The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd
7800 W. McCarthy Road
Palos Heights, IL 60463
708.448.4170
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd 7800 W. McCarthy Road Palos Heights, IL 60463 708.448.4170
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Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd 7800 W. McCarthy Rd. Palos Heights, IL 60463 Rev. Dr. Wayne A. Basch, Pastor (708)448-4170 February 2012
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of a journey to the cross called Lent that leads us to the joy and glory of Easter. It is time for self-examination, penitence, renewal and new beginnings. In our worship we reflect on sobering themes and examine our humanity with the goal of measuring God’s grace and celebrating the depth of His love.
This year, the theme of our mid-week Lenten services will be “Written on Our Hearts.” This Journey through God’s promises will examine the Old Testament readings for Lent and consider the ways God has fulfilled his covenants through his Son, Jesus Christ. Each week, these promises will be dramatically interpreted by various characters who followed Jesus all the way to the cross and discovered that God’s law and love are written on their hearts.
Come and join the journey, beginning with Ash Wednesday services on February 22nd at 10:00 AM and 7:30 PM, as we gather for Holy Communion, reflect on our mortality and hear God’s word of promise. The 10:00 AM service will be followed by our annual luncheon honoring our members who are 65 or more years young. Volunteers are needed to help serve this luncheon from 11:00 – 1:30 PM.
Our evening services throughout Lent will also highlight the “Witness to the Faith” as presented by the members of our eighth grade confirmation class. The Wednesday evening Lenten Suppers will begin on Wednesday, February 29th. Dinner will be served promptly at 6:15 PM. A free will offering will be collected to help support our Youth Gathering in New Orleans. Come out for a light supper consisting of soup and salad and enjoy the friendship and fellowship of your fellow church members before attending the midweek Lenten Services.
Included in this mailing is the Lenten coin folder designed to help us with the daily disciplines of prayer and penitence. The hope is that these folders provide support for each of us in our growth as followers of Christ during this important season called Lent. All funds received in these folders will be used for our Mission outreach.
Lent is the season in the church year in which we prepare for the celebration of life; the new life of spring, the new life of the resurrection. May your journey through the cocoon of Lent lead to the joy and beauty of Easter’s butterfly.
Celebrating 100 Birthdays at Ashburn Lutheran School
The people of Good Shepherd are cordially welcome to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mrs. Olivia Neubauer and her contributions to Christian education. On Sunday, March 11th, festivities will include a 9:30 AM church service at Ashburn Lutheran Church followed by a festive coffee hour and a noon gala fundraiser lunch at the New Martinique at 8200 South Cicero Avenue in Burbank. Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit a new scholarship in Mrs. Neubauer’s name and the Annual Fund for Ashburn’s day school ministry. For more information on the church service at 9:30 AM, the festive coffee hour at 10:45 AM, or to purchase tickets or give a donation in honor of Olivia, please see Ashburn’s website, www.ashburnlutheran.org, or call Ashburn’s church office, (773)737-2620, or Good Shepherd’s own, Mrs. Cheryl Morg.
Reaching out to those less fortunate! The next cooking date for the homeless is February 21st at 9:30 AM. We continue to take food to the Worth Food Pantry. February request includes: Spaghetti O’s, canned ravioli, canned meats, canned fruit, crackers and baby food. The need continues and donations of any other items are always appreciated.
The Missions Committee encourages you to read the numerous thank you letters we have received from those ministries we were able to support this past year. The letters are posted on the church bulletin board. We continue to focus our mission efforts in support of the many worthwhile efforts of Christian care and service with which we have come in contact. The Committee reminds you that great care is used to insure that our gifts are used for the purposes we intend. We encourage everyone to continue to use their white monthly mission’s envelope in care of others. Please help us in aiding the relief efforts of our church in support of these needy people. Thank You!
Our Tuesday groups are looking forward to many meaningful discussions of faith in the days and weeks ahead. The 9:30 AM Prayer Group is discussing Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado, while the 10:30 AM Bible Class complete their study of Proverbs. The 4:00 PM Discussion Group is discussing Simply Christian by N.T. Wright. We are thankful for the opportunity these groups provide for us to grow in faith and share God’s love with each other, and we invite others to come and join us.
