St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School Announcements - March 1-7, 2015 ATTENDANCE CARDS Please make sure to locate the Attendance Cards in your row and fill one out when you first arrive. This helps us know that you are here with us and it enables us to assist you. There is a “Member” side as well as a “Guest” side - please fill out the appropriate side of the card. Use one card for each family that is gathered. (Parents, please take responsibility for signing in your children.) The Attendance Cards will be collected by a Lay Minister after the Offering. Although immanently human and sometimes exceedingly wicked, God's gracious work through these men and women foreshadows His greater work of deliverance through the true and perfect Savior-Judge, Jesus Christ. Ken Brinkman will be holding this series of classes on Sunday mornings in the Meeting Room. BIBLE STUDY - THE PRACTICAL PRACTICE OF PRAYER Debbie Turrell has begun a new 8 week Bible study, The Practical Practice of Prayer. SUNDAY MORNING As Christians, we know the importance and ADULT BIBLE CLASS (9:50 a.m.) power of prayer in our daily life. We will explore what the Bible says about prayer and Class: New Member Information Class examine practical ways to make our prayers Location: 7th Grade Classroom more personal and meaningful. Teacher: Raelene Bass % God's gift of prayer to His people. Class: “Judges - God's Grace Through A % Praying scripture back to God. Savior” % The five-finger prayer. Location: Meeting Room % Praying for the family of God. Teacher: Ken Brinkmann % Praying for our needs and the needs of others. Class: “The Practical Practice of Prayer” % Praying for our families, our children, Location: 6th Grade Classroom and the next generation. Teacher: Deb Turrell % Praying for our leaders and those in BIBLE STUDY - JUDGES authority. GOD’S GRACE THROUGH A SAVIOR % Spending time with God in worship Following the death of Joshua and before and praise. the rise of Israel's monarchy, God preserved His people from being absorbed by pagan cultures through the ministry of savior-judges. Page -1- 2015 ENVELOPES The 2015 offering envelopes are located in the corner of the lunch room at the school in alphabetical order. Please be sure to pick yours up soon! NEW MEMBER INFORMATION CLASSES Transfer/New Member Information Classes covering the Church’s finances, groups, organizations, and Mission and Vision Statement will be held March 1st at the school at 9:50 am in the 7th grade classroom. We will be covering the income and expenses of our Church with a budget over one million dollars, the various ways in which members can become involved; not only serving, but having fun and St. Paul’s Mission and Vision Statement. All are welcomed and exhorted to attend. There is much to know about our church, and this is one way to find out. The classes also present an opportunity for questions and answers and group discussion. New members will be brought in on Sunday, March 8th during the 11:05 am service. YEAR-END STATEMENTS Financial statements of individual member’s giving can be picked up at the school on Sunday mornings. They will no longer be at the church downtown on Saturday evenings. Please pick up your’s soon. If you have any questions, please call Dolores Bergmann, (815) 932-2682 or Laurie Burke (815) 697-8030. VOTERS' ASSEMBLY MEETING A Special Voters’ Assembly Meeting will be held on Sunday, March 1, 2015, at 12:30 pm at the school. On the Agenda is the congregation’s approval of the Cafeteria Plan for Health Benefits for our workers, the Calling of an Associate Pastor and possibly a Principal. Members of the congregation who are age 18 or older are eligible to become voting members and to participate in the decision making of the congregation. After attending at least two Voters’ Assembly Meetings in a one-year time period, a member is accepted into voting membership. Voting membership privileges then continue as long as you remain a member of the congregation. LIFE SUNDAY With our celebration of Life Sunday, we want to let you know of a movie coming to our area called “The Drop Box.” This is a powerful film about Pastor Lee Jong-rak who built a box to save unwanted babies in South Korea. To date, this little compartment has received over 600 children who would have been otherwise abandoned and left to die. Have you experienced the power of love and sacrifice? This idea was inspired by one man's desire to be a voice for the voiceless and give dignity and life to the world's most vulnerable. The film is showing in our area at Cinemark 10 at the mall on March 3, 4, and 5 at 7:00 pm. You can find more information at - http://www.thedropboxfilm.com/ Page -2- LENTEN & EASTER SCHEDULE Midweek Lenten Services Schedule Wednesdays 7:00 pm - (Downtown Site) 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25 Maundy Thursday Worship 4/2 - 7:00 pm - (Downtown Site) Campaign contributions? If not, they are available on the table in the entryway to the school or in the narthex or area by the elevator at the