<![CDATA[Victory in Christ Lutheran Church - December 2021 newsletter blog]]>Sun, 19 Apr 2026 02:51:27 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[A word from Pastor Schielke 12/21]]>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:43:36 GMThttps://www.viclutheranchurch.org/december-2021-newsletter-blog/a-word-from-pastor-schielke-1221Picture
Lutheran Worship Part 6: Salutation and Collect
In the salutation, pastor and people responsively speak the words, “The Lord be with you. And also with you.” Similar expressions are found in the Bible at several places (Ruth 2:4, Judges 6:12; Lk 1:28, 2 Thess 3:16). Pastor and people bless each other, and so it is a sign of the bond of love in Jesus that should reside among God’s people. Some pastors may include hand gestures that accompany the salutation. The pastor may extend his hands when he speaks, and receiving the blessing he may fold them together and slightly bow his head.
The Collect is the prayer following the salutation. The prayer often focuses on the content of the day’s Gospel or Epistle reading. It is part of the “propers” of the day meaning it changes from Sunday to Sunday just like the Introit. The prayer is “proper” for a particular Sunday. Thus, it aids in the unity of thought in the service. The Collect serves the Gospel by focusing our faith outwardly on the presence and promises of God! This is a great
"But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57
strength of liturgical worship over against emotion based, charismatic style praise services that often focus one inward. If emotion become too much a focus, it obscures what God has said and done for us.
Many of the collects we use are ancient dating back centuries. They tend to be somewhat poetic and reverent in nature, not written/ spoken in a free, extemporaneous style. Yet, we should never fall into the mistaken notion that written prayers are not spiritual. On the contrary, a written prayer is a well thought out reflection of the God of order. It has been said of the  collects, “Their humility of spirit is balanced by certainty of faith, and their brevity of form by breadth of thought.” (L. Reed, The Lutheran Liturgy) Both written and extemporaneous prayers have a place among God’s people as long as the prayer is truly spiritual in the thought it conveys and in the heart of faith that prays it. The Collect will often follow this five part pattern:
  1. God is addressed. Typically, it is the Father, but prayers addressed to the Son and Holy Spirit are also used when it is appropriate.
  2. The basis of the prayer is given.
  3. The request is given.
  4. The purpose or benefit of the prayer is expressed.
  5. The ending, which is adoxology and serves to clarify once again that we are praying to the one  and only Triune God, is prayed.
]]><![CDATA[Augsburg Confession 12/21]]>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:42:03 GMThttps://www.viclutheranchurch.org/december-2021-newsletter-blog/augsburg-confession-1221The Augsburg Confession - Below is the continuation of the twenty-first article of
the Augsburg Confession and Abuses Which Have Been Corrected. These are what we believe and confess as a Lutheran congregation. When they say “they teach,” they mean our churches teach.
Article XXI - Of the Worship of the Saints
1 Of the Worship of Saints they teach that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works, according to our calling, as the Emperor may follow the example of David in making war to drive away the Turk from his country.
2 For both are kings. But the Scripture teaches not the invocation of saints or to ask help of saints, since it sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Propitiation, High Priest, and Intercessor.
3 He is to be prayed to, and has promised that He will hear our prayer; and this worship He approves above all, to wit, that in all afflictions He be called upon, 1 John 2:1:
4 If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, etc.
5 This is about the Sum of our Doctrine, in which, as can be seen, there is nothing that varies from the Scriptures, or from the Church Catholic, or from the Church of Rome as known from its writers. This being the case, they judge harshly who insist that our teachers be regarded as heretics.
6 There is, however, disagreement on certain abuses, which have crept into the Church without rightful authority. And even in these, if there were some difference, there should be proper lenity on the part of bishops to bear with us by reason of the Confession which we have now reviewed; because even the Canons are not so severe as to demand the same rites everywhere, neither, at any time, have the rites of all churches been the same;
7 although, among us, in large part, the ancient rites are diligently observed.
8 For it is a false and malicious charge that all the ceremonies, all the things instituted of old, are abolished in our churches.
9 But it has been a common complaint that some abuses were connected with the ordinary rites. These, inasmuch as they could not be approved with a good conscience, have been to some extent corrected.
Articles in Which Are Reviewed the Abuses Which Have Been Corrected
1 Inasmuch, then, as our churches dissent in no article of the faith from the Church Catholic, but only omit some abuses which are new, and which have been erroneously accepted by the corruption of the times, contrary to the intent of the Canons, we pray that Your Imperial Majesty would graciously hear both what has been changed, and what were the reasons why the people were not compelled to observe those abuses against their conscience.
2 Nor should Your Imperial Majesty believe those who, in order to excite the hatred of men against our part, disseminate strange slanders among the people.
3 Having thus excited the minds of good men, they have first given occasion to this controversy, and now endeavor, by the same arts, to increase the discord.
4 For Your Imperial Majesty will undoubtedly find that the form of doctrine and of ceremonies with us is not so intolerable as these ungodly and malicious men represent.
5 Besides, the truth cannot be gathered from common rumors or the revilings of enemies.
6 But it can readily be judged that nothing would serve better to maintain the dignity of ceremonies, and to nourish reverence and pious devotion among the people than if the ceremonies were observed rightly in the churches.
