Love in Action

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

1300 Belt Line Road Collinsville Illinois 62234

618-344-3151 (Church) 618-344-3153 (School) 618-344-3378 (Fax)
Pastors M. Walther & P. Hemenway  Vol. 33  No. 11   November  2010

 Thankful

What are you thankful for? Scripture teaches us that we are to practice gratitude towards God as we go about our day-to-day lives. Psalm 92 states: "It is good to praise the Lord…to proclaim Your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night." Ephesians 5:20 proclaims that we should, "Always be giving thanks to God the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." I would like to ask the question, "Thanks for what?" Sure, many of us are quick to praise God when something we consider to be of utmost importance takes place (good results on a medical test, a promotion at work, or the birth of child, to name a few) however, I believe that there are many aspects of life that we tend to overlook as blessings from God that we ought to be thankful for.

Thank Him for the "common" things in life. How about thanking God for the things we take for granted like good health, the ability to pay our bills, food to eat daily, clothes to wear or a roof over our heads? These are only available to us because of our God yet we often tend to forget to thank Him for the most common things we need to exist.

Thank Him for the promise to bring us peace. God tells us in His Word not to be anxious about anything (Matthew 6). You would think that the God of all things would have better ways to spend His time than to be concerned about our anxiety levels wouldn’t you? But He speaks to this matter over and over again because He wants us to have peace as we walk through this life. How is that made possible? Through His Son Jesus Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension. Christ defeated sin, death and the devil for all time and through the waters of Baptism we are His. What can happen to us here to cause us to be anxious or downcast?

Thank Him for the gift of life both here on earth and eternal. This past week a member of the church lost his 18 month old cousin to a rare disease. She was born without certain chromosomes which caused massive physical defects some of which included going through puberty (at 18 months!). After hearing that it made me realize how often I take for granted the fact that I have two healthy children and have lived most of my 42 years in good health. Life is absolutely a gift from God and we should thank and praise Him for that wonderful gift every day! And as great of a blessing as our earthly life is, one day when Christ returns these bodies that break down from the effects of a sinful world will be reunited with their soul and will be made perfect and will not break down or get sick or feel the effects of this sinful world.

Thank Him for His Son. As Lutherans we hear about the grace of God, forgiveness of sins and salvation through our faith so much that we can get numb to the message. But the truth of the matter is without God’s Son we wouldn’t have salvation, or the forgiveness of sins and nowhere do we see God’s grace more clearly than in His Son Jesus Christ. Maybe we ought to make a more concerted effort to thank and praise God for what He has done for us through Christ. God bless us this Thanksgiving celebration that we would enjoy all of the things that God has blessed us with, but most importantly, that we would thank the God who has given those blessing to us. Pastor Hemenway

Beginning Sunday, October 24^th "How We Got the Bible" featuring Dr. Paul Maier on DVD. How can we be confident in the Bible? Did the church make Jesus divine? We will look at these and other questions about the world’s most important book!

Sign-up Now for Home Bible Studies. This year we will be using a study based on the book "I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist." This is a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of the Christian faith in order to answer the questions that skeptics often ask. Groups meet once a month. Signup sheets with your meeting preferences are in the narthex/entryway.

Dr. Fritz Baue will be here Sunday, November 7^th from 7:00-8:30 p.m. to talk about his new book "Creation: A Literary, Apologetic and Doctrinal Approach." How did Darwin’s use of language undermine his theory? This is a very interesting and different approach to the questions of creation and evolution. Special Bluegrass Music beforehand. Good desserts afterwards!

Lunch Bunch - On Nov. 16 we will meet at 11:30 a.m. on the church parking lot and go to Bully’s in Edwardsville. Please call Mary Preuss (288-9525) by Nov. 14 so we can make a reservation for you. Everyone is welcome to join in the fellowship as we support each other in our faith.

Congregational Life meeting: 7 p.m. November 8

Braille Workers: November 4: Meet in the parking lot at 8:30 a.m.

Blood Pressure Screening: November 7 in the connecting hallway between services

Blood Drive: November 15 from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall

Fall Adopt-a-Bags: Thank you for the generous support of this ministry which supports our Food Pantry. The food helps support GS families, our Thanksgiving & Easter baskets, Teen mops, St. Louis Seminary, CAMA, needy people traveling through the area, & Maryville Food Pantry. We accept your donations any time of the year. In November, along with the LWML, we support the peanut butter & jelly drive for the seminary.