downtown church. It is important that we keep current on our contributions, so please be sure to pick up your envelopes this weekend! ALTAR FLOWER CHART FOR 2015 The Flower Chart for 2015 altar flowers is now posted at the school. When you sign up for flowers, please include your phone number No Worship Service Saturday, 4/4 next to your name. Please make checks Easter Sunday Worship, 4/5 payable to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The cost is $20.00 for one vase or $40.00 for two. 6:00 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am Checks can be put in the offering plate or (Downtown Site) turned into the church office. If you have any questions regarding altar flowers, please LENTEN DINNERS contact Lynda Koeppen at 815-932-1545 or Lenten dinners will be served in the [email protected]. Fellowship Hall downtown from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. prior to midweek services at 7:00 p.m. on TRIP CARDS the dates shown below. Yes, the TRIP Cards are now here on Dinners include an entree, salad or veggies, Sunday mornings with many new local places dessert and drinks and a freewill offering that of business. Some of the new locations are will be taken to either cover the cost of the IHOP, LaSiesta, Brickstone, Beef O’Brady’s, meal or to go toward a ministry of the Board Mancino’s, Ryan’s Pier, and Little Caesars. serving. See Julie Salzman in the school cafeteria th This Wednesday, March 4 , the Board of between services on Sunday or at the school Parish Education will be having - Italian Beef, during the week. chips, carrots, celery and dessert. FENDER BENDER Please join us for good food and A white 2014 Honda Accord was hit in the fellowship and then worship afterwards! school parking lot on Sunday, February 22nd CAPITAL CAMPAIGN ENVELOPES during the 8:30 service, causing a small dent Hopefully you've picked up your 2015 and scratch. If you hit this car or saw it offering envelopes already. If you have, did happen, please call the owner at 815-932-0446. you also pick up envelopes for your Capital Thank you! Good Friday Worship 4/3 - 12:05 pm, 7:00 pm - (Downtown Site) Page -3- THE PARABLES OF LENT Join us this Lenten Season as we explore the “Parables of Lent.” At each service, we will focus on a biblical parable that connects us to the season of Lent and our Lord’s suffering on our behalf. Each week we will be reminded that within each parable’s plot is woven a unique message about what we receive through the crucified Christ. May these Parables enrich your own story of faith in Jesus as you journey through Lent with us. 3/4 - Receive the Treasure The Hidden Treasure and the Priceless Pearl Matthew 13:44-46 3/11 - Receive Mercy The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37 3/18 - Receive Grace The Workers in the Vineyard Matthew 20:1-16 3/25 - Receive Forgiveness The Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32 LAP ROBES & AFGHANS Human Care is again in need of afghans, lap robes, etc., to be distributed to veterans in the area. They may be knitted, crocheted or fleece, in any color or pattern, new or gently used. No fringe please. Please place items in the Human Care cart in the school entryway. Thanks in advance for your help. Questions, contact Joan Gehm (815-932-3914) or LuAnn Brock (815-939-1859). THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS The light of God is shining in a very dark world! . . . That’s the message of these Lenten devotions from Rev. Wayne Palmer, theological editor and writer for Lutheran Hour Ministries. In “The Light Shines in the Darkness,” he has penned a thoughtful meditation on Christ’s life and passion presented in the Gospel of John, which illuminates this beloved book with insight and clarity. Written in a fresh but familiar style, The Light Shines in the Darkness is a captivating portrait of Jesus’ battle against the darkness of unbelief, prejudice and blind, murderous hatred as He fought for us all the way to the cross and back from the empty tomb. We will see Jesus wrestle with the darkness all around Him - the darkness of Satan and his demons, the Jewish crowds and religious authorities who made themselves His enemies and even those who called themselves His friends and followers. But Jesus Christ will also wrestle with the darkness that still hides in the corners of our hearts, our families, our churches, and our world. The universal message of hope in John’s Gospel is powerful and written with one purpose in mind: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His Name” (John 20:30-31). Page -4- SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS SING “DOLLARS FOR ST. PAUL’S” The first - sixth grade Sunday School REPORT children will sing during the 11:05am church On the weekend of February 7-8, we held service March 22. Students and their families our second “Dollars for St. Paul’s” Door are encouraged to attend the Spring Offering. On this second Door Offering to go Spectacular during Sunday School toward our Loan Principal, we collected $1,110.33!! Praise God! This brings our two SUNDAY SCHOOL SPRING month total to $1,813.96 SPECTACULAR Thank you for your generosity and support Preschool through sixth grade Sunday of our mission. May God use these offerings to School students and parents are invited to a help St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School celebration of spring from 9:50am - 10:45am continue to “Tell the Story of Jesus and His on March 22. The day will begin in the gym Love" to future generations. with a song and a lesson. Then families will move to rotating game stations in the Sunday FINANCIAL PEACE School classrooms. Please mark this special This week’s lesson is THE ROLE OF event on your calendars, as it will be a fun INSURANCE – Protecting your Health, morning for children and parents as well! Family, and Finances. Insurance? Yikes! This is a topic that few DOLLARS FOR ST. PAUL’S people really enjoy, and yet it is an area that On the second Sunday of every month, we impacts your finances more than you could have been publishing updates on the financial possibly imagine! Can you explain how your status of the Capital Campaign and our current life insurance works? If your spouse were debt. We pray this has been useful information suddenly widowed, how much would he or she for you. To help us further focus on retiring need to survive? How does health insurance the debt as soon as we can, we are introducing work? Are specialty plans, such as cancer a new initiative called “Dollars for St. Paul's.” policies, a good deal? In this lesson, we will During the first quarter of 2015 (January, find out! February and March), we will have a door In The Role of Insurance, Dave walks you collection on the second Sunday of the month, through the seven types of insurance that every at which time we encourage each member to adult needs, and he reveals how to avoid the contribute one dollar to the Capital Campaign. traps in the insurance industry that can leave All monies raised through this Door Collection you – and your heirs – flat broke! will be applied directly to the principal of our Join us as a guest for this lesson, Sunday, loan. 9:00am in the 5th Grade Classroom. Page -5- DOOR GREETERS NEEDED We are in need of volunteers to be door greeters for the 5:00 pm Saturday night church services and the 11:05 am Sunday morning church services. If you are interested in volunteering to be a greeter, please contact Sharon in the church office at 815-932-0312. ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER AND SILENT AUCTION Saturday, March 21st, 2015 @ 5:007:30pm TICKET SALES - PTL will be selling tickets between church services on Sunday mornings & Saturday nights starting Saturday, Feb. 28th. Prices are as follows: Adults: $8.00 Children (12 & under): $5.00 Tickets will also be sold at the door as well. The event is St. Paul's Lutheran PTL’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The goal is to raise over $5,000 through ticket sales and the silent auction. These auction items are donated from both parents & congregation members and also created by the teachers and the elementary school children. The money raised that evening is used to purchase curriculum items for the staff and St. Paul's Day School students. The evening is an opportunity for fellowship between school families and congregation members. Please join us! If anyone wants to help with the evening or donate a dessert, please contact Kris Duchene via fast direct - 815-922-9360 or [email protected] MINISTRY FAIR St. Paul's will host a "Ministry Fair" on two consecutive Sundays, March 15th & 22nd between services at the school site. Ministries and board groups at St. Paul's will be present in the cafeteria area to showcase what their ministry or board group does and how others can become involved. Be sure to stop by and have a chance to talk and interact with these groups! Groups represented will be Lay Ministry, Trustees, Youth Board, Stewardship, Fellowship, Evangelism/Assimilation, Human Care, Parish Education and School Board, Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), Financial Peace University, Tabea and MOPS. ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN SCHOOL REGISTRATION St. Paul's Lutheran now has open enrollment. Registration fees will go up every month so register EARLY and SAVE! Please contact us at (815) 932-0312 or email to [email protected] Page -6- GRANDPARENTS DAY St. Paul's Lutheran School is inviting members of the congregation to serve as “Volunteer Grandparents” for those students who will not have grandparents joining them on Grandparents’ Day March 27th, 2015. Volunteer Grandparents are asked to be at the school from 9:00 am-11:30 am, joining our students in crafts, snacks, activities, and chapel. If you are interested and available, please contact Rich Nordmeyer or Mrs. Anderson at (815) 932-0312 to sign up. You do not need to be a grandparent to serve as one o n t h i s d a y . WORSHIP FOR SHUT-INS Romans 5:1-11 “When We Are Weak” by Rev. Paul E. Shoemaker, Emanuel Lutheran