What’s Happening with the Organ?

Pacific Hills has been blessed for nearly 50 years with the music from our organ built by the Schantz Organ Company of Orville, Ohio, in 1969. It contains a little over 2,200 pipes of various shapes and sizes, ranging anywhere from 16 feet in length to the size of a small pencil. The organist controls when each pipe plays through the keyboards and various buttons and knobs on the console (where the organist sits), which is connected to the pipe chambers by a very elaborate, and complex set of pneumatic valves and electrical connections.

Details: Published: 13 January 2019 13 January 2019; Last Updated: 24 January 2019 24 January 2019

News from Living H2O Board of Directors

As we look forward to 2019, Living H2O Lutheran Campus Ministry in Omaha announces new plans and staffing.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of DCE Allison Parkhurst to serve part-time as Director of Ministries. Ms. Parkhurst will lead a coalition of Directors of Christian Education from Omaha churches in helping campus ministry reach out into our congregations to offer ministry opportunities for Omaha students remaining in the Omaha metro for their college years. Additionally, Ms. Parkhurst will be discovering ways to reach into the UNO community to build relationships and share Christ with Lutheran as well as unchurched students.

Assisting her will be Mikayla Booth. Ms. Booth was our student assistant prior to her graduation this December from UNO. She will serve part-time as Administrative Assistant to the ministry. We are excited to have Ms. Booth continue with us until her pending enrollment at Concordia Theological Seminary next fall, where she intends to prepare for a deaconess ministry in the LCMS.

Details: Published: 05 January 2019 05 January 2019; Last Updated: 24 January 2019 24 January 2019

Sanctity of Life Month

The month of January is regarded as Sanctity of Life Month and January 20th will be observed as Sanctity of Life Sunday.

Essential Pregnancy Services

This year we are once again partnering with Essential Pregnancy Services of Omaha in our effort to make a difference in the lives of at risk mothers and their unborn and newly born children. As such you are encouraged to bring diapers for children newborn to age 2 and place them in the bins in the Narthex. Diapers are in great need.

On Sunday, January 27, EPS will host their annual fundraising banquet at Embassy Suites on Westport Pkwy. Pacific Hills will once again be sponsoring two tables. With your support, we can make a difference in the lives of countless families and support the sanctity of life in greater Omaha. You may register at the link below. Where the registration says “My Group Host is” select “Bryan Drebes.” There is no charge to attend the dinner so those that register will not be asked for any credit card information. One last friendly note, if you mark the “Yes, I would like to be a Table Host” box then you will be creating your own table instead of sitting at one of the two Pacific Hills tables. Please speak with Pastor Drebes if you would like to host your own table.

Details: Published: 04 January 2019 04 January 2019; Last Updated: 27 January 2019 27 January 2019

Luther’s Christmas Sermon

This article was posted December 25, 2015 by Rev. Travis Berg on the www.lutheranreformation.org website.

Christians in the Creche – Looking at Luther’s Christmas Sermon

Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to be in Bethlehem on that first Christmas? Who wouldn’t want to stand among the shepherds, as they hear the angels sing? We set up our crèches because we want to see the baby Jesus, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

We feel this longing because we don’t realize that Christmas isn’t just ancient history. In his sermon on Christmas day, Martin Luther reminded his congregation and us how we should view Christmas: “Therefore see to it that you do not find pleasure in the Gospel only as a history, for that is only transient; neither regard it only as example, for it is of no value without faith.”[1] Christmas isn’t just a historical trivia fact that comes in handy during Jeopardy or during a Quiz Bowl. Christmas isn’t just an example of righteous living, which is used to justify the acceptance of Syrian refugees.

Details: Published: 27 December 2018 27 December 2018; Last Updated: 27 December 2018 27 December 2018

The 12 Days of Christmas

What a joy to know that the Church’s Christmas song continues after Christmas Day. Enjoy these twelve hymns as you rejoice in the Savior’s birth!

Details: Published: 25 December 2018 25 December 2018; Last Updated: 24 January 2019 24 January 2019

Antiphons of Advent

There are so many great Advent hymns. Each year I find myself wishing Advent was a little longer so that we would have more opportunity to sing them. One of the best known of these great hymns is generally sung on the fourth Sunday in Advent – O Come, O Come Emmanuel.

