January 25, 2026
Third Sunday After Epiphany
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Readings and Psalm
Isaiah 9:1-4
Light shines for those in darkness
Psalm 27:1, 4-9
The Lord is my light and my salvation. (Ps. 27:1)
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Appeal for unity in the gospel
Matthew 4:12-23
Revelation of Christ as a prophet
Jesus begins his public ministry by calling fishers to leave their nets and follow him. In Jesus the kingdom of God has come near. We who have walked in darkness have seen a great light. We see this light most profoundly in the cross—as God suffers with us and all who are oppressed by sickness, sin, or evil. Light dawns for us as we gather around the word, the font, and the holy table. We are then sent to share the good news that others may be “caught” in the net of God’s grace and mercy.
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Worship Support
Presiding Minister: Pastor Chris Repp
Assisting Minister: Helen Repp
Reader: Kathy Bowersox
Deacons: Van & Kathy Bowersox
Greeters: Brian & Amy Nicely
Ushers: Bev Kieffer & Mary Jo Erickson
Livestreamer: Jim Anderson
Sound Technician: Kevin Vail
Music Director: Nicholas Pierle
Organist: Mike Keeley
Coffee Hour: The Lepps
Chancel Flowers: Ruth & Jim Anderson, To the Glory of God
For the upcoming Worship Support schedule, see the spreadsheet found here on Google Drive.
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Reminder:
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The Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting will be held this Sunday, January 25th at 10:45am in the Sanctuary
Bad Weather Contingency
One of the realities of holding our annual budget meeting in January is dealing with January weather! We may or may not be getting a lot of snow from Saturday night into Sunday morning. We are planning on going ahead with the annual budget meeting after the service, and we need a quorum of Grace members in order for that to happen. But we want to remind you of the Zoom option for participating in the meeting. We trust that you will use good judgment in deciding whether to drive to church on Sunday if the weather is bad, and encourage you to join us online if you can’t make it in person.
Please see the email version of this GraceNotes for the Zoom link and password.
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Grace Lutheran Church
Treasurer's Report Summary
For the month ending
DECEMBER 2025
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DEC Income was MUCH more than anticipated, - after 2 months of lower income. (Monthly budgeted $24,666.67)
THANK YOU to all that gave this month to help reduce our deficit.
DEC Expenses were 10 K more than budgeted.
(Monthly budgeted $28,744.66)
DEC Net SURPLUS is $ 46,920.13
Year-to- date Actual deficit has come down to $ (-5,247.82)
Respectfully Submitted,
Debbie Peterson
Treasurer
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Grace Book Club
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 at 6pm
Our next read will be Original Blessing: Putting Sin in its Rightful Place by Danielle Shroyer, published by Fortress Press in 2016. Copies are being ordered, and once again we thank Thrivent for covering the expense of the books.
Danielle Shroyer holds a B.A. from Baylor University and an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary. She is an author, speaker, spiritual director, and respected pastor who now guides prayer retreats, teaches meditation, and leads workshops.
In the introduction, the author reminds the reader that Original Blessing is one of the most beautiful gifts Christianity has to offer the world. One reviewer calls this a “highly engaging and accessible book [that] challenges commonly held assumptions about sin and human nature with intelligence, clarity, wit, and deep respect for scripture and tradition.”
We will meet on Tuesday evening, January 27, 2026, at 6 PM in the narthex of Grace Lutheran Church. Please bring your own sack supper. Beverages and a light dessert will be provided. We hope you will join us! You may contact one of us ahead of time to reserve your copy of the book.
Janet Lepp and Eileen Herrstrom
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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, February 12th and Thursday, February 26th. If you are interested, please let Jim Fleming know. Come and join us, and feel free to bring along your favorite game!
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Dedication of St. Andrew's Lutheran Campus Center
You're invited to a potluck dinner and a service of dedication and blessing on Sunday, Jan. 25, as St. Andrew's celebrates its new campus ministry space at 909 South Wright Street, Champaign. Please bring a side or dessert to share and join us for dinner at 5:45 p.m. followed by worship at 7:00 p.m. with Bishop Greg Busboom preaching. Tours of the building will be offered starting at 5:00 p.m. as folks arrive.
Please arrive early to find parking next door at the University YMCA or along the nearby streets. If you need accessible parking, a limited number of spots are available in the parking garage.
Please contact office@lutherancampuscenter.org with any questions.
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One Winter Night Event for CU at Home
at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Champaign
February 6, 2026 at 6:00pm
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has invited Grace Lutheran church members (and friends) to join them on February 6, 2026 at 6:00pm for One Winter Night.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is a satellite site for OWN. Their event begins at 6:00pm with a soup supper in their Fellowship Hall. Around 6:30, they will begin their event program with Cedar King, the number 2 leader for CU at Home. Around 7:00pm, everyone will head outside to the “tent city” and huddle around a campfire. Some members stay outside overnight, others head home after the programming.
This is the third year that Good Shepherd will be a satellite site. The goal this year is about expanding engagement. Raising money and awareness are important of course, but including more churches and allowing the spirit to inform us will truly make the night a success.
For more information on One Winter Night and CU at Home click here:
https://www.cuathome.us/one-winter-night
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Nominate Young Musicians for
Lutheran Summer Music
Now is the time to nominate students for LSM 2026. Enrollment for next summer is filling quickly, and we expect most remaining spots to be filled by the March 1 standard enrollment deadline. At LSM, students connect advanced musical study with worship and the joy of Lutheran church music traditions. We welcome musicians on all instruments — brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion, piano, organ, voice, and harp — to study with nationally recognized faculty in a welcoming and supportive community.
LSM 2026 takes place at St. Olaf College from June 21–July 19, 2026. Know a young musician (grades 8–12) who would thrive at LSM?
Nominate them today at LSMacademy.org/nominate.
Questions? Contact admissions@lutheransummermusic.org.
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10:00am Food for Seniors (Fellowship Hall)
7:00pm Bell Choir Rehearsal (Choir Loft)
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6:00am Food for Seniors (Fellowship Hall)
6:00pm Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (Chapel)
6:00pm Grace Book Club (Narthex)
6:30pm Sweet Adelines (Fellowship Hall)
7:00pm Faith Circle (Narthex)
| | | | 7:00pm Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room) | | | | 10:00am Food Pantry (Fellowship Hall) | | | | 9:00am Audit Committee Meeting (Grace Office) | | |
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/.
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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.
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