Atonement Tidings FEBRUARY 2018 NEW FRONT SIGN Something to celebrate in this new year: a new front sign! New driveway signs/exterior building signs and new lighting for the sign have also been installed. Thank you to Jim Krapf and the Sign Committee for their time and effort in making this project a reality…and to those families who assisted in funding this project through memorial gifts in memory of loved ones. Look for more pictures on pg. 7. ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING Sunday, February 4 at 10:45am
Transcript
Atonement Tidings FEBRUARY 2018
NEW FRONT SIGN
Something to celebrate in this new year: a new front sign! New driveway signs/exterior building signs and new lighting for the sign
have also been installed. Thank you to Jim Krapf and the Sign Committee for their time and effort in making this project a reality…and to those families who assisted in funding this project through memorial
gifts in memory of loved ones. Look for more pictures on pg. 7.
ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
Sunday, February 4 at 10:45am
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ASH WEDNESDAY WORSHIP Feb 14
12:00 Noon & 7:00pm Imposition of Ashes and Holy Communion
Ash Wednesday is a time of confession, reflection and renewal which sets us on the path of discipleship for the season of Lent.
Begin your Lenten journey by joining us for either of our services.
ADULT FORUM
Join us on the first Wednesday of each month for a 30 minute service of song, prayer and Holy Communion. This informal service will be followed by Lunch & Laughter, combining worship + fellowship + community.
Need a ride? Please call the church office and we will provide
transportation!
FEBRUARY NEWS
FIRST WEDNESDAY NOONDAY WORSHIP
Wednesday, Feb. 7 12:00 – 12:30pm
Wednesday February 21, 28, March 7, 14, 21
6:00pm Soup, Salad and Bread 6:45pm Service of Evening Prayer
Join us for a special Lenten program which will take us to different countries around the around the world. Global food, prayers, stories and hymns will be featured as we celebrate the gift and diversity of God's world this Lent.
Sundays at 10:45am
February 4 Annual Congregational Meeting
February 11 What Would Jesus Drive...and How Would He Drive It? (Avis Hooper)
February 21 The Sacred Art of Forgiveness (Pastor Gail Swanson)
February 28 The Practice of Forgiveness
(Pastor Gail Swanson)
YOUTH – LED WORSHIP SERVICE Sunday, February 11
9:30am
It’s always a great day at Atonement when our young people assist with worship leadership! All of our middle school/high school/college youth are invited to share their gifts of music…leading…reading … serving….and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus.
Please contact Pastor Gail if you are willing to help.
WEDNESDAYS IN LENT
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FELLOWSHIP
worship + fellowship + community building = Atonement Lutheran Church
ATONEMENT’S SUNDAY MORNING SCHEDULE
At our Adult Forum discussion on January 14, we had an opportunity to review and discuss congregational feedback regarding the four- month trial period of our Sunday Morning Worship and Christian Education schedule. The results of the recent worship survey, as well as views expressed by those attending the Adult Forum, indicated that an overwhelming majority find that our congregation is being well served by a single worship service on Sunday morning followed by Christian Education. Other related topics of discussion included:
The wide variety of preferences within our congregation regarding hymnody.
A slight increase in worship attendance in Sept. -Dec. 2017 compared to Sept. – Dec. 2016, with offering donations remaining steady.
An increase in Adult Forum attendance.
Addressing ways to begin the start time of Sunday School closer to 10:30am.
A time frame of 10:45 – 11:45am has worked well in Adult Forum.
Continuing to find ways to include all the components of Sunday School, particularly music, within a 45 minute time slot.
Providing ongoing care and follow up to those members whose frequency of worship attendance has changed over the fall.
Identifying ways to keep our ending time of worship closer to 10:30am.
An awareness of the various methods in which people are giving offerings to the church, and perhaps considering a different way to collect our Sunday morning offering.
Our discussion closed with group consensus that we as a congregation should move forward with one service at 9:30am followed by Christian Education, with minor adjustments occurring to this schedule as deemed necessary. We thank everyone for their input.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE
ASH WEDNESDAY MORNING PRAYER February 14 at 9:00 a.m. in the Prayer Room
As always, our half hour or so together will include readings and prayer, and time for quiet reflection as we begin our Lenten journey together.
