With God's Hope~Our Journey Continues...

We Give Thanks!!!

2007-11-22T13:21:00.001-08:00

On October 31,2007 we received our Occupancy Certificate!

It took twenty months of hard work. We are now able to move forward with the clouds of frustration removed. This is a huge step for us and we can all celebrate this gift that will challenge us in new ways. You all may feel proud of this accomplishment as there will be no more inspections to pass. Only the mission and vision for the future lies before us.

What a glorious way to move into November, the month of Thanksgiving. We indeed have much to be thankful for. In November we usually make new commitments for the coming year. This year we are able to look forward with new vision! We will not be sending out pledge cards and commitment sheets because we want to plan for the next capital campaign for 2008. Some Executive Committee members have been meeting to vision for the future. We are challenged by our financial commitments-new mortgage and ministry programs. Please carefully look at our Treasurers report to understand our challenges. We have now made two mortgage payments of $11,531.00 and we are asking each of us to prayerfully consider how we can help each other meet these challenges. We need each others support with our time, talents, and fmances more than ever. We knew this wasn't going to be easy and now is the challenging moment.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas, may we all consider how we can share the opportunities that we have to allow our God to lead us with vision and hope into the future. Thanks for your support during the past twenty months as this hasn't been fun or easy for all of us. Now the fun and excitement begins. Pray that we all might come together to meet the future with JOY!

Atonement Lutheran Church - Dedication DVD Keepsake

2007-06-12T23:11:00.000-07:00

Commemorative DVD Keepsake

Suggested

Good-Will Offering $10.00

100% of proceeds designated to Church Landscaping!!

Contents include:

~ Dedication Service – May 27th, 2007
~ God's Hope ~ Our Journey - Year in Review – Construction Start to Finish
~ Original GHOJ Capital Campaign Video

Order your copy Today! Here's how:

1. Send e-mail to mike_skaff@msn.com with Subject 'Atonement DVD Order'. Please include your name, address, Phone Number and e-mail address

2. Sign-up Sheet located in the Narthex.

On Pentecost Sunday, May 27, 2007 PM we dedicated our New Sanctuary

2007-06-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

Pentecost Sunday will be a new birth of the Atonement Family! It seems every day there are surprises and difficulties, but we made it. Each day was a new challenge and you have hung in there together to keep each other strong. It has been a long time coming and has been a great accomplishment for the Atonement Family and the community. The dream three years ago with the capital campaign is a reality. The experience of worshipping in this new space will be astounding and surprising. I pray that you will allow yourselves to become aware of the different worship experience that this new sanctuary will provide us.

Dedication involved thanking those who have been a part of this project: architect Bob Saas; the contractor, Anthony D. Miller; John Quade, AD Miller’s superintendent; Ron Lorenz and the Building Ministry Team. Bishop Alan Bjornberg, of the Rocky Mountain Synod, ELCA presented. The choir and praise team helped us worship and the Church School students sang. We remember the first Pentecost Sunday when the disciples were filled with the power of the spirit. We too will be filled with joy and courage to continue to become what our Lord has called us to be in this community.

Now is time that we eagerly look forward to welcoming visitors! We pray that many new people will want to come and see who we are in this new worship space. Please be aware of those who ‘”come and see” and let’s make certain that we show them who God has called us to be in this place! Every Sunday is OPEN HOUSE! Every Sunday is EASTER!

(At the time of this writing, we finally have a temporary occupancy certificate!!). A huge hurdle is the landscaping. The city is requiring us to start immediately. We have no funds for this project and to complete it will cost approximately $40,000 dollars. We have spent our landscaping funds for ‘life saving’ changes within the building and many other unexpected changes. We have learned that the two year extension was never an option. There was a misunderstanding. Apologies and finger pointing is useless at this point, we just need to comply as best we can in order to use our new worship space. Please help in any way that is possible.

We will also be closing the loan with Mission Investment Funds of the ELCA in Chicago as soon as possible. That means we will be challenged to make approximately $11,000 each month as payments for our loan. We can do this, but it will take all of us helping the best we can. At this writing, we will be approximately $15,000 over our budget for this project. This figure doesn’t include the landscaping cost.

Pray that we will not lose sight of our Mission of “Living in God’s Love and Reaching Out with Hope!” We are being called to bring Christ’s love and compassion to those who haven’t come yet. Pray that we use God’s gifts to bring love and joy to each other and those who come to wonder about us.

God’s Peace!

Pastor Del

Dreams into Reality

2007-06-12T22:50:00.001-07:00

Needed in Church: Not Volunteers, but Participants!

2007-06-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

Since my wife and I both work in full time ministry in two different parishes, we have lots of conversations about church life. Lucky us! In one of our recent conversations, we both agreed that one of the things we’d love to change is the language we use in our churches about “volunteers”. If a congregation is one expression of the larger Body of Christ, then giving time to the life of your congregation is not about volunteering – it’s about participating.

This difference may seem subtle, but it’s incredibly significant. Think about it. One definition of “volunteer” in the dictionary is as “one who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest.” One usually volunteers for an organization. While you may believe in the organization’s goals or cause, there’s still some distance between you and the organization. You can easily volunteer for an organization without having a vested interest, without really being part of it, without really belonging.

Too often we think of the church as an organization, and on one level, it is. However, at its core, the church is not an organization – it’s a community. Better said, the church is a family. One does not volunteer for one’s family –one participates in it!

We have entered into our new worship space. We’ll do so not as an organization, but as a family. As family, there will be plenty of opportunities – new and old – to help out, especially as our new space continues to deepen and broaden our vision for mission and ministry together. What we need in this new chapter of our life together is not more volunteers – we need participants! As participants, we have a vested interest in our life together because we realize we belong here. In this family, everyone’s gifts are valued and necessary!

The next time you see a need expressed in our church, I hope you’ll consider not volunteering, but participating. You can be sure the rest of the family will appreciate you sharing your gifts!

God's Peace!
Pastor Jim

Dedication of the New Sanctuary - Sun., May 27th, 2007

2007-04-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

You are invited
to the
Dedication
of the
New Sanctuary
Atonement Lutheran Church
6281 West Yale Ave
Sunday, May 27th, 2007
3:00 - 5:00 PM

*****

Special guest: Bishop Allan Bjornberg

*****

AND

Please join us the following weekend

for a Special

"OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATION"

Sunday, June 3rd, 2007

1:00 - 3:00 PM

*****

Directions: You can't miss it! It's the BIG New Church on the North Side of W. Yale Ave, Half way between Wadsworth Blvd. and Sheridan Blvd.

Pastor Del: “Jesus Christ is Risen today! Alleluia!”

2007-04-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

The Resurrection of our Lord is a powerful promise of new life and constant hope for us. In the midst of the long journey that we have been on with this new sanctuary (that has gone much longer than normal) the need for strength in the Resurrection of our Lord becomes even more important for us. There have been many bumps in the road and we will struggle to be ready by April 29th for dedication. However, we are making every effort to reach that important day. Pray for the workers and pray for the difficulties to be solved so that the last weeks of this project may go more smoothly. The reason we are a church that follows Jesus Christ and the reason we are making new room those who aren’t here yet, is to share this powerful message of passion and hope that our Lord brings to all in this Easter celebration. Pray that all of us will be moved to come to worship during Holy Week and on Easter Sunday to remember what our God has given to us for our daily strength.

We finally have parking! Parking lot lights will be installed soon. Sidewalks will be completed soon to the entryway. The sound system is installed and will be fine-tuned and training will begin on how to operate it. The pews, altar, pulpit, lectern, organ, and baptism font will not be moved until after Easter. We still have a fire alarm and a retaining wall problem that is a big concern. Landscaping will not be completed until later. April 29th will be difficult but every effort is being made to dedicate that day. Pray that all will come together smoothly. This has been a difficult project and hopefully it will be completed soon. Pray that there will only be rain to water the earth this month!

Pray that the new life promised in the Resurrection will fill us all with courage to share the compassion and strength that our God promises to us in our baptism and the celebration of Holy Communion. Even if we aren’t certain of how all will come together, we know that our Lord is constantly reaching out to us with streams of joy and gladness in the gift of new life even when we struggle. Come, let us sing together, “Jesus Christ is Risen today! Alleluia!”

Pastor Jim: Easter Season Dedication Exercise

2007-04-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Easter is a celebration of what can happen when we find ourselves connected to a God whose presence in and among us has the power to bring life from death, light from darkness, hope from despair. Easter is a celebration of new possibility! How fitting then, that we find ourselves dedicating our new worship space during this seven week Easter season!

The completion of our new worship space represents the realization of a vision for our congregation – a vision that we discerned quite a few years ago. Now as we move into the future, it’s a good time to ask ourselves what new visions God’s Spirit may be planting in our hearts and minds.

As a way of exploring the new possibilities that lie before us in light of our new worship space, we are inviting everyone in the congregation to participate in an Easter Season Dedication Exercise. Beginning on Easter Sunday, you may pick up a piece of paper with circle and cross, representing the shape of our sanctuary’s new windows. Inside the four quadrants of the circle you are invited to write words or draw images that represent “God’s Vision for our Atonement Family”.

Note that what we’re asking for is not your vision for our Atonement family but God’s. While that may seem a bit presumptuous at first, it’s my fervent belief that it is precisely through each of us that God’s Spirit is alive and at work in the world. And so as we each pray and mediate on this question of a vision for our future and then look faithfully together at what comes forth, what will come into focus slowly but surely can fairly be called God’s vision for us!

We ask that you bring your completed Easter Season Dedication Exercise back to church on the morning of Sunday, April 29 so that we may display them for our Dedication Service that afternoon at 3:00 PM. From there they will go into the hands of our church council leadership as we begin to discern the particular shapes and textures of God’s Vision for our Atonement Family!

