Uncategorized

Bulletin Announcements

July 8, 2018

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.

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.

THIS WEEK:  Pastor Lueck and Steve Parry will be attending the Central Illinois District Convention tonight and all day tomorrow.  Please keep the business of the convention in your prayers.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE is this coming Saturday, July 14th, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. is Good Shepherd’s Red Cross Blood Drive.  You may sign-up on the table in the narthex or online at: redcrossblood.org.  Put in our zip code (61704), find our drive and get your arm ready to give the gift of life.  We are serving breakfast that morning as well.  Also, posters and place cards are available if you can put them up at your place of business or work.  It would be appreciated.  Thank you!

CAN YOU HELP:  We need your help this coming Saturday, July 14th, at 11:00 a.m. to help carry and setup chairs under the tent for our Special Worship Service the following day.  Thank you!

NEXT SUNDAY, July 15th, we are having one worship service with Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m. on the north lawn under a tent as we give thanks to our gracious Lord for blessing us with having half our mortgage paid off.  We are having a congregational breakfast before the service from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.  Adult Bible Class and Sunday School will follow the worship service and will be held back inside.  To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done!

FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES is this coming Friday, July 13th at 6:30 p.m.  “GOD’S NOT DEAD” is the mov ie that will be shown.  When an atheist Philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo) plans to forego “dusty arguments” in his class, he insists the new students declare that “God is dead.”  Unable to do this, Josh (Shane Harper) is challenged to defend his faith and prove to the class that God’s Not Dead.  Against all odds, Josh stands up for his faith and takes on the challenge.  LET THE DEBATE BEGIN.  Join us for a great entertaining movie, good food and wonderful fellowship.  See you Friday night.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S GROUP OUTING:  The Group Outing for the Normal Cornbelters Baseball Game has been rescheduled for Sunday, July 29th.  Details are available on the table in the narthex.  Please contact Randy Reinhardt at (309) 826-0448 or randyreinhardt1@gmail.com if you did not previously buy tickets and would like to go.

CORNBELTERS TICKETS AVAILABLE:  Linda Lange has three CornBelters Tickets available for July 29th, when our church group is going.  We can’t use the tickets due to a prior engagement.  If interested please contact Linda at (309)339-9930.

THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP:  2 Corinthians 12:10 – “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.”  Paul found contentment in Christ.  To be content means to accept what the Lord gives us at any given time as somehow being from the hand of the Father who wants to bless us.  Sometimes it’s hard to see how things like hardships, calamities, and insults will turn out for a blessing: but that is why Paul found this contentment in Christ and not in his own wisdom.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES is in need of a new member.  If you are interested please speak with Mo Dale (309)830-6552 or Bob Love (309) 664-2716.  Thank you!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:  The date for our Annual Church Picnic has been set!  It will be held on Sunday, August 19th.  More information to follow.

FROM THE OFFICE:  The congregation received a letter from Reverend Jacob Hercamp and family.  Jacob was one of the seminarians that we have supported over the years.  The letter is on the bulletin board outside the church office.

PORTALS OF PRAYER:   The July – September 2018 Portals of Prayer are available on the book rack located in the narthex.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR:  “My Feelings, Meet God’s Word!” is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from Mark 6:14-29.  Emotions often drive our lives.  When we think about our feelings in light of the Word of God, we are led to Jesus our Savior, but ignoring God’s Word makes life a soap opera mess.  The speaker will be Reverend Dr. Dale Meyer.  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.

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.

†  †  †  †  †  †

 

Camera Technical Glitch

Curt and Kyryth Kessler are experiencing technical difficulties with the Sanctuary camera used to record the weekly service and sermon for your viewing.  For two weeks in a row, the camera failed to record and both are working to discover and correct the problem.  If they fail to solve it, Curt will purchase a new camera this week.  The new one may not be available in time for Palm Sunday, however, we promise it will be for Easter, the most wonderful Holiday of the Church Year!  We greatly apologize for the inconvenience to all of you who look forward to the weekly viewing of the service and sermon.  Please be assured our priority is to get this fixed as soon as we can!

