HolyWeek Holy Week is my favorite time of the year. We make our way from Jerusalem’s gate to the temple, from the temple to an upper room, from an upper room to Gethsemane, from Gethsemane to the courtyard of the high priest, from the courtyard of the high priest to the Praetorium, and finally from the Praetorium to Golgotha. We hear about a donkey, hosannas, a backroom deal, the Passover, a foot washing, bread and wine, body and blood, a hymn, a garden, a series of prayers, a kiss, a betrayal, a sword, a severed ear, false accusations, a slap, some spit, a whip, a scepter, a scarlet robe, a crown of thorns, a tunic, an agonizing walk, and the place of the skull. We count thirty pieces of silver, three crosses, six excruciating hours, and seven final words. We meet followers, disciples, women, religious leaders, scoffers, plotters, a betrayer, a denier, high priests, a governor, a local king, soldiers, a murderer, thieves, and a centurion. And there, in the center of it all, is our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is what makes this week what it is. Jesus is what makes this week holy. Holiness is what Jesus came to restore to fallen mankind. For there on the cross we see humanity in all of its unholiness. Look closely. Do you see it? There is Jesus, shouldering the weight of the world’s sin. Your sin. The worst part of you. The part others see and the part you do your best to hide. It’s all there on Jesus’ shoulders. And what holds Jesus to the cross? Not the nails. Not really. As true God, He could have come down from the cross any moment He wanted. What really holds Jesus to the cross is His love for you. For me. For the world. That’s what makes this week my favorite time of the year. As a sinner, I need His forgiveness, His redemption, His salvation, His holiness. And so do you. And then, after a brief Sabbath rest in the tomb, our Lord is raised victoriously from the dead to usher in His new creation. Sin, death, and hell have been defeated. The world has been reconciled. Sinners have been redeemed. Holiness has been restored. Now that’s worth celebrating. For all of God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. As you celebrate our Lord’s resurrection this year, I ask you to ponder anew all that He has accomplished for you. The list is endless. Forgiveness, life, and salvation are the crowned jewels of Easter. But behind those jewels are plenty of other gems as well. Consider the following. Because of Easter...

• the cherubim that once guarded the way to the Tree of Life have placed their flaming sword back into its sheath, that you, the sons and daughters of Adam, might return to God’s Paradise;

• the One greater than Noah has emerged from the flood of God’s wrath, that you, His people, might find rest and safety within the ark of His Church until He leads you at last to your heavenly Ararat;

• the Passover Lamb who was slaughtered that the angel of eternal death might pass over has been raised to new life, that you, His sheep, might forever be protected from that Satanic wolf;

Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

APRIL 2017 NEWSLETTER

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” [Saint John 10:27]

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• the hellish Pharaoh and his demonic army have been drowned in the Red Sea of Christ’s death and resurrection, that you might pass through Holy Baptism into a new life and at last enter the Promised Land;

• the One stronger than Samson has pulled down the pillars of God’s judgment upon sin, death, and the power of the devil, that you might be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might;

• great David’s Greater Son has conquered that hellish Goliath by striking death itself in the forehead, that you might live before God in peace and quietness all the days of your life;

• the One greater than Jonah has come forth alive from three days in the belly of the earth, that you, the Ninevites, might hear and believe the good news that God is gracious and merciful;

• the Temple that was destroyed by God’s justice on Good Friday has been raised up, rebuilt, resurrected, that you might become a temple of the Holy Spirit and glorify God in your body and in your spirit.

As Holy Scripture make clear, Jesus is what makes this week holy. Jesus is what makes you holy. So have a blessed Holy Week, celebrating the holiness He won for you on the cross and now gives you in Word and Sacrament. This truly is the best week of the year! PastorMumme

Palm Sunday | April 9 Divine Service @ 9:00 a.m.

Holy Monday-Wednesday | April 10–12 Prayer Services @ Noon

Maundy Thursday | April 13 Solemn Divine Service @ 7:00 p.m.

Good Friday | April 14 Tenebrae Service @ 7:00 p.m.

Holy Saturday | April 15 Candlelight Easter Vigil @ 7:00 p.m.

Easter Sunday | April 16 Festive Sunrise Matins @ 6:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast @ 7:30 a.m. Festive Divine Service @ 9:00 a.m.

Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the Triduum—the three days that lead us from the upper room to the empty tomb. This solemn Divine Service begins with corporate confession and absolution, includes Holy Scripture readings and a sermon on God’s new covenant, focuses on the Holy Supper our Lord Jesus gives His people, and concludes with Psalm 22 and the stripping of the altar in preparation for Good Friday.

