RightinHisOwnEyes Welcome to 2019! For many, a new year brings about new resolutions, new hopes, even new dreams. Could each of us benefit from eating healthier? Exercising more? Spending less? Showing more compassion? Finding joy in the little things in life? Without a doubt. A little willpower, combined with contentment and gratitude, would greatly assist us to that end.

But at the very heart of who we are, we sinners still struggle with self-deception. Any honest person can see how rapidly things are moving from bad to worse in the culture around us. Objective truth is a relic of yesteryear, having given way to the culture’s ever-changing “truth” of the moment. It took a few decades to get here, but we have created a society that denies basic biology, scorns God’s good gifts of marriage and sexuality, celebrates cohabitation, champions divorce, sees fatherhood as optional, and aborts whatever gets in the way of personal goals and dreams.

There is a reoccurring sentence in the book of Judges that speaks not only to their day and age, but also to our generation. Actually, to every generation. “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17:6; 21:25). Whether they admit it or not, every person you cross paths with is devoutly religious. Even the agnostic and the atheist. Each person has his own god. His own dogmas. His own commandments. His own sacred texts. His own sacraments. His own holy things. Consequently, his entire worldview is shaped by these things. He goes about living life doing what is right in his own eyes. Even if that means discarding objective truth, basic biology, and God-given institutions.

We see the same thing in the spirituality of our day and age. Sadly, even among many self-professing Christians. An increasing number of them are walking away from our Lord’s house and His means of grace and doing what they deem to be spiritually right in their own eyes. While clinging to a Jesus they’ve fashioned in their own hearts, they believe their faith to be more pure and their love to be more genuine than all those “hypocrites” who “go to church.”

Martin Luther had a phrase for doing what is right in one’s own eyes. Incurvatus in se. That’s Latin for “curved in on self.” This phrase describes a life that is lived inward for oneself (according to one’s own definition of right and wrong) as opposed to a life that is lived outward in faith toward God and in love toward others (according to God’s holy Word).

Let’s be honest. This isn’t just about the culture around us. It’s about us as well. At the very heart of who we are, we also struggle with self-deception. Even when it comes to faith in Jesus Christ and the life of faith that flows from Him. As God’s baptized children, we don’t have to make this up as we go along. We don’t have to search our hearts for what feels right. We simply need to learn to live daily from every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Saint Paul describes our ongoing struggle against this incurvatus in se as follows: “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. … I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. … So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:15-25).

Friends, our sinful nature causes us to be incurvatus in se. That’s why God calls us to “put to death the deeds of the body” (Rom 8:13), to “put to death … what is earthly in you” (Col 3:5), to “put off your old self” (Eph 4:22). By repenting, by hearing and believing God’s word of forgiveness, by looking in faith to Jesus, by faithfully partaking of His true body and blood — that is to say, by living the baptismal life — He takes our curved in on self inclinations and turns them outward that our days would be spent in faith toward God and in fervent love toward one another.

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DivineShepherdLutheranChurchTheLutheranChurch—MissouriSynod

January2019Newsletter“MysheephearMyvoice,andIknowthem,andtheyfollowMe.”[SaintJohn10:27]

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Do you want to do your part in battling the evil of our day and age? Begin by regularly being found in God’s house, where His means of grace fill you with Jesus Christ, His love, His forgiveness, His mercy. Continue by daily living your baptism. Then, and only then, can you cease doing is right in your own eyes and begin doing what is right in God’s eyes.

Why does all this begin in God’s house? Because that is what God’s Word teaches. The very first time that phrase — “everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes” — appears in Holy Scripture is in Deuteronomy 12:8. There, God teaches His people not to worship Him wherever, whenever, and however they want, but to go to the place God Himself set apart, on the day He set apart, using the means He established. For the ancient Israelites, this meant the tabernacle, on the Sabbath, bringing the required sacrifices. For you and me, it is the location where the Word of God is rightly preached and the Sacraments of Christ are rightly administered. Following apostolic custom, we meet together on “the Lord’s Day” (Rev 1:10). And we, in faith, bring the sacrifice of “a broken and contrite heart” (Ps 51:17) that God does not despise, but forgives and strengthens.

