Bulletin Announcements
January 21, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: Mark 1:14-15 – Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” To repent means to turn away from sins and our former way of thinking and turn toward belief in God and His Gospel of grace and mercy. The whole Christian life is one of repentance and faith – where is God calling you to repent today? How is He calling you to deeper faith?
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 FEBRUARY 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.
THE BOARD OF ELDERS would like to remind the congregation of our winter weather protocol if worship needs to be cancelled. We will send an e-mail to members and let WJBC Radio and TV Stations WEEK and WMBD know. If we do not have your e-mail and you would like to be included please call the church office (309) 662-8905 or sign-up at: http://www.goodshepherdblm.org/about-us/contact-us/.
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS for our new church sign. Sheets are available on the table in the narthex. We will take submissions until Sunday, February 11, 2018. You may drop them in the box in the narthex. Thank you!
THANK YOU: We have received a “Thank you” note from The Baby Fold for our recent support of the Annual Christmas Wish List. It is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office.
PORTALS OF PRAYER: The January – Martch 2018 are available on the book rack in the narthex. Please pick up your free copy today.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Wittenberg Lutheran Center’s Speakers Forum is scheduled for Saturday, February 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Schroeder Hall, Room 130 on the Illinois State University Campus. This is a FREE event with lunch served. Speaking will be Tim Goeglein an LCMS Laymen who worked in the Bush White House. His topic will be “Faith In The Halls Of Power”. The other speaker is family psychologist John Rosemond who will discuss “50 Years Of Parenting Babble (With No End In Sight”).
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.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED to Camp CILCA’S First Annual Banquet NEXT SUNDAY, January 28, 2018 from 5-8:00 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 2645 Old Jacksonville Rd., Springfield, IL. Tickets are $40.00 each, and must be purchased before January 20th. Purchase tickets by calling the Camp Office at (217) 487-7497, or by email at: camp@cilca.org.
THE LUTHERANHOUR: “Cause I Said So” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Mark 1:21-28. Many have pretended to be the Messiah. Jesus authority is recognized and obeyed by His competition. Reverend Dr. Ken Klaus is the speaker. 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 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 for Sunday, January 14, 2018: “Body Language.”
Jan. 14, 2018 – Sanctity of Human Life Sunday Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Dear Friends in Christ,
What do you think of when you hear these two words – body language? You might think of non-verbal communication where are body language speaks to if we are happy or sad, mad or compassionate, giddy or gory. You might think of the 1980’s game show “Body Language” that was a form of charades. You might think of that girl or guy and well, you know. Where does your mind go when I say – body language?
The Apostle Paul is going to speak to us today about body language. It is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and God our Creator has given us all a body. He has breathed life into our bodies. He has sanctified and saved our bodies. He wants us to use our bodies for His glory.
I am not going to stand in the pulpit today and piously point my finger. I don’t want you to sit in the pew pompously either. We are not going to surround Paul as he tells the world how horrible they are when it comes to use of the body. See, Paul wasn’t writing to pagans. He writes to Christians being influenced by a pagan world. We need to take this personally. The Holy Spirit will lead us to an understanding of . . .
“BODY LANGUAGE”
The Corinthians used improper body language when they thought their bodies were actually their own and therefore they could do whatever they desired. We have modern day Corinthian thought. “I have a right to do what I want with my own body” and “My body, my choice.”
Again, let’s not just point; let’s take it personally. We use improper body language to justify pouring too much liquor into our bodies or eating to excess or sitting on our backsides instead of getting our hearts pumping or having sexual intercourse outside the bonds of marriage. “Hey, it’s my body! I can do what I want.”
What are we doing with our body language? Society seems to think hook-ups and hang-ups and friends with benefits is the norm. But recent studies seem to show the opposite. Human beings are having less sex. We can look at that two ways. Good if it is the young and the unmarried. Bad if it is husband and wife. Our technological society shows that human interaction is waning. We would rather be intimate with our devices. Those movies of year’s past are coming true!
Paul’s body language is very clear: “You are not your own” (v. 19). You are not your own because you have been bought. You are not your own because you have been bought with a price. The price for you was high: God’s own blood shed in the person of Jesus. You are not your own, because that blood cleanses you from all your sin. God dwells in you.
If you ever doubt your value or wonder about your purpose in life, remember Paul’s body language and take it personally! In Baptism, the Lord united your body with His. God bought you, cleansed you, and declared you holy. Once we see how God values us and how He made our bodies holy then we can use them properly. Our body language will speak of His glory. “So glorify God in your body” (v. 20b).
