Greetings to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!

It’s been a few years since I wrote the “pastor’s letter” in the newsletter for you. I’m at it again because of the recent resignation of Rev. Schneider as pastor here in Sherman. The Board of Elders, with the blessing of District President Eddy, have asked me to fill in during the interim as the congregation moves forward. So here I am, back where my ministry began.

We have just begun the season of Lent in the church year, a time for reflection and meditation as we approach Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection. Our services the next few weeks will focus on the passion history of His journey to Jerusalem and will culminate at the little hill called Calvary. I hope and pray you will join us in worship on each Sunday in Lent and the Wednesday evening services as well.

The world seems to be in so much turmoil. Our nation no longer feels as united as it once did. Even now our Lutheran church, both in our Central Illinois District and here in our own church, is in need of healing. So, we must continue to pray for all, for the nation, the church, Rev Schneider and his family, and even this old pastor. Lent may very well be a good time to focus on the real mission of our church-to always tell the good news of Christ crucified and Him risen!

Christ came to save sinners, all of humanity was lost in sin and without the saving work of the Son of God would have been lost and condemned forever. Yet in His great love for those He created, God sent His only Son to redeem us that we might live forever in His everlasting love! Therefore, rejoice in true repentance, give God the glory, trust in true faith believing Christ died and rose for you!

You are His beloved child, saved by grace to live now and forever.
In Christ,
Pastor Stuenkel

More details as we get closer, but mark your calendar now for this exciting event!

Easter Day will begin with breakfast at 7:45 am and Easter Festival Service will begin at 9 am.

We invite you to join us for these services as we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior! Pastor James Stuenkel will lead all of these services.

If you would like more information, please call 217/496-3149 or email churchoffice@gsslcms.org

The preschool began over 35 years ago, and we are excited to still be able to offer these classes to the families in the community.

For more information, please contact the church office at 217/496-3149 or churchoffice@gsslcms.org

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the church office at 217/496-3149 or email churchoffice@gsslms.org

This is a good time to gather and give thanks for all that we have. The choir will be singing “Now, We Thank You Lord”.

“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land.” Have we received any less than the sons of Israel in this great and glorious land? We are so very blessed! Let us then outdo even the sons of Israel in giving thanks! Deuteronomy 8:7

Then, at 5 pm, there will be a wiener roast/potluck. Hotdogs, drinks and s’mores wll be provided. You are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and a side dish to share.

We will have face painting, indoor games, bounce house and small pumpkins for the children to decorate.

In case of rain, everthing will be held inside the fellowship hall.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.”

• 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

The life of Saint Paul was not easy. In fact, it was down right difficult. Read again the way he describes what it has been like for him to trust in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He is “afflicted in every way,” “perplexed,” “persecuted,” and “struck down.” He equates all of this hardship with “always carrying in the body the death of Jesus.” In other words, he is bearing the cross.

Every Christian, not just the Apostles, are called to pick up their cross and follow Jesus. (Matthew 16:24) You might, at times, feel as though your life rivals that of Paul: afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down. The devil, the world, and our own sinful nature never stop hammering away at us, day after day, while we remain in this world. The life of following Jesus is difficult, not easy.

Yet, Paul does not throw in the towel. He does not give up. In spite of the intense hardship that comes with faith in Jesus, he declares that he is not “crushed” or “despairing” or “forsaken” or “destroyed.” Just the opposite. Paul has been baptized into the death and life of Jesus, the life that is “manifested in our bodies.”

You will have hardship and pain in this life. But it will not crush you, or leave you despairing. You are not forsaken or destroyed. Just the opposite. You are safeguarded, hope-filled, befriended, and built up. Just as the death of Christ is obviously at work in our lives, it is a surefire sign that His life is at work in us. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; [Jesus has] overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

In Christ,
Joshua W Theilen
Assistant Pastor

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” — Colossians 2:6-7

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Saint Paul teaches the Colossians how to live as Christians. His instruction, however, does not begin or end where we might think it would. He does not hash out the 10 Commandments or explain the virtues that a Christian should strive towards. There is certainly a place for this. We should learn the commands of God and seek to produce the fruits of the Spirit.

But Paul begins and ends with Jesus Christ. The Colossians are rooted in Jesus. They are built up in Him and established in Him. Their lives begin and end with Jesus, and Jesus is there every step of the way.

He helpfully applies this to the Colossians a few verses later:
“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.” — Colossians 2:16-19

Here we see that all things that pertain to living as a Christian are subservient to Jesus Christ. How and what we eat, how and when we worship, what traditions we develop and celebrate, are all placed under–and never above–Jesus Christ. When they are placed above Jesus they become idols. When they are below Him, they are helpful servants.

Remember that it is Jesus Christ who bled and died for you. It is Jesus who rose again and ascended to rule the universe for your good. You received Him in faith. May your roots go deep, that you would be built up and fully established in Christ our Lord.

In Christ,
Joshua Theilen
Assistant Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.” (Acts 12:5)

Immediately after this verse we learn that Peter is miraculously rescued from prison by an angel of God. The people of God prayed, and God answered their prayers. What is more, it seems that the people actually expected God to hear their prayer and respond. That is why their prayer is “earnest”.

How often do we pray half-heartedly? Of course we ask God for what we want, but we do not expect Him to respond. But He does.

The church prayed for Peter and expected God to take action, because they knew who God is and what Jesus Christ had done to connect them to God. Because of the sacrifice of the Son of God, we are each counted as sons of God.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11)

God is your Father. Not only does He hear your prayers and want to answer, He actually promises to answer.

Of course, God is not a cosmic vending machine. He does not simply dispense whatever we ask for. He does something far better. He gives what we need. He sends us what will lead us into life everlasting rather than away from it.

So pray, and pray earnestly. Expect that God will hear, that He will answer, that He will give all that is truly good for you.

In Christ,
Joshua Theilen
Assistant Pastor
Good Shepherd, Sherman