Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Taking Shape - A Visual Update
Benevolence Gifts for 2006
Be watching for information on this year’s Benevolence Gifts!As part of God’s Hope ~ Our Journey, we are committed to
giving away $11,000 each year for three years to both local and global ministries.
This year’s task force will soon be offering a proposal for the congregation’s consideration.
The task force members include: Sue Neslund, Dee Teasdale, Bob Zartman, Cheryl Stone, Pastor Jim and Pastor Del.
GHOJ - CHRISTIANS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
August – NoahJoin us this month as we explore the life of Noah from the book of Genesis. Watch for “characters” all around you… on the bulletin board, after service, on bulletins, on the website and here in the newsletter. Participate in the suggested activities and learn from the lives of real people whose lives were touched by God.
A Message of Welcome to All!!
Aug. 13th, 2006 - It is Written...
On Sunday August 13th, 2006, the Atonement Family celebrated for the first time on the floor of the new Worship Space. Everyone inscribed a message on the new floor that will forever be a part of the Church. Some wrote messages of praise and thanksgiving, while others wrote messages of welcome and hope for the future. Each message was written from the heart with love and passion.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
NAVIGATING BETWEEN FAMILIARITY AND CHANGE
As I reflect on this summer, I realize that this is an incredibly
unique time in our life as a congregation. Personally, I feel like I’ve spent a lot of energy navigating between all that is familiar and all that is changing.
On the one hand, familiar ministry continues to take place. Each Sunday I join Pastor Del in leading worship for our three Sunday morning services and our evening Worship Beyond. I continue to share in meeting with ministry teams and doing planning, offering counseling and pastoral care, and participating in the kinds of transformational trips and experiences we’ve come to expect: our confirmation immersion to the Border, the ELCA National Youth Gathering, our Summer Camping Retreat weekend, Confirmation Camp at Sky Ranch.
Yet in the midst of the familiar, I’m also keenly aware of all that represents the changing texture of our life together. The space we call “home” has been irretrievably altered, both outside and in – things don’t look the way they used to, and during this interim time we can no longer accommodate all the activities we once did. As we look to the fall, all of our planning has had to take into account our temporarily limited space. To say it has been inconvenient at times is an understatement!
At the same time, Pastor Del and I continue to work with our staff
changes. Just as we’ve begun to get to know our new Contemporary Worship Director, Josh Carr, we now face saying goodbye to Julie McNitt and learning to know and work with the three individuals who will replace her!
Perhaps the most tangible sign of the changes afoot have been our Open House Conversations, where we are beginning to discern what worship and learning might look like as we move into our new sanctuary. It’s not an easy process to weigh the needs and desires of the many different members of our family of faith!
How does one navigate between familiarity and change during a time of transition? I believe one key is to remember who we are and to what we are called. For me, our mission statement remains central: we are a people living in God’s love and reaching out with hope. We would do well to let that vision continue to guide us!
It’s also helpful to be reminded of the congregational goals we set for ourselves before we ever undertook the changes that are now occurring. Those goals included our desire to:
* Expand our potential for worship
* Develop our ministry of caring by promoting health and wellness
* Build upon our ministry to youth and their families
* Expand our outreach to our local and global communities
* Grow in our ability to empower people for their lives of discipleship
* Provide necessary support for our ministries
Perhaps the greatest tool to help us navigate our way in the days ahead is prayer. As a praying congregation, each and every one of us has a role to play helping pray our way through the transitions ahead, assuring that it is indeed God’s hope, not our fears, that lead us forward on our journey!
Pastor Jim
unique time in our life as a congregation. Personally, I feel like I’ve spent a lot of energy navigating between all that is familiar and all that is changing.On the one hand, familiar ministry continues to take place. Each Sunday I join Pastor Del in leading worship for our three Sunday morning services and our evening Worship Beyond. I continue to share in meeting with ministry teams and doing planning, offering counseling and pastoral care, and participating in the kinds of transformational trips and experiences we’ve come to expect: our confirmation immersion to the Border, the ELCA National Youth Gathering, our Summer Camping Retreat weekend, Confirmation Camp at Sky Ranch.
Yet in the midst of the familiar, I’m also keenly aware of all that represents the changing texture of our life together. The space we call “home” has been irretrievably altered, both outside and in – things don’t look the way they used to, and during this interim time we can no longer accommodate all the activities we once did. As we look to the fall, all of our planning has had to take into account our temporarily limited space. To say it has been inconvenient at times is an understatement! At the same time, Pastor Del and I continue to work with our staff
changes. Just as we’ve begun to get to know our new Contemporary Worship Director, Josh Carr, we now face saying goodbye to Julie McNitt and learning to know and work with the three individuals who will replace her!Perhaps the most tangible sign of the changes afoot have been our Open House Conversations, where we are beginning to discern what worship and learning might look like as we move into our new sanctuary. It’s not an easy process to weigh the needs and desires of the many different members of our family of faith!
