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Rethinking Religion — February 18-March 24
Everyone has assumptions about God. Likewise, everyone has assumptions about religion. Increasingly, those assumptions are negative. Americans are walking away from Christianity in breathtaking numbers. It raises the question. How do those people know if their assumptions about religion are correct? Do they really understand Christianity at all? Do we? Do we truly understand this religion?

In the season of Lent, as much as any other, Jesus teaches things that turn the world’s assumptions about religion completely upside down. We call it “Christianity.” So, in this holy season, let us go straight to Christ and let him replace assumptions with truth. Jesus, help us to rethink religion!
  • Feb 18 – Rethinking Trials, Tests, and Temptations
  • Feb 25 – Rethinking Suffering under the Cross
  • Mar 4 – Rethinking the Worth of Worship
  • Mar 10 – Rethinking the Solution to Sin
  • Mar 17 – Rethinking Devoted Commitment
  • Mar 24 (Palm Sunday) – Rethinking Real Strength
 
Epiphany Series – From the River to the Mountains — January 7-February 12
“Epiphany” comes from a Greek word that means “reveal.” Today, if someone says, “I had an epiphany,” he means he had some extremely important, life-changing revelation. Within the Church Year, that is the purpose of the season of Epiphany—to reveal important truths about Jesus Christ, truths that will indeed change your life.
For most of his adult life, Jesus was known simply as Mary’s son. He followed his adoptive father, Joseph, into the carpentry business. People in his hometown of Nazareth probably thought of Jesus as a very nice man—hardworking, honest, a role model for others. (That is still how many think of Jesus today.) But around the age of thirty, the fuller truth about Jesus began to be revealed: his person, his power, his purpose. It started with Jesus standing in a river with John the Baptist. The biggest epiphany took place at a mountain, where select followers saw Jesus shining brighter than the sun. All these epiphanies—all these revelations about Jesus—changed the lives of everyone around him. In this season of Epiphany, as we follow Jesus from the river to the mountain, may they change us too.
  • Jan. 7-8 – Baptism of Our Lord
  • Jan. 14-15 – Sanctity of Life Worship: Defenders
  • Jan. 21-22 – Committed to a Lofty Charge
  • Jan. 28-29 – Absolute Authority
  • Feb. 4-5 – The Devil’s Work Undone
  • Feb. 11-12 – Transfiguration: A Glimpse of his True Glory
 
The King Shall Come — December 3-24
Advent means “coming.” When someone is coming over, what do you do? It depends on who is coming and why, but the more important the person and reason, the more work to be done to prepare!

So, is Advent a big deal? It depends on who is coming and why. In this worship series, we answer those questions. We see that the King shall come. We see why the King came on that first Christmas and why he shall come again on judgment day. In this season, we also cherish the way our King comes to us today in Word and sacrament, establishing his reign in our hearts.
  • Dec. 3 – He Is Coming to Save Us
  • Dec. 10 – Prepare to Meet Him
  • Dec. 17 – He Is Bringing Perfect Joy (WSP: Children’s Service)
  • Dec. 24 – Just as God Promised
 
The Time In Between — October 29 – November 26
In the great timeline of human history, there are only two ultimately significant points: the first time Christ came to our world to win salvation by his life, death, and resurrection; and the second time Christ will come to consummate his everlasting kingdom. We live in the time in between those two points. It is a time of tension. We know that peace and perfection are ours already because of what Jesus did the first time he came. Yet we do not enjoy a peaceful and perfect existence now already. We will not know such a life until Christ comes again. And so, we wait and watch, living in the time in between. As the church year draws to a close, Scripture points us toward the end of time when Christ will come again. Until then Christ teaches us how to live in the time in between.
  • A Time for Steadfast Faith
  • A Time to Focus on Future Glory
  • A Time for Watchfulness
  • A Time for Faithful Service
  • A Time to Yearn for the End
 
Godly Government — October 22
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1). Note the absolute language: no authority. None. Stated positively, every government and all government authority figures have power only because God gave it to them. Therefore, as citizens of the United States, we don’t support the government because those we voted for were elected or because we approve of the current tax policy or even because freedom of religion is enshrined in the First Amendment. We support our government simply because it was instituted by God. Jesus himself taught that we owe respect and obedience to our government, even when it doesn’t align with our political preferences.

Christians sometimes struggle with this. We see that government and rulers can be evil. Certainly, if government asks us to sin, “we must obey God rather than human beings” (Acts 5:29). But the existence of corrupt government and evil rulers does not negate what Scripture says to be true. “There is no authority except that which God has established.” Therefore, when we talk about “godly government” we are not saying that the only legitimate governments are those who do what is perfectly godly. We are confessing our belief that the King of kings is in perfect control of all the governments of this world, and that he works in all things—including tyrants and dictators—for the eternal good of his dear children.
 