Good Friday On Good Friday we ponder anew God’s great love for us in Jesus Christ—the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. This Tenebrae Service (service of darkness) features Isaiah’s prophecy of Christ’s sacrifice, the Passion according to Saint John, and choral selections on the seven words of Christ from the cross. It concludes in almost total darkness as we ponder the wages of our sin and what it cost Christ to redeem us.

Easter Vigil On Holy Saturday we celebrate our baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection. This candlelight service begins in almost total darkness with the lighting of the paschal candle, features Old Testament readings that foreshadow and explain our baptismal life in Christ, and ends with the first proclamation of Easter. Come and join in one of the church year’s most beautiful services.

Easter Sunday Easter is our annual celebration of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Our sunrise service focuses on Saint John’s account of the resurrection. Between services all are invited to a continental breakfast in Luther Hall. The late service focuses on Saint Matthew’s account of the resurrection and includes the Supper of our Lord’s resurrected body and blood. Both services will feature special choral and instrumental music. Come and celebrate our Lord’s resurrection with your brothers and sisters in Christ!

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Easter Breakfast

The youth group invites you to enjoy a delicious breakfast in Luther Hall between services on Easter Sunday (7:30–8:30 a.m.). Skip the morning hassle at home, enjoy some fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ over breakfast at church, and help our youth out in the process. Free-will donations will be put toward the upcoming youth conference. Treat your friends and neighbors to breakfast and a festive Divine Service this Easter!

Bible & Lutheranism Studies Sunday Bible Class Topic: 1–2 Thessalonians When: Sunday mornings @ 10:30 a.m. Where: Luther Hall Men’s Bible Breakfast Topic: Man Up! When: Saturday, April 30 @ 8:30 a.m. Where: Golden Corral Women’s Bible Study Topic: A Sparrow’s Worth When: Tuesday, April 11 @ 1:00 p.m. Where: Luther Hall Book of Concord Study Topic: The Augsburg Confession When: Tuesday, April 18 @ 7:00 p.m. Where: Luther Hall

New Church Directory

The new church directories have arrived. Each family unit who had a photo taken will receive one free directory. Stop by Luther Hall to get yours. Directories are $10 each for those who weren’t photographed or those who would like an additional copy.

Calendar

Week of Lent 5 Sun, Apr 2, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, Apr 2, 10:30 am Bible Class & Sunday School Tue, Apr 4, 7:00 pm Elders Meeting Wed, Apr 5, 2:45 pm Youth Catechesis 1 Wed, Apr 5, 5:00 pm Youth Catechesis 2 Wed, Apr 5, 7:00 pm Evening Prayers Wed, Apr 5, 7:45 pm Choir Practice Thu, Apr 6, 7:00 pm Council Meeting Sat, Apr 8, 10:00 am Learnahan Baptism

Holy Week Sun, Apr 9, 9:00 am Solemn Divine Service Sun, Apr 9, 10:00 am Thrivent Bake-a-Thon Sun, Apr 9, 10:30 am Bible Class & Sunday School Mon, Apr 10, 12:00 pm Prayer Service Tue, Apr 11, 12:00 pm Prayer Service Tue, Apr 11, 1:00 pm Women’s Bible Study Wed, Apr 12, 12:00 pm Prayer Service Wed, Apr 12, 7:00 pm Choir Practice Thu, Apr 13, 7:00 pm Solemn Divine Service Fri, Apr 14, 7:00 pm Tenebrae Service Sat, Apr 15, 10:00 am Easter Decorating Sat, Apr 15, 7:00 pm Candlelight Easter Vigil

Week of Easter Sun, Apr 16 6:30 am Easter Sunrise Service Sun, Apr 16, 7:30 am Easter Breakfast Sun, Apr 16, 9:00 am Easter Festive Divine Service Tue Apr 18, 7:00 pm Book of Concord Study Wed, Apr 19, 2:45 pm Youth Catechesis 1 Wed, Apr 19, 5:00 pm Youth Catechesis 2 Sat, Apr 22, 6:00 pm McClain Fundraiser

Week of Easter 2 Sun, Apr 23, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, Apr 23, 10:30 am Bible Class & Sunday School Tue, Apr 25, 9:00 am Pastor @ Circuit Meeting Wed, Apr 26, 11:00 am Pastor @ NICL Study Wed, Apr 26, 2:45 pm Youth Catechesis 1 Wed, Apr 26, 5:00 pm Youth Catechesis 2 Wed, Apr 26, 7:00 pm Choir Practice Sat, Apr 29, 8:30 am Men’s Bible Breakfast Sat, Apr 29, 11:30 am Boyer Baptism

Week of Easter 3 Sun, Apr 30, 9:00 am Divine Service Sun, Apr 30, 10:00 am Catechesis Bake Sale Sun, Apr 30, 10:30 am Bible Class & Sunday School