How does one navigate between familiarity and change during a time of transition? I believe one key is to remember who we are and to what we are called. For me, our mission statement remains central: we are a people living in God’s love and reaching out with hope. We would do well to let that vision continue to guide us!
It’s also helpful to be reminded of the congregational goals we set for ourselves before we ever undertook the changes that are now occurring. Those goals included our desire to:
* Expand our potential for worship
* Develop our ministry of caring by promoting health and wellness
* Build upon our ministry to youth and their families
* Expand our outreach to our local and global communities
* Grow in our ability to empower people for their lives of discipleship
* Provide necessary support for our ministries
Perhaps the greatest tool to help us navigate our way in the days ahead is prayer. As a praying congregation, each and every one of us has a role to play helping pray our way through the transitions ahead, assuring that it is indeed God’s hope, not our fears, that lead us forward on our journey!
Pastor Jim
August 2006 - Message from Pastor Del
Excitement continues to grow as the new sanctuary takes shape. 
I stood in the someday basement we will have someday and it gave me a fluttery feeling knowing that soon there will be hymns, songs, prayers, and communion happening on that floor above me. I also stood in the place where the pulpit, altar and lectern will be and tried to preach a sermon. It felt strange, because suddenly I was aware that for the first time Pastor Jim and I will be preaching towards the east and not the west! The background of the foothills and Mt Evans will be seen to the west and Pike’s Peak to the south. Our Lord’s Cross will be at the center to remind us all of why we are doing this. Do you see the Vision? Do you hear the hymns and prayers being lifted up to God for mercy and understanding as we have heard in the present 
sanctuary? Soon and very soon, we will enter into our new worship space and our “Conversations” together will have helped us to become God’s people walking into the future that is yet to come. Pray, please pray that we will be ready!
The new sanctuary will soon have three inches of concrete to form the floor. A.D. Miller contractor Tony Miller, said that soon we will be able to write our names and any other message on the floor before it is carpeted. That opportunity will hopefully happen August 6 at all three services. As soon as the concrete cures on the floor, the dirt will be backfilled around the outside walls or foundation and dirt will be
placed into the basement and compacted in preparation for the future basement floor. If anyone happens to have another $150,000 to finish the basement, we need that gift quickly. However, the present changed design allows us to put the dirt back and compact it so that it will be ready for the floor someday when we are ready. Xcel has finally given us a positive response to a new transformer that cost us $22,841.00 instead of $53,000. We are grateful. The colors and carpet have been chosen and the display board in the narthex is for all to view.
Please bring a flashlight with you to night meetings for safety so you won’t fall walking to your car. Please note that the new west drive is being placed further north.
Be also aware that the City of Lakewood is planning to repave Lamar soon and that will also cause us additional confusion.
Pray for continued progress and that the construction workers will be safe! Questions are welcomed!
Pastor Del
I stood in the someday basement we will have someday and it gave me a fluttery feeling knowing that soon there will be hymns, songs, prayers, and communion happening on that floor above me. I also stood in the place where the pulpit, altar and lectern will be and tried to preach a sermon. It felt strange, because suddenly I was aware that for the first time Pastor Jim and I will be preaching towards the east and not the west! The background of the foothills and Mt Evans will be seen to the west and Pike’s Peak to the south. Our Lord’s Cross will be at the center to remind us all of why we are doing this. Do you see the Vision? Do you hear the hymns and prayers being lifted up to God for mercy and understanding as we have heard in the present 
sanctuary? Soon and very soon, we will enter into our new worship space and our “Conversations” together will have helped us to become God’s people walking into the future that is yet to come. Pray, please pray that we will be ready!The new sanctuary will soon have three inches of concrete to form the floor. A.D. Miller contractor Tony Miller, said that soon we will be able to write our names and any other message on the floor before it is carpeted. That opportunity will hopefully happen August 6 at all three services. As soon as the concrete cures on the floor, the dirt will be backfilled around the outside walls or foundation and dirt will be
placed into the basement and compacted in preparation for the future basement floor. If anyone happens to have another $150,000 to finish the basement, we need that gift quickly. However, the present changed design allows us to put the dirt back and compact it so that it will be ready for the floor someday when we are ready. Xcel has finally given us a positive response to a new transformer that cost us $22,841.00 instead of $53,000. We are grateful. The colors and carpet have been chosen and the display board in the narthex is for all to view.Please bring a flashlight with you to night meetings for safety so you won’t fall walking to your car. Please note that the new west drive is being placed further north.
Be also aware that the City of Lakewood is planning to repave Lamar soon and that will also cause us additional confusion.Pray for continued progress and that the construction workers will be safe! Questions are welcomed!
Pastor Del