Tell Us A Story — October 1-9
Much of what Jesus has to say to you and me is contained within his parables. Parables are simple little stories that contain profound truths about life and eternity. For the believer, a parable takes a challenging spiritual fact and makes it clear. However, since the parable conveys spiritual truth, for someone without faith, the story remains only that—a story. Therefore, our prayer for this worship series is that Christ would send us his Holy Spirit, so that we might receive the peace and power Jesus offers us in his parables. Tell us a story, Jesus!
  • October 1-2 – A Story of Perplexing Generosity
  • October 8-9 – A Story of Spiritual Insincerity
 
Holy Ministry — September 17-25
“Ministry” simply means “service.” Throughout history, God has called individuals to serve God’s people by sharing God’s Word. Many today feel they do not need to be part of a church, do not need Christian preaching and teaching. Well, if that is true, then why does Jesus’ bother to keep calling ministers to share his gospel? Clearly, Jesus himself believes ministry is necessary. He knows what we need better than we do. We call it “holy ministry” for two reasons: (1) the Holy Spirit unleashes his power through his Word spoken by ministers, and (2) through gospel ministry our faith is sustained, which is what makes us holy in God’s eyes.
  • September 17-18 – The Holy Ministry Is Filled with Sinners Called by God
  • September 24-25 – The Holy Ministry Preaches Christ Despite Persecution
 
Prayer Challenges — Special Encore Series — August 27 – September 3
God commands us to pray, but the truth is that, as good a gift as prayer is from our gracious heavenly Father, it’s still hard work and it comes with some common challenges, pitfalls and struggles on our part. In this series we are going to explore some of these “prayer challenges” and see what God has to say about them.
 
Healthy Habits — Summer Series #3 — July 30 – August 21
For a majority of 2020, the world secluded itself. People went into “lock down” and got into the habit of not seeing other people for days and sometimes weeks. Some of those habits are still in place. But God never designed us to live as hermits. God himself is a 3-person God and he designed us to have connection with one another. During this 4-week series we will look at some of the essential habits of the Church gathering together as a community.
  • July 30-31 – Gather
  • August 6-7 – Share Burdens
  • August 13-14 – Forgive and Repent
  • August 20-21 – Rejoicing Together
 
 
 
Prayer Challenges — Summer Series #2 — July 2-24
God commands us to pray, but the truth is that, as good a gift as prayer is from our gracious heavenly Father, it’s still hard work and it comes with some common challenges, pitfalls and struggles on our part. In this series we are going to explore some of these “prayer challenges” and see what God has to say about them.
 
God Bless This Mess — Summer Series #1 — June 4-25
Life is messy. People are messy. Doesn’t it make sense, then, that God’s Church will be a bit messy too? Our aim with this series is to undo the illusion that a Christian congregation should be perfect. We are sinners, the world is broken, but God is at work, even—especially—in our messiness! So, what does “messy” but meaningful ministry in God’s Church look like? Let’s find out together!
 
He Lives — April 16-May 21
 
Our Greatest Needs — February 26-April 2
There is a difference between needs vs. wants. What do you really need right now? To answer that question, ultimately one must understand their greatest problems. Mankind’s greatest problems are universal. We all live under the curse of sin. That sin makes us utterly helpless in our natural state. Natural man is confused, unable to make sense of life. Left in sin, man is doomed to death, and not just physical death. After one’s heart stops comes another type of death that is infinitely worse, an eternal nightmare. Lent is the season of the Church Year where we wrestle with our greatest needs. Lent also demonstrates that in Christ, all our greatest needs are met. Here is what the Spirit makes clear this season: If you lack Christ, you have nothing. If you have Christ, you have everything you truly need.
 
The Savior’s Sermon — January 29 – February 12
In the first half of this church season called Epiphany (epiphany means “appearance”), we saw Jesus appear on the scene, beginning his ministry. It is not long before large crowds start following Jesus around Galilee. So, in the second half of this season Jesus is going to teach us what it means to be one of his followers.
Jesus does this through the most famous sermon of all time, delivered while sitting on a hill, or mount. Elevated above the crowd, Jesus’ voice would carry through the air. His followers hung on his every word as the Christ talked about living an authentic Christian life. It is called the Sermon on the Mount.
 
