Weekly Announcement for 12/21
The January Newsletter is available in the narthex.
The Senior Adult Dinner on December 12th was a great success. Thank you to the 25 plus
volunteers who decorated the Fellowship Hall, prepared food the day before, served it that day
and helped with set-up and clean-up. Sixty seniors enjoyed a delicious meal and much
conversation and were reminded of what we can learn from the Wisemen who knew God’s Word
in His prophecies and followed a star to worship the newborn King. Thank you also to
Mr. Stegman and the GSLS first graders for their musical program. What an uplifting conclusion to
the dinner!
2026 Offering Envelopes are available on the tables in the Narthex. Please pick them up, but do not use these envelopes until January 2026. If you would like to have envelopes, please call 618-344-3151 to request.
2026 Flower Chart - The flower chart for 2026 is on the bulletin board. The cost for flowers is $40/vase. Please sign up at your convenience.
The Southern Illinois District is launching a new outreach initiative in 2025 called, "Come Home for Christmas." Many of our family, friends, and neighbors are longing to be home for the holidays. This presents us a wonderful opportunity to invite them to join us in worship for Christmas, where they will truly be at home with the Lord Jesus. Lifeway Research recently shared a study of U.S. adults who don’t typically attend church, and found that 56% of them are likely to attend at Christmastime if someone they know invites them! Half of those who don’t attend church were likely to come if someone simply invited them! We know this to be true not just from research, but from the Scriptures because we have a God who seeks out the lost sheep. Who can you invite to worship with you this Christmas?
Please join us for our Christmas Worship services:
Wednesday, December 24th 4 p.m. Lessons & Carols
5:30 p.m. Children’s Service
11 p.m. Candlelight & Holy Communion
Thursday, December 25th 9 a.m. Christmas Day
We are having a New Years Eve Service on Wednesday, December 31st at 6:30 p.m. with Communion.
Raise Right - Charger Bucks: Scrip gift cards will be available between services in the connector hallway on today, December 21st. Earn tuition credit for your family or another family while purchasing gift cards! Download the app! RaiseRight.com
Kick off Christmas break with a family movie night on Sunday, December 21st! Crossroads is hosting a viewing of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in the Fellowship Hall. The movie starts at 6 pm with doors opening at 5:30. Bring a cozy blanket and your favorite movie snack to share! Crossroads will provide popcorn and drinks. Contact Rachel Forden, Wilhelmina Roney, or Allison Parrish for more information.
JOY TO THE WORLD - A Christmas Cantata and Twelfth Night Festival on Monday, January 5, 2025 at 7 p.m. The evening's performance of John Leavitt's work, Joy to the World features the choir and orchestra of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Cantata. There is a meal and fellowship at 5:30 p.m. For the meal call the church office at (618) 344-3151.
NEW Website and App – The new website is live at it's old address https://www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org/
Our new app is available for download. Enter the keyword gscollinsville when you get in. Then be sure to click in the upper right hand corner on the profile and make your profile. Then you are all set.
Portals of Prayer for January - March are available in the narthex.
End of the Year Reminder – All offerings and donations to Good Shepherd must be received on or before December 31st to be credited to the 2025 tax year.
NEW Recurring Online Giving Platform - We are moving to a new online giving platform. We would like everyone to be fully moved by December 28th. It is already up and running so you can switch anytime! This new one will allow you to pay with your bank account, credit card or even Apple Pay. You can go to https://pushpay.com/g/goodshepherdil Or scan this QR code:
*If you previously gave on a different platform please remember to cancel that one also.
Issues Ect. - SACRED MUSIC FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON… “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come,” “O Jesus Christ, Thy Manger Is,” “Once in Royal David’s City,” “Silent Night, Holy Night,” “Joy to the World.” Beginning Christmas Eve, you can listen to sacred music for the Christmas season 24/7 at lutheranpublicradio.org, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomePod, TuneIn and the Lutheran Public Radio mobile app.
LCMS Foundation - We can face competing priorities when we think about planning our estates someday. As we wrap up this year long consideration, we must ponder whether we see our estate plan as an expression of our Christian faith or just giving up on life. To provide continuity in the estate planning process, it is essential to speak with family about your plans, so they can see the blessing prepared. It is equally essential to express to ministry leaders the desires you have for the gifts that will flow to ministry, as you express your faith purpose behind the gift. Your LCMS Gift Planning Counselor can assist you in these conversations. Contact Scott Radden @ 618-977-4049 or scott.radden@lfnd.org
Thanks to those who serve this week:
Usher Team: (5:30) D. Ulkus
(8:00) M. Scaggs
(10:30) M. Schneider
Altar Guild: (5:30) Steve Hendry
(8:00) Charlie & Ruth Herzog
(10:30) Terry, Mark & Hannah Ritter
Greeters: (8:00) Terri Blasingame
(10:30) Ken & Donna Bunton
Flowers- Given by the Beyer family in honor of Amy’s birthday.
Attendance last weekend was 516. The offering was: General Fund $32,937 Specials $3,020 including memorials for Jo Ross, Total $35,957.