Join Us for Ash Wednesday Service at 7pm
- We begin our Journey together tonight, Wed. March 6th for Ash Wednesday Service at 7pm. Please join us as we take our first steps together on our annual Lenten pilgrimage. And as Little Luther says below, we better get our Ash in Church!
- But that's not all! Please look below for further updates: Chief among them, I ask for your response on whether or not you'd like to join us for our Remember Your Baptism Pool Party. If you are able to go, please click on the response invitation below!
- As we have been announcing, we are having a Remember Your Baptism Pool Party at the Bolingbrook Rec and Aquatic Center on Sunday March 10th from 6:30-8:30pm!
- It is a private event just for our two congregations to enjoy
- You do not need to swim to join in on the fun. Just come together and make connections :)
- Feel free to bring snacks to share!
- If you are able to go, please click the RSVP below as we need a count before Sunday's event. Thank you so much!!
Mar
10
Remember Your Baptism Pool Party!
Bolingbrook Rec & Aquatic Center: 200 Lindsey Ln, Bolingbrook, IL 60440
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Are you going?
Yes
No
Maybe
going.
not going.
might be going.
Ash Wednesday Tonight @ Joyful Spirit!
Wednesday, March 6th
Ash Wednesday
Sermon: "First Steps"
Worship - 7pm
Faith & Fellowship!
- Lent Begins This Wednesday March 6th! We begin with our Ash Wednesday service here at Joyful Spirit at 7pm with communion and the imposition of Ashes. Form there we will be partnering with New Life Lutheran Church this Year! Here are all the things we have planned for Lent, so mark your calendars now!
- Sunday 3/10: Remember Your Baptism Pool Party: 6:30pm: BRAC
- Wednesday 3/13: Lenten Prayer: From Darkness to Light: 7:30pm: Joyful Spirit
- Journey through the Stations of the Cross 1-7 followed by discussion
- Pastor Rakel leading
- Wednesday 3/20: Lenten Prayer: From Darkness to Light: 7:30pm: New Life
- Journey through Stations of the Cross 8-14 followed by discussion
- Pastor Dave leading
- Sunday 3/24: A Pulpit Swap! Pastor Rakel of New Life will preach and Preside here at Joyful Spirit and I over at New Life :)
- Week of March 24-31: Lenten Photos: Images of Hope and Light
- This focuses on the hope and light we see in our world today.
- Everyone is invited to share photos based on pre-determined topics.
- Topics will be announced on Facebook during that week.
- Wednesday 4/3: Drink 'N' The Word: 7:30pm: The Nest
- Both Congregations gather at the Nest for discussion!
- Saturday 4/13: Service Project: Lenten Blessing of Our Community Stations 9:30am: Joyful Spirit:
- We will be collecting throughout Lent items to assemble into Gift Baskets for each shift of our Bolingbrook Fire Houses.
- We will meet on 4/13 to assemble the baskets and deliver them to the stations!
- Thursday 4/18: Maundy Thursday Worship: 7pm: Joyful Spirit
- Friday 4/19: Good Friday Worship: 7pm: Joyful Spirit
- Sunday 4/21: Easter Sunday Worship: 10am: Joyful Spirit
It promises to be a fulfilling and meaningful Lent between our two communities and for our two communities. I can't wait to take this journey with you all!
Faith & Fellowship!
- Wednesday Ministries Have Begun!
- Bible Study: TONIGHT, 7pm here at Joyful Spirit. We'll be covering Luther and the Reformation :)
- Beer & Bibles @ Bulldogs: 7pm on Wed. the 18th.
- Book Group: 7pm Wed. Oct. 25th here at Joyful Spirit.
- Oktoberfest & Karaoke
- Join us for Karaoke Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 14th, from 6-11 PM.
- Cost is $20 per ticket and includes music, dinner, and beer.
- Pollyanna (a micro-brewery in Lemont, IL) is donating 2 of their specialty brews, but you may also bring your own libations or soft drinks.
- 50/50 raffle tickets are also available to support the ELCA Youth Gathering Trip! Tickets are $5 for 6 tickets; you need not be present to win.
- See Karen Cecchetti to purchase your tickets this Sunday!
- Sowing the Seeds of Faith
- Saturday, October 28th, 6pm at Faith Lutheran Church, 353 N. Midland Ave. Joliet, IL
- Join us for an evening of fellowship and faith stories in action. We'll be sharing our own story of how we used our seed money as well as hear the stories of others. Lets go and see how our faith impacts lives!
- Do you know of any young families who would be interested in attending Joyful Spirit’s family ministries and events? If so, tell us or talk to Becky Elliott! We’ll be starting a mom/family group through Joyful Spirit starting this November! Interested? Please contact Becky at becky.a.elliott@gmail.com
- SAVE THE DATE! The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation is Sunday, October 29th @ 10 AM
Grow & Serve - Outreach!
