This Week at St. Paul
First Sunday in Lent
A Champion for the Defeated
Our modern English word “champion” comes from an old English word that meant “warrior.” In ancient times, when two armies gathered to fight, sometimes as a prelude to the battle—and sometimes in place of the battle—each army would pick a mighty solider, and these two men would fight each other. These elite warriors, these champions, would represent their people in battle. They would meet in the middle of the field. With everyone watching, they would fight to the death.
Today we are reminded of an ancient war that began in Eden. The perfect peace and prosperity of Paradise was lost when a fallen angel convinced mankind to follow the demons in rebelling against their Creator. When Adam fell, he condemned the world to darkness and death. The enemy of God claimed that the children of men now belonged to him. God was having none of it. He promised he would send forth his champion, his Son. And so, today we see a battle of champions. The demons send forth their strongest warrior—Satan. God sends forth the best of men, Jesus Christ. Jesus does what Adam and we could not. In crushing the devil, Jesus meets one of our greatest needs.
This Week in Worship
Gospel—Matthew 4:1–11
First Reading—Genesis 3:1–15
Second Reading—Romans 5:12–19
Psalm of the Day—Psalm 46
Gospel Acclamation—Hebrews 4:15
Hymn of the Day—A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (CW 863)
Sermon
Romans 5:12–19
The Solution for Sin & Death
Join Us for Worship!
Remember in your prayers...
- Bill Steckel, who remains hospitalized with ongoing complications.
- Val Hagemann, who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
- John Honer, who is recovering from surgery.
- Our brothers and sisters in the Ukrainian Lutheran Church and the Concord Evangelical Lutheran Church (Russia), our brothers and sisters in Burma, and all others affected by war and rumors of war around the world. Pray for peace among nations and for protection over God's people as they proclaim the true, eternal peace we have in Christ.
Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Philippians 4:6
Announcements
Lenten Midweek Worship Schedule
The theme for the 2023 midweek Lenten sermons is "His Final Steps." The series explores Jesus' final days before, during, and after his crucifixion. Different locations, including the temple and Golgotha, serve as themes for each Lenten and Holy Week service, leading up to Jesus' first steps out of the tomb. Pastors from the area churches will be preaching on a rotating schedule.
For Hillsboro/Wonewoc the schedule is:
March 1—Pastor Snyder "His final steps led to a dinner celebration."
March 8—Pastor Sellnow "His final steps led to his Father's house."
March 15—Pastor Wilke "His final steps led to a fig tree."
March 22—Pastor Zuehlke "His final steps led to some Greeks."
March 29—Pastor Waldschmidt "His final steps led to his enemies."
Services will be at 3:30 & 6:30 pm with a meal in between. February 22 through March 8 services will be held at Wonewoc; March 15 through March 29 services will be held at Hillsboro.
Lent Fellowship Suppers
Fellowship suppers will be held between services during Lent. The hosts for the rest of the suppers are:
March 1 – Ladies Aid (Wonewoc)
March 8 – Mitchell Family (Wonewoc)
March 15 – Panther Parents (Hillsboro)
March 22 – Senior Choir (Hillsboro)
March 29 – Elders/Trustees (Hillsboro)
SCRIP Cards
We now have SCRIP cards available for immediate purchase or you may order in advance. We have Kwik Trip gas and gift cards on hand that may be picked up after church on Sunday or at the office during the week. You can order many other options. Please contact Brooks Mitchell (608-479-2860) or Bev Ward (608-548-3641) with questions or to order cards.
Contribution Statements & Offering Envelopes
2023 offering envelopes and 2022 offering statements are available on the back table at Wonewoc and in the church entry at Hillsboro. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at 608 464-3212 and speak to Jan.
Meditations
Meditations that begin next Sunday are available in the church entry in Hillsboro or on the back table in Wonewoc. Suggested donation is $3.00. The current Forward in Christ is also there.
In Season and Out of Season
Sundays at 9:15am—Both Campuses
February 26—April 2
In his second letter to Timothy, St. Paul wrote, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season” (4:2). Although originally written as an encouragement to a first-century pastor, Paul’s words are equally applicable to twenty-first century Christians. We have the same message to share with sinners who desperately need to hear it. Using St. Paul’s experiences in the city of Philippi as a model, In Season and Out of Season seeks to encourage and equip God’s people to share that message in any and every situation.