The Board of Congregational Life will be making food baskets available for those desiring one, on Saturday morning, November 20.  If you are interested in receiving a basket, please contact the church office, 344-3151, by November 15, and leave your name, phone number and number of family members.  Pick-ups will be in the lower level of the church between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m that day.  If you are unable to pick up the food, delivery is possible.

Hat and Mitten Tree – Congregational Life will be collecting hats and mittens for the area head Start children and for children serviced by Lutheran Social Services from November27-December 13. Look for the Christmas tree in the connecting hallway.

Serving God from a sacrificial, rested heart…and Jesus said "Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

November is another busy month for LWML……and we invite all those who wish, to join us in these activities:

Monthly Meeting: Thursday, November 4, 2010, at 6:45 PM in Fellowship Hall. We are privileged to have the students from Metro East Lutheran High School reporting on their mission trips to Mexico and Panama as our program for the evening. Witnessing their enthusiasm and hearing the stories they have to tell will be an inspiration to us all. How proud we all are to have young people so willing to show God’s love to those who do not know Him!

Our mission outreach for this month will be collecting jars of peanut butter and jelly for the Seminary in St. Louis. Those in the church wishing to participate in this outreach program can either bring the jars to the meeting, or place them in the container in the connecting hallway between the church and school. The PB&J is always well received and many thank-you notes are sent to us from the grateful students and their families.

Soup & Salad Luncheon: Sunday, November 14^th from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. All members of the church are invited to enjoy wonderful homemade soups, salads and desserts. There will also be a "Country Store" with crafts, bakery goods, home canned goods, etc. This will be set up in the connecting hallway and will be open before and after Sunday worship services, as well as throughout the luncheon. There is no set cost for the meal, just a "free will" offering. Proceeds from the luncheon will go to Jaime Endorf to support her mission work in Peru. This is a great opportunity to enjoy delicious food, while relaxing and conversing with other members and friends of the Church. Those LWML members who have not yet signed up to bring food items, may do so by contacting Donna Kober at 344-3342.

Note of Thanks to the Congregation: The members of LWML wish to sincerely thank those of the congregation who so generously contributed clothing and/or money for the layettes donated to Lutheran World Relief. With your help we were able to ship 61 complete layettes! To God be the glory!!

Please join the Good Shepherd CROSSroads group at our upcoming events. CROSSroads is a fellowship group for singles, couples and families with the goal of creating and strengthening friendships within our church. Sunday potlucks take place on the second Sunday of each month after late service (11:45am) in the Fellowship Hall. A main dish and drinks are provided; feel free to bring a side dish to share.

The following events are planned for this fall and winter:

Leaf Raking Servant Event: Junior High ministry and CROSSroads are going to team up to clean up!  Saturday, November 6th, 9am to noon.  In addition to leaves and rakes, the day will also include games, team challenges, prizes, and a celebration lunch when it's all done.  Childcare will be provided for interested families.  Sign up in the narthex or by calling the church office. Church members needing assistance with leaf raking or other fall clean-up projects can also sign up in the narthex or by calling the church office.

Save the Date - Trivia Night to benefit Unity Lutheran School in East St. Louis. Saturday, February 26th in the Good Shepherd school cafeteria.

CROSSroads Potluck - This month, in place of the usual CROSSroads potluck, we will instead be attending the LWML Soup and Salad Luncheon. The luncheon is on Sunday, November 14th, after late service.

The 5^th and 6^th grade youth will meet on Nov 7 for their regular monthly gym night. On Nov 21 they will meet at the home of Brian & Terri Eckmann for a bonfire and wiener roast. They live at 3620 Fairmont Ave in Collinsville. A sign up sheet for attending and for bringing food will be in the narthex during November.

Raking Leafing and helping out Good Shepherd Members Saturday, November 6^th at 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We will be raking leaves and having a scavenger hunt with the Crossroads group. Friends are always welcome!

Games in the Gym and Devotion Sunday, November 21^st at 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. We will be playing all kinds of games in the gym and talk about giving thanks for the things God has done for us. Friends are always welcome!

Sunday, November 7^th at 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. We will be talking about sex, teenage pregnancy, and abortions. Great way to come hear all sides of what people are saying and see what God even says about it.

To Save a Life Movie and Pot Luck Sunday, November 14^th at 5:00 p.m. Attention Parents and students this night is for you. We are going to be watching the movie in full and then have a parent and student discussion about it in separate rooms. We will be meeting in the Fellowship Hall.

College and Career Ministry meets twice a month right after late service. If you would like more information about this please contact the church office or Megan and Brandyn .

