This Sunday, February 24, at Good Shepherd: Worship God with us at 9 AM and hear God's call for us to be merciful, to love our enemies, and to treat others the way we'd like to be treated. All are welcome - no exceptions. Worship is also livestreamed on our website or youtube channel if you can't make it in person. #elca #champaignurbana #savoyillinois

Some Good Shepherd folks participated in the Polar Plunge this weekend - raising money for a very good cause. See if you recognize anyone! Thanks to Jason Fisher for the pictures!

Shopping for the Super Bowl? Throw in several cans of soup and bring them to church Sunday. Soup with pop tops is preferred, because we're doing a special collection for our little food pantry. Good Shepherd's little food pantry is used daily by folks in need of a nourishing meal. Soup - eaten cold or heated up - provides a lot of nutrients in one place. A pop-top eliminates the need for a can opener, something hungry folks don't always have. Help us score a touchdown for those who are hungry! And thanks in advance for your generosity and openness to follow Jesus by serving those in need. #elca #champaignurbana #souperbowl

Join us to discuss Anthony Ray Hinton's book, "The Sun Does Shine". This book talks about the death penalty, death row, the American justice system, and faith in the darkest times. It is helpful if you've read the book, but even if you haven't and want to discuss some of those issues, join us. We'll meet at 6 PM at the local restaurant, Sun Singer, and you'll still be home in time to catch the end of the Super Bowl. #bookgroup #champaignurbana #elca

This Sunday - February 9 - at Good Shepherd: Jesus calls disciples from an unusual place to do what seems like a strange task - catching people. How have you been called to follow Jesus? What have you been called to do? Join us for worship at 9 AM. Stay, if you wish, for Sunday School, Adult Forum, and small group time at 10:15. All are welcome, all the time. #elca #champaignurbana #savoyillinois

Lutheran Social Services Illinois (LSSI) sponsors a program called the Storybook Project. Volunteers from Lutheran congregations, supplied with equipment from LSSI, go into prisons to meet with prisoners. During their visits, inmates choose books to read to their children back home. They are recorded reading the stories and the recordings are sent - along with the book! - to the child. This project helps keep inmates motivated for release and reunification with their family, helps children maintain ties with an incarcerated mother or father, and promotes literacy. All of this is done, of course, with the consent and cooperation of the prison staff and all protocols are followed. Pictured are volunteers from Good Shepherd - only part of our team! - getting ready for a recent visit to the Danville Correctional Facility. In a short visit of only a few hours, dozens of inmates read and recorded storybooks for their children. By the way, the bag contains donated clothing items - a different ministry - that are given to men upon their release to help with their reintegration. #LSSI #elca #champaignurbana

Support our neighbors dealing with homelessness - neighbors Jesus has called us to love - by being part of our One Winter Night team. Sleep out, donate funds, join us for a fundraising and information-sharing dinner on Friday evening at 5:30. Support our team's efforts for this important fund-raiser by donating at www.gslc-cu.org. Click GIVE. Then scroll down to find CU One Winter. Click and follow directions to make your gift. You can also go to www.cuathome.us and find our team - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church - and give directly there. Thank you for your generous support!

This Sunday, February 2, we celebrate the Presentation of our Lord as we gather for worship. How have we seen God's salvation revealed today? What signs are we waiting, longing, to see? Worship begins at 9 AM and will also be livestreamed on our website. A Cross+Gen intergenerational gathering follows at 10:15 for those who are interested. Peace to you this week in your entries and departings. #elca #champaign #savoyillinois

The Gospels tell us again and again that Jesus, when he needed strength or courage or direction, went away to a quiet place. For Jesus, that quiet place was often in the mountains or a boat. In the middle of a northern hemisphere winter, it may be difficult to get away into nature. Our quiet places may be in our own homes. Do you have a quiet place? A chair by a fire or a window? One that doesn't face the TV? One where you can sit and think and pray and be quiet in God's presence? Maybe this is your reminder to go sit there a while today. Maybe this is your invitation to create a quiet space for yourself to listen to God.