What a wonderful Thanksgiving meal we had! The Lord has blessed our church with some wonderful and generous cooks. The fellowship team did an amazing job, and we are so grateful to those who pitched in to help us with clean-up.

We will have a soup and sandwich meal following the children’s Christmas program during Morning Worship on Sunday, December 19th.

Lowell and I are hosting a Christmas party in our home for the senior adult Sunday school classes. We are looking forward to that, so please come join us. We have some fun things planned. The menu will be sandwiches, salads, and desserts.

From the fellowship team: We wish God’s blessings upon you for a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Janet

If you have a prayer need, update or praise for the church Prayer List, please drop off a note or email it to the office by using the email form for the church Secretary.

New “Call-Em-All” Phone Tree

Our church frequently needs to get out important or critical messages to our members, such as prayer requests, schedule changes, changes due to inclement weather, volunteer requests, special events, reminders, and the occasional need to call a special business meeting.

Using a traditional phone tree or email has proven to be slow, tedious, and inaccurate when time is critical and details are important. Now we can “Tell you all with Call-Em-All!” This is an easy and effective way to make information available to you.

Please let the church office know if you would like your phone number added to this communication system… and don’t be surprised if you receive a recorded call from the church now and then!

a GO lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Are You Convinced of the Gospel’s Power? (Rom. 1:14-17)
Should You Be Concerned About the Lost? (Rom. 9:1-3; 10:1)
What Are You Doing About It? (Rom. 10:14-15; 15:17-20)

Background Passages:
Romans 1:8-17; 9:1-5; 10:1-21; 15:14-33

Focal Passages:
Romans 1:14-17; 9:1-3; 10:1,14-15; 15:17-20

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about Christians’ responsibility to share the gospel with all people.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will help you recognize that all people need to know Christ and determine to share Him with others.

Background Passage: Ephesians 6:10-24
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 6:10-24

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. Get Stronger (Eph. 6:10-13)
2. Stand Firm (Eph. 6:14-17)
3. Pray Always (Eph. 6:18-20)
4. Be Encouraged (Eph. 6:21-24)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Christians can be prepared to resist whatever evil might come.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults use all the spiritual armor available to them

Pick up Jared Casey’s Christmas wish list in the lobby if you would like to contribute to this 17-yr-old’s Christmas through our church.

Save your receipts! Surrender wrapped gifts and receipts to Linda Riley in early December. She will gather the items for Jared together and deliver them before their Christmas Party on December 12th.

Background Passage: Ephesians 6:1-9
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 6:1-9

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. Respect for Parents (Eph. 6:1-3)
2. Respect for Children (Eph. 6:4)
3. Respect for Employers (Eph. 6:5-8)
4. Respect for Workers (Eph. 6:9)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Christians are to treat other people such as their parents, children, supervisors, and employees with respect.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults show respect to family members and to people at work

If you are willing to help watch infants and toddlers through 2-yr-olds during Sunday School, worship service or special events,
please let the church office know.

We need a church member for the position of Nursery Coordinator. Scheduling workers quarterly, monitoring supplies, cleaning toys, and wiping down furniture are a few of the child care needs to manage.

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
What Life Is Not (Luke 12:13-15)
A Lose-Lose Situation (Luke 12:16-21)
A Win-Win Situation (Phil. 1:21-26)

Background Passages:
Luke 12:13-21; Philippians 1:12-26

Focal Passages:
Luke 12:13-21; Philippians 1:21-26

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about living life in light of eternal values.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will help you look at life against the backdrop of eternity and make the case that greed for what is

temporary will cause people to miss what is truly important.

Background Passage: Ephesians 5:22-33
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 5:22-33

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. Wives: Submit as Service (Eph. 5:22-24)
2. Husbands: Love as Christ Does (Eph. 5:25-30)
3. Both: Express a Complete Unity (Eph. 5:31-33)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Christians are to relate to their spouses on the basis of their own relationship with Jesus Christ.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults promote biblical ideals of being married

Dr. Leroy Tucker, who was licensed to preach by our church, will be our guest speaker
during Morning Worship on November 7th . Pastor Lowell will resume the “Working God’s
Way” series on November 14th.