Our Thursday evening class, Bible Discovery Group, is studying “Job”. This class continues to February 16th and takes a break for the Lenten journey. Now is a great time to join this group of joyful seekers. New participants are always welcome.
“Body and Soul,” our men’s group, continues to meet at 8:00 PM every Monday evening. Discussion follows an hour of basketball every other week. Come and join this meaningful group! This group meets February 6th and 20th with basketball only on the 13th and 27th.
The February meeting of the “OFF Club” will be at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, the 15th with a "Heart-y" luncheon of Aurelio's salad, spaghetti and meatballs, followed by a "Heart-felt" game of Bingo! Some special prizes will be available! Join us as we express our appreciation for our wonderful friends at “OFF Club”! Special note: One of our members reminded us that Seniors now MUST reapply for the Senior exemption yearly. Don't forget this important act!
The Macular Degeneration Support Group will have their monthly meeting on February 21st at 1:00 PM. We will have a presentation about home safety from the Palos Fire Protection District.
Need a Valentine’s Day dessert? To help raise funds for our trip to New Orleans in July, the High School Youth Gathering participants are hosting a spaghetti dinner and dessert auction immediately following the 11:00 AM service on Sunday, February 12th. There will be a free will offering for the dinner. At approximately 12:45 PM, we will begin the dessert auction. For those of you who haven’t attended a dessert auction before, it is an entertaining and fun way to bid on homemade desserts for you to take home and share with your family. Please come and enjoy an afternoon of good food and fellowship while supporting the youth of our church. Remember, this is your opportunity to get your Valentine the perfect present. As the Pillsbury Doughboy says, “Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven.”
Do you enjoy baking? Desserts are needed for the dessert auction on February 12th. If you would be willing to provide a homemade dessert to be auctioned off, please sign up on the bulletin board or see Ron. Desserts should be brought to church on the 12th and dropped off in the kitchen or Family Life Center between 8:30 and 10:45 AM.
Blood Drive . . .The annual blood drive will be held on Sunday, February 26th from 8:15 – 12:30. You will be able to register for an appointment starting Sunday, February 12th in the narthex or please check the bulletin board before that if you choose. If you have any questions or would like to assist with registration or help the day of the drive please contact Jan at 708/448-4170. Each donor will receive a free long-sleeve t-shirt as Heartland Blood Centers way of saying “Thanks”.
The Wednesday evening Lenten Suppers will begin on Wednesday, February 29th. Dinner will be served promptly at 6:15 PM. A free will offering will be collected to help support our youth who will be attending the Youth Gathering in New Orleans. Come out for a light supper consisting of soup, salad, and sandwiches and enjoy the friendship and fellowship of your fellow church members before attending the midweek Lenten Services. If anyone would be willing to donate soup, a salad, or dessert for any of our Lenten Suppers, please sign up on the bulletin board or see Ron.
There will be a Youth Gathering meeting on Sunday, February 26th from 6:30 – 8:00 PM for all trip participants. Details about this meeting will be mailed to all trip participants before the meeting. Please let Ron know if you will be unable to attend this meeting.
All High School Students are invited to participate in a Bible Study / Dis-cussion Group. February’s meeting will be on Sunday, February 12th from 7:00 – 8:00 PM. If you are interested in joining this group but cannot make the meeting, please see Ron.
The Confirmation Basketball League continues play on Saturday mornings. Games are at 9:00 and 10:00 AM. Team schedules are posted on the bulletin board across from Lori Puttkammer’s office. Please see Ron Skoglund or Pastor Basch if you have any questions about the league.
The High School Basketball League continues play on Tuesday evenings. Games are at 7:00 and 8:00 PM. Team schedules are posted on the bulletin board across from Lori’s office.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our Gift Card program to support the Youth Gathering Participants. February’s order is due on the 26th and the cards will be available on March 4th.
Thinking about cleaning out your basement, or attic? The annual Garage Sale will be in late April this year. More details about item drop-offs and pick-ups will be available in the April Parish Paper.
Home baked goodies for sale! The Sunday school children will be hosting a bake sale on February 5th in the Narthex between services. The funds raised will support Worth Food Pantry. The Sunday school kids and families are involved with the prep and baking. Please be sure to stop by the bake sale and fulfill your sweet tooth as well as the Sunday School’s mission to help feed those that are hungry.
