HEALTH CONCERNS: Joyce & Jerry Alexander; Mia Anderson (great-granddaughter of Joan Vukelich); Claire Baud (friend of Rachel DeWitt); Connie Bruns (cousin of Mary Appleby); Brad Butler (friend of Hilgendorfs); Chelle Carson (friend of Dave Holzrichter); Rena Carson (friend of Dave Holzrichter); Darla Combs (friend of Dave Holzrichter); Darren Cooper (friend of Joan Vukelich); Crystal Davis (friend of Dave Slaughter); Ben, LaNéce, & Baby Dyer (family of Greg & Celeste Nau); Tim Flynn (friend of Dave Holzrichter); Nash Foreman (friend of Sofie Reifsteck); Rick Hardesty (family of the Hoels); Kim Hausman (friend of Ann Carroll); Julie Holzrichter (sister-in-law of Dave Holzrichter); Mary Houvanagle (friend of Hilgendorfs); Ashley Kerns (friend of Joan Vukelich); John Lamkin (friend of Dave Slaughter); Mike Marana (friend of Josh Whitson); Candace McElhaney (daughter of Corky Fields); Lisa McGill (friend of Dave Holzrichter); Steven Pingolt (friend of Mathew Waldrop); Emma Silver; Dave Slaughter; John Stewart (grandson of Laura VanCleave); Margaret Stilwell; Janet Stumeier; Kim Travis (friend of Jaimee Whitson); Lausanne Walter (mother of Tiffany Cash); Lynn Whitson (father of Mark Whitson).

SEMINARY STUDENT: Jacob Garrison; Nicholas Sinatra.

MISSIONARIES: The Jastram Family (Japan); The Preus Family (Romania).

HOMEBOUND: Bernita Ashwill; Janet Pollock; Joan Rahn; Norma Uthe.

MILITARY: Carl Crawford; Josh Dyer; Jeremy Gordon; Jack Leonard; Jake Lindgren; Raymond Longtin; Scott Walter.

ASH WEDNESDAY’S READINGS . . . Genesis 3:1–21; Corinthians 6:1–10; Matthew 4:1–11.

ABOUT THIS WEEK’S READINGS . . . The seeing are blind, while the one who is blind can see (Luke 18:31–43). Jesus tells the twelve that He is going up to Jerusalem to suffer and die and rise again, but they cannot understand or grasp what He is saying. The meaning of His words is hidden from their sight. However, as Jesus makes His way up to Jerusalem, a blind man calls out to Him for mercy. This blind man sees that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior, for he calls Him “Son of David.” Indeed, Jesus is the Lord’s anointed, the keeper of sheep (1 Sam. 16:1–13) who goes to lay down His life for the sheep. He is the incarnate love of the Father who suffers long and is kind, who is not puffed up, who never fails us (1 Cor. 13:1–13). Jesus opens the eyes of the blind (Is. 35:3–7) to see Him not according to outward appearances of lowliness, but according to His heart of mercy and compassion. Those who behold Him thus by faith follow Him to the cross through death into life.

THOUGHTS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP . . . Luke 18:34 “This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” Even our understanding of the Word of God is a gift—the disciples here can’t understand Jesus because it is not given to them to understand him. By nature they are deaf to the Word. So everything we have is a gift of God. To realize this is the beginning of thankfulness, generosity, and kindness.

ALTAR GUILD & COFFEE COMMITTEE . . . For March, the Altar Guild is Ann Carroll & Willa Braaten. Coffee Committee is Krista Freebairn.

LENTEN MIDWEEK SUPPERS . . . will be served this year before the Midweek services beginning on Ash Wednesday. Serving time will be 5:30 pm–6:45 pm. Here is the schedule.

• March 5, Ash Wednesday—Church Potluck
• March 12, Midweek Lent 1—Board of Christian Education
• March 19, Midweek Lent 2—Youth Group
• March 26, Midweek Lent 3—Board of Mission & Evangelism
• April 2, Midweek Lent 4—Boards of Stewardship and Church Council (Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Financial Secretary)
• April 9, Midweek Lent 5—Boards of Elders and Trustees

LENTEN MIDWEEK SERMON SERIES . . . will be going through the Book of Galatians. Each week will focus on one chapter from the book. Galatians, for Luther, emphasizes the central doctrine of justification by faith alone. He saw Galatians as the heart of the gospel, where Paul fiercely defends the freedom of the Christian from the bondage of the Law. Luther stressed that righteousness comes not by works but through faith in Christ, who has redeemed believers from sin and death. In his Preface to Galatians, he wrote that this epistle is “my epistle, to which I have wedded myself,” highlighting its importance in his theology. Luther also warned against the dangers of legalism and works-righteousness, urging Christians to rest solely in God’s grace. Galatians, for Luther, was the cornerstone of Christian liberty and a safeguard against any teaching that compromised the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement.

LENTEN BIBLE CHALLENGE . . . Since we will be meditating on the Book of Galatians through our Lenten midweeks, let us read through the book each week in preparation for the midweek services.

MARTIN & KATIE CONFERENCE . . . Join us for the 2024 Martin + Katie Conference at University Lutheran Church in Champaign, IL on Saturday, April 6, 2024. At this free conference, learn about being men and women in Christ, meet new friends, get to know each other, and have fun. The conference is open to ages 18–35. Married or single are welcome. Registration is required, as capacity is limited. Info and registration are available at http://martinpluskatie.org. Plus: Extra bonus activities planned for Friday night, April 5, and Saturday night, April 6! All are invited to stay for Sunday Bible Class, Divine Service, and lunch on Sunday, April 7.

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.

ALTAR GUILD . . . Please sign up for a month to serve on the Altar Guild, caring for our Lord’s body & blood just as the woman who went to be tomb sought to care for the body of Jesus. There are spots available for Junior members to sign up.

FUNERAL CHAIR . . . 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.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN . . . for the 2025 Martin + Katie Conference at University Lutheran Church in Champaign, Illinois, on Saturday, March 29, 2025. At this free conference, grow as Christian mean and women, meet new friends, get to know each other, and have fun. The conference is open to ages 18-30. Married or single are welcome. Registration is required as capacity is limited. Please register no later than Friday, March 21. Info and registration are available at http://martinpluskatie.org.

JOIN THE LINK . . . You’ve heard it said that the family that prays together stays together. Something similar happens in congregations. The congregation that knows each other grows together, and the congregation that grows together stands together. That is what The Link is all about. It’s about getting linked up with someone else in our church in order to know, grow, and stand together. The Link is an opportunity during Lent for members high-school age and up to be partnered with another member of our church 1:1 in order to get to know them better, grow together where God has placed you, and stand together as members of God’s family. You can sign up for The Link by filling out the form on the table in the Narthex and returning it in the box provided.

2025 NOT ASHAMED CONFERENCE . . . It is time to begin planning the 2025 Not Ashamed Conference, and you are invited to join in on the fun as a member of the planning committee for 2025! The first meeting will take place on Monday, March 3 at 6:00 pm in the double classroom.

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.