Bulletin Announcements
May 27, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: John 3:6 – “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” In Holy Baptism we receive a new birth: spirit from Spirit. With that rebirth we receive new desires, new lives, new purposes. To the (fleshly) world, Christian generosity makes no sense: the total minus a percentage is less than the original total. But Spirit-reborn Christians know that God’s math works differently (as we might expect from the Trinity!): a blessing received from God becomes more of a blessing when it is used in generosity to bless others.
NEED A RIDE? If you are unable to drive to church, we have an option that is available. Please speak with Pastor who has the details. Thank you.
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. As we celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation we continue studies on that time period. We are studying “A Man Named Martin”, a video-based study on the reformer Martin Luther.
IN OUR PRAYERS TODAY: Our graduates from both college and high school. God’s blessings on your future endeavors and your faith walk in the Lord.
YOU ARE INVITED: On behalf of Holden Lueck, 2018 Normal West graduate, the congregation is invited to his graduation party TODAY, May 27th from 2-5:00 p.m. at the GE Clubhouse located at 1750 GE Road in Bloomington.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIP GIFT: If you would like to donate you can pick up an envelope located on the table in the narthex.
GROUP OUTING FOR BASEBALL GAME: Good Shepherd is planning a group outing at a Normal CornBelters game on Sunday, June 10th. Game time is 6:05 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 per person and will include a reserved box seat and a concession voucher that can be used for a hot dog, small drink and bag of chips. Good Shepherd’s own Katey Parry will sing the national anthem and Pastor Lueck will throw out a first pitch. For more information or to buy tickets, contact Randy Reinhardt at (309) 826-0448 or randyreinhardt1@gmail.com
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR: The weekend of July 14th and 15th this summer will be a big weekend at Good Shepherd. On Saturday the 14th, Good Shepherd is hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A breakfast will be served in the canteen after your donation. Then on Sunday the 15th, the Lord’s Day begins with a congregational breakfast in the basement (start time not yet set). We will have one worship service with Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m. on the north lawn under a tent as we give thanks to our gracious Lord for blessing us with having half our mortgage paid off. Bible Class and Sunday School will follow back inside. We give the gift of life as the Lord has given us life!
MARK YOU CALENDAR: The date for our Annual Church Picnic has been set! It will be held on Sunday, August 19th. More information to follow.
FELLOWSHIP HOSTS: In order to get more people involved in our Coffee/Donut Fellowship for 2018 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 is by the door by the north stairwell.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “The Battleground of Time” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Mark 2:23-3:6. Military personnel know what it means to be on the front line in combat. Next Sunday’s message is about a battleground where we’re between opposing forces and could easily lose our life, the Battleground of Time. The speaker will be Reverend Dr. Dale Meyer. 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 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 cell phone# is (309) 532-2582. The Prayer Request box is on the table in the narthex for any written requests.
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Bulletin Announcements
May 20, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Acts 2:1 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.” Pentecost was the Old Testament harvest festival: a time of thanksgiving, bounty, and the giving of gifts. How appropriate that in the New Testament it takes on the meaning of a new harvest: the ripe fields of the nations, bringing in the elect of every tribe and tongue to sing the Lord’s praise. Every farmer knows that it is God who gives the increase and that the harvest calls for thanksgiving.
NEED A RIDE? If you are unable to drive to church, we have an option that is available. Please speak with Pastor who has the details. Thank you.
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. As we celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation we continue studies on that time period. We are studying “A Man Named Martin”, a video-based study on the reformer Martin Luther.
TODAY is the deadline for items to be submitted for the JUNE NEWSLETTER. Janet Evans is our Editor for the church newsletter and any announcements you want to be published in the Newsletter should be submitted to her at goodshepherdblm@frontier.com or you may call her at (309) 838-1552.
YOU ARE INVITED: On behalf of Holden Lueck, 2018 Normal West graduate, the congregation is invited to his graduation party NEXT SUNDAY, May 27th from 2-5:00 p.m. at the GE Clubhouse located at 1750 GE Road in Bloomington.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIP GIFT: If you would like to donate you can pick up an envelope located on the table in the narthex.
GROUP OUTING FOR BASEBALL GAME: Good Shepherd is planning a group outing at a Normal CornBelters game on Sunday, June 10th. Game time is 6:05 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 per person and will include a reserved box seat and a concession voucher that can be used for a hot dog, small drink and bag of chips. Good Shepherd’s own Katey Parry will sing the national anthem and Pastor Lueck will throw out a first pitch. For more information or to buy tickets, contact Randy Reinhardt at (309) 826-0448 or randyreinhardt1@gmail.com
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR: We have a big weekend planned this summer so please get these dates on your calendar. On Saturday, July 14th, we will host a Red Cross Blood Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with breakfast served. On Sunday, July 15th, we will have one worship service outside under a tent at 9:00 a.m. to celebrate and thank God for having paid half of the cost of our building. Sunday School and Bible Class will convene inside at 10:15 a.m.
