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Why the Liturgy? Immanuel follows the order of the Divine Service, known as the “liturgy.” It’s a simple, clear, and ancient way that Christians have worshipped for centuries and centuries. We follow that way because it is one of the best ever found in the church’s history to receive God’s gifts. We could organize things in other ways, but the liturgy keeps us on track: God’s Word and God’s Body and Blood stay at the center – where they belong. Our preferences, interests, and hobbyhorses have little to no room in the liturgy, and that’s all to the good. More About the Divine Service... God's Gifts Why the Liturgy? What the Service Means The Church Year and Its Symbols Mus ic Service Times Children in Worship Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Confirmation In the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), Confirmation is a public affirmation of baptism and faith. It is arrived at after a period of instruction that lasts several years. At Immanuel, we make a very deliberate effort to be clear that instruction in the faith, prayer, and contemplation of the Scriptures, is part of every Christian’s daily life and does not end with Confirmation. The formal instruction that leads to Confirmation for both adults and children is founded in Martin Luther’s Small Catechism and is designed to clarify Christian doctrine and teach the life of the Church to Christians including... How to read the Bible A summary of the content of the Bible The distinction between Law and Gospel What prayer is and how to pray What worship is and how the liturgy comes from the Scriptures The Sacraments of Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper How God calls each of us to various vocations, including how we bear witness of Christ in the world and why we should do so, and how to live lives of service to our family and neighbors As with First Communion classes, we emphasize that parents are the primary instructors in the faith, with the pastor providing supplemental instruction. Especially toward that end, in addition to classes with Pastor Wendorff, prerequisites for Confirmation include that students... Attend Divine Service regularly with their family. Read through Concordia's Bible History with their parents/family. Learn by heart the six chief parts of Luther's Small Catechism in their entirety: The Ten Commandments The Apostles' Creed The Lord's Prayer Confession Baptism The Sacrament of the Altar. Complete an examination with parents, Pastor Wendorff, and Immanuel's Elders. At Immanuel, First Communion and Confirmation are usually separated for children. Some families, though, may prefer to have them take place in the same year. We respect the desire of the parents and leave it to them because they know best the needs and abilities of their children. Families following this approach can enroll their children in the courses for First Communion and Confirmation back-to-back, sometimes for multiple years. They can then simply delay First Communion for the day of Confirmation when the children have recited the entire Catechism. Youth Confirmation instruction takes place in the Spring and lasts for 10 weeks. It has as its prerequisite the First Communion class (10 weeks in the Fall), even for those who will delay First Communion. Children enrolled in the class are required to recite the entire Catechism before Confirmation but do not need to do so their first time through the class. This allows them to work at their own pace: Since there is no age or grade requirement, and Holy Communion is usually being enjoyed already, there is no pressure. Children as young as 2nd and 3rd grade could take the course and recite the Catechism perfectly, though most children will find it easier once they are in 5th or 6th grade. Adults and youth of high school age who have not been confirmed and who wish to take communion with us are invited to contact us to schedule classes. For adults, Confirmation and First Communion typically go hand-in-hand. For further details or if you have any questions, please contact us at any time. Other Education Opportunities... Sunday School Adult Bible Class First Communion Class Confirmation Class Men's Group Women's Guild Congregation at Prayer Over the Rainbow Preschool Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

The Divine Service Our Sunday service is called the “Divine Service” because in it our God comes to us with His gifts and we come to Him with our prayers and gifts. The service is “divine” because in it we meet with and hear from and receive life from our great God and Savior. It is not so much that we have something to give Him as that He has so much to give us. That’s why we go to church – the Divine Service. The Divine Service God's Gifts Why the Liturgy? What the Service Means The Church Year and Its Symbols Mus ic Service Times Children in Worship Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

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Adult Bible Classes We are lifelong learners, all of us. No matter how old we are, no matter how long we’ve been studying the Scriptures, and no matter how deep our understanding of Christian doctrine, we can always learn more! The Holy Bible, after all, is a work of profound complexity. It is the Word of God. He is its true author, and His is the mind behind its revelations. And yet, one of the Bible’s most remarkable features is its accessibility. The basic teachings of Scripture can, by God’s design, be apprehended by virtually anyone willing to seek them out. The difficulty comes more when we try to apply the Bible’s wisdom to our daily lives. This is where continuing Adult Bible Study can help. At Immanuel Lutheran Church, we offer two weekly adult Bible classes that meet year-round. Sunday class runs 9:45-10:30 a.m. (or shortly following the 8:30 Divine Service). We are blessed to have Rev. Wheeler (our previous pastor who shepherded the flock at Immanuel for 34 years) lead this class, digging deeper into the Scripture readings or hymns of the day, as well as sometimes exploring other edifying topics. Children's Sunday School runs concurrently, so God's people of all ages have a chance to learn more about God's Word. Wednesday class is 5:00 p.m., led by Pastor Wendorff. In our Wednesday studies we tend to explore and examine various books of the Bible, dig into key teachings of the faith, and respond in a Christian manner to various issues of our time. Discussion and questions are always encouraged, as these help us learn and grow in a deeper understanding of God's wisdom and truth. Other Education Opportunities... Sunday School Adult Bible Class First Communion Class Confirmation Class Men's Group Women's Guild Congregation at Prayer Over the Rainbow Preschool Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

