Weekly Announcements 01/18
2026 Flower Chart - The flower chart for 2026 is on the bulletin board. The cost for flowers is $40/vase. Please sign up for January & February at your convenience.
Pastor Packer will be on KFUO radio, the Sharper Iron program on Wednesday, January 21st at 8 am. The focus of the study is “In the Beginning” on Genesis 6:1-8. If you can’t listen live, you can find it on kfuo.org/sharperiron.
Life Team will be sponsoring Life Week Jan 17 -25. Mosaic baby bottles will be put out 1/17, a Life display will be in the narthex 1/17 - 25, the Sunday School children are participating and their pictures will be on display in the connecting hallway 1/18, Zoom meetings on various life issues will be available 1/18 - 24, (a list is on the Life Team page), and a collection of needed items for Mosaic will be collected 1/17 - 1/25. See the list below. Thank you for your participation.
• Pack 'n plays, mattresses, and sheets
• Diapers (sizes N-3)
• Wipes (sensitive skin)
• Formula (unexpired)
• Baby bottles and smaller baby items
• Baby clothes - NB to 2T
• Gift cards (Walmart, Visa, etc.)
• High chairs, strollers, and baby equipment
• Car seats
Please welcome Madison Vargas, who will be baptized at the 10:30 a.m. Service into the Good Shepherd family.
Winter Women’s Bible Study – PEACE:
Beginning January 31,we will start the Women’s Winter/Spring 8-session Bible Study by Michelle Diercks, Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God’s Presence - Concordia Publishing House. Information regarding this Bible Study is listed below. The Bible Study book is available by contacting Terri Blasingame at church, email terri.blasingame@bclplaw.com, or text 314-705-2477. We are coordinating schedules and programs with LWML. The planned schedule will be in the February newsletter and on the website under the Women’s Ministry Group:
Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God’s Presence - Concordia Publishing House
• As a Christian, you face the pressure and stressors of the world daily. You look for rest at every turn—rest from your job, family drama, personal struggles—but the only true rest can come from Christ. Michelle Diercks invites you to find His promised rest by studying eight different names and characteristics of God.
• Each week of this eight-week study will feature a new name or characteristic of God along with its pronunciation and a biblical fact about it. Learn from Michelle's personal anecdotes and biblical examples of how you can, and should, cling to God's names during times of anxiety and hardship.
• Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. (John 14:27)
Features:
• Discussion Questions and Answer Guide
• Weekly Scripture Memory Verse
• Weekly Devotional Coloring Page
• Daily Journaling Prompts
January Lunch Bunch – is 11:30 a.m. this Tuesday, January 20th at Bandana's Bar-B-Q in Collinsville. Bandana's address is 4 Commerce Dr, Collinsville, IL 62234. Please call Linda Luebbert at 618-830-8189 and let her know if you are planning on attending.
LYA is a group of Lutheran young adults from congregations in the St Louis Metro East area. We get together for fellowship each month. If you're interested in joining, please text 920-918-0858 to get more information!
Please pick up your 2026 Offering Envelopes, if you haven’t already. They are available on the table in the Narthex. If you would like to have envelopes, please call 618-344-3151 to request.
Thank you for all the prayers, cards, calls, texts and visits for both of us. We know God is always with us. Our strength comes from Him. The lack of use of my legs makes mobility nearly impossible. We are thankful for what we are still able to do and we give thanks for the memories of our 58+ years of marriage – with more to come!
Love to all the members and friends of Good Shepherd,
Ron and Ann Goldsmith
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.
NEW Recurring Online Giving Platform - We have moved to a new online giving platform. It is already up and running so please switch as soon as possible! 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.
MELHS is looking for a Head Girls Volleyball Coach and Freshman Girls Volleyball Coach for the 2026-2027 school year. If you are interested or know someone that is interested please email the Athletic Director Jason Batty at jason.batty@melhs.org. Thank you!!!
Issues - EXPERT GUESTS, EXPANSIVE TOPICS, EXTOLLING CHRIST... Issues, Etc. is a podcast and radio talk show produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken. Recent subjects include: The Return of the Jewish Question; Fact-Checking Sermons; Strengthening the Hyde Amendment; Jesus as Prophet, Priest & King; Luther’s Large Catechism and more. You can listen at your convenience at issuesetc.org, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomePod, TuneIn, the LPR mobile app and a podcast provider. You can also tune in live weekdays from 3-5 p.m. on KFUO, 850 AM in St. Louis.
LCMS Foundation - We live in a “I can do it myself” culture. That has been cultivated by our access to technology. Yet the question is, “Do I need help to create my Christian estate plan?” This month we consider that your estate plan represents the biggest collection of decisions with far more impact than any others in life. If you are planning gifts to family, it is a wise idea to discuss these with family, imparting Godly
encouragement for faithful stewardship. A ministry gift might include a discussion with current ministry
leaders. Your LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor can help facilitate these discussions. 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) J. Hartke
Altar Guild: (5:30) Pam Hoffman
(8:00) Julie Wrigley
(10:30) Terry, Mark & Hannah Ritter
Greeters: (8:00) Terri Blasingame
(10:30) Ken & Donna Bunton
Attendance last weekend was 511. The offering was: General Fund $18,946 Specials $2,755, Total $21,701.
Prayer List
For Ed Beyer, who had procedures this week
For Gary Whitehead, who is recovering from a procedure
For Craig Feichtinger, who has surgery last week
For Ann Goldsmith & ongoing health concerns and difficult changes
For Laura Parks, Blake Harrison's grandmother, who passed away
For Jerry Wudtke, hospitalized for flu (now in rehab)
For Reuben Woolery, nephew of Rachel Forden & Karen Witschie, surgery on Monday for cancer treatment
For Kent Splaingard, continued recovery from knee surgery