MARK YOU CALENDAR: The date for our Annual Church Picnic has been set! It will be held on Sunday, August 19th. More information to follow.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Impossible” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Acts 2:22-24. Can death hold us? Experience says, “Yes”! The Apostle Peter says, “No”. Next Sunday’s sermon talks about making possible that which can’t happen. The speaker will be Reverend Dr. Ken Klaus. 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 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 cell phone# is (309) 532-2582. The Prayer Request box is on the table in the narthex for any written requests.
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Text for Sermon for Sunday, May 6, 2018.
May 6, 2018 – Confirmation Texts: Romans 3:19, 1 John 5:4
Dear Friends in Christ,
It was January of 1996 and 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. It would be three days of seminars and clinics and exhibits. But this one would be a little different from all the rest. There was a buzz in the hallways about one of the main speakers – John Scolinos.
John Scolinos was 78 and retired as a coach of Cal Poly Pomona where he won 3 national championships at the Division II School. He also had been the pitching coach for the 1984 Olympic Baseball team. Why all the excitement?
If you have ever been to a convention you know it is a lot of chitchat in various locations with people solving the world’s problems. Attentions spans can be limited, seats normally readily available. Not for John Scolinos. The convention hall was full 30 minutes before his talk. Why all the excitement?
Finally, it was time. Coach John Scolinos shuffled to the stage to an impressive standing ovation. He was dressed normally, except he had a full-sized stark-white home plate hung around his neck. He talked for 25 minutes with no mention of the home plate. Had he forgotten? Was it a new form of jewelry he was promoting for baseball players?
Then…”You are all wondering why I am wearing home plate around my neck. I’m old but not crazy. I want to share with you what I’ve learned about home plate in my 78 years. How many Little League coaches here? How wide is home plate?” Someone answered hesitantly, “17 inches.” “That’s right,” he said. “How about in Pony baseball?” Another reluctant coach, “17 inches.” “How wide is home plate in high school baseball?” More hands and voices chimed in, “17 inches.” “How about in the minor leagues?” Same answer – 17 inches. “The major leagues?” Everyone in unison said it, “17 inches.” “Seventeen inches,” he confirmed. “What do they do with a Big League pitcher who can’t throw the ball over seventeen inches? They send him to Pocatello!”
“What they don’t do is this: they don’t say, ‘It’s ok Jimmy. You can’t hit a 17-inch target, we’ll make it 18 or 19. We’ll make it 20 so you have a better chance of hitting it. If you can’t hit that, let us know so we can make it wider still, say 25 inches.”
“Coaches…(and he paused) what do we do when our best player shows up late to practice? What if he gets caught drinking? Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him, do we widen home plate?”
Today is Confirmation Sunday. Another step on the road of faith. Another milestone of accountability. A good day to take a few moments for . . .
“ACCOUNTABILITY BY FAITH”
We are the ones that Paul talks about in our Romans verse as being “under the law.” Scriptures proves our guilt over and over. Where have we been less than accountable to God? In our relationship with Him? In our prayer life? In our relationships with others? Where do we widen home plate? What’s one Sunday away from His House? Why can’t two people live together without a piece of paper from the county clerk? We need to help her die because she is suffering so.
John Scolinos drew a house on home plate. “This is the problem in our homes today. We don’t teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We widen the plate!”
To the top of the house he added an American flag. “This is the problem in our schools today. Teachers have been stripped of the tools needed to educate and discipline our young people. We are allowing others to widen home plate! Where is that getting us?”
He replaced the flag with a cross. “This is the problem in the church. Our church leaders are widening home plate with their misleading teachings of Scripture. If our homes and schools and churches and government fail to hold themselves accountable to those they serve, there is but one thing to look forward to…” With that he held home plate in front of his chest, turned it around, and revealed its dark backside “…dark days ahead.”
These young people and all of us are living in those days. Accountability is going out the window. “You can’t tell me what to do!” Social media is all about unaccountability. Home plate is being obliterated. Oh Lord, we need your help.
“Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” Do you feel like a conquering world hero? Of course not. Thankfully overcoming the world has nothing to do with our feelings and experiences but on our faith.
Martin Luther wrote, “This must happen through faith in Christ, which is the victory. For what could this fragile vessel accomplish against Satan, the god of the world? But God is greater. To be born of God is to believe in Jesus Christ. He who believes in Christ is now a warrior…For we are still engaged in the battle itself and are about to be victorious…The Word of God is required – the Word which promises and extends grace to the believers, so that when they have been hurled into so many great trials and weighed down under such crafty spirits, they nevertheless triumph.”
Accountability by faith. Law and Gospel. Sin and grace. Confession and forgiveness. Born again in Baptism. Strengthened in Word and Sacrament. Trial and cross. A Savior being accountable to the Father. A world saved. Your faith life important now and into eternity. Through the Holy Spirit we can stand up and be counted. Accountable to the Lord and to each other. A society staying within the bounds of 17 inches. May the Lord grant it for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.