Reformation Day (Observed) 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

Reformation Day (observed)

October 25, 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 4 – page 203

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 Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C who made heaven and earth.

P If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. 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 Psalm 34:1–2, 11, 22; antiphon: Psalm 119:46

I will speak of your testimonies before kings, [O Lord,]
    and shall not be put to shame.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
    and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
    is now, and will be forever. Amen.
I will speak of your testimonies before kings, [O Lord,]
    and shall not be put to shame.

Kyrie LSB 204

C Lord, have mercy;

Christ, have mercy;

Lord, have mercy.

Gloria in Excelsis LSB 204

Text: Stephen P. Starke

Salutation and Collect of the Day

P The Lord be with you.

C And also with you.

P Let us pray.

Almighty and gracious Lord, pour out Your Holy Spirit on Your faithful people. Keep us steadfast in Your grace and truth, protect and deliver us in times of temptation, defend us against all enemies, and grant to Your Church Your saving peace; 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

First Reading Revelation 14:6–7

6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Gradual Psalm 48:1a, 12–14a

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
    in the city of our God!
Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers,
    consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
    that this is God, our God forever and ever.

Epistle Romans 3:19–28

19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

A This is the Word of the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Please stand if you are able

Alleluia and Verse

C Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

C These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

C Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Holy Gospel John 8:31–36

P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the eighth chapter.

C Glory to You, O Lord.

31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

P This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C Praise to You, O Christ.

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.

Sit

Hymn of the Day #656 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Sermon John 8: 31-36 “Gospel Returned to its Proper Place”

Please stand if you are able

Prayer of the Church

Sit

Offering

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

Please stand if you are able

Preface LSB 208

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, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. 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 208

C Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;

Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.

Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;

Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Text: Stephen P. Starke

Prayer of Thanksgiving

P We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Grant us Your Holy Spirit that we may faithfully eat and drink of the fruits of His cross and receive the blessings of forgiveness, life, and salvation that come to us in His body and blood.

Hear us as we pray in His name and as He has taught us:

Lord’s Prayer

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

P The peace of the Lord be with you always.

C Amen.

Agnus Dei LSB 210

C 1 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,

You take the sin of the world away;

O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,

Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.

2 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,

You take the sin of the world away;

Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ,

And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray.

Text: Stephen P. Starke

Sit

Distribution

Distribution Hymns

#555 Salvation unto Us Has Come

#578 Thy Strong Word

#655 Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word

Dismissal

Please stand if you are able

Nunc Dimittis LSB 211

C 1 O Lord, now let Your servant

Depart in heav’nly peace,

For I have seen the glory

Of Your redeeming grace:

A light to lead the Gentiles

Unto Your holy hill,

The glory of Your people,

Your chosen Israel.

2 All glory to the Father,

All glory to the Son,

All glory to the Spirit,

Forever Three in One;

For as in the beginning,

Is now, shall ever be,

God’s triune name resounding

Through all eternity.

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.

Benedicamus LSB 212

A Let us bless the Lord.

C Thanks be to God.

Benediction

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: Choir – “The Gospel Shows The Father’s Grace”

Acknowledgments

Divine Service, Setting Four 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 (rehab), Bernell Buettner (recovering from home), Kristina Crook (recovering at home), Mike Fausz (undergoing treatment for leukemia), Shirley Goodman (recovering at home), Linda Harbison (recovering at home), Howard Schmidt (cancer).

Tripp Dodson (leukemia – Myah Grossheim’s cousin), Sue Doyle (health issues – Mark Doyle’s mother), Donny Fausz (broken femur – Mike Fausz’s dad), LeeAnn Hauptfleisch (cancer – Debbie Nobbe’s cousin), Phyllis Haupfleisch (shoulder surgery – Deb Nobbe’s aunt), Cindy Kerr (cancer – Arlene Baum’s niece), Susan McFadden (cancer – friend of Pastor & Deb), Herb Phillips – (stroke- cousin of Connie Kostecki), Leo David Trost (many health challenges/born with scoliosis – grandson of Kathy Bollinger), Beth Vincent (ALS – friend of Kenny & Radar), Janice Whelan (recovery-friend of Ron & Pearl Braun),.

