Bulletin

Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Wartburg

5765 Maeystown Road – Waterloo, IL 62298

Pastor Dan Ostlund

Office: 618-939-7094 – cell 618-301-6358

Office: hcwartb@htc.net, Pastor: wartburg.pastor@gmail.com

Website: www.holycrosswartburg.com

Fifth Sunday after The Epiphany

Our Service can be found on your radio at 87.9 FM

February 8, 2026

Guests Welcome! We are delighted that you are with us for worship this morning. Consider us your church home– at least for today. We hope we will see you again soon!

We celebrate Holy Communion: In this Supper of our Lord we receive the true body and blood of Jesus Christ under the earthly forms of bread and wine for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith. Since this Holy Communion is also a sign of how we commonly confess the Christian faith, we welcome to the Lord’s Table those who are confirmed members of congregations of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. If this is your first time communing with us, please speak with the pastor or an usher before the service begins. If you are a guest who has not been instructed concerning the Lord’s Supper and our church’s teaching, and desire to commune with us, we invite you to first attend our instructional classes.

Divine Service Setting 2 – page 167

Ringing of the Bell

Opening Hymn #904 Blessed Jesus, at Your Word

Confession and Absolution

Please stand if you are able

The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.

P In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Silence for reflection on God’s Word and for self-examination.

P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.

Service of the Word

Introit sing responsively Psalm 119:9–16; antiphon: v. 12

Kyrie LSB 168

A In peace let us pray to the Lord.

A For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

A For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.

A For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

A Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

This Is the Feast LSB 171

A This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia.

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Let us pray.

O Lord, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of Your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by Your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Sit

Old Testament Reading Isaiah 58:3–9a

3“‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
    Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
    and oppress all your workers.
4Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
    and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
    will not make your voice to be heard on high.
5Is such the fast that I choose,
    a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
    and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
    and a day acceptable to the Lord?
6“Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke?
7Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
    and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
    you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Gradual Psalm 117:1–2a; 96:8

Epistle 1 Corinthians 2:1–16

1And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

6Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

14The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Please stand if you are able

Alleluia and Verse LSB 173

Holy Gospel Matthew 5:13–20

P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fifth chapter.

13[Jesus said:] “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 19Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Sit

Hymn of the Day #578 Thy Strong Word

Sermon Matthew 5:13-20 “Letting Our Light Shine”

Please stand if you are able

Nicene Creed

C I believe in one God,

the Father Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth

and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

begotten of His Father before all worlds,

God of God, Light of Light,

very God of very God,

begotten, not made,

being of one substance with the Father,

by whom all things were made;

who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

and was made man;

and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

He suffered and was buried.

And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

and ascended into heaven

and sits at the right hand of the Father.

And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Lord and giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,

I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

and I look for the resurrection of the dead

and the life + of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

Sit

Offering

Please stand if you are able

Service of the Sacrament.

If you are visiting and desire to receive Holy Communion, please see our

Communion statement on the front of our bulletin

Preface LSB 177

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Lift up your hearts.

C We lift them to the Lord.

P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord; for what had been hidden from before the foundation of the world You have made known to the nations in Your Son. In Him, being found in the substance of our mortal nature, You have manifested the fullness of Your glory. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:

Sanctus LSB 178

Lord’s Prayer LSB 179

P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth

as it is in heaven;

give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom

and the power and the glory

forever and ever. Amen.

The Words of Our Lord

P Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My + body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My + blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Pax Domini LSB 180

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C Amen.

Agnus Dei LSB 180

Sit

Distribution

Distribution Hymns

#580 The Gospel Shows the Father’s Grace

#555 Salvation unto Us Has Come

Dismissal

Please stand if you are able

Post-Communion Collect

A Let us pray.

We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore You that of Your mercy You would strengthen us through the same in faith toward You and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C Amen.

Benediction LSB 183

P The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C Amen.

Closing Hymn #563 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness

Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting Two from Lutheran Service Book

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

OUR PRAYERS

For the sick and/or injured – Rich Brege (hospitalized), Howard Schmidt (cancer), Tiffany Schultheis (recovery from shoulder surgery), Jody Woodcock (recovering from surgery).

