THIS WEEK AT IMMANUEL

Reminder: there is no Saturday night Divine Service on June 11.

Sunday (6/12)

• 9:00 am—Divine Service with Holy Communion
• 10:30 am—Bible Class
• 2:30 pm—Nursing Home Service
• 4:00–7:00 pm—Visitation for DeDe Eversole (Hilligoss-Shrader Funeral Home, Tuscola)
• 6:00 pm—VBS

Monday—Thursday

• 7:30 am—Matins

Monday

• 10:30 am—Funeral for DeDe Eversole
• 6:00 pm—VBS

Wednesday

• 10:00 am—Looking Forward to Sunday Bible Study
• 6:00 pm—VBS

Thursday

• 6:00 pm—VBS

Saturday

• 5:30 pm—Divine Service with Holy Communion

Sunday (6/19)

• 9:00 am—Divine Service with Holy Communion
• 10:30 am—Bible Class
• 2:30 pm—Nursing Home Service

IN OUR PRAYERS

HEALTH CONCERNS: Mia Anderson (great-granddaughter of Joan Vukelich); Jimmee Barger (friend of the Alexanders); Brenda Bunting (friend of Ann Carroll); Ellie Crawford (daughter of Laran Crawford); DeDe Eversole; Janice Funk (mother of Mike Ekstrom); Virginia Goble (friend of Joyce Alexander); Paula Hancock; Jim Harbaugh; Kim Hausman (friend of Ann Carroll); Patti Heath (friend of the Hoels); Joel Hilgendorf; Mary Jane Jones; Jeff Knight (friend of the Campbells); Erica Kremitzki; Dennis Lee (nephew of Dolores Ford); Jeff Maxfield (friend of the Vukeliches); Scott McCumber (friend of the Russos); Laurie McMillen; Tiffany Meyer (friend of Rachel DeWitt); Bill Negangard (grandfather of Bryce Reifsteck); Tim Pollock; Roland Spomer; Sara Urban (wife of Ron Urban); Bob Vukelich (husband of Joan Vukelich); Harold Wattjes; Jill Zartler.

DEATHS: Family of DeDe Eversole

SEMINARY STUDENT: Hayden Folks.

DEACONESS STUDENT: Katelyn Lower.

HOMEBOUND: Bernita Ashwill; Bessie Benson; Dolores Byers; Marylin Joergens; Joan Mulligan; Corinne Oye; Janet Pollock; Art Rahn; Ruth Rentschler.

MILITARY: John Bookas; Carl Crawford; Jeremy Gordon; Jack Leonard; Jake Lindgren; Raymond Longtin; Joey Pollock; Chase Reifsteck; Blake Stokes; Paige Stokes; Ruben Wilson.

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEXT WEEK’S READINGS . . . Genesis 50:15–21; Romans 8:18–23; Luke 6:36–42.

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . . “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). The Pharisees’ statement of judgment against Jesus is in fact a proclamation of Gospel truth. For our God is one who delights in mercy, who casts all our sins into the depths of the sea through the cross (Micah 7:18–20). “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). Those who refuse to be counted as sinners also refuse Jesus who came only for sinners. Those like the older son (Luke 15:11–32), who think they are righteous of themselves, will not join in the heavenly celebration over the sinner who repents and so remain outside of the Father’s house. Let us therefore be on guard against self–righteously trusting in our own merits. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6). Rejoice that Jesus receives sinners like us and that He still sits at table with us in the Holy Supper, bestowing His forgiveness and life.

THOUGHTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP . . . Luke 15:10 “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Jesus eats with sinners not so that they will remain stuck in their sins, but so that they will come to know His love and repent. To repent means to turn, to turn away from sin and toward Jesus in faith. Whether the sin we struggle with is pride, greed, doubt, etc., the Lord calls us to turn to Him again in faith and away from our sin.

ALTAR FLOWERS . . . are given by Sue Rothe to the glory of God in memory of Leo Rothe.

2016 LCMS NATIONAL OFFERING . . . Today LCMS congregations will be gathering their gifts for the National Offering. The envelope provided in last week’s bulletin can be used to distinguish your gift from your weekly offering. Additional envelopes can be found on the table across from member mailboxes. Please make checks payable to Immanuel Lutheran Church and drop the envelope into the collection plate. Pastor Braaten will deliver our combined congregational gift to the National Offering at the LCMS convention in Milwaukee in July. Thank you!

