Immanuel Lutheran Church - Dixon, IL

09/01/2026

Our very own Somar is in the front row three from the left. Prayers and blessings on her journey to follow where God is calling her. We're honored to have her as our director of youth and family ministry!

Prolog Week is officially here!

Campus is filling back up, and we are so excited to welcome our newest students (and welcome back our returning ones, too!).

Meet the newest faces of Wartburg! 👋 This week, we’ll be introducing you to a few of them and sharing their stories.

Let the fun begin!

08/30/2026

Expectations

Dear God, Set us free from our unreasonable expectations. Align our thoughts and desires with Your perfect will knowing that Your plans are greater than our own. Amen

Proverbs 10:28 NRSVUE The hope of the righteous ends in gladness, but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.

What exactly are expectations? Simply put, expectations are beliefs that come from a person’s thought process when examining evidence. Expectations can be high or low, reasonable or unreasonable, good or bad. Many times, we form expectations automatically, without conscious effort. Expectations can shape our lives and influence our relationship with God and others, but they can be trying at times.

Expectations can guide our hopes and shape our plans, but they can also lead to disappointment if not managed well. Our expectations are not always correct because of flaws in our logic and the bias of our hopes and desires. Sometimes, we “get our hopes up” based on a false premise or a misreading of the evidence. Learning how to set realistic expectations—both for ourselves and others—can make all the difference in maintaining peace and balance.

Unmet expectations can be discouraging and disheartening. As humans, we often have our own agenda, and when it does not align with reality, we struggle. When expectations are not met, we become dissatisfied, and we often place blame on something or someone who did not live up to our own expectations—even if our expectations were unreasonable.

As Christians, we are called to give our expectations to God. The Bible encourages us to base expectations on God’s Word, not on human assumptions or cultural norms. We gain comfort in placing our expectations in God, as He knows what’s best for us and has great plans for our future. When our expectations are grounded in faith, righteousness, and trust in God’s timing, we feel secure and hopeful.

We can expect God’s faithfulness even in trying times. Our expectations should be shaped by His promises, our trust in His timing, and our readiness to follow Him.

1. How do cultural norms affect our expectations?

2. Why do we have trouble changing our expectations? Or do we?

3. How does our patience (or lack of it) play a role in our expectations?

4. How does our faith affect our expectations?

“Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.” ~ Brandon Sanderson

“When you have expectations, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.” ~ Ryan Reynolds

“Expectations are like hidden rocks in your path, All they do is trip you up” ~ Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

08/24/2026

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Children’s Policy at Immanuel and St. Paul.

We wanted to make sure everyone is aware of our policy regarding children in worship:

If your kids are loud, please still come to worship.
If you’re running late because getting everyone out the door was a battle, please still come to worship.
If your toddler won’t sit still, please still come to worship.
If your baby needs to eat, please still come to worship.
If your child asks questions at the least convenient time, please still come to worship.
If someone cries, drops a toy, needs a snack, or has to make their third trip to the bathroom, please still come to worship.
If your child doesn’t know all the words, all the prayers, or exactly when to sit and stand, please still come to worship.
If you feel like you spent the entire service managing your children and heard approximately 12% of the sermon, please still come to worship.
If Sunday morning feels messy instead of peaceful, please still come to worship.
If you’re worried your children are distracting the people around you, please still come to worship.

Because children do not learn how to be part of the Church by staying home until they can sit quietly.
They learn by being here.
They learn the hymns by hearing us sing them.
They learn the prayers by hearing us pray them.
They learn to worship by watching us worship.
They learn that church is home because we make room for them here.
The wiggles, whispers, dropped crayons, crying babies, and little voices are not interruptions to the life of the Church.
They are evidence that the Church is alive.

So bring the babies. Bring the toddlers. Bring the big kids. Come late. Sit in the back. Sit in the front. Step out when you need to and come right back in.
Just come.

Children are not simply the future of the Church. They are part of the Church right now.

And at Immanuel and St. Paul, there is a place for them. There is no sweeter sound to God than the voices of little ones!

(text and idea taken from St. John Lutheran in Indianapolis)

08/23/2026

Dependence

Dear Lord, May we never become so self-sufficient that we fool ourselves into thinking we are capable of being totally independent. Instead, may we always trust in You and Your plan for us. Amen

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Here each week, the topic of dependence seems to come up in some form. We seem to struggle with losing our independence as we age. Our society tells us that we need to be independent, but we feel our vulnerability increasing as we age.

As we mature, we go through seasons of change. Declining health, loss of loved ones, and reduced mobility can remind us of our human limitations. We deal with more loss, both of our independence and of those we love. And we start to realize how little control we really have. But God takes that truth and turns it into an opportunity to learn more about dependence on Him.

Unfortunately, the drive to be independent often results in a lesser dependence on God. We want to depend on ourselves rather than on God, instead using God as our backup plan, even though God has something better in mind for all of us. We do want God’s blessings, we just desire to use our own strength.

Depending on God is not a sign of weakness but a journey to true strength and fulfillment. We find direction by trusting in His plan and seeking His guidance through prayer and scripture. Certainly engaging with a supportive faith community helps, too.

Let us, as we age, depend on God more deeply because life’s challenges, wisdom gained, and spiritual maturity invite us to rest more fully in His care, guidance, and grace. We can trust that God has a plan for us and we can find purpose in serving him and others.