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April Birthdays 02 Christine Stocker 03 Renata Fiolka 07 Wendy Jordan 09 Kaleigh Reimers 10 Daniel Shurhay 10 Elizabeth Shurhay 10 Laverne Stephens 12 Robin Wise 13 Paul Weberling 22 Denise Ziesemer 25 Jesse Pape 25 Timothy Pape 26 Pastor Mumme 28 Kane Murray 29 Dawn Smith

Baptismal Anniversaries 01 Jacob Page 01 Aubrey Thornton 01 Diane Weaver 02 Larry Kreier 03 Nadine Parmenter 10 Luciano Data 12 Bridget Mazurkiewicz 16 Levi Fox 18 Karen McClain 21 Gail Novy 24 Aimee Mazurkiewicz 25 Braydan Walter 28 Renata Fiolka 29 Cassie Cruz

Wedding Anniversaries 04 James & Laurrie Bingenheimer 21 John & Karen Moritz 26 Brian & Carolynn Mazurkiewicz 26 Jordan & Kerry Walter 28 Michael & Jolene Delaney

Follow Us on Social Media Follow us on social media and keep up to date with church happenings and events, find a variety of photos, and read inspirational posts (quotes and memes) from Holy Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, and various Christians throughout the centuries.

Facebook: fb.me/DSLCbolingbrook Twitter: @dslc60440

Congregational Photo We are going to take our annual congregational photo on Sunday, May 7, immediately following the Divine Service. One camera will be used to avoid confusion on where to look. Digital images and/or prints will be made available soon after to any member who wants a copy. We want every member included, so make plans to join us for worship and then stay for this group photo.

Confirmation

Sunday, May 21 is the day when Vicky Fox will confess her faith publicly and receive our Lord’s true body and blood for the first time. Join her for the festive Divine Service and a reception in Luther Hall afterward.

Little Lambs News

Help Wanted: Teacher Assistant Little Lambs Preschool is now taking applications for anyone who is interested in the position of Teacher Assistant. The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday. We would be willing to hire 2 assistants who were willing to split the hours each week. The only requirement is that applicants must have a high school education or equivalent, and must be 18 years old. Must be willing to work with children and do light housekeeping type work. Applications are available in the preschool office or by contacting me at littlelambs@ds-lcms.org or 630-759-5300 ext. 2.

Terri Kreier, Director

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Church Library Our “book of the month” for April is Martin Luther’s Easter Book. This powerful book of passages from Martin Luther’s writings portrays the reformer’s lasting thoughts on faith, human imperfection, salvation through grace, and the wonder of God. The writings explore events from Holy Week through the Resurrection. They combine marvelous insights with inspiring calls to action that are so characteristic of the great reformer. You can browse the selection of books in our library by visiting librarything.com/catalog/DivineShepherd. Books may be checked out at any time by members.

Yard Work

Our youth group is ready and willing to assist you with spring yard work, mulching, tilling, planting, cleaning gutters, etc. as a fundraiser for next summer’s Higher Things youth conference. Look for the signup sheet in Luther Hall. See Lori Mumme or Nadine Parmenter for more information.

Thrivent Financial Thrivent members are encouraged to donate their Choice Dollars to Divine Shepherd each quarter. The annual “Bake-a-Thon” will be held on Sunday, April 9, so dust off those recipe books and make something for the sale, if you are able. Thrivent along with the Youth Group is sponsoring the annual Easter Breakfast between services. Treat your friends and neighbors to breakfast and a festive Divine Service this Easter.

Ladies Aid As you begin to replace items in your closet for the spring and summer seasons, put aside the clothing you have not worn all winter for our annual Rummage Sale (June 22-24). Clothing, household items, craft supplies, tools, etc. are always in demand. We also have an ongoing clothing drive; if you are not able to store the clothing until the rummage sale, please contact Judy.

All guests and members of this congregation enjoy our Sunday morning snacks. We all benefit when there is an Easter breakfast, a ladies luncheon, a dinner of any kind, or any celebration where food is enjoyed. Lutherans are well known as congregations that like to EAT! Ladies of Divine Shepherd may be the most frequent users of the kitchen, but we all benefit from the food prepared in that kitchen. Ladies Aid has been setting aside a portion of the proceeds of the Rummage Sale for the past couple of years to update and renovate the kitchen. The stove is in an especially dangerous and inconvenient place. You can imagine the renovation of the kitchen will require more than a few dollars. In order to complete this project we will need a substantial amount, and it would take a long time to accomplish with only a portion of the Rummage Sale proceeds saved each year. We need help from the congregation members and other organizations of our church. Please consider giving an extra donation earmarked for this project to Judy Yuenger or any member of the Ladies Aid. Checks should be made payable to ‘DSLC Ladies Aid.’

