Resources

The goal of Echo God's Love is “to work cooperatively to provide structured, Biblically-based stewardship education materials to the congregations of the Northern Illinois District.” To that end, the steering committee for this emphasis will be providing nine sermon helps, nine worship helps, two Bible study series, a devotion booklet, two “Time and Talent Inventories,” guidelines and resources for the commitment process, and publicity materials. These materials are elements of a year-long stewardship education program.

With the exception of the devotional booklet and one brochure used in the commitment process, all materials can be downloaded from this website (Word document or PDF). The chart below has the materials for congregations with a Fall Commitment Sunday. Materials for the congregations with a Spring Commitment Sunday will be added soon.

None of these materials is copyrighted so that they can be freely reproduced for use within congregations. There is no desire on the part of the committee to limit the distribution of these resources to our own district. Anyone is welcome to use them. They are dated for a specific 2004-2005 schedule, which easily can be adapted for use at other times. With the exception of the two items that will be printed, there are no fees connected to this program.

There is also a monthly stewardship newsletter for this program. Embedded in that newsletter are links to directly download any of the resources. In addition to other information about Echo God's Love, the newsletter includes a variety of stewardship resources. If you are presently not receiving this newsletter, you can be added to the e-mailing list by contacting the Rev. Gerald Schalk at: gschalk@stmatthewbarrington.org

The packet of materials which introduced this stewardship emphasis is also available through that e-mail address. May God be glorified as His people grow in the management of the blessings He so richly supplies.

Echo God's Love Steering Committee
     Worship Team
          Rev. Glenn Brauer (Lord of Glory Lutheran Church, Grayslake, Illinois)
          Rev. William Yonker (Immanuel Lutheran Church, East Dundee, Illinois)
     Bible Study Team
          Rev. Glen Borhart (Zion Lutheran Church, Marengo, Illinois)
          Mr. George Ott (Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois)
     Devotions Team
          Mrs. Jean Weidler (Immanuel Lutheran Church, Batavia, Illinois)
          Rev. William Mitschke (Our Savior Lutheran Church, Joliet, Illinois)
     Response Team
          Rev. David Speerbrecker (Salem Lutheran Church, Homewood, Illinois)
          Rev. Paul Appold (Trinity Lutheran Church, Lansing, Illinois)
     Publicity Team
          Rev. Nathan Lewis (River of Life Lutheran Church, Channahon, Illinois)
          Mr. Keith Wilharm (Concordia University Chicago located in River Forest, Illinois)
     Chairperson
          Rev. Gerald Schalk (St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Barrington, Illinois)

 

Resources for Download - Fall Commitment Sunday   Adobe Acrobat (.pdf format) Microsoft Word (.doc format) Schedule–Congregations with Fall Commitment Sunday .pdf .doc Theme Sunday I–District President's Letter .pdf .doc Theme Sunday I–Sermon Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday I–Worship Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday II–Lay Message .pdf .doc Theme Sunday II–Sermon Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday II–Worship Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday III–Lay Message .pdf .doc Theme Sunday III–Sermon Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday III–Worship Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday IV–Lay Message .pdf .doc Theme Sunday IV–Sermon Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday IV–Worship Helps .pdf .doc Sample Newsletter Article about Program Theme .pdf .doc Sample Newsletter Article about Bible Study Series #1 .pdf .doc Sample Newsletter Article about Summer Time and Talent Inventory .pdf .doc Bulletin Bullets 1–January-March .pdf .doc Bulletin Bullets 2–April-June .pdf .doc Bulletin Bullets 3–July-September .pdf .doc Bible Study Series #1–"God's Love" (Seven Lessons) .pdf .doc Summer Time and Talent Inventory .pdf .doc Time and Talent Management .pdf .doc Script and Notes for Skit–“The Echo” (from St. Paul Lutheran Church, Melrose Park, IL) .pdf .doc Responsive Call to Worship (from St. Paul Lutheran Church, Melrose Park, IL) .pdf .doc Example of a Banner for Echo God's Love (from St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Barrington, IL) .pdf .doc Fall Time and Talent Inventory .pdf .doc Sample Newsletter Article about Fall Time and Talent Inventory .pdf .doc Theme Sunday V–District President's Letter .pdf .doc Theme Sunday V–Sermon Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday V–Worship Helps .pdf .doc Bible Study Series #2–“Our Echo” .pdf .doc Theme Sunday VI–Sermon Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday VI–Worship Helps .pdf .doc Modified Every-Member-Visitation .pdf .doc Theme Sunday VII–Sermon Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday VII–Worship Helps .pdf .doc Theme Sunday VIII–Sermon Helps (Commitment Sunday) .pdf .doc Theme Sunday VIII–Worship Helps (Commitment Sunday) .pdf .doc Theme Sunday IX–District President's Letter (Celebration Sunday) .pdf .doc Theme Sunday IX–Sermon Helps (Celebration Sunday) .pdf .doc Theme Sunday IX–Worship Helps (Celebration Sunday) .pdf .doc Bulletin Bullets 4-October-December .pdf .doc Sample Newsletter Article about Commitment Sunday .pdf .doc Sample Newsletter Article about Celebration Sunday .pdf .doc

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