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Table of Contents Page 2: 150th Anniversary

Page 3: 150th Anniversary

Page 4: Immanuel News

Page 5: Mission in Action

Page 6: Immanuel School

Page 7: Youth

Page 8: Care Ministry

Page 9: Bits and Pieces

Page 10: Bits and Pieces

Page 11: Financials

May and June Schedule of Events

May 2nd May 22nd National Day of Prayer ILS Graduation 7pm

May 2nd

A Matter of Balance class begins May31 - June 1st Poured Out

May 4th & 5th Mary Martha Bake Sale

After Church Services June 5th Service of Hope and Healing

May 5th 7pm Confirmation

1pm June 8th ILS/Church Reunion

3pm Tours May 8th 4:30pm Dinner 10 Signs of Alzheimer's 10am

June 9th - 15th May 11th Belize Mission Trip Celebrate CommUNITY RRVBC Mobile Blood Drive June 10th 11am - 2pm Summertime Knights Day Camp Starts May 11th & 12th Comfort Dog Bake Sale June 10th - 14th Meals on Wheels May 13th Spring Congregational Assembly June 17th 6pm Culvers Night 5-8pm May 17th & 18th Immanuel North Rummage Sale

June 24 - 28th May 21st Vacation Bible School Once-A-Month Bible Study 11am (Sanctuary—Door #1) 6:30am (Conference Room—Door#18)

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150th Anniversary T-Shirt Order Get your 150 Anniversary T-shirt NOW! Wear it to all upcoming 150th celebration events. We will have a congregational photo opportunity on Legacy Sunday, September 22nd, when the LCMS President is visiting. We are asking everyone to wear their t-shirts that morning as we build a human 150 for an aerial picture. Don’t wait to order your shirts!!

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Senior Pastor Search Update The Search Committee continues to move

foward. Thanks for your prayers for the process during

the season of Lent. The committee has narrowed the list

down to just a couple candidates and are looking for-

ward to follow-up visits/conversations with these men in

May. This is very exciting!

Immanuel’s Weekly E-Newsletter. This is another way to receive up-to-the minute information on important events and upcoming services at Immanuel. Please give us your current e-mail address. Email mpeterson@immanuelbelvidere.org

Meals on Wheels Delivery weeks for Meals on Wheels is June 10th—14th. Delivery begins at 11:15 am and takes 45 minutes to an hour. Watch the bulletin tear offs to sign-up.

Reflections from Recruitment Director, Russ Balsman

Did you know?

CS Lewis was a former Oxford Professor, Christian apologist, and lay theologian of legendary status. Here are some of my favorite Lewis’ quotes. “Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”

“A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to wor-ship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word “darkness” on the walls of his cell.” “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” “God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.”

Edith Schiltz Scholarship Applications The Edith Schiltz Scholarship is meant to provide tui-tion assistance to students who are members of Im-manuel Lutheran Church and are attending or plan-ning to attend a Lutheran Church Missiouri Synod col-lege or university. Applications are available in the church office. Please turn in completed applications by July 1st. Applicants will also need to prepare a brief essay on why he or she has selected the particular university or college and their major field of study. Scholarship preference will be for students who are preparing for a professional church vocation such as the ministry or teaching profession.

Pastor/Teacher Encouragement Fund Appli-cations This fund is to provide assistance to Immanuel mem-bers who have entered or are seeking to enter full-time church work in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Applications are available in the church office.

Pictorial Directory A new pictorial directory will be published later this year, while commemorating the 150th anniver-sary of Immanuel.

Please plan for your household to be included. A new photography company will be used. Sessions will be held July 30 & 31, August 1, 2, & 3, and August 27 - 31. Viewing will take place immediately following the photo session. A free

8x10 portrait (No purchase is necessary)

will be given to each family. Watch for infor-

mation on dates and times to sign up. This is a great way to help our new Pastor put names with faces!!

