Sunday Liturgy at 10 AM. 
Worship on Wednesday is at 7 PM.
July 31, 2016
1650 W. Foster Ave.,  Chicago IL
(773) 561-8496
ebenezerchurch.org
  Greetings!
Rich Toward God
Our relationship to our stuff isn't only about giving wealth away. Stewardship is also about the danger to ourselves of holding back too much. Jesus radically redefines what it means to live a life that is rich.

See you Sunday  
+Pastor Michael

The visual prayer included here is "Miser" by  Margret Hofheinz-Döring,from the Vanderbilt Digital Library.
Sharing Faith at Home
Reading the Scriptures:
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Hosea 11:1-11     Psalm 107:1-9, 43
Colossians 3:1-11   Luke 12:13-21

Morning Prayer:  Generous Giver, you pour forth your extravagant bounty without measure upon your whole creation. Teach us such generosity, that the fruits of our spirits and the works of our hands may be used for the building of your commonwealth of blessing. Amen.
Evening Prayer:  Generous God, in abundance you give us things both spiritual and physical. Help us to hold lightly the fading things of this earth and grasp tightly the lasting things of your kingdom, so that what we are and do and say may be our gifts to you through Christ, who beckons all to seek the things above,
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer with Children:   Dear God, all things are yours. You give us things to enjoy (talk about favorite or special objects, toys, or books). Help us to remember that you and people always matter most, even more than the things we enjoy. Thank you Jesus! Amen.

In our prayers: Theresa, Ken, Jared, Linda and Mara, Alex and Andy, Ione, Gene, Paula, Tom, Joe, Linda, Sue, Margie, Jamie, Bill, Velda, Jonathon, Marlys, Donna, Ina, Don, June, Ashley, Azure, Bearley family, Ron, Lonnie, Ahmed, Denny, John, Helene, John.

We also pray for our Bishops, Elizabeth and Wayne.

Ebenezer in Mission
Outdoor Worship and Picnic August 21
Evening Worship and Picnic
August 21 at 5:00 p.m.
We'll gather for a special (outdoor if possible!) worship service followed by hotdogs, veggie dogs, chips, and veggies. This is in addition to our regular 10 a.m. service. Want to bring a side dish to share? A blanket to sit on?  Feel free!
Autumn Ebenezer Messenger Newsletter Deadline is August 1. 

Please make your submissions to pastormichael@ebenezerchurch.org
Summer Offerings are Important!

With busy travel schedules, it can be easy to forget those summer offerings. Ebenezer is running typically behind budget for income in these Summer months. If you can catch up, this would be a great time! If you use Simply Giving to automatically make your offerings, it is much appreciated. Want to make a gift online? Click here!
Faith, Hope, & Recovery Coming to Ebenezer in September

Faith, Hope & Recovery (FHR) is a gathering open to anyone affected by mental health conditions, including families and friends. This gathering focuses on spirituality.  Many people with mental health conditions are given attention to their physical, psychological, and emotional needs.  FHR makes space for the soul.  Spiritual practices such as using mindfulness, imaging, journaling, reflecting, reading scripture and wisdom literature, and blessings are used in FHR.

Faith, Hope & Recovery (FHR)  gatherings will meet monthly on the 2 nd  Tuesday of the month beginning September 13 th , 2016 through April 11 th , 2017, from 7:00-8:30 p.m.  This is our first session; hopefully more will follow.

Ebenezer is pleased to be able to offer this safe space so that people in our congregation and surrounding neighborhoods, affected by mental health conditions, can come together.  If you know someone for whom such a gathering might fill a need in his or her life, please extend an invitation for them to come to Ebenezer Lutheran Church on Tuesday, September 13th.  RSVP REQUESTED to Ashley at 773/428-1521.

How YOU can help!
This section of the e-news will highlight ways you can directly serve at Ebenezer, short or long term, with time or treasure.

Time
BULLETINS: We could use help once per week on Wednesday or Thursday to place inserts into the Sunday Bulletin.

Treasure
PARAMENTS and ALTAR LINENS: We're looking to retire and replace many of our altar and pulpit fabrics, which have seen many years of faithful use, but are showing their wear!
$600 will buy a set of matching altar and pulpit fabrics in one color (we need a total of 6 sets)
$300 will buy the matching chausable and stoles for each color set.
One gift of $250 will replace our aging white altar linens.

Contact Pastor Michael for more information or to volunteer. We need you!!
Community and Announcments
Items needed by Care for Real: Edgewaters's Food Pantry

Care for Real is in need of the following items that are not available through their food-sourcing avenues:
          diapers (all sizes)
          personal care items such as toothpaste, soap, razors, shaving cream, shampoo,             body wash, deodorant;
          laundry detergent
          paper towels
          toilet paper
Items may be delivered directly to Care for Real (5339 N Sheridan Rd) or brought to church and left in the basket in the Narthex (Gathering Pace at the back of the sanctuary.)
Give with Goodshop
Shopping online at  goodshop.org allows you to do the shopping you'd do anyway at your favorite sites, while supporting the ministry at Ebenezer! Simply register and then select Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Chicago, as the beneficiary of the donation Goodshop makes when you shop through their site. Check it out today!
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Closed Friday.
Our Mission:
God calls Ebenezer to be a Christian home for all who seek the sustaining nature of the Holy Spirit, to demonstrate faith and trust in God through the ministry of its people, and to let Christ's model of service, justice and love give expression to how we share God's gift with the world.
Do you or someone you know need someone to talk to? 
Confidential live chat or phone support available: 
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  
Additional resources are available here:  http://www.lutheransuicideprevention.org