The text of this hymn has an interesting history. Sometime prior to the ninth century, a custom arose of chanting a short antiphon before and after the Magnificat at daily Vespers from December 17 through 23. There were seven of these antiphons, one for each of the days leading up to Christmas Eve. Each of these seven antiphons began with the word “O” followed by one of seven titles used to describe God in Scripture: Wisdom, Adonai, Root of Jesse, Key of David, Dayspring, King of Nations, and Emmanuel. These antiphons have became known as the Great “O” Antiphons of Advent.

Sometime in the 12th century, an unknown author put each of the Antiphons into poetic verse, added a refrain (“Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel”), and the hymn that we know as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” was born.

Details: Published: 23 December 2018 23 December 2018; Last Updated: 23 December 2018 23 December 2018

The Lord is Coming for You

by Rev. Brent Kuhlman (Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Murdock, NE)

“Stir up your power, O Lord, and come.” Who prays like that? The church! She dares to pray that way. Especially during this blessed season of Advent. “Stir up your power, O Lord, and come.” And lo and behold He does! He comes to His lost and condemned creatures. In a way that blows you away! Check it out.

Go ahead. Try to bore a way up to heaven. Peek your head through the clouds. See if you can find the Lord seated on a red-velvety cushioned throne. I’ve got news for you. You won’t find Him way up there! Why? Because the Lord has come way down here!

Advent Candles The Lord Jesus stirs up His power and comes among us with great might. But see how it happens. Scandalous! Outrageous! Illegitimate circumstances! He stirs up His power and comes among us with great might as He is conceived by the Holy Spirit-filled sermon preached by the angel Gabriel in the Virgin Mary’s-engaged-to-be-married-to Joseph-ears. He gestates for nine months in her womb. Born in backwoods Bethlehem. He nurses from the virgin’s breast. He cuddles in her lap. A cattle trough is His bed. Infant holy. Infant lowly. Yes, indeed, this child – the Baby Jesus -- is Lord of all in weakness, a scandalous state of affairs, and great humility.

Details: Published: 19 December 2018 19 December 2018; Last Updated: 19 December 2018 19 December 2018

The Lamb of God - Christmas Service

The Lamb of God Preschool Christmas Service

The Lamb of God Preschool Christmas service will be this Sunday, December 9 at 3:00 pm in the sanctuary. After the service will be a birthday party for Jesus with cake and ice cream in Acker Hall. We would love to have you join us as the children share the message of Jesus’ birth!

As 2018 draws to a close, Lamb of God Preschool teachers, students, and families would like to say a big “THANK YOU!” to our whole congregation for your amazing support of our preschool this year. We are truly blessed to be a ministry of Pacific Hills. God’s richest blessings to all of you in this Advent
and Christmas season and in the new year.

Kay Storck
Lamb of God Preschool Director/Teacher

Kay Storck is the Preschool Director at Lamb of God Preschool in Omaha Nebraska

Details: Published: 08 December 2018 08 December 2018; Last Updated: 11 May 2019 11 May 2019

Our Mid-Week Advent Services

Advent Blues

The church uses various colors to mark the different seasons of the church year. Advent is no different. The color for the season is blue and during this season we give voice to the longing of our hearts for Jesus to come. The cry of God’s people throughout the ages has been, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!” During the Advent Season we celebrate Jesus who was promised to come, who did come, and who will come again as our Prophet, Priest and King. The pageantry of our “Advent Blues” visually points us to the one who is pure and royal.

Our Advent Schedule for 2018

Details: Published: 01 December 2018 01 December 2018; Last Updated: 01 December 2018 01 December 2018

Rake and Run 2018

Rake And Run at Pacific Hills Lutheran Church

Saturday, November 24 was Pacific Hill Lutheran Church's 2nd Annual Rake and Run. We had a good turnout of volunteers from the congregation to help rake leaves from the yards in the neighborhood surrounding the church. We were blessed with sunshine, pleasant temperatures, and smiles while we labored in our task.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."
Matthew 9:37

Details: Published: 24 November 2018 24 November 2018; Last Updated: 29 November 2018 29 November 2018

Naboth’s Vineyard

Drawing by Michelle Steen

ome time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. ² Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.” ³ But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” ⁴ So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat. ⁵ His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?” ⁶ He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” ⁷ Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” ⁸ So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. ⁹ In those letters she wrote: “Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. ¹⁰ But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.” ¹¹ So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. ¹² They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. ¹³ Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. ¹⁴ Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.” ¹⁵ As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” ¹⁶ When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.

- 1 Kings 21:1-16

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Essential Pregnancy Services

Christians in the Creche – Looking at Luther’s Christmas Sermon

The Lamb of God Preschool Christmas Service

Advent Blues

Our Advent Schedule for 2018

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