Christ Lutheran Church Normal IL

Stop by the Concordia Publishing House book fair located in the Christian Fellowship Area and grab a book or three for yourself and the CLC library!

Our Issues, Etc. Book of the Month is Love, Marriage, and Family: Learning from the Early Christians
by Erkki Koskenniemi.

Finnish scholar Erkki Koskenniemi looks at the family morals Paul encountered in his time. What can we learn from the lives of the first Christians, who lived as a minority, much like traditional Christians in the secular world today?

In this book, Finnish scholar Erkki Koskenniemi posits that traditional Greco-Roman sexual ethics were far from what we consider “traditional” today—rather, they more closely resemble the worldly and debaucherous behavior we see in modern culture. Knowing that “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ephesians 1:9), Koskenniemi encourages Christians to live uprightly, honoring the wonderful gifts of love, marriage, and family our loving and forgiving Creator has given us—just as the first Christians sought to do.

Purchase at the CPH website, https://www.cph.org/love-marriage-and-family-learning-from-the-early-christians

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Check out our playlist of music for Lent and Holy Week. Start listening now on Spotify 🎧➡️ https://myc.ph/3OwXrr7

This Lent, you’re invited to spend intentional time in the Book of Concord with a free forty-day reading plan. This convenient guide offers calendar dates, liturgical dates, and daily readings, as well as checkboxes to mark each day’s progress.

Download the reading plan at the link in the comments.

Dearly beloved brethren, know that as we have rejoiced in the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, so there is announced to you by the mercy of God the joyous observance of the Resurrection of the same our Savior:

In this year of Our Lord TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY-SIX, which commenced on Thursday the First day of January, being the Feast of the Circumcision and Name of Our Lord, there will be three Sundays after the Epiphany, until Septuagesima Sunday which will occur on the First of February.

The Eighteenth of February is Ash Wednesday, and begins the sacred forty days of Lent.

On the Fifth of April we shall celebrate with great rejoicing the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.

The Ascension of Our Lord into Heaven will be recalled forty days thereafter, on the Fourteenth of May.

The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles at Pentecost will be celebrated on the Twenty-fourth of May.

The Feast of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity will be observed on the Thirty-first of May.

There will be twenty-five Sundays after Trinity, until on the Twenty-ninth of November, being the first Sunday in the Advent of Our Lord, a new Year of Grace will begin.

To our Lord Jesus Christ be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

This is a fantastic development! If you've ever thought about church work (and even if you haven't, think and pray about it!), check this out!

Concordia University, St. Paul Expands Church Work Tuition Guarantee, Removing Financial Barriers for Those Called to Serve - Concordia University, St. Paul CSP is strengthening its commitment to the church through an expanded Church Work Tuition Guarantee, offering $0 tuition for all students preparing for full-time church work vocations.

Hungry? You can satisfy your cravings and support the youth attending the 2026 Higher Things Conference in St. Louis, MO at the same time!

Monday, January 19th from 5PM to 8PM @ Portillo's in Normal.

Show the flier below to the cashier when ordering in person (also available on the CLC website and the January Newsletter--the flier has also been included in the Sunday bulletin). Order online using the code: PORTILLOS51 before checkout in the "Coupon Code" field.

Catechism Crash Course starts this evening at 7PM in the Parish Hall.

Want a refresher on what the Lutheran Church teaches?
Curious to find out?
Interested in becoming a member of Christ Lutheran Church?

This is your opportunity!

🌟 CATECHISM CRASH COURSE 🌟
Explore the Teachings of the Lutheran Church
What is the Lutheran Church all about?
What are its core teachings?
Come find out in 2026!

📖 Whether you're curious about the faith, new to the Lutheran Church, or a lifelong member, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn more and deepen your understanding.

Open to the community, those looking to become members of Christ Lutheran, and current members as a refresher.

🗓 Join us for C3: Catechism Crash Course, led by Pastor Fitzner
Ask questions, explore the Scriptures, and dig into the Small Catechism through thoughtful discussion and meaningful study.

📍 Location: Christ Lutheran Church parish hall
🕒 Time & Dates: Introduction class is Wednesday, 7 January 2026 @ 7:00PM
📞 Contact Pastor Fitzner for more info

The Bloomington South Circuit of the Central Illinois District-LCMS invites you to celebrate

The Epiphany of our Lord
Christ Lutheran Church
311 Hershey Rd
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Divine Service, 6:30PM

Guest preacher is the Rev. Andrew Smith of Our Redeemer Lutheran, Bloomington, IL.

Listen to a study of "Silent Night, Holy Night" with Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller. Click link in the Comment section below.

The Divine Service this evening, Saturday, December 13, 2025, is canceled due to snow.
Tomorrow morning at 9am is still on!