April 2007: Plenty of Parking in time for Easter

2007-04-02T05:43:00.000-07:00

March 2007: The Sanctuary is taking shape!

2007-03-11T22:37:00.000-07:00

The painting is done and carpet is laid. The fire alarm is in place and the sound system will soon be installed. The shingles are on the roof and final touches are being done. The new fire alarm system was merged into the old one. All the electrical panels in the old building are hot and the new transformer is operating. That alone is a meracle! We have been without power several times in that transition. We just need warm weather and no snow to thaw out the ground so that the parking lot and entry can be completed! There are six to eight weeks of parking lot work to be done when they finally get to it. They have been digging dirt out to thaw it and putting it back with warmer material. It isn't funny, but it is snowing again. That only sets us back further. Please be patient! We will get there! Lent is here and spring is the process of bringing us new llife! We will dedicate this new sanctuary sometime, but that date is unknown at this writing. There indeed will be a Resurrection!

Pray that we will all be patient and compassionate as we navigate through all these times and pray that the excitement will grow among us as we get ready to celebrate Easter and the new life our Lord by grace continues to give to us.

February 2007 Update

2007-02-06T21:15:00.000-08:00

Reviewing the pictures of the past ten months at the January 28 Annual Meeting reminded me that we have come a long way. The construction is continuing with the entry doors installed, dry wall is being hung and some painting has been done outside the kitchen. Marks are on the sanctuary floor indicating where the communion rails, altar, pulpit, and lectern will stand. The inside of the new sanctuary gives me a feeling of unbelievable height and width that is so different from our present worship space. If only the snow would melt and the ground thaw. That would be a big help in completing the parking lot. The cold this week will not help us. They are having an interesting time merging the two fire alarm systems. We have had to order a special phone line for the new dialer which will not be used for anything but the fire alarm system. All the windows are installed and they are beginning plans to move the stain glass. That installation will take place after the carpet, pews, organ and sound system is installed. Pray that it begins to warm up and we have no more snow. The contractor and the construction workers are dong their best under difficult circumstances. Keep praying for them to be safe and efficient.

Thanks to the many who attended the Annual Meeting on January 28. We have many challenges ahead and will need to reemphasize our Vision for the future as we prepare to find ways to pay down the mortgage so that it will be more manageable. Your gifts for this mission project are 94% complete and we will receive more than pledged. Now we need to keep our General Ministry opportunities in place so that we are able to keep the Ministry Teams excited about what they have planned. Thank you for sharing your gifts!

Pastor Del

GHOJ: January 2007 Update

2007-01-11T21:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!
In the midst of Christmas, Epiphany, and all the joys of snow, we enter into 2007! We eagerly look forward to completing the sanctuary and finding normal ways of doing ministry together by Easter. This has been a journey that tests our strength and vision, but together we will begin planning for dedication sometime in April. Together we will meet the challenges of the new sanctuary and its gifts to us.

A special thanks to those who were able to worship Christmas Eve and Day. A special thanks to those who didn't come because you realized the risk of falling in the snowy and icy conditions. We had great attendance with adverse conditions! One day we will have a safe parking lot and safe sidewalks again.

Some construction highlights:
The transformer is in place and the electricians are moving quickly to transfer the power from the old transformer to the new one.

John Quade, our construction superintendent, was able to get inspection passes to begin installing insulation and dry wall.

The exterior brick was being cleaned even in the midst of the storm!

The parking lot will be worked on again when it is warm enough to lay asphalt.

Please be patient with each other in our limited parking. With few spaces and no markings it easy for scrapes to happen.

Our monthly interest payments are $5500.00 which is half of what we will be paying when we close the loan upon completion of construction on or near April 1.

Please help us all to meet these challenges.

All of this means that we have a challenging year ahead of us. We knew the task would be difficult. We didn't have our heads in the sand when we voted, but now all of us will need to band together and do whatever we can to help our Vision become a reality this year! We have always found a way to respond to God's call to us to be disciples eagerly seeking ways to meet the challenges. This year will be the most difficult and please pray that together we will meet the challenges of the Vision God has set before us. Pray for the workers, pray for our congregation - one directory page at a time, pray for patience and strength. May we remember Who has called us to the mission of sharing the love and compassion of the One born in a manger in human flesh and the One who has died innocently on the cross so that we might be empowered to Live in God's Love~Reaching Out with Hope! May God Guide and Keep us together!

Pastor Del

Year of Possibility

2007-01-11T21:17:00.000-08:00

The year 2007 has arrived! This will be one of the most exciting ... and most challenging ... years we have faced as a congregation, certainly since I've been a part of the Atonement family. Perhaps it's best to call this a year of possibility.

Before us lies the possibility of living in God's love more deeply than ever as we move into our newly constructed sanctuary and experience a whole new dimension of worship. Before us lies the possibility of growing in faith as we explore different Sunday morning patterns for worship and learning (see next article). Before us lies the possibility of reaching out in hope in powerful ways as we continue to take advantage of opportunities to share God's grace with neighbors near and far.

There is, of course, another side to possibility. Before us lies the possibility that we will feel disoriented as we adapt to new settings and patterns. Before us lies the possibility thai we will struggle financially as we seek to gather the resources necessary for both our regular ministries as well as our new mortgage. Before us lies the possibility that we will be tempted to focus inward just as we are presenting a new outward face to our community.

In order to make this a year of possibility in the most positive sense, it helps to remember the vision that brought us to this moment! For several years now we have faithfully journeyed in God's hope as we have sought to listen to the leading of the Spirit - increasing our ministry staff, sharing our financial blessings through benevolence gifts, and building a worship center that will not only be inviting to new people but will serve as a beautiful sacred space for a variety of styles of worship.

Now that we are at the point of realizing the final aspects of this vision, the possibilities for a bright future are endless. Yes, it will require dedication and hard work on our part. Yes, we must continue to be generous, creative, and welcoming so that the full potential of our vision might be realized. Above all, we are called to be faithful, acting in the love and grace of the One who has inspired our vision to begin with, trusting in the One through whom all things are possible! I'm excited about the possibilities of this new year and I look forward to our continued journey together!

Pastor Jim

Looking Ahead...

2007-01-11T21:03:00.000-08:00

Looking Ahead at our Sunday Worship and Learning Schedule

Since our Open House Conversations this summer, the church council has been engaged in some very intentional conversation about the future of our Sunday worship and learning schedule. Many creative proposals were made; many different desires and needs were expressed.

As we prepare to move into our new sanctuary, the church council has made the following decisions about our Sunday morning schedule:

Our worship times will remain 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings for the foreseeable future. For the time being, a regular Saturday evening service will be discontinued. In January and February, a monthly Saturday evening blended service will be offered in conjunction with a dinner and fellowship, sponsored by Saturday Night Life.

The 8:00 AM Service will be a traditional service, using the five liturgies with which we are currently familiar (LBW 1, LBW 2, WOV 4, WOV 5, Now the Feast and Celebration).

The 9:30 AM Service will be a contemporary service, with a focus on continuing to introduce new worship music that is both appealing to those who worship and is consistent with our Lutheran emphasis on grace.

The 11:00 AM Service will undergo some important changes, moving from a strictly traditional service to a family friendly blended worship. This blended service will be liturgical in format but will include more contemporary-style music with a wide variety of instrumentation, from piano to keyboard, guitar and drums. The service will also include a children’s message. We are hoping to move into this new format by some time in February.

We are committed to excellence in worship, regardless of the particular style. This includes continuing to expand our use of special music, both vocal and instrumental, at all our services.

We are committed to using the wide variety of resources in the new hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, especially for the 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM services. This will require purchase of the new hymnals and time to explore the liturgies that are new to us.

Our Sunday morning education schedule from January to May will be as follows: Sunday school will continue to meet at 9:30 AM. An Adult Class will be planned for the 9:30 AM hour. Donuts and Discussion will be moving from 8:30 AM to 10:45 AM.

Between now and next fall, we will be exploring alternative education formats for Sunday morning, including the possibility of a 10:45 AM Sunday School/Adult Education-Fellowship hour and a 9:30 AM Children’s Church in lieu of Sunday School.

Many of these plans will continue to evolve once we actually move into the new sanctuary and begin to experience worship in that wonderful new setting. Until then, please be in conversation with your church council representatives about any concerns you may have regarding our Sunday morning schedule.

Winter Visual Update

2007-01-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

Have a look Inside!!!

2007-01-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going away to prepare a place for you? And if I am going away to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will welcome you into my presence, so that you may be where I am. You know where I am going, and you know the way.” John 14:1-4

2006-12-12: Xcel Excels...Finally! :-)

2007-01-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

Our prayers have been answered! Xcel Energy has installed the 3-phase power that will provide the electricity to the Church.

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. Gen. 1:3-4

Dec. 2006: GHOJ - Update

2006-12-06T21:05:00.000-08:00

The Advent candles, Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds and Angels, lead us to the manger to remember that God broke into history and humanity and became human for each of us. The birth of Baby Jesus in a humble stable-cave touches our hearts with new life. Life that is given for us each day. The darkness of our lives is again overcome with the brightness of God’s light—his love and compassion as light overcomes the long nights.

Unbelievable News! Xcel Energy finally called! The transformer that we’ve been waiting for, since July, might be installed in early December. That would be an answer to patient prayers! Waiting is part of Advent. Waiting for the Savior to come again into our hearts to fill each of us with hope and love! When the transformer becomes a reality, it will make all the other parts come together. The heating and air-conditioning people are rapidly putting in the ductwork. The electricians are pulling wire and the sprinkler people are hanging pipe for fire protection in the ceiling. Glass will go into the windows in early December. The sound system conduit is in place. The parking lot will have islands for trees and farming. Yes, waiting for the transformer to be installed has been like an Advent journey. Keep praying that all continues to come together. Thanks to everyone for continuing to share in this mission with your gifts and prayers! Pray for all the workers - that they continue to be safe in building this special sanctuary.

