Blessing of the Backpacks, Outdoor Worship & Potluck. Celebration Weekend. Orientation Spirit Trek. Atonement Visitor.

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1 Atonement Visitor August/September 2017 Volume 13, Issue 5 Save the Date! Love Extravaganza Blessing of the Backpacks, Outdoor Worship & Potluck Blessing for Hunters Celebration Weekend Sunday 9:30 & 11 a.m. services Hive Time & GiFT resume Spirit Trek Pizza & Class Orientation Spirit Trek Bible Sunday 3rd & 6th graders Rally Celebration Bible Adventures for grades th Grade Spirit Trek Retreat Sunday Morning & Wednesday Evening Adult Education & Fellowship Faith Milestone for 3 year olds Worship Buddy Bags Begins August 13th August 28th September 10th September 10th (10:10 10:50 am) September 13th September 17th September 20th September 23rd/24th Planned dates TBA Stay Tuned! October 1st services 500th Anniversary of the October 2017! Reformation! Inside this Issue: From Pastor Mari /Pastoral Acts 2 From Pastor John From the Council President Mission 4 Adult Ministry/Fellowship/Stewardship 5 Notices /Events /Noteworthy Facts 6 Service and Growth/Thank You 7 3 Page Atonement s Mission Statement Reaching Up, Reaching Out Reaching Up To God: We build personal relationships with God through worship, prayer, Bible study and Christian fellowship. Reaching Out To Others: God s love leads us to share the message of Jesus Christ with others through our love, our lives and our gifts in our faith community and the world.

A Message From Pastor Mari The Spirit At Work Unlike the apprehensive disciples locked in the Upper Room with their fears, I do have expectations of your coming. Yet you continue to surprise me too.

2 A Message From Pastor Mari The Spirit At Work Unlike the apprehensive disciples locked in the Upper Room with their fears, I do have expectations of your coming. Yet you continue to surprise me too. I anticipate your entrance as a wild gust And then you slip quietly into my life. I wait for you to speak instantly, Instead, you slowly share your guidance. I look for you in the highly unusual And of course you show up in the ordinary. inspired by 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Fragments of Your Ancient Name This is how author Joyce Rupp sees the Spirit working in her life. And it reflects how we are often unaware of how the Spirit is present in our ordinary days. Through 27 years of global ministry, I am confident that the Spirit is alive and shining whether or not we can see it. Thank you Family of Atonement for welcoming me as your interim pastor for this mutual Spirit journey. This is a healthy, potential filled time of transition. Of course our expectations during a time of transition are great. We are like children confronting a perfectly wrapped birthday gift - we don t have a clue what is inside but our expectations run wild. And often we are led in surprise ways beyond our imagining. The key is being open. As was reported by your Council President Debbie Grzybowski in your last newsletter, this interim process is intentional and purposeful. The first step is setting up a Transition Team of 8-10 active church members. Your Council has recommended names which I am contacting, with- our first meetings planned for August. Based on the congregation s past and present, this team will determine the shape of a congregational self-study, personal interviews and cottage meetings which will help identify issues and help project future goals. This process will occur over the next few months, taking advantage of the momentum that is already clearly visible in you - in worship, in conversations, in your hospitality, outreach, fellowship and vibrant service as well as a faithful, talented staff. The Transition Team will report to Council and the congregation on a regular basis. This is your process. And it is dynamic and Spirit inspired, thriving on prayer and engagement. Each member will be invited to participate in surveys, home meetings, congregational gatherings, special interest groups or other exchanges. It is a time to sharpen our listening skills, ask questions, communicate, pray fervently and be open to the movement of the Spirit within each one of us. In this process all churches come across their bumps and bruises as well as achievements, blessings and reasons to be thankful. Being centered on our mission - Reaching Up to God and Reaching Out to Others - will anchor and guide us in a healthy, engaging way forward into God s preferred future for Atonement Lutheran Church. In the words of Dag Hammarskjold for all that has been, THANKS; for all that is to come, YES! One in Spirit, Pastor Mari 500th Anniversary of the Reformation October 2017 marks 500 years since the Protestant Reformation in Europe. This fall, we will commemorate this anniversary in worship, learning and fellowship activities at Atonement and with neighboring congregations, both Lutheran and of other denominations. Details of special events will be posted in the coming months on our church calendar and in future bulletins, Weekend Visitors and the October Newsletter. Recent Pastoral Acts Baptisms Lillian Rose Planting, June 11, 2017 Olivia Persephone Planting June 11, 2017 Funerals Orin Dahl June 12, 2017 August/September Atonement Visitor Page 2

