Celebrating July 2015

Birthdays

7/4 Joann Nottingham
7/10 Bob Love
7/13 Cortney Brewer
7/13 Connie Nord
7/14 Nick Henson
7/22 Joann Hart
7/24 Katey Parry
7/25 Andrew Benjamin
7/25 Stephanie Schempp
7/27 David McEleney
7/29 Mary Hall

Baptismal Birthdays

7/8 Isabella Kessler
7/11 Richard Ross
7/13 Kathy Hitch
7/14 Bryan Reichert
7/16 Jennifer Cloyd
7/20 Ruth Gerike
7/24 Finley Mosier
7/28 Eugene Fuller
7/31 Erin Dirks

Pastor’s Notes July 2015

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

A new document sat awaiting some of the most prominent men in North America.  All it needed was John Hancock’s “John Hancock” and the signatures of the other delegates.  Imagine yourself in line, ready to grasp the quill pen and make your mark.  What are your thoughts?  The fighting that started over a year ago?  Are you worried about pledging your life and possessions plus your sacred honor to the cause of independence from Great Britain?  Are you excited?  Afraid?  Hold that thought as you consider this Bible verse:

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” (Romans 13:1)

Let’s be honest; there are times when government decisions seem ludicrous, even sinful.  Strange projects are funded with taxes you paid.  Wars against people who never bothered you drain tax coffers that you filled.  Laws authorize or allow behavior we know is sinful.  Federal court decisions can even end the lives of unborn children in every state of the union.

If we all did as we pleased, the chaos would be unimaginable.  Either we would cower in our homes afraid to go out or we would be speeding past, cutting off, or crashing through others.  God’s servants for your good don’t want this to happen any more than you do.

Satan gave Jesus ample opportunity to rebel against authorities.  Jesus showed who ruled and it was His Father.  This loyalty of Jesus He displayed as a man, honoring earthly authority and obeying its laws.  This perfect citizen of heaven and earth now confers citizenship rights on us.  In Baptism, we have immigrated from the principality of Satan to the kingdom of Christ.  As Christ taught His followers so He teaches us: The Father reigns supreme through His beloved Son.

The line has shortened, and it’s almost your turn.  Weighing the Word of God, carefully considering His commands and His promises, you make a decision not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.  What is that decision?  No one can tell you.  You have been freed by Christ to be a responsible citizen of His earthly and heavenly kingdoms.  For whatever government you have, no matter how free or oppressed you seem to be, you know that in Christ you are free indeed.  Free to live, to love, to serve God, neighbor, and government.

In Christ,

Pastor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Usher, Elder, and Acolyte Schedules for July 2015

Elder and Usher Schedule

Date
8:00
Elder
10:30
July 5Gerald Semelka, John Hardy, Matthew Holland, Mike FieldBarry HamlinBrian Dirks, Theron Noth
July 12Gene Fuller, Richard RossCraig CulpGreg McNeely, Karson Lueck, Ryan Kleiboeker
July 19Jeff Piper, Paul Gerike, Joshua Parry, Steve Parry
Curt KesslerBryan Reichert, Mike Huth
July 26Charles Nottingham, Craig CulpPaul GerikeBud Kessler, Holden Lueck, Marvin Huth

Acolyte Schedule

Date
8:00 AM
10:30 AM
July 5Katey ParryPastor/Elder
July 12Pastor/ElderWilliam McNeely
July 19Lucas PiperJessica Isaac
July 26Pastor/ElderWill Dowell

Bulletin Announcements – June 28, 2015

 Bulletin Announcements 

June 28, 2015

THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP:  2 Corinthians 8:3:  “For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will.”  St. Paul lifts up an example of faithful Christian generosity in the Epistle lesson today.  Read those words again this week and ponder them. How is the Lord calling you to increase your generosity toward His work?

20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION UPDATE: You have through Sunday, July 12th to make your reservations for the 20th Church Anniversary Celebration Dinner on Saturday, July 18th.  The menu includes chicken breast, lasagna, cheddar cheese potatoes, green beans, fresh garden salad, rolls and butter, cake and beverages.  Entertainment will be the music group, The Schueler’s, from Christ Lutheran Church.  While our program is being presented, the young children will be entertained with crafts in the Day Care area.  Also, as you know, the Special Project for this 20th Anniversary is the repair and update of the organ.  July 5th and July 12th will be the final collection for this project.  The container for your contribution will be in the narthex of the church. Collection update: As of June 21, 2015, we have collected $7500.00.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact Marvin Huth at (309) 829-6897.

THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS, led by Pastor Lueck and meeting in the church basement at 9:15 a.m. is studying a DVD-based topic, “The Great Deceiver”.  The focus is on the work of Satan from the Bible and how Christ has overcome him through His death and resurrection.

TODAY IN SUNDAY SCHOOL:  The investigation for this week is “The Case of the Little Coat: Hannah’s Prayer.”  God cares and provides for the humble and lowly.  Parent might ask, “How does God respond to your prayers?  Who could you pray for?”

TUTION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE:  Please contact a member of the Board of Christian Education or the church office for more information.  Forms are available in the office.