About If you're looking for our key teachings you can start with "What is the Gospel?" below ("The Christian Faith " and "The Divine Service " sections of our site will also help with that!). Or maybe you want to learn more specifically about our congregation , pastor , and history. Or to find out how you can support the ministry of Immanuel. Or even just to contact us. You can find all these things on the list of links below: About What is the Gospel? What is Immanuel Lutheran Church? Meet Our Pastor History of Immanuel Donate to Immanuel Contact Us Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Children in Worship At Immanuel Lutheran Church, we want your kids in the Service and not out! We are so happy to have little ones hearing God's Word together with the rest of the congregation. Please don’t feel embarrassed if your children wiggle and make a bit of noise. Your children are precious to Jesus and are most certainly welcome here in our church. Although it might seem counterintuitive, if you have younger children, you might consider sitting toward the front of the church where your little ones can easily see the colors, hear the pastor, and embrace the action at the altar. Wherever you sit, you can encourage your children to participate in the Divine Service even from a very young age! You might ask them to find and point out the crosses around the sanctuary. Or you might softly explain the Liturgy to them, encouraging them to chime in on their parts: "Amen!" "Lord have mercy!" "And with thy Spirit!" "I believe!" "Our Father!" All of that belongs to them too. Be sure to sing and say and pray your parts too as you stand and sit. Your children learn by following your lead! Restrooms and our nursery are in the north hallway (to the right from where you entered the building) if you need to take your child out for a moment. And if you need a little help with your children, just ask! There are lots of folks here who will gladly lend you a hand. Please know that while you are caring for your children, the rest of us will be rejoicing in Jesus’ words: “Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:16) We know that your children are a gift to the Church, so we will do our best to welcome, smile, encourage, help, and bless you all. Welcome to Immanuel! More About the Divine Service... God's Gifts Why the Liturgy? What the Service Means The Church Year and Its Symbols Mus ic Service Times Children in Worship Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

What is Immanuel Lutheran Church? Immanuel Lutheran Church is a confessional congregation affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). Immanuel is committed to teaching the truth of God's Word, with Christ crucified for sinners as the center of our life and doctrine. "...but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." –1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Immanuel's worship follows the historic liturgy of the Church. With families of all ages, we are a church that boldly confesses the faith and sings with reverence, dignity, and joy to Christ our crucified, risen, and reigning Lord. More About Immanuel Lutheran Church... What is the Gospel? What is Immanuel Lutheran Church? Meet Our Pastor History of Immanuel Donate to Immanuel Contact Us Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

First Communion Baptized children of member families who desire the Sacrament of the Altar before Confirmation are brought to the pastor by their parents, who serve as their primary instructors in the faith. The children receive supplemental instruction from Pastor Wendorff through a series of First Communion classes. In addition to completing these classes, students are to... Attend Divine Service regularly with their family. Read through Luther's Small Catechism with Explanation with their parents/family. Recite the primary texts of Luther's Small Catechism in a church service (or as separately scheduled): The Ten Commandments The Apostles' Creed The Lord's Prayer The Small Catechism's first question and Bible passage for Confession, Baptism, and the Sacrament of the Altar. (+The books of the Old Testament and New Testament) Complete an examination with parents, Pastor Wendorff, and Immanuel's Elders. In addition to this, and most importantly, the children confess their sins and their trust in Jesus Christ along with an understanding of the bodily presence of the risen Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar. They then undergo the “Rite for First Communion” as it is endorsed by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and provided for in the Agenda for the Lutheran Service Book. There is no specific age or grade for First Communion. Children who are admitted to the altar in this way make vows similar to those of Confirmation including a promise, with the help of God, to continue receiving instruction. First Communion classes are offered on Sunday evenings (5:30-6:00pm) for 10 weeks in the Fall. Children who enroll in the class are expected to have the (above mentioned) primary texts already memorized. Children tend to take this class several years in a row until their parents want them to be confirmed through the Rite of Confirmation. Then they also attend a (similar) 10 week class in the Spring where they are expected to have all parts of Luther’s Small Catechism memorized. Parents are expected to stay with their children during the class and also to attend weekly worship with them. This reinforces the authority of the parent and their responsibility to their child's development. Other Education Opportunities... Sunday School Adult Bible Class First Communion Class Confirmation Class Men's Group Women's Guild Congregation at Prayer Over the Rainbow Preschool Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

