Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church710 4th Ave SW, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota 56085

A member congregation of the

Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC)

Pastor Nathanael Mayhew - Phone: (507) 794-7793

Cell Phone: (404) 729-4602 Email: ndmayhew@juno.com

President Wade Schlie - Phone: (507) 276-1075

On the Web at: www.sleepyeyelutheran.com

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

January 31, 2016 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

We Welcome all those who have come to worship with us this

morning. We pray that you will receive God’s announcement to you

that your sins have been forgiven through Jesus’ perfect life and

innocent death on the cross –

who came “to give His life a

ransom for many” (Mark

10:45).

Please sign our guest register

at the back of the church and

come back and join us again!

If you are new to our church

and have any questions,

please speak to the pastor. He

will be eager to speak with

you!

Pre-service Devotion: Psalm 100 (p.144 in the front of the red hymnal)

Note: We will be following the order of service found on the colored bulletin.

The hymns and readings for the service can be found inside this bulletin.

Servants of Grace Today:

Organist: Emily Romberg

Ushers for January: Joel Schauman, Howard Engholm, AndrewGeiger, Ron Geiger, Charles Lendt, Ryan Maher, Tony Schauman

Today’s Hymns: 2; 783; 409; 46

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 61:10-11 (NKJV)

10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my

God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has

covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks

himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her

jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes

the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord GOD will

cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the

nations.

Gospel Reading: Mark 4:26-34 (NKJV)

26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter

seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day,

and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know

how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the

head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain

ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has

come."

30 Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or

with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed

which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds

on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater

than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of

the air may nest under its shade." 33 And with many such parables

He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But

without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were

alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

Sermon Text: Colossians 2:16-23 (NKJV)

16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival

or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to

come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your

reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels,

intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up

by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom

all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments,

grows with the increase that is from God. 20 Therefore, if you died

with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though

living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations — 21

"Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern

things which perish with the using — according to the

commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have

an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility,

and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence

of the flesh.

Theme: Our Freedom in Christ

Part 1 - The Reward of Freedom

Jesus is the only foundation that lasts

Don’t be deceived by the world’s substitutions

This is a very serious matter for us and our children!

Part 2 - The Loss of Freedom

We work together in building on Christ

God blesses our work through His Gospel

God’s Word is our greatest treasure!

_ This Week at Grace _

Today - 1/31 - 8:00 A.M. Bible Class (Prayer)

8:00 A.M. Sunday School (Plagues and Passover)

9:00 A.M. Family worship service at Grace

10:00 A.M. Grace worship on TV channel 8

10:45 A.M. Family Worship at Faith, New Ulm

Wednesday 2/3 - 3:15 P.M. After School Bible Study

4:00 P.M. Confirmation Class (8th Graders)

5:00 P.M. Confirmation Class (All)

7:00 P.M. Grace worship on TV channel 8

Friday 2/5 - 10:00 A.M. Ross Park Bible Study (Gospel of Mark)

Sunday 2/7 - 8:00 A.M. Bible Class (Prayer)

8:00 A.M. Sunday School (The Exodus from Egypt)

9:00 A.M. Family worship service at Grace

10:00 A.M. Grace worship on TV channel 8

10:45 A.M. Family Worship at Faith, New Ulm

Serving Us This Coming Week:

February Ushers: David Theneman, Joe Hurias, Marlin Huiras,

Kyle Nason, Jon Riederer, Charles Romberg

Organist: Lane Fischer Church Cleaning: Geiger

February Tellers: Howard Engholm and Wade Schlie

Announcements

Church Year and Seasons - We have been in the Epiphany Season of

the church year for the last 4 weeks. Next

week we celebrate the Transfiguration of

Jesus which is the last Sunday in the season

of Epiphany. Then we enter the season of

Lent on Ash Wednesday. This begins a 46

day journey which focuses us on the

suffering and death that Jesus endured for

sinners at the altar of the cross and

culminates with His glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. The

next eight weeks are very important weeks in the Christian church

year, because this was the purpose of the Christ’s coming. They are

also important in our lives as Christians as it again humbles us

before the full weight of the consequence and cost of our sins,

which Jesus bore for us. This is a sobering time, but also a joyful

time, knowing that our debt of sin has been paid, and confident of

the life to come through the assurance of our Savior’s resurrection.

Christ, the Life of all the living, Christ, the Death of death, our foe,

Who, Thyself for me once giving To the darkest depths of woe,--

Through thy sufferings, death, and merit I eternal life inherit:

Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

Hymn 151:1

During the season of Lent we will have a number of special services.

