On the second Sunday in March, clocks are set ahead one hour at 2:00 a.m. local standard time, which becomes 3:00 a.m. local daylight time. Think of it as our first big step towards longer days and warmer weather.

Perhaps you missed it? No, not the fact that this has been an unusually cold winter, but the Fuel & Heat Envelope in your Offering Envelope box. You may have just forgotten to use it or you may be thinking that, with all the energy conservation things we have been doing, it's not needed any more.

If you forgot, that's easy to fix. Consider this a reminder and get the envelope out and use it.

Please don't think we no longer need your help!

• Because of the late start and the early winter, many of the energy conservation tasks are yet to be completed. For example, the thermal windows had to be special ordered and, therefore, were back-ordered. They should arrive any week now but that's too late to help this winter.
• We budget on the basis of an "average" winter and this has been anything but! It's been relentless "record cold"Ðso we especially need generous contributions to the Fuel and Heat Fund to off-set these higher than "average" costs.
• The Renovation Plan called for some of the "savings" in utility payments (resulting from energy conservation measures like the new furnace and insulated windows) to be used to pay the mortgage we took out to cover these improvements.

Things have been progressing:

• Air-conditioning in the Sanctuary has been installed. (Yes, we will see warm weather again!)
• Air-conditioning in the office wing has been completed. Since this is a "heat pump" we also gain supplemental heat for the Coffee Shop, where it is much needed.
• Window replacement has begun. Pictured: the large single pane windows at the front entrance are being replaced with identical size thermal windows.

prayer -- [prair] ---dialoging with God

I used to think prayer was all about me - what I said, how I said it, when I said it. Sure, God was involved, but only as a receiver. I mean, what with all the people praying around the world, God was busy simply hearing our prayers, keeping track of them, cataloging them. What a terrible monologue God must have endured for so long, politely smiling like a loving parent enduring a terrible speech contest.

I don't honestly remember when my concept of prayer changed, but I imagine it's because God finally got through to me, busting through the chatter, challenging me to hear God, to listen for God. To talk with God. Huh.

Prayer can be tough. Listening for God can feel like an eternity, or sometimes you wish you had a little more breathing room. Praying alone and praying in community; praying in a panic or praying at your leisure; praying in anger or praying in great rejoicing - God is there with us.

Patience. Persistence. Passion. Prayer. For those of you who attended the Ash Wednesday service, you have a small, metal fish that is jingling in your pocket, lost in your purse, or in a coat pocket. It is a reminder of patience during this challenging journey, encouraging your persistence, igniting your passion in the midst of Jesus' passion for us. Let that fish remind you to pray, to be patient and persistent.

Have any suggestions of words your curious about? Contact Laura at 492-9065 or laura.aase@gmail.com.

March 12 is the 96th anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts. Please join us on Sunday, March 15, as we celebrate with many of the girls and young women of our congregation. More information will be in next week's Messenger.

Atonement Friends,
Thank you for the lovely cards, prayers, and phone calls. Also for the altar flowers delivered by karen Douglass. They certainly brighten my days. God Bless!

- Grace Wildman