LUNCH & LAUGHTER Wednesday, February 7 at 12:30 pm following Noon Worship
It has been COLD! Bring a heartwarming dish to pass or a salad or dessert to our potluck lunch. Come and enjoy the warmth of friendship and good conversation. We’ll provide beverages, hot and cold. There will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex, but if you forget to sign up, come anyway. There is always room for YOU at our table. Set-up or clean-up help is always appreciated. If you need transportation, call the office at 442-1018 and we will help secure you a ride.
PRAYER MINISTRY
ASH WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONALS We will begin a morning of personal prayer and meditation in the Prayer Room at 10:45 a.m. The Prayer Room, sanctuary and library will be available to you for this quiet, reflective time. Coffee and tea will be ready in the kitchen for those who wish to spend the morning with us. Feel free to make use of devotional materials in the Prayer Room or library or bring your own. Spend some time journaling. Light a votive candle on the Prayer Room altar as you begin your own Lenten journey. The morning will conclude with the Ash Wednesday service and the imposition of ashes in the sanctuary at Noon.
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DISCIPLESHIP
SOUP-ER BOWL SUNDAY February 4th - Collection for ELCA World Hunger
Planning your feast for Super Bowl Sunday? Remember the chicken wings, chips and dip, veggie platters, subs, and bubbly beverages. But, please, also take a moment to remember those folks around the world who will be lucky to get a bowl of rice, or a piece of bread and a cup of clean water that day. More than 800 million people - that’s 11% of people in our world today - are hungry. On Sunday, February 4, we will hold a friendly competition, allowing you to support your favorite Super Bowl football team, by putting your cash donations into a soup pot with your team’s name on it. Let’s have some fun, while collecting funds, and supporting ELCA World Hunger in their efforts to make a difference! Note: if you wish to use one of your collection envelopes for your donation, there is one designated for ELCA World Hunger in your packet. It is after the June 3 envelope.
ST. JOHN’S PEOPLE-PUSHING Sunday, February 4 1:15 - 3:15 PM
Volunteers are needed to push wheelchairs in assisting residents to attend the Sunday Chapel Service at St. John’s Home on Highland
Avenue. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to sign up on the narthex bulletin board or contact the church office if you can help.
BRIGHTON FOOD DEPOT
For the month of February, we will collect canned fruit, cereal and peanut butter. Thank you for your continued support of this important ministry. The cart for your donations is located in the Recycling and Donations Center; see an usher if you need assistance on Sundays. If anyone is interested in finding out more about the Brighton Food De-pot, please talk to Barb Sanko.
ASBURY DINING AND CARING CENTER MINISTRY Sunday February 25th 11:00
Asbury Dining and Caring Center on East Avenue serves over 30,000 nutritious meals every year, and also offers showers, laundry, haircuts, bicycle repairs and other assistance to those in need in Rochester. Besides breakfasts and lunches through the week, every Sunday over one hundred people are served a hot meal between noon and 1:30. Atonement is invited to take part in serving on Sundays 11:00 to 1:30 pm, five times a year, alternating with several other congregations and groups. We are signed up for the following five Sundays: February 25, April 29, July 1, September 9, and November 11. For each of these dates we need about six people. The cooking is all done by experienced cooks. We start by rolling silverware in paper napkins, plating donated desserts, making salad, placing the salt and peppers, creamers, and sugars on the tables, etc. Then at noon we begin to serve the meals; one person may add a fresh roll to the tray, another placing the salad bowl and dessert, and several people taking the trays to the dining room, where another person will direct which table and person is being served. Clients bus their own plates, and we end by clearing the tables, wiping them down, and putting up the chairs. Children are welcome to help as well as adults, and tasks can be assigned as appropriate to abilities and preferences. This is a great opportunity to serve and to see Christ in the faces of others. Please contact Karen Goodyear for more information, or ask the Howes and the Thompsons about their volunteer experiences there. A sign-up sheet for February 25th will be in the Narthex.