In His Service,

Curt and Kyryth (Kat) Kessler

Bulletin Announcements

March 4, 2018

THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP:  John 2:16 – “And he told those who sold the pigeons, ‘Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.’ ” The Lord’s House is not a place to sell, but a place to receive and a place to give. It’s not a place for our schemes and plans. Instead the Church is a place for the Lord’s gracious giving and our faithful sacrifices in response.

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.

OUR MIDWEEK LENTEN WORSHIP   This week’s Lenten message “Death and Life.”  Our Lenten Worship is “The Gospel In Seven Words”.  Service begins at 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday.  Before being filled with the Word of the Lord, we invite you to dine in the comfortable surroundings of the church basement.  The Evangelism/Stewardship will serve the 5 star meal beginning at 5:30 p.m.  The freewill Offering will help our District Missions.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES  will be on a SPECIAL FRIDAY NIGHT.  It will be this coming Friday, March 9th, at 6:30 p.m.  “ALL SAINTS” is a movie based on the inspiring true story of a salesman-turned-pastor, the tiny church he was ordered to shut down, and a group of refugees from Southeast Asia.  Together, they risked everything to plant seeds for a future that might just save them all.  Join us for another fine movie, good food and wonderful fellowship.  Mark your calendars for the MARCH 9th; MOVIE NIGHT.

NEXT SUNDAY, March 11th, will be our monthly door Offering for Seminarian Michael Keller.

“CLARK, IT’S TIME TO COME TO BED”.  Can you name the movie?  As you ponder that, ponder this, encouragement is made to set your clocks ahead one hour next Saturday evening before enjoying the Lord’s rest.

NEXT SUNDAY:  The Sunday Evening Small Group Bible Study is beginning a new study next Sunday, March 11th, at 5:00 p.m.  “Lutheranism 101: Worship” will be our learning experience.  We invite everyone to this class as we expand our knowledge together.

THE LADIES MORNING BIBLE STUDY will meet on Tuesday, March 13th at 9:30 a.m.

CAMP CILCA:  Brochures for Camp CILCA Summer 2018 are on the table in the narthex.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Pastor Lueck for the shut-in visits, the questions to Charlie regarding my condition and progress, the wonderful get well cards we received, the beautiful shawl Shirley Potter made for me during my recovery, the flowers and gifts from family and six grandchildren, the important documents and other things Craig and Penny have taken care of in my absence, and my loving husband who is with me every day helping me get through this critical time.  Thanks to all of you and God bless you!                 Joann Nottingham

THE MOVIE: “TORTURED FOR CHRIST”:  The congregation has another opportunity to attend a film like last summer’s Martin Luther movie.  This one is entitled “Tortured For Christ” and is the story of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand from Romania and his story under Communist rule following World War II.  (Pastor has read two books about both Pastor Wurrmbrand and his wife if you have any questions.)  The showing is Monday, March 19th at 7:30 p.m. at the AMC Starplex in Normal.  Tickets can be purchased online at: www.torturedforchrist.com.

LENTEN DEVOTIONS:  The Lenten Devotional, “Silent Witness,” is available on the table in the narthex.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR:  “Condemned Already” is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from John 3:19-21.  Some things just work better in the dark.  You know, things like watching for shooting stars and getting a good night’s sleep or dreaming about the future.  People love the darkness for a lot of reasons, and not all of them are good. 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 computer 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.

†  †  †  †  †  †

Sermon Text for Sunday, February 25, 2018: “Back to the Basics.”

February 25, 2018                                                                            Text:  Romans 5:1-8

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

Sometimes it’s good just to go back to the basics, just to hear once again the core of what wee believe, just to listen to what brings peace, hope and joy to our hearts.  Romans 5 does just that.  The Apostle Paul is assuring us of the basic, core hope we have when he says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v. 1)

This sermon is about what God has done through Christ.  But first we must begin with ourselves.  We must admit that God needs to save us because we cannot justify ourselves.  Weak, sinful, and ungodly is not how we want to see ourselves.  Frankly, we want to see ourselves just the opposite.  It starts young.