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

with us in worship.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Serving Today

Organist: Connie Kostecki

Asst. Elder Carl Brewer & Dwight Boehm

Ushers: Spencer Kostecki & Tyler Kostecki

Acolyte: Tyler Johanning

Altar Care: Deb Ostlund and Leslie Reinhardt

Serving Next Sunday November 1, 2026

Organist: Connie Kostecki

Asst. Elder Greg Reinhardt & Kerry May

Ushers: Josh Busby & Brett Dunker

Acolyte: Jacob Mudd

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 Class/Sunday School

Monday Pastor Day Off

6:00 p.m. Choir practice

Wednesday 5:00 p.m. Confirmation

Sunday Nov. 1st 9:00 a.m. Worship Service

10:00 a.m. Fellowship

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

Birthday

Phyllis Buettner Oct. 25 Zachary Muskopf Oct. 25

Nikki Toal Oct. 25 Lydia Cotter Oct. 29

Denny Dougherty Oct. 30 Brenda Hoock Oct. 30

Alexis Kostecki Oct. 31 Barrett Wolfe Oct. 31

Anniversary

John & Vicki Koerber October 28, 1978

Our Service can be found on your radio at 87.9 FM

OCTOBER: This month is Church Worker’s Appreciation Month.

Please join us as we will be having a Pastor Appreciation get together in the Fellowship Hall immediately after church service honoring Pastor Dan and Deb for all they do for us.

Thank you, from your Congregation at Holy Cross.

I would like to thank everyone for your prayers and thoughts following my heart procedure at the end of May. I was finally discharged this past Friday from the wound care I was receiving for a hematoma that occurred to my leg while I was recovering from that procedure in the hospital. Both my heart and leg seem to be doing pretty well. I pray the Lord will continue to grant me good health according to his will. God’s blessings to all. Barb Schmeding

BIDDING ARE NOW OPEN…Ladies Aid is again hosting a silent auction of quilts and throws. There will also be various filled baskets to bid on. All will be displayed for viewing and bidding for 3 Sundays beginning Oct. 18^th and ending Nov. 1, 2026.

Ladies Aid is collecting old or broken jewelry for an ingathering at the LWML Fall Workshop in Zion Belleville on November 14.

Any jewelry can be used – one earring, broken bracelet or necklace, etc. This project is to support Monarch4Freedom, whose mission

is to increase awareness, raise funds and encourage others to join the fight to end sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation.

Monarch Jewelry has partnered with Crisis Aid International and contribute all net profits to Crisis Aid’s US Safe initiative – a holistic

response to this horrendous issue. There will be a basket on the table in the vestibule for this collection.

Please pick up your 3rd Quarter giving reports at the back of church

in the Narthex. Contact Kathy Reifschneicer if you have any questions

618-444-2188 or kreifschneider4@gmail.com

2027 Lutheran Witness Subscription renewal rate will be $30.70. If you no longer wish to receive it or if you are not currently receiving and would like to receive it, please let Rhonda May (or email church office) know by November 29, 2026. We will be invoiced in 2027 based on the total numbers of members subscribing.

A history of Holy Cross, Wartburg, God’s Grace in a Country Place II, by Arlene Baum is available for $10.00. Check payable to Holy Cross Lutheran Church or cash.

Did you know that the present stone church building is the congregation’s third house of worship? We thank God for his grace through the years. Contact Arlene at 618-340-2471.

80th Annual Holy Cross Wurstmarkt & Country Store, at Renault,

IL is Today. dine in from noon – 4:00 pm, carry outs

from noon – 5:00 pm with handicap accessible dining. Our dine in or

carry outs include pork sausage, mashed potatoes, milk gravy,

sauerkraut, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, applesauce, our

homemade apple butter, homemade pies, coffee & lemonade. It is $15

for adults; $7 for children 6 – 12 and children 5 and under are free (dine

in only). We do have a Country Store with fresh meat, our homemade

apple butter, home baked goods and crafts.

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

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.