Month: January 2018
Bulletin Announcements
January 28, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Mark 1:22 – “And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.” Authority is a word we are sometimes afraid of and don’t like to hear. But that’s just our sinful flesh talking. Jesus’ authority is something we need. We need him to show us what to believe and how to live – for Jesus’ authority is always connected to his love.
NEED A RIDE? If you are unable to drive to church, we have an option that is available. Please speak with Pastor who has the details. Thank you.
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL meets at 9:15 a.m. in the Choir Room which is located on the 2nd level (the west side).
THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS meets in the basement at 9:15 a.m. As we celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation we continue studies on that time period. We are studying “A Man Named Martin”, a video-based study on the reformer Martin Luther.
POINSETTIA PICK UP: You may pick up your poinsettias TODAY after the 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. services. There are plastic covers in the narthex on top of the coat racks at the north end which you may use to protect them. Thank you for your participation in decorating our Church for the Christmas season.
NEXT SUNDAY IS LUTHERAN MINISTRIES SUNDAY: “Bringing Christ to the Nations and The Nations to the Church”. Visit the Tract Tower TODAY, which is located in the narthex. Select and take with you several relevant topics. Read them and pass them on.
THE BOARD OF ELDERS would like to remind the congregation of our winter weather protocol if worship needs to be cancelled. We will send an e-mail to members and let WJBC Radio and TV Stations WEEK and WMBD know. If we do not have your e-mail and you would like to be included please call the church office (309) 662-8905 or sign-up at: http://www.goodshepherdblm.org/about-us/contact-us/.
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS for our new church sign. Sheets are available on the table in the narthex. We will take submissions until Sunday, February 11, 2018. You may drop them in the box in the narthex. Thank you!
FEBRUARY FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT: Friday night at the movies will be on February 16th at 6:30 p.m. The movie is “MOUNTAIN TOP – A JOURNEY FAITH”. Sometimes, the best place to see the future is on a mountain top. That’s where lawyer turned preacher Mike Andrews life changed, and he has no intention of going back. The last thing he wants to do is return to the courtroom and represent an eccentric old man whose mind is filled with obscure visions and confusing dreams. But when Sam Miller’s visions get personal, Mike discovers there are paths that lead higher than earthly mountains. And roads, more dangerous than an icy hairpin turn on a moonless night. Join us for another great movie, wonderful fellowship and good food!
THANK YOU: We have received a “Thank you” note from The Baby Fold for our recent support of the Annual Christmas Wish List. It is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office.
PORTALS OF PRAYER: The January – March 2018 are available on the book rack in the narthex. Please pick up your free copy today.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Wittenberg Lutheran Center’s Speakers Forum is scheduled for Saturday, February 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Schroeder Hall, Room 130 on the Illinois State University Campus. This is a FREE event with lunch served. Speaking will be Tim Goeglein an LCMS Laymen who worked in the Bush White House. His topic will be “Faith In The Halls Of Power”. The other speaker is family psychologist John Rosemond who will discuss “50 Years Of Parenting Babble (With No End In Sight”).
FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: In order to get more people involved in our Coffee/Donut Fellowship for 2018 we have two separate sign-ups: Donut Pick-up and Coffee Set-up. We would like to encourage you to sign-up for one or the other. You may also sign-up for both if you wish. The sign-up is by the door by the north stairwell.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED to Camp CILCA’S first Annual Banquet TODAY, January 28, 2018 from 5-8:00 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 2645 Old Jacksonville Rd., Springfield, IL. Tickets are $40.00 each, and must be purchased before January 20th. Purchase tickets by calling the Camp Office at (217) 487-7497, or by email at: camp@cilca.org.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Lift Up Your Eyes On High and See: Who Created These?” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Isaiah 40:21-31. There’s much in science that witnesses to God. Telescopes and microscopes can further evangelism more than soap boxes. Reverend Dr. Dale Meyer is the speaker. Hear his message on The Lutheran Hour on WGN (720) at 6:00 a.m.; WJWR (104.7 FM) and WJWR (90.3 FM) both on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Also, if you can receive Lincoln, IL radio station WLLM (1370 AM) the program is broadcast two times on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tune in! You can also listen to The Lutheran Hour on your personal computer at RealAudio, www.lhm.org.
