Author: Julie Raffa

Introit Psalm 81:8, 10–11, 13; antiphon: Luke 3:4b
The voice of one crying in the | wilderness:* “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his | paths straight.” Hear, O my people, while I ad- | monish you!* O Israel, if you would but lis- | ten to me! I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of | Egypt.* Open your mouth wide, and I will | fill it. But my people did not listen | to my voice;* Israel would not sub- | mit to me. Oh, that my people would lis- | ten to me,* that Israel would walk | in my ways! 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. The voice of one crying in the | wilderness:* “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his | paths straight.”
Collect of the Day
Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Old Testament Reading Malachi 3:1–7b 1“Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5“Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
6“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.”
Gradual Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 118:26, alt.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation. Blessèd is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.
Epistle Philippians 1:2–11
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Holy Gospel Luke 3:1–20
1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
7He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
18So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
Announcements
The Advent service on Thursday, December 9 will be at 2:00 p.m. due to Joanne Klumb’s Funeral at 12:00 p.m.
The Children's Christmas Service will be held on Sunday, December 12 at 4:00 p.m. with a Chili supper will be served after the service. There will be a rehearsal held on Saturday, December 11 from 9 - 10:30 a.m.
Ladies Guild Cookie Sale will be held on Sunday, December 12 between and after services. The cookies will be sold for $8 for a 1 lb. box. Money raised will go to Seminarian Austin Meier and Missionary Micah Wildauer.
Please have your double batch of Christmas cookies to the kitchen by 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 11.
Cable Worship Schedule Pilgrim’s Sunday 8:00 a.m. Divine Service is broadcast on WB 987 and AT&T Uverse 99 multiple times during the week: Sundays: 6:00 a.m. Mondays: 4:00 p.m. Tuesdays: 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays: 9:00 a.m. Wednesdays: 4:00 p.m. Bible Study, Thursdays: 4:00 p.m. This service is also live streamed and archived on the church’s YouTube channel:
Pilgrim Lutheran Church- West Bend, WI

Second Sunday in Advent
Divine Service
Lutheran Service Book: Page:
Liturgy: Setting 4 (Apostles Creed) 203
(Gloria and Hymn of Praise are omitted in Advent)
Hymns:
O Lord, How Shall I Meet You 334
On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry 344
Communion Hymns:
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep 621
When All the World was 346
Comfort, Comfort, Ye My 347
Hark the Glad Sound 349
Church of God, Elect and Glorious 646
Scripture Readings:
Old Testament: Malachi 3:1-7b
Epistle: Philippians 1:2-11
Gospel: Luke 3:1-20
X X X
In our prayers, we remember:
X all who live under the flag of our nation,
X our government and judicial officials,
X law enforcement officers, military personnel, and their families,
X those isolated from family and friends,
X those struggling with health issues:
Bob Mayer, Jess Doughty, Carl Pritzlaff, Janet Meisenheimer, Mark Selzler, Paul Lierman, Sherry Cullen, Judy Clark, Carolyn Bren, Ron & Joyce Virchow Sr., Louise Kreis, Betty Steely, Inez Schwoch, Sue Zell, Ruth Mertz, Jerry & Gert Sullivan, Kandie Darmody, June Fry, Elaine Kuenzel, Diane Behrens
X pastors, missionaries, and those who serve God’s people with the gifts of Christ,
X Christians persecuted for the confession of the faith, and especially we remember
X all who have forsaken the faith, that they may be restored to gladness of heart and be made wise to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
X X X
Preacher: Rev. Christopher Raffa
Liturgist: Rev. Joseph Fisher
Elder: Dennis Engmann, Gary Jenovai
Cantor: Tanner Schmidt
Organists: Kathy Greve

Coming Up at Pilgrim
Sunday, December 5:
8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Divine Service
9:15 a.m. Sunday School: Bible Studies
9:30 a.m. Adult Class: Life of Christ
12:30 p.m. Bible Study: 1st Samuel
Monday, December 6:
6:30 p.m. Elders Meeting
Tuesday, December 7:
2:00 p.m. Auxiliary Court Chapel
Wednesday, December 8:
9:00 a.m. Pilgrim Quilters
4:30 p.m. Youth Catechesis
6:30 p.m. Adult Class: Lutheran Difference
Thursday, Date:
9:00 a.m. Galatians Bible Class
12:00 p.m. Joanne Klumb Funeral
2 & 7:00 p.m. Advent Divine Service
Friday, December 10: Office Closed
Saturday, December 11:
7:00 a.m. Men’s Breakfast & Bible Study
9:00 a.m. Christmas Program Rehearsal
11:00 a.m. Cookies to be to Kitchen
Sunday, December 12:
8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Divine Service
9:15 a.m. Sunday School: Bible Studies
9:30 a.m. Adult Class: Life of Christ
12:30 p.m. Bible Study: 1st Samuel
4:00 p.m. Congregational Children’s Christ
mas Program
5:00 p.m. Chili Supper

Second Sunday in Advent
December 5, 2021
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Luke 3:4b
Welcome and blessings to you through our Lord Jesus Christ!
We welcome all who gather with us around the Altar and Pulpit to hear the Word of God. If you are visiting, we are happy that you could join us today. Please sign the guest book in the narthex and fill out one of the pew cards and pass it in with the offering plate to leave a record of your visit.
Communion Statement: By the design and specific warning of our Lord Jesus Christ in His Word, the precious gift of the Lord’s Body and Blood is to be shared with His blessing only with those prepared to take it rightly. (1 Cor 11:23-32) At the first communion our Lord did not commune all believers, but only those who had been instructed by Him daily for three years. The custom of our church is to offer the Sacrament only to confirmed members of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. So that our pastors would faithfully fulfill their obligations, (1 Cor 4:1; Heb 13:17; 1 Cor 11:27), all first-time visitors should speak to one of the pastors prior to communing. Our pastors are eager and available to provide instruction leading to a right and salutary reception our Lord’s holy Body and Blood, so that in the future you may join us in the blessing of this sacrament.

Pilgrim Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession
The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod
462 Meadowbrook Drive, West Bend, WI 53090
(262) 334-0375 www.pilgrimlutheran-westbend.org