Pray that each of us will find PEACE in the rush to December 25. “In a little stable far across the sea. Was a little baby just like you and me.” Come and worship! Invite friends! Merry Christmas!

Nov. 2006 - From the desk of Pastor Del

2006-11-10T22:43:00.000-08:00

“With Praise and Thanksgiving” is the theme of our responses to the Ministry of our church for the year 2007! You will be delighted with the letter you’ll receive from Randy McNitt, our Mission Resource Chairperson, (Stewardship). The letter gives each of us an opportunity to say “YES, I want to share back with God what He has so graciously shared with me.” You will be delighted with Randy’s special “classifieds” which will invite us to respond to the ministry tasks that need our support today. Yes, it is November and it is time to renew our ministry commitments so that 2007 will be filled “With Praise and Thanksgiving” to the General Ministry of Atonement. What a challenge God is calling us to respond to in this coming year!

Many have asked, "When will the new sanctuary be ready?” I don’t know! We pray by February 1. If it is earlier, that would be great, but there are so many things yet to be finished. Roy and his 15-20 brick layers are nearly finished laying all of the brick work. The columbarium will be bricked soon.

The four special beautifully bricked pillars on the north edge of the parking lot are for the dumpster or garbage. Yes, it is what the city required us to do.

Notice the special tie-in of blond brick on the walls of the old educational building and the sharp blond ribbon of bricks that wraps the entire sanctuary and educational building together. Have you noticed that the roof is almost on?

Kurt has a crew of 5-15 people working feverishly to get us covered before winter. The snow slows them down, but Kurt and his framing crew are very careful and promise to do a beautiful job. The framers are putting up the dry wall for the narthex, family restrooms and the special room by the kitchen. Please note the pictures that Mike Skaff will have on monitors in the narthex.

As Ron Lorenz, our Building Ministry Team chairperson, told us at the Congregational Meeting in September, Tony Miller and John Quade, contractor and superintendent, meet with us every two weeks to keep us posted on progress. Ron and I submit the financial draws to Mission Investment Funds in Chicago so that Mike Nicholson, our construction treasurer, can write the check to pay the bills received from the contractor. Those bills are carefully studied and approved by Architect Bob Saas before Ron Lorenz and I see them. We are nearing the one million dollar mark with our loan draw. We pay interest monthly on the amount borrowed and won’t begin making mortgage payments until we are ready to move into our new sanctuary.

Thanks to everyone’s patience with the construction. Meeting space, parking, and the cold have made it a challenge to keep focused on the ministry together. Flexibility is the key to having meetings at church because we never know what will be changed. We have no privacy for meetings but that will change soon.

Thanks for continuing to share your special gifts that began with the capitol campaign two years ago this Thanksgiving. We are ahead of schedule. One year remains on the campaign. We are beginning to plan for the next phase where René Myers of Kairos will help us manage our new challenges of mission and new mortgage payments. René has helped us from the beginning and we will continue to work with her to guide us in this journey that God is calling us to share. So we are Living In God’s Love and Reaching Out with Hope! Pray that our journey will continue “With Praise and Thanksgiving” as we celebrate Thanksgiving!

Christ Jesus himself being the Cornerstone

2006-11-10T22:04:00.000-08:00

The stone that the builders

rejected has become

the cornerstone.

This was the Lord's doing,

and it is amazing in our eyes.

Matthew 21:42

GHOJ 2006 - Benevolence Gifts

2006-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

Benevolence gifts that are shared as part of our Journey together were overwhelmingly approved and presented on October 22 at the Harvest of Hope Festival.

Recipients are:
Cristo Rey Lutheran Church in El Paso, TX ($8,000) towards their sanctuary
and
Urban Servant Corps ($3,000) of Denver for building renovations in one of their homes.

Halfway Point - A Visual Update

2006-09-28T00:04:00.000-07:00

Pastor Jim’s Reflections: Being Under Construction

2006-09-27T23:13:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. During these past months, I have watched the construction of our new sanctuary from afar. It’s not that I’m not interested; it’s rather that Pastor Del has skills and understanding to be the “hands-on” person, while I’ve tried to focus my energy on helping maintain some of the other aspects of our life and ministry together. I’ve told myself that it doesn’t make sense for both of us to be consumed by the many demands and details of the building project, and certainly this is true. But when I’m honest with myself, the plain truth is that this whole endeavor overwhelms me a bit. OK, it overwhelms me a lot. And some days, I wonder … is this truly what we’ve been called to do?

At the recent Rocky Mountain Synod summit on Ending Hunger Now, attended by about a dozen Atonement members, I felt further conflicted, asking myself whether our commitment to construct this new worship space might not interfere with the pressing need to be a people engaged in the very real ministry of serving the poor in our community and world.

And then I drove by our new, still arising building once again, and it all came together for me. There, right along Yale Ave, is a building that is clearly sacred space. It is a place for people to gather, to be spiritually fed and nurtured. It is a place for people to share their joys and sorrows as the people of God. Truly it is a place for people to live in God’s love.

Yet equally important, this new space is a center for mission and ministry. This beautiful sacred space is a place where people will be empowered and equipped to more effectively reach out in hope. To me, these two related aspects of our identity come together right there in that construction site. When I look at this new worship space, what I see is a launching pad, sending us back into the world to embody the gospel of grace, love, mercy and hope in our words and in our deeds!

One of the gifts of this time of construction is that is compels us to be under construction, too. As a community of faith, we are forced to wrestle with our priorities and our sense of call. We have no choice but to clarify the understanding of our mission together. It’s not easy to be under construction – but the results can be truly remarkable! Just look at what we are able to do this year through our proposed benevolence gifts to Cristo Rey in El Paso and to the Urban Servants Corps! These are aspects of our outreach that would never have happened if we weren’t under construction!

During this month of October, even as we continue to watch the daily progress of this new space that will soon become our church home, we also turn our eyes outward to a world in need by focusing on the theme of Hunger and Hope. There will be many opportunities for us to engage this theme, and as we do so, it will remind us why we have responded to the challenge to build a new sanctuary to begin with: we are a people eager to invite others into the amazing experience of God’s grace, so that together we might bear the healing and hope of Christ to all.

What a great thing it is to be under construction!

October 2006 - Message from Pastor Del

2006-09-27T22:47:00.000-07:00

The huge laminated beams weighing 13,000 pounds each are hanging in the ceiling of our new sanctuary! They are beautiful and were hung by a skillful crane operator and several other workers. The walls are up and the brick layers are working hard. The fifth draw of our loan is being applied for, which places us over $800,000 in debt and that is half-way through the building project for expenses. We have had $30,000 in change orders and will have a few more. It is exciting to see all of this happening. Watch for the slide show of our construction in the narthex on Sunday mornings. Eighty percent of “The God’s Hope ~ Our Journey” money that was pledged has been given to date. An accounting of what has been spent was given at the Congregational Meeting on September 24.

One year from this coming Thanksgiving will complete the three year capitol campaign for this vision and we will need to begin planning for another campaign to help reduce our debt payments and possibly finish the basement. Yes, it is scary and challenging at the same time. Please continue to pray for Mr. Robert Saas our Architect, Mr. Tony Miller our Contractor, Mr. John Quade our Superintendent and all the other workers who are helping build our new sanctuary home.

Visual Update

2006-09-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Visual Update

2006-09-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

Come and See...Inside (an artist interpretation)

2006-09-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

"Beam Me Up"-Part 2 (a visual update)

2006-09-14T22:43:00.000-07:00

"Beam Me Up"-Part 1 (a visual update)

2006-09-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

GHOJ - CHRISTIANS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

2006-09-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

September—Ruth

Learn more about living a real life of faith by exploring the story of Ruth. Read the suggested Bible passages, have your family work together to understand more about this woman, and share your thoughts and similar experiences with the rest of the congregation! We will survive our “construction” better if we look to the word of God for examples of devoted living like Ruth’s.

Sept. 2006 - Message from Pastor Del

2006-09-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Warning! As the construction gets into high speed with the sanctuary floor in place, you will see many changes. However, that means that during the coming work weeks there will be many more workers and vehicles on the property. That is why I am WARNING everyone that because of the 30-40 extra trucks, cement trucks and pick-ups of framers, masons, electricians, concrete workers and inspectors, there will be little or NO parking in the regular lot during the coming several weeks. Please park on Vassar Way; the south door to the narthex is always open.

You will also notice that the six semi loads of laminated wood for the inside of the sanctuary is laying on the parking lot. The steel arrived Thursday morning, August 24. That also takes up parking spaces. PLEASE be patient and understand that what I’ve been trying to tell all of you has become a reality concerning parking. September meetings, other than Sundays, will be questionable from day to day. We will need to give our workers first priority for space. The two laminated pieces that go into the ceiling of the new sanctuary are each over a foot wide by seventy feet long and over six feet high! Each weighs 12,000 pounds! That is some tree that came from Oregon! Remember, we are indeed under construction! I recommend that future activities during the day be planned off-site, as we are going to continue to be in a mess during the week.

It is exciting! The Sunday we wrote our names and special sayings on the concrete was so uplifting that I felt the spirit moving us as we wrote and sang “We are Marching in the Light of God!” Our first worship experience was inspirational and helped us to remember who we are doing this for. It is for our Lord and all the people who aren’t here yet! When Pastor Jim and I were sharing the closing benediction, it reminded me of the verse in scripture where the angel said to the women, “He isn’t here! He is Risen! Go and tell the others!” What a ministry we are being challenged with by the One who calls us together to strengthen us in “Living in God’s Love and Reaching Out with Hope!” Continue to pray for our mission together and for each other as we continue on this exciting but scary journey together!