PRAYER CHAIN: If you have a prayer request please submit them by email to Mary Anne Kirchner at makirchner@yahoo.com or you may phone a Prayer Request to Mary Anne; her cell phone# is (309) 532-2582. The Prayer Request box is on the table in the narthex for any written requests.
FROM THE CHURCH OFFICE: If you miss church, please be reminded that copies of the previous week’s sermon are available on the table in the narthex. Also, the sermon will be available on our web site at www.goodshepherdblm.org. Thank you.
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Bulletin Announcements
January 21, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Mark 1:14-15 – Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” To repent means to turn away from sins and our former way of thinking and turn toward belief in God and His Gospel of grace and mercy. The whole Christian life is one of repentance and faith – where is God calling you to repent today? How is He calling you to deeper faith?
NEED A RIDE? If you are unable to drive to church, we have an option that is available. Please speak with Pastor who has the details. Thank you.
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL meets at 9:15 a.m. in the Choir Room which is located on the 2nd level (the west side).
THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS meets in the basement at 9:15 a.m. As we celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation we continue studies on that time period. We are studying “A Man Named Martin”, a video-based study on the reformer Martin Luther.
TODAY is the deadline for items to be submitted for the FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER. Janet Evans is our Editor for the church newsletter and any announcements you want to be published in the Newsletter should be submitted to her at goodshepherdblm@frontier.com or you may call her at (309) 838-1552.
THE BOARD OF ELDERS would like to remind the congregation of our winter weather protocol if worship needs to be cancelled. We will send an e-mail to members and let WJBC Radio and TV Stations WEEK and WMBD know. If we do not have your e-mail and you would like to be included please call the church office (309) 662-8905 or sign-up at: http://www.goodshepherdblm.org/about-us/contact-us/.
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS for our new church sign. Sheets are available on the table in the narthex. We will take submissions until Sunday, February 11, 2018. You may drop them in the box in the narthex. Thank you!
THANK YOU: We have received a “Thank you” note from The Baby Fold for our recent support of the Annual Christmas Wish List. It is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office.
PORTALS OF PRAYER: The January – Martch 2018 are available on the book rack in the narthex. Please pick up your free copy today.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Wittenberg Lutheran Center’s Speakers Forum is scheduled for Saturday, February 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Schroeder Hall, Room 130 on the Illinois State University Campus. This is a FREE event with lunch served. Speaking will be Tim Goeglein an LCMS Laymen who worked in the Bush White House. His topic will be “Faith In The Halls Of Power”. The other speaker is family psychologist John Rosemond who will discuss “50 Years Of Parenting Babble (With No End In Sight”).
FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: In order to get more people involved in our Coffee/Donut Fellowship for 2018 we have two separate sign-ups: Donut Pick-up and Coffee Set-up. We would like to encourage you to sign-up for one or the other. You may also sign-up for both if you wish. The sign-up is by the door by the north stairwell.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED to Camp CILCA’S First Annual Banquet NEXT SUNDAY, January 28, 2018 from 5-8:00 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 2645 Old Jacksonville Rd., Springfield, IL. Tickets are $40.00 each, and must be purchased before January 20th. Purchase tickets by calling the Camp Office at (217) 487-7497, or by email at: camp@cilca.org.
THE LUTHERANHOUR: “Cause I Said So” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Mark 1:21-28. Many have pretended to be the Messiah. Jesus authority is recognized and obeyed by His competition. Reverend Dr. Ken Klaus is the speaker. Hear his message on The Lutheran Hour on WGN (720) at 6:00 a.m.; WJWR (104.7 FM) and WJWR (90.3 FM) both on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Also, if you can receive Lincoln, IL radio station WLLM (1370 AM) the program is broadcast two times on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tune in! You can also listen to The Lutheran Hour on your personal at RealAudio, www.lhm.org.
FROM THE CHURCH OFFICE: If you miss church, please be reminded that copies of the previous week’s sermon are available on the table in the narthex. Also, the sermon will be available on our web site at www.goodshepherdblm.org. Thank you.
