August 2006

Newsletter of Atonement Lutheran Church,

Rev. Tina Koenig Ray, BCC, Pastor

Believing that pain has a purpose,

I do not question either its place in the universe

or my fate in becoming so familiar with pain through disease.

Quite often, people who mean well will inquire of me

whether I ever ask myself, in the face of my diseases, "Why me?"

I never do.

If I ask "Why me?" as I am assaulted by heart disease and AIDS,

I must ask "Why me?" about my blessings, and question my right to enjoy them. The morning after I won Wimbledon in 1975 I should have asked "Why me?" and doubted that I deserved the victory.

If I don't ask "Why me?" after my victories,

I cannot ask "Why me?" after my setbacks and disasters."

who contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion

Total income for June $ 7435.91

Total expenses for June -$ 7638.40

Net income (June 2006) -$ 202.49 —————————-

June adults/youth

July adults/youth

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

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."

I'm whispering "I was lost,

Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble

and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak

And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed

And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I still feel the sting of pain.

I have my share of heartaches

So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

I'm not holier than thou,

I'm just a simple sinner

Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Altar Guild: Pat Sauser & Judy Gundry

Flowers: open

Bread of Heaven: Diana Schneider

Fellowship: Alyssa Garvey for her 15th birthday

Acolyte: open

Bread of Heaven: Judy Gundry

Fellowship: open

Bread of Heaven: Judy Gundry

Fellowship: open

Acolyte: open

Flowers: Don & Marcy Reedy in honor of Dolly & Harold Berner’s 56th anniversary

Bread of Heaven: open

Fellowship: open

8/5 Donna Luety 8/23 Allen Johnson

8/8 Marjorie Berner 8/23 Jack Kalk

8/9 Deena Laird 8/25 Don Grade

8/13 Shirley Jero 8/27 Jessica Hoefer

8/14 David Rounds 8/30 Marsha Johnson

8/16 Judy Gundry

8/19 Don Reedy 8/23 Margaret Peterson

8/19 Robert Kilday

Cole William Rowald 6/26/06

Samuel Michael Rowald 6/26/06

Count your blessings... Instead of your crosses

Count your gains... Instead of your losses

Count your joys... Instead of your woes

Count your friends... Instead of your foes

Count your courage... Instead of your fears

Count your laughs... Instead of your tears

Count your full years... Instead of your lean

Count your kind deeds... Instead of your mean

Count your health... Instead of your wealth

Count on God... Instead of yourself

A Churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the

life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: "I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.

But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!

When you are DOWN to nothing....God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

LOT'S WIFE

The Sunday School teacher was describing how Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt, when little Jason interrupted, "My Mommy looked back once, while she was

driving," he announced triumphantly,

"and she turned into a telephone pole!"

From Global Connections Committee,

Amid all the flurry of activity after Easter and before the Synod Assembly, Bishop Carlson asked congregations to consider contributing to a special project of the Synod that is before us now. We are planning a delegation to go tou our Companion Synod, the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church of India, in order to develop our connections with two Lutheran hospitals and a school in India. I have been asked to lead this group of educators and healthcare professionals to get some hands-on interaction between their ministries and ours. The trip will be late October to early November.

You can help. Do you have a person to recommend for such a two-week mission? We especially need one or two more healthcare professionals.

We also need some funding help. The bishop’s note challenged us to raise $100 per congregation.

Congregations are mission centers directed outward in Christ’s name. We need a variety of mission initiatives to neighbors near and far. We are called in Christ to be global in our mission. God’s sending knows nothing about borders. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America provides a mandate to us to participate together in global mission through the Companion Synod program. Find a way to participate.

God has gifted us with amazing capacities to interact with brothers and sisters in all the world. They invite us to be "walking partners" with them. Blessings upon you in the many mission connections that you have in the web of relationships that come from being part of God’s great family.

Habitat for Humanity needs your help! A display is set up in the Klingberg Chapel with floor plans and samples of the tile and carpet to be used in the house being constructed at 837 Oak Street. Each square foot is only $3-if you would like to purchase flooring for a room, a portion of a room or just a couple of square feet, donations can be made to the collection can located by the display.

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MONDAY - Ironing Day

Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have collected though the years so that I may see the beauty in others.

TUESDAY - Mending Day

O God, help me mend my ways so I will not set a bad example for

others.

WEDNESDAY - Cleaning Day

Lord Jesus, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding in the secret corners of my heart.

THURSDAY - Shopping Day

O God, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may purchase eternal happiness for myself and all others in need of love.

FRIDAY - Cooking Day

Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve it with the clean, sweet bread of human kindness.

SATURDAY - Wash Day

Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity, so I may serve you with perfect humility through the week ahead.

SUNDAY - The Sabbath Day

O God, I have prepared my house for you. Please come into my heart so I may spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence.

OPEN YOUR HEART AND HOME to a Korean or European exchange student for the coming 2006/2007 school year. Caring host families (with or without children) are needed to provide food, a bed and a loving home for one or two semesters starting in late August. EMF students have medical insurance, spending money for their personal expenses and expect to share their host family's daily life including household responsibilities. They speak English, are well-screened and eager to experience life in America. Their stay here is sponsored and supervised by EMF (Educational Merit Foundation), a non-profit, educational exchange program. Interested host families are encouraged to apply as soon as possible because of the limited space available for foreign students in American schools. For more information on EMF students, please call Marie-Claude Dijoud now at 1-800-467-8363 or visit our web site at www.emfusa.org

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The new church directories are DONE! If you haven’t already picked one up yet, there are copies are in the back of the church, the Klingberg Chapel and in the office.

Oops! A couple of mistakes have been found in the new directories. Please make sure to correct your copies: Nate & Betsy Anderson’s house number is 2507,

and Cheryl Ramczyk’s cell phone number ends in 9286.

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In November there is an Advisory Referendum on the death penalty. The South-Central Synod of Wisconsin Assembly voted to oppose the death penalty and it’s reintroduction into Wisconsin. To help you prepare for the vote we will be meeting in the Klingberg Chapel from 1-2 PM on Wednesdays-July 12, 19, 26 and August 2 to discuss the ELCA Social Statement on the death penalty.

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The Sisterhood is meeting at 1 PM, Tuesday, August 1st at the church. Marge Mueller is hostess, and Pastor Tina will be

doing a Bible study with the group.

The W.O.W.’S will be going to Oregon, IL for lunch at Maxon’s and a ride on the paddleboat on Thursday, August 10. Everyone will meet at the church for shared rides. Time and cost will be announced at a later date. For more information, call Carole Doubleday @ 815-624-6163 or Doris Betz @ 756-0705

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Saturday, August 19, 2006 @ 5:30 PM in the Pohlman Field parking lot,with the ballgame beginning at 7 PM.

Reserve box seats with Bob Kristianson. Price is $5.50 per ticket, due in August.

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CONTACT: Pat Sauser 756-1461 -- Carole Doubleday 815-624-6163 -- Janice Mitchell 362-6418 -- Arlene Ruegger 365-2448