NEW Saturday Evening Worship

2006-09-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

Beginning September 9, at 5:38 PM, we will offer a new
Saturday Evening Worship Service. This service will rotate through a variety of blended “liturgies”, from Holden Evening Prayer to Now the Feast and Celebration to a worship built upon some familiar songs from our contemporary songs. Musically, we will draw from both contemporary music and hymnody.

Join us for our first service, September 9. We will begin with the Now the Feast and Celebration liturgy written by Marty Haugen.

Taking Shape - A Visual Update

2006-08-30T20:46:00.000-07:00

Benevolence Gifts for 2006

2006-08-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

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

2006-08-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

August – Noah

Join 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!!

2006-08-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Aug. 13th, 2006 - It is Written...

2006-08-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

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.

NAVIGATING BETWEEN FAMILIARITY AND CHANGE

2006-08-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

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

August 2006 - Message from Pastor Del

2006-08-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

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

July 19th, 2006 - GHOJ - Visual Update

2006-08-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

18 Most Effective Practices In Stewardship...

2006-07-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

18 Most Effective Practices Used By Congregations Strong in Stewardship.

-From an ELCA survey of stewardship staff and mission interpreter coordinators.

1. They hold a commitment that stewardship is important. Their vision planning includes stewardship. They are clear about their purpose and mission.
2. They give away a growing percentage of congregational income for ministries of the whole church.
3. They practice first fruits and proportionate giving for mission support (benevolence) for the whole church.
4. They build relationships with their members through personal contacts.
5. They provide multiple opportunities for giving and serving.
6. They foster spirit-filled giving and prayer development, emphasizing the connection between faith and money.
7. They identify, explore, and nurture spiritual gifts of members, helping them to fulfill their passions.
8. They develop an “asset-based” climate, using members’ assets rather than meeting needs.
9. They develop year round stewardship programs.
10. They ask boldly.
11. They thank profusely and often.
12. They engage in annual every member response programs for financial commitments, estimates of giving or pledges.
13. They provide programs for regular (undesignated) and over-and-above (designated) giving.
14. They use a program budget in addition to a line item budget.
15. They separate stewardship programs from budget preparation.
16. They provide quarterly reports on member giving to the membership.
17. They establish mission endowment policies.
18. They model first-fruits giving by sharing a percentage of their corporate income for ministry beyond the congregation.

Submitted by Randy McNitt, Mission Resources Team Coordinator.

July 2006 - GHOJ - Update

2006-07-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

A Message from Pastor Del:

What a week of total darkness! Thankfully on Monday, June 26, Xcel turned the power off so that a totally new temporary line could be hooked up on the north wall. Those electrical boxes on the north wall will be removed when Xcel puts in the new three-phase transformer that should be there by now. We are continuing negotiations with them. We did get a response from Xcel but the amount was much larger than expected and included more than we need. Architect Bob Saas and his electrical engineer are attempting to talk with Xcel, hoping they will be reasonable. However, Bob continues to experience no responses to his phone calls. For now, we hope that we will have power sometime on Friday June 30. It hasn’t been easy to do bulletins and newsletter this week with no power at the office. Eileen, Mary and Cathy have been working from their homes and praying for power for the week-end. We will appreciate power when we get it. Neat potty flashlights and a lantern were used for the necessary tasks. We now hear that we will be without electricity July 5 & 6, Wednesday and Thursday. Who knows when this newsletter will be run–off, compiled and mailed. Maybe carrier pigeon!

Please note the four large holes on the west side for steel beams to be attached to connect the old building and new sanctuary. As soon as the many steel bar joists are welded onto the steel frame, the concrete floor will be poured. The concrete must dry for several days before dirt can be back-filled around the new sanctuary foundation. Also, four feet of dirt will be put back into the future basement so that when the time comes for us to pour the basement floor, it will be ready. This change allows us to not have to dig dirt out in the future as it will be ready for concrete. This is very good news.

We met with our Thraemoore neighbors and the city planners to change the requirements of landscaping on the north side - the neighbors directly to the north do not want the tall trees that the city was requiring us to place there. It still needs to be approved by the city and that meeting is scheduled for July 5. This change will save us somewhere between six to eight thousand dollars. Notice that the parking on the Vassar side of the parking lot (to the east) is available and the sidewalk is in. There is some touch up left to be done, but the slope is close to being ready for sprinklers and grass but that will not be done for awhile. Remember that you may park on the street on Vassar de and the door to the church on the south side is always unlocked during the day. You may park on the new parking area on the north side anytime during the week. Watch for construction equipment!

Please keep praying for our workers, Xcel, and for each other. We have come a long way, but we have a long way yet to go. Thanks for your love and support for your staff during this difficult time. Patience and care for each other is what God is ordering.

Please continue to remember to worship this summer and to keep your offerings as regular as possible. We have much to be thankful for and sharing our gifts will help your church council be good stewards of the budget.

Pastor Del

June 30th, 2006 - GHOJ Visual Update

2006-07-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

June 17th, 2006 - Visual Update

2006-07-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

June 2006 - GHOJ - Construction Update

2006-07-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

It is exciting to watch the quilting of fifteen tons of rebar in the foundation of the new sanctuary. Twenty plus men have been working from 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM each day to hand tie with pliers and bailing wire those steel bars that will hold us up as we worship and study in the future. It is a maze of steel in-between the forms. Concrete will be poured into those forms during the week of May 31. Soon the steel that will form the sanctuary floor will be put on those forms to stabilize the newly poured foundation. If you want to watch any of this construction, please come inside the church from Vassar Way and look out the nursery windows. You will have a ring-side seat.

During the week of May 31, they will also be pouring the sidewalk along Vassar Way and the parking area along the driveway that enters on the east side. The phone lines have been severed couple of times but we have survived. Please pray that Xcel will get us costs and information for the new electrical transformer! We are still waiting for them to give us that information. It was a shocking experience inside the building when the concrete casings surrounding the basement restroom windows on the north side were jack hammered from the basement foundation!! The meeting date, June 8, has been set for the city planner, Thraemoor, and Atonement to meet and discuss the landscaping problem bordering the north side of the parking lot. A construction meeting happens every two weeks for the contractor and architect to talk about progress. The Building Ministry Team will meet again soon to further discuss the color scheme. Thank you for your understanding not to park in the lot until after 4:00 PM during the week. The contractor greatly appreciates our cooperation.

June 2006 - GHOJ - Visual Update

2006-07-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Yes! Together we will build a new Worship Space...

2006-07-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

...and the steeple will be right about here!!!

United in Christ

2006-05-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 2:19-22
. . . You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God. You are like a building with the apostles and prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most important stone. Christ is the one who holds the building together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the Lord. And you are part of that building Christ has built as a place for God's own Spirit to live.

May 2006 - GHOJ Update

2006-05-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

Note from Pastor Del

The mess in the parking lot is what we’ve been waiting for. Please have patience with the parking problem that will continue. Those who are able to walk are asked to park in the neighborhood as needed. The door on the south side (Vassar Way and Yale) will be open on Sundays and during the day from 7 am to 4 pm to enter the church. Parking in the lot will be risky during the week but after 4 pm you should be able to park in the church parking lot. Obviously, the lot will be open during Sunday morning and Saturdays and evenings.

We are behind schedule with finishing the parking lot because Xcel’s line is on our property and they won’t be able to move it for awhile. Retaining walls were to be built there. There is a hopeful possibility that our neighbors on the north side of our property will be able to move the City of Lakewood to disregard the trees called for as they fear them blocking their view of the mountains in time. If that happens, the retaining walls may not have to be built for the trees the city is requiring us to place there. We have had a special meeting with our neighbors (Thraemoor West Housing) to show them our plans. They liked the new sanctuary but didn’t care for the trees the city was requiring. Qwest’s lines are on our property on the Vassar Way side where we have to place a new sidewalk along our property to the north. Hopefully, we will be able to resolve these problems quickly so that work can proceed.

The main gas line had to be moved to the south side of the education unit and run through the attic. The sewer line will have to be moved around the new sanctuary. The new storm sewer has been placed in a deep ditch dug across the parking lot and ending in the storm sewer of Lamar Street. Phone lines have been moved to enter the north side of the offices instead of the west side of the education unit. The parking lot lights have been removed. The curb and gutter were poured and parking will be available on both sides of the driveway that enters Vassar Way after the asphalt is poured. We are still waiting on Xcel to give us a price for the new transformer that will be placed on the south side of the new sanctuary.

The Building Ministry Team began picking the colors of the carpet, trim, walls and restrooms of the new sanctuary and narthex.

It is exciting to see the construction! Please be safe when you come during the week. Remember why we are doing this! Our crucified and risen Lord invites us all to come! Please welcome new folks who come to see what is happening! He is Risen! Alleluia! Come and worship the Christ who died for us all!

May 2006 - GHOJ Visual Update

2006-05-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

The Big Dig!!

2006-04-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

The new worship Space will eventually fill-in this big hole!!

Forming the curbs for the new parking spaces.

Expanding the Parking lot – What a Mess!!!

2006-04-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well, as you can see, the new construction project is well underway. There’s no turning back now! Given the current state of the parking lot, there is not much “turning” at all. :-)

Please be extra patient during these times. If you are in good shape and more mobile, please be courteous and park in the outer spaces or along the streets adjacent to the Church. This will give the folks that are less able easier access. With God's Hope and everyone's patience and understanding, Our Journey will be made easier for all!

Apr. 2nd, 2006 - New Director of Contemporary Worship

2006-04-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

We are happy to report that we have filled the position of Director of Contemporary Worship. Please welcome Josh Carr. He is a student at Colorado Christian University, majoring in Music Ministries. This should be right up his alley! :-)

Josh was recognized and commissioned during worship services on April 2nd, 2006.

We look forward to new sounds and additional opportunities for anyone (young or old) to share their musical talents.

We would also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Gayle Gunderson for serving in this music leadership role these last few years. We look forward to seeing her spread her wings in our music ministries.

