Bulletin Announcements

December 4, 2016

THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP:  Matthew 3:1-2:  “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, {2} “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” John prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance. Then, when Jesus’ ministry was complete and He was raised from the dead, He sent out his disciples to preach “repentance and the forgiveness of sins.”  We never outgrow the need for repentance – for examining our lives, turning away from our pet sins, and turning toward Jesus in faith to receive his forgiveness and strength for a renewed life of godliness.

THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS, meeting in the basement at 9:15 a.m. continues a DVD based study: “Jesus – Legend or Lord?”  The class features LC-MS Author and Scholar Dr. Paul Maier discussing History and Archaeology and how it all fits with the Holy Scriptures.

TODAY IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, the children learn the story of “Jesus Changes Water into Wine” at the wedding in Cana.  Through His first miracle, Jesus revealed Himself to be true God.  God uses His Word and physical means—water, bread, and wine—to reveal to us that Jesus is our Savior. Discuss the story with your children: “How we are like the disciples, not sure just who Jesus is? How do we sometimes doubt Him and His Word?”

TODAY:  Advent Devotion Booklets are available on the table in the narthex.  Pick up your copy today.  Reflect on your own Christmas memories while you take an Advent journey with the Gospel writer Luke as he shares the story of the Savior’s birth.

TODAY:  Your 2017 Offering Envelopes are available on the cart that is located in the narthex.  We encourage everyone to pick up your envelopes!

MIDWEEK ADVENT WORSHIP:  The second of our three Advent Worship Services is this Wednesday, December 7th at 7:00 p.m.  The theme for our Advent/Christmas messages is “Family Life”.  This week’s sermon is “Our Way”.  A meal is served at 5:30 p.m. and you may sign-up in the narthex to bring food.  The free-will Offering will go to the Hilbert’s and their work for Lutheran Bible Translators.

SPECIAL WORSHIP AND BIBLE CLASS:  Please join us for worship and Bible Class on Sunday, December 18th, as we have two special things planned for that day.  Both the 8:00 and 10:30 worship will be “A Service of Lessons and Carols” led by our Choir.  There will be no Holy Communion in either service.  Because of this, we will have Holy Communion in both worship services on Sunday, December 11th.  Also that morning Karson Lueck will lead the Bible Class.  Karson will present part two of his topic, “The Church and Millenials”.  We encourage all adults and young people to be part of this timely and interesting study.

THE LADIES MORNING BIBLE STUDY will be meeting at the home of Diane Benjamin on Tuesday, December 13th at 9:30 a.m.

IT’S TIME TO ORDER POINSETTIAS:  We have a sign-up sheet on the table in the narthex for poinsettias on the altar for Christmas. The cost is $8.00 each and you may sign up until Sunday, December 18th. The poinsettias will be available to be taken home after Epiphany which is on Sunday, January 8th.  An envelope is also available with the sign-up sheet for your check or cash.  Please make checks payable to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and list “Poinsettia” on memo line.  If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Kwasny at (309) 662-4995 or Luanne Huth at (309) 829-6897.

THE LUTHERAN ANNUAL:  It’s time again to order your copy of “The Lutheran Annual”, this being the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.  The cost is $25.00.  If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please contact Janet in the church office or by phone (309) 662-8905 or email at: goodshepherdblm@frontier.com. Or even in person.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:  Please be sure to mark your calendars that Good Shepherd will just have one Worship Service at 9:00 a.m. on Christmas Day.  The Sunday School and Adult Bible Class will not meet that morning.

CHRISTMAS LETTER:  The congregation received a Christmas letter from Reverend Tim Lorenz and family.  Pastor Lorenz is one of the many seminarians we have supported over the years.  The letter is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office.

YOU ARE INVITED:  Christ Lutheran Church in Normal invites you to take a free guided 20 minute walking tour and experience “The Journey” that Mary and Joseph took so many years ago.  This tour features indoor and outdoor scenes with live drama, animals and singing.  “Journeys begin inside every 10 minutes between 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. next Sunday, December 11th.  Free cookies and hot chocolate will be available.  Meals are also available for purchase between 4:30 – 7:00 p.m.  For more information please call the church at (309) 452-5609.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR:  “Let the Adventure Begin” is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from Isaiah 35:1-10.  In Christ, all of life is an adventure, one that is full of His promise and hope.  Reverend Dr. Gregory Seltz is the speaker.  Hear this Sunday’s 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 home # is (309) 661-6522; 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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Elder, Usher, and Acolyte Schedules for December 2016