She likes the story of Jairus daughter (which is in Matthew, Mark and Luke and tells of Jesus raising a little girl from the dead - Jesus said she was sleeping) because it tells her, in her words,

3 A Message From Pastor John The Council President s Update It s story time. Greetings Friends, I ll be curious to see if they change over time, but for now, my daughter has two favorite bible stories: the raising Jairus daughter and Queen Esther. She likes the story of Jairus daughter (which is in Matthew, Mark and Luke and tells of Jesus raising a little girl from the dead - Jesus said she was sleeping) because it tells her, in her words, that Jesus cares about little girls. She s at the age where that kind of thing - Jesus caring about and helping someone just like her - is especially important. I don t know that it ever stops being important, but for her it s a big deal right now. She asks for that story. The other one she asks for a lot is the story of Queen Esther. This one is less well known. A young woman becomes queen of Persia. She is Jewish, unbeknownst to her husband, the king (what a world). She learns, from her uncle, of a plot to kill all of her people. As queen, she has the opportunity to try and save her people, but doing so risks her own life. Her uncle says to her, Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this (Esther 4:14 MSG) so she takes the risk and succeeds. I think my little girl likes this story because a young woman is brave and saves her people. I like it for a variety of reasons, but that idea given voice by Mordecai for just such a time as this is one of the main ones. Now, I don t think our congregation, let alone our denomination or the universal Church, is at risk of destruction. Far from it. But I do think we are in a time when some of us will find that we have been given gifts and put into position to help each other and contribute to the in-breaking of God s kingdom. You, dear reader, have been given gifts, and it may be that you were given those gifts for just such a time as this, when we are in a period of change and looking to grow our ministry and figure out how God is calling us home and leading us forward. I d love to talk to you about it, and learn how God is calling you, or perhaps just hear about what your hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, needs and blessings are. peace pj I hope you have had the opportunity to meet and greet our new interim minister, Pastor Mari Thorkelson. We are thrilled that she has joined us. Her expertise in moving congregations on to the next step is superb and I look forward to the process. On that note, the leadership will be assembling a transition team to assess where we are and the goals for Atonement s future. We will be meeting with congregation members beginning in August. If you recall, that is the beginning of seeking a new lead pastor for Atonement. When that first step is completed, a call committee will be formed and a request will be made to the synod office for Atonement lead minister candidates. COMING IN October We are making plans to create a new Atonement photo directory. The company, Life Touch, will be producing it once again. With your appointment, you will be given a complimentary 8x11 photo and a directory. Life Touch will offer other poses to purchase. Please keep these dates in mind, Tuesday, October 10th through Saturday, October 14th and Tuesday October 24th through October 28th. Those weeks fall before and after the MEA mid October break. You may schedule your appointment on-line with the web site or link we will provide in the future. If you do not use computers, we will also be available after worship to help you schedule your appointment. This is a great opportunity to get a professional portrait. (Last time, I had an extra photo taken with just my grandchildren). We are hoping for 100% participation. So please, keep the date in mind. Thanks! The business of church goes on. If you worship somewhere else in the summer or are vacationing please remember us in your giving. Our expenses keep rolling in. Thank you for your generosity. Your friend, Debbie Grzybowski August/September Atonement Visitor Page 3

MINISTRY OF THE MONTH AUGUST Madison Elementary and North Junior High School Mission MINISTRY OF THE MONTH SEPTEMBER Lutheran Social Service All monetary gifts will be divided between the two schools.

life - food and shelter, physical health and safety and emotional and spiritual well being.

Management, Foster Care, Veteran and Military Family Services plus many more areas is how LSS helps people in MN.

Our hands is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor.

