† April 3, 2016 †
TODAY: We welcome to out congregation this morning our adopted Seminary Student Brad Ferch. Brad will be preaching and conducting Adult Bible Class. We also welcome Brad’s wife Carole and daughters Madi and Lillie. Brad is in his 4th year of study at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN. We will conduct our monthly Door Offering for the Ferch family following both of our worship services this morning. Lord’s blessings to all of you!
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: John 20:19: “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” Fear is the opposite of faith, that is, the kind of cringing fear we have in the face of something that is hostile to us and more powerful to us. Jesus spends a lot of His time telling the disciples to not be afraid. Our fears constantly hem us in and prevent us from following the Lord’s will. But there is no need to fear. Jesus has conquered. No fear can keep us locked up: we have been set free by Jesus for lives that declare His marvelous deeds.
LWML LADIES: We will have our monthly meeting this coming Tuesday, April 5th at 9:00 a.m.
FROM THE OFFICE: It is once again time to update the Church Directory. Please check the sheets on the table in the narthex. Provide any new information by noting directly on these sheets. There are two listings: 1) Church Directory; 2) Phone Book Listing of Individual Members. The Phone Book Listing contains your cell phone, home phone, work phone, household e-mail and personal e-mail. If any of these are missing and you want them to be included in the Directory, please provide that information. If any are listed and you would prefer not, please note that also. Contact Janet in the church office with any questions.
PORTALS OF PRAYER: The April-June 2016 Portals of Prayer are available on the bookrack located in the narthex. Pick up your free copy today.
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.
OUTREACH: Good Shepherd is blessed once again this year to be providing a meal for International Students at Illinois State University. The date of the meal is Friday, April 15th and it begins at 6:15 p.m. Two sign-ups are available in the narthex. One is your participation at the meal and the other is for food items that you can bring. Thank you for your help in this outreach.
THE WALK FOR LIFE for the Pregnancy Resource Center is Saturday, April 23rd, at 9:00 a.m. at Christ Church in Normal. If you would like to walk, Pastor has the material in his office. Also, Pastor and family will once again participate in the Walk. If you would like to sponsor them with a cash donation, please speak with Pastor. Thank you.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Good Shepherd will host a Blood Drive on Monday, May 2nd from 2-6:00 p.m.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Breakfast With Jesus” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from John 21:1-14. Jesus shows up and shows us that God is close and God cares. The speaker is 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.
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.