Sunday Readings

Ezekiel 34:7-15

God will shepherd Israel

Psalm

The King of Love my Shepherd is by Harry Rowe Shelley

Acts 2:42-47

The believers’ common life

John 10:1-10

Christ the shepherd

Today is sometimes called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Jesus is called the “gate” of the sheep in today’s gospel. The risen Christ opens the way to abundant life. He anoints our heads with oil and guides us beside the still waters of our baptism. Each Sunday he spreads a feast before us amid the world’s violence and war. We go forth to be signs of the resurrection and extend God’s tender care to all creation.



Sunday Worship Support

Presiding Minister: Pastor Chris Repp

Assisting Minister: Marlys Scarbrough

Reader: Meg Loven

Deacon: Susan Monte

Cantor: Marlys Scarbrough

Greeters: Bob & Emily Dorsey & Family

Ushers: The Grigorescu & Thackery Families

Livestreamer: Dave Brown

Sound Technician: Kevin Vail

Music Director: Nicholas Pierle

Organist: Mike Keeley    

Coffee Hour: Gail Hug & Mary Jo Erickson

Chancel Flowers: Gail Hug, In memory of loved ones

For the upcoming Worship Support schedule, see the spreadsheet found here on Google Drive.

Reminder:



• The pew pads and pencils are in each of the pews in the sanctuary during the month of April. Please fill them out each week while we work to get an accurate accounting of how many people are worshiping (in-person) at Grace each week.

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING May 17^th, 2026

Please plan to attend our next semi-annual Congregational Meeting on May 17th, 2026, at 10:45am (following the worship service). We will vote on Officer and at-large Council openings, Nominating Committee, the 2025 Audit Report, and Amendments to the Grace Lutheran Constitution as outlined below. The May 2025-2026 Annual Report will also be available. The meeting will be conducted in-person with a Zoom option to participate.

Marlys Scarbrough

Congregational President

Please see the end of the News and Events section in this GraceNotes for the full information on the proposed changes to the Grace Lutheran Constitution.

New Member Reception This Sunday, April 26



At the Easter Vigil on April 4 we received 5 new members by Affirmation of Baptism: Andy and Lacey Grichnik, Gloria and Mike Keeley, and Liv McPherson. Coffee hour this Sunday will double as New Member reception. Come to welcome them, and then stay for the cake.

Adult Sunday School



Stick around after the coffee hour/reception this Sunday to talk about where we go next with Adult Sunday School. Pastor Repp has a few ideas to run by you, but please bring your own ideas as well. We’ll meet in the Hoffmeister Room at 11:00 or so.

Good Shepherd Sunday, April 26, 2026  

This Sunday, April 26th has been designated as Good Shepherd Sunday; a special day each year to recognize and support Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI).

LSSI began in 1867 as an orphanage for children who lost their parents during a cholera epidemic. LSSI has been a leader in social services for over 158 years. In 2025, LSSI served 62,425 people. 

Since its beginnings over a century ago, LSSI has become one of the largest statewide social service providers in Illinois. It is the social ministry organization of the three Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) synods in Illinois. Services and programs include: Foster Care, Family Support Services, Mental Health Services, Substance Use Treatment, Home Care services for senior adults, Affordable senior housing, Housing for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, Programs that help incarcerated individuals remain connected to their children and Case management for returning citizens.

Please consider making a gift to LSSI by donating online at lssi.org or by sending a check to the LSSI offices at 1001 E. Touhy Ave, Suite 50, Des Plaines, IL 60018

Thank you for your prayers and financial support of this program.

The Social Ministry Committee

Blanket Sunday 2026, April 29 - May10

It has long been a tradition at Grace to recognize, honor, and remember the special women in our lives by purchasing a blanket in their name. The Social Ministry Committee is continuing this tradition on Sunday, April 29th through Sunday, May 10th (Mother's Day).

The blankets purchased are distributed around the world by Church World Service. CWS, founded in 1946, is a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. Blankets provide warmth, shade, a way to carry belongings, and a defined space for women, children,and families who have been displaced due to natural or political disasters. 