4 MINISTRY OF THE MONTH AUGUST Madison Elementary and North Junior High School Mission MINISTRY OF THE MONTH SEPTEMBER Lutheran Social Service All monetary gifts will be divided between the two schools. The schools can then purchase supplies needed by students: Gift cards Bus tokens Supplies LSS helps Minnesotans by providing a wide range of human support services related to the basic necessities of life - food and shelter, physical health and safety and emotional and spiritual well being. Services such as Adoption, Camps, Retreats, Caregiver support and Respite Services, Behavioral Health, Crisis Nurseries, Shelters for Youth, Disaster Response, Financial Counseling and Debt Management, Foster Care, Veteran and Military Family Services plus many more areas is how LSS helps people in MN. You can support the ministries of the month by using the envelopes included in the Visitor. Atonements 4th Annual God s Work Our Hands God s work. Our hands is an opportunity to celebrate who we are as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America one church, freed in Christ to serve and love our neighbor. In the fall nearly10,000 congregations from the ELCA gather to serve communities sharing the love of God with all people On Saturday SEPTEMBER 30th, Atonement Lutheran members will go out into the community to serve our neighbors and make our community a better place. We will also have projects at Atonement that day. Children may also participate by serving with their families. Look for more information in the bulletin and Weekend Visitor. Look for sign-up sheets in September. Volunteer times may vary. Don t miss out on being a part of this outreach! VOLUNTEER AT THE EMERGENCY SERVICES FOOD SHELF During the month of SEPTEMBER, Atonement has the opportunity to make a difference in people s lives by volunteering at the Emergency Services Food Shelf in St. Cloud. The Food Shelf helps about 2,000 households place food on their tables. You can serve as a guide or be put to work in many other ways. Everyone goes through a short training session before the shift begins. The Emergency Services Food Shelf could not make the impact they do in our community without the help of local churches. They appreciate Atonement s commitment to hungry families in our area. Look for a volunteer sheet on the bulletin board across from the office and SIGN UP for the time that best suits your schedule. For questions, contact Faye Matson at or Marilyn Lisbon at August/September Atonement Visitor Page 4

Adult Ministry / Fellowship / Stewardship Women's Week at Luther Crest Each year Luther Crest hosts 5 days of Women's Camp.

It s a week of spiritual reawakening with activities provided by speakers and small group activities. It s also a time to share with women 20- somethings to 93!

An added benefit for moms of children is an on-site day camp or childcare available for young children and additional camping opportunities for older kids.

I attended camp again this June with five other family members and it was even better than it was in the past three years. We had a wonderful mini cousins and kids/ grandkids reunion.

5 Adult Ministry / Fellowship / Stewardship Women's Week at Luther Crest Each year Luther Crest hosts 5 days of Women's Camp. If you have never attended I would really encourage you to consider it next summer! If you have attended in the past, I encourage you to return and enjoy all the new amenities they offer. It s a week of spiritual reawakening with activities provided by speakers and small group activities. It s also a time to share with women 20- somethings to 93! A great deal of relaxation occurs while being pampered by a gracious staff and sharing meals with an excited group of children who are also attending for the week. An added benefit for moms of children is an on-site day camp or childcare available for young children and additional camping opportunities for older kids. Your kids can get a taste of the wonderful Luther Crest camper life while having the comfort of knowing mom is at the camp if an extra hug or comfort wave at meals is needed. I attended camp again this June with five other family members and it was even better than it was in the past three years. We had a wonderful mini cousins and kids/ grandkids reunion. Atonement's own Maddy Gray supervised coordinating a great week of activities and Copper Gray was a big asset to the toddlers childcare program. Early bird registration beginning in January has been an option in the past offering reduced camper fees. I am really hoping to have some Atonement women and kids join us next summer when the anticipated 2018 dates are June 17 through 22. Take a look at your 2018 summer vacation plans and consider devoting 5-6 days to a spiritual, relaxing time while connecting to a diverse aged group of Christian women. - Angie Faundeen Girls Night Out All are welcome to come and enjoy good fellowship! August 17th at 5:30pm at Molitor s Quarry Grill September 21st at 5:30pm at The 400 Club Coyote Moon Style on Pleasant Lake. To RSVP, for more information or rides, please call Delores at Atonement s Book Club We meet at 5:30 PM on the third Monday of every month. We will meet at Noon at the church on August 21st to carpool to Stephanie Hensel s lake home. We will discuss The Invention of Wings by Susan Monk Kidd. On September 18th at 5:30 p.m. we will meet at Faye Matson s home. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah will be discussed. For more information call Debbie at Our Commitment to Lifelong Faith Formation This year we hope to build upon our strong platform of learning opportunities (Coffee & Conversation, Sunday Adult studies, multiple weekly bible studies and Circles) with new opportunities to grow by partnering with other ministry teams, including Fellowship, Missions and Stewardship at various times. Please check our calendars and stay tuned! August/September Atonement Visitor Page 5

Notices / Events / Noteworthy Facts Serve Lunch at Anna Marie s August 5th. You can help prepare food and serve the residents. Call Laurie Meyer at 320-259-6450 for details.

