Bulletin Announcements
May 13, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: 1 John 5:12 – “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Jesus is the foundation, the bedrock, the beginning and the end. To have Him is to have it all. In Him we have life. And we are called to live in Him, to live this new life He has given us, to grow up into His image. This is a struggle in this sinful world. But His grace is sufficient as He refreshes us through Word and Sacrament.
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.
ADULT INSTRUCTION CLASS begins tomorrow, May 14th, at 7:00 p.m. The class will run on Mondays through the end of June (taking off on Memorial Day) and lasts about an hour each evening. This class is designed for non-members who would like to learn more about the Lutheran Church and its teachings. It is also a good refresher course for members. If you know of someone you would like Pastor to invite please call him at (309) 838-0306 or e-mail him at: revbci@yahoo.com.
NEXT SUNDAY, May 20th, is Pentecost Sunday and we will have Holy Communion in both worship services.
NEXT SUNDAY 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.
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: World-famous atheist Dr. Sol Harkens (Kevin Sorbo) delights in debating and defeating Christians, but is emotionally empty. Isolated from Katy (Sam Sorbo), the wife he divorced following the harrowing loss of their first son, and a lousy part-time dad to their two younger boys, his self-destruction culminates in a car crash that leaves him clinically dead for four minutes. The four-word message from that experience challenges his convictions, sending him into a panicked tailspin. Reluctantly leaning on his family’s forgiveness, love and faith, Sol struggles to find meaning and purpose in the words “LET THERE BE LIGHT”. Join us this coming Friday, May 18, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. for a great movie, good food and fine fellowship.
YOU ARE INVITED: On behalf of Holden Lueck, 2018 Normal West graduate, the congregation is invited to his graduation party on Sunday, May 27th from 2-5:00 p.m. at the GE Clubhouse located at 1750 GE Road in Bloomington.
THANK YOU to everybody who supported Pastor and Toni in the Pregnancy Center’s “Walk For Life” on April 21st. The “walk” raised $54,580.00 for the work at the Center.
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. Saturday, July 14th, we will host a Red Cross Blood Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with breakfast served. 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: “Functional Atheist No More” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Acts 2:1-21; John 15:26-27. Christians like to think of themselves as flollowing the first disciples. That’s uncomfortably true. The first disciples had trouble believing the promises of Jesus for their daily lives. Too often we do too. On Pentecost the Spirit of the Risen Lord Jesus gave the first disciples faith like they had never had before. Today the same Spirit is ready to do the same for us. 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.
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 6, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: 1 John 5:3 – “For this is the love of God, that we keep His Commandments. And His Commandments are not burdensome.” God’s commandments are not burdensome, but that’s only true for Christians precisely because we know that we are not saved by our keeping of the Law. We are saved by grace. Therefore we are set free by grace to walk in newness of life, to grow in faithfulness, and rejoice in the Law of the Lord: for the love of God is that we keep His Commandments.
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.
ASCENSION DAY WORSHIP with Holy Communion is this coming Thursday, May 10th, at 7:00 p.m.
ADULT INSTRUCTION CLASS will begin on Monday, May 14th, at 7:00 p.m. The class will run on Mondays through the end of June (taking off on Memorial Day) and lasts about an hour each evening. This class is designed for non-members who would like to learn more about the Lutheran Church and its teachings. It is also a good refresher course for members. If you know of someone you would like Pastor to invite please call him at (309) 838-0306 or e-mail him at: revbci@yahoo.com.
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: World-famous atheist Dr. Sol Harkens (Kevin Sorbo) delights in debating and defeating Christians, but is emotionally empty. Isolated from Katy (Sam Sorbo), the wife he divorced following the harrowing loss of their first son, and a lousy part-time dad to their two younger boys, his self-destruction culminates in a car crash that leaves him clinically dead for four minutes. The four-word message from that experience challenges his convictions, sending him into a panicked tailspin. Reluctantly leaning on his family’s forgiveness, love and faith, Sol struggles to find meaning and purpose in the words “LET THERE BE LIGHT”. Join us Friday, May 18, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. for a great movie, good food and fine fellowship.