Graduation season is coming soon. Teenagers are notorious for appreciating gift cards to their favorite stores. Check out the large number of establishments listed on our Manna sheets (you can find them in Luther Hall on the cabinet by the entrance/exit door). The cards are useful for everyday items, too. Turn in dates are April 2 & 23 and May 7 & 21. Our next meeting is May 20 at 11:00 a.m.

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Thanks for Your Generosity

A simple word of thanks for remembering Divine Shepherd with your tithes and offerings. Your generous support of our congregation allows us to proclaim the Gospel, to teach youth and old, to support our pastor, to enrich our services with music, to beautify and maintain our sanctuary and facilities, and so much more.

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine

for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel

from the first day until now.” [Philippians 1:3-5]

Amazon Smile Do you order online from Amazon? Did you know that a small percentage of your order can come back and benefit Divine Shepherd? Simply go to smile.amazon.com, select Divine Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bolingbrook as your charitable organization, and shop like you normally do. Then, begin each of your purchases at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will do the rest. Our congregation will receive 0.5% of every Amazon Smile purchase made by those who designate our congregation as their charitable organization.

Prayer Chain

Several members of our congregation are part of a church prayer chain. If you (women or men) would like to join them in praying for our

congregation’s special needs, please contact Bobbie Light at 630-251-7860 or Pastor Mumme.

Important Phone Numbers Church Office: 630-759-5300 ext. 1 Preschool: 630-759-5300 ext. 2 (Terri Kreier) Pastor Mumme: 815-676-4444 Prayer Chain: 630-251-7860 (Bobbie Light) Newsletter: 630-759-3188 (Karen Moritz)

(items are due April 24)

Easter Flowers Please return the order form (located in the narthex) with your payment for Easter flowers by Sunday, April 9. See Karen Moritz for details. The cost is $10 for each lily or tulip. In lieu of purchasing a flower, monetary donations may be given to the Altar Guild Fund.

Bulletin Covers & Altar Flowers The 2017 flower chart and April–September bulletin charts are posted in the narthex. Sign up for any open Sunday(s) to celebrate a special occasion or to honor/remember someone. Cost of two bouquets is $40, $45, or $50 (subject to change). Cost of bulletins is $10. See Karen Moritz for details.

Sunday Treats Do you enjoy treats and fellowship after Sunday services? If so, please consider signing up on any given Sunday(s). Empty slots means no treats. Consider bringing fruit and/or crackers and cheese for our diabetic members. The 2017 signup sheet is posted on the Luther Hall bulletin board. Monetary donations are accepted to defray the cost of drinks and supplies.

Ink & Toner Cartridges The youth group continues to accept used toner and ink cartridges as a fundraiser. Note that the company we work with only accepts original Brother, Canon, HP, and Lexmark toner cartridges, and original Canon, HP, and Lexmark ink cartridges. These may be dropped off on the shelves near the entrance/exit in Luther Hall. Please recycle toner and ink cartridges not listed above at a location such as Cartridge World. Thanks.

Treasurer’s Report As of February 28 Actual Budget Expenses $30,091 $36,243 Income $35,052 $30,000

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Making the Case Conference The annual Issues, Etc. “Making the Case” Conference is scheduled for June 9-10 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois. This conference is for pastors and laity and will feature six high-profile speakers on the topics of the Reformation’s Relevancy, Depression, Natural Law, News Discernment, Lutheran Piety, and Modern Day Prophets and Apostles. Registration is $120 and includes three meal. Lots of lodging options nearby. Register online at http://issuesetc.org/2017conferences/ or call 618-223-8385 with any questions.

CCA Symposium Concordia Catechetical Academy (CCA) is hosting its 24th annual symposium on June 14-16 at the Country Springs Hotel and Conference Center in Waukesha, Wisconsin. This year’s theme is the Second Article of the Creed and will feature the Rev. Rolf Preus and his sons as presenters. Several of our members have attended this conference in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it. Registration info will be posted in the near future at http://lutherancatechesis.org/symposium/. See Pastor Mumme with any questions.

The Presentation of the Augsburg Confession Sunday, June 25

Reformation Walk

Saturday, September 23

Reformation Sunday: 500th Anniversary Sunday, October 29

Jesus, Crucified for Me

On my heart imprint Your image, Blessed Jesus, King of grace,

That life’s riches, cares, and pleasures Never may Your work erase; Let the clear inscription be:

Jesus, crucified for me, Is my life, my hope’s foundation,

And my glory and salvation!

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The Jelly Bean

Red is for the blood He gave, Green is for the grass He made, Yellow is for the sun so bright, Orange is for the edge of night.

Black is for the sins we made, White is for the grace He gave,

Purple is for His hour of sorrow, Pink is for our new tomorrow.

A handful of jelly beans—

Simple, colorful, and sweet— Reminds us of the reasons

He makes our life so complete.