Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church

11/28/2023

01/25/2023

HYMN OF THE DAY
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 22, 2023

O Christ, our true and only light (LSB 839)

1 O Christ, our true and only light,
Enlighten those who sit in night;
Let those afar now hear Your voice
And in Your fold with us rejoice.

2 Fill with the radiance of Your grace
The souls now lost in error's maze;
Enlighten those whose inmost minds
Some dark delusion haunts and blinds.

3 O gently call those gone astray
That they may find the saving way!
Let ev'ry conscience sore oppressed
In you find peace and heav'nly rest.

4 Shine on the darkened and the cold;
Recall the wand'rers to Your fold.
Unite all those who walk apart;
Confirm the weak and doubting heart,

5 That they with us may evermore
Such grace with wond'ring thanks adore
And endless praise to You be giv'n
By all Your Church in earth and heav'n.

01/15/2023

Visit Lutherancalendar.org to read the appointed readings for Sunday, January 15.

01/15/2023

Prayer of the Church
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
15 January 2023

In peace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

That the Lord, our Rock and Redeemer, would sanctify the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts, that our prayers might reflect His gracious promises, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For faithfulness, that the Lord who formed His Son in Mary’s womb to be a light for the nations would enlighten and strengthen us by His Word and Sacraments; and that we might reflect the light of Christ to those around us, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

That the Lord, who created the heavens and establishes day and night, would bless all teachers and students of the arts and sciences to see His creativity and glorify Him, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For our households, that the Lord who watched over the tribes of Jacob would provide both daily bread and redemption in abundant measure to His people, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For those in authority, that our Holy God would fortify them with courage and wisdom to govern justly and cultivate in them penitent hearts so that they would prostrate themselves before their Redeemer with joy on the Last Day, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For healing and deliverance, that the Lamb of God who takes away our sins and infirmities would be merciful those who are in need of His care, and grant them rescue and confidence in His grace, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

For a worthy reception of the Lord’s body and blood, that all who partake of the Sacrament this day might receive the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, in penitence and faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.

Grant that we who have celebrated the incarnation of our Lord may die to sin and rise to new life in Him, and that we may treasure up and ponder in our hearts the Christ announced by Your forerunner; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

01/10/2023

We invite you to memorize Proverbs 18:10 with us this week.
Memorizing Scripture is a valuable practice for Christians, even in a digital age. Join us each week as we hide God's Word in our hearts.
Learn more at https://lcms.org/memoryverse.

01/10/2023

+Service of the Word+
The Baptism of Our Lord
January 8, 2023

Introit Psalm 2:7–11, 12c; antiphon: Isaiah 42:1a
Behold my servant, whom | I uphold,*
my chosen, in whom my | soul delights.
I will tell of | the decree:*
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have be- | gotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your | heritage,*
and the ends of the earth your pos- | session.
You shall break them with a | rod of iron*
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s | vessel.”
Now therefore, O | kings, be wise;*
be warned, O rulers | of the earth.
Serve the | LORD with fear,*
and rejoice with | trembling,
for his wrath is quickly | kindled.*
Blessèd are all who take ref- | uge in him.
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.
Behold my servant, whom | I uphold,*
my chosen, in whom my | soul delights.

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 42:1–9
1Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
3a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law.
5Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
6“I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
7to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8I am the LORD; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to carved idols.
9Behold, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth
I tell you of them.”

Epistle Romans 6:1–11
1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Holy Gospel Matthew 3:13–17
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Collect of the Day
Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

01/08/2023

Father in heaven, at the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River You proclaimed Him Your beloved Son and anointed Him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children and inheritors with Him of everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

01/03/2023

HYMN OF THE DAY
First Sunday after Christmas
January 1, 2023

Let all together praise our God (LSB 389)

1. Let all together praise our God
Before His glorious throne;
Today He opens heav’n again,
To give us His own Son,
To give us His own Son.

2. The Father sends Him from His throne
To be an infant small;
And lie here, poorly manger’d now
In this cold dismal stall,
In this cold dismal stall.

3. Within an earthborn form He hides
His all creating light;
To serve us all He humbly cloaks
The splendor of His might,
The splendor of His might.

4. He undertakes a great exchange,
puts on our mortal frame;
And in return gives us His realm,
His glory and His name,
His glory and His name.

5. He is a servant, I a lord;
How great a mystery;
How strong the tender Christ-child’s love,
No truer friend than He,
No truer friend than He.

6. He is the key and He the door
To blessed paradise;
The angel bars the way no more
To God our praises rise,
To God our praises rise.

7. Your grace and lowliness revealed,
Lord Jesus we adore;
And praise to God the Father yield
And Spirit evermore.
We praise You evermore.