Jesus Appears — January 8 – February 19
The Gospels tell only a little about Jesus’ life as an infant. We briefly hear of the desire of the boy Jesus to be in the temple. Then, Scripture falls silent, telling us nothing about almost two decades of Jesus’ life. For most of Jesus’ adult life, he lived quietly in Galilee, practicing the carpentry he had learned from his adoptive father, Joseph. Jesus had no followers. Jesus was not famous. But at the exact time God the Father had appointed, Jesus left that obscurity behind. The word epiphany means “appearance.” In the Season of Epiphany, we watch Jesus begin his public ministry. Jesus makes his first appearances. And in those appearances, it quickly becomes clear that this is more than a random carpenter’s son. As Jesus appears, we see exactly who he is and what he came to do.
 
A Savior is Born — December 24 – January 1
The first Christmas sermon was preached to a small congregation consisting entirely of shepherds. The preacher was an angel. The message of his sermon? “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you.” If one needs saving, it means he is totally helpless without outside intervention. That is how God the Father viewed us. So, he sent his only Son to be our Savior. Join us for a new series: A Savior Is Born.
 
Come, Lord Jesus! — November 27-December 18
Advent is necessary to prepare us for Christmas. It enables us to understand the true significance of Christmas. For Advent allows us to see that because of what Christ did when he came the first time, believers need not fear when he comes again. Instead, we yearn for it. Join us for a new series: Come, Lord Jesus!
 
Nov. 27 – Come, Lord Jesus… as King!
Dec. 4 – Come, Lord Jesus… as Judge!
Dec. 11 – Come, Lord Jesus… as Messiah! – Christmas Concert – WSP
Dec. 18 – Come, Lord Jesus… as Immanuel! – Children’s Christmas Service – WSP
 
 
The Last Day — November 13-20
Certain days mean different things to different people. Mother’s Day can be a day of great joy to the woman with three children, all of whom profess their love and appreciation on that day. That same day can be extremely painful for the woman who has never been able to have children. Certain days mean different things to different people. That will be most true on the Last Day. On his calendar, God has written in ink the day when Jesus will return to “judge the living and the dead” (Apostles’ Creed). In the final weeks of the church year it is natural for us to think about that Last Day and what it means, a Day that will mean very different things to different people.
 
 
All Saints’ Day — November 6
We believe in “the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints.” Saint comes from a Latin word that means holy. All with saving faith in Jesus as their Savior are holy. God grants them the status of saint. Glorious as the title is, we still struggle with trial and sin in this life. Some members of the communion of saints, however, no longer struggle. These are all the saints who, through death, have triumphed over all these things. They now live in the glory of Christ’s light. This week, we thank God for those members of the communion of saints who have gone before us and now enjoy everlasting life. Their example encourages us as we patiently wait to join them. We feebly struggle, but now, thanks to Christ, they in glory shine.
 
 
The Festival of the Reformation — October 30
We value freedom and strive to protect freedoms. But do we truly understand freedom? Freedom for many means doing what you want without control or coercion. Jesus helps us to understand true freedom: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Heirs of the Reformation still bind themselves to Jesus’ teachings—Scripture. Does restricting ourselves in this manner curtail freedom? Just the opposite is true. God’s divinely inspired truth brings freedom, freedome from slavery to sinful delusions, from the burden of guilt, and from any earthly power. This week we see that when we willingly bind ourselves to truth, Jesus keeps his promise. The truth sets us free.
 
 
Everyone Outreach — September 11, 18
Everyone Outreach is all about “building a congregational outreach culture.” God has called out of darkness a people for himself… and for this lost world. He has gifted those he has called to faith and equipped us to use those gifts to declare his praises to a dying world. He has bestowed on everyone with gifts and bestowed on everyone a higher purpose for which to use those gifts.
 
Lord, Increase Our Faith — September 4, October 16, 23
We sometimes use the word faith very casually. Jesus, however, talks about faith in ways that are anything but casual. He says profound things about faith and its power. In thinking about his second coming, he even wonders, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Jesus’ words are serious and compelling. This series will confront us with the strong words Jesus speaks about faith. These words force us to consider what true, saving faith is. They make us ask if we have such faith. But most of all, Jesus’ words move us to run to our God and beg him for more of it. Lord, increase our faith!
 
Jesus and Modern Gods — Summer Series #3: August 7 – August 28
The “gods” we read about gods in ancient literature they read more as myth. While ancient cultures may have made altars to gods like Zeus and Poseidon, we don’t make physical altars to gods of sea and sky. But we still do have gods. And the gods of modern culture are more subtle. While we may not admit it, our modern cultures do worship things like logic and reason, acceptance and tolerance. What comfort do these modern gods offer and how does Jesus compare to these modern gods?
 
