November 27, 2016
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Matthew 21:3: “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.”” Just a colt and her foal. How significant could they be? Could they really be used by the Lord for some great, heavenly purpose? This is one facet of stewardship we often forget: the blessing it is to us to be of service in the Lord’s kingdom. What honor the Lord bestows upon us by using our gifts for His goals!
THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS, meeting in the basement at 9:15 a.m. continues a DVD based study: “Jesus – Legend or Lord?” The class features LC-MS Author and Scholar Dr. Paul Maier discussing History and Archaeology and how it all fits with the Holy Scriptures.
TODAY IN SUNDAY SCHOOL students explored the story “God Forgives David.” Just as God accepted and forgave King David and other great saints who committed grave sins, so He accepts and forgives us, all for the sake of Christ. Parents could ask, “Who reminds you of your sins? Who tells you about forgiveness?
TODAY: You are invited to join the Evangelism/Stewardship Board as we decorate the church for the Advent/Christmas Season today after the 10:30 worship. We will order pizza and be merry!
TODAY: Advent Devotion Booklets are available on the table in the narthex. Pick up your copy today. Reflect on your own Christmas memories while you take an Advent journey with the Gospel writer Luke as he shares the story of the Savior’s birth.
MIDWEEK ADVENT WORSHIP: The first of our three Advent Worship Services is this Wednesday, November 30th, at 7:00 p.m. The theme for our Advent/Christmas messages is “Family Life”. This week’s sermon is “Two Families”. A meal is served at 5:30 p.m. and you may sign-up in the narthex to bring food. The free-will Offering will go to Mr. Jeremy Hercamp, the seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary who we support.
SPECIAL WORSHIP AND BIBLE CLASS: Please join us for worship and Bible Class on Sunday, December 18th, as we have two special things planned for that day. Both the 8:00 and 10:30 worship will be “A Service of Lessons and Carols” led by our Choir. There will be no Holy Communion in either service. Because of this, we will have Holy Communion in both worship services on Sunday, December 11th. Also that morning Karson Lueck will lead the Bible Class. Karson will present part two of his topic, “The Church and Millenials”. We encourage all adults and young people to be part of this timely and interesting study.
THE LADIES MORNING BIBLE STUDY will be meeting at the home of Diane Benjamin on Tuesday, December 13th at 9:30 a.m.
MARK YOU CALENDARS: Please be sure to mark your calendars that Good Shepherd will just have one Worship Service at 9:00 a.m. on Christmas Day. The Sunday School and Adult Bible Class will not meet that morning.
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.
YOU ARE INVITED: Christ Lutheran Church in Normal invites you to take a free guided 20 minute walking tour and experience “The Journey” that Mary and Joseph took so many years ago. This tour features indoor and outdoor scenes with live drama, animals and singing. “Journeys begin inside every 10 minutes between 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 11th. Free cookies and hot chocolate will be available. Meals are also available for purchase between 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. For more information please call the church at (309) 452-5609.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Wait Until He Comes!” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Isaiah 11:1-10. A broken world waits, yearns, and hopes for restoration. Jesus has already done everything to make that restoration a reality. Reverend Dr. Gregory Seltz is the speaker. 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.
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 home # is (309) 661-6522; her cell phone# is (309) 532-2582. The Prayer Request box is on the table in the narthex for any written requests.