Sunday School “…Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'” –Matthew 19:14 (ESV) The instruction of the young is of the utmost importance to our Lord, and so it is of the utmost importance also to us. Christ Himself holds children up to us as an example of unquestioning faith (Matt. 18:1-4). And we heed His admonition to nurture that faith in our children (as well as in ourselves ). We currently offer two Sunday School classes: one for ages 3-6, and one for ages 7-12. Classes are focused on teaching children about God's love for them as described in the Bible and explained by Martin Luther in his Small Catechism. Sunday School runs 10-10:45. It is split into two parts: 1) Sunday School Opening: Pastor Wendorff leads songs and hymns and introduces the topic of the day. We then recite the Apostles' Creed and pray Luther's Morning Prayer. 2) Lesson Time: Students then head to their Sunday School classrooms for a Scripture lesson from their teacher. Lessons are interactive and geared toward the appropriate age range. Sunday School Immanuel runs every week from Labor Day until Memorial Day. If you would like to know more about it, please contact Immanuel Lutheran Church. Other Education Opportunities... Sunday School Adult Bible Class First Communion Class Confirmation Class Men's Group Women's Guild Congregation at Prayer Over the Rainbow Preschool Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.

What God Wants: The Law God has never wanted less than all of us. He gives us two great commandments in His Word: to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Every other commandment boils down to these two. What God wants from us: whether we find it to be a curb to bad behavior, a mirror to show us what’s wrong with us, or a guide to point out how to live, that is His Law. It doesn’t change, and it always accuses us since we’re sinners. Its best summary in the Bible is the Ten Commandments. The Ten C ommand me nts The Ten Commandments are a summary of what God wants from us. He wants us to love Him and to love our neighbors just like we already love ourselves. Each commandment helps us to properly order our love for God and others in specific ways. We sometimes divide the Commandments into two different "tables" or "tablets" because God originally gave Moses two tablets of stone on which He Himself wrote these Commandments. The First Table is composed of the first three Commandments that focus on the love of God, and the Second Table is made up of the last seven Commandments that focus on the love of our neighbors. Each Commandment has a "positive" side ("Do these things") and a "negative" side ("Avoid these things"), and gifts God seeks to protect for us in giving these Commandments. A fuller explanation can be found here , but below is a brief summary of each Commandment: The First Commandment – Worship only the true God. Do not worship any false god of any kind. (Gift of faith in the one true God) The Second Commandment – Use God’s Name the right way. Do not use it as a swear word, to cover your own lying, or to find out something you shouldn’t know. (Gift of refuge in God's saving Name) The Third Commandment – Set aside time and attention for God’s Word, especially on Sundays. Don’t use the time God has given you for anything less than His truth. (Gift of God's Word and Sacraments) The Fourth Commandment – Honor your parents and the other authorities God has given you in your life. Don’t destroy the family through what you do, what you say, or how you live. (Gift of parents, other authorities, and good order) The Fifth Commandment – Protect innocent life. Do not take the life of any innocent person through what you do or what you fail to do to care for him. (Gift of life) The Sixth Commandment – Protect marriage. Do not do, think, or say anything that destroys your marriage or anyone else’s, your chastity or anyone else’s. (Gifts of marriage and chastity) The Seventh Commandment – Protect property. Do not take something that truly belongs to someone else, whether the way you got it looked right or wrong to anyone. (Gifts of possessions and property) The Eighth Commandment – Protect other people’s good name. Do not say things, even if true, that are useless gossip when you stop and think about it. (Gift of a good reputation) The Ninth Commandment – Protect other people’s possessions, especially their real estate. Do not let your heart be ruled by obsessing over things that belong to someone else. (Gift of contentment, especially with your own possessions) The Tenth Commandment – Protect other people’s family, job, and their whole life, everything that makes their lives worthwhile, upbuilding, and good. Do not allow the desires of your heart to overwhelm the need to love your neighbor. (Gift of contentment, especially with the people God has placed in your life) Sin and Death All the evils we see in the world can be boiled down to either sin or death. Sin is every thought, word, and deed against God’s righteous Law, His holy will for us. And death is the obvious result of sin in this world. Scripture teaches that the first sin of our parents Adam and Eve has passed on to us a disease called “original sin.” This spiritual genetic disease infects every single human being and always brings us to death. And we commit many sins along our way to death. Those sins, called “actual sins” or “sins of omission and commission,” are all acts of rebellion against our Creator and symptoms of the underlying disease that’s leading us to death. So death is not natural except for sinners. If sin could be taken away from us, then we could be saved from death. If death could be taken away from us, life would look completely different; we would live knowing that we had already died and that we would not have to face the enemy of death anymore. The Gospel is the good news that in the death of Christ, our death has been defeated. That by the blood of Jesus, sin’s stain has been washed away. And that through baptism into Christ you can die with Him now so that you