Elder and Usher Schedule

Date
8:00
Elder
10:30
Dec 4Gerald Semelka, John Hardy, Nathan Kluender, Steve ParryPaul GerikeMike Huth, Ryan Kleiboeker
Dec 7Midweek Advent 7PMPaul Gerike
Dec 11Ben Holland, Craig CulpBarry HamlinBrian Dirks, Greg McNeely, Theron Noth
Dec 14Midweek Advent
7PM		Barry Hamlin
Dec 18Gene Fuller, Joshua Parry, Mike Field, Richard RossCurt KesslerBryan Reichert, Holden Lueck
Dec 24Christmas Eve 6PMCraig CulpDaryle Schempp, Jeff Piper, Marvin Huth
Dec 25Christmas Day 9AMJohn HardyBud Kessler, Gerald Semelka, Paul Gerike, Will Dowell
Dec 31New Year's Eve 7PMRandy ReinhardtJohn Hardy, Nathan Kluender, Steve Parry

Acolyte Schedule

Date
8:00 AM
10:30 AM
Dec 4Lucas PiperPastor/Elder
Dec 11Pastor/ElderWilliam McNeely
Dec 18Chloe HitchPastor/Elder
Dec 24
Christmas Eve 6PMJessica Isaac
Dec 25Christmas Day 9AMGarett Sheley
Dec 31New Year's Eve 7PMPastor/Elder

Celebrating December 2016

Birthdays

12/3 Matthew Culp
12/3 Jacob Piper
12/6 Eli McNeely
12/7 Kaitlin Culp
12/7 Brian Hitch
12/10 Kimberly King
12/14 Johanna Kirchner
12/17 Karson Lueck
12/19 Matthew Holland
12/20 Heidi Doddek
12/24 Devin Kemp-Golden
12/28 Tanner Hitch
12/30 Audrie King

Baptismal Birthdays

12/1 Theron Noth
12/4 Caleb Evans
12/5 Curtis Kessler, Jr
12/18 Gordon Schroeder
12/20 Jeanette McNeely
12/23 Jacob Piper
12/25 John Campbell
12/28 Maria Kirchner
12/29 Heidi Doddek
12/29 Karson Lueck

Stewardship Corner December 2016

Every Christmas present that sits wrapped under your Christmas tree will wear out.  It will break or go out of style.  This fact was there, somewhere, in the back of your mind even as you bought them, but you bought them anyway.  For you love the person you bought them for, you wanted to see that look of joy it brings to their face.

So also God gives to you.  But greater.  What He gives will never wear out, break down, or go out of style.  For what He gives is His eternal and only-begotten Son, wrapped in your flesh, and placed upon the tree of the Cross.  He gives His Son for you.  He gives that you may have everlasting joy.  He gives because He loves you.  This is why the Word became flesh to dwell among you.

And that is who is given to you.  The Word who is God yet was with God from all eternity.  The Word through whom all things were made.  The Word who is the only-begotten Son of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, being of one substance with His Father.  The One who called all things into existence, the One who spoke to Moses from the bush that burned yet was not consumed, the One whose glory filled the tabernacle to dwell among His people, God Himself, has taken on your flesh.

Even though the Word is made flesh, even though God became Man, His Divinity is not lessened.  His Divinity is not changed.  His Divinity remains, pure and unchanging, but your flesh, your human nature, is exalted.  Your flesh and humanity is assumed into God.  God became man so that you would become like unto God—holy and righteous, without sin, without death.

And so it is that the Son given to you wrapped in your flesh is placed upon the tree of the Cross. And no tree was ever adorned more beautifully.  Its ornaments were nothing less than the Blood of God, poured out as an atoning sacrifice for your sins.  Its garland the Body of God, hanged in death that you may have life.  Its light the incarnate Light of the world, strung up to call you and all men unto Himself, to enlighten you, to make you His own.  He gives you His life;  He gives you joy and peace—peace with God in heaven and peace with one another on earth.

And from the tree of the Cross the Lord Jesus places another gift for you upon the Altar.  It is the Fruit of the Cross, His crucified and risen, living Body and Blood, the Fruit of the Tree of Life, wrapped in bread and wine and given to you.  He fills you with His Glory.  He makes your mouths and your hearts His manger.  He abides in you and you in Him.

The Word became flesh to be placed under the Cross for you.  You are forgiven.  This is why we give.  We give because He has first given to us.  And just as it was a joy for Him to give all He had to us.  It is a joy for us to give to one another and His church so that this message of forgiveness, life, and salvation may be proclaimed.

Pastor’s Notes December 2016

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

After the birth of Jesus, how did everyone leave?  The magi departed another way because of what they had been told.  The shepherds left singing the praises of God.  Joseph went on his way knowing that he needed to protect his Child.  Mary was pondering all of these things in her heart.

How will we leave another encounter with the Christ Child?  If no change takes place then we have missed another opportunity like the innkeeper who could not find room.

