God Handles What You Can t Handle 8 th Sunday after Pentecost July 29 & 30, 2017
Ebenezer Lutheran Church Port Hudson The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 9100 Highway YY Leslie, Missouri Parsonage 573-459-6432 Church 573-459-6431 Rev. William F. Zastrow, Pastor Mary Sprick, Secretary ebenezerlutheran@hotmail.com ebenezerlutheranchurch.wordpress.com AS WE GATHER: God never gives you more than you can handle. These words are often used to try to comfort someone who is suffering. These words are often spoken as if this is what the Scriptures teach about suffering. However, these words are not found in the Scriptures. Nor is the idea that you never face more than you can handle. This not-sohelpful idea is loosely based on today s Epistle, all things work together for good, and 1 Corinthians 10:13, that God will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. While it s a well-intended comment, God never gives you more than you can handle is simply not true. Life does sometimes give us more than we can handle. If we could handle these things and more, then why would we even need God? Instead of protecting us from more than we can handle, God handles what we can t handle. Joseph couldn t handle it when his brothers sold him into slavery. But God handled it as He guided Joseph toward leadership in Egypt. What amazing news it is that no matter what might happen to you in this life, even when you can t handle it at all and you feel like your life is crumbling to pieces, God can handle it! PRAYER BEFORE WORSHIP: Ever-present Lord, You set Your infinite love on us, even though we do not deserve it. Help us to experience Your loving presence in times when we are lonely, so that we glimpse Your promised kingdom and share the joy of it in the midst of this lonely world; through
Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. THE ORDER OF WORSHIP Divine Service II, page 158 Hymn of Praise, Glory to God in the Highest page 160 HYMNS: 516, 408, 410 OUR MISSION AND MINISTRY We welcome our members and guests who are here with us today. May the Lord refresh you with peace and love during our worship service on this Eighth Sunday after Pentecost. Please join us here at Ebenezer again soon! Please sign the guest register near the front entrance with your name, address and Church affiliation. Thank you! In our Prayers: We remember in our prayers Wilma Helling and Chris Anderson who are under hospice care. Both are battling cancer. We also remember in our prayers, Judy Creek s great-grandson, Jackson Marts, who was hospitalized this past week at Children s Hospital at Mercy. Vacation Bible School As of last Wednesday we have over 60 students and over 30 teachers and aides participating in Vacation Bible A Mighty Fortress. A full report will be published in the weeks ahead. Thank you to all our teachers and helpers and the parents who yearly support Vacation Bible School. There are a few closing programs of Friday s closing left in the back of the church. Please help yourself!
Invitation by Camp Trinity You are invited to participate in a 3-Day Seminar on the Bible, the Eclipse, and Creation at Camp Trinity in New Haven beginning Saturday, August 19 th through Monday August 21 st. Stay the entire weekend or a day or just one of the lectures. Youth and adults are encouraged to attend. The entire Seminar, which includes room and board, is only $100.00. If you can t attend the entire event, come to one session for $20.00 with any additional session $110.00. Meals are included. Solar Eclipse Sunglasses for all paid registrants. Total Eclipse begins August 21 st at 1:14 PM. Call Camp Trinity at 573-237-2072 to register or register online at 222.camptrinity.org under the EVENTS tab. Please see more information on the bulletin board at the back of Church. Missionary to Speak at Ebenezer As part of Pastor s duties as Circuit Visitor for the Washington Circuit, he must visit congregations on Sundays. Pastor will be at Mount Calvary in Bell and Zion in Owensville on August 4 th. The congregations at Bell and Owensville have provide our congregation Rev. Stanish Stanley to lead services and teach Sunday School. Rev. Stanish Stanley born in Mumbai (Bombay) India as the son of a Lutheran Pastor, is an ordained minister of the India Evangelical Lutheran Church (IELC), a Partner Church of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. More information is in the August Newsletter. Stewardship Thought - Matthew 13:45-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Indeed, Jesus redeemed us, purchased us back from sin and death, with all that He had. We belong to Him now. And this is foundation for our own generosity: imitating the outsized generosity of Jesus.
Luther Quote for the week - EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST - Matt. 13:44 52 (July 30) The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field (Matt. 13:44). The field is dirty in contrast to the treasure; while the one is trodden underfoot, the other is picked up. And yet the field hides the treasure. So also our life is hid with Christ in God (Col. 3:3), that is, in the negation of all things which can be felt, held, and comprehended by our reason. LW 25:383 The Quarterly Voters Meeting was held this past Monday evening. Many important items were discussed. It was decided to have some needed work done here at Church by Hubenthal Painting. Church Roof: - Pressure wash, apply sealant to metal roof where needed, Apply a rust inhibitive primer, top coat with semi-gloss, Acrylic metal roof paint $3400.00 Church steeple louvers: pressure wash, prime and apply a semi-gloss acrylic paint $1100.00 Basement windows: Pressure wash, prime and paint Frames $375.00 Metal doors: Prime and paint 7 exterior And jambs $ 350.00 Sunday School Building Facia boards: Pressure wash, prime and paint Church and $925.00 Front and Side Red Doors: Prime and paint and Jambs $250.00 Powerwash Stain Deck at Parsonage: $700.00 Total $7100.00 Please consider these capital expenses (improvements) in your offerings.
PLEASE READ THE NEWSLETTER FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT IS HAPPENING AT EBENEZER Those Serving Today Organist Saturday Jenny Huellinghoff Organist Sunday Ruth Marschel Head Usher Saturday Tracey Bade Head Usher Sunday Marvin Kassebaum Altar Guild Judy Hubenthal and Wanda Gilbert Bell Ringer Corey Adams Offerings and Attendance July 22 & 23, 2017 Weekly Contributions $1,257.00 Plate 11.00 Sunday School 45.11 $1,313.11 Attendance: Saturday Worship 17 Sunday Worship 72 Sunday School Attendance: Children 11 Adults 17 This Week at Ebenezer Tuesday Thursday Friday Saturday Elders Meeting 7:00 PM Bible Study 10:00 AM Pastor at Circuit Visitors Meeting at Concordia Seminary Ladies Aid 1:30 PM Worship with HolyCommunion 5:00 PM