Having been filled with Jesus’ love and mercy in God’s house, we go about the rest of our time serving our neighbors and praying for the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and our world. And if you’re still looking for a New Year’s resolution, Saint Paul has a treasure trove of them in these words:

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” [Romans 12:9-21]

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice” (Prov 12:15). As all wise counsel comes from the LORD, let us listen. Let us believe. And let us do. God grant it for Jesus’ sake!

PastorMumme

Calendar

Week of the Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6-12)

Sun, Jan 6, 9:00 am Festive Divine Service Sun, Jan 6, 10:35am Bible Class & Sunday School Tue, Jan 8, 1:00 pm Women’s Bible Study Tue, Jan 8, 7:00 pm Elders Meeting Wed, Jan 9, 4:00 pm Youth Catechesis Thu, Jan 10, 7:00 pm Council Meeting Sat, Jan 12, 10:00 am Church Un-decorating Sat, Jan 12, 3:00 pm Chili Supper & Bingo

Week of the Baptism of Our Lord (January 13-19) Sun, Jan 13, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, Jan 13, 10:05 am Thrivent Meeting Sun, Jan 13, 10:35 am Bible Class & Sunday School Sun, Jan 13, 2:00 pm Chicago March for Life Tue, Jan 15, 7:00 pm Book of Concord Study Wed, Jan 16, 4:00 pm Youth Catechesis Sat, Jan 19, 8:30 am Men’s Bible Breakfast Sat, Jan 19, 10:00 am Altar Guild Meeting Sat, Jan 19, 11:00 am Ladies Aid Meeting

Week of Epiphany 2 (January 20-26) Sun, Jan 20, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, Jan 20, 10:35 am Bible Class & Sunday School Wed, Jan 23, 11:00 am NICL Study Wed, Jan 23, 4:00 pm Youth Catechesis

Week of Epiphany 3 (January 27-31) Sun, Jan 27, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, Jan 27, 10:35 am Bible Class & Sunday School Wed, Jan 30, 4:00 pm Youth Catechesis Wed, Jan 30, 7:00 pm Choir Practice

Prayer Chain Several members of our congregation are part of a church prayer chain. If you would like to join them in praying for our congregation’s special needs, please contact Bobbie Light at 630-251-7860 or Pastor Mumme.

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January Birthdays 06 Joan Fox 07 Ceili Delaney 13 Karen Moritz 14 Larry Kreier 14 Rebecca Parmenter 15 Paul Edgar 15 Melanie Witzke 16 Corinne Wuthenow 18 Dawn Rousar 20 Christa McClain 29 Mary Dobbs

Baptismal Anniversaries 04 Nicole Richerson 04 Sierra Birdsell 06 Anthony Simonetti 19 Dolores Bauman 29 Joan Fox

The Epiphany Season

As the Christmas season draws to a close, we enter the Epiphany season. The word Epiphany means “revelation”—God reveals how Jesus Christ is His Son, our Savior. The season begins with the Epiphany of Our Lord, a celebration of the visit of the Gentile wise men to the baby Jesus, who was born for all people. The season continues with Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, several Gospel readings from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, and culminates with Jesus’ transfiguration before three disciples. Come and be a part of this joyous season as God reveals to us His Son, His plan and purpose, and His salvation. Join us on Sunday, January 6, as we celebrate The Epiphany of Our Lord with a festive Divine Service at 9:00 a.m. This is one of the five chief festival days of the church year.

Bible & Lutheranism Studies

Sunday Bible Class Topic: Every One His Witness When: Sunday mornings @ 10:45 a.m. Where: Luther Hall Women’s Bible Study Topic: Demystifying the Proverbs 31 Woman When: Tuesday, January 8 @ 1:00 p.m. Where: Luther Hall Men’s Bible Breakfast Topic: TBA When: Saturday, January 19 @ 8:30 a.m. Where: Chick-fil-A Book of Concord Study Topic: The Augsburg Confession When: Tuesday, January 15 @ 7:00 p.m. Where: Luther Hall

Christmas Un-Decorating Come and help us pack away the Christmas decorations on Saturday, January 12, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Many hands make light work.