THANK YOU to everybody who supported Pastor and Toni in the Pregnancy Center’s “Walk For Life” on April 21st. The “walk” raised $54,580.00 for the work at the Center.
FROM THE OFFICE: Please note that the address for Jack & Ruth Gooding has changed to: Evergreen Place, 801 Gregory, Apt. 210, Normal, IL 61761.
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.
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. Saturday, July 14th, we will host a Red Cross Blood Drive from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with breakfast served. 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: “Keep Them” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from John 17:14-17. There are times Christians might readily wish the Lord would airlift them out of this world. Because we have some work to do, the Lord Jesus prays we be kept safe. So, how’s that working for you? 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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Sermon Text for Sunday, April 22, 2018
April 22, 2018 Text: John 10:11-18
Dear Friends in Christ,
Let’s delve into a subject I know nothing about. Do you know in our world there is voice recognition technology? It’s true. You can talk to your phone or tablet or speaker. You can communicate with someone named Siri or Alexa and they talk back. They even answer your questions. Do you realize this is going on around us?
Ok. I’m not as foolish as I let on. I just don’t use the technology. By the end of 2019 it is to be a $600 million industry. By 2022, $40 billion. 40% of adults use voice search everyday and smart speakers are showing up in many homes.
There are a lot of voices competing for our attention. Not just the wife and the kids and the boss. Machines want to be your friend and give you advice and help you find the nearest Subway. But how many voices care about your soul? How many are concerned with your faith? What is the one voice we should be listening to? With ears opened let’s ask . . .
“ARE YOU LISTENING TO THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE?”
Sometimes lost in our competing voices world we forget or fail to listen to the Good Shepherd. And who is He? Jesus. He says so in our text. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (v. 11) No other “shepherd” in any religion does such a thing. We are the sheep. Those that listen to the wrong voices. Those that follow the path of destruction. Those that lie down with wolves and get comfortable with the hired hands.
The cry of the wolf, the devil, can lead to destruction. Many listen to his howls and cannot turn away. He twists and alters God’s word until it is unrecognizable by the sheep. The hired hand is no better. He is the Pastor who is “pastoring” simply for his own advantage and will never confront or oppose error. The sheep then scatter. We see this today as people skip from church to church looking for a church standing on the truth of God’s Word or they leave such a church to satisfy their itching ears and their own personal agendas. In the end they will be devoured and the wolf smiles with blood on his face.
The wolf and the hired hand can be overcome by the Good Shepherd – Jesus the Christ. Christ is not a chameleon savior. He is the One who stands before all human history with it’s rising and fallings – its here today and gone tomorrow cycles – and declares: “I the Lord do not change.” (Mal. 3:6) What a blessing for the sheep, befuddled and slammed around by the storms of life. This is the Jesus I know.
One of the things that voice technology proponents are working on is to make it more natural. They even accept the notion that listening is important. How are you as a listener? Your spouse? Your kids? Your boss? Your phone company or internet provider? It can get frustrating, can’t it? Who always listens? Our Lord. Through prayer there is never a time that He doesn’t listen. He hears your confession and forgives. He sympathizes with your heartaches and challenges. He went to great lengths for your salvation. He heard our cry for mercy and sacrificed His Son on a cross. The world didn’t need voice recognition to hear that. It is the loudest announcement ever made.
We as the sheep do not come to the Good Shepherd. He comes to us. We become part of the fold by hearing His voice. We remain safe and secure in the care of the Shepherd by hearing His Word.
As we rely more and more on technology, human interaction is becoming less and less. But understand this. On average you can only type 40 words a minute. When you speak you average 150 words a minute. As sheep of the Good Shepherd who listen to His voice, we have plenty to say. Who can the Holy Spirit help you reach? Who needs to hear your Christian voice? Who needs the comfort of the Good Shepherd? Who recognizes your voice as a helper from the Lord?
Aah, I hear the Good Shepherd. Do you? What a great voice to recognize!
Amen.