Immanuel Lutheran Church Belvidere March 2015 Connections Table of Contents Page 2-3: Immanuel News Page 4: Page 5: Immanuel Lutheran School Youth Connections Page 6-7: Bits & Pieces - Women Ministry Events - Men s Retreat - Other Highlights and Upcoming Events 1
Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent. On this day, pastors use ashes to make a cross on parishioners foreheads or left hand. These ashes are made by burning palm branches from the previous year s Palm Sunday. Lenten Meals No need to cook!! During Lent, meals will be provided by various ministry groups in the Fellowship Hall for a Free-Will Donation. Dinner is from 5:30-6:45 p.m. These groups are raising funds for mission and ministry that they are actively working on. Please remember the wonderful mission and ministry work that these groups provide to our community and the world. March 1 Ash Wednesday Lunch at 12:00 p.m. Fellowship Committee Soup & Sandwiches & Dessert March 1 Dinner by Mary Martha Shredded Beef, Beans, Chips & Dessert March 8 Dinner by the Comfort Dog Ministry Turkey, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Corn & Dessert March 15 Dinner by Helping Hands Ham Sandwiches, Beans, Salad & Dessert March 22 Dinner by Women s Ministry Chili Dogs, Veggie Tray, Chips & Dessert March 29 Dinner by Ladies Guild BBQ, Beans, Chips & Dessert April 5 Dinner by Men s Ministry BBQ, Beans, Chips & Dessert April 13 Maundy Thursday Lunch at 12:00 p.m. Immanuel North Soup Sampler During the season of Lent, sermons at Immanuel will focus on the book of First Peter. We are encouraging the congregation to read through this book during Lent. To support you in this, Immanuel will send out daily email devotions based on First Peter. Emails will start being sent out on Monday, March 6th until Saturday, April 8th (excluding Sundays). No emails will be sent out during Holy Week, but we hope you gather with us for worship during this time as we remember the passion of our Lord. A hard copy of the devotional booklet will also be available in the Narthex. 2
Dear Immanuel, Last month I completed all the requirements for the Specific Ministry Pastor program through Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. I have been grateful over these last four years to learn, grow, and serve with other students and professors as well as with the staff and people of Immanuel. This congregation was heavily invested in this journey through prayers, words of encouragement, and financial support. This is something we did together, led by the Spirit and strengthened by God s Word along the way. I simply want to say thank you for your investment in this journey. May the Lord continue to have good use of us as we love others, care for creation, and share the saving message of the crucified and risen Jesus. In Christ, Pastor Keith Richard Mark Your Calendar... All troops are welcome! Once-A-Month Bible Study Tuesday, March 21, 2017 11:00 a.m. Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m. Conference Room Join Pastor Buss and hear the Word of the Lord. Please bring your Bibles with you. Join us on April 29th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to hear special guest, Dr. Jeff Kloha for a seminar on the Bible. Dr. Kloha is an expert on how the Bible was put together. He will also explain why certain books were included in the Bible and why others were not. Dr. Kloha is provost of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Mo. and also serves as a Professor of Exegetical Theology. 3
National Lutheran School Accreditation Site Visit March 20-21 The purpose of the NLSA self-study is to evaluate the actual conditions in place that are related to essential indicators of school quality. Accreditation involves a school in a rigorous self -study process in seven distinct areas that are related to school quality: Purpose, Relationships, Governance, Professional Personnel, Teaching and Learning, Student Services, and Facilities. In order to become accredited in good standing with NLSA, a school must comply fully with 30 required indicators of success. Upon conclusion of the self-study, an NLSA visiting team validates that the information prepared by the school accurately reflects the actual conditions that are present at the school. In a formal, two-day visit, the team examines evidence, interviews school stakeholders, visits classrooms and observes practices. National Lutheran School Accreditation encourages, assists, and recognizes schools that provide quality Christian education and engage in continuous improvement. Immanuel s principal, faculty, staff, parents, and congregation members have worked diligently to prepare the accreditation report for this cycle. Immanuel s NLSA on-site visit is scheduled for March 20-21, 2017. Reflections from Recruitment Director, Russ Balsman Why do we need Lutheran schools? Though a simple question, the answer gets at the reason the extensive system of Lutheran schools exists in the first place. Lutherans in North America have been school builders from the beginning. Schools are a lot of work. There s planning, budgeting, instruction, assessment, recordkeeping. Operating a school requires immense sacrifice of time and money on the part of the congregation. Yet, in spite of all that, Lutherans have insisted upon operating schools all across the country. So what drove them to establish all these schools and work tirelessly to keep them open? The gospel! Other schools can teach different things. Lutheran schools are in the business of preparing young people for the Last Day when the dead are raised and the Saints in Christ stand with Him in eternal peace and joy. It is precisely for that reason we need Lutheran Schools! Students had a fantastic morning with our special guest, Eric Litwin, original author of Pete the Cat. Check out a few pictures from the event! New family discounts available! Registration forms available in school office.