PORTALS OF PRAYER:  The July – September 2015 Portals of Prayer are available on the book rack located in the narthex.  Pick up your free copy today!

FELLOWSHIP HOSTS:  The sign-up for help with coffee/doughnuts is posted on the wall by the north stairwell.  We need an individual/family to sign-up each week to pick up the donuts and make the coffee.  If no one is signed up by Friday of each week, the order will be cancelled.  We thank everybody who continues to help with this part of our church fellowship.

TEACHING ASSOCIATE NEEDED:  Trinity Lutheran School is in need of an Afternoon Teaching Associate in our All Day 4 year old program. The hours are Noon until 3:30 p.m. on regular school days.  Please contact Laura Busse at: laurabusse@trinluth.org or Cindy Guetschow at (309)829-7513 for more information or to submit a cover letter and resume.

FARM FRESH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS PEACHES:  The Trinity Lutheran Youth of Roanoke, IL are taking orders for the peaches.  The cost is $30.00 for a half bushel; $60.00 for a bushel.  You need to place and pay for your order by Saturday, July 25th.  Make check payable to LYF and mail to Trinity Lutheran Church, 202 W Lincoln St., PO Box 268, Roanoke IL 61561.  Please call (309) 923-7646 or (309) 923-5251 to place your order.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR:  “God’s Recipe For a Successful Life” is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.  The recipe for a successful life calls for more of Jesus and less of ourselves.  The speaker will be Reverend Gregory Seltz.  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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Bulletin Announcements – June 21, 2015

 Bulletin Announcements  †

June 21, 2015

THOUGHTS ON STEWARDSHIP:  Mark 4:40:  He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”  Faith means trust.  If we trust the Lord, what do we have to be afraid of?  Isn’t it fear that holds us back in our stewardship?  Isn’t it fear that stops us from following the Lord’s Word to give generously toward His work in the Church?  Well…”Why are you so afraid?  Have you still no faith?”  The Lord has proved His trustworthiness by His cross.  You can trust Him.

TODAY:  Good Shepherd welcomes these new members to our congregation this morning in the 8:00 worship service:  Tracee Martin is transferring from Gloria Christi Lutheran Church in Greeley, Colorado.  Tracee is married to Tony and they have two grown children.  She works at State Farm.  She lives at 1049 N 2000 East Road in Heyworth.  Phone is (970) 301-2905 and email is: trace.martin.g6wh@statefarm.comGreg and Cindy Sheley and their children, Halle, Garett, and Summer are transferring from Christ Lutheran in Normal.  The children go to Tri-Valley schools and are involved in basketball, golf, volleyball, softball, bowling and track.  Greg is employed by State Farm as a business analyst and Cindy is a homemaker.  They make their home at 19210 Brentwood in Bloomington.  Their email is: sheley5@frontier.com and their phone is (309) 378-4300.  One interesting fact: Good Shepherd member Vicki Miller was Greg’s VBS teacher at Zion Lutheran in Lincoln and they grew up together at that congregation.  We are blessed to have these new brothers and sisters and please take a moment to welcome them.

THE ADULT BIBLE CLASS, led by Pastor Lueck and meeting in the church basement at 9:15 a.m. is studying a DVD-based topic, “The Great Deceiver”.  The focus is on the work of Satan from the Bible and how Christ has overcome him through His death and resurrection.

TODAY IN SUNDAY SCHOOL students look into “The Case of the Scarlet Cord: Rahab Believes.” No matter what sins we may have committed, God delivers us, through repentance and faith, from destruction and eternal death. Consider discussing, “How did God rescue the spies?  How has He rescued us?”

TODAY is the deadline for items to be submitted for the JULY NEWSLETTER.  Mandy Kluender is our Editor for the church newsletter and any announcements you want to be published in the Newsletter should be submitted to her at mgkluender@hotmail.com or you may call her at (309) 838-9868.

TUTION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE:  Please contact a member of the Board of Christian Education or the church office for more information.  Forms are available in the office.

PORTALS OF PRAYER:  The July – September 2015 Portals of Prayer are available on the book rack located in the narthex.  Pick up your free copy today!

FELLOWSHIP HOSTS:  The sign-up for help with coffee/doughnuts is posted on the wall by the north stairwell.  We need an individual/family to sign-up each week to pick up the donuts and make the coffee.  If no one is signed up by Friday of each week, the order will be cancelled.  We thank everybody who continues to help with this part of our church fellowship.

TEACHING ASSOCIATE NEEDED:  Trinity Lutheran School is in need of an Afternoon Teaching Associate in our All Day 4 year old program. The hours are Noon until 3:30 p.m. on regular school days.  Please contact Laura Busse at: laurabusse@trinluth.org or Cindy Guetschow at (309)829-7513 for more information or to submit a cover letter and resume.

FARM FRESH SOUTHERN ILLINOIS PEACHES:  The Trinity Lutheran Youth of Roanoke, IL are taking orders for the peaches.  The cost is $30.00 for a half bushel; $60.00 for a bushel.  You need to place and pay for your order by Saturday, July 25th.  Make check payable to LYF and mail to Trinity Lutheran Church, 202 W Lincoln St., PO Box 268, Roanoke IL 61561.  Please call (309) 923-7646 or (309) 923-5251 to place your order.