Fifth Grade Lock In . . . February 24th - February 25th . . . The time has come! Our evening will begin at 7:00 PM on February 24th and end on February 25th at 8:30 AM. The lock in will include the mission task of grocery shopping, with the money raised from the Sunday School bake sale, to purchase food for the Worth Food Pantry. We will need parent volunteers to help provide transportation to the local Jewel Food Store and back, as well as chaperone a group while shopping. All 5th Grade Sunday School students will receive their paperwork and permission slips by February 5th . Please have these permission forms returned to Mrs. Lori by February 19th.
Vacation Bible School 2012 Planning. . . is in the works. We will have a planning meeting on Tuesday February 28th at 7:00 PM. Anyone interested in helping to brainstorm for the 2012 VBS is welcome to join the meeting.
Family Fun Night. . . C’mon and join us for some fun playing Bingo! We will gather on February 3rd from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM. Families can bring a snack to share with pop and juice being provided.
FORE! Let’s putter around the church on March 2nd and play a round or two of Mini-Golf. We will need some families to help us create the golf holes so check out the bulletin board and plan on having some fun creating a hole. Creating a hole is very easy and you can use anything around your house. All families need to bring their own putter. We will top our evening off with a root beer float!
The 2011 Flower Chart is posted on the bulletin board outside the church office. Donors may use this opportunity to celebrate anniver-saries, weddings and birthdays or in memory of a loved one. The cost of the flowers is $40.00, and checks should be made payable to Good Shepherd Chancel Guild. “Thank You” to everyone who donated flowers for 2011.
Advertisers Needed! Our Church Directory, which is printed by Cathedral Publishers, is in need of additional advertisers to cover the cost of printing. If you would be willing to support this helpful resource for our congregation and advertise your business in the process, please contact the church office (708)448-4170.
A new greeter schedule is posted on the bulletin board for January, February and March. Please sign-up on the bulletin board to take a turn serving as a greeter and extend a warm welcome to your fellow members and visitors to the “Body of Christ” here at Good Shepherd.
The Witness to the Faith Topics – Class of 2012
February 29 “Jesus the Teacher” – Natalie Miller (7:30 PM) “Jesus the Miracle Worker” – Megan Heinlein Wednesday “Jesus Our Redeemer” – Richard Schickel
March 4 “Genesis 1:1” – Anthony Bartolotta (11:00 AM) “John 14:1-6 – Allison Dowling
March 7 “Christmas: the Gift of God” – Lindsey Paulsen (7:30 PM) “Easter; the gift of Life” – Lauren Hetzler Wednesday “Pentecost: the Gift of the Spirit” – Courtney Smith
March 11 “Psalm 23” – Victoria Carroll (9:00 AM) “Romans 8:31-39” – Jeffrey Franklin
March 14 “My Life of Worship” – Alyssa Rusco (7:30 PM) “Being a Disciple of Christ” – Zachery Lewis Wednesday “What the Church Means to Me” – Emily Aneston
March 18 “I Corinthians 13” – Sarah DeWolf (11:00 AM) “Matthew 28:19-20” – Ryan Hanrahan
March 21 “The Word of God in Law and Gospel” – Kelsey Knopp (7:30 PM) “The Lord’s Prayer in My Life” – Katelyn Coughlin Wednesday “Martin Luther: Man of Faith” – Riley Wilson
March 25 “John 3:16” – James Brady (9:00 AM) “I John 4:7-12” – Melanie Behrman
March 28 “I Believe in God the Father” – Ethan Moore (7:30 PM) “I Believe in God the Son” – Dominick Aurelio Wednesday “I Believe in God the Holy Spirit” – Amanda Carberry
April 5 “How God’s Grace Comes to Us” – Molly Buikema (7:30 PM) “The Sacrament of Baptism and My Life” – Thomas Hassel Thursday “The Sacrament of Holy Communion and My Life” – Nicole Steffensen
April 6 “When Jesus Washed the Disciples Feet” – Jessica Webber (12:30 PM) “When Jesus Was Crucified” – Colin Page Friday “Why We Call Good Friday, Good” – Ray Saunoris
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