Atonement Lutheran Church - Notes from our Pastor

Messages from Pastor Gaetz

July 2009
It's been a cold summer here in Syracuse but not so cold around Atonement! There has been plenty of activity to keep us all warm.

• The renovations are moving into final stages.
• Lots of kids are going to camp thanks to generous donations.
• Vacation Church School is right around the corner.
• More baptisms are being celebrated.
• Appleseed's summer Youth Production is in high gear.
• A new church bus should arrive any day now.

Never a dull moment. The signs of life are everywhere. Your ongoing support and prayers help to make it all happen!

In the midst of all that is going on, I've found some time to ponder this monthly column. We've decided that this is a perfect vehicle to remind everyone about the various ministries that are active at Atonement. We managed to fill the next 14 months without even taking a breath!

Next month starts a new church school year - so you can expect to learn about Church School at Atonement!

June 2009
The Celebration Goes On!
Last month (see below), you heard about all the people who were baptized at the Easter Vigil. That was great but the celebration of Easter takes 40 days - and we have used the time well to continue the baptism theme.

On two of the Sundays we had infants baptized. On the last Wednesday church night of the year (Wednesday night church night is on hiatus until September) - May 27 - we had two more baptisms, one adult and one older child baptized. That brings us to 15 and there are still more to come!

As my grandmother used to say "there's life in the old gal yet." Atonement might be 100+ years old as a congregation but the Resurrection life of Jesus still pulses through her with great vigor.

What a wonderful time we had!

Thanks be to God who makes it all possible.

May 2009
Easter at Atonement!
New life all over the place!

At the Easter Vigil service we celebrated 10 Baptisms. That's the largest number of Baptisms at one time ever recorded here at Atonement. AND, six more Baptisms are scheduled in the remaining Easter season. Some Baptized are adults, a few are infants but most of those received into the New Life of Christ are children and teens who participate in Wednesday Church Night. They are filled to the brim with enthusiasm (life?) and being with them is infectious.

There is something else wonderful about this. Nearly 20 years ago the Atonement Family made a conscious decision to stay put in a changing neighborhood and committed to serving in ways that made the community better for everyone who lives here. That meant the establishment of the Atonement Child Care Center, building of the Kiesewetter Community Center, establishing of partnerships with PEACE Inc. to provide Head start and the City School District to provide Universal Pre-K - and a number of other ways to expand our commitment to being "in the city for good." And of course, the Atonement Housing Corporation with its 50+ units of affordable family housing on our campus is a jewel in our program crown. After all these years we are beginning to have people whose lives we touch in programming finding their way into the faith life of Atonement.

Truly we see Christ Risen in our midst.

Thanks be to God.