Wednesday Woman is a Bible Study for women of all ages that meet on Wednesday mornings from 8:45-10:45. We spend time in fellowship, pray and study. This fall we are using a Bible Study called "Health & Well-Being." Babysitting is provided.

Christian Fiction Book Club Our November book club selection is "Last Night" by Terri Blackstock. We meet on November 15 at 7 pm at St Louis Bead Company in Collinsville. There are always a few who arrive early to eat. All ladies are invited to join us!

The book we are reading for the month of November is Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. We will meet on Saturday, November 6 at St. Louis Bread Co. The discussion will begin at 7:00 P.M., but you could get there early to grab a bite to eat.

If you have any questions, contact Catherine Streuter at 618-980-1021 or Carol Walther at 618-345-3151.

MOPS will be meeting on November 19th from 9-11.  At our meeting we will be learning how one mom has changed her family's eating habits to include healthy options.  Come learn how you too can prepare healthy meals for your family.  Child care is provided. 

Our November 5th play date will be a table outing with the moms at your assigned table.  This is the perfect opportunity to get to know other moms at a more personal level! Call the church office with questions. Come for a hot breakfast and free child care!

Board of Elders - Chairman Paul Lauber; Pastors

*Carrie Kober and Megan Loomis are now serving as wedding coordinators. *We have added a new Sunday School class for infants to two year olds.

Board of Christian Outreach - Chairman Bruce Cross

*Church Picnic was successful September 12^th. *Planning our January Outreach Presentation. *Working on direct mail and initial research into a digital sign.

Metro East Lutheran High School - MELHS Reps Tony Fuhrmann and Mike Schneider

*Work has begun on the front of the building and some of the fund raising has increased as the work has begun. *Principal Kostencki and several former students came to speak to the 5^th and 6^th grade students. *Collecting names on the Principal search committee. *Work continues to recoup unpaid tuition.

Board of Christian Dayschool - Chairman Eric Robinson & Principal Bob Mayhew

*John Zilm will serve as substitute teacher for Sarah Wildauer’s maternity leave. *School Bd is discussing ways to improve the work environment by showing greater teacher appreciation. *Survey being sent to gain the members’ thoughts about the school and the scrip program.

Board of Congregational Life - Chairman Kathy Bohnet; Parish Nurse Lynn Cook; Pastor Hemenway

*Griefshare is underway. *No Christmas activity planned. *Voter Registration was September 19^th.

Board of Stewardship - Chairman Doug Ruckman

*New rate changes are down. *Endowment Committee members are looking at the applications, and the next meeting is September 28^th.

Parish Administrator & Board of Church Property - Chairman Bob Jones; Parish Administrator Marty Hoffman

*Encouraged to participate in the Thrivent Plus Program. *Need to get the Master Plan Committee to meet. *Health Plan for 2011 – Recommendation to stay at plan "D." *There will be a 9.9% increase for next year. Other plans are seeing increases twice that amount. Our monthly payment to Concordia Health Plan is currently $29,000. *Workday October 16^th.

Youth Ministry - Youth Director Megan Loomis

*Jr High Ministry has been kicked off. The last two events included over twenty kids. *High School – 3GCommon Ground – "Giving, Growing, Generating" a small group ministry that meets at Megan’s home. *Sunday Night Refuge is for High School students discussing important topics that challenge teens. *College and Career Ministry led by Megan and Brandon Rust. They are inviting people from other churches with the goal of getting twenty involved. *Jr High District Youth Gathering is coming up. *Goals and Objectives for each facet of the ministry presented.

Board of Finance - Chairman Doug Ruckmann

*Seasonal offering income is $11,000 over budget. Thanks be to God!

Get into the Christmas spirit with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra!  Our very own Good Shepherd member, Jenell Wright, is part of this wonderful event! Come experience a fun and upbeat concert that features beautiful Christmas music. There are even some fun sing-alongs at the end!  The concert is Friday, December 3 at the Blanche Touhill Performing Arts Center (UMSL) and the cost is $21 per ticket.  A block of tickets has been reserved so that church families can all sit together. We need to get a final count by November 1st, so please RSVP as soon as possible if you are interested in attending. Contact Carrie Kober at 346-1158.

The annual Night of Knights Charity Dinner Auction for the benefit of Metro-East Lutheran High School is scheduled for Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville.

Tickets are available from the MELHS School Office (656-0043) for $50 per person. Please consider supporting this worthwhile effort.

