All four Gospels record Jesus calling the first disciples, his deepening fellowship with them, and worsening opposition from others. All four Gospels culminate with Jesus’ resurrection. All four Gospels teach us discipleship, but perhaps none more clearly than the Gospel according to St. Matthew.

In December, we’ll begin a two-year study of Matthew. We’ll encounter sermons Jesus aimed primarily at his disciples, including his final commission to “make disciples.” Jesus wanted then what Jesus wants now: disciples.
This isn’t a study of disciples, men who became great through Christ. This is a study of Christ. We’ll know him better as we see him shape disciples then and join in the prayer that he shapes us today.

Let us hear Jesus’ voice as powerfully in our day as when he said on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, “Follow me.”

War in Israel didn’t allow us to produce on-site videos for this series, as we did for our study of Acts. However, we have study booklets. Please take a copy from the tables in the atrium today. Consider taking one per person who will use it to take notes and record thoughts and prayers. We acknowledge Amy Hutter, Rachel Kamin, and Naomi Laabs for their work in creating this book. We thank two St. Andrew families for their anonymous financial support for this series. We thank the Wartburg Project for graciously granting us permission to use The Evangelical Heritage Version in these booklets.

‘Tis the season . . .
Christmas decorations will be going up soon. There are two ways to get involved:

1. On Sunday, November 24, stick around after 10:30 AM worship and help run across the street to get the decorations out of storage and bring them back here to church.
2. On Sunday, December 1, stick around after 10:30 AM worship to put ornaments on the trees and “deck the halls.”

If you would like to get involved further, contact Visual Arts Team Lead Sue Martalock or Minister of Worship Naomi Laabs.

New livestream time coming
Beginning Sunday, December 1, we will be changing the livestream time from the 10:30 AM service to the 8:00 AM service. Once the livestream is complete, the service video, sermon video, and sermon audio will be posted on the homepage as it is now. A special thanks to our video techs for their flexibility in switching services.

Worship check-in
If you worship on-site, please fill out the Connection Card attached to your worship folder. Online worshipers, please continue to check in here.

Weekend worship songs
Preview some of the songs we will use for worship this weekend. Obviously ours won’t sound exactly like this, but listening to the links provided will certainly help you be more comfortable participating in the service.

“Battle Belongs” by Phil Wickham
“We Believe” by Newsboys
“Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)” by Chris Tomlin
“Come unto Jesus” by Laura Story, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker

Grow in Grace
The Bible tells us a lot about God, but much remains unknown. That contrast is why we distinguish between The Revealed God and The Hidden God. At our next Grow in Grace, we are going to explore The Hidden God, not as an exercise in futility, but to learn to be content with The Revealed God. Join us at 9:30 in the sanctuary on December 15 for Grow in Grace. For more information on Grow in Grace, click here.

Impact podcast
God does not like sin. That is demonstrated again and again in the Old Testament. Thank God he sent Jesus who took our sin upon himself. Pastor Nate Wordell from Wisconsin Lutheran College helps us learn from the sin of Achan. His story is told in Joshua 7. You can listen to Impact here or by searching for “Kjenstad Impact” wherever you listen to podcasts.

PowerHour
There is time for one last camping trip at the next PowerHour! PowerHour is a children’s ministry that serves children and their caregivers. Children up to school-age are welcome. The next PowerHour is Friday, November 15, 10:15 – 11:15, in the gymnasium. Go here to learn more.

Plugged into Jesus
Plugged into Jesus children (4 years – grade 3) are singing in worship at both services on Sunday, November 17. Please bring your child to the gym by 7:40 for warm-up.

LifeBoat
LifeBoat is a fun ministry for teens in grades 7 – 10 that gets together at St. Andrew on the first and third Sundays each month from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Food is served, games are played, and God’s Word is shared. LifeBoat meets again on November 17.

• Winter Coats: men’s, women’s and unisex size L – 4X
• Pants and sweatshirts: men’s and women’s size M – XXL
• Hats, gloves, and boots in any adult size

Local pantry food drive
Help us serve many in our immediate community by participating in this drive. At the end of November, we will donate all items to WayForward Resources, a local organization that has a constant need for more groceries to distribute. Until then, please bring your bagged or boxed items into the sanctuary in front of the altar. Bring them before/after worship or throughout the week.

The following is WayForward’s top 10 list. See also their list of acceptable items.

• Mac and cheese
• Paper, plastic, and reusable grocery bags
• Canned chicken or tuna
• Basmati, jasmine, or white rice
• Masa
• Noodles (any kind)
• Pasta (spaghetti) sauce
• Canned beans (all varieties)
• Canned fruit (all varieties)
• Condiments (any kind)

WELS Connection
Every month, our church body releases a video to highlight a specific project or ministry of some of our brothers and sisters in faith. Last month’s video explains some of our efforts across the world, including a story about a ministry in Colombia.