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
The Presence (John 14:15-18)
The Peace (John 14:27-31a)
The Purpose (John 15:11-16)

Background Passages:
John 14:15-31; 15:9-17

Focal Passages:
John 14:15-18, 27-31a; 15:11-16

What This Lesson Is About:
Life is better when lived in relationship with Jesus because He gives us His presence, peace, and purpose.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson will help you make the case that the Christian life is a better way of life.

Background Passage: Ephesians 5:15-21
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 5:15-21

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. Be Wise with Your Time (Eph. 5:15-16)
2. Be Aware of God’s Will (Eph. 5:17)
3. Be Filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18-20)
4. Be Subject to One Another (Eph. 5:21)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Christians are to live by principles that demonstrate they are careful about their behavior.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults demonstrate great care in how they live

a CONNECT lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Faith Is Only as Good as Its Object (Rom. 4:1-3,23-25)
Faith Involves an Act of the Will (Rom. 10:9-13)
Faith Is a Way of Life (Heb. 12:1-2)

Background Passages:
Romans 4:1-25; 10:1-13; Hebrews 11:1–12:2

Focal Passages:
Romans 4:1-3,23-25; 10:9-13; Hebrews 12:1-2

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the true meaning of biblical faith.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you explain how to move from mere knowledge to biblical faith.

Background Passage: Ephesians 5:1-14
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 5:1-14

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. Live in Love (Eph. 5:1-2)
2. Live Without Impurity (Eph. 5:3-7)
3. Live as Light (Eph. 5:8-14)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Believers reflect God’s holy nature by living in morally upright ways.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults reflect God’s holy nature in their behavior

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
One Son (John 3:16-18)
One Way (John 14:6-11)
One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:3-6)

Background Passages:
John 3:16-18; 14:5-11; 1 Timothy 2:3-7

Focal Passages:
John 3:16-18; 14:6-11; 1 Timothy 2:3-6

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the biblical claim that Jesus is the one and only way to God.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you defend the biblical truth that Jesus is the only way to God.

Background Passage: Ephesians 4:17-32
Lesson Passage: Ephesians 4:17-32

LESSON PASSAGE OUTLINE
1. Satisfied with Jesus (Eph. 4:17-19)
2. Saved, Saved! (Eph. 4:20-24)
3. Since I Have Been Redeemed (Eph. 4:25-29)
4. Search Me, O God (Eph. 4:30-32)

BIBLICAL TRUTH
Believers are to have a lifestyle that is obviously Christian.

LIFE GOAL
To help adults live in ways that show they are Christians

The AMA (Altamont Ministerial Alliance) is holding a fundraiser at the Immanuel Lutheran Parish Hall on Monday, October 25th from 5 to 7 pm.

Joe’s Pizza is providing the salad and spaghetti, our church is providing the drinks, and they need five volunteers from our church family to help serve.

Please see Janet Hunsaker!

The Family Life Center is looking for an individual from our church that would pray for their ministry. You would be considered a prayer partner and would be on a mailing list to keep active and informed about the needs of the Center.

At the end of the year term you can pass it to someone else or continue praying for the center.

Please pray about this and let the church office know by October 31, if you are interested.

Special Event For Morning Worship on Sunday, October 31st.

Reverend Chad Ozee and his wife, Rachel, will present a musical concert and share the story of how God is leading them to start a new Southern Baptist Church—Journey Church—in the Bradley/Bourbonnais/Kankakee area.

They will share how our church can partner with them. We will collect a love offering to help with the new church start.

Chad is the Director of the IBSA All-State Youth Choir, and his wife is their guest soloist. Be sure to attend this special event!

a GROW lesson

Focal Passage Outline and Scripture Passages:
Consider Jesus’ Teachings (John 6:66-69)
Consider Jesus’ Miracles (John 9:17,24-25,31-33,35-38)
Consider Jesus’ Resurrection (John 20:27-29)

Background Passages:
John 6:22-71; 9:1-41; 20:1-31

Focal Passages:
John 6:66-69; 9:17,24-25,31-33,35-38; 20:27-29

What This Lesson Is About:
This lesson is about the uniqueness of Jesus as evidenced in His teaching, His miracles, and His resurrection.

How This Lesson Can Impact Your Life:
This lesson can help you explain how Jesus is different from all other religious leaders.