all of you, both visitors and members, to sign a Welcome card located in the pew rack. Please fill out this card, place it in the offering plate, or hand it to an usher as you leave the service.
Our Communion Practice: Lutherans believe that the Lord’s Supper demonstrates a oneness with Christ in faith, life, and worship among those who receive Communion. Reception of the Lord’s Supper by Christians not in fellowship with us would imply a oneness which does not yet exist. For this reason, we welcome those with whom we have “altar and pulpit fellowship” to the Lord’s Supper. This includes members of sister congregations of the LC-MS, members of the American Association of Lutheran Churches, and Lutheran Church Canada; as well as members of partner churches throughout the World. If you would like to know more about this practice, please arrange a time to speak with our pastor.
Prayers – For our home-bound members:
St. John’s – Alfred Larson.
Our Savior – Charlotte Scepaniak, Doris Vilhauer, Betty Zundel, Vi Schnaidt, Ken & Dorothy Maas, Loretta Podoll, Larry Nupen, Evelyn Grieben, Betty Meints, Verdena Dabbert, Lorraine Krage.
And for the children we sponsor through Mission Haiti: Michelet Voltaire, Michel Djoury, and Orgea Djouna.
Introit Psalm 105:1–5, 8; antiphon: 1 Peter 2:2–3
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to sal- | vation—*
if indeed you have tasted that the | Lord is good.
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call up- | on his name;*
make known his deeds among the | peoples!
Sing to him, sing prais- | es to him;*
tell of all his | wondrous works!
Glory in his | holy name;*
let the hearts of those who seek the | Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord | and his strength;*
seek his presence con- | tinually!
Remember the wondrous works that | he has done,*
his miracles, and the judgments he | uttered.
He remembers his covenant for- | ever,*
the word that he commanded, for a thousand gener- | ations.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to sal- | vation—*
if indeed you have tasted that the | Lord is good.
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
First Reading Acts 4:32–35
32The full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
33And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold
35and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Gradual adapt. from Matthew 28:7; Hebrews 2:7; Psalm 8:6
Christ has risen | from the dead.*
[God the Father] has crowned him with glory and | honor.
He has given him dominion over the works | of his hands;*
he has put all things un- | der his feet.
Epistle 1 John 1:1—2:2
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—
2the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—
3that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
5This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Holy Gospel John 20:19–31
19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
22And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
24Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Acknowledgments
The Introit, Collect, Gradual, and Verse are from Lutheran service Book: Altar Book, copyright 2006 CPH. All Scripture quotations, including those from Luthern Service Book, are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
St. John’s
Today: Dual Parish Service at Our Savior 10:00 am
Ushers Next Week: Dean & Lorie Ringgenberg
Maundy Thursday: Attendance – 68; Offering – $2,311
Easter: Attendance – 44; Offering – $1,180 General Fund;
$295 Building Fund
Our Savior
Organist: Marianne Klipfel
Elders: Douglas Klipfel & Don Hoops
Altar Guild: Ann Lee & Rebecca McHenry
Acolytes: Ally Johnson & Rhyan Johnson
Last Week: Attendance: Good Friday – 107; Easter Vigil – 52; Easter – 142
Offering – General Fund $4,723; Lilies $467;
from Easter Vigil, for Circuit A $100
Schedule for the Week
Sunday Sunday School – 9:00 am
Dual Parish Service with Communion at Our Savior – 10:00 am
Presentation by Pastor Andreasen – after the service
Monday Mat Ladies – 1:00 pm
Deacons – 3:30pm
Tuesday Coffee & Confessions – 6:30 am
Senior Potluck – 12:00 pm
Wednesday Staff Devotion – 9:00 am
Catechism Class – 5:00 pm
Vespers – 6:00 pm
Bible Study – 6:30 pm
Thursday Elders Meeting – 5:15 pm
Council Meeting – 6:30 pm
Saturday Bible Study – 9:00–11:00 am
Next Sunday St. John’s Divine Service with Communion – 8:15 am
Sunday School – 9:30 am
Voters Meeting at Our Savior – 9:30 am
Our Savior Divine Service with Communion – 10:45 am
Sunday School Sings
Nursery Circle – after the service
Pastor Ludwig will be in the office during the morning on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Dual Parish Service & Presentation – Sunday, April 7
th we will have a joint dual parish service at Our Savior at 10:00 am, with Pastor Andreasen preaching. Immediately after the service, he will give a presentation about how he and his family will serve as missionaries in Romania.
Sunday School will return to its 9:30 am start time next week on April 14
th.
The Senior Potluck will be Tuesday, April 9
th at noon. Join us for good food and fellowship!
Saturday Bible Study – The next Saturday Bible study will be April 13
th at Our Savior from 9:00-11:00 am. The topic will be determined by the enclosed surveys. Please return them to Pastor or the church office by April 7
th.
Voters Meeting – The quarterly voters meeting at Our Savior will be Sunday, April 14
th at 9:30 am.
Family Game Day & Potluck hosted by the Board of Education will be Sunday, April 28
th. There will be a potluck after the service, followed by Bingo and other games. All are welcome! Enjoy the afternoon with your church family.
Portals of Prayer for April – June are available in the narthex.
Annual Reports for 2023 are available in the narthex. More will be printed if they run out.
The Lutheran Witness – Going forward, there will be a change in how you receive your Lutheran Witness magazine. Our Savior will order a bulk subscription which will be delivered to the church, and members can pick it up here. They will be hand-delivered to our homebound members. The SD District news insert will still be included. Since the cost of magazines has nearly doubled in the last few years, the congregations of the South Dakota District of the LCMS have voted to end the policy of required blanket subscriptions, because some churches can no longer afford it. We do receive a discount on the bulk order. Individuals can subscribe on their own if they’d like it delivered directly to their home.
The Lutheran Witness provides great information, instruction, and encouragement from our confessional Lutheran perspective, therefore the church encourages you to continue reading it.
The April issue is available in the narthex at Our Savior.
Vacation Bible School is set for June 2 – 6, 2024. The theme is “Celebrate the Savior!” Of all the blessings God gives us, His Son Jesus is the biggest reason to celebrate. Starting with Jesus’ birth and concluding with His resurrection, children will learn about Jesus’ unending love and forgiveness.
Hours are from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, with time for a sack lunch from 5:30 to 6:00.
Registration forms are available by the library. Friends, neighbors, and relatives are welcome also!
The Board of Education needs teachers and helpers in all areas. There will be a sign-up sheet in the library area soon. Please consider your talents and how you can help serve.
LCMS Stewardship Ministry – April 7 – 2
nd Sunday of Easter
John 20:19 – “Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” The peace we have in Jesus is what makes a life of good works possible. Since we know that it is Jesus who saved us, and not our works, we are now free to do good works not out of self-interest, but for the right reasons: out of thanksgiving toward God and love for our neighbors.
Building Healthy Families: Husbands, listen up! Did you know that 90% of effective communication is listening, not talking? When your wife is talking to you, stop what you are doing, turn toward her, and look at her face. Communicate the message that you are interested in and care about what she is saying. This is respectful, courteous, and is one way to build a great relationship. Give it a try this week!
Lutheran Family Service www.LutheranFamilyService.org
