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. 10   October  2010

The announcement by a pastor in Florida to burn the Qur'an in a public protest raised concerns for many. Foremost among the concerns is that radical Muslims might have used the event and the images it generated as propaganda to incite violence against Christians. The violent activities of radical Muslims, the rampant religious intolerance in Muslim countries, and the hair-trigger sensitivity to any criticism of Islam frustrates many non-Muslims. But would it serve any purpose to use their own tactics? Absolutely not!

The rising tide of Islam could not be possible without God's allowance. Before we fall into the temptation to "fight fire with fire," we need to think of our basic Christian principles. Christianity is not a religion that relies on physical force or violent protests. Christianity moves forward on the proclamation of God's word of grace in Jesus and deeds of mercy done for the sake of our neighbors.

Luther and his countrymen faced a much worse situation with the invasion of the Muslim Turks in the 1500s. Luther considered this invasion nothing less than punishment from God for a church and a society that had drifted from God's word. He called the church to repentance and to renewal through the word of God. Could the American Christian church and culture stand a little reforming? I certainly think so!

And what did he think about the Qur'an? Luther called for its publication and encouraged Christians to read it! He knew that side by side, the Bible would overwhelm the Qur'an with its truth and with its message of salvation.  Pastor Walther

We are in the process of adding a new class to our Sunday School, designed for families with babies and toddlers. The vision for this ‘Parents and Tots’ class is to offer an introduction to Bible stories, prayers, and Bible songs in an environment that is suitable for all children two and under. Parents will also find encouragement

through group discussions and prayer. While we are finalizing the details of this class, we invite those families who are interested to join us now. We will have activities for the children and discussion topics for parents. Please meet at the Sunday School office, across from the school cafeteria.

Good Shepherd Lutheran will once again host a Reformation Party on October 31^st from 6-8 p.m. Everyone is invited to attend. There will be games and activities for the children and good conversations for the adults. Every family is asked to bring a snack to share.

Candy donations for the Reformation Party can be placed in the box in the connecting hallway. All the children thank you for your contributions!

Fall Adopt-a-Bags: Return any time this month

Braille workers: October 7: Meet in the parking lot at 8:30 a.m.

Blood Pressure screening: October 3 in the connecting hallway

Congregational Life meeting: October 11 at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall

Blood Drive: November 15 from 2pm - 6pm in the Fellowship Hall

All women of the church are invited to join in our October activities. Regular Meeting: Thursday, October 7 at 6:45 pm in Fellowship Hall. Pastor Walther will lead the Bible Study based on the Book of Ecclesiastes.

On Oct. 19 we will meet at 11:30 a. m. on the church parking lot and go to Good Old Days in New Baden, IL. Please call Mary Preuss (288-9525) by Oct 17 so we can make a reservation for you. Everyone is welcome to join in our fellowship.

Please consider having lunch with a GS student, once a month.  You will have a positive impact on that child's life, as well as your own!  Contact the school office if you can spare a half hour, once a month:  344-3153.  Lunch is on us! 

It's not too late to jump into the Sunday morning Bible study, Avatar! Using James Cameron’s recent blockbuster, Pastor Hemenway presents his latest Bible study published by Concordia Publishing House. Regardless of whether you’ve seen the movie and loved it, or have had no interest in seeing it; this Bible study has information you need to hear. Salvation through Christ, earth worship, environmentalism, justified wars, divine worship, community, and the many non-Christian agendas promoted in this movie are just a few of the topics covered. Learning to view secular content through the eyes of faith is an important skill, and can be extremely helpful in conversing with, and witnessing to non-believers. Avatar is a six-week class, running through October 17th. Even if you've missed the first few sessions, that’s not a problem as each session stands as its own study; start attending now… you’ll be glad you did!

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:

October: Sunday 10/10 – Potluck, ham will be served

Saturday 10/16 – Pumpkin Patch, Relleke Farms

November: Saturday 11/13 – Leaf Raking

Sunday 11/14 – Potluck, Fried chicken will be served

December: Friday 12/3 – Card/Game Night

Sunday 12/12 – Potluck, Soup or chili will be served

On October 3 we will have games in the gym. On October 17 we will play Capture the Flag if the weather cooperates. All 5^th & 6^th graders are invited to come and enjoy some fun along with devotions and snacks as we build and strengthen relationships with fellow believers and with our Lord.

