September 4, 2016
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Luke 14:33: “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” None of what we have is ours – it all belongs to God. That is the foundation of Christian stewardship. What we have been given is to be used for God’s purposes according to our callings in home, Church, and society. As we learn to leave generously in these callings, we renounce our ownership of our wealth. It’s not “ours,” it’s His; God owns, we manage for the furtherance of His goals.
NEXT SUNDAY, September 11th, will be our Christian Education Rally Sunday with a special order of Worship. We will also install Sunday School Teachers and Officers. May God Bless our involvement in the Christian Education programs offered at Good Shepherd. Also, next Sunday, will be the beginning of our monthly Door Offering for our seminary student. This year it will be Mr. Jacob Hercamp. Jacob is married and they recently had their first child. He is studying at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN.
THE LWML will meet this coming Tuesday, September 6th at 9:00 a.m.
FROM THE OFFICE: As of this past Tuesday, August 30th, Pastor, Toni, Karson, and Holden will no longer have their land line phone (309) 821-0512. Pastor can be reached on his cell phone (309) 838-0306 or at church (309) 662-8905. If he is unavailable, please be sure to leave a message and he will get back to you. You can also text Pastor if you have something that doesn’t need a response (he’s trying to go to his grave having not texted!) For an emergency contact or text response you can reach Toni (309) 530-8666. Pastor’s e-mail: revbci@yahoo.com is another point of contact and he does respond to those! A moment of silence as we leave this piece of Americana behind – “Sarah, get me Sheriff Taylor.”
GOOD SHEPHERD’S BLOOD DRIVE: Online scheduling is now available for Good Shepherd’s Blood Drive. The gift of life can be given on Tuesday, September 20th, from 2-6:00 p.m. in the church basement. Go to: redcrossblood.org and enter in your zip code, then follow the prompts. You may also sign-up on the table in the narthex. Thank you for helping your fellow man/woman who need this God given resource.
FROM THE OFFICE: If your son or daughter is going away to college or they no longer live at home, please fill out an Information Sheet located on the table in the narthex. As their church home, we like to stay in contact during these important years by sending them Pastor’s Sermon and the monthly Church Newsletter. Please return the form to Sandy in the church office when completed. We lift our young people up in prayer as their spiritual journey continues.
LUTHERAN WORLD RELIEF SCHOOL KITS: It’s that time again for the LWML’s Project Lutheran World Relief Health Kits. We need your help in filling the Health Kits with the following items: 36 Bars of Soap; 6 Toothbrushes; 36 Fingernail Clippers; and 18 Combs (No picks please). Any questions please see or call Joann Hart (309) 310-9205. Thank you for your help!
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.
TODAY is the annual Camp CILCA Chicken Fry and Auction! The day begins with worship at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with the live Auction beginning at 1:00 p.m. Auction items include quilts, gift baskets, homemade fudge, gift cards, and a picnic table hand-decorated by the 2016 High School Week campers and counselors. Thirty plus campsites are available for tents, trailers, and RV’s. Join other Camp CILCA supporters for a weekend of camping and fellowship. If you would like to donate an item for auction, please contact the Camp office at (217) 487-7497.
A WOMEN’S RETREAT, sponsored by LWML CID, will held at the Camp CILCA Christian Growth Center on Friday, October 7th and Saturday, October 8th. More Information and Registration Forms are available on the table in the narthex. Reservation deadline is Friday, September 30th.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “There’s No Other Friend Like Jesus” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Luke 15:1-10. We befriend, love, and show care for other people because Jesus loved, befriended, and saved us. 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.