Bulletin Announcements June 9, 2019
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Acts 2:1 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.” Notice that Pentecost is actually an Old Testament festival. It happens around the time when the wheat and oats are ready to be brought in. In the New Testament, this becomes a picture and foreshadowing of the great harvest of humankind that God means to bring in through the preaching of His Word. God gives the seed, and God brings about the harvest – through the work of His Church.
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.
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.
TODAY We are going to take a door Offering for the Missions of our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Our pastoral delegate Reverend Bruce Scarbeary will take this gift to the LCMS Convention in Tampa, Florida next month.
OUR ANNUAL GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN BLOOD DRIVE will take place on Saturday, July 20th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We will be serving a breakfast as part of the Drive. You may sign-up to be a donor either on the table in the narthex or at: www.redcrossblood.org. Just find our Blood Drive and get those corpuscles lined up online. God Bless as we give this gift of life.
NEW MEMBERS, FAMILIES/INDIVIDUALS: When we did our Picture Directory a few years back we obtained an option to update the Directory. We have a sign-up sheet in the narthex for new members, families/individuals wanting a picture or anyone else interested. For Lifetouch to come out we need 15 individuals/families to sign-up. We will have this available through May and see if we meet the number. Thank you.
FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: In order to get more people involved in our Coffee/Donut Fellowship for 2019 we have two separate sign-ups: Donut Pick-up and Coffee Set-up. We would like to encourage you to sign-up for one or the other. You may also sign-up for both if you wish. The sign-up sheet is by the door by the north stairwell.
YOU ARE INVITED to attend a Retirement Open House honoring Band Director Judy Vasel on this coming Saturday, June 15, 2019 from 2-4:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran School 1102 W. Hamilton Rd., Bloomington, IL.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Getting to Know Jesus” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Philippians 3:8. There’s a big difference between knowing about someone and really knowing them. Pastor Paul Schult introduces us to a different way of getting to know Jesus. 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 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.
Bulletin Announcements June 2, 2019
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Acts 1:16 – “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.” Judas sold out our Lord for 30 pieces of silver. That is, he sold out his friend, Master, and teacher for the sake of greed. That is a sharp reminder for us to search our own hearts for greed and to pray that the Lord would help us turn away from greed before it consumes us.
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.
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.
HELP IS NEEDED: TODAY, between worship services, your help is needed to load the RV to deliver donated items to Fort Wayne, IN. As they say, “many hands make light work”, so your help would be greatly appreciated. This is also the last day to bring items to church for delivery to Ft. Wayne. Thank you! John & Paula Hardy
NEXT SUNDAY, June 9th, is Pentecost Sunday. We will have a Special Order of Worship and celebrate Holy Communion in both Worship Services. Also, we are going to take a door Offering next Sunday for the Missions of our Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Our pastoral delegate Reverend Bruce Scarbeary will take this gift to the LCMS Convention in Tampa, Florida next month.
NEW MEMBERS, FAMILIES/INDIVIDUALS: When we did our Picture Directory a few years back we obtained an option to update the Directory. We have a sign-up sheet in the narthex for new members, families/individuals wanting a picture or anyone else interested. For Lifetouch to come out we need 15 individuals/families to sign-up. We will have this available through May and see if we meet the number. Thank you.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Please get these two dates on your summer calendar: Good Shepherd Blood Drive on Saturday, July 20th and also the Annual Good Shepherd Picnic will be on Sunday, August 25th at Tipton Trails Park.
FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: In order to get more people involved in our Coffee/Donut Fellowship for 2019 we have two separate sign-ups: Donut Pick-up and Coffee Set-up. We would like to encourage you to sign-up for one or the other. You may also sign-up for both if you wish. The sign-up sheet is by the door by the north stairwell.
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF REVEREND FRANK ZIMMERMAN: Next Sunday, June 9th, Zion Lutheran in Danvers and Good Shepherd Lutheran in Minier will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Reverend Frank Zimmerman’s Ordination and Installation at these two parishes. Reverend Mark Miller, CID President will preach at both morning worship services. A luncheon and program follow in Minier at noon.