Chili Supper & White Elephant Bingo Join us for a delicious chili dinner and Bingo on Saturday, January 12 (3:00–6:00 p.m.). Bring in your unloved, duplicate, or unneeded Christmas gifts (gift cards, unopened boxes of candy or cookies, “As seen on TV” items, Chia pets, etc.) or other new items and drop them in the marked box in Luther Hall anytime before this event. These will be repurposed as wrapped Bingo prizes. Come and enjoy the afternoon with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Bring a friend too.

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2019 Church Council

Three board chairpersons were elected at our annual congregational meeting in December. Below is a list of those serving on the Church Council for 2019: Chairman: Ed Cruz Vice-Chairman: Jim Bingenheimer Secretary: Laurrie Bingenheimer Treasurer: Denise Ziesemer Christian Education: Robin Wise Elders: Andy Fox Trustees: Cindy Rambeaux

Board of Elders Those serving on the Board of Elders for 2019:

Andy Fox (chairman) Mike Dobbs Kevin Pape

Brian Rambeaux Kelly Stewart

Bill Tilker

Altar Guild Members Those serving on the Altar Guild for 2019:

Katie Dobbs Anne Drevlow Karen Moritz Lori Mumme Ruth Ogden Joan Sturm

Judy Yuenger

Altar Guild Fund Several items were purchased with memorial donations for use in God’s house in 2018. If you are planning a future memorial donation, please consider giving it to Altar Guild to purchase additional frontals, banners, candles, altar cloths, etc. to beautiful the sanctuary. Thank you to everyone who purchased altar flowers, Easter flowers, and/or Christmas poinsettias to beautify the sanctuary this past year.

Children’s Christmas Program Twelve of our congregational children joined our Little Lambs Preschool in participating in the Children’s Christmas Program on December 16. We are grateful to all you parents for getting them to practice and placing such a high priority on their Christian education. Below are the names of those members who participated:

Adam Dobbs David Dobbs

Rebekah Dobbs Mary Dobbs

Stephen Dobbs Aubrey Learnahan Manny Martinez

Bridget Mazurkiewicz Aiden Schilling

Conner Schilling Kaylee Schilling Parker Schilling

The Sound of Music A special thank you to those who musically enriched our worship services during Advent and Christmas: Christine (cantor); Joan (assistant organist); Jolene, Moira, Michael (instrumentalists); Jolene, Mark, Anne, Nathan, Terri, Ruth, Kevin, Brian, Dawn, Joan (adult choir); Joey, Adam, David, Rebekah, Mary, Stephen, Bridget, Aiden (youth choir). All of your time and hard work is greatly appreciated!

College Graduate

Sierra Birdsell graduated from Milliken University (Decatur, IL) in December. In April she will begin working as a new grad RN in the Medical ICU at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. We pray your Christian faith will continue to shine through you in all that you do!

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Ladies Aid Ladies Aid ended the year with our best “giving” efforts. Rev. May and family surely appreciated the gifts extended to them as did Vicar Stephenson. First, the GIVING TREE was stripped of its envelopes in record time. The 33 people that benefited from your generosity are truly grateful. Their Christmas was certainly joyous with your help. Second, the FOOD DRIVE was enormous this year. There were six tables just loaded with food to distribute to those families on our list. Each family received at least three boxes full of food and supplies. The larger families received more. Third, we owe a big thank you to Carolynn Mazurkiewicz and her fellow employees at Meadon Precision who filled the space in front of our library with many bags of food to help our food drive. Fourth, but certainly not least, are the large contributions given us by Thrivent Financial, whose Action Team programs augmented our efforts by hundreds of dollars for both the food drive and Giving Tree. Altogether, Divine Shepherd members “did for the least of these, as if it were for Christ.” As we begin the year 2019, we are truly thankful for all these blessings. A special thank you to Lisa Cruz and her family for once again heading up the Giving Tree and to Joan Sturm for spearheading the food drive. Plans for the Ladies Aid 2019 program will be discussed and decided at the January 19 meeting. Please join us at 11:00 a.m. All women are part of this group. You don’t even have to join. We look forward to seeing you then. The officers for 2019 are: President: Judy Yuenger Vice-President: Lisa Cruz Secretary: Joan Sturm Treasurer: Karen Moritz