For more information and to access the 2-page registration forms, please see our website @ www.atonementlutheran.org. Questions? Please call Kathy Young @ 224-6366 or email atonementpreschool@gmail.

6 Notices / Events / Noteworthy Facts Serve Lunch at Anna Marie s August 5th. You can help prepare food and serve the residents. Call Laurie Meyer at for details. AARP Smart Driver Classes Preschool Registration We still have openings in our classes from 9:00 - noon on Tuesday - Thursday OR Monday - Wednesday - Friday. For more information and to access the 2-page registration forms, please see our Questions? Please call Kathy or atonementpreschool@gmail.com. Thanks for considering our preschool for your child! If you are 55 years or older and have not yet taken the Initial Safe Driving Class, it will be offered at Atonement on Saturday, September 9th at 8:30 am. No need to bring a lunch. Taking the class will allow you to receive a 10% discount on your car insurance. You must take the initial course to qualify for the discount. A 4-hour refresher course will be offered from 12:30 pm 4:30 pm on Thursday, August 3rd. Cost: AARP members $17.00, non-members $ This includes materials, coffee, and snacks. To register, call the church office at Questions? Call Debbie at Looking for Blood Donors This is a BIG request for Atonement members to donate blood to the Red Cross Bloodmobile on August 1st and September 5th from 1pm - 7:00 pm at Atonement. Just one generous gift of blood can help save several lives. Call LouAnn Garner at for an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome! Loving Your Neighbor Extravaganza Kick-off Atonement August 13th 11 am 4 pm Our Stewardship Team has joined and is a sponsor of the Loving Your Neighbor Extravaganza, headed by Cortez Riley, a friend of our congregation. Join us in a week of loving our neighbors in St. Cloud, beginning at 11am at Atonement Lutheran Church on Sunday, August 13, We will write letters of love and encouragement to our neighbors who are facing homelessness, which will be delivered to Place of Hope (our partner for Church of the Week) and other locations. Refreshments will be provided throughout, with a meal served at noon. Coloring sheets will be available for children who are too young to write. Information about other events that week to follow. '...Love your neighbor as yourself...' ~Mark 12:31 I In October Operation Christmas Child Every day, children worldwide suffer from war, poverty, disease and natural disaster. Millions of children are able to experience God s love through gifts from caring people through Operation Christmas Child. The gifts are given to children through local churches, if possible, and offer children Gospel literature and culturally appropriate evangelistic programs. The gifts open doors to present the Good News of Jesus Christ. Shoe boxes will be available to fill, starting mid-october. Now is the time to start thinking of what you may want to give. Many store sales are happening now. If you don t want to pack a shoebox - load up on sale items and bring them in. We will send them to a packing center. Items to pack: Something to love: teddy bear doll, soft toy. School items: pencils, pens, pencils cases, notebook, erasers, calculators. Clothing: T-shirt, hat, underwear, socks, shoes, flip-flops. Toys: cars, jump rope, yoyo. Personal hygiene (not toothpaste) soap, washcloth, tooth brush, hair brushes & combs. A special thing: tote, sunglasses, craft kit, stickers, jewelry, small tools, flashlight, photo and note. Questions? Call Loretta Anderson or Nancy Sturlaugson August/September Atonement Visitor Page 6

Bible Adventures is a new way to help reach more families and provide opportunities for their children to grow in faith. We will begin with a single, mixed-age class for 1st 5th graders.