The guiding star was not meant to flicker for a moment into the Baby’s cradle.  Its light was to lead men to Bethlehem and Christ eternally into our hearts and lives.  The song in the air was meant to continue as we add our voices to the melody.  Christmas joy is meant to be ours.  We become a new creation in Christ each time we gaze upon the infant Savior born to save the world from sin, Satan, and death.

Christmas is forever because Christ is an eternal gift.  A presence to adore, a Savior to worship, the King of kings to bow down to in honor and respect, Son of Man and Son of God that leads us into victorious living.

Will you be traveling the higher way this Christmas season?  May the Holy Spirit grow your faith as you go to Bethlehem once again.  Returning home reminds you of the eternal home that awaits you and all Christians who believe in the “Word of the Father now in flesh appearing.”

In Christ,

Pastor

Sermon 11-27-2016

(Video Coming Soon)

November 27, 2016                                                                   Text:  Romans 13:11-14

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

 

As you know I am a person that doesn’t care much for the morning.  In fact, I believe my heaviest sleep is in the morning, something to do with circadian rhythms or some pseudo science.  Last week was one such morning.  Toni came into the bedroom and I was startled awake.  What did she have for my morning ears?  There was water coming from the floorboard of the sink in the hall bathroom.  Good morning, Mr. Lueck!

I have found in my years on earth that being woken up usually means bad news.  Someone has died, a parishioner is in the hospital, and a few years ago my in-laws came with this little bulletin.  “There’s water on the basement floor, we think your water heater is leaking.”  Another good morning, Mr. Lueck!

How about you?  Do you find the same thing in your life?  Are your pleasant dreams interrupted by news you would rather not hear?  Sleep is a gift of God, a great restorer of energy.  But there comes a time when we have to wake up.  Today, this First Sunday of Advent we are roused from our spiritual sleep.

“WAKE UP!…HE’S ALMOST HERE”

Paul begins, “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep.  For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” (v. 11)

Joseph Bayly’s words have a real echo, don’t they?  “God’s people should plan for a voyage of a thousand years, but be prepared to abandon ship tonight.”  Not only do we live in anticipation of the Lord’s sudden return, but who among us can predict when the doctor’s report has “months to live” attached to it or the sudden chest pain won’t allow enough time to say goodbye?

We are to live in the anticipation.  We are to wake from sleep and prepare for the Lord’s entrance – be that the celebration of his birth, or His second Coming, or our entrance into eternity in the blink of an eye.

The preparation is to be constant because, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand.  So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.” (v. 12-13)

The night of this world with its black pall of sin had certainly lasted a long time when Paul lived, thousands of years.  As his next event Christ had promised His return.  Now over 2,000 additional years have passed.  The night has now certainly cut forward still closer to the sudden break of the final day.

“The works of darkness” go on continually, and we Christians live in this world age and are constantly beset to join in these works.  Those who have visited the excavated ruins of Pompeii will know what is to be seen there in the way of brothels.  The pagan world stank with vice, and does the modern world stink less?

The modern world wants us to accommodate their vice.  And if you won’t then you get labeled as unloving or out of touch or dare I say even dangerous.  We have lived to see that what is Godly and Biblical can be besmirched in this way.  And all of this is a monster within the church as well.  I recently read of a brother Pastor forced out of his congregation by the laity because of his Biblical position regarding people living together out of wedlock.  Wake up!  The battle is before us.

We are to fight the good fight of faith here, during the night; our weapons of the light are to drive us from the darkness.  We are not merely to stand in shining armor but to do battle, to stand victorious until the Lord arrives or until He calls us away before He arrives.

How can we do this?  The beginning of verse 14, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Do you see the baptismal imagery?  Christ put his mark on us through water and the Word.  You and I have been watermarked.  Made His child.  What are the Christian’s clothing?  Colossians says, “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience…forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  All of these terms are what Jesus brought to sinful, rebellious us through His birth.  All of these terms were sealed for us at Calvary.  All of these terms are assured us through His resurrection.  “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.” (Gal. 3:27)

When I was a kid, I did not have an alarm clock.  My mom would yell up the stairs, “Chad, time to get up.”  I usually got up, had a nice shower, if my sister left me some hot water, then enjoyed my pop-tart and morning paper.  If I didn’t get up with the first command, the 2nd was a little more shrill, “Chad, you have to wake up!”  I knew instantly by the tone that my morning better be getting started.

It’s that 2nd command that we need.  We can’t go around sleepy-eyed in this world that is coming to an end.  But as we crawl out of bed, the Lord is there.  He lifts our head from the pillow.  He provides the strength for the day.  His Word and Sacrament are the breakfast of champions.  The day is at hand – wake up!

Amen.