might live with Him forever. Three Us es of the Law God’s Law work s in three ways when we hear it or read it: Curb: It sets a boundary or curbs sin so that when w e hear that we will get in trouble for doing something, we don’t do it. In the same way that the curb keeps your car from running over someone on the sidewalk without consequence, the law curbs sin so that it doesn’t destroy everything. Mirror: It shows us our sin. This works as a mirror to make us aware of blemishes and stains we could not otherwise see. Sometimes we do not know our sin, not even its existence let alone its consequences, until God’s law is made known to us. Guide: It shows us a better way to live. We then know what we should do or not do so that we do not invent “good deeds” for ourselves but instead do those things God would have us do. Orders of Creation Life is not random. The Creator of all life is not Himself random and disorderly. He is a “God of order” so the life that He has made also has an order. Birds cannot become pine trees. Oceans do not turn into azaleas. Boys do not turn into girls. Women do not become men. These realities are called the orders of creation. We can deny them and fight against them. We can say that they are old-fashioned o r silly. We can make war on anyone who says that they are real or do exist. That won’t change anything. No amount of screaming will turn the bird into a pine tree. No amount of denial will change the Atlantic into an azalea. No social media post or politician’s speech will make boys into girls or women into men. Created life, including each one of us, can either conform to its created design or push against it. When we conform our thoughts and words and deeds to God’s orders, we live a better life than when we push – vainly – against them. When we expect to get pine cones from a pine tree and to see a boy grow into a man, we find wisdom. When we expect otherwise, our foolishness leads to all kinds of destruction. Table of D ut ies One of the best places to learn about the orders of creation is the collection of Bible passages found in t he Small Catechism – also known as the Table of Duties . This puts together how churches, families, workplaces, and governments all shou ld function and why they should. If you read the Table of Duties, you’ll find that the Bible is especially clear about how each of the different parts of life – the h ome, the local church, the workplace, the courts, and so on – is accountable to the one true God. Even if someone is doing evil and getting away with it now, he won’t forever. Even if someone is being lazy or foolish or wicked now, he will one day answer to God for all those things. Life is a serious thing because we live it in God’s presence, whether we acknowledge that fact or not, and one day we will all surely know that we must answer to Him, however much we now deny that. Marriage Marriage has three purposes: the procreation of children, faithfulness to one’s spouse, and the symb olizing of Christ’s marriage to His bride the Church. Marriage can therefore only be between one man and one woman since God Himself has only one Bride, the holy Christian Church, and when He instituted earthly marriage in the first times of the world, He brought together just one man, Adam, and one woman, Eve so that they should be “fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.” Marriage cannot be between two people of the same sex or multiple people at the same time because God did not establish marriage to be that way. What He established is what we acknowledge and honor, not what our hearts might want in their worst moments. We support and protect marriage so that God’s will might be honored and the children He has given us might be protected. Learn more about our church’s teaching on marriage here. Abortion No one has the right to take an innocent life. The Bible recognizes that guilty men could be punished for certain crimes with death, but no child may be punished for existing. We cannot support, vote for, much less practice abortion because we cannot support, vote for, much less practice murder. Murder is the ta king of innocent life, and abortion is the taking of an innocent life that is so pointedly and cruelly without the ability to defend itself. Learn more about our church’s teaching on abortion here. Sex and Gender We are not free to be whatever we would like. We were made to be some things and not others, to be male or female, neither both at the same time nor the opposite at some time nor something else altogether. If we were free to be whatever we would like, we would be greater and more powerful than God Himself, and since we plainly are not gods, do not have such control, cannot even keep ourselves alive without His help every moment, we can scarcely become something we were not made to be. We might playact, but we cannot become other than He has made us to be. This video is helpful to understand better what’s happening and how to think about it. Christian Freedom "A Christian is the freest lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is the most dutiful servant of all, subject to all." - Martin Luther Christians are free from the regulations and traditions of men. We do not regulate one another in things that the Bible has left free – ceremonies, times of year, the drinking or not drinking of alcohol. Christian freedom must be maintained because it means that God’s Word is supreme in all things so that wherever and whenever God’s Word is silent, we are silent. Wherever and whenever God’s Word speaks – about the evil of being drunk, not the “evil” of drinking alcohol – we must speak. You can hear Martin Luther’s teaching on Christian freedom here. More About the Christian Faith... What God Wants Who God is How to Pray God With Us Regular Service Times Sunday: Divine Service 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Adult Bible Class and Children's Sunday School 9:45 a.m. Monday: Prayer Service 9:30 a.m. Wednesday: Adult Bible Class 10:00 a.m. Private confession by appointment.