THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: 1 Cor. 3:7 – “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” Isn’t that the truth! It’s not just true about preachers like Paul; it’s true about all of us in the Christian life. God can do such wonderful things with our feeble efforts. This is so very true of our gifts to the Lord’s work in the church. From His generous giving to us, we learn to give generously. Then the Lord blesses this response to His grace in turn, and He uses our very giving to continue to bless us in the church where we hear of His gracious generosity to us. The cycle repeats, and the Lord gives growth!
FAITH IN ACTION OF BLOOMINGTON/NORMAL: One ride, one visit, one Senior at a time. Need a ride? Want to volunteer? Need more information? Call (309) 827-7780; or email: office@bnfia.org or contact Barry Hamlin at (309) 750-9424.
THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS meets in the basement at 9:15 a.m. and is studying a DVD-based Study entitled: “Joseph: Carpenter of Steel!” Come learn about this important person in the Christmas Story.
TODAY is the deadline for items to be submitted for the MARCH NEWSLETTER. Any announcements you want to be published in the Newsletter should be submitted via email to: office@goodshepherdblm.org, mail, hand-delivered, or you may call (309) 662-8905. Thank you!
CAN YOU HELP: John and Paula Hardy have set the date for their annual trip to Ft Wayne, IN. The date is THIS COMING WEDNESDAY, February 19th. The Seminary needs clothes for men, women, and children. They also accept shoes, coats, and kitchen supplies. Please be sure all donated items are clean and in good repair. Please bring your donations to the church. There is a closet located in the hall upstairs where items are collected, and packed for our trip. If you need help finding it just contact John (309) 310-7917. Thank you!
GOOD SHEPHERD FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES for February will show “THE GRACE CARD” will be shown this coming Friday, February 21st at 6:30pm. After police officer Mac McDonald loses his son in an accident, years of bitterness and pain erode his love for his family and leave him angry with God… and everyone else. Can Mac and his new patrol partner, Sgt. Sam Wright, somehow join forces to help one another when it’s impossible to look past their differences – especially the most obvious one? Every day, we have the opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace. Offer THE GRACE CARD…and never underestimate the power of god’s love. THE GRACE CARD stars Michael Joiner, Michael Higgenbottom and Academy Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr. Join us for this great movie. There will be plenty of good food and wonderful fellowship. See you there!
“BRINGING CHRIST TO THE NATIONS AND THE NATIONS TO THE CHURCH”: That is the mission of Lutheran Hour Ministries and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Visit the display in the narthex and take some booklets and any other material. Discover LHM and find out more at: lhm.org/lhmsunday. Many helpful resources are available.
PLEASE READ THIS: Have you noticed that you have not seen someone in church for a while and thought about making contact but just have not got around to it? Stop by the LHM display in the narthex today and pick-up a wooden nickel. Take a pen or pencil and print TUIT on it. You now have a round TUIT. Make that contact now!
GOOD SHEPHERD IS CHANGING WORSHIP AND BIBLE CLASS/SUNDAY SCHOOL TIME on Sunday, March 1st. Worship will be at 9:00 a.m., with Holy Communion each week and Bible Class/Sunday School will be at 10:15 a.m. Please keep this change in your prayers as we make this transition.
YOU ARE INVITED: Christ Lutheran Church, Normal, is hosting the Concert Band from Concordia University, St. Paul, MN in their 10:45 a.m. worship service on Sunday, March 1, 2020. More info can be found on the table in the narthex.
THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS LUTHERAN LAYMAN’S LEAGUE ANNUAL MEETING is Saturday, March 7th at Christ Lutheran Church, Normal. The Convention opens at 9:00 a.m. The Reverend Gregory Seltz is head of the Synod’s Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty in Washington D.C. will speak at 1:00 p.m. Registration materials are located on the table in the narthex.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Know-How” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Exodus 1-2. Jesus knows our failures and our fears; He knows how to lift us up and bring us through. The speaker will be Reverend Dr. Michael Zeigler. 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.
INFORMATION REQUESTED: Please notify the church office if someone in the congregation or any family or friends are ill or hospitalized.
PRAYER CIRCLE: 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.