Bulletin Announcements
March 17, 2019
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Philippians 3:19 – “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” St. Paul does not want us to set our minds on earthly things, for they are passing away. This is similar to what Jesus says about storing up treasures on earth rather than storing them in heaven. Our heart tends to go where we put our treasure. This is why God commands us to live generously; not to spoil our fun but to help train us in keeping our priorities straight and our minds off earthly things.
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.
MIDWEEK LENTEN WORSHIP under the theme: “Let My People Go”, will continue this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. This week’s sermon: “Stop Trying and Start Trusting”. Trusting in your Church Council to feed you they have an array of palatable delights that you may digest starting at 5:30 p.m. The free will Offering for the evening will go to Seminary Student Joseph Schlie and family.
FRIDAY MOVIE NIGHT IN MARCH is this coming Friday, March 22nd at 6:30 p.m. The title of the movie is “RISEN”. “RISEN” is the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius, a powerful Roman military tribune and his aide, Lucius are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem. Join us for another great movie, good food and wonderful fellowship this coming Friday, March 22nd at 6:30 p.m. in the church basement.
NEXT SUNDAY is the deadline for items to be submitted for the APRIL NEWSLETTER. Any announcements you want to be published in the Newsletter should be submitted via email to goodshepherdblm @frontier.com, via mail, hand-delivered, or you may call (309) 662-8905 or (309) 838-1552. Thank you!
“Walk For Life”: Pastor and Toni make their annual trek in the Living Alternatives – Pregnancy Resource Center’s Annual “Walk For Life”. The walk will be held at Christ Church, PCA in Normal on Saturday, April 13th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. If you would like to walk, please see Pastor who has the forms. Also, please speak with Pastor if you would like to support the Lueck’s. Thank you.
FROM THE OFFICE: It’s time for the Annual Renewal of Lutheran Witness. Emails are going out to those who currently have a subscription. If anyone who is not currently receiving the Lutheran Witness is interested, please contact either Janet or Sandy in the office before the end of March and we will gladly add your name to the list. The cost is only $15.96 for the entire year; July 2019 through June 2020. (The June/July issue is combined so there are 11 issues.)
THE LENTEN DEVOTIONAL BOOKLETS, “People Of The Passion” are available on the table in the narthex. Pick up your free copy today.
FROM THE OFFICE: It’s time for the annual update of the Church Directory Listing. On the table in the narthex there are two lists, one with only phone numbers and email addresses; and also one with home addresses included. Please check the listings and make any changes necessary. We hope to have a new Church Directory for you by the first Sunday in April. Thank you for your help.
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.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Death Doesn’t End the Story” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from John 11. Some accept death as the end, others, as a new beginning. Jesus turned death into a sign that points us to the Author of Life. 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.
Elder, Usher, and Acolyte Schedules, March 2019
Elder and Usher Schedule
| Mar 17 | Barry Hamlin, Gene Fuller, Richard Ross | Mike Field | Brian Dirks, Mike Field |
| Mar 24 | Nick Hitch, Steve Parry | Paul Gerike | Greg McNeely, Mike Huth, Theron Noth |
| Mar 31 | Craig Culp, Daryle Schempp, Paul Gerike | Nathan Kluender | Bob Love, Randy Reinhardt |
Acolyte Schedule
| Mar 17 | Lucas Piper | Pastor/Elder |
| Mar 24 | Pastor/Elder | Jessica Isaac |
| Mar 31 | Chloe Hitch | Will McNeely |
Stewardship Corner March 2019
Everything we have and everything we are is a gift of God’s providential care. We
understand that we’re not islands unto ourselves. We could not exist without those who have
gone before us and those who walk alongside us. God has given us forefathers in family,
country, and faith. We are recipients of what God worked through them. We know God
provides for our well-being through these means.
He gives us farmers and ranchers so we can eat. But more than that, God created and
gave us all the things those farmers and ranchers cultivate. He gave us the corn, the beans, the
wheat, the cows for milking, the steers for grilling. He gave each of those things for our
nourishment and sustenance. Without God creating and instilling in those things their taste,
their nutritional value, etc., we would not exist.
God gives us doctors, surgeons, nurses, and hospitals. He gives us medicine and medical
instruments, and, of course, He gave us everything to make those medicines and medical
instruments. He instilled in those things the properties to be utilized for those purposes.
Without God creating and instilling healing properties into those things — and without God
creating the ability within man to learn this and implement it to serve our medical needs — we
would not enjoy the health we do now.
But there’s more. He gives us gainful employment through our employers and provides
for the necessities of life through the labor of our hands:
“Then Moses said to the people of Israel, ‘See, the Lord
has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur of
the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit
of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and
with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work
in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting,
and in carving woûd for work in every skilled craft. And
he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the
son ofAhisamach of the tribe of Dan.’ “(Exodus 35:30—34)
And one step back from that, He has created and given us hands, and attached to hands
are arms with strength. He created us with minds to make those arms and hands move and
accomplish the work set before us. And with that mind, He has given us reason and senses.
That mind, because of the reason God has instilled in it, ¡s able to work through difficult
problems before we press those arms and hands into labor. It allows us to grapple with concepts
and run through scenarios instead of having to experience every situation personally. It allows
us to learn from the mistakes, as well as from the accomplishments, of ourselves and others.
This can be done for our entire body, all our skills and talents, everything that makes us … us.
So, everything we have and everything we are is a gift from Him. This is what we
confess in the First Article of the Creed when we say that we “believe in God, the Father
Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.”
But that is just the First Article of the Creed. We confess two more articles that deal
with God’s provision for our spiritual well-being. He sent his Son to die and be raised on the
third day for our justification. He delivers that justification through the means of grace
(baptism, preaching and the Word of God, and the Lord’s Supper). And to give you those
means of grace, He gives pastors and teachers, etc. Literally everything we have and everything
we are ¡n this life — and the next — is an inexpressible gift from God.
And it is for this, all of this, that we give thanks. And that is what stewardship is all
about — giving thanks for God’s provision for us. To give thanks is more than having an
attitude of gratitude, more than just a feeling in our hearts.
It is an action. It begins in the heart, but it doesn’t stay there. It works its way out through
the mouth in praise for God’s gifts and in love and charity through the hands to our neighbors
in family, country, and church.
“For all this it is my duty to thank and praise, serve and obey him” (The
Small Catechism, 16).
So give thanks to God for His inexpressible gifts — for everything we have and
everything we are. Do this not only in word but also in deed.
Celebrating March 2019
Birthdays
| Michael Anderson 3/1 |
| John Isaac 3/1 |
| Anita Contois 3/3 |
| Halle Sheley 3/3 |
| Vanessa Biddle 3/4 |
| Steve Parry 3/4 |
| Greg Sheley 3/6 |
| Ruth Alvis 3/18 |
| Jennifer Cloyd 3/25 |
| Mary Anne Kirchner 3/29 |
| Robert Bier 3/31 |
Baptismal Birthdays
| Pete Hanner 3/1 |
| Lucas Schempp 3/1 |
| Jennifer Parry 3/3 |
| Betty Bier 3/4 |
| Matthew Holland 3/8 |
| Linda Dirks 3/11 |
| Pat Orr 3/11 |
| Mollie Hitch 3/13 |
| Ryan Hitch 3/13 |
| Johana Kirchner 3/16 |
| Ruth Alvis 3/18 |
| LuanneHuth 3/20 |
| Carol Schroeder 3/24 |
| Vanessa Biddle 3/29 |
| Carin Henson 3/31 |