We encourage you to join us for these special and uplifting services

during Lent. Here is our schedule:

Date Day Service Time

Wed. Feb. 10 Ash Wednesday 7:00pm

Wed. Feb. 17 Mid-week 2 7:00pm

Wed. Feb. 24 Mid-week 3 7:00pm

Wed. March 2 Mid-week 4 7:00pm

Wed. March 9 Mid-week 5 7:00pm

Wed. March 16 Mid-week 6 7:00pm

Sun. March 20 Palm Sunday 9:00am

Thurs. March 24 Maundy Thursday 7:00pm

Fri. March 25 Good Friday 7:00pm

Sun. March 27 Resurrection Sunday 9:00am

Lent Invitation Postcards - Our Outreach Committee has created a

postcard for Lent which include our worship schedule and an

invitation to join us. Please pick up

a few to give out to friends or

neighbors as an invitation and

reminder of our service schedule.

Keep some in your car in case you

meet someone while you are out.

Ask if you can leave some at work or

at the store, bank or office that you

visit. What we have freely received,

we also freely give! ^

Ash Wednesday Soup Supper / Lent Service Refreshments - We are

excited to announce that we will again hold our annual Ash

Wednesday Soup Supper at 5:45pm, prior to our service on

February 10th. Last year we had some excellent soups and chili, and

enjoyed our fellowship time together. We will also have

refreshments following the remainder of our Wednesday night

Lenten services (February 17 - March 16). We hope that you will

join us for some fellowship time during this Lenten season. Please

see the sign up sheets on the entry table to indicate what you plan

to bring for any of the weeks. We look forward to seeing you! ^

CLC Women’s Devotion Book - A member of one of our CLC

congregations has an interest in putting together a devotion book

written for women by women of CLC congregations. She would like

to find out if there is enough interest among the women of our

synod to pursue taking on this project. A survey has been put

together and the input of our ladies has been requested. For those

who have access to the internet, you can find and fill out the survey

here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9wtctvz. If you do not

have access to the internet, but would be willing to fill out the

survey, a paper copy can be found on the table at the back of the

church. Please fill it out and return it to pastor. Your input is greatly

appreciated. ^

CLC Call News - Pastor Vance Fossum who serves Holy Trinity

Lutheran, West Columbia South Carolina, has announced his

intention to retire from the full-time public ministry as of July 3,

2016. The congregation has called Pastor Neal Radichel of Luther

Memorial Lutheran, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. ^ Mt. Zion Lutheran,

Madison Heights Michigan, has called Pastor Luke Bernthal who

serves Grace Lutheran, Valentine Nebraska, St. Paul’s Lutheran,

White River, South Dakota, and Peace Lutheran, Mission, South

Dakota. ^

New Webpage for Sunday School - We have created a new page on

our church website listing the children’s Sunday School memory

work for each week. You will find a link for the memory work for

each week, as well as music for the hymns that the children will be

singing. You will find this under the Resources tab on our website:

www.sleepyeyelutheran.com. If you have any questions or need

anything else, please let pastor know. ^

Nominations for ILC President: The Board of Regents announces thefollowing nominations for the office of President of ImmanuelLutheran College: Jeffrey Schierenbeck, Steven Sippert, Paul Sullivan,and John Ude. The term of this call is for two years, extending to theend of Academic Year 2018. Comments from members of CLCcongregations regarding these candidates should be submittedbefore February 12, 2016, to: Mr. Craig Ryan; 499 Country Lane;Fulda, MN 56131; E-Mail: cryan@page1printers.com. ^

Nominations for ILC Professor: The Board of Regents announces

the following nominations to fill the professorship vacated by the

impending retirement of Professor John Pfeiffer at the end of the

2015-16 academic year: Dwight (Frank) Gantt, Paul Naumann, David

Reim, Peter Reim, Michael Roehl, David Schaller, Stephen Sydow,

Paul Tiefel Jr., Matthew Ude, and Mark Weis. The individual would

teach at the high school (potentially), college, and seminary levels

with an emphasis on courses in Hebrew (college) and Old Testament

theology (seminary) and also in other theological disciplines. Other

assignments will be determined upon mutual agreement in

accordance with need and corresponding ability.

All comments from members of CLC congregations regarding these

candidates are to be submitted no later than February 12, 2016, to:

Mr. Craig Ryan; 499 Country Lane; Fulda, MN 56131;

E-Mail: cryan@page1printers.com. ^

Responding to God’s Grace at Grace

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Worship: 71 Bib le Class: 22

Local Purposes

Grace General Fund ............................................. $ 1,146.00

Grace School Fund ................................................. $ 180.00

Plate Offerings ....................................................... $ 33.00

Total Local ......................................................... $ 1,359.00

Synodical Purposes

ILC Building Fund ..................................................... $ 25.00

CLC Mission Development Fund ............................ $ 290.00

Total Synodical ...................................................... $ 315.00

Overall Total ..................................................... $ 1,674.00

Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.Ps 106:1