Atonement Lutheran Church Newsletter - Messenger

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December 4, 2007 - Volume 28, #43

• Preparing the Way....
  
  
  As Christmas approaches we, at Atonement, are reminded of a number of traditional needs competing for our attention. Please assist as you can.

  CHRISTMAS PLANTS - It's almost time for us to order the beautiful Christmas Poinsettias which will grace our sanctuary for Christmas. Please consider making a donation in memory or honor of someone or some occasion. These memorial inscriptions will appear in all the Christmas Bulletins and in the first Messenger of the New Year. The cost of plants is $10. Donations are being taken at worship on Sunday Dec. 9 and 16 or may be mailed to church. Be sure to include your desired memorial inscription.

  FOOD BASKETS - Once again this year we will be distributing Christmas Food Baskets to about 20 families in need. Non-perishable food items can be delivered to church at any time or you may make a financial donation clearly marked "Food Baskets."

  HATS AND GLOVES - We need hats and gloves for men and boys. Most of these adults and children walk or rely on bus transportation to get around-so warm hands and heads are really appreciated. Please place your gift in the box near the food donation area. Thank you from the warm hands made possible because you share what God has entrusted to you.

  These are some of the ways you can help make Christmas more joyful for others, but don't forget to make Christmas more joyful for yourself and your family by attending worship in Advent:

  • Sunday at 8:30 and 10:45am in the main Sanctuary on W. Glen Ave.
  • Sunday at 9:00am at St. Paul's Rt 80 Fabius.
  • Wednesday at 6:15 PM in the Sanctuary. Don't forget there is also dinner at 5:30pm in the Fellowship Hall and a variety of activities for all ages at 7pm.

  And, looking ahead, mark your calendars for upcoming events in Advent: Sunday December 16 will be marked by Hanging of the Greens:

  • The Fabius community will gather immediately after the 9:00am service for food, fellowship, and preparing the Sanctuary for Christmas.
  • At Atonement, the 10:45am service will be followed by the traditional pasta dinner and then everyone is invited to stay and help with decorating the Sanctuary.

• Appleseed Presents....

  

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• Please Join Us
  
  We need voices for our Christmas Choir. We have a wonderful and enthusiastic group in the choir already and would love to include you. If you are interested, please contact Kathryn Woods. Call the church office at 492-9065. Leave a message (including a good time to call you back).
   

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• Holiday Food Basket Needs

  We are gathering the necessary items for Christmas baskets and need your help. Contributions are always welcome. Last year, filling out the baskets, after sorting through the donations, cost almost $900.

  Many of our families have children who are off from school and need to be fed the two meals that they usually get at school. At Thanksgiving and Easter we feed at least 12 families and at Christmas we do at least 12 baskets plus meat for about 30 additional families. Any help is appreciated. We can use all the usual food pantry items plus for Christmas baskets -

  Please bring:

  Peanut butter and Jelly Mac and cheese - boxed Hi C or other fruit juice drink (with vitamin C) Cereal Jell-O and pudding mix Coffee Turkey Stuffing mix Boxed mashed potatoes Canned beans and Corn Canned cranberry sauce Quick bread mixes Canned fruit - peaches, pears or mixed fruit Holiday candy

  Spaghetti Sauce Spaghetti (36 pounds) Soups - especially chunky type Cans of stew, spam, tuna or other canned meat Raman noodles Pumpkin pie filling (not plain pumpkin) Evaporated milk Pie crust mix Seasonal funfetti cakes and icing Cranberry sauce

  Thank you for your generosity!

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• Atonement Youth Activities

  Christmas Eve Youth Pageant
  Atonement youth from nursery school through high school will present "Three Women of Bethlehem" during the 7 p.m. family service on Christmas Eve. Please join us for this very special celebration of Jesus' birth.

  Rehearsal schedule:
  Parents are asked to ensure that their children (nursery through high school) attend Sunday school as often as possible during Advent, as many of the children will be preparing for the pageant during this time period. Older youth who have been given speaking roles in the pageant are reminded that they also need to attend rehearsals from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15 and Saturday, Dec. 22. In addition, all of the younger children who are participating in the pageant are asked to join us for the Saturday, Dec. 22 rehearsal.

  NOTE: If your child needs a ride to either of the Saturday rehearsals, please call Judy Holmes.

  Annual Sunday Church School Cookie Bake
  Children from nursery through sixth grade will be baking cookies on Sunday, Dec. 2 during the Sunday School hour. The cookies will be served on Christmas Eve after the 7 p.m. family service. Parents are welcome to donate cookie dough and/or to stay and help us bake cookies and do crafts.

  Questions: Call or e-mail Judy Holmes at 673-9393 (after 6 p.m.) or EWHolmes@att.net

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• Council Minutes

  For the last two months various council members have been meeting to discuss stewardship.

  One topic discussed at the October meeting was the definition of stewardship. ...that Stewardship is not just a one time commitment. You will be hearing more about our discussion next year.

  Soon you will be receiving a letter for this year's stewardship campaign (see below). Our church home needs your commitment. Please prayerfully consider your contribution and return the pledge card as soon as possible so the finance committee can complete the 2008 budget.

  The full council met on November 12 for the regular monthly meeting. Renovation plans were presented for the offices, coffee shop and entry way. The building committee will be meeting again soon to review the plans and presenting the plan to the congregation at the annual meeting in January.

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• 2008 Pledge Cards
  
  "Money doesn't grow on trees...." Please remember to make your Financial Commitment for 2008. Return your Pledge card in the box in the rear of the Sanctuary or mail it to the Church Office as soon as possible. Extra forms are available from the ushers on Sunday or you may call the church office and they will be happy to send you another card. It really is important to hear from everyone.
   

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• Thank you--63 blankets!

  The Women of the ELCA thanks everyone for their support of the BLANKET Appeal. We collected $315 - translating to sixty-three blankets that will be sent to people in need. Someone somewhere will be warm because YOU cared.

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• Christmas Memorials

  Christmas Memorials will once again be available for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. Memorials include the bulletins for each service and the large flowers that will be on the altar. More information will be in next week's Messenger, or you can call the church office at 492-9065.