**Note from Josh!!**
I've been asked to write a paragraph to the congregation to letyou know who I am and why I've come to Atonement. I started doing worship in my father's United Methodist Church when I was a freshmanin High School. It was there that I first developed a passionfor leading congregations in contemporary worship. Whether I was playing an instrument in the band or leading vocals, I was always involved.

Since then I've expanded my worship leading experience through many different opportunities including leading a band called Aveo Worship (meaning "desire worship"). I spent two years at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. I thought that I wanted to spend my life flying jets but realized that my calling was in the ministry . So, I left the Academy to follow God's will for my life. This, as far aS I have understood, is music ministry. It was the best decision I could have made for my life.

God has opened many doors since. One of those doors was the Contemporary Worship Director position here at church. I can promise you that I havegreat ideas that will present a fresh feel to what we call contemporary worship. My hope is that you will see the contemporary service grow during my time here and that it will be in a way that honors God.

On that note, we are still in the process of encouraging people to give praise team a shot. There can never be too many. So, if you are interested, get in touch with any of the staff and they will let me know.I am always more than willing to let you know more about me so feel free to pull me aside sometime Sunday morning or even get together with me outside the building's walls. I am very excited to be working here and can't wait for great things to happen!

Yours in Christ!
Josh Carr

April 2006 - GHOJ Update

2006-04-02T22:04:00.000-07:00

Be prepared...
...for the construction excitement of the next eight to nine months. Hopefully by December 1 we will be close to dedicating the new sanctuary. Parking will be a trick for several weeks. Weekdays between 7:00 AM and 4:00 PM we ask you to please park on (southeast) the Yale and Kendall side of the church. They are planning to do the parking lot first but the construction workers ask for our patience and space. The south door of the narthex will be unlocked during the day for you to enter from the east side of the church on Vasser and Yale. After 4:00 PM we will be able to park as usual. The west entry of the church from the parking lot will be almost impossible to navigate beginning Wednesday March 28. Come expecting surprises as work progresses. We will all miss the beautiful trees that are being replaced with parking spaces even though some were dead already.

Safety First!!
Please pray for the building ministry team that will be picking colors and carpeting soon. The sheds had to be emptied and moved to the top of the hill. You are welcome to come and observe during the week but please always report to the office so that we know that you are here. Jerry, the foreman will need to know your presence also. Safety is a critical factor and A.D. Miller Construction Company will do everything possible to keep everyone safe. Sunday mornings will be an opportunity for everyone to see what has happened each week but please make certain that everyone stays behind the orange fencing. We want everyone to be safe at all times.

Come and enjoy the excitement of the construction. It is an important time. The day has finally arrived and we have begun the next hugh step of the journey for a new worship space. May God fill us with a new spirit each day so that we truly might be disciples "Living in God's Love (Resurrection) and Reaching Out With Hope!" He is Risen! He is Not Here! Go and Tell the others! Alleluia! Alleluia!

March 29th, 2006 - Progress has begun!!

2006-04-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

A Groundbreaking Thank You

2006-04-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the entire congregation! We have labored long and hard following the path God put before us. During the past couple of years our capital campaign, "God's Hope ~ Our Journey, relied on the dedication of our entire family: serving on GHOJ Teams, Church Council, Building Ministry Team, song writer composing music and all members and friends prayfully "Living in God's Love ~ Reaching out with Hope".

As of March 5th, 2006 we have achieved 57% of our 3 year goal of our $906,000 pledges which started about Nov. 2004. We have come a long way but have a journey ahead of us to reach our $1.7 million pinnacle, only to see what God has in store for us next.

A special thank you to our Building Ministry Team:
Ron Lorenz, Ron Andersen, Jan Harding, Mike Lewellen, Bob Lombard, Steve Riedel, Jade Santoro, Pastor Del, Pastor Jim and Council President Joyce Fisher.

Prophets of a Future not our Own

2006-04-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

Pastor Jim shared the following poem at the Ground Breaking Celebration on March 12, 2006. It was written by Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, who was murdered on March 24, 1980.

Prophets of a Future not our Own

It helps, now and then, to step back
and take the long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of
the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is another way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about:
We plant seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for God's grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
we are prophets of a future not our own. Amen

March 12th, 2006 - Groundbreaking Ceremony & Celebration

2006-04-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

This marks the day of groundbreaking of the new Worship Space. This celebration was to occur rain, snow or shine....It Snowed!!! The ceremony was lead by Pastor's Del and Jim, each shared reflections of the past and the vision for the future for Living in God's Love and Reaching out with Hope. Ron Lorenz, chairman of the Building Ministry Team, Bob Saas and Scott Boduch of Eidos Architects also had the opportunity to share their reflections for the building to come. Everyone had a chance to break ground and throw a shovel full of dirty. This celebraton was followed by a potluck feast. This day also commemorated Atonement Luther Church's 40 years of worship and service.

GHOJ - “Just Say Hi”

2006-04-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Atonement Lutheran Church has a ministry for our congregation called “Just Say Hi”. The objective of this program is for families in our congregation to meet other families who live in the same general area.

As we visit with one or two families who are Atonement members we can experience the joy of coming better acquainted. At the same time, we will be able to provide better input of our interests and needs to our congregational leaders as they shape our ministries.

If you know of anyone in your neighborhood who is a member of Atonement please make an effort to give them a call to “Just Say Hi” -- to just to get acquainted. Perhaps you may want to invite them over to your house, arrange to meet them at a church service, take them out to breakfast, or just visit with them over the phone.

To assist in this effort a member of Atonement’s “Just Say Hi” program may contact you with a name of a neighbor or two that you may want to contact. Please welcome this call so that we may build our congregation into a closer faith community -- “Living in God’s Love - Reaching Out With Hope”.

I pray this ministry will strengthen our congregation and bring us all a little closer to one another and, therefore, to God.

Eldon Halingstad
God’s Hope~Our Journey
“Just Say Hi” Team

March 2006 - Watch this Space!!

2006-04-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken Feb. 26, 2006, two weeks before ground breaking of the construction of the new Worship Space for Atonement Lutheran Church. Watch this space!!! Things will be a'changin'!!!

March 2006 - GHOJ Update - Exciting News!

2006-03-28T20:00:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, February 19,2006 at 3:00 PM, Atonement Lutheran Church voted 90-1 to move ahead with the building of a new sanctuary. Many things had changed since the vote January 28. We met with the ELCA Mission Investment Fund representative. They feel it to be important to have a complete Worship Space at the completion of the project…as do we. Because of this and your amazing track record of giving toward the God’s Hope ~ Our Journey capital campaign, they have authorized us to borrow an addition $200,000 for a total of $1.7 million. This will allow the Worship Space to completed and ready for use at the completion of phase I of the building project. This extra funding prompted a new vote. Thanks to all that contributed to this overwhelming YES response! This still does not include a completed basement, but as we are reminded about Kairos, this to will happen in God’s time!

We will move ahead as quickly as possible. Thanks to all of you who made a special effort to be present with an overwhelming YES vote. Groundbreaking will take place on Sunday, March 12 at 3:00 PM followed by a Celebration Potluck. Plan on attending this historic occasion. We are hurrying to fill out all the papers necessary with Mission Investment Fund, of the ELCA, in Chicago to set up a construction loan account. Mike Nicholson will be Treasurer. General Ministry Funds cannot be commingled with these construction funds. To make all things legal, we will work with a title insurance company, take out Builder's Risk Insurance with Church Mutual, and prepare the promissory or Mortgage Deed of Trust. This whole process will take approximately 30 days.

A.D. Miller, our General Contractor is close to having the permit from the city to begin work on the parking lot. When that permit is in hand and the documents properly set for the loan, construction will begin. Exciting News! Soon you will be able to see lots of activity on the property.

On February 13,1966, Atonement was officially formed as an American Lutheran Congregation. February marks our Fortieth Anniversary. What a great opportunity for us to celebrate Living in God's Love -Reaching Out with Hope! Our ministry teams challenge us to continue to be excited at all the opportunities to bring God's love and compassion to a hungry and lonely world. God keeps challenging us to be alive! Pastor Jim and I are eager to be part of these exciting times as we plan ministry together with you for this community today and for the future. Building this new sanctuary for both traditional and contemporary worship will challenge each of us to a sacrificial commitment. Your presence on February 19 at the specially called Congregational Meeting was a significant showing that you are ready for the risky days ahead. Pray that our journey will be a faithful one and that these next nine months of construction will challenge us to bring "Hope to All who come here!"

Yes, this is an exciting time for the Atonement family! I beg us to pray for each other and to care about each other. Make Sunday morning a time to talk with someone new to welcome them to our church family. Allow time for God to speak to you about our mission and calling together. Amen !

February 16th, 1966 - 2006. Celebrating 40 Years of Worship and Service

2006-03-22T21:35:00.000-08:00

Atonement Lutheran Church -
THEN...

...and NOW

Feb. 2006 - GHOJ Update - Here We Go!

2006-03-22T19:21:00.000-08:00

Seventy-six people gathered in Atonement’s name on Saturday evening January 28, 2006 at a specially called meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to vote on the resolution that was mailed to each Atonement family requesting their presence at this meeting. Hard questions were asked and answered during the discussion led by Building Ministry Team Chairperson Ron Lorenz. After excellent discussion concerning what our financial challenges over the next three years will be, the question was called for and a ballot vote was collected and counted. The vote was 71-5 to borrow the sum of $1.5 million dollars from the Mission Investment Fund of the Evangelical Lutheran Church for the purpose of building a new sanctuary and narthex as soon as possible. It has been and will continue to be a difficult journey for all of us as we will be increasing our budget significantly for the next two years. The Building Ministry Team has struggled for several months together with the Architect and General Contractor to bring this project in budget. Finally the window opened by leaving out approximately $170,000 dollars worth of work to be done inside the sanctuary. This will enable us to build the entire project to completion outside. There will be no basement but the narthex will be finished up to the new sanctuary. The projects omitted are the ceiling, sound system, carpet and minor things that can be added at the last moment with contingency or other yet to be collected funds.