1. Why do we struggle to give up our independence?

2. How does our society promote independence rather than relying on God?

3. Where are you needing dependence today that you need to rely on God?

4. What are some practical ways that we can learn to depend more on God?

"Our tendency is to be strong, self-sufficient, and dependent on our own willpower, but rather than try harder, we should reach out to the God who is all-powerful." ~ John Townsend

“You never know God is all you need until God is all you have.” ~ Rick Warren

“It is our own arrogance and pride that cause pain. The more that we think that we can do anything, the less we realize our complete dependence on God, and the worse the pain becomes.”~ Reshad Feild

08/16/2026

Join us for the next book study!! We will get the book - all you have to do is let us know you are interested. This book will be a lovely way to enter into the end of summer/beginning of fall.

08/16/2026

Understanding Mind and Listening Heart

Dear God, Grant us an understanding mind and a listening heart to discern Your will. Amen

1 Kings 3:9 NRSVUE (Solomon says) Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil, for who can govern this great people of yours?”

A few weeks ago, in her Christ in our Home devotional, Pastor Anna Helgen, wrote about Solomon’s dream when God asks him what he wants and he answers, “an understanding mind” (in some other translations, it’s “a listening heart”). Solomon could have asked for power and/or riches, but instead he asked for something we all could use.

In our prayers we may ask for others' needs or the world in general. We may also ask for what we specifically want, but do we ask to be more understanding or to listen better? Maybe what we need is patience or empathy, but we tend to ask for exact needs/wants rather than the ability to be more understanding or more open to listening to others point of view.

A listening mind goes beyond hearing words — it’s about sensing emotions, intentions, and unspoken needs. It means putting our biases aside and listening with an understanding mind. Heartful understanding focuses on connection, not correction - listening rather than planning a rebuttal. Dietrich Bonhoeffer called listening “our first service” to the body of Christ, urging us to listen with the ears of God. He warns against impatient listening that presumes to know the answer before the speaker finishes.

In our prayer life, we need to show our dependence on God, recognizing our limitations and seeking His guidance. We need to always remember that Spiritual understanding and discernment are more valuable than material gain.

May we remember Solomon’s faithful response to God in our daily prayer life. Solomon’s prayer for understanding remains a powerful example of seeking wisdom with humility, responsibility, and a focus on serving others. May we prioritize an understanding mind and a listening heart for the welfare of others over our own personal gain.

1. How important do you feel that asking for an understanding mind and a listening heart are in prayer?

2. What new insights might we discover when we ask in prayer for an understanding mind and a listening heart?

3. God offers Solomon “whatever you want.” What would your first instinct be if you were in his position?

4. Why do we tend to ask God for our specific wants even when we should ask for wisdom (an understanding mind) instead?

“We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy.” ~ Carl R. Rogers

“You must learn to understand with your heart and mind, not your eyes and ears, then you will know.”~ Jean M. Auel

“Listen with your heart, you will understand.” ~ Pocahontas

08/15/2026

"Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." (Romans 14:8)

On Friday, August 7, a beloved member of our congregation, Delores Volk, passed away.

She was a member of the Adult Forum group, loved to come to worship (and hardly ever missed a service!), and will be remembered for her positive attitude. Even when the pastors would visit her at Dixon Rehab, she would make sure that we "told everyone back at church hello, and I'll be back soon!"

Per the family's wishes, there will be a celebration of life and burial at a later time.

Our prayers are with her family and friends during this time.

The full obituary can be found here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/delores-volk-obituary?id=62169448

08/09/2026

Making the World A Better Place

Dear Lord, Empower us to make Your world a better place in small ways as well as large. Amen.

Colossians 3:12 (NRSVUE) Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Recently, Lonnie Cain in his newspaper column, Paperwork, wrote about how we can all help make the world a better place. He talks about how we can get overwhelmed with all that is going on in the world and be frustrated and unsure how to begin fixing the world’s problems. But having recently read the quote below and another quote from Anne Frank where she states “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart,” he realizes his (and our) mission is to improve the world.

Lonnie shares that the key to making a difference is to refocus. Instead of putting up walls, covering our heads or turning off the news and saying “I don’t care”, we need to shrink the world down to a manageable size. We need to look at who we ourselves can reach.

Lonnie then talks about an online feed he received from Joseph Fasano (a professor at Columbia University) in which the professor discussed something called “micro-hope”. This is where he reaches out to one person - just one person - to help with whatever he sees going on in the world. An example would be that loneliness is at epidemic levels, so he calls a friend he hasn’t talked to in awhile. This doesn’t save the whole world but it certainly beats doing nothing except commiserating about the state of the world.

May we consider that we each have a personal responsibility and the power to make a positive impact. And that even small actions matter. That even minor acts of kindness or service can ripple outward to create significant change. When we show love and compassion for others, these emotions are central to improving the world.

As we reflect on improving the world, we see that our actions, kindness, and faith all play a role in making a positive impact. Sustained effort, whether through daily acts or long-term dedication, all contributes to a better society.

1. What can we do to make the world a better place?

2. What have you been doing lately (or heard about) to make the world a better place?

3. Do you agree with the idea of micro-hope? What are some ideas to try?

4. Why do these little things matter? Or do they?

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~ Anne Frank

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." ~ Desmond Tutu

"What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." ~ Jane Goodall

08/09/2026

11th Sunday after Pentecost
August 9th, 2026

08/07/2026

🎒📚 Back-to-School Blessing is THIS SUNDAY! ✏️🍎

Hey students of ALL ages—we can't wait to see you!

Don't forget to bring your backpack to our 9:00 AM worship service this Sunday for a special Back-to-School Blessing. As a new school year begins, we'll pray for God's guidance, protection, and blessings over every student, teacher, school staff member, and backpack! If you forget your back pack, that is okay too. We will have something for you!

Let's start the school year together with faith, encouragement, and God's love. 💙

📅 Sunday
⏰ 9:00 AM Worship
🎒 Bring your backpack!

We can't wait to celebrate this new beginning with you!