YOU ARE INVITED to attend a Retirement Open House honoring Band Director Judy Vasel on Saturday, June 15, 2019 from 2-4:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran School 1102 W. Hamilton Rd., Bloomington, IL.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “My Spirit Makes My People” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Ezequiel 37:1-14. God sends His spirit upon both the selfish and group-ish to make His people. 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.
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.
Sermon Text 6.2.2019 — Cool, Clear Water
June 2, 2019 Text: Revelation 22:12-20
Dear Friends in Christ,
It is vital for all forms of life. It affects our metabolism and respiration.
Depending on body size, 55-78% of our bodies are made up of this. We need 1-2
gallons of this to sustain bodily functions on a daily basis. 19% of this is found in
our foods. We use it for transportation and power and 70% of the fresh kind is used
in agriculture. This morning you took a shower in it, washed your teeth with it and
drank it down in your coffee, OJ, or hot chocolate. It might be a little hard to talk
about with all the precipitation we’ve had, but talk about it we shall. By now, you
have the answer . . . it is water . . . cool, clear, water.
This morning’s text is from John’s Book of Revelation and while I have
parishioners tell me they don’t always understand the whole book, today’s message
about water is one we can understand. We need it. God provides it.
“COOL, CLEAR, WATER”
How many of you know Leonard Slye? Leonard was part of a singing group
in the 1930’s named “Sons of the Pioneers.” A member of that group, Bob Nolan,
wrote a song in 1936 about a man, his mule Dan, and a mirage in the desert. That
song was titled, “Cool, Clear Water.” That song has been so popular over the years
that it has been recorded by Bing Crosby, Burl Ives, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, and
Fleetwood Mac.
In the song the man and his mule need water. They are in the desert and
they are parched. Do you ever feel that way? Our thirst is usually a short duration.
Have we ever suffered from deadly thirst? We say things like, “I’m gonna die, if I
don’t get some water” or “My mouth is so dry, I can barely talk.” We are good at
drama, aren’t we? But have we really been that close to withering away because of
our lack of liquid hydration?
Sometimes we try to quench our thirst with the wrong things. A few are
mentioned in our text. “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually
immoral and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices
falsehood.” (v. 15) We may spend a lifetime trying to quench our thirst and we
continually turn on the wrong faucet.
For our thirst we need, cool, clear water. The water offered in verse 17, “Let
the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without
price.” This water Jesus makes available from a very deep well – the reward he
earned by His death and resurrection. This water is fresh and wholesome, for
everything that Jesus offers is the highest and the best. In this case the water is the
coolest and the clearest.
Jesus offered this water to the Samaritan woman in John 4. We have drunk
deeply of this water when it was poured on our body and soul at Baptism.
This is water that Jesus offers freely to all. It is as near to us as His Holy
Word, which proclaims to us the saving work of Christ. It is offered regularly with
the bread and wine, body and blood of the Holy Supper. This Word and this
Sacrament quench our thirst, keep us alive and sustain us as God’s people until Jesus
comes again.
Earlier I asked if you knew Leonard Slye? Well . . . How about we try the
name he changed to when he left the “Sons of the Pioneers” and became an actor in
the movies . . . Roy Rogers. Aah, you say, I know that name. Do you also remember
his television show? Once he had corralled the bad guys he would sing the song,
“Happy Trails.” Life isn’t always going to be happy trails. You have experienced
enough saddle sores and dust in the face to feel dehydrated and lost.
Our Lord doesn’t leave you there imagining an oasis in a desert drear. He
provides it now with his hydrating love and mercy and grace. He showers His
forgiveness into every crevice of your body so that sin can no longer cling to you.
When feeling like a dried up well, Jesus primes the pump so that the water of life
will engulf you. Man, that feels good.
There are blessings for the people of God, who make their way through this
life until the their Lord comes again, well-supplied with the cool, clear water of life.
Amen.