Dear Friends,
Greetings to you in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ!
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31
I recall as a young child always looking forward to the arrival of the Sears Christmas catalog. The day it would arrive in our home my older brother and I would page through the toy section dreaming about what might be under the Christmas tree. It was our hope book. What do you hope for this Christmas? The people of God that we meet in the Old Testament were hoping for the coming of a new time – a new kingdom – a new King. They also had their hopes about how life might be different. What are you HOPING for this Christmas?
I invite you to join us on Wednesday evenings during Advent as we explore the question – “What do you HOPE for this Christmas? The first Wednesday Advent Soup Meal & Service will be November 30th. The evening will begin with a Soup meal that will be served from 6:00- 7:00PM. During the meal time you will have the chance to make an ADVENT DECORATION that will remind you just what we HOPE for this Christmas. The meal time will be followed by a Service of Light & Darkness with Holy Communion. These services will be held in the parish hall. Let us join the prophet Isaiah as he reminds us to place our HOPE in the Lord!
I am looking for four or more people who would be willing to share what they are HOPING for this Christmas as part of the Wednesday evening service. The offering on Wednesday evening will go to the Malaria Campaign. In Africa, a child dies every 45 seconds from Malaria. Our gifts during Advent can help bring HOPE and make a healthier future possible. These gifts will provide mosquito nets, spray homes and provide necessary anti-malarial medication, support water treatment projects and help raise awareness about how to prevent, diagnose and treat malaria.
What do you HOPE for this Christmas? See you the Mid-Week Services as we explore that question.
In Christ,
Pastor Jim Gerth
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Pastor Jim's October Blog
Dear Friends,
Greetings to you in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ!
“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 3: 10-11
It was on a Sunday afternoon in October of 1961 that a group of people gathered to celebrate the Ground Breaking for Atonement Lutheran Church. Pastor Obert Lowe from Calvary Lutheran Church gave the invocation. Pastor Henry Kurtz, Pastor T.S.Hanson, Pastor Roland Hansen and Pastor Clarence Solberg read from scripture on that special day in Atonement’s history. The sermon was given by Pastor Dean A. Kilgust from Grace Lutheran Church. It is very clear that Atonement had it’s beginning because area churches came together to help it become a reality. We are so thankful for those pastors and charter members who followed where God was leading in starting a new congregation.
Now it is time to celebrate and dream about where God is calling Atonement to continue to grow in mission and ministry. You are invited to come and join in this special celebration on Sunday / October 23rd and Monday / October 24th.
Sunday / October 23 9:00a.m. Worship Celebration with Holy
Communion & United 2 Serve Offering
Sunday / October 23 10:00a.m. Dessert Feast & Booyah Sale
Sunday / October 23 11:15a.m. Esperanza para todos with Holy Communion &
United 2 Serve Offering
Monday / October 24 7:00p.m. The Luther College Concert Band Concert at Resch Family Auditorium Preble High School – The Concert is in Celebration of Atonement Lutheran Church 50th Anniversary.
Come and join us on Sunday October 23rd and Monday October 24th as we celebrate and praise God for the blessing of 50 years of Mission & Ministry and look to the future with Hope!
HELPERS are needed in preparation for this celebration. What follows is how you can help:
*Lodging is needed for the Luther College Concert Band on Monday night. They are lodged in groups of 2 or more.
*Ushers & Greeters are needed at the Concert at Preble.
*Prepare and serve the meal for the Concert Band on Monday at 5:15p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church.
*Clean-up crew for after the meal and the Concert.
*Send out invitations for Sunday Worship & Dessert Feast and Mondays Concert.
*PR for the Concert to area schools, churches, & media.
*Do fall cleaning inside the church the week before Sunday October 23rd.
*Set up displays & create power point about what the ground breaking was like.
*Plan the Sunday morning Celebration & invite special guests.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL – I ask that all be in prayer for these days and for Atonement’s future. God is not done at Atonement. Like Paul said in Philippians: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
God is Great!
Pastor Jim Gerth
Greetings to you in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ!
“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 3: 10-11
It was on a Sunday afternoon in October of 1961 that a group of people gathered to celebrate the Ground Breaking for Atonement Lutheran Church. Pastor Obert Lowe from Calvary Lutheran Church gave the invocation. Pastor Henry Kurtz, Pastor T.S.Hanson, Pastor Roland Hansen and Pastor Clarence Solberg read from scripture on that special day in Atonement’s history. The sermon was given by Pastor Dean A. Kilgust from Grace Lutheran Church. It is very clear that Atonement had it’s beginning because area churches came together to help it become a reality. We are so thankful for those pastors and charter members who followed where God was leading in starting a new congregation.
Now it is time to celebrate and dream about where God is calling Atonement to continue to grow in mission and ministry. You are invited to come and join in this special celebration on Sunday / October 23rd and Monday / October 24th.
Sunday / October 23 9:00a.m. Worship Celebration with Holy
Communion & United 2 Serve Offering
Sunday / October 23 10:00a.m. Dessert Feast & Booyah Sale
Sunday / October 23 11:15a.m. Esperanza para todos with Holy Communion &
United 2 Serve Offering
Monday / October 24 7:00p.m. The Luther College Concert Band Concert at Resch Family Auditorium Preble High School – The Concert is in Celebration of Atonement Lutheran Church 50th Anniversary.
Come and join us on Sunday October 23rd and Monday October 24th as we celebrate and praise God for the blessing of 50 years of Mission & Ministry and look to the future with Hope!
HELPERS are needed in preparation for this celebration. What follows is how you can help:
*Lodging is needed for the Luther College Concert Band on Monday night. They are lodged in groups of 2 or more.
*Ushers & Greeters are needed at the Concert at Preble.
*Prepare and serve the meal for the Concert Band on Monday at 5:15p.m. at Atonement Lutheran Church.
*Clean-up crew for after the meal and the Concert.
*Send out invitations for Sunday Worship & Dessert Feast and Mondays Concert.
*PR for the Concert to area schools, churches, & media.
*Do fall cleaning inside the church the week before Sunday October 23rd.
*Set up displays & create power point about what the ground breaking was like.
*Plan the Sunday morning Celebration & invite special guests.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL – I ask that all be in prayer for these days and for Atonement’s future. God is not done at Atonement. Like Paul said in Philippians: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
God is Great!
Pastor Jim Gerth
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