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.

A group pic from the ski trip! Praying a good last day and drive home!

Support our team in their quest to help CU at Home alleviate homelessness in our community as part of One Winter Night. Any donation helps - from $5 to $500. Give by going to our website, www.gslc-cu.org, click "Give" and scroll down to find CU One Winter. OR... Give by going to www.cuathome.us OWN 2025, clicking donate and finding our team "Good Shepherd Lutheran Church". Thanks in advance for your generous support!

Sunday Worship at Good Shepherd begins at 9 AM. Our services are livestreamed on our website, too, and can be viewed at any time on YouTube. Join us this week, January 26, 2025, as Jesus unrolls the scroll and reads about the new things God is doing for the people of First Century Palestine, and for us today. Sunday School, Adult Forum, and Dwelling Together Small Group follow worship at 10:15, if you'd like to stay and dig deeper. All are welcome. #elca #champaign #savoyillinois

During the Stillness Retreat, Ruth taught us a practice for stilling ourselves in moments of stress, worry, anxiety, or uncertainty. Peace: Take a breath. Be: Remember that you are beloved of the One who created you. Still: Wait for God to speak or to show you the next step. Breathing, remembering your identity, and listening for God are all wonderful practices to incorporate as you seek God's direction, especially in moments of difficulty. Peace to you!

Do you have a place in your home where you can be alone with God, even for a minute? Some people sit where they can see out a window. Some people create a shrine or altar. Some people have a Bible or devotional book near a favorite chair and curl up with it and a cup of tea. Some folks go for a walk in their yard or nearby park. Some simply have a picture of a favorite place - a place of contentment and peace - that can become a focus for imagining Jesus walking with them in that happy place. Where is your spot? What does it look like? If you've created or found a "still place", share a photo or comment below!