September 2006

Newsletter of Atonement Lutheran Church,

Rev. Tina Koenig Ray, BCC, Pastor

Dear Friends in Christ, this last Sunday, we heard from Paul in Ephesians chapter 6 regarding the gifts that God has given us. The question was asked, " Are you a pew potato?" "How do you share the gifts that you’ve been given in order to build up the body of Christ?" You might think that you have no gifts to share or that so’n’so has better gifts to share. I ask you to meditate on the gift of the Cracked Pot:

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of a long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman on day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

The following is an article from The Lutheran. I felt it may catch some eyes; more than my regular articles.

Bruce

Silence teaches us that prayer is not only conversational, involving words, but is also a stance of openess and listening for the voice of God. When our worship is wall-to-wall words and music it does not give the worshipper the impression that in addition to the Word, God also comes in silence and stillness.

The gathering before the liturgy is a natural time for silence and helps set the tone for worship. Greeting one another and sharing conversation are valid ways to build community and many congregations have a difficult time quieting parishioners before the liturgy for prayer or listening to the prelude. Notes in the bulletin and newsletter are not always effective, and scolding the assembly sends a negative energy. One congregation rings a meditation bowl periodically during the fifteen minutes before the service begins. The simple bell-like sound is a positive reminder that it is time for the congregation to gather in silence, centering and prayer. Two natural times for an extended minute or so of silence are the periods following the sermon and distribution of communion. Silence following the sermon provides a time for personal reflection. After the distribution is complete the ministers may be seated for the assembly to savor the presence of Christ received in the eucharist and present in the community.

For answers to questions regarding liturgy go to:

Total income for June $ 9567.58

Total expenses for June -$ 8948.72

Net income (July 2006) $ 618.86 —————————-

July adults/youth

Aug 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:

The Senior's group is sponsoring a picnic this Saturday. Each person is asked to bring a friend, a vegetable, or a dessert in a covered dish.

A new loudspeaker system has been installed in the church. It was given by one of our members in honor of his wife.

We now have a Lost & Found. If you have lost anything, please place it in the big green box in the administrative office.

The Reverend Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.

Remember in prayer Harold Johnson, who has been suffering from severe depression ever since joining our congregation.

A Sunday school teacher said to her children, "We have been learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a higher power. Can anybody tell me what it is?"

One child blurted out, "Aces!"

.... to be continued....

As you can see from the bright heading above, the time for Y.A.G. has come! We need 12 good souls to sign up to provide food for the evening meal. The youth come about 5:30 pm on Sunday evenings while school is in session. There’s a sign up sheet in the Klingberg Chapel. You are encouraged to stay and eat with us and stay for the Bible Study that follows.

Eternal Candle: The Eternal Candle for September is from Robert & Arlene Brauns

Altar Guild: open

Flowers: open

Bread of Heaven: Janice Mitchell

Fellowship: open

Acolyte: open

Bread of Heaven: open

Fellowship: open

Bread of Heaven: Diana Schneider

Fellowship: open

Acolyte: open

Flowers: Arlene Ruegger in honor of her children’s wedding

anniversaries

Bread of Heaven: open

Fellowship: open

9/16 Pat Sauser 9/25 Erica Reedy

9/1 Curtis Reynolds 9/19 Don Grade

9/2 Carolyn Kalk 9/24 Cason Janke

9/9 Deena Laird 9/30 Jessica Hoefer

9/18 Marjorie Reynolds

While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, our Minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his father always said: "Glory be unto the Faaaather, and unto the Sonnn, and into the hole he gooooes."

Many years ago, while watching a little TV on Sunday instead of going to church, I watched a Church in Atlanta welcoming one of its’ senior pastors who had been retired many years....

He was 92 at that time and I wondered why the Church even bothered to ask the old gentleman to preach at that age. After a warm welcome, the introduction of this speaker, the applause quieted down, and he rose from his high back chair and walked slowly, with great effort and a sliding gate to the podium....Without a note or written paper of any kind, he placed both hands on the pulpit to steady himself and then quietly and slowly he began to speak....

"When I was asked to come here today and talk to you, your pastor asked me to tell you what was the greatest lesson ever learned in my 50 odd years of preaching.....I thought about it for a few days and boiled it down to just one thing that made the most difference in my life and sustained me through all my trials. The one thing that I could always rely on when tears and heart break and pain and fear and sorrow paralyzed me......The only thing that would comfort was this verse..........

"Jesus loves me this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to him belong,

We are weak but he is strong.....

Yes, Jesus loves me...

The Bible tells me so."

When he finished, the church was quiet. You actually could hear his footsteps as he shuffled back to his chair. I don't believe I will ever forget it.

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.

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 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. Displays have been placed in other churches for donations toward shingles, wallcoverings, and floorings. Thrivent is expecting each church to meets it’s goals towards completing the Habitat House.

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Our Savior’s is hosting a day of fun and sports with family and friends featuring a volleyball tournament on Saturday, August 26th at Prairie Hill School, 14714 Willowbrook Road, South Beloit. The event begins at 9 AM and the cost of $5 covers lunch too. Choose your own teams of 6-8 people, and have the registration form and money to Our Savior’s by Tuesday, August 22nd. Questions? Call Amy @ 362-0715 or email:

amyjany@hotmail.com

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Hands of Faith guests will be here next Sunday (August 27) through September 3rd. The clothesline of needs is up in the hallway, and sign-up sheets for dinner and overnight hosts are in the Klingberg Chapel. Please consider giving of your time and talents. There will also be a short meeting here from 7-8 PM, Thursday, August 24 with Hands of Faith director Jeff Hoyt, members of our new partner church, First Baptist, and anyone from Atonement interested in attending.

The Sisterhood will be meeting at 1 PM on

Tuesday, September 5 at the church. Freda Leeder will be hostessing, and Pastor Tina will conduct a bible study with the group. All women of the church are welcome to join.

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Choir rehearsals will begin again starting immediately after the service on Sunday, September 10th. Rehearsals will be directed toward preparing music for the Fall & Christmas seasons. All who have sung with the choir before and all who would like to sing and praise the Lord through his gift of song are welcome to attend any and all rehearsals. If there are any questions, please see David Ramsey or leave him a note in his mailbox (# 19) in the office. Thank you-David Ramsey

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We choose our joys and sorrows

long before we experience them.

-- Kahlil Gibran

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The Sisterhood is sponsoring the Cross and Crown Quilt Show here at Atonement on Saturday, October 7, 2006 from 10 AM to 2 PM. View beautiful quilts and enjoy gourmet desserts and teas. Raffle tickets are available for $1 each or $5 for 6. Grand prize is a queen size quilt done in the Cross & Crown pattern.

Others prizes are 2 tickets to a Badger football game or a quilted placemat set. Volunteers are needed to make this show a success. For more info, please contact Pat Sauser @ 756-1461, Carole Doubleday @ 815-624-6163, Janice Mitchell @ 362-6418 or Arlene Ruegger 365-2448.

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