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FYI— FAMILY ~ YOUTH ~ INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY
PASTOR’S PAGE
A NOTE FROM OUR “ANGEL TREE” FAMILY
The Path to Extinction
Facts & Figures of Interest to Me
Less than 2% of the world’s population are natural redheads
10% of Ireland’s population has red hair
2100 is the estimated year in which natural redheads of the world may be extinct
$123,000,000 is spent yearly on red hair dye in the United States
Facts & Figures Which Should Concern Me
1,000,000,000 people around the world live on less than a dollar a day
1 in 6 people lack safe drinking water
1 child dies every 5.4 seconds from hunger-related causes
I admit it. As a natural redhead myself, it is somewhat concerning that my species is in decline and headed the way of the dinosaurs. I also admit, that as a person who has never experienced true hunger, I am somewhat immune to facts like these about hungry people. It’s not that I don’t care; it’s just that the crisis of world hunger is so enormous. Which means it should be a matter of enormous concern to all of us.
Facts We Need to Take to Heart
God cares what happens to every hungry person. Every one.
You and I are connected through our baptism - and through our life in Christ - to the needs of the hungry and those who suffer.
God has given us hearts to care and resources to share generously, wisely and urgently on behalf of these brothers and sisters.
Perhaps what the Church, as well as you and I, need at this time is to act, share and pray…. generously, wisely and urgently! So that one day, the extinction of world hunger maybe attainable for every child of God. (Perhaps even by the year the redheads are gone….)
In Christ,
Pastor Gail
We would like to thank you all for your generosity. We appreciate all that you have done for our family. We would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! Anderson Family ‘2017-2018’
Thank you very much, we appreciate the help and gifts – Sky ♥ Jahmere Brown
SPRING CANDY SALE We have begun taking orders for candy to benefit The Brighton Churches Habitat Coalition; you can find order forms in the Narthex. Order taking will continue through February 11. Distribution of the candy will be on March 18. Please see Barb Sanko if you have questions.
SWEETHEART DANCE Sunday Feb. 11 5:00pm
The Young Families group will be gathering to celebrate Valentine's Day and to dance with our sweeties! There will be a pasta dinner, dancing and valentine decorating! Please reach out to Alyssa Jones lyss1011@aol,com for further information.
DISCIPLESHIP CONT.
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LUTHERAN YOUTH ORGANIZATION
LYO WINTER WEEKEND March 2 -4, 2018
All 6th – 12th graders are invited to a fun-filled retreat for Lutheran youth at Rotary Camp Sunshine in Rush, NY. Friends are welcome! Registration forms are available on the table in the front entrance.
Cost is $80 per person Registration deadline is February 20th
WHAT IS WINTER WEEKEND?
A weekend retreat can accomplish more spirituality in a teen’s life than weeks of youth group meetings or Sunday School classes. The time and environment are structured for maximum impact. Distractions and daily responsibilities are set aside to focus on fellowship with old and new friends, to go deeper with God and allow the soul to feast on joy. Every year the LYO sponsors a weekend retreat for youth in 6th—12th grades at the Rotary Sunshine Camp in Ruch, NY. This year’s retreat is March 2-4. This “Winter Weekend” is a time when approximately 100 youth and adult volunteers come together in a camp/lodge type setting to explore the Christian spiritual life through a variety of experiences that range from serious to silly. We will wonder, pray, and play together while we reflect on where we’ve been and consider where God may be leading us on the journey of life. Winter Weekend includes: inspirational large group sessions, small group discussions, creative worship experiences, high-energy games, quiet time, fun activities, outdoor events, an all youth live band, structured and free time, and a Saturday night dance. Parents, youth participants, and Family Group Volunteer staff report growth in areas such a self-confidence, independence, making friends, exploring and learning new activities, and spirituality. Winter Weekend provides growth experiences for youth that can benefit them through adulthood. Many youth have chosen to attend year after year culminating in a special service of Blessing & Sending of the seniors at the end of the Weekend—and often returning to volunteer as WW alumni! For more information contact [email protected]
YOUTH WORKER TRAINING
Save the dates! March 23-24 at Lake Chatauqua Lutheran Center (LCLC). Sponsored by “Organic Youth” and LCLC, this event is designed for volunteer and paid youth leaders with any level of experience. For more information visit LCLCenter.org or email at [email protected]
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SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES SING IN WORSHIP The elementary school aged Sunday School classes (Grades 1-5) will sing in worship on Sunday, February 11 at the 9:30 a.m. service of worship. Please plan to have Sunday School students at church by 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 11 for warmups and rehearsal.
