NEXT WEEK’S READINGS . . . Ezekiel 36:22–28; 1 Peter 4:7–11; John 15:26–16:4.

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . . “Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you” (John 16:23). To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray as one who has been baptized. For it is in the water that He put His name upon you, claiming you as His own, making you a son of God with access to the Father. By His incarnation and crucifixion, our Lord Jesus broke through the barrier of sin which separated us from God, opening a portal to the Father. To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray with faith in Him as the one Mediator between God and men, who gave Himself a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:1–6). Like Moses in the wilderness, Jesus is our go-between and intercessor before the throne of heaven. He was lifted up for us on the cross that we might be saved and restored to fellowship with the Father (Num. 21:1­9). Looking into this perfect teaching of liberty (James 1:22–27) we pray with boldness and confidence as dear children of God.

THOUGHTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP . . . James 1:22—“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” The Word of God is not merely to be heard, but to be received and believed. Our faith is implanted and strengthened by the Word of God. And as Luther said, “Oh, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith. And so it is impossible for it not to do good works incessantly.” James reminds us of this—and encourages us to examine our lives and come to repentance where we can see that we are not living out our faith in sincerity.

THE ALTAR FLOWERS . . . are given by Dorothy Hostetler to the glory of God for blessings received.

TODAY IS ROGATE SUNDAY . . . a special time before Ascension to implore the mercy of God that He keep us from all evils and bless the planted crops. It is a humble reminder that it is not us, but God, who provides for us. Pastor Braaten will be happy to come to bless your field(s) and equipment. Please feel free to contact Pastor directly or call the church office to schedule a time.

CAMP CILCA SCHOLARSHIP . . . The Board of Missions and Evangelism is offering a scholarship for anyone who wants to attend Camp CILCA. Camp CILCA Summer 2025 brochures can be found on the table across from member mailboxes. Please notify Pastor Braaten or Deborah Reifsteck of your interest.

SAVE THE DATE . . . August 23, 2025 for this year’s Not Ashamed Conference to be held at Iron Horse Golf Club.

ALTAR GUILD & COFFEE COMMITTEE . . . For May, the Altar Guild is Dorothy Hostetler and Willa Braaten. Coffee Committee is Ann Carroll. For June the Altar Guild is Celeste Nau and Maggie Braaten. Coffee Committee is the Cash family.

THE 2025 FLOWER CHART IS AVAILABLE . . . Please sign up on the bulletin board across from the member mailboxes. 2025 flowers are $35.00 and can be special ordered. Flowers can be taken home after the Sunday service.

FUNERAL CHAIR . . . The months August, September, and October are still open. Please sign up for a month to serve as funeral chair; the chair is responsible for placing calls requesting food donations and volunteers to help with serving and cleaning up after the funeral dinner. The current call list is included with the chair sign-up list on the clipboard located in the Narthex.

RATE & REVIEW IMMANUEL ON GOOGLE . . . Did you know that throughout the United States each month over 2 million people search on Google for “Churches Near Me.”? That’s how a majority of people find churches to visit. Therefore, being visible on Google as one of the top results for searches is important to get found. One way to increase your visibility on Google is through their Rate & Review feature. Please consider rating and review Immanuel on Google by going to: https://g.page/r/CdbSahe0h2B0EAI/review

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR VBS . . . This year’s VBS is June 9–13. The theme for this year is UNSHAKEABLE: A Journey through God’s Promises. Registration will begin in May.

GRADUATION OPEN HOUSE . . . You are all invited to a graduation open house for Oliver at the parsonage on Saturday, May 31, from 1–4 pm. – Pastor and Lauren.

Vicar Parlier will be arriving . . . in Tuscola on Thursday, May 29. If anyone is interested in blessing him with some staples for his pantry, a gift card, or providing a meal, you can drop those off at church and we will get them to him. (He is allergic to tree nuts and is a tea drinker, not a coffee person.) Or, you can also deliver them in person to his rental at 702 East Daggy. He’s very excited to be coming to Immanuel. He will be installed on Sunday, June 1, and following the service there will be a cake and punch reception in lieu of Bible Class. During this time, he will introduce himself, so please come down to the Fellowship Hall and greet our summer vicar.

Sunday School Art Project . . . We’re excited to share that Lutheran artist Ed Riojas has begun work on a special series of drawings and paintings depicting the 12 Apostles. These beautiful works will be displayed over the rock panels on the face of the choir loft balcony, adding a rich visual confession to our sanctuary. The Sunday School has already raised with the help of some other donations, around $10,000. This is two-thirds of the needed $15,000 in just a few months. If you are interested in supporting this Sunday School art project alongside of our Sunday School students, please contact pastor or speak with one of the members of the Board of Christian Education. Thank you for helping make this vision a reality for our congregation!

FREE MOVIE NIGHTS – JUNE 20–22 . . . at the Tuscola Community Building. Join us for a three-night event exploring the scientific and archaeological evidence for the Genesis creation and flood accounts! Two powerful films will be shown, engaging both faith and reason in defense of the truth of God’s Word. Bring a friend—and come ready to be encouraged and informed! Volunteers Needed: We’re looking for helpers to assist with set-up and take-down of chairs, pick up and return the popcorn machine, run the popcorn machine during the films, and serve bottled water. If you can lend a hand any of the evenings, please sign up in the narthex or contact the church office. Mark your calendars and come be part of this exciting outreach event!