Blankets can be purchased for $10 in the narthex before or after services on April 29th, May 3rd, and May 10th. Cards will be available to share with your honoree and a display of the names of the women honored will be in the narthex. Checks should be made out to Church World Services and memoed "Blankets".

Thank you for your support!

Grace Lutheran Game Nights in 2026

Gather with friends and enjoy an evening together! Every 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month, from 6-8:00pm, a group meets for Games in the Narthex. The group gathers to enjoy each other's company and engage in card and board games. Mark your calendars!

The next dates for Game Night are Thursday, May 14th and Thursday, May 28th. If you are interested, please let Jim Fleming know. Come and join us, and feel free to bring along your favorite game!

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING May 17, 2026

CONSTITUTION INFORMATION:

At its February 2026 meeting, the Congregation Council passed a resolution recommending that the congregation approve amendments that will bring Grace’s constitution into conformity with the Model Constitution for Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. We adopted our current constitution on March 19, 2018, and at that time it conformed with the ELCA model constitution. Since then, ELCA Churchwide Assemblies in 2019, 2022, and 2025 approved updates to the model constitution. These updates include provisions that ELCA churches must make in their church’s constitutions. By amending our constitution to include these requirements, we can once again bring it into conformity with the model constitution.

You can view the draft amended constitution by clicking here CONSTITUTION. This draft conforms with the ELCA model constitution.

At CONSTITUTION, you can view our current (March 19, 2018) constitution in which yellow highlighter marks the required changes. It is important to note that there are no changes in any provisions except those required by the ELCA.

Alternatively, you can access these documents on the church website by clicking on Resources and choosing Grace Lutheran Constitution.

You can address questions about the changes or the process for effecting the changes to Van Bowersox.

Here is the resolution that Council recommends for approval at the congregation meeting on May 17, 2026.

Whereas,

the text of the constitution of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Champaign, IL, adopted March 19, 2018, is not in conformity with the required provisions approved by the Churchwide Assemblies of 2019, 2022, and 2025;

Resolved,

that the congregation approve amendments that will bring our constitution into compliance with the Model Constitution for Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America without making any changes in the following provisions that are not required and that uniquely describe our church’s structure and governance:

·       paragraph C5.05 authorizing the mission endowment fund,

·       chapter 1 on Name and Incorporation,

·       chapter 10 on Congregation Meetings,

·       chapter 11 on Officers,

·       chapter 12 on Congregation Council,

·       chapter 13 on Congregation Committees, and

·       chapter 14 on Organizations Within the Congregation.

April 26 to May 3

Sunday,

April 26

Good Shepherd Sunday

World Hunger Sunday

9:30am Worship - In Person & Live Stream (Sanctuary)

11:00am Adult Sunday School (Hoffmeister Room)

12:00pm Women's AA (Hoffmeister Room)

Monday,

April 27

10:00am Food for Seniors (Fellowship Hall)

7:00pm Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)

Tuesday,

April 28

6:00am Food for Seniors (Fellowship Hall)

6:00pm Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (Chapel)

6:30pm Sweet Adelines (Fellowship Hall)

Wednesday, April 29

7:00pm Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)

Thursday, April 30

10:00am Food Pantry (Fellowship Hall)

Friday,

May 1

No Events Scheduled

Saturday, May 2

No Events Scheduled

Sunday,

May 3

Buxtehude’s Cantata during the Sunday Morning Service

9:30am Worship - In Person & Live Stream (Sanctuary)

11:00am Adult Sunday School (Hoffmeister Room)

12:00pm Women's AA (Hoffmeister Room)

Prayer Requests



We have two formal ways of praying for one another at Grace. One is in the Sunday morning worship service, where we pray for people by name in the Prayers of Intercession. They will also be listed in the emailed and printed versions of GraceNotes, but not in the web version. Please send prayer requests for the Sunday-morning prayers to office@glccu.org. You may also submit prayer requests on our website at https://glccu.org/prayer-requests/.

Using GLC Facilities



Our facilities are available for use by members and by outside groups. If you would like to use any part of the facility, please fill out a Facilities Use Request, found on the web site, and contact Karen in the office to ensure that it is on the calendar, so that the space is ready for you and that you are aware of how to adjust the appropriate thermostat.