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We pleased to announce the graduation of 16 fine young people from Immanuel Lutheran School. These students have completed the required courses of study and are ready to con-tinue their schooling at various area high schools. We will miss their individual personalities and the contribution they have made to making ILS a special and unique place to attend. May God continue to bless their studies. Pastor Keith Richard will speak at the service on Wednesday, May 22nd. The graduates are Teagan Anderson, Nathan Bradford, Angelina Brongiel, Ashton Diercks, Gus Green, Kaylee Homeyer, Kenzi Lusz, Cooper Meyers, Adelyn Richard, Samuel Salgado, Izabella Schossow, Shayna Stoklosa, Noah Wagner, Mykaela We-ber, Brooke Wedekind, and Donavan Wollman.

Mark Your Calendars Thursday, May 9 at 7:00 PM

Immanuel Lutheran School’s Fifth-Eighth Grade Students Present

Tickets on Sale in the School Office

Adults: $3.00 Students (PreK4-8th

Grade): $1.00

Summertime Knights – Looking for summer camp for your child(ren)? ILS will offer seven weeks of summer fun starting the week of June 10 and ending the week of July 29. “Summertime Knights” Day Camp information is locat-ed at the Connections Center, on the school website, and in the school office.

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May/June Connections

Confirmation: May 5 at 1pm is the Rite of Confirmation service for Omega (2nd yr. students). Omega huddle group leaders are encouraged to attend. Information meeting for 2018-2019 confirmation year (please attend one date-both parents and students) for Alpha and Omega students

May 15 from 5:30pm in the Fellowship Hall Enter door #4 May 19 at 12:15pm in the Fellowship Hall Enter door #4

Summer Confirmation is June 18 & July 18 High School: May 5, 19, June 2, 9, 16, 30 HSM 7-9pm at CrownPoint May 12 Scavenger Hunt CrownPoint 5-8pm No HSM May 26 June 23 Summer Kick-Off Barbeque 5-9pm at Josh’s-323 Main St Poplar Grove

Poured Out 2019 May 31-June 2 POURED OUT is a weekend mission experience for students currently in 5th-7th grades. Students spend the weekend at Immanuel Lutheran Church and get a chance to see just what a mission trip looks like while serving in the Belvidere/Rockford area. Cost will be $50 per student. That includes: T-Shirt, water bottle, food, an evening activity, everything throughout the weekend, and everything needed for the weekend to have an amazing time. Sign up is available online at www.immanueljhm.com, Sign up cost bumps up to $60 starting May 13.

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WALTER LAWSON Spring is in the air and the kids at Walter Lawson are looking forward to getting outside and going on field trips. We continue to visit twice a month. We finished up the scrapbooks from last year and started the new ones for 2019. We will be visiting on the following dates: May 6th, May 20th, June 3rd and June 17th at 6:00 p.m. If you are interested in joining our ministry, please contact Sue Goll 815-544-9723. CARING CRAFTERS Caring Crafters have lots of projects this spring. We have completed “tag blankets” for the new baby program, we are working on bags to be used at “Celebrate CommUNITY”, we will be working on flannel blankets for the Belize trip, 35 wrist fidget cuffs were made for the nursing homes and bibs. We have a great group of women who come and sew, and we enjoy great fellowship together. If you are interested in joining us for sewing or would like more information, contact Sue Goll 815-544-9723. Our sewing dates for May and June are: May 7th and May 23, June 4th and June 20th We meet in the Multi-Use Room from 1-4 p.m.

Know the 10 Signs: Early Detection Matters Alzheimer's and related dementias such as Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia and Parkinson’s disease are included in a group of brain disorders that cause a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. Memory loss that disrupts daily life may be a symp-tom of Alzheimer's or other memory disorders. Early identification and diagnosis is a chance to seek treatment and plan for your fu-ture. This presentation by Susan Sklar of the Alzheimer’s Association will include education on the 10 warning signs and symptoms of a brain disorder and compare them to typical age-related changes. Immanuel’s Care Ministry Team will be hosting an opportunity to edu-cate yourself or a loved one on the 10 Signs. Please invite a friend and join us in the Fellowship Hall (enter Door #4) on: Wednesday, May 8th from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. A Matter of Balance – Offered by Lifescape Many older adults experience concerns about falling and restrict their activities. Don’t let that happen to you. Join us beginning Thurs-day’s, May 2nd – June 20th from 9 – 11am in the Adult Ed Room (enter thru main school Door #14). A Matter of Balance is an award-winning program designed to help to manage falls and increase activity levels. FREE of charge. You must register to attend this class. Space is limited, sign-up in the hallway.