Ladies Aid Money at Work Listed here are a just a few of the projects Ladies Aid contributed to in 2018:

• the Rev. May Christmas Fund • monthly stipend to a seminarian • the Giving Tree • kitchen remodeling and cleaning supplies • paper goods and drinks for Sunday treats • Higher Things Youth Conference • Alms Fund

These projects are made possible by your generous support of our garage sale and Manna program. Thank you.

Shop with Scrip Shop with Scrip cards are available throughout the year for everyday expenses and gifts for any special occasion. The next order date is January 20. Pre-purchased cards are available after Sunday services and forms are on the cabinet by the outside door in Luther Hall. These cards make many of the Ladies Aid projects possible, and best of all they do not cost members anything beyond the face-value amount. SWS pays us to use their service. What’s more, many of these cards can be reloaded so you do not have to continually buy new cards.

Your Organization: Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church - Manna

Your Coordinator: Lisa Cruz

630-636-6359 • dslcmanna@yahoo.com

Your Enrollment Code: B2LD2C7A55973

You may elect to receive 50% of your profit percentage back as a cash rebate. These rebates will be paid directly to you in the form of a quarterly check. The more you purchase using physical cards, reload, reload now, and scrip ecards the more you will earn. Any questions, please contact Lisa Cruz at 630-636-6390 or email at dslcmanna@yahoo.com.

Benefit Mobile Sign up via benefit-mobile.com and designate Divine Shepherd as your charitable organization. Then download the app (Apple or Android). Benefit Mobile purchases qualify for our 50% cash back rebate. Purchased gift cards are electronic instead of physical cards and can be used immediately. You may also send these as a gift to an email account.

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A HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL.

A thank you to all the Thrivent members who donated to Choice Dollars during the year. If you haven’t designated your Choice Dollars to Divine Shepherd, please do so. Log in to your Thrivent account, select Choice Dollars, and follow the prompts. At year’s end, we received donations totaling over $5,000 from members. With these funds, we were able to cover the cost of the Thrivent events at the church and purchase Manna cards for our Alms Fund and to support a seminarian. We were able to help cover the many needs of the church such as the general fund, renovation of the kitchen, the Youth Conference, Oktoberfest, the food drive, and the Giving Tree. We also helped the community with a gift to CareNet. The Thrivent group will continue to cover as many needs as we learn about. The next meeting will be held in Luther Hall on January 13 at 10:05 a.m. to review last year’s donations and activities and to set up a schedule for 2019. All members are encouraged to attend.

2019 Offering Envelopes Members, please check your mailslot if you are getting 2019 envelopes. Your annual tax letter will be in your mailslot later this month. See Barb Potempa at church if you have questions.

Portals of Prayer Now that 2019 is here, we are asking those who make use of the Portals of Prayer devotionals to pay this year’s annual subscription rate of $13.00. Simply submit this via the offering plate, earmarked Portals of Prayer ($13.00/year). Blessings on your continued study of God’s Word.

Church Library You can browse the selection of books in our library by visiting librarything.com/catalog/DivineShepherd. Books may be checked out at any time by members.

Scheduling Events Please remember that all activities and special events scheduled for Luther Hall must be noted on the main calendar located in Luther Hall. Christian Education events (Sunday and midweek Bible Class, Sunday School, Youth Catechesis, etc.) and Council meetings are given the highest priority. Private use of Luther Hall by members requires approval by the Church Council. Please contact Cindy Rambeaux, chairman of the Board of Trustees, with any questions or special requests (air conditioning, heat, tables, chairs, etc.).

Blood Drive As the need is always great, we are planning another blood drive on Saturday, March 16 in Luther Hall. Please mark your calendar. Watch for more information as it becomes available.

Fundraising Signup Sheet There are many organizations in our congregation doing fundraising activities throughout the year. We make every effort not to overlap efforts. Therefore, we ask that all organizations list their fundraising activities on the signup sheet on the main bulletin board in Luther Hall.