Sunday School (PreK–8)
Sundays at 9:15am—Hillsboro Campus
Calling all kids, Sunday School is in session! All children in the congregation, and friends and family who aren't members, are invited and encouraged to attend Sunday School, held at our Hillsboro campus. Students learn about God's love for them revealed in the Bible, and participate in learning and service activities to show that love to their neighbor. Come and join us!
Heirs Together
Women's Bible Study—Mondays at 6:30pm—St. John's, Kendall
^Note date change during season of Lent.^
Women's Bible Study continues to meet at St. John's in Kendall. The next study, beginning February 20, is Heirs Together. This study looks at God's design for men and women and how they work together for the good of his kingdom. All the lessons are meant to provide opportunities for men and women to discuss what Scripture says about their interdependence and the unique applications of unchanging principles for different ministry settings.
Preaching Pictures
Wednesdays at 10:30am—St. John's, Kendall
From humble house churches to sprawling cathedrals, Christians have been decorating their places of worship for millennia. Sometimes, decorations are simply for the sake of decoration. But in churches, art and architecture can serve a much greater purpose; they can help us to learn the good news about Christ. In this study we’ll learn about the history of God’s people’s worship spaces—from the tabernacle to today—and the meaning behind the art and symbols we see each week in worship.
WELS Together—News & Updates
Reflecting on the WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership
wels.net/reflecting-on-the-wels-national-conference-on-lutheran-leadership
Last month more than 1,300 men and women attended the second WELS National Conference on Lutheran Leadership in Chicago. Fifty-two percent of those who attended were laypeople. More than 100 attendees were high school and college students.
The conference featured a worship service with communion, as well as devotions. Five keynote presentations addressed a variety of timely issues facing the church today. Keynote topics were “Our Lutheran Moment: Why Now Is a Good Time for Us to Be Doing What We Do Best,” “Lutheran Leadership—What It Is and Why It’s Important,” “Shaping a God-Pleasing Congregational Culture,” “A Courageous Conversation on Modeling Gospel-Centered Unity,” and “Thinking Differently: On How the Next Generation Thinks, and On How to Help Them Think.”
Attendees could also choose to attend five breakout sessions (from 47 that were offered). The breakout sessions dealt with a wide range of issues, including congregational planning, dealing with current cultural issues, outreach and evangelism strategies, Lutheran worship, carrying out our Christian vocation in a secular workplace, and much more. A number of these were geared specifically for the young people in attendance.
It was very encouraging to see so many called workers and laypeople take time away from busy schedules to become better equipped to carry out the work that they do in their congregations. The information presented was practical, timely, encouraging, and spiritually edifying. I know that I benefited greatly from the presentations, and I can’t tell you how many people commented on how much they enjoyed the conference and were blessed to be a part of it. Called workers, laymen and women, and young people left the conference spiritually uplifted and full of ideas on how they and their congregations can better serve their Savior.
If you did not have the opportunity to attend, you can view video recordings of some of the presentations by visiting lutheranleadership.com. Select presentation videos will be released throughout the year.
We can pray that God will use this conference as a way to strengthen WELS members, called workers, and congregations as they carry out the mission God has given to us. The next National Conference on Lutheran Leadership is tentatively scheduled for January 2026.
Serving with you in Christ,
WELS President Mark Schroeder
Upcoming Events
Bible lessons, music, and activities for kids preschool aged through eighth grade.
Bible class geared toward adults and teens, studying books of the Bible and topics of Christian faith and living.
St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church
579 Lake St., Hillsboro, WI 54634 ~ 608 489-2189
119 S East St., Wonewoc, WI 53968 ~ 608 464-3212
Pastor Peter Snyder
revsnyder@stpaulhw.com ~ 608 479-0778
Pastor Jacob Limpert
revlimpert@stpaulhw.com ~ 608 462-7601
Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.
Hymns marked CW are from Christian Worship: Hymnal © 2021 by Northwestern Publishing House.
