April 2006

We spend a lot of our time these days trying to keep germs at bay. Every other commercial is about some anti bacterial soap or cream or cleanser or spray. We’ve got to kill those bacteria! We even hear ads that advocate people staying home from work if they’re sick because they’re contagious. They might spread the flu or the cold to their coworkers.

Well, you and I are sick. We are infected with the love of Christ. We are sooo very sick. Are we contagious? We should be. Are you a contagious Christian? Are you taking your illness of Christ’s love to work with you? To school? To the golf course? Or are you afraid of making people ill at ease? Lutherans have not been known to be out there in the evangelism trenches. We kind of like to sit back and let people catch our Christianity from a distance.

Except that doesn’t work well. In order to spread your holy illness of love you have to get up close to a person and breath on them and touch them. Tonight I heard Pastor Warner preach the word of God. He preached about being contagious with joy, with love, with God’s Holy Making Spirit.

During these final weeks of lent, may we be encouraged to find ways to be contagious, to spread our love of Jesus, our love of God to those in our immediate world. Let us make a joyful noise unto our God! As we heard at the "Sharing of the Bread" with the other Christian women, "Yippee! Yippee!"

Our Church Council met on Wednesday February 15, 2006 to elect officers for this coming year and those positions are as follows: Bruce Johnson-President, Carole Doubleday-Vice-President, Judy Gundry-Financial Secretary and Candy Hoefer-Council Secretary.

As the new President of the Council I would first like to thank Carole Doubleday for the great job that she has done over these past years as President of the Church Council. I hope everyone feels the way I do and I would ask you all to let Carole know how much you appreciate what she’s done for us at Atonement.

Secondly, I would ask everyone to let this season of Lent help us all to stop and listen to what it is that God wants from each of us. Only God knows what he has in store for each and everyone of us and only by listening can he let us in on his plans for us. So my wish for our church this season of Lent is that we say our prayers and then just listen to God.

Lastly, I would like everyone to join me in thanking, in advance because too often we forget to do it, the retiring and this years Council members. These people, and their families, give so much of themselves and rarely receive the accolades due them. Thank you to all and may God’s blessings and peace be with you during this Lent season.

Bruce

Feb adults/youth

Mar adults/youth

Total income (year to date) $ 9520.84

Net income (year to date) $ 889.81

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The following items are posted in more detail in the Klingberg Chapel:

Lars, a Norwegian from Cook County in northern Minnesota, was an older, single gentleman who was born and raised a Lutheran. Each Friday night after work, he would fire up his outdoor grill and cook a venison steak.

Now, all of Lars's neighbors were Catholic.....and since it was Lent, they were forbidden from eating meat on Fridays. The delicious aroma from the grilled venison steaks was causing such a problem for the Catholic faithful that they finally talked to their priest.

The priest came to visit Lars, and suggested that Lars convert to Catholicism. After several classes and much study, Lars attended Mass.....and as the priest sprinkled holy water over Lars, he said, "You were born a Lutheran and raised a Lutheran, but now you are Catholic."

Lars's neighbors were greatly relieved, until Friday night arrived, and the wonderful aroma of grilled venison filled the neighborhood. The priest was called immediately by the neighbors and, as he rushed into Lars's yard, clutching a rosary and prepared to scold Lars, he stopped in amazement and watched......

There stood Lars, clutching a small bottle of water which he carefully sprinkled over the grilling meat, and chanted: "You were born a deer, and raised a deer, but now you are a walleye.

A little girl became restless as the preacher's sermon dragged on and on. Finally, she leaned over to her mother and whispered, "Mommy, if we give him the money now, will he let us go?"

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation!

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace."

Pastor Tina will be having a hysterectomy on April 24^th at BMH by Dr. Baskar. If you have need of pastoral care from 04/23/06 until 05/31/06 please contact the church office or council president Bruce Johnson (608-362-6805). Bruce or Pattye will refer you to one of the Beloit Area ELCA pastors. During Pastor’s recovery period we will all need to pitch in to continue to offer spiritual care to our neighbors and our members.

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We will be printing a new directory (without pictures) this year, probably around Easter. The draft copy of the new directory will be in the Klingberg Chapel. Please take the time to look at your information and make any changes . If there is anything such as email addresses or cell phone numbers that you don’t want to have in the general directory, please indicate that it’s for the office edition only.