Our Youth Group Thanks You Our Youth Group thanks you for your donations to their various fundraisers throughout 2018. We look forward to another youth conference, as well as more activities, food, and fun, and we greatly appreciate your prayers and support.

Sunday Treats Do you enjoy treats and fellowship after Sunday services? If so, please consider signing up on any given Sunday(s). Why not sign up with a friend? Empty slots means no treats. To enable our diabetic members to enjoy these treats, please consider supplementing some of the “sugary goodies” with crackers and cheese and/or fruit. The signup sheet is posted on the Luther Hall bulletin board. Monetary donations are accepted to defray the cost of drinks and paper products, which are supplied by Ladies Aid.

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Bulletin Covers & Altar Flowers The January–March bulletin charts are posted in the narthex. Sign up for any open Sunday(s) to celebrate a special occasion or to honor/remember someone. Cost of bulletins is $10.

The 2019 flower charts are posted. This is a wonderful way to help beautify God’s house, celebrate a birthday or anniversary, or remember a departed loved one. If you

would like to contribute flowers to help beautify the sanctuary on a Lord’s Day, please add your name to any open Sunday on the flower charts. Prices are $40, $45, or $50 for two bouquets (subject to change). If you sign up, Karen will contact you. When the worship service is over, you are welcome to take your bouquets home or you may leave them at church for the following Sunday or for pastor to take to homebound or hospitalized members.

Important Phone Numbers Church Office: 630-759-5300 ext. 1 Preschool: 630-759-5300 ext. 2 (Terri Kreier) Pastor Mumme: 815-676-4444 Prayer Chain: 630-251-7860 (Bobbie Light) Newsletter: 630-759-3188 (Karen Moritz)

(items are due January 28)

Toner Cartridges The youth group continues to accept used toner cartridges as a fundraiser (the company we work with is currently only accepting original Brother, Canon, and HP toner cartridges). Please drop them off in the container in the shelves near the entrance/exit in Luther Hall. We are no longer able to accept ink cartridges. Toner cartridges not listed above, as well as ink cartridges, may be recycled at Cartridge World. Thanks!

Amazon Smile Go to smile.amazon.com, select Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bolingbrook as your charitable organization, begin each of your purchases at smile.amazon.com, and Amazon will do the rest. Our congregation will receive 0.5% of every Amazon Smile purchase made. Thanks for supporting us!

March for Life Chicago You are invited to join thousands of pro-lifers from the greater Chicagoland and tri-state area — many of them Lutherans — at the March for Life Chicago on Sunday, January 13. This march begins at the Federal Plaza in Chicago at 2:00 p.m. and ends by 4:00 p.m. Lutherans for Life of Illinois may have a chartered bus available from the western suburbs; will keep you posted. We’d love to have our high school and college aged youth be a part of this too. If you are interested in attending and/or ridesharing, please see Pastor.

Issues, Etc. You are invited to listen to Issues, Etc. — the radio voice of the Lutheran faith for the 21st century. Issues, Etc. is Lutheran talk radio hosted by LCMS Pastor Todd Wilken and produced by Lutheran Public Radio. Listen live (3:00-5:00pm CST) or at your leisure via the following options (go to issuesetc.org and click on the ‘listen’ tab for specific options):

• issuesetc.org (via a web browser) • Sirius XM • Amazon app • Android via Google Play • Apple via iTunes • Windows Phone • tunein • stitcher

Love Is God

Love is God shining through you. Love is giving what you’d like to receive.

Love is taking the time, even when you do not have the time.

Love is listening with your heart. Love is remembering. Love is being there.

Love is believing in the good, the true, and the beautiful. Love is the light of the world.

May Christ’s love shine thru you now and always. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)

American Greetings Wishing you a God-filled 2019!

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! Christmas at Divine Shepherd !

Rejoicing in the Birth of Our Savior

Nativity Set New Crismons on the Tree

Children’s Christmas Program Food Drive

Caroling at Senior Star in Romeoville Caroling at Senior Star in Romeoville