Bulletin: January 4, 2026

December 31st, 2025
by Steve Osero

First Lutheran Church Christmas 2
PO Box 153 - 240 Elm Street West January 4, 2026
Amery, WI 715-268-7135 www.flcamery.org
Our mission is to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. Jn. 17

WELCOME

HYMN: Your Little Ones, Dear Lord..........................Red 286

CONFESSION/FORGIVENESS

GREETING

PRAYER: Eternal God, in the birth of Jesus you have drawn near to us with tenderness and truth. As your Word dwells among us, open our hearts to your light and our lives to your grace, that we may reflect your love in all we do; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

HYMN: It Came Upon the Midnight..........................Red 282

Ephesians 1:3–14 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

HYMN: Good Christian Friends................................Red 288

GOSPEL: John 1:1–18  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'") From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is the only Son, himself God, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

APOSTLES CREED

CHILDREN COME FORWARD

SERMON

OFFERING:  Special Music by Verle Ormsby

PRAYERS

CELEBRATION OF LORD’S SUPPER
LORD’S PRAYER
HYMNS: Away in a Manger....278, Music, Go Tell...290

BLESSING  The God who calls you beloved, who shines upon you with grace, and who dwells with you in Christ, bless you now and forever. Amen.

Go in peace. Christ is with you. Thanks be to God.