From the Pastor:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3a
How often have you heard, read, or said these words? Psalm 23 may be one of the most well-known passages in the Bible and is recited by all kinds of people in all sorts of circumstances, especially when a Christian discovers that he or she needs comfort. It is a prayer of trust and a confession of our hope, that God truly is our shepherd and he cares for us, guides us, protects us, and keeps us all our life long.
But the promise of this Psalm goes beyond just this life. Because our Shepherd also knows when we need rest. The day will come for us all—unless Jesus comes again—when we will rest in the arms of our savior. The one who has led us our whole life through will say to us, “Lie down in these green pastures. Rest beside still waters. Be refreshed and restored. The weariness and pains of life is behind you. Rest now in my care.” The Shepherd will guide us to a true rest.
And then, he will take up his staff again, and continue to lead us. He will guide us out of the valley of the shadow of death into a new life eternal, where a table is laid before us. He will bring us into His new creation, where we will never have hurts or wants or lacks. We will be given all we need. We will be His sheep, and He will be our Shepherd. And I shall not want.
| Date | Attendance | Offering | Mission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-02 | 47 | $456.00 | |
| 4-06 | 77 | $3566.00 | |
| 4-09 | 57 | $471.00 | |
| 4-13 | 57 | $5894.33 | |
| 4-18 | 48 | $685.00 | |
| 4-19 | 45 | $135.00 | |
| 4-20 Easter | 62 | $2,280.00 | |
| Home | $805.00 | ||
| 4-27 | 63 | $2711.00 | $10.00 |
| Food Pantry | $800.00 | ||
| Men’s Restroom | $100.00 | ||
| Parsonage Windows | $1,200.00 | ||
| Seminary | $200.00 |
Please notify Joy if anyone could be removed from the Prayer List.
Save the date – Sunday May 4 to attend the 95th birthday party to honor Fred E Rhoda. The celebration will be held at the church parish hall from 2 to 4.
His actual birthday is May 3 and if unable to attend the open house you may send a card to 406 W Owsley St, Chenoa, IL 61726.
The Ladies Bible study group will resume meeting on Wednesdays, at 2 p.m. We will be using the study book Bless These Lips:40 Days of Spiritual Renewal by Sharla Fritz. The study books are at the back of church-please take one even if you will be doing the study on your own. The ladies are welcome to join the group on Wednesdays when you can. See Pam Norris if any questions.
I will be out of town a few times over the next several months. Would anyone be willing to bake for our members on one of the following:
5/25/25, 07/13/25 and 8/3/25. Please let Pam know if you can assist in this ministry.
May 7: Step 2: soothe
May 14: Step 3: plump
May 21: Step 4: line
May 28: Step 5: color
June 4: Step 6: gloss
June 11: Step 7: seal
June 18: Step 8: smile
Diane and I appreciate the donations of baking supplies and monies to support the baking we do for our brothers and sisters in Christ. These donations are not expected but much appreciated. Pam Norris
Sunday School Teachers: Sunday School for the current school year ends May 18. As children grow older and efforts to grow our congregation as we serve the community continue, we are starting to plan for the 2025-26 school year. The goal is to provide lessons for the following age groups: Little Lambs (1-3 year olds), PreK-1st grade, 2nd-4th grade, 5th-7th grade, and 8th-12th grade. We are in need of additional teachers to make this possible. Those interested would not have to commit to every week as we can develop a schedule and curriculum and materials will be provided. You can be, but don’t have to be a teacher to teach. Think about Jesus’ disciples; all of them had other professions too! If you have questions, or are interested in serving in this important ministry, contact Stacey Shrewsbury.
Easter Egg Hunt: While the sky was overcast, the rain held off and we were able to have the Easter egg hunt and activities on Saturday, April 19 with 20 children and 15 adults in attendance. Thank you to Diane Brandt, Cindy Meister, Lois Pulaski (with honorable mention to Greg), Kayla Ronchetto, Connie Rork, Carolyn Shane, and John Shrewsbury for their help in filling over 900 eggs. Also, thanks to Liz Easley for use of traffic cones to block driveway entrances.
Special thanks to Stacey Shrewsbury and her family for organizing the Easter Egg Hunt.
The next book club read will be Go As A River by Shelly Read. Inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the town Iola Colorado in the 1960’s it is a heartbreaking coming of age story of a resilient young women. We will be meeting May 15th at 6:30 at church.
Bobby Jolly has a combination printer scanner and Android smartphone he would like to donate to someone in need. He will be able to provide setup services for both devices if needed. Please contact him at 949-929-6031 if interested.