In Nevada there is a school system that is changing the grading system so no one fails.  If you get A’s and B’s you are “extending.” C students are “developing.”  Those who should get an F are “emerging.”  In this school system you only succeed.  You are only described in positive terms.  That is how we want to see ourselves – as adults too.  But that is not how God sees us.  Not strong and emerging, but weak and sinful.  So we need the message today . . .

“BACK TO THE BASICS”

We have always had some controversy in our country over the posting of the 10 Commandments in our courtrooms.  But imagine sitting in God’s courtroom with Him as the judge and the 10 Commandments boldly plastered on the wall behind Him.  You stand before Him and he reads the 2nd commandment, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.”  No use of four letter words.  No carelessly saying or typing on your phone “Oh God” in the middle of a sentence.  No calling another a nasty name because you are angry.  Just the commandment staring you in the face, saying, “Did you keep me all of the time?” and God asking “How do you plead?”  Not in the positive even if you went to school in Nevada, “guilty as charged.”

Let’s try another one, say, “You shall not steal”?  No greed. No anxiety over money.  No buying stuff on yourself and not being generous to others.  Just the commandment staring you in the face saying, “Did you keep me all the time?” and God asking, “How do you plead?”  Not good, just guilty.  Just weak, ungodly and sinful.  No we don’t want to be in God’s courtroom where His justice would declare us to be unloving, helpless, deserving of God’s punishment.  That’s basic.

But we are not in His courtroom.  We are in His house, his church.  We are in the one place where we remember that the greatest injustice of all time has saved us from God’s punishment.  Here in the church we do not stare at God’s Law and wilt under our guilt.  No, we also see Jesus’ cross and rejoice in our justification.  That’s basic.

Remember that dark Thursday night and Jesus has gone to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.  As the disciples awake, Jesus is arrested and he is going to trial.  The court is hastily convened.  People come forward but their charges do not agree.  Jesus is innocent.  Here is the one person inherently good and strong and godly and sinless.  No charge can stick against Him except one that is trumped up.  So an injustice is perpetuated and Jesus is sentenced to die.

Yet justice is served when Jesus is nailed to the cross – God’s justice.  Our breaking of the Ten Commandments could not be simply excused.  No, someone had to die.  Someone had to take the eternal punishment, and that someone is Jesus.  Our sin and His death combine on a cross and God’s justice is satisfied.  We are justified in God’s sight as Jesus holds onto us as our only hope.  He is the only reason for our rejoicing when we stand before God on Judgment Day.

Reader’s Digest years ago had a story about Bill who had donated 100 pints of blood.  What Bill did was kind and generous but here is what he said, “When the final whistle blows and St. Peter asks, ‘What did you do?’  I’ll just say, ‘Well, I gave 100 pints of blood, that ought to get me in.’”  A writer by the name of Joe McKeever made this comment about Bill, “Bill was probably joking.  But if he was serious…if Bill is counting on the giving of 100 pints of blood to get him to heaven, he is trusting in the wrong blood.”  Our faith is in Jesus, because His blood shed on the cross justifies us.  That’s basic to what we believe.

When you go back to the basics – that we are weak, ungodly, and sinners, yet justified because God’s love in shown in Jesus, who, at just the right time, died for us – it makes a difference in how we feel.  We rejoice.  It makes a difference in what we do.  We endure when we suffer, even more; we become people of character and hope.  We love and live for Jesus.  And it makes a huge difference in what we know.  It is deep and mysterious, yet our faith holds on to one basic truth:  God’s love was shown when Jesus stretched out his arms as wide as they could go and He died for us so that we might live.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Yes, it is good to go back to the basics.

Amen.

Sermon Text for Sunday, February 18, 2018: “Passing the Test.”