PRAYER CHAIN: If you have a prayer request please submit them by email to Mary Anne Kirchner at makirchner@yahoo.com or you may phone a Prayer Request to Mary Anne; her cell phone# is (309) 532-2582. The Prayer Request box is on the table in the narthex for any written requests.
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Sermon for Sunday, January 14, 2018: “Body Language.”
Jan. 14, 2018 – Sanctity of Human Life Sunday Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Dear Friends in Christ,
What do you think of when you hear these two words – body language? You might think of non-verbal communication where are body language speaks to if we are happy or sad, mad or compassionate, giddy or gory. You might think of the 1980’s game show “Body Language” that was a form of charades. You might think of that girl or guy and well, you know. Where does your mind go when I say – body language?
The Apostle Paul is going to speak to us today about body language. It is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and God our Creator has given us all a body. He has breathed life into our bodies. He has sanctified and saved our bodies. He wants us to use our bodies for His glory.
I am not going to stand in the pulpit today and piously point my finger. I don’t want you to sit in the pew pompously either. We are not going to surround Paul as he tells the world how horrible they are when it comes to use of the body. See, Paul wasn’t writing to pagans. He writes to Christians being influenced by a pagan world. We need to take this personally. The Holy Spirit will lead us to an understanding of . . .
“BODY LANGUAGE”
The Corinthians used improper body language when they thought their bodies were actually their own and therefore they could do whatever they desired. We have modern day Corinthian thought. “I have a right to do what I want with my own body” and “My body, my choice.”
Again, let’s not just point; let’s take it personally. We use improper body language to justify pouring too much liquor into our bodies or eating to excess or sitting on our backsides instead of getting our hearts pumping or having sexual intercourse outside the bonds of marriage. “Hey, it’s my body! I can do what I want.”
What are we doing with our body language? Society seems to think hook-ups and hang-ups and friends with benefits is the norm. But recent studies seem to show the opposite. Human beings are having less sex. We can look at that two ways. Good if it is the young and the unmarried. Bad if it is husband and wife. Our technological society shows that human interaction is waning. We would rather be intimate with our devices. Those movies of year’s past are coming true!
Paul’s body language is very clear: “You are not your own” (v. 19). You are not your own because you have been bought. You are not your own because you have been bought with a price. The price for you was high: God’s own blood shed in the person of Jesus. You are not your own, because that blood cleanses you from all your sin. God dwells in you.
If you ever doubt your value or wonder about your purpose in life, remember Paul’s body language and take it personally! In Baptism, the Lord united your body with His. God bought you, cleansed you, and declared you holy. Once we see how God values us and how He made our bodies holy then we can use them properly. Our body language will speak of His glory. “So glorify God in your body” (v. 20b).
Allow me to speak to our young people and singles here today. Sometimes the Church sees you as just raging hormones and zits. That is part of who you are but you are so much more. God created you and knit you together in your mother’s womb. God created you and then in Baptism united you with Jesus. He purchased you with His blood and declared you His most holy place, where His Spirit is pleased to dwell. You can make good, God-pleasing decisions. You can glorify God with your body language.
The same goes for our husbands and wives. Let’s take us back to our marriage worship service where the Pastor said this: “The union of husband and wife in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for mutual companionship. Marriage was also ordained so that man and woman may find delight in one another. God also established marriage for the procreation of children.” You, too, can make good, Biblical, God-pleasing choices and glorify God with your body language. If you have children, you then pass on a God-ordained model.
Listen to God’s body language. We are not to become monks but to use our bodies in ways that are pleasing to God. We live in our ever-changing world but we don’t succumb to their immorality. When they say: “Go ahead put that drug in your body.” Listen to God’s body language: “I made your body for the Lord, to be united with Jesus.” When the world’s body language says, “You have a right to do what you want with your body,” listen to God’s body language: “Your body is not your own, for you were bought with a price.” When the world and sometimes even the church say, “You can’t control your body, go ahead…be safe,” listen to God’s body language: “You’ve been united with me. I live in you. I will help you. You can glorify Me with your body.”
May the Lord help us all with our…BODY LANGUAGE. Amen.