High School Mission Trip Unplugged (For Current 8th 12th Grade) Where: Austin, Texas When: July 15-22 Cost: $400 High School Ministry 7-9 p.m. March 5, March 12, March 19 & March 26 A non-refundable deposit of $100 is needed to register. Register by March 12th at: https://ilc.ccbchurch.com/ forms_response.php?id=94 Questions?Please call Andrea Davis or Josh Wold at 815-544-8058. High School Gathering/ Omega Retreat Trinity Roselle, IL April 7-8 This will be a weekend full of faith, laughs, and building friendships! There will be food, guest speakers, breakout sessions, performances and more. Cost is $35. Sign up online (www.immanuelhsm.com) by March 27th. Sunday, April 16 7:00-10:45 a.m. Fellowship Hall Youth and adult workers are needed for set-up on Saturday, April 15th from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. and before breakfast on Sunday morning with serving and clean up. This is our big fundraiser for youth ministry! Sign up at immanueljhm.com or immanuelhsm.com or call the church office. Thank you for helping us continue to grow this thriving ministry that God has blessed. For more information, please call Josh or Andrea in the church office. 5
Visual Faith/Bible Journaling: Join Patricia Maier from Brighton, Michigan to explore Scripture and prayer through the use of images to create a connection in our minds and souls that allow us to experience God s Word in a new and transforming way. Artistic talent is not necessary. Cost is $5 per person; please bring a non-bleed Sharpie pen, colored pencils, and your Bible. Childcare is available upon requested. Call the church office for any questions! https://ilc.ccbchurch.com/form_response.php?id=92 Jeremiah Tree Update A total of 72 leaves have been sponsored on our Jeremiah Tree! These are our most recent leaves: When a leaf is sponsored on our tree, those offerings go towards multiple funds here at Immanuel. Funds such as Education, Mission Work, our General Ministry and more! Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Please call or visit the church office to buy tickets Thank you for strengthening Immanuel and its future. It s a Legacy of Faith. 6
6th Annual Immanuel Lutheran Men s Retreat Ages 11 years old and up $100/person ($50 for 18 and younger) Take part in trap shooting, archery, fishing, hiking, horseback riding plus Bible study, prayer and more! Brochures/Registration available in the church office, Connection Center or online:. https://ilc.ccbchurch.com/form_response.php?id=97. Contact Dylen Larsen at 815-520-1303 or dlyenalarsen@gmail.com for more information. Sunday February 12th... was one of the most exciting times in my ministry! Here I am, a retired Lutheran pastor who just turned 84 and being asked to share some thoughts and all I can think of is [the week of my birthday] at Immanuel! Helen and I were asked to attend the 8 o clock service, where we were seated up front with a large group of our Monday Morning Bible Class. They sang the hymn, The Lord Hath Helped Me Hitherto and I love that song! It was near the close of the service when Pastor Buss had Helen and me come forward for recognition. He asked me to address everyone briefly. Following the blessing, the congregation closed with a hymn called Lord of the Dance. This was a service I won t forget! Following worship, would you believe that the entire group headed down to the Fellowship Hall for more celebrating?! I think it took at least 20 minutes before everyone was seated in there. The place was packed! A few friends like, Dan Albrecht, Darren Sombke and many more went around the room expressing their kind thoughts. All I can say is that Helen and I have never been so blessed by such a warm and comforting group of people. We thank our Lord for such an appreciating congregation. We pray that His blessings continue here on earth. -from Pastor Eugene Wille in thanks of celebrating his 84th birthday. A Letter from Dr. Dale Meyer, President of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO. Dear Pastor Buss and friends at Immanuel, Tuesdays, April 4th June 6th 7:00 8:30 p.m. $20/person or $25/couple This is our entry class to life in Christ at Immanuel! A personal note of thanks for your generous support this past year. Gifts like yours to student aid have helped greatly reduce the out-of-pocket cost our students pay for tuition. I hope that we will be able to keep Seminary affordable in years to come that the Gospel might go out to coming generations. Always enjoy my visits with you. Thanks again and blessings, Dale
Prayer Partners Needed! Are you a prayer warrior? The Belize Mission Team is in need of Prayer Partners for the 2017 trip. Encouragement and prayers from our church family is crucial for a successful mission trip. We are looking for prayer partners for ALL team members serving this summer. Contact Cathy Dulgar at cdulgar@immanuelbelvidere.org for more information on being a prayer partner for the team. 2017 Community Event October 13 14, 2017 We need your help! Partnership Packets are available in the church office or at the Connection Center. These packets have information and a video for your group/ business/employer to help get partners for this event. Now is the time to secure partners for this year s event. Attention Thrivent Members Did you know that you have access to mission funds through Thrivent Action Teams? That s right... Funds to help you serve! The Belize Team and Feed My Starving Children Team are looking for Thrivent members willing to apply for Action Team funds to support various ministry needs. Contact Sue Piske or Cathy Dulgar in the church office. Thrivent Choice Dollars will need to be allocated prior to March 31, 2017. Don t miss the opportunity to designate your Thrivent Choice Dollars. Immanuel Lutheran Church Financial Summary 1/31/2017 Financial Commentary: One month into the year, income for both the church and school was above budget, while expenses were below budget. Capital Expenditures: There were no capital expenditures. Endowments: The Endowment Funds increased from a strong stock market in January. Investment returns were $14.3k. Prior Year Comparision: Income for both the church and school was above the prior year actuals. Expenses were up slightly from the prior year for the church. School expenses were slight under last year s expenses. Mortgage to Mission receipts were up 4.1%.
Connections Immanuel Lutheran Church 1225 E. 2 nd Street Belvidere, IL 61008 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Belvidere, IL Permit #93 Return Service Requested Worship Services at Immanuel Wednesdays 7:00 p.m. Saturdays 6:00 p.m. Sundays 8 a.m.; 9:30; 11 a.m. Worship Services at Immanuel North Sundays 10:45 a.m. Sunday School Sunday 9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Classes Sunday 9:30 a.m. Immanuel Lutheran Church 1225 E. 2nd Street Belvidere, IL 61008 PH: 815-544-8058 FAX: 815-544-8059 WEB: www.immanuelbelvidere.org EMAIL: info@immanuelbelvidere.org Immanuel North 13535 Route 76 Poplar Grove, IL 61065 PH: 815-544-8058 WEB: www.immanuelnorth.org