Worship at Bethlehem
- Why?
- How?
- What to Expect
- Sacraments
- Sermons
Why Worship?
As Christians,
we understand that our relationship to God in Christ embraces all of
our lives. Our Sunday worship is a public and shared expression of
the faith and conviction that lies at the center of our existence. When
we were baptized into the Christian faith, we were baptized into a
community, a family, and a body of believers.
By faith we know that in worship God is meeting us
with His gifts of forgiveness and eternal life through His written Word, the
spoken Word, and in the Word made flesh in Jesus Christ our Savior. God
wants His "family" to worship
– receiving His gifts, sharing the faith together to encourage one
another and witnessing to the great things God has done for us. Therefore,
worship is a vital response to God’s great gift to us in Christ Jesus.
How do we worship?
We celebrate with many styles of worship services. But all follow
a form which clearly brings the grace and mercy of God to each person
in need. Whether traditional or contemporary, formal or casual,
our worship services will all include:
- an opportunity for repentance, and assurance of forgiveness
- reference to God's Word
- relevant Biblical preaching
- inspiring praise and thanksgiving to God through song and
speaking
What to expect at our services
8:30 a.m. - Traditional Worship
At this service one may expect to find the pastor wearing
robes, traditional hymns from the Lutheran Worship Hymnal sung to organ
accompaniment, and a liturgy of prayers and responsive readings printed
in a worship folder.
11:00 a.m. - "Morning Song" --
Non-Traditional Worship
At this service music is provided
by the Contemporary Worship Team accompanied by guitars, drums,
and electronic keyboard. Song lyrics, prayers, and readings
are projected onto a screen. The contemporary service may also
include video, drama, and other forms of participation.
Special Services
During the festival seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter
special worship services are scheduled during the week. Some
are during the daytime hours and others are in the evening. Other
special services for weddings and funerals are scheduled with the pastor.
The Sacraments and Worship
The Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion are part of the worship service. Holy Communion is celebrated twice a month at each of the two services. Baptisms are celebrated when families bring their children into membership or when adults who have not been baptized wish to become members of the Bethlehem family.
Weekly Sermons
The weekly sermon is based on a reading from Scripture and usually delivered by the pastor. The following sermons are in mp3 format.
| 7/18/2010 | Brad Hirsch, "Centered on Christ" | |
| 7/4/2010 | Brad Hirsch, "A Praying Church" | |
| 6/27/2010 | Loel Haak, "Freedom" | |
| 6/20/2010 | Brad Hirsch, "Welcome Home" | |
| 6/13/2010 | Brad Hirsch, "Giving" | |
| 5/23/2010 | Brad Hirsch, "Happy Birthday, Church" | |
| 5/2/2010 | Loel Haak, "A New Commandment . . ." | |
| 3/21/2010 | Brad Hirsch, "The Power of the Cross Breaks Strongholds" | |
| 3/14/2010 | Loel Haak, "What's Missing?" | |
| 3/7/2010 | Brad Hirsch, "The Woe and the Wow" |