What a journey the next nine months will be! Construction will begin as soon as possible and we will celebrate a ground breaking ceremony hopefully in early March. If all goes well, we should be in our new facility by November 2006. Keep praying for Bob Saas and Scott Boduch, our architects, as they continue their work. We now add Tony Miller, the General Contractor to our prayers. We will also be adding the sub-contractors by name to our prayers as they do their work. We want them all to know that we care about them as we watch them build our Vision of “Living in God’s Love ~ Reaching Out With Hope” that began with the capitol campaign called “God’s Hope ~ Our Journey!”

After the Building Loan Special Meeting was adjourned, the Annual Meeting began with President Joyce Fisher guiding us through the reports and bringing us to the challenging 2006 budget of $442,889.00 which passed unanimously. Jerry Bowen and Cathy Nicholson were reelected as Treasurer and Financial Secretary respectively for another year. (We thank Carla Bowen for her help too) Marilyn Andersen was officially elected as Secretary after being appointed by the church council in September 2005. Synod Assembly Delegates Randy and Julie McNitt, Pastor Jim and Pastor Del, along with Katy Howard as an alternate, were elected by a unanimous ballot.

Please pick up your Annual Report in the narthex so that you will be informed as to what your church family has been doing and is planning for the future. Please pray for your staff that they might receive wisdom and insight for the decisions in the future. Pray for your Church Council and the Building Ministry Team. Lots has been done, but there is much yet to be done. A special thanks to Ron Lorenz, Chairperson of the BMT, Jan Harding, Steve Riedel, Bob Lombard, Michael Lewellen, Ron Andersen, and Jade Santoro. They had done an excellent job with impossible circumstances.

Pastor Jim and I are proud to be your Pastors and we ask your prayers for wisdom to be good pastors for the coming years. Please pray for each other as we journey together.

Jan. 2006 - Message from Pastor Del

2006-03-22T19:10:00.000-08:00

You are a wonderful, responsive and faithful people! Our treasurer, Jerry Bowen, informs me that as of the end of 2005 we came within $800.00 of our expenses – recovering from a deficit of almost $21,000. It was an anxious time for all of us as we attempted to plan for the future. We are called first to support the General Ministry Expenses while at the same time we are supporting our God’s Hope and Our Journey Vision for a new sanctuary and staffing. It is a big challenge for us and you have responded generously. The challenge will continue into the future as we take on new and added responsibilities financially with a construction loan and staff. I want to inform you about where we are with planning for a special Congregational Meeting to approve final decisions concerning our building plans.

Your Building Ministry Team, chaired by Ron Lorenz, has been faithfully working with our architects and general contractor as they struggle to find a way to move forward in the face of unbelievable rising costs. We hope that by their meeting on January 12, 2006, the BMT will have all the information necessary to make a decision to move ahead.

However, this I can tell you, because of continued rising costs and our determination to stay within the budget set up for our future building and staffing, the BMT has made some difficult decisions with the architect and contractor. The basement is not a possibility. Landscaping has been removed temporarily but will have to be completed before the final inspection to use the building. Those costs are approximately $75,000 and $40,000 respectively. Interests rates have also gone up slightly. Concrete is $88.00 per yard and roofing materials went up 49% and continue to soar. As you can see, this is only a sample of the struggle. There are more obstacles too numerous to mention here. Your Building Ministry Team will continue to carefully assess where we are so that we might properly inform you of progress and make recommendations for what we might do at a properly called Congregational Meeting. Possibly after the January 12 BMT meeting we will be able to move forward with that plan. Please bear with us in this tedious struggle. Please pray for guidance for the Building Ministry Team and all of us as we try to make good decisions for our future. Together we need to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with courage for whatever the decision is to be.

It is also a good time for us to reflect on the Vision that we have been following and to decide where we will be able to fulfill those dreams of mission and ministry. Please read Pastor Jim’s article (previous posting) as he reflects on the “Vision” for mission we have had before us. It is challenging us anxiously into the future. We don’t know at this moment what the right decision is for us. Soon, however, we will have the proper information to help us make that decision. Let us pray together that we remember that we are a people of faith who have come together to “Live in God’s Love and to Reach Out With Hope!” May the New Year of 2006 find each day filled with the love and grace of the God who gives us each cell in our blood to live for Him and each other. Come to worship, come to serve and to share in fellowship. We look forward to seeing you every chance we get. Amen.

Pastor Del

Jan. 2006 - Message from Pastor Jim

2006-03-22T19:01:00.000-08:00

Staying On Track

Perhaps it’s just because I tend to be a traveler at heart, but I love the Epiphany story of the wise men and their journey to visit the baby Jesus. Matthew’s gospel is pretty short on details when it comes to the voyage itself.

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking,
"Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."
(Matthew 2:1)

Can you imagine what a voyage like that might have entailed? No doubt there were twists and turns, perhaps even some false starts and mistaken paths until they finally arrived at the house where the child was. By keeping their eyes on the light which guided them, they managed to stay on track until they finally saw for themselves the hope to which God was calling them. There, “overwhelmed with joy”, they gratefully offered the gifts they had brought.

As a congregation, we are on a journey toward the hope to which God is calling us. Like the wise men, ours is a journey that may involve some twists and turns, some false starts, even some mistaken paths. Sometimes it may feel like we don’t know where we’re really headed – just read Pastor Del’s article (next posting) to see some of the challenges we’ve already faced along the way! In order to stay on track, we must keep our eyes focused on the light which guides us – a vision of Christ’s people in this place more fully living in God’s love and reaching out with hope.

We’ve said it many times, but it bears saying again: as a congregation, we exist for the sake of ministry and mission, because of the call to be Christ’s people in the world. If we lose sight of that, we don’t need an old building let alone a new one. We certainly don’t need a staff, and benevolence becomes self-serving!

As we discern our congregational path in this new year, may we stay on track by following the light that guides us towards a place where, overwhelmed with joy, we gratefully offer the gifts we bring!

Pastor Jim

Thank you from Hearts with Haiti

2006-03-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

December 29, 2005

To Whom It May Concern,

Thank you for your generous donation of $2,750.00 to Hearts with Haiti. Your contribution will be used to support the ministries of St. Joseph's Wings of Hope.

We are grateful for your contribution in furthering the Mission of St. Joseph's. Please visit us at our website http://www.heartswithhaiti.org.

Sincerely,
Cheryl Proctor, Chair
Hearts with Haiti, Inc.

Dec. 2005 – GHOJ Benevolence Gifts Awarded

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The tentative groundbreaking date of Dec. 4th has been postponed due to some inevitable obstacles, namely Excel Energy and upgrading the church power supply to 3-phase and the rising costs of building materials as a result of the catastrophic event along the Gulf Coast and Hurricane Katrina. Just as any obstacle, it does slow things up but can be overcome. The building Ministry Team and the Architects are busy to overcome this latest set of drama.

On the bright side…The Harvest of Hope Festival was held Nov. 5th. There was great food and fun had by all. In addition, we were host to an outreach fair. Our special guests were representatives from local ministries that the Benevolence Gifts task force recommended as potential recipients of this year’s benevolence gifts.

Local Ministries
Urban Servant Corps
Southwest Community Ministry
Jeffco Action Center
Cristo Rey Lutheran Church (Hispanic Ministries – Denver)
Senior Outreach: Lutheran Family Services

In prior weeks, the congregation was given the opportunity to select the recipients of the GHOJ 2005 Benevolence gifts. There are four recipients in all, two local ministries and two ministries from the global community. Each recipient is to receive $2,750 that has been designated from the fund from the God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Capital Campaign.

The recipients selected to receive the God’s Hope ~ Our Journey 2005 Benevolence Gifts are:
Local Ministries
Southwest Community Ministry
Senior Outreach: Lutheran Family Services

National/Global Ministries
Lutheran World Relief
Wings of Hope, Home for Disabled Children – Haiti

Nov. 2005 - GHOJ Update-Ground Breaking Soon

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A year ago we were dedicating our gifts to the “God’s Hope and Our Journey” Capital Campaign.. You have shared generously. Radically rising costs have made us scramble to begin “Ground Breaking” and construction. We have been pre-approved for our $1.5 million loan and we are aiming for December 4 for our Ground Breaking Day. Pray for that ground breaking date to happen but be prepared for changes. Please continue your generous sharing of the GHOJ gifts. We invite those who have not previously shared to join in the great opportunity our Mission calls us to do.

October 2005 - GHOJ Benevolence Gifts Task Force

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The Benevolence Gifts Task Force of God’s Hope ~ Our Journey is pleased to announce that we as a congregation will be reaching out with hope by presenting four ministry gifts of $2,750 each in 2005. Two of these gifts will be for local ministries – two will be for national or global ministries.

Brochures are available with descriptions of the following ten different ministries that the task force recommends as potential recipients of this year’s benevolence gifts.

Local Ministries
Urban Servant Corps
Southwest Community Ministry
Jeffco Action Center
Cristo Rey Lutheran Church (Hispanic Ministries – Denver)
Senior Outreach: Lutheran Family Services

National/Global Ministries
Lutheran World Relief
Wings of Hope, Home for Disabled Children – Haiti
Cristo Rey – Border Ministries and Immersion Program, El Paso, Texas
Operation Bootstrap – supporting Maasai Girls’ Lutheran Secondary School, Tanazania
Peace School for the Bline (Palestine)

If these projects or organizations sound familiar, it’s for a good reason. It was decided that the candidates for these first year gifts should represent ministries with which Atonement as a congregation has already had a relationship.