7 Children & Youth Ministry We are rapidly approaching a new faith-formation program year and are excited about what God has in store for us! Hive Time and GiFT (Sunday School) will continue on Sunday mornings between services. Bible Adventures is a new way to help reach more families and provide opportunities for their children to grow in faith. We will begin with a single, mixed-age class for 1st 5th graders. The class does not replace our Sunday School offerings, but will provide another opportunity for more members and neighbor families to participate with their children in faith formation. Bible Adventures students and their families are invited to join our Spirit Trekkers for pizza ($1/slice) before evening programming begins. A joint gathering for all learners and leaders will begin at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary. GiFT and Bible Adventures students will use the same materials The Action Bible Devotional, a 52-week plunge into the bible that pairs a graphic novel version of the bible with an understandable devotional format. This will allow students who miss their Sunday or Wednesday class to stay engaged. Atonement s tradition is to offer children s ministry free of charge. If you are able and feel moved to make a gift to support our costs, we appreciate any amount. Our costs are about $15 per child. Spirit Trek we begin to shift to a portfolio system to prepare our youth to make their Affirmation of Baptism. This will provide greater flexibility to families navigating increasingly full schedules as they raise young women and men to follow Jesus. Detailed information will be mailed later soon. Orientation will be September 13th. Keep in mind that our program will begin as it did last year, with weekly meals and regularly-scheduled class time. Blessing of the Backpacks On Sunday, Aug. 28, at our outdoor worship, all ages who are attending school or who work at a school are invited to bring their backpacks to be blessed. Each person whose backpack is blessed will receive an article to hang on their backpacks as a reminder of God s continual presence with them ELCA National Youth Gathering Houston, Texas 3rd Grade Bible Milestone On Sunday, Sept. 17 our 3 rd grade students will experience another faith milestone with their church family. At the worship service of their choice they will receive a new Adventure Bible which is written for their age group. During HiveTime(10:10-10:50) on Sept. 17 and 24 they will have a special Bible class, learning more about the Bible and how to use it. This year parents are invited to be in the Bible class while their children are learning. We remember the baptismal promise of putting the scriptures in their hands. More information will be provided regarding registration for this milestone. A Faith Milestone for 3 year olds On Sunday, Oct. 1 all 3 year olds are invited to the worship service of their choice to receive their Worship Buddy Bag. These knapsacks will include a small worship buddy to join children as they worship with their families. More details will be provided to families with 3 year olds. June 27 - July 1, 2018 Every three years, 30,000 high school youth and their adult leaders from across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gather for a week of faith formation known as the Gathering. Through days spent in interactive learning, worship, Bible study, service and fellowship, young people grow in faith and are challenged and inspired to live their faith in their daily lives. We encourage all 9 th through 12 th graders to attend! Interested? Questions? Contact Lynn Anderson (cell: or lynn@thefishingpond.com) or Pastor John. Early Bird Registration ends November 15 th. Scholarships are currently available visit or YouthGathering/registration/financial-assistance to apply. August/September Atonement Visitor Page 7

8 Atonement Lutheran Church th Avenue North St. Cloud, MN Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID St. Cloud, Minnesota Permit No. 382 Atonement Lutheran Executive Committee & Staff President Debbie Grzybowski Vice President Chris Wills Secretary Marilyn Skurdahl Treasurer Brent Engelbrekt Interim Lead Pastor Associate Pastor Mari Thorkelson John Gabrielson Phone Ext. 14 Phone Ext. 12 Children s Ministry Sheila Molde sheilam@atonementlutheran.org Phone Ext. 15 Office Administrators April Carlson office@atonementlutheran.org Phone Ext. 10 Jean Klosowski Adult Choir Director Susan Cogdill scogdill@csbsju.edu Director of Music/Organist Marcia Handahl mhandahl@atonementlutheran.org Celebration Worship Diane Wisniewski- geewiz11kids@charter.net Grzybowski Praise Team Leader Terry Elliott Praise Team Musician Adam Molde Handbell Choir Director Al Marquardt abmarquardt756@gmail.com Preschool Director Kathy Young atonementpreschool@gmail.com Phone Ext th Avenue North, St. Cloud, MN Church office: Call the church office to reach the pastor on call. Office Hours Monday Thursday 8:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m., Friday CLOSED

Atonement Visitor June/July 2018

Atonement Visitor June/July 2018 Upcoming Summer Events June 11th-14th VBS Recent Pastoral Acts July 4th No Wednesday Worship Office Closed July 22nd Worship at Wilson Park/Pet Blessing July 30th Aug.