Thank you to all the neighbors of Good Shepherd Lutheran for sharing so generously with the 5^th & 6^th graders during their neighborhood scavenger hunt on September 18. All the items collected were donated to the food pantry or to Lutheran World Relief.

A huge thank you to all the boards, organizations and individuals who made the annual church picnic such a success. The biggest thanks goes to God for the beautiful weather He blessed us with on that day. Another big thanks goes to Dick and Susan Bold for the hamburgers, buns, cheese, condiments, cups, napkins and orange drink!

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.

This month we are reading "Sixteen Brides" by Stephanie Grace Whitson. Our next meeting is October 18 at 7 p.m. at St. Louis Bread Co.

Are you a teenage girl who enjoys reading? Would you like to discuss books with others who do too? A new book club is beginning just for you. Led by Catherine Streuter, the group will read classic and modern novels and discuss the themes and topics in them and how those topics relate to your lives. The group will also discuss what God’s Word says about those things as well.

The first selection is Sense and Sensibility, a classic novel written by Jane Austen. The group will meet the first Saturday of the month at St. Louis Bread Co. starting on Saturday, October 2. 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.

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Have you started yet? Come and shop from your seat at the Vendor Fair on Oct 23. Vendors such as PartyLite, Tastefully Simple, and Mary Kay will be available in the Fellowship hall from 9-noon to help you with your shopping needs. A variety of coffees, teas, and breakfast tidbits will be available for you to enjoy while perusing catalogs and visiting with old and new friends. Any other Good Shepherd Lutheran members interested in participating as a vendor need to contact Carol Walther soon.

Thanks to these vendors, who are willing to share their profits from the day with WDR, we are able to provide scholarships for the 2011 Women’s Day of Renewal.

Are you a busy mom of a child ages infant through Kindergarten? Do you want time to chat with other moms? Come to our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting on October 15th. Pastor Hemenway will talk to us about "Telling Yourself the Truth".  We meet from 9-11.  Come for a hot breakfast and free child care!
MOPS will also have an outing on October 1st.  We are planning a fun filled trip to the zoo!  Call Karen at 258-7236 for more details.  

Do you want a break from cooking?  Come to Culver's in Collinsville on October 13th anytime between 5-8 p.m.  Good Shepherd MOPS will be serving you!  MOPS will receive 10% of all sales during this event.  Bring your friends and family and we will see you there!

Life Chain 2010 will be on Sunday, October 3 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Good Shepherd’s block is from Mounds to Kinlock. More information is posted in the narthex.

Please mark your calendar to help with the Fall work day on Saturday, October 16 from 8 a.m. to noon. More information to follow.

The Church Council meets September 20^th (after the September newsletter is printed). The September notes will be published in the October newsletter

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)

If you like to golf and want to support our school, here is your opportunity.  Please join us for the 8th annual Good Shepherd Lutheran School Golf Scramble.  It will be held on Saturday, October 2nd at Arlington Greens.  Shotgun start will be 1:00pm.  The cost is $80 per person ($320/4 man team) and will include golf and a catered dinner.  This is always a great time filled with fun and fellowship.  Sign-up sheets are available in the narthex and the school office.  If you have any questions, please contact Darren Wright at 304-6708 or John Graney at 304-2864.

This question came up in our Monday morning Men’s Bible study recently. In Galatians chapter five, St. Paul talks about the war between the flesh and the spirit. Over the centuries Christians have identified certain aspects of our sinful flesh for which we need forgiveness and against which we must struggle with God’s help: Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Anger, Gluttony, Envy and Sloth.

While it may help us to identify these temptations, all sins are equal in that they show our total corruption and merit God’s wrath (Matthew 5.18-19; Galatians 3.10; James 2.10). On the other hand, all sins lose their power when Christ intervenes in our lives with His forgiveness and strength (Romans 8.1; 1 John 1.7, 9; 2.1-2).