Please remember MELHS in your prayers as they strive to prepare today’s young people – "to live out their varying roles as the people of God in a complex changing society." (MELHS Mission Statement)

All junior high and high school girls are invited to attend an introductory meeting for Friends Into Serving Him. Friends Into Serving Him is a program of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League whose focus is to share the LWML mission and ministry with teens and preteen girls. The first meeting will be November 14 from 2-3:30 p.m. There will be devotions, discussion, a mission project, and snacks. Come and learn more about sharing Christ through serving others.

To say that the angels were confirmed in their bliss is to basically say that after the fall, the good angels were glorified. Just as we are justified and sanctified we are also glorified after the resurrection. While we await this final transformation, the angels are already there. The following passages attest to this…

NKJ Matthew 18:10 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

Notice the word "always." This points to the eternal nature of the angels’ relationship to the Father.

NKJ 1 Timothy 5:21 "I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality."

"Elect angels" points us to the angels that are before God eternally.

NKJ Luke 20:36 "nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

Probably the best passage… This is pointing to our glorification after the resurrection. The angels are already in that state.

NKJ Galatians 1:8 "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed."

Paul is suggesting the absurd… and angel that preaches another Gospel. It is absurd because the angels are in glory.

October is "Clergy Appreciation Month" in our synod.  November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving.  So, as a way to observe both of these occasions: 1) pray for our pastors; 2) express your appreciation to our pastors, orally or in writing; 3) remind others of the blessings that our pastors are to us, at Good Shepherd.  Here is a prayer suggestion, from the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League:

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. Ps.118.26 (NIV)

Prayer for Pastor Appreciation: This month, Lord, we want to show our pastors how much we appreciate them.  This is a good thing to do, not only this month, but every month. Bless our pastors as they bring Your Word to our congregation.

We know the pastor's plates are full.  Grant them the time needed to prepare for worship services and to do all of the other things required of them.  Bless them with the support of our congregation, not only financially, but also emotionally and spiritually.

Help them to have enough time and energy for their families and the wisdom and time to care for their own health.  Remind all the members of our church of their need for private time that they might recharge their batteries.  We ask you to especially keep them strong in their faith in You as they serve in Your church.  Through Jesus Christ,our Lord and theirs, we pray. Amen. Adapted from A Women's Praying Heart (LWML 2007)

Offering counters are needed for the 2nd Monday of the month. If interested, please contact Marty Hoffman at 344-3151.

All church families are invited to the Annual GSLC Reformation Party on Sunday night, October 31, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.  Stay as long or as short as you'd like.  There will be cookie decorating, crafts, and games for kids of all ages as well as a great social time for adults. Bring your whole family and a snack to share.  This is a free event so invite all your friends, neighbors, and relatives as we celebrate our reformed church!

Candy donations for the Reformation Party can be placed in the box in the connecting hallway or taken to the church office.

The children will soon begin working on the special children’s Christmas service. The service will be held on Dec 19. This service is an excellent way to share the real meaning of Christmas with your family and friends. Sign up sheets will be sent home with all the children in Sunday School. Extras will also be in the narthex. Those wanting a special part must have their forms turned in by Nov 22.

Dec. 5 will be the start of a new Sunday morning Bible Class for parents to attend with their toddlers and infants. This relaxed class will focus on spending time in God’s Word while caring for the needs of the children. They will meet in Mrs. Grillot’s Kindergarten classroom. Watch the December newsletter for more details.

Everyone is invited to the gym on Sunday, November 7, at 9:15 am for a special presentation. Timothy Anders is a juggler, ventriloquist, fiddle player and puppeteer. Timothy and his mother, Karen, will use a variety of entertainment methods to share the love of Jesus with all the Sunday School children that day. Parents are welcome to join us. Please invite your friends and neighbors.

To ensure the safety of all our children, we have several safety procedures in place. All of Sunday School leaders go through a background check. We also ask that all students through 6^th grade be picked up by their parents. Preschoolers get picked up from the school basement, 1^st through 6^th grade from the school lobby. If you are unable to meet your child, please talk with their group leader or teacher to make other arrangements.

Wednesday Woman Bible study continues the study on "Health and Well-Being." They meet every Wed. morning from 8:45-10:45 in the church basement. Babysitting is provided as well as coffee and snacks.

Stock up on books and resources at the Concordia Publishing House Warehouse Sale On the first Saturday of the month, November 6, shop from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and save up to 75% on a huge selection of books and other resources at great prices. Buy for your children or grandchildren. Build your church or school library. Find teacher resource and Bible study bargains. Be sure to stop by and take advantage of the big savings. Information posted.