ANNOUNCEMENTS for January 29, 2012

Future Sanctuary Committee: The mortgage from the last construction at Good Shepherd has been paid off and the Future Sanctuary Committee is now going to resume work as the process leading to a new sanctuary continues.  The committee is in need of several new members in order to fill vacancies that now exist.  If you are interested in serving on the Future Sanctuary Committee, please contact the committee chairman John Harland (995-1694) or Pastor Surburg.

 

God Squad and Jr. High Game night: Game night for the God Squad (Third to Fifth grades), the Jr. High youth and the families will take place on Friday, Feb. 24 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

 

Ash Wednesday Divine Service: The Divine Service for Ash Wednesday will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7:00 as the season of Lent begins.  The imposition of ashes will take place during the service for those who wish to receive it.

 

Mid-week Lent services: Mid-week Lent services which help us prepare to celebrate Holy Week and Easter will be held on Wednesday, February 29, March 7, 14, 21, 28. All services will take place at 7:00 p.m.  The theme for this year’s Lenten homilies is: “St. Paul teaches us to live the baptismal life.”   The season of Lent is a return to Holy Baptism as it moves toward the Vigil of Easter on Holy Saturday.  The homilies will focus on how Paul describes the Christian life which is linked to Christ in baptism.  Learn by Heart will not take place prior to the mid-week Lent services.  Instead, catechumens and their parents will be attending Lent Vespers in place of it. 

 

Walk for Life: The Walk for Life which is the major fundraiser for Pregancy Matters will take place at the Illinois Centre Mall in Marion on Saturday, March 10 at 8:30 a.m.  If you are interested in taking part, there are sponsor sheets at the back of the nave.  The Pastor and the Surburg family will be taking part, and if you would like to sponsor them, their sheet is also at the back of the nave.  For more information, contact Pastor.

 

New Bible study: A new Bible study has just begun entitled “Confession and Creeds in the Life of the Church.”  We use a creed every Sunday and in catechesis, yet many churches around us do not use creeds or even reject their use. This raises questions like: Where did the creeds come from?; Why do we use them?;  What do they mean?  Join us to learn more about something you use every week. 

 

LWML news: The LWML is no longer collecting old copies of Portals of Prayer.  They are continuing to collect empty medicine containers for Haiti.  Please remove the labels before bringing them to church.

 

Today in Sunday school: “Jesus Heals a Man Who Is Paralyzed” is the lesson for Sunday School today. The miracle of healing the paralytic confirms that Jesus, the Son of Man, has authority on earth to forgive sins and it confirms what the Son of Man chiefly came to do: deliver us and all believers from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Consider discussing, “In addition to healing the paralyzed man, what else does Jesus tell him? How has Jesus healed us from our sickness of sin?”

 

Stewardship Sentence: 1 Corinthians 9:16-27:  St. Paul had the beautiful gift of showing such concern for others that he would refrain from doing what he was perfectly free to do so that the Gospel of Jesus would be better received by those to whom he was witnessing.  One of the beautiful aspects of Christian stewardship is seeking and doing those things that are in the best interest and welfare of those around us!

 

Scripture lessons for next Sunday: (Sexagesima)

Isaiah 55:10-13;2 Corinthians 11:219-12:9; Luke 8:4-15