On the last two Sunday of Octobers, those attending the worship services will have the opportunity to vote for two local and two national/global ministries. Those receiving the most votes will announced at the Harvest of Hope Festival on Saturday, November 5.

October 2005 - GHOJ Update

2006-03-21T15:50:00.000-08:00

Building Status
The Building Ministry, Architects, and Engineers are finalizing the details of our revised plans. A special Congregational Meeting may be scheduled for November to present the final Building Plans and Budget to gain approval to proceed with ground breaking soon after.

Harvest of Hope Festival
Please mark your calendars to attend our Harvest of Hope Festival on Saturday, November 5. Another aspect of GHOJ will be presented as we announce the recipients of our benevolence gifts.

Relational Visits Beginning
The Relational Visit Team is embarking on their “Just Say Hi” campaign. These informal visits are designed to strengthen the connections between members of our congregation. We embrace the opportunity to get to know each other better.

We were Blessed with “An Afternoon with Jane Vennard”
A large group gathered to listen to Jane explain what makes “a praying congregation”. The main message was a praying congregation is comfortable talking about the prayer lives of each other. Have you asked somebody about their prayer life lately?

Advent: A Time of Hopeful Waiting

A Devotional Booklet for Year Two of GHOJ.
Advent is a time of waiting, of wondering, of anticipating what is to come. Here at Atonement we are also waiting, wondering, and anticipating great things as we continue to live in God’s love and reach out with God’s hope. Waiting is a part of life. What stories do you have of waiting? What biblical passages guide your experience of waiting? Children, youth, adults, artists, writers, thinkers: we invite you all to submit poems, reflections, and artwork reflecting on your experience of waiting, your thoughts about waiting. Email your submissions to Kim Gonia at jkgnia@aol.com or look for a box in the narthex. All submissions are due by Monday, November 7. Booklets will be ready in time for advent.

Thank You For Faithful Stewardship
If you remember, we have 132 family units that have pledged which approaches $906,000. Less than a year into our three year campaign, over 1/3 of the pledged amounts have already been received! Your generosity has exceeded expectations and our momentum is great. Keep up your consistent giving and thank you so much for your faithful stewardship in this area.

There is still plenty of opportunity to offer a pledge or simply designate a portion of your giving to ‘God’s Hope~Our Journey’ or ‘Building Fund’. Please remember that your offerings designated to Atonement’s existing and ongoing ministries are equally, if not more important. We are well on our way on this journey together.

Mike Skaff
GHOJ Ministry Follow-up Team,
Communication Team Lead

October 2005 - GHOJ Reality Check

2006-03-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

Luther struggled constantly searching for ways for God to love him. It was in this journey that Luther discovered Jesus Christ on the cross. It was this great act of grace from God on the cross that gave salvation to all — nothing that Luther or anyone else did. Grace was God’s gift to humanity and not what one earned. This discovery made Luther known as the Father of the Reformation.

It is still this reformation that we share as Lutherans in this time and place. We are constantly challenged by God’s grace for us and how we might share it with others. This is why we are called to share the Vision of Ministry here so that others too might know of God’s love. For our Mission Statement reminds us that this reformation of “Living in God’s Love and Reaching Out with Hope” is the special gift we’ve been given to share with the community we live in. This is why we held the capitol campaign called “God’s Hope and Our Journey!” As we try to follow our vision with the gifts we are sharing and have promised over the next 2 ½ years, we are challenged. Events have happened beyond our control that have increased costs ridiculously. Katrina was enough and Rita isn’t helping us.

As a result Ron Lorenz and the Building Ministry Team are having to make many difficult choices to bring the rising costs into budget. Remember we are already paying new staff from the gifts being given for GHOJ. We hope to have a Contemporary Music Director in place soon. We have interviewed an excellent person and are continuing that process. A committee is also prioritizing where we will send our benevolent gifts too.

However, the biggest challenge is bringing the 2 million dollar costs down to the 1.5 million that we are allowed to borrow from the Mission Loan and Investment Fund. This means the following: nothing east of the current kitchen will be touched; the basement under the new sanctuary will have a dirt floor ; the building height has been lowered by about two feet; windows have been taken out of the north and south part of the ceiling; very little steel is being used; we will remain on two phase power instead of building three phase; the side-walk on the east will be delayed until absolutely necessary for city code; landscaping will also be delayed and possibly done ourselves; and the sound system is being cut back. Remember, these aren’t changes we want to make but the budget forces us into this position. 1.5 million dollars will only allow us to build this amount. All the above and a few other things will be prioritized alternates that will be added as funds become available.

Please pray for the Building Ministry Team to make wise and difficult decisions for us. We hope to have a Congregational Meeting in November and begin building as soon as possible after that date. We want to inform you as best we can in this painful process. May the Reformation continue for the Atonement family as we follow our Lord’s calling into the future.

Pastor Del

What is Parish Nursing?

2006-03-21T15:13:00.000-08:00

Healing and caring activities were part of Jesus’ Ministry and continue to belong to the church. Parish nurses and health ministry committees are reflecting God’s Love by working in churches and communities to help people improve the health of their body, mind and spirit.

The focus of parish nursing practice is on prevention, health promotion, care management, and referral for a faith community and it’s ministry. The parish nurse does not provide ongoing physical care, administer medication, draw blood, or do other invasive medical procedures.

The Parish Nurse is a:
1. Health educator-providing opportunities for you to learn about health topics so you can make an informed decision;
2. Health advocate/health counselor, listening and discussing health issues with you and/or your family in your home, hospital, nursing home or church;
3. Referral source, serving as a liaison to connect you with community services;
4. Facilitator and coordinator of care-related volunteers, identifying and recruiting congregational volunteers to assist you as needed;
5. Integrator, assisting you to bring together faith and health in your life;
6. Support group facilitator, assisting need within the congregation and developing appropriate groups; and
7. Visitor to the sick and supporter of the congregant and family.

We would like to thank you for calling us to be your parish nurses and want you to know we will use our combined knowledge and experience to assist you in any way we can. Feel free to call the office and leave either of us a request for a visit or a call. We ill try to be prompt in contacting you to set up an appointment.

Beverly Karika and Ruth Ann Zartman

Sept. 2005 - GHOJ Update

2006-03-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

With “God’s Hope ~ Our Journey” Continues . . .

The Building Ministry Team recently sent out a letter updating us on the plans for our building addition. While we look forward with anticipation to breaking ground, we remember that “God’s Hope-Our Journey” is much more than a building campaign. Adding staff and creating a benevolence fund are equally important elements of our journey. Here is a brief update on some events and opportunities as our journey continues.

New Staff Positions Filled
On July 31, we formally commissioned three new staff members. Beverly Karika, RN, BSN, and Ruth Zartman, RN, BSN, are sharing the position of Parish Nurse. They will help develop our ministry of caring by promoting health and wellness in our congregation. Identifying health education and counseling needs will be a key aspect of their position.

Julie McNitt is serving as Youth Ministry Coordinator. She is assisting with the elementary and high school youth groups, as well as with the confirmation program. She will also be involved with Sunday School, Faith Matters, and Donuts and Discussion. She is looking at a number of ways to build deeper relationships with our young people.

Benevolence Ministry Team Being Formed
The Benevolence Ministry Team will make recommendations for how we will direct the gifts from our annual benevolence fund of over $30,000. Half of these gifts will be made locally, and half made globally. If asked to serve on this team, please give the request prayerful consideration.

Speaking of Prayer…
The Spirituality Team has arranged an event with Jane Vennard, nationally known author of A Praying Congregation. She will be with us on Sunday, September 18 from 2:00 to 5:30. Mark your calendars now! In addition, the Adult Forum Sessions on September 18, September 25, and October 2 will focus on prayer.

Relational Visits Beginning
The Relational Visit Team is embarking on their “Just Say Hi” campaign. These informal visits are designed to strengthen the connections between members of our congregation. We embrace the opportunity to get to know each other better.

Thank You For Faithful Stewardship
Less than a year into our three year campaign, over 1/3 of the pledged amounts have already been received! Thank you so much for your faithful stewardship in this area. If you did not pledge last Fall but would like to, pledge forms can be obtained from church staff or from Larry Koppenhaver or Cathy Bajcsi of the Follow-up Ministry Team.

God’s Peace
Randy McNitt
God’s Hope-Our Journey Ministry Follow-up Team, Communication Team Member

Reality Check!
The Building Ministry Team is struggling with the startling rising costs of materials. Our architects are giving us all of their creative ability to get the building project within budget. There will be a BMT meeting on Thursday September 15. Hopefully we will be able to set a date for ground breaking. Pray for this ministry to fulfill the dreams of Traditional and Contemporary worship styles that have become so meaningful! Ron Lorenz and his committee of Bob Lombard, Jan Harding, Michael Lewellen, Steve Riedel, Jade Santoro, and Ron Andersen have even tougher decisions ahead. Recently, Ron Lorenz sent a special letter to keep you informed.

A year ago we were beginning the “God’s Hope ~ Our Journey” appeal. We have come a long way and we continue to push forward. We have added an office secretary, two parish nurses, and a youth coordinator. We are still interviewing for a contemporary worship ministry director. Pray for this ministry to find the person we need to help us. Pray we can create space for all to work together while we wait for the new building to be built.

August 2005 - GHOJ Update

2006-03-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

An “AFTERNOON WITH JANE VENNARD” author of A Praying Congregation

The Spirituality Team of God’s Hope Our Journey will be hosting our time with this nationally known pastor, teacher, spiritual director and retreat leader on Sunday, September 18th . A quote from Catholic priest Richard Rohr about Jane’s book explains why we are so excited to have time with her:
I have been saying that we should drop all church programs for a year and just teach our people how to pray! This book could well be the foundation and program for that teaching. Jane Vennard has given us guidance that is both simple and profound, practical yet very mature, personal yet social. Her wisdom about prayer is what we need!