THE LUTHERAN HOUR:  “You Aren’t Perfect” is the topic for next Sunday.  The sermon text will be from Matthew 5:43-48.  We aren’t perfect and we can’t change, but we can receive the benefits of Christ’s perfection and sacrifice.  The speaker will be Reverend Ken Klaus.  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.

Happy Father’s Day!

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“The Word Produces By Itself” Text: Mark 4:26-29 (6-14-2015)

June 14, 2015 Text: Mark 4:26-29

Dear Friends in Christ,

Dr. Fred Craddock was a professor of New Testament and Homiletics at Emory University in Atlanta. He tells this story about his father.
Dr. Craddock’s father didn’t go to church and was extremely critical of the church. Every now and then a minister would come to their home and talk to the father about the church. Mr. Craddock would always say, “I know what you fellows down there at the church want. You want another name and another pledge. Right? Isn’t that the business you’re in? Another name and another pledge.”
This always embarrassed Dr. Craddock’s mother. She would withdraw to the kitchen and cry. Sometimes another person would come with the minister. But the father always held his ground. “You don’t care about me! You want another name and another pledge. That’s how the churches operate. You don’t care about me.”
He said that countless times. However, there came a time when he didn’t say it. The last time Dr. Fred Craddock saw his father was in a Veteran’s hospital. He was down to 74 pounds. They had taken out his throat and he was badly burned by radiation therapy. The story goes on to read . . .
“Around the room flowers were everywhere – on the table, in the windows and even on the floor. There were potted plants, cut flowers, and every sort of arrangement. They even had flowers on the table that you swing out over your bed on which you put food. That was just as well since he couldn’t eat anyway. Little cards were sprinkled in all the flowers and every one of them read something like this: Men’s Bible class, Women’s Fellowship, Children’s Division, Youth Fellowship. Every organization you could imagine in the church had sent flowers along with stacks of cards from persons in the church.
“Craddock’s father saw him looking at the cards. Unable to speak, he picked up a pencil and wrote on the side of a Kleenex box a line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: ‘In this harsh world, draw your breath in pain to tell my story.’
“Fred Craddock read it and asked his father: ‘Dad, what is your story?’ The speechless old man took the Kleenex box back and wrote a confession: ‘I was wrong! I was wrong!’”
We’re looking at the Parable of the Growing Seed. We’re looking at the direction the Christ gives His people in a dying world. We’re looking at how . . .
“THE WORD PRODUCES BY ITSELF”
I know that sermons talking about everybody being a witness to Christ are not the most popular. Maybe it’s that uncertain fear that unbelieving family and friends will disown us. Well, maybe they will. Or maybe it’s the excuse that we just can’t do it. And the question is “Why?” Or, maybe, some just figure – or, at least, hope – that someone else will pick up the slack. Not necessarily. If we don’t do it, who will?
After all, there are a lot of desperate people out there in every conceivable kind of pain. God doesn’t ask us to be their critics. Actually, Jesus said it best of all: “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (Jn. 3:17) And this: “…whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (Jn. 3:18) The world is already judged, whether it knows it or not. The world is already condemned by its sin.
And listen, God does not appoint us to be keepers of nit-picking issues. He asks us – His church – you and me – to scatter seed. That’s all. Scatter. The growing is strictly His business. To put the seed – the Word – out there, trusting that it will do what God wants it to do.
And so our text: “(Jesus) said: ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.’”
The point of the parable is rather simple. The seed is the Word of God. We are to consider the power of the Word. The Word produces by itself. God does with the Word as He pleases – not as we envision. The writer of Hebrews says, “The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…”
Peter writes, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Pet. 1:23) It’s the Word…period. As the parable says, “Produces by itself” without the absurd innovations of humans…the seed sprouts and grows, though (the man) knows not how.
And the “man” in the parable is equally simple to figure out. The man is just a man, in one sense. And in another sense the man is you and I. We are the ones who scatter the Gospel seeds – the glorious news of sin forgiven and the promise of eternal life through faith in Christ.
As we consider the parable and it’s meaning for us you can hear those familiar words in the background: “…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16)
So how honest should we be with ourselves this morning? Maybe the seed some of us scatter is the seed of constant complaint and criticism. Or maybe the seed of gossip and slander. Or maybe the seed of discontent. I’ll tell you what, friend, no matter what you think or how you see it, you and I are scattering seed – of some sort.
Eugenia Price said, “If Christ lives in us, controlling our personalities, we will leave glorious marks on the lives we touch. Not because of our lovely characters, but because of his.”
Of all the stands we take – of the pleas we make – there is none more important and urgent than scattering the seed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ – the Good News of forgiveness of all sin. The Good News that God does love us and has given us the gift of eternal life. There are many Mr. Craddock’s in the world just waiting to hear this glorious news. And always remember: The Word Produces By Itself so scatter seed.
Amen.