Church~New Haven, IN Youth knows no fear. As we mature, we become more aware of this world’s evil and are more we depend on others more than we may realize. This is also true of our relationship with God. Many do not realize how totally dependent we are on God for our salvation. It is not the good we have done, but it is what God has done for us in Christ that brings about our salvation. And this was done for us while “we were still weak.” LUTHERANS FOR LIFE ILLINOIS STATE SCHOLARS March 1 “As baptized persons, we are Congratulations to St. Paul's members sons and daughters of God in Christ. That who were recognized as 2015-2016 Illinois makes us holy. Holy means being set aside for State Scholars. noble purpose. We are not common, but BBCHS uncommon. As such, we are usable not just by anyone but by God. What a difference it makes Christopher Bayston to see ourselves this way.” Linda D. Bartlett, Cole Breitenbucher titus2-4life.org – A “Life Quote” from Lutherans For Life • www.lutheransforlife.org Claire Hess* GIRL SCOUT COOKIES Bishop McNamara HS Girls from Ambassador Girl Scout Troop Kayla Ronchetto* #70521 will be selling cookies on Sunday, March 1, between the worship services. We are * St. Paul's Lutheran School Graduates selling cookies to raise money for a trip to Congratulations and God's Blessings as Ireland this summer! This year we are also you head off to College! asking customers to purchase an extra box (or more!) to be donated to US servicemen and women and/or to Harbor House in Kankakee. Stop by and see us! Page -7- NEW ON CHURCH WEBSITE If you have had any phone changes, address changes, or family changes, please go to the church website, www.stpaulslutheran.net and fill out the form under the tab "News & Events" and then to "Membership Change Form". To send, press the submit button at the bottom of the form. WE NEED YOUR HELP!! St. Paul’s is again participating in the S.C.O.R.E. Recycling Contest through Belson’s Steel, Rt. 50 & Larry Power Road, Bourbonnais. The contest ends April 2015 but we need your help now to reach our goal. Why not consider recycling during all the holidays and parties? By doing so, you teach valuable skills to tomorrow’s adults, but you are earning cash and prizes for St. Paul’s School. Here’s what you need to do... 1) Collect your aluminum cans and bring them to Belson’s. You get paid cash for your cans. If you are unable to take the cans to Belson’s, we do have a collection canister located at the school. 2) Mention “St. Paul’s” when you get paid. Belson’s will add one point to our score for every pound of cans that you are recycling. 3) At the end of the contest, our school gets two cents for every point. PLUS, the top schools will win thousands in extra cash and prizes. Last year the winning schools received over $15,000 in cash and prizes! If you have any questions, please contact the school office at 815-932-0312. Page -8- Serving In God's House Today Preacher: Pastor Koeppen Organist: Carol Goodwin Sun. Mar 1 Lay Ministers: 5:00: Steve Plotezka, Dean Cappel 8:30: John Giertz, Brent Eden, Greg Deck, Barry Gadbois (Robert Carruthers) 11:05: Ken Taube, Bill Hasenjaeger (Don Bayston,Art Schumacher) Lay Readers: Acolytes: Greeters: Usher Teams: Nursery: Coffee Hour Hosts This Weeks Schedule of Activities 5:00: Pat Hatch 8:30: Dee Cordes 11:05: Jim Johnston 8:30: Hannah & Jenna Salzman 11:05: Seth Deatherage, Danielle Secrest 8:30: 11:05: Kim Leheney 5:00: Mark Gradberg, Fred Langelett, Jim Sharper, Terry Treece, Jeff Wilken 8:30: Dennis Rabe, Hill Love, Brandon Tomblin, Chris Tomblin 11:05: Matt Callan, Don Anderson, Kirk Anderson, Thomas Milton, Brian Milton 9:50: Joyce Witheft, Cheryl Wheeler 11:05: Sharon Kerouac 8:30: Banner Committee 9:50: Banner Committee Contemporary Service Worship Team: Matt Callan, Duane Ferrebee, Gail Ferrebee, Scott Moore, Kayla Ronchetto, Cindy Rubin, Jim Stone, Debbie Turrell, Ellana Turrell, Rodney Voigt Page -9- Worship - Traditional - Communion Children’s Sunday School & Adult Bible Class New Membership Orientation Class #3 Worship - Contemporary - Communion Special Voters Assembly Meeting - Gym Youth Alive (at School) (at School) (at School) (at School) (at School) (at School) 7:00 pm 9:15 am NO SCHOOL - Casimir Pulaski Day Lay Ministry Meeting MOPs Meeting (at School) (at School) Tues. Mar 3 10:00 am Adult Bible Class with Barb Campbell (at School) Wed. Mar 4 8:30 am 4:30 pm (at School) 5:30 pm 7:00 pm School Chapel 7th & 8th Grade Public School Confirmation Class Lenten Dinner Lenten Worship Service 5:00 pm Worship - Traditional Mon. Mar 2 8:30 am 9:50 am 9:50 am 11:05 am 12:30 pm 5:00 pm (at School) (at Fellowship Hall) (at Church) Thurs. Mar 5 Fri. Mar 6 Sat. Mar 7 Sun. Mar 8 8:30 am 9:50 am 9:50 am 11:05 am (at Church) DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME CHANGE SPRING FORWARD 1 HOUR Worship - Traditional (at School) Children’s Sunday School & Adult Bible Class (at School) New Membership Reception Sunday (at School) Worship - Contemporary (at School) Page -10- Page -11-