From the Pastor - August 6

Greetings Ebenezer Friends,

With Cook County now listed as an area of significant spread for the Delta variant of Covid-19, your staff and leadership have, as in so many areas of our lives, reassessed our planning and policies. It's important to understand that the church, like our households and personal decision making, are in flux as we receive new information and guidance from public health officials.

While we had hoped to return to full singing together in the liturgy and a likely further relaxing of restrictions at the beginning of September, we won't let a desired date undermine the health and well-being of vulnerable neighbors, children, and others who are at higher risk of contracting Delta even from fully vaccinated people.

It's disappointing. It's frustrating. It's sad. And it's faithful to be flexible, loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Our current worship offerings will remain as they are, with only a slight change. Until we have a better sense of Delta transmission rates in the coming weeks, we ask that worshippers again refrain from singing during the liturgy. Masks remain required for all attending worship.

Every couple of weeks, we will reevaluate, grateful for updated recommendations from the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, which has strongly recommended that indoor singing be suspended at this time.

The online liturgy will remain much as it has been, at least for some time. I am so grateful to all who continue to make these liturgies possible, and of such spirit and beauty.

Finally, we are continuing to ask all church and non-church groups to continue masking for indoor gatherings at Ebenezer.

Take good care, if you are able, get vaccinated, and keep in your prayers those who cannot and of course, our children.

Together, we can continue to praise God and keep them safe.

+Pastor Michael