Project Update:

The Building Ministry Team will be meeting August 15 at 7:30 PM (note the date change). The contractor needs more time to work on bids. Costs of materials have gone up significantly since we began planning. Those costs are being reflected in the bids our contractor A.D. Miller is receiving. We will not be able to set a date for ground-breaking until those bids are more firm and realistic. Hopefully on August 15 we’ll be able to plan a date for a Congregational Meeting to approve the construction loan and the new mortgage. The loan application will not be completed until we get more definitive bids for the entire project.

On Wednesday, July 27 a meeting was held with the West Metro Fire District. It appears we’ll only have to add one more fire hydrant to accommodate added fire protection for our new building. That was very good news. The new construction will have a sprinkler system for fire protection—West Metro appreciated that.

Eidos architects Bob Saas and Scott Burdock have been delighted with progress and hopefully the extra time spent on bids for the many building projects will be positive. Pray for this process to come together quickly. We are anxious to set dates and begin construction. There are many people working very hard at this process. What exciting opportunities are before us. Pray that the follow up with the God’s Hope and Our Journey Follow-up Team will continue to provide “Vision” together with the Mission Resources Ministry Team of the Church Council. Acts 5:12a says that “Many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles.” I pray that is what continues to happen to us as God calls us as Disciples in Mission.

July 2005
- Received initial submittal comments from the City of Lakewood that included very minor changes. These changes were made and a second submittal has been forwarded to the City of Lakewood.
July 25, 2005
- Gathered all information necessary to assemble the loan application.
July 27, 2005
- Met with the Fire Dept. to provide input to the building plans for fire mitigation.
July 31, 2005
- Formally commissioned the new staff positions. *WELCOME*
= Beverly Karika, RN, BSN and Ruth Zartman, RN, BSN are sharing the position
of Parish Nurse.
= Julie McNitt began serving as the Youth Ministry Coordinator.

July 2005 - GHOJ Update

2006-03-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

Project Update:
June 1, 2005
- Eidos Architects, reviewed design updates, lighting concepts, ceiling layout, seating layouts with Building committee.
- Filled positions for staffing goals for 2005
- Beverly Karika, RN, BSN and Ruth Zartman, RN, BSN are sharing the position of Parish Nurse.
- Julie McNitt began serving as the Youth Ministry Coordinator.
- Date of Commissioning Service to be determined

Miracles are happening! We received the first “red line” approval on June 29 – these are changes suggested by the city. Edios architects Bob Saas and Scott Burdock are examining them. They appear to be minor changes. We will proceed as quickly as possible. The Building Ministry Team will meet August 1, 7:00 PM at which time we expect we will have the final bid from A.D. Miller for the entire project. When that figure is submitted we will be able to complete the application form for our construction loan and future building loan. We will also have a better picture of how much of the design plan we will be able to complete. The unfinished basement is on the schedule. The Mission Loan Investment Fund of the ELCA is being very helpful to us in this process. We will also give Thrivent an opportunity as they are the ones who currently have our loan. We may be able to project a ground breaking date by mid August and plan a congregational meeting to approve plans. Sounds exciting!

Pledged monies for God’s Hope ~ Our Journey have been coming in on schedule and you are to be congratulated. New pledges and offerings are always welcome. Also, please remember to send in your offerings for the General Ministry (our ongoing budget needs) as the past several Sunday’s offerings have been lower than usual. Envelopes are included in this newsletter for your convenience in sharing your offering gifts. Thanks for helping make the Mission of Atonement’s work a priority.

Images of the Near Future of Atonement Lutheran Church

2006-03-21T03:28:00.000-08:00

See the Future of Atonement Lutheran Church

2006-03-21T02:51:00.000-08:00

The following images are conceptual drawings, building plans and the future of Atonement Lutheran Church.

June 2005 - GHOJ Update

2006-03-21T02:24:00.000-08:00

May 2005
- Survey of Atonement Property completed.
- All Title work has been verified and complete.
- Selected External Color Scheme for Brick and Stucco
- Activity continues to secure funding through ELCA Mission Investment Fund.

May 16, 2005 - Held meeting to discuss Heating and Air Conditioning requirements.
May 23, 2005 - Held Meeting to discuss Audio/Visual Requirements
May 26, 2005 - Submitted drawings and formal Site Development Planning Documents to City of Lakewood. No major results or concerns to report at this time.

June continues the “God’s Hope and Our Journey” plan that the congregation approved at the January 2005 Congregational meeting. Two staff positions, Parish Nurse and Youth Ministry coordinator, were to be added. Thus, June 1 was a good day with meetings with Ruth Zartman, Beverly Karika and Julie McNitt coming for their orientation. Ruth and Beverly will share the Parish Nurse position as their different strengths and talents compliment each other. If either Ruth or Beverly are away, one will be available to help us. The Church Council (Leadership Ministry Team) will give final approval at the June 14 meeting. Julie McNitt will be attending the Clinical Pastoral Education program at St. Anthony Hospital for twelve weeks to continue her seminary education requirements. We will work out her hours as we go along as all of this is a work in progress. Welcome Julie, Ruth and Beverly! We will have a special welcome for them at the June 26th Sunday worship services. All are already busy at work!

On May 26, 2005 Lakewood accepted Atonement’s application for remodeling and building a new sanctuary. Several items were apart of that application which included a Warranty Deed, and a Title Commitment Letter. Please note the display in the narthex showing the brick samples and exterior colors for the building project. On June 1 the Building Ministry Team (BMT) met to approve Eidos’s plans to be given to A.D. Miller, our General Contractor. A.D. Miller can now submit them to sub-contractors for bids. In six or more weeks we will have a better picture of what plans have to modified in order to build the basement under the sanctuary. The city will also be responding to Eidos’s plans for us and if that is positive, we’ll be moving quickly. The Worship Ministry Team met May 26 with Acoustech (Roland) and Eidos to plan the audio and video parts of the sanctuary too.

I hope you will be as impressed as I am with the Sanctuary design. It will be a powerful Holy Space with lots of drama! Pray for the BMT, our new staff and the fulfilling of the dreams we have planned for the future so that as we “Live In God’s Love and Reach Out With Hope” we will be inspired and renewed disciples for the future!

May 2005 - GHOJ Follow-up Ministry Team and Project Update

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Formation of the GHOJ Follow-Up Ministry Team (GHOJMFT) is in full swing. This team is being lead by Larry Koppenhaver.If you are asked by one of the Follow-up Ministry Team Leaders to participate, please prayerfully consider sharing your richly given talents.

GHOJ Follow-up Ministry Team

The God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Follow-up Ministry Team consists of the following Team Members:

Chairperson - Larry Koppenhaver
GHOJ Treasurer - Mike Nicholson
Recorder - Cathy Nicholson
Financial Growth - Larry Koppenhaver, Cathy Bajcsi, Cathy & Mike Nicholson
Communication - Michael Skaff, Cathy Ayers, Randy McNitt
Special Events - Wendy Brown
Spiritual Life - Kim Gonia
Relational visits - Eldon Halingstad (Just Say, “Hi!”)

For those of you that have pledged and/or have given to the God’s Hope~Our Journey Capital Building Appeal, thank you for you continued generosity. There is still plenty of opportunity to offer a pledge or simply designate a portion of your giving to ‘God’s Hope~Our Journey’ or ‘Building Fund’. Please remember that your offerings designated to Atonement’s existing and on going ministries are equally, if not more important. We are well on our way on this journey together.

Progress on our journey has already begun. Here are a few highlights that have occurred over the late few months:

Feb. 1, 2005 - Cathy Nicholson has officially begun working in the Church office, assisting Eileen Koppenhaver and Mary Lemke. She already is a valued addition to the office support staff.

March 2005 - Preliminary submittal of the initial plans have been submitted for review by the City of Lakewood. No major results or concerns to report at this time.

April 4th, 2005 - A.D. Miller has been selected as the General Contractor. The Building Committee made the tough decision selecting A.D. Miller from the top three contracting companies that were considered. A.D. Miller has constructed several Churches in the State of Colorado. The building committee members agree that A.D. Miller was a good fit for us and will be sensitive to the needs or our congregation.

Here are some of the upcoming activities that will soon begin:
May 2005 - Eidos Architects, LLC namely Scott Boduch and Bob Sass will continue working on the detailed design plans and begin working with focus groups to address the needs of the worship space, narthex, kitchen, classrooms and the columbarium.
- Activity has already begun to communicate with the people at the ELCA Mission Investment Fund and begin the loan application process to secure the necessary financing. As of this report, the mortgage interest rate is still holding at 5.25%.

October 2005 - Tentative Ground-Breaking. As with any forecasted dates, these dates are subject the change.

God’s Peace,
Mike Skaff
God’s Hope~Our Journey Ministry Follow-up Team (GHOJMFT)
Communication Team Leader

May 2005 - GHOJ Update Part 1

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Building Update!
Exciting plans continue to be developed for remodeling our building and constructing a new sanctuary! Please read the update “With God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Continues . . . “ from the Communication Team in this newsletter for information regarding the use of the GHOJ resources. However, you need to know that we have scaled back the plans because the funds pledged will not build the basement under the proposed new sanctuary or any of the new office building. We’ll need another $350,000 to include a basement. The Building Ministry Team is meeting Monday, May 9, at 7:00 PM to review the revised plans and budget. The architects have met with different groups to determine how the plans might best be made for worship space, kitchen space, office space and the columbarium. (We will stay within our budget.) A conference room and kitchen will be placed in the narthex. Walls will be moved to expand the office work room, encompassing the space where the organ and piano are presently located in the current sanctuary. A multi-office space will be added in the first section of the present education room by adding a wall. A music rehearsal room will be designed in a room near the old kitchen. We’ll be showing the new plans as soon as