Jesus Appears as the Anointed One
 “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name, of course. It is a title. The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “Messiah” both mean the same thing—“The Anointed One.” Anointing was the practice of pouring liquid (typically oil) over the head of someone to signify selection for some special task. However, when the Lord anointed heroes to do his saving work, what he poured over them was his Spirit.
For centuries people of faith had patiently waited for the promised Messiah, the servant of God who would bring the salvation we so desperately need. The time had come for Jesus to be revealed as the fulfillment of that divine promise. So, Christ our Lord came to the Jordan River to be baptized, that he might be recognized by John and revealed to Israel. At his baptism Jesus was anointed—marked as God special servant and empowered by the Spirit of the Lord. Join us this Sunday, as we begin a new sermons series, "Jesus Appears," remember Jesus' baptism and our own, and celebrate how Jesus was anointed to be our Savior.
Our Sunday School and Bible Study also resume this Sunday at 9:20 am. Start off the new year in God's Word!
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Prayer Requests
Please keep the following in your prayers:
- Jerry Glaze, whose grandson was called home to heaven on December 27
- Pastor Dan Lewig, who returned the call to serve as Associate Pastor at Riverview.
- Brian Werth, who continues to wait for a kidney transplant
January Newsletter
Click here to read the January "Riverview Report." Find ministry updates and encouragement, as well as important information about upcoming ministries and events.
Read about Sunday’s New Hymn.
 The January issue of Forward in Christ features an article about a new hymn, "Christ Begins," that we’ll sing this Sunday. While most of our hymns come from sources all over the world, past and present, this one is by three WELS members. Read the article before Sunday (forwardinchrist.net/christ-begins) and your worship will be all the more meaningful when you first encounter the new hymn. Cantors will help introduce this new hymn.
Divine Call Update
Pastor Dan Lewig has returned the divine call to serve as Associate Pastor at Riverview. Please keep him, his current ministry, and his family in your prayers. Our next divine call meeting will be February 7 at 6:30 pm.
Volunteers Needed
Please contact Pastor Wagner or the church office if you are looking for ways to volunteer in 2023, including serving as a greeter, altar guild assistant, substitute usher, powerpoint assistant, helping with worship visitor follow-up, and several other opportunities.
AppleValley Food Pantry
As we start our 25th year, we'd like to share some of the accomplishments for 2022: Thank you all for supporting us in 2022 with your generous gifts of donations and time!
Check us out at welsunited.org/programs/apple-valley-food-pantry.php
- We averaged 63 families served per month
- Provided 1,600 bags of non-perishable food and 675 bags of sundry items
- That is nearly 30,000 lbs. or 15 tons
- Provided $24,000 in scrip to help with fresh food
- 12 food drives helped stock our shelves
- Our move to the new facility has been a blessing
- We are 23 congregations strong
- 70 volunteers are a real blessing
Christian Family Solutions Sunday
 Next Sunday, January 15, Pastor James Mattek of Christian Family Solutions will be our guest preacher and Bible study leader. He will share more about the healing and helping ministries of Christian Family Solutions, which include Christian counseling, in-home care services, and senior living solutions. Make plans to be here for this special Sunday. To learn more about Christian Family Solutions, please visit www.ChristianFamilySolutions.org. Our January door offering will support the ministry of Christian Family Solutions. Give at the door on January 15 or throughout the month using the "other" line on your offering.
College & Military Addresses Needed
Riverview would like to remember our college students and those serving in the military with care packages this Christmas and other encouragement throughout the year. If you or your child fall into one of those categories, please contact the church office with your contact info (school/branch, address, phone, email) or complete this form as soon as possible! Thank you!
Serving this Weekend
8:00 Service
- Greeters - Dan & Diane VandenHeuvel
- Powerpoint Assistant - Anna Wagner
- Ushers -Peter Wolfgramm, Don Eichsteadt, Steve Lehmann, Levi Wolfgramm, Pete Wolfgramm, Will Toshner
10:30 Service
- Greeters - Spielbauer & Katalinick Families
- Powerpoint Assistant - Nano Aragon
- Ushers - Mike Melso, Aaron Melso, Ethan Melso, Ryan Melso, Rob Walker, Lucas Walker, Reagan Walker
Worship Links:
Worship Times: Sundays 8:00 am (with livestream), 10:30 am
Fox Valley Lutheran High School Notes
- Do you enjoy baking? Consider making and donating homemade desserts (pies, cakes, tortes, candy) for Musicfest on February 5 Musicfest. Event proceeds benefit the FVL Music Program. Go to fvlhs.org/musicfest for details and to sign up.
- FVL Grads who were a part of the band program, please consider joining us for a special alumni band performance at Musicfest on Sunday, 2/5. Details and registration are at fvlhs.org/musicfest and registration deadline is 1/10.
- FVL is accepting applications for a part-time custodian and a maternity-leave substitute teacher. Go to fvlhs.org/about/employment for details.
- Transfer students can enroll for Semester 2 at FVL. Contact the Admissions Office at admissions@fvlhs.org or 920-560-5105 for details.
- Whether retirement is less than 5 years or more than 25 years from today, you have this special opportunity to hear from experts and get questions answered. Join us for the Retirement Planning seminar at FVL on Thursday, 1/19 at 6 PM. Go to fvlhs.org/seminar to register and get information.
Area WELS News
- COMMISSIONING SERVICE: Please join us for Pastor Joel Hoff's Commissioning Service on Saturday, January 21. The service will be held at 11AM at Trinity Lutheran Church (407 Oak Street, Neenah). There will be a sendoff lunch and fellowship following the service. The Hoffs will begin their ministry in Africa at the end of January.
- The Wisconsin Herd are excited to be hosting our annual WELS Night on Saturday, January 28, 2023! There will be some in-game promotions to celebrate WELS and we wanted to invite you out to enjoy the game together. All congregations are invited to take a photo together on court after the game to commemorate the experience together. For tickets, visit https://fevo.me/welsherd.
- TBRI® 101 Course Especially for Adoptive and Foster Parents Coming Soon! This course offers an informal, yet thorough approach to Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, an evidence-based intervention for children from hard places of abuse, neglect, and/or trauma. Videos will be shown to guide the viewer through the principles and strategies of TBRI® and offer practical tips for implementation. Topics include Understanding Trauma, TBRI® Empowering, Connecting, and Correcting Principles, as well as real-life examples and testimonials from caregivers and professionals who use TBRI®. Through the blessing of a grant from the Antioch II Foundation, the WELS ministry Light for Parents is able to present this course to a group of parents in the Fox Cities area. The course will be presented on three consecutive Saturday mornings--February 4, 11, and 18, 2023--from 9 a.m. - Noon at Eternal Love Lutheran Church, 1011 E. Midway Road, Appleton, WI 54915. The course will be presented from a Christian perspective by an adoptive couple trained as trauma practitioners, one of whom is also a TBRI® Practitioner. The course is free, but participants are asked to register by emailing staff@LightforParents.com with the names of those who will be attending.
- It's time to register for the 2023 Oshkosh Men of His Word Conference: MAN UP: in a man down world. It will be Saturday, February 18, 2023, 7:15 AM – 3:30 PM, at the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel and Convention Center, 1 N. Main Street in Oshkosh, WI. The day includes a keynote from Pastor Dan Solofra (CrossWalk Lutheran Church in Laveen, Arizona), your choice of sixteen heart-hitting, soul-searching sessions based on God’s Word, continental breakfast and buffet lunch, and worship led by Koine. Spend the day growing and bonding with Christian brothers. Find more information and register at www.menofhisword.org
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