]]><![CDATA[December Calendar]]>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:37:50 GMThttps://www.viclutheranchurch.org/december-2021-newsletter-blog/december-calendar12/1 - Women's Bible Study 4:30pm, Dinner 6:00pm, Advent Service 7:00.  Don Foltz - birthday
12/2 - Melinda Mitchell - birthday
12/4 - Men's Breakfast and Bible Study 8:30am
12/5 - Divine Service 10am, Bible Study/Sunday School 11am, Lunch 12pm
12/8 - Women's Bible Study 4:30pm, Dinner 6:00pm, Advent Service 7:00.  
12/11 - Brian Schwiesow - birthday
12/12 - Divine Service 10am, Bible Study/Sunday School 11am, Lunch 12pm
12/15 - Women's Bible Study 4:30pm, Dinner 6:00pm, Advent Service 7:00
12/18 - Men's Breakfast and Bible Study 8:30am
12/19 - Divine Service 10am, Bible Study/Sunday School 11am, Lunch 12pm
12/24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight service 7:00pm
12/25 - Christmas Day Divine Service 10:00am
12/26 - Divine Service 10am, Bible Study/Sunday School 11am, Lunch 12pm
12/31 - New Year's Eve Service 7:00pm
]]><![CDATA[December Bible Questions]]>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:35:55 GMThttps://www.viclutheranchurch.org/december-2021-newsletter-blog/december-bible-questions
  1. Where does Paul instruct his readers to include music in their worship?
  2. How many stars did the son of man have in his hand?
  3. According to Peter, what covers a multitude of sins?
  4. Who write Revelation and from where?
  5. Which book says something about the deceiver and the antichrist?
  6. Where does Paul speak of his “thorn in the flesh?”
  7. Where is the image of the church as the “bride of Christ” found?
  8. Where is “the yoke of slavery to the law” found?
  9. ​Who is ministering on the island of Crete when Paul writes to him?
  10. Where is the exhortation “to put on the full armor of God” found?
  11. Who is a runaway slave?
  12. Where is “as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” located?
  13. Where is “for to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” located?
  14. “Jesus is a high priest, in the order of Melchizedek” is located where?
  15. What books are written by Jesus’ brothers?
]]><![CDATA[December Bible Readings]]>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:29:41 GMThttps://www.viclutheranchurch.org/december-2021-newsletter-blog/december-bible-readingsDec. 1: 1 Corinthians 9-11
​Dec. 2: 1 Corinthians 12-14
Dec. 3: 1 Corinthians 15-16
Dec. 4: 2 Corinthians 1-4
Dec. 5: 2 Corinthians 5-9
Dec. 6: 2 Corinthians 10-13
Dec. 7: Galatians 1-3
Dec. 8: Galatians 4-6
Dec. 9: Ephesians 1-3
Dec. 10: Ephesians 4-6
Dec. 11: Philippians
Dec. 12: Colossians
Dec. 13: 1 Thessalonians
Dec. 14: 2 Thessalonians
Dec. 15: 1 Timothy
Dec. 16: 2 Timothy
Dec. 17: Titus, Philemon
Dec. 18: Hebrews 1-6
Dec. 19: Hebrews 7-10
Dec. 20: Hebrews 11-13
Dec. 21: James
Dec. 22: 1 Peter
Dec. 23: 2 Peter
Dec. 24: 1 John
Dec. 25: 2 John, 3 John, Jude
Dec. 26: Revelation 1-3
Dec. 27: Revelation 4-8
Dec. 28: Revelation 9-12
Dec. 29: Revelation 13-16
Dec. 30: Revelation 17-19
Dec. 31: Revelation 20-22
January 1: Genesis 1-3
January 2: Genesis 4-7
January 3: Genesis 8-11
January 4: Genesis 12 -15]]><![CDATA[VIC Happenings 12/21]]>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:26:06 GMThttps://www.viclutheranchurch.org/december-2021-newsletter-blog/vic-happenings-1221Picture
Advent Dinners - We will be serving dinners on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m.
Advent Services - We will be having Advent services on December 1, 8, and 15. These services will begin at 7 p.m.
Christmas Eve Service 12/24 - We will have our annual candlelight Christmas Eve service on December 24, at 7 p.m.
Christmas Day Service 12/25 - This year, we will be having a Christmas Day service in celebration of Christ’s coming to redeem his lost creatures.
New Year’s Eve Service 12/31 - We will be having a New Year’s Eve service on December 31, at 7 p.m.
]]><![CDATA[Answers to November Bible questions]]>Wed, 01 Dec 2021 19:22:15 GMThttps://www.viclutheranchurch.org/december-2021-newsletter-blog/answers-to-november-bible-questions
  1. Luke 24:13-35
  2. I am the Bread of Life, I am the bread that came
    down from heaven, I am the living bread, I am the light of the world, I am the door of the sheep, I am the door, I am the good shepherd, I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way and the truth and the life, I am the true vine, I am the vine, John 6:35, 41, 51, 8:12, 10:7, 9, 11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1, 5.
  3. To find Saul and restore his vision, Acts 9:10-12
  4. Corinth, Acts 18:11
  5. Damascus, Acts 9:25
  6. 1 Corinthians 7:7
  7. Luke 23:43
  8. Romans 1:16
  9. ​Romans 12:4, 1 Corinthians 12:12
  10. Near Athens, in Greece, Acts 18:1
  11. ​Romans 3:24
  12. Four days, John 11:17
  13. Simon in Joppa, Acts 10:6, 10-16
  14. Bethsaida, John 1:44
  15. Philip, Acts 8:38
  16. Jesus is at a well and preaches to a Samaritan
    woman and stays two days and preaches to the people. John 4
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