Support Groups Alzheimer’s Support Group Are you a caregiver for someone who has been diagnosed with one of the many forms of Dementia or Alzheimer’s? There is a group that will walk alongside you during this journey. The Alzheimer’s Support Group meets the 1st Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room (Enter Door #14). Cancer Care Do you know someone who is battling cancer? A friend, a family member, or maybe even yourself. Our Cancer Care Ministry Team of Immanuel has you at heart. Please call the church office at 815-544-8058 and they will connect you with a Ministry Team Leader. Our Cancer Care Team Members are trained and ready to walk hand in hand with both patient and caregivers as you journey through this trial sharing the true HOPE from Christ.

JOY (55+ Years Old) JOY will be meeting on May 17th, Cheryl Gieseke will be our speaker, she is excited to share her prison ministry with us. We will meet at 4:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall, Door #4, a Chicken Casserole dinner will be served, if you would like, bring a salad or dessert. JOY will be meeting on June 21st, Pastor Caleb Schauer, from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Union, will be our speaker, “God Works in Small and Big Ways”. We will meet in the fellowship hall, Door #4. At 2:00 p.m. We will have a salad luncheon after Pastor Caleb’s presentation, feel free to bring a salad of your choice.

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Mark your calendars for July 20th, JOY will be sponsoring a “ROCKFORD RIVETS” base-ball game. More information will be coming.

TOURS TO THE HOLY LAND AND GERMANY Rev. Darold Reiner, a retired LCMS Pastor, has hosted numer-ous LCMS Biblical Tours. For more information about his up-coming tours, please contact Pastor Reiner directly at imhis38@gmail.com or 406-890-1149.

HOLY LAND TOUR Visiting the Biblical sites in Israel and Jordan Discount Available (November 12-23, 2019)

GERMANY TOUR Visiting the Oberammergau Pas-sion Play and Luther sites (June 28 – July 8, 2020)

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Hospital Visits If you, a loved one, or a friend is in the hospital and would like a pastoral visit, please contact the Church Office at 815-544-8058. Pastor Pollock or Pastor Richard would be happy to visit and offer care, compassion, prayer and the Word of God during their stay.

Once - A - Month Bible Study May 2nd

No June Bible Study 11am Sanctuary (Door #1)

6:30pm Conference Room (Door #18) Join Pastor Pollock and remember your Bible.

Immanuel North will be having its annual “rummage” sale Friday, May 17th and Saturday morning, May 18th. All proceeds are given back to the Poplar Grove Community. Any “treasures” that you might want to donate can be brought to Immanuel North during the week of May 11th (after worship). Please call, Eileen Hill, 815.262.5545 or Pastor Rick, 815.871.6051 before you come so that someone can be there. And…please, NO adult clothing.

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Connections

Immanuel Lutheran Church 1225 E. 2nd Street Belvidere, IL 61008 Return Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage PAID

Belvidere, IL Permit #93

Worship Services at Immanuel: Wednesdays—7:00 p.m. Saturdays—6:00 p.m. Sundays—8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. Worship Services at Immanuel North: Sundays—10:45 a.m.

Sunday School: Sundays—9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Classes Sundays—9:30 a.m.

Immanuel Lutheran Church Immanuel North: 1225 E. 2nd Street 13535 Route 76 Belvidere, IL 61008 Poplar Grove, IL 61065 PH: 815-544-8058 PH: 815-544-8058 FAX: 815-544-8059 WEB: www.immanuelbelvidere.org EMAIL: info@immanuelbelvidere.org