Choral Music Ministry – Upcoming Dates
All members of Atonement are invited to join the adult choir to sing for these upcoming dates:
No prior experience necessary!
Wednesday, January 31 Rehearsal 7:00—8:00
Sunday, February 4 The 5th Sunday After Epiphany / Lect. 5
Sunday Worship (Rehearsal)
9:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m.
Wednesday, February 28 Rehearsal 7:15 – 8:15 p.m.
Sunday, March 4 The Third Sunday of Lent
Sunday Worship (Rehearsal)
9:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m.
Wednesday, March 28 Rehearsal 7:00– 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, April The Resurrection of Our Lord
Sunday Worship (Rehearsal)
9:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m.
Music Ministry New Building Signs
West Entrance
ꜜ ꜛ
East Entrance
Something New! In addition to replacing our sign in front of the church, we have added signs on the sides of the building near the main entrances.
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CALENDAR
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
February Birthdays 1 Adam Darder 2 Kayleigh Lee 6 Mark Frampton 8 Kathy Jensen, Tom Thompson, Craig Hightower 10 Rev. Gail Swanson 12 Ann Patterson, Olivia McGill 14 John Hanson, Regina Short 16 Jason Hightower 18 Deborah Oller 21 Kristin Romell 24 Elaine Vangellow February Anniversaries 8 Karen Goodyear & John Kruidenier 24 Stew & Suzanne Stover
Sun Feb 4 Worship 9:30 AM Annual Meeting 10:45 AM Chime Choir 11:30 AM St. John’s People Pushing 1:15 PM Wed Feb 7 Noonday Worship 12:00 PM Lunch and Laughter 12:30 PM Sun Feb 11 Youth Led Worship 9:30 AM Sunday School/ Youth Class/ Adult Forum 10:45 AM Chime Choir 11:30 AM Young Families Sweetheart Dance 5:00 PM Wed Feb 14 Morning Prayer in the Prayer Room 9:00 AM Morning Retreat 9:30 AM Ash Wednesday Service 12:00 PM Ash Wednesday Service 7:00 PM Sun Feb 18 Worship 9:30 AM Sunday School/ Youth Class/ Adult Forum 10:45 AM Chime Choir 11:30 AM Tue Fed 20 Board of Ministries 6:00 PM Wed Feb 21 Lenten Supper and Worship 6:00 PM Sun Feb 25 Worship 9:30 AM Sunday School/ Youth Class/ Adult Forum 10:45 AM Asbury Dining Ministry 11:15 Chime Choir 11:30 AM Wes Feb 28 Lenten Supper and Worship 6:00 PM
PRAYER CONCERNS AND JOYS
Members: Phyllis Fleming, Eloise Kress Friends and Family: Barb Macholz Grimaldi, Pastor Al Herpich, Richard Kress, Judy Price, Erika
CONGREGATIONAL CARE
Our Sympathy and Prayers to Stew Stover upon the death of his father on January 17.
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February 2018
February 4
9:30 AM February 11
9:30 AM
Ash Wednesday February 14 12:00 Noon
Ash Wednesday February 14
7:00 PM
February 18 9:30 AM
February 25 9:30 AM
Assistant Minister
Joanne Scanlon David T
Wilkinson David T
Wilkinson Joanne Scanlon Matt McGill Joanne Scanlon
Communion Assistant
Sue Hauck Jim Krapf Vi Price Judy Lazenby Wally Short Judy Lazenby
Reader David Irish Youth Susan Touhsaent Bob Heinig Jack Teter Russell Miller
Children’s Moment
Elizabeth Dollhopf-Brown
Youth XXXX XXXX Pastor Gail Swanson
Karan Thompson
Acolyte Michael Hauck Faye Domroes XXXX XXXX Shannon Howe Rebecca