February 18, 2018                                                                Text:  James 1:12-18

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

When Francisco Franco was leading the revolution in Spain, he originated the phrase “the fifth column.”  He was trying to capture Madrid.  He said that he had four columns marching on the city, one from the north, one from the south, one from the east, and one from the west.  And most important of all, he claimed that he had a “fifth column” within the city; namely the hearts of the people of Madrid.  In this way, the city was being attacked from every conceivable angle.  This is like the Christian life.

As children of God we are attacked from all angles.  Living in this world we are part of the Church at war.  Our flesh and blood is not immune to trials and temptations.  Daily the devil is giving a test as he makes it his business to destroy our soul.  Like Madrid, we are being attacked on every side and even from within.  Can we remain steadfast under trial so that we can receive the crown of life?  How are you doing when it comes to . . .

“PASSING THE TEST”

For most of us “passing the test” takes us to school and the exams given by our teachers.  How did you do on those?  Were you a good test taker?  Did you struggle to pass?  Did you always prepare to the best of your ability?

Most of my academic career I did pretty well on tests.  If the teacher covered just what was on the test and gave good notes I was spot on with my answers.  I could even visualize where I had the answer written in my notes.  But I remember two instances where that was not the case.  They were years apart.

The first one occurred in 2nd grade math.  We studied the less than and more than symbols.  Today it seems so easy but back then I either didn’t pay attention or didn’t comprehend.  Anyway, I can still remember taking the test and just guessing.  What an awful feeling.  I was completely lost.

Do you ever feel like that in your trials and tests that come at you on a daily basis?  You’re lost.  You don’t know where to turn.  Less than, more than, Lord I need you help!

God is using these trials and tests to strengthen our faith.  Few Christians seem to get stronger during the easy times.  The tough times move us closer to God.  When we are lost then we are found.  You know that is God’s amazing grace.  Grace that can help us to pass the test.  Grace that provides the answers.  Grace that gives an A when we deserve an F.  It is not deserved, but a loving heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ provides it.

Because you see this Jesus knows a thing or two about tests.  Life tests.  From booted out of his hometown to having nowhere to lay his head to arrest, trial, beatings, nailings, a crown of thorns, a spear in the side.  He suffered beyond what we can imagine.  Yet, He always had his eyes on his Heavenly Father to sustain him during the tests.  He was the obedient child of God who passed the test and gave hope for you and I.

The second test I remember struggling at was in college at ISU.  In high school I only took one year of science because that was not a strong area for me.  In my general education studies at ISU I had to take two science courses.  I read the catalog and got into a class I thought sounded interesting.  Man, was I wrong.  The first day the professor said that the class was a beginning physics class.  Ouch, I thought to myself.  Each day I went to class the farther into the wilderness of confusion I did traverse.  Five weeks in – the first test.  I was a kid again back in 2nd grade math.  Confusion reigned and my answers reflected that.  The grade was what I expected.  Thank God for the grace of Illinois State University.  I could drop the class and not have it affect my GPA.  The academic leaders understood.

Christ also understands.  He knows that what we see as interesting and enticing can be our undoing.  We wade into the jungle and before we even know it the lion is about to devour us.  Our own desires of what we can handle get in our way.  We are dazed and confused in the midst of a test taken.

Christ overcomes all of this for us.  In the Gospel we see the perfect gift of his sinless life.  In the command to sacrifice Isaac and the ram’s death in his place, the Father foreshadowed his Son as our sacrifice – the good and perfect death, enduring the death we owe for our sin.

The Father gives you new birth into Christ.  By the Word of truth, the Gospel, you are born into a new life.  The perfect life of Christ has been given to you.  You are the A+ student.  The supreme test taker because you have been reborn in Baptism.  Your life of obedience is sustained in word, and body and blood shed for you and finally deliverance from this broken world.  Your diploma is “the crown of life” given as a gift by the Father through Christ.

So, don’t fear the tests.  Through Christ your Savior you are at the head of the class.  The favored pu