PARENTS OF SUNDAY SCHOOL CHILDREN . . . Today, Sunday, June 12, the children will visit SAM Food Pantry and donate items purchased with their weekly Sunday School offering. The tour of the pantry begins promptly at 10:45 am; we will leave the church parking lot at 10:35 am. Thank you for your cooperation and for allowing your children to see firsthand how their offering is helping people in the community.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL . . . starts today, Sunday, June 12, and goes through Thursday, June 16, 6:00 pm–8:00 pm. This year’s theme is from the Book of Daniel: Life in Exile.  Bring your children so they can learn more about the life of Daniel!

FREE BINGO . . . at the Tuscola Senior Building, Thursday, June 16, after a menu of Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, w/Gravy, Harvard Beets, Wheat Grain Dinner Roll, and Bananas, at 11:30 am. The meal is for people the age of 60 and over for a donation of $3.50. Reservations must be made by noon of Wednesday, June 15. Telephone:  2532278.

REV. DR. EDWARD NAUMANN . . . and his family will be here on Sunday, June 19. Rev. Dr. Naumann and his wife, Monica, serve as career missionaries in South Asia. Plan to attend the Divine Service and his presentation in Bible Class to learn more about Rev. Dr. Naumann in his role as theological educator in the mission field and how he and Monica share the Gospel with the people in the communities in which they serve and live.

IMMANUEL YOUTH GROUP . . . is scheduled to meet here at church on June 26 and travel to Lake Fork Sportsman’s Club north of Atwood as guests of Jack Appleby. Youth Group is open to those entering 8^th grade and to those in high school. Please confirm your attendance prior to June 26.

TUSCOLA’S SPARKS IN THE PARK PARADE . . . We are asking for volunteers to walk in the parade with our church banner and pass out popsicles and pencils. The parade is Saturday, July 9, at 10:00 am. Line-up begins at 9:30 am in Ervin Park. There is a signup sheet in the Narthex for all who are interested. Come and join us!

BOOK OF THE MONTH . . . is Being Lutheran by Pastor A. Trevor Sutton and is available from Concordia Publishing House at www.cph.org. When it comes down to it, being Lutheran is really very simple. It’s about following Jesus. We go where Jesus goes, we listen when Jesus speaks, we trust when Jesus promises. And we live because Jesus lives. Pastor Sutton treats not only Lutheran beliefs, but he also treats the attitudes and mindsets that those beliefs inform. Thus, he divides his book into two parts: what Lutherans challenge (being closed, lukewarm, confused, lazy, and ‘pastel’), followed by what Lutherans cherish (the new, the ordinary, the unresolved, purpose, and the local). This helps explain the quirks of Lutherans—why they are so doctrinally rigorous, yet so fond of paradoxes and unresolved doctrinal tensions; why they seem both conservative and radical; how their theological strictness manifests itself in a spirit of freedom; how they can make such strong supernatural claims, while also focusing on the much-neglected spiritual significance of what is ordinary—while also accounting for what we could describe as the Lutheran theological culture.

JUNE NEWSLETTER . . . is available on the table across from the member mailboxes.

GREETERS

THIS WEEK

• Laverl Byers (West)
• Ruth Sims (East)

NEXT WEEK

• Tim & Teri Pollock (West)
• Donna Campbell (East)

COMMUNION HELPERS

THIS WEEK

• Mark Whitson
• Sue Rothe; Mackenzi Bowles

NEXT WEEK

• Mark Whitson
• Holly Wikoff; Marissa Russo

ACOLYTES

THIS WEEK

• Caleb Stumeier (Crucifer)
• Ethan Stumeier (Torches)
• Josh Dyer (Torches)
• Oliver Braaten (Gospel)

NEXT WEEK

• Ethan Stumeier (Crucifer)
• Caleb Stumeier (Torches)
• Jake Dyer (Torches)
• Oliver Braaten (Gospel)

COFFEE COMMITTEE

• Pastor & Lauren Braaten—June
• Josh & Jaimee Whitson—July

FUNERAL CHAIR

• Dolores Ford—June
• Wanda Long—July