August 14         August 21         August 28 
 
 
Lord, Teach Us to Pray — Summer Series #2: July 9 – July 31
It’s the most famous prayer of all time. We use it often. Jesus himself taught it to us! But do we really know what we are asking our heavenly Father when we pray it? How can we apply it to our daily life? Join us as we dive in to the Lord’s Prayer and pray as the disciples did, ”Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
 
The Narrow Middle — Summer Series #1: June 5 – June 26
If you’ve ever had a vehicle start to “fishtail” on a slippery road you know how easy it is to overcorrect with the steering wheel and end up fishtailing the other way! This happens sometimes in our faith-lives with the truths of God’s Word. There are dangerous “ditches” on either side of the truths of God’s Word. And sometimes we end up fishtailing between them!. It’s tricky at times to keep to the narrow middle when applying these truths to our lives. The first of our three summer worship series takes on several of these balancing acts so that we can find hope and confidence in the truths of the middle road!
 
Our New Life with Christ — April 17 – May 29
Because Jesus is alive, so our lives are new in him! United with him by faith, we enjoy awesome blessings because he is our resurrected Savior and Lord. This Easter season, we marvel at some of those blessings.
 
Crushed — March 6 – April 3 (Lent)
Sometimes in life people just feel “crushed.” As Christians, we recognize that sin is the ultimate source of all the crushing moments in life. Our sin even crushed Christ. But Christ crushed both death and the devil. For 1400 years the Church has set aside the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter as a time of repentance and renewal. Lent is a solemn season. But it is also a season of great hope. With the psalmist we say, “The Lord saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
 
UNCOVERED — January 9– February 27 (Epiphany)
We are in the season of the Church called Epiphany, a Greek word that means “to appear.” Salvation has appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. In Epiphany, the Church explores everything that Christ makes apparent about God. You see, we need God to appear to us and make himself known to us. For not only is God beyond our understanding, his works and his ways are contrary to mankind’s natural assumptions about him. In other words, the truth about God cannot possibly be discovered by us. Rather, it needs to be uncovered for us. That’s what the Spirit is doing for us during this season of Epiphany. Week after week, surprising truths about Jesus our King and life in his kingdom will be uncovered.
 
 
Great Expectations, The Season of Advent — November 21– December 19
Advent is a season of great expectations! It is a season of waiting and preparation, but of hope and joy. In Advent, we remember the “great things God has done for me” and the great deliverance he comes to bring.
 
 
A Mighty Fortress Is our God, End Times — October 31-November 21
Talk of the End Times sometimes brings apprehension. But God is our mighty fortress. He always has been and always will be. Our End Times series will highlight different aspects of God and of the history of our world that give us reason for hope no matter what tomorrow brings.
 
 
A God-Lived Life (Stewardship) — October 3-24
What does a God-lived life look like? It looks like Jesus. Living as a Christian, a little Christ, we have the privilege of demonstrating what God looks like in how we live our lives. In this four-week series, God’s Word will challenge us, and we’ll challenge one another to live a God-lived life: a life of being a disciple, a life lived for others, a life of hospitality, and a life lived shrewdly.
 
 
Connected in Christ – Overcoming Isolation Through Community — September 12-26
Today’s culture seems more divided than ever. It’s given way to much anxiety, isolation, and loneliness. Thankfully, God’s Word speaks directly to these and offers us community, identity, and belonging in Jesus. This series will provide the tools to break out of isolation, find identity and belonging in Christ, and join others in faith-filled community again.
 
 
The Dignity of Work – Labor Day
Work is not a four-letter word. As much as people might sometimes use it as such, God’s Word teaches us of the great dignity of work! As we celebrate Labor Day, we celebrate the way God blesses the world through the labors of people!
 
 
Daniel – A Believer In Babylon (July 31– August 30, Pastor Pudlo)
Daniel lived almost his entire life as an outsider. He lived as a believer in the one true God in a land and culture that was not supportive of him nor his beliefs. In the recent past, our own nation has been moving away from being supportive of Christian beliefs. How can we live lives of Christian integrity in a pagan polytheistic world? Like Daniel, how can we live as believers in Babylon?
 
 
Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe (July, Pastor Kom)
In this practical worship series, based on a book by Larry Osborne, we will look at some widely held beliefs that are both dumb (because they’re not based on God’s Word) and dangerous. Get ready to be shocked, relieved and inspired by the truth of God’s Word.!
 
 
Living as Children of the Heavenly Father (June, Pastor Burgess)
It’s fitting that Easter happens in the Springtime. Easter is all about new life. Easter gives us opportunity to talk also about growth. Our readings from God’s Word throughout the Easter season take us through a life-cycle of growth!
 
A Life-Cycle of Growth (April 8 – May 17)
It’s fitting that Easter happens in the. Easter is all about new life. Easter gives us opportunity to talk also about growth. Our readings from God’s Word througSpringtimehout the Easter season take us through a life-cycle of growth!