- Free Mini-Pantry
- We are pleased to announce our “Blessing Box” Ministry is up & running! The box is located at the curve in our driveway. You can help by donating canned goods & non-perishables to keep the box well-stocked, so that those in need may help themselves to what they need (anytime, day or night.) As the box says, “Take what you need, leave what you can.”
- We are pleased to announce our “Blessing Box” Ministry is up & running! The box is located at the curve in our driveway. You can help by donating canned goods & non-perishables to keep the box well-stocked, so that those in need may help themselves to what they need (anytime, day or night.) As the box says, “Take what you need, leave what you can.”
- Donate to Lutheran Disaster Relief
- Donate online towards ELCA’s Lutheran Disaster Response for peoples affected by all the recent natural disasters (both American and world-wide. ) You can donate (and specify which disaster if you so choose) online here at this link: Lutheran Disaster Relief - Together we can make a difference!
- Compass Church Food Pantry
- Donate non-perishable food for the Compass Church Food Pantry in Bolingbrook in the Café any Sunday.
- Morningstar Mission Soup Kitchen
- Sign up to help serve hot meals to the hungry at Morningstar Mission, Joliet for 2019.
- This is a great! way for you to model discipleship for your children, as you serve God as a family!
Joyful Spirit Online!
- Stay Connected!
- VISIT US on our website at Joyful Spirit and FOLLOW US on Facebook at for photos, event details, inspiration, sermon previews & more!
- You can also SIGN UP to get texts via FlockNote. This new messaging system lets you choose what info you’d like to receive – via email or text message - from the various ministries and groups in our church. You can also update your contact information there as well! Text “JOYFULSPIRIT” to 84576 to subscribe to FlockNote. Text STOP to 84576 to stop txt notifications at any time. Text HELP for help. There is no charge for this service, butyour carrier message and data rates may apply. View privacy policy & conditions at flocknote.com.
- Sermons Online
- Did you miss a Sunday and one of Pastor Dave’s wonderful sermons? No worries! Did you really enjoy a sermon and want to share it with someone? Now you can! You can listen to any/all of Pastor Dave’s sermons by clicking here any time: Pastor Dave's Sermons
- The updates are complete! With many thanks to Debbie Brumfield and Terra Mazur, our online sermons are now updated to listen to once again. Thank you for your patience!
- Shopping Online?
- Use GOODSEARCH as your search engine and Joyful Spirit will receive a percentage every time you do
- Shop AMAZON SMILE at this provided link and support Joyful Spirit as you shop for all your needs!
ELCA News & Resources
- The Church Cannot Stay Silent – The War on Racism
- “All are precious in His sight.” ~ Click here to read Bishop Jeffrey Clements’ appeal to all Lutherans, to stand up to white supremacists.
- “Living Lutheran” Online Magazine
- A great way to stay informed about current events from the church’s perspective.
- “Making Christ Known” – Synod Newsletter
- In keeping with the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, NIS is focusing it’s newsletters on Luther’s Small Catechism.
- Click here to read or print this newsletter: Making Christ Known
ELCA News & Resources
- The Church Cannot Stay Silent – The War on Racism
- “All are precious in His sight.” ~ Click here to read Bishop Jeffrey Clements’ appeal to all Lutherans, to stand up to white supremacists.
- “Living Lutheran” Online Magazine
- A great way to stay informed about current events from the church’s perspective.
- “Making Christ Known” – Synod Newsletter
- In keeping with the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, NIS is focusing it’s newsletters on Luther’s Small Catechism.
- Click here to read or print this newsletter: Making Christ Known
- 500th Anniversary of the Reformation (Documentary)
- October 31st, 2017 is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation!
- Visit our BONUS page on our website to learn more about it and watch for free Rick Steves' new Luther Documentary!
Weekly Devotion:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Will you attend a service of worship today to begin Lent with prayer and ashes? Sociological studies and Scripture alike tell us that a vital, living faith thrives in community and withers in isolation. In today's increasingly fragmented and individualistic culture, coming together to confess our sins, to pray for God's mercy, and to commit ourselves again to the loving way of Jesus is a radically counter-cultural act.
As we enter Lent together, let's not forget, though: it's not going to church, or receiving ashes, or any of the faithful things that we do in public or in private that put us right with God, but God's gracious Spirit at work within us. It is the Spirit who leads us to pray and to seek God, the Spirit who calls us together into community and makes us the body of Christ, and the Spirit who is already at work among our neighbors, teaching us all how to love.
Sweet Lord, help me to let go of the ways in which I hope to impress others. Turn me only toward you, so that my whole life is filled with your goodness to overflowing. Amen.
Bethany Ringdal, '19
M.Div. student, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn.
