Atonement Lutheran Church Newsletter - The Messenger

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June 2, 2009 - Volume 30, #23

• Save a Tree, Save a Stamp, Save some Money!

  Have you signed up to get the Messenger Online?

  To sign up for electronic "delivery" complete the online form at: http://www.alcsyracuse.org/mailinglist.php

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• Celebrating Pentecost
  

  On Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost, the third great festival of the church year, and the confirmands who have completed two years of concentrated study in preparation for affirming their baptisms. Pictured: Evan Mrozek, Deacon Jay Berry, Austin Draper, Angelique Hamilton, Pastor Rodgers, and Shawn Langdon. Congratulations to them and their families!

  Congratulations to our confirmands and their families:

   

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• Last Wednesday Church Night of the Season
  

  On May 27th, Wednesday Church Night ended the year with a great celebration.

  A very special dinner was followed by a great service with two more baptisms. The service ended with singing "This Little Light of Mine" and the evening ended with cake and punch in honor of the newly baptized.

  We'll start doing it all again in September. Please consider joining us. All are welcome!
  

  
  

   

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• Important Meeting for Fabius Community

  Fabius Community Meeting
  Saturday, June 13 - 6:15pm

  Following the 5:15pm service, there will be a very important community meeting to talk about the future. There is another congregation interested in meeting in the same building we have services. This presents both opportunities and challenges. We need everyone's input, so your attendance is important!

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• Mid-week Church Services Resume for Summer

  Thursday Informal Worship will begin on Thursday, June 11 with Worship at 7:00pm, in the Chapel, preceded by a picnic supper in the Coffee Shop at 6pm. If your summer weekends are busy, please join us for this mid-week service.

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  Literacy and Head Start

  Do you know someone who could use a little one-on-one help with their reading skills? Do they need to develop reading skills?

  Receive one-on-one help with reading and go at your own pace.

  Contact the Family Worker of Head Start, Andrea Bernard, right here at Atonement. 701-1867

  Details:

  • Once a week, each Wednesday, July 1-August 6
  • 5:00-7:00pm with dinner at 5:00.
   

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  Vernon Downs - Here We Come!

  On Friday, June 12, we are once again "going to the races" at Vernon Downs.

  $19 fee includes buffet dinner and program. Sign up on the bulletin board inside the back entrance. Everyone will meet at Vernon Downs for dinner at 6pm. Reservations and money must be turned in (to the church office) by June 7. Buffet dinner includes:

  • Chef carved beef, slow roasted turkey, maple-brown sugar glazed ham
  • Pasta, entree, catch, and chicken dish of the day
  • Peel & eat shrimp
  • Potatoes, rice, vegetable medly and salad bar
  • Fresh baked cakes, pies, cookies - andsoft-serve ice cream - Coffee and soda

  Questions? Contact Karen Douglass. You can call church at 492-9065 and Karen will get back to you as quickly as she can.

   

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• Word [WURD] of the Week
  

  Pentecost [pehn-tih-kawst]– The longest, fire-y, and most ordinary season of the church year.

  The season of Wednesday night church has come and gone now. This last evening saw two more baptisms with a crowd of kids looking on in wonder and delight. After worship, 2 kids new to Atonement wandered back to the font wondering if I could baptize them right there. I asked them "have you been baptized before?" They both answered an enthusiastic "yes!" and then added "but not here." I assured them that wherever they were baptized before, well, it still counted. So we each dipped our fingers in the water, made a sign of the cross on our foreheads, and said aloud "I am a child of God."

  Pretty soon, a crowd of kids had gathered around the font and things were getting crazy. Water was flying, mayhem was being had. I had them also trace a cross on their foreheads and remember that they are children of God.

  It was loud and chaotic and not at all "church like" really. And as I re-read through Acts 2 and reflect on Pentecost, I am reminded that the church began that way: with lots of confusion and chaos as the Holy Spirit worked in and amongst the disciples and the crowds that gathered around them.

  The season of Pentecost is often recognized as the birth of the church, is called "ordinary time" in church-speak, and lasts now until Advent. That's a long season of continuing to tell the story of our faith and to have God work on us in ways mysterious and chaotic.

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

   

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  Congratulations Graduates!

  Stephanie Chan, grandaughter of Dorothy Phillips, received a Master of Science in Education degree from the College of St. Rose on May 9th.

  Erik Holmgren received a Doctor of Education in College Teaching of Music from Teachers College, Columbia University.

  Eoin Holmes will graduate from Onondaga Central High School on June 29. He will attend Landmark College in Putney, Vt. In the fall.

  Kinyatta King, our 10:45 service drummer, received his MBA from Syracuse University

  Lawrence Stokes will graduate from Corcoran High School on June 25.

  Chris Snow will graduate from Fowler High School in June.

  Taylor Kubber, daughter of Mrs. Janice Horton and grand-daughter of Ms Ruth Akins will graduate from Indian River High School in Philadelphia NY on June 26. Taylor will be pursuing a degree in elementary education at Cazenovia College.

   

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• The Beautiful Geraniums that Graced the Sanctuary for Pentecost were Given in Memory and In Honor of:

  Ott Family Family Loved Ones Loved Ones Joyce Rouse Loved Ones Parents & Grandparents Loved Ones Honor of Grandchildren Loved Ones Ella B. Irwin & Mary C. Irwin Mom & Dad Albertina Barnwell & Willis Coller In Memory of the Monds Family In Memory of Donald F. Smith & Alfred J. Mrozek In memory of Joanne Berman In Memory of Dorothy & Knut Stensland Loved Ones Loved Ones Ruth Simmons Loved Ones Maurice M. Alexander, Jr.

  Eleanora Ott David, Dawn & Phyllis Rodgers The Strumlocks Charlie & Robyn Scharoun Carole Barr Grace Wildman Karen Douglass Ruth Akins Pr. Nelson and Peggy Gaetz Roberta Mettler Tom Irwin Pam & Bob Haumann Sharon & Willie Monds The Monds Family Kevin G. Smith & Donia K. Mrozek David & Jackie Koslowsky Gary Stensland Jim & June Quackenbush Harriet, Sandy & Sherry Walters Baxter Simmons Ken & Jeanette Greig Arlene Tyo & Griffin Family