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Altar Guild: Richard & Mary Wendtland

Weekly Beloit Daily News ad: sponsored by Florence Buchholz

Flowers: Freeda Leeder in memory of Ray

Bread of Heaven: Peggy Johnson

Fellowship: Roland & Marge Mueller for their 41st anniversary

Acolyte: open

KidsKorner: Ashlee Pearsall

Y.A.G. host: open

Bread of Heaven: Robert & Arlene Brauns

Fellowship: Palm Sunday Breakfast by Peggy Johnson & Cheryl Ramczyk, matching funds by Thrivent

Y.A.G. host: open

Bread of Heaven: Irene Baker, Nels & Phyllis Steele

Fellowship: Irene Baker, Nels & Phyllis Steele

Acolyte: open

Bread of Heaven: Sue Engebretson

Fellowship: open

Kids Korner: open

Y.A.G. host: open

Flowers: Doris Betz & Ed Schneider in honor of their children, grand- children and greatgrandchildren

Bread of Heaven: Florence Buchholz

Fellowship: open

Kids Korner: open

Y.A.G. host: open

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7 PM service @ Pella Lutheran

12 Noon service @ 1^st Congregational

with the Emmanuel Baptist Church choir

Rev. Floyd Prude preaching

4:30 PM service @ Atonement

E-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.

But, the human deleted it.

The human whispered, "Creator, speak to me" and a meadowlark sang.

But, the human did not hear.

So the human yelled, "Creator, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky.

But, the human did not listen.

The human looked around and said, "Creator let me see you." And a star shown brightly.

But the human did not see.

And, the human shouted, "Creator show me a miracle." And, a life was born.

But, the human did not notice.

So, the human cried out in despair, "Touch me Creator, and let me know you are here."

Whereupon, the Creator reached down and touched the human.

But, the human brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.

April Birthdays (not just 70+ anymore!)

4/13 Florence Buchholz 4/25 Nicole Johnson

4/16 Irene Baker 4/26 Candy Hoefer

4/19 Joan Guetschow 4/29 Paul Bolender

4/2 Fern Miller 4/13 Barb Anderson

4/5 Bonnie Ottow 4/18 Kyle Hoefer

4/6 Sally Luety 4/20 Austin Anderson

4/7 Freda Leeder 4/25 Michael Janke

4/12 Ross Johnson 4/28 Lloyd Holmberg

4/13 Jackie Holmbeck 4/29 Charleta Affeldt

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Might I hope to get some more as a gift from Beloit. We are over 40 pastors now. I know that this could be a lot of work. Williametta and the children extend greetings to you.

Thanks -Pastor William Boymah

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Due to the new privacy laws regarding health information, the hospital will not release the names of patients. So if you are going into the hospital, or know someone who is hospitalized, please call the church office, or let Pastor Tina know.

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There will be a Palm Sunday Breakfast following the service on April 9th. The breakfast will be hosted by Peggy Johnson and Cheryl Ramczyk. Matching funds by Thrivent.

The W.O.W.’s will be going to the Milwaukee Bar & Grill in Janesville at 1 PM on Thursday, April 13. For more information, or if you need a ride, call Joan Guetschow (365-4685), Carole Doubleday (815-624-6163) or Doris Betz (756-0705).

Programs run from 10 AM-3 PM, and cost $10 per person. Lutherdale is located at N7891 US Hwy 12, Elkhorn WI. For more information, call (262) 742-2352.

immediately began to whine and fuss, and the mother said quietly, "Now Monica, we just have half of the aisles left to go through; don't be upset. It won't be long." Soon they came to the candy aisle, and the little girl began to shout for candy. And when told she couldn't have any, began to cry. The mother said,

"There, there, Monica, don't cry--only two more aisles to go, and then we'll be checking out." When they got to the check-out stand, the little girl immediately began to clamor for gum and burst into a terrible tantrum upon discovering there'd be no gum purchased. The mother patiently said, "Monica, we'll be through this check out stand in 5 minutes and then you can go home and

have a nice nap." The man followed them out to the parking lot and stopped the woman to compliment her. "I couldn't help noticing how patient you were with little Monica," he began. Whereupon the mother said, "I'm Monica -- my little girl's name is Tammy."

A little boy was waiting on his mother to come out of a store. As he waited, he was approached by a man who asked, "Son, can you tell me where the post office is?" The little boy replied, "Sure, just go straight down the street a couple of blocks and turn to your right." The man thanked the boy kindly and said, "I'm the new preacher in town, and I'd like for you to come to church on Sunday. I'll show you how to get to Heaven." The little boy replied with a chuckle, "Awww, come on; you don't even know the way to the post office!"