Allow me to speak to our young people and singles here today. Sometimes the Church sees you as just raging hormones and zits. That is part of who you are but you are so much more. God created you and knit you together in your mother’s womb. God created you and then in Baptism united you with Jesus. He purchased you with His blood and declared you His most holy place, where His Spirit is pleased to dwell. You can make good, God-pleasing decisions. You can glorify God with your body language.
The same goes for our husbands and wives. Let’s take us back to our marriage worship service where the Pastor said this: “The union of husband and wife in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for mutual companionship. Marriage was also ordained so that man and woman may find delight in one another. God also established marriage for the procreation of children.” You, too, can make good, Biblical, God-pleasing choices and glorify God with your body language. If you have children, you then pass on a God-ordained model.
Listen to God’s body language. We are not to become monks but to use our bodies in ways that are pleasing to God. We live in our ever-changing world but we don’t succumb to their immorality. When they say: “Go ahead put that drug in your body.” Listen to God’s body language: “I made your body for the Lord, to be united with Jesus.” When the world’s body language says, “You have a right to do what you want with your body,” listen to God’s body language: “Your body is not your own, for you were bought with a price.” When the world and sometimes even the church say, “You can’t control your body, go ahead…be safe,” listen to God’s body language: “You’ve been united with me. I live in you. I will help you. You can glorify Me with your body.”
May the Lord help us all with our…BODY LANGUAGE. Amen.
Bulletin Announcements
January 14, 2018
THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” God owns everything, including our very selves. We were made to serve Him and glorify Him and will never truly be happy or find our fulfillment until we learn that lesson. Jesus has redeemed us and brought us back into the Kingdom of the Father – and that has set us free to serve Him in joy, generosity, liberty, and faith.
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).
ADULT BIBLE CLASS: In conjunction with Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, the Adult Bible Class will be studying, “Hope For Life”. The class meets at 9:15 a.m. in the church basement.
TODAY is our door Offering for Seminarian Brent Keller. Mr. Keller is a 4th year seminary student at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, IN.
THE FUNERAL SERVICE for Bud Barnett will be this coming Saturday, January 20th at 10:30 a.m. at the church.
NEXT SUNDAY is the deadline for items to be submitted for the FEBRUARY 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) 838-9868.
THE BOARD OF ELDERS would like to remind the congregation of our winter weather protocol if worship needs to be cancelled. We will send an e-mail to members and let WJBC Radio and TV Stations WEEK and WMBD know. If we do not have your e-mail and you would like to be included please call the church office (309) 662-8905 or sign-up at: http://www.goodshepherdblm.org/about-us/contact-us/.
GOOD SHEPHERD’S FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES begins again this coming Friday, January 19th at 6:30 p.m. We will be showing the movie, “THE CASE FOR CHRIST”. Working to disprove the growing Christian faith of his wife, an investigative journalist chases down the biggest story of all time…with unexpected, life-altering results! “THE CASE FOR CHRIST” is based on the true-life story of Lee Strobel, author of the best-selling book, “THE CASE FOR CHRIST”. What will your verdict be? Join us for a great movie, fine fellowship and good food!
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS for our new church sign. Sheets are available on the table in the narthex. We will take submissions until Sunday, February 11, 2018. You may drop them in the box in the narthex. Thank you!
PORTALS OF PRRAYER: The January – Martch 2018 are available on the book rack in the narthex. Please pick up your free copy today.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Wittenberg Lutheran Center’s Speakers Forum is scheduled for Saturday, February 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Schroeder Hall, Room 130 on the Illinois State University Campus. This is a FREE event with lunch served. Speaking will be Tim Goeglein an LCMS Laymen who worked in the Bush White House. His topic will be “Faith In The Halls Of Power”. The other speaker is family psychologist John Rosemond who will discuss “50 Years Of Parenting Babble (With No End In Sight”).
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.
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED to Camp CILCA’S first Annual Banquet on Sunday, January 28, 2018 from 5-8:00 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 2645 Old Jacksonville Rd., Springfield, IL. Tickets are $40.00 each, and must be purchased before January 20th. Purchase tickets by calling the Camp Office at (217) 487-7497, or by email at: camp@cilca.org.
THE LUTHERAN HOUR: “Meeting Millennials Where They’re At” is the topic for next Sunday. The sermon text will be from Mark 1:14-20. Robots can’s produce disciples. How can we mentor those who don’t know Jesus, or don’t know Him well enough? Reverend Dr. Dale Meyer is the speaker. 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.