Karen Brewer (health concerns – Carl Brewer’s sister-in-law), Tom Brewer (recovering from surgery- Carl Brewer’s brother), Bill Keel (hospice – brother-in-law of Arlene Baum and Howard & Mike Schmidt), Jodie Lexa (colon cancer – Bob Lunk’s niece), Susan McFadden (cancer – friend of Pastor & Deb), Dave Moore (cancer- Ron Braun’s niece’s husband), Alycia Otten – (pregnancy complications – Randy & Sheri’s daughter), Herb Phillips – (stroke- cousin of Connie Kostecki), Tanna Schablowsky (cancer – mother of Becky Mudd’s friend), Susie Stenger (hospitalized, cancer Tiffany Schultheis’ mother), Debbie Strickland (cancer – cousin of Sharon Brewer), Leo David Trost (many health challenges/born with scoliosis – grandson of Kathy Bollinger), Beth Vincent (ALS – friend of Kenny & Radar)

For those in Nursing Homes, the home bound, and those unable to be

with us in worship.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Serving Today

Organist: Barb Boeder

Asst Elder: Greg Reinhardt & Rob Mallon

Ushers: Carl Brewer & Brett Dunker

Acolyte: Kegan Schultheis

Altar Care: Pearl Braun/Rejona Reichert

Serving Next Sunday Feb 15th 9:00

Organist: Connie Kostecki

Asst Elder: Gary Perino & Kerry May

Ushers: Colby Crook & Doug May

Acolyte: Kelsey Crook

Altar Care: Pearl Braun/Rejona Reichert

This Week at Holy Cross

Today 9:00 a.m. Worship Service

10:00 a.m. Fellowship

10:15 a.m. Bible Study/Sunday School

Monday Pastor Day Off

Wednesday No Confirmation Class

6:30 p.m. Choir Practice

Sunday, Feb. 15th 9:00 a.m. Worship Service

10:00 a.m. Fellowship

10:15 a.m. Sunday School

Birthday

Bob Lunk Feb. 8 Shirley Goodman Feb. 8

Cara Kohlmeier Feb. 9 Connie Vogt Feb. 10

Jazmyn Mollet Feb. 10 Hannah Stiening Feb. 12

Katelyn Schanuel Feb. 12 Louis DeWilde Feb. 13

Pastor Ostlund will be on vacation from Feb. 9-16, 2026. If pastoral care is needed, please contact one of the Elders –

Darren Johanning 618-741-0547, Greg Reinhardt 618-830-5239 or

Carl Brewer 2770-331-6700.

Please pick up your 2025 giving reports from the narthex. If you have
any questions, please contact Kathy Reifschneider 618-444-2188 or
kreifschneider4@gmail.com

Other options to donate to church is to use the QR code to make a

donation to support Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Wartburg.

Thank you!

If you have any questions, contact Kathy Reifschneider 618-444-2188

Or kreifschneider4@gmail.com

Other ways to gift to Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Wartburg

Donate stock

You can make a meaningful difference in furthering a cause. Donating your stock to church can be financially motivated, but one of the greatest benefits is knowing that your money can help others.
You can avoid capital gains tax. You don’t pay capital gains tax on stock donations that would otherwise be owed if you sold the stock yourself. This also means donating stock to church can be more advantageous to the organization and you than donating cash.

It provides tax-efficient benefits. When an appreciated security, such as a stock, is held for at least one year and is donated to church, the fair market value of the stock may be itemized as an income tax deduction. So, donating stock to church not only saves you from paying capital gains, it can potentially reduce your taxable income.

How to donate stock to Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Wartburg in 3 simple steps:

1. Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Wartburg has a brokerage account set up with Edward Jones. Our financial advisor is Adam Brewer 618-939-7153.

2. Our brokerage account number is xxx-xx148. Provide this information to your broker to initiate the transfer. Keep in mind that brokerage firms tend to be extremely busy with tax donations and other end-of-year items every December, so it’s wise to get started before then, if possible. It’s also important to remember to report your stock donation, which is considered a non-cash charitable contribution, to the IRS with Form 8283.

3. You should report the donation for the tax year in which it was made.

Read more about charitable giving in this article from Thrivent.