Bulletin Announcements November 2, 2014

TODAY:  We welcome to our Good Shepherd family this Lord’s Day Ann Hammond.  Ann is joining the congregation through Adult Confirmation.  She works at State Farm as a Staff Support Assistant.  She has two adult children and a cat that lives at home.  She enjoys music, gardening, and cooking.  Ann’s address is 1454 E College Ave., #8 in Normal.  Ann’s email address is: organistparexcellance@hotmail.com.  Please take a moment to welcome her.

NEXT SUNDAY, November 9th, will be our 2nd Sunday door offering for Reverend Michael Kearney and Seminarian Chris Suggitt.  We received a letter from Chris and his family and it is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office.

FOOD COLLECTION:  Our Food Collection for Home Sweet Home Mission will continue through Saturday, November 15th.  On that day we will deliver the food and serve a meal at the Mission.  If you would like to be a part of this outreach please speak with Pastor or Angelina Isaac.

ANNUAL VOTER’S MEETING:  Good Shepherd’s Annual Voter’s Meeting is in two weeks, Sunday, November 16th, following the 10:30 Worship Service.  We will have a potluck meal.  The church is providing the meat and drink.  Please bring a side dish or dessert.  The 2015 Budget proposal and the list of candidates for church offices are located in the narthex.

 FELLOWSHIP HOSTS:  The sign-up for help with coffee/doughnuts is posted on the wall by the north stairwell.  We need an individual/family to sign-up each week to pick up the donuts and make the coffee.  If no one is signed up by Friday of each week, the order will be cancelled.  We thank everybody who continues to help with this part of our church fellowship.

 CAN YOU HELP:  Greetings to all of you, my dear Church family.  I wish to thank each and every one of you for ALL you have done for my family and me: meals, prayers, other help.  I am overwhelmed by the love shown to me by so many people.  This has been the hardest challenge so far for us and we pray that our Lord will heal and restore me to my family.  Stage IV and secondary cancer is no joke and when I have to sleep, I am left with no choice – go in and lie down or fall down!  Which leads me to my point.  I have had to learn to ask for some help.  So here is my humble request: would any of you have some easy slow cooker recipes you would be willing to share with me?  I am collecting some recipes but would sure love to have some of yours. If anyone has slow cooked a roast or a ham or chicken in one, please let me know how for how long you’ve cooked it.  Please email any recipes or instructions to me at: dogdiva2@comcast.net.  Thank you again for everything! Love in Christ, Laura Kessler.

THE CHURCH OFFICE has free tickets for the ISU Women’s Volleyball “Pack the Arena” match against Bradley this coming Saturday, November 8th at 7:00 p.m.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR:  “God Is Not Against You” is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  Christ’s work on the cross shows that God is really on your side and wants what is eternally best for us.  The speaker will be Reverend Gregory Seltz.  Hear this Sunday’s 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.

Celebrating November 2014

Birthdays

Caleb Evans                    11/2

Ryan Kleiboeker              11/2

Sheri Piper                      11/4

Shirley Potter                   11/4

Patricia Hanner               11/6

Jeanette McNeely           11/6

Phoenix Kleiboeker         11/7

Holden Lueck                  11/9

Curtis Kessler, Sr            11/15

Cannon Kleiboeker          11/17

Theron Noth                    11/19

Joshua Parry                   11/23

Gordon Schroeder           11/24

Aaron Scott                     11/29

Baptismal Birthdays

Jacquelyn Semelka         11/1

Stacia Dowell                  11/5

Janet Evans                    11/7

Cheryl Reichert               11/14

Tammy Brewer                11/16

Gwendolyn Hardy            11/18

Ryan Kleiboeker              11/19

Thomas Anderson           11/20

Jason Scott                     11/25

Penny Culp                      11/26

Holden Lueck                  11/28

Joshua Parry                   11/28

Pastor’s Notes November 2014

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A person traveling in England came across a sign on the desk of a Country Inn. The sign read: “Please introduce yourself to your fellow guests since we are one big happy family.” And then underneath were these words: “Do not leave valuables in your room.” That little sign says a lot about human INCONSISTENCY.

We live in an inconsistent world. If something doesn’t please us right away, or turn us on in an instant or if it means the smallest self-sacrifice – well, forget it. It’s no wonder relationships and children and hard work and loyalties and church attendance is being thrown to the wind.

We need consistency in our lives. Our children need consistency in their lives. God calls us to consistency in what we embrace and believe as revealed in His Holy Word, the Scripture. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8) Thank God for the CONSISTENCY OF GOD that firmly holds us to the cross of His dear Son. Thank God that for Jesus’s sake we are consistently reassured: “I. even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isa. 43:25)

How could we possibly be convinced that the CONSISTENCY OF CHRIST’S LOVE FOR US means that INCONSISTENCY IN OUR LIVES IN OK? Listen to this:

“A man who has a layover at an airport does not go into the bathroom and start redecorating. Why? Because he doesn’t live there. He has a home in another place. Why do we Christians work hard at trying to make our life in this world more comfortable? This is just the airport and we are in transit. We should spend our energy on enhancing our eternal reward, and not worry so much about the bare walls in the airport restroom.”

May the Lord bless your consistency in worship and Bible Class and Sunday School. Not hit and miss – here and there. Not giving the Lord our leftover time. We strive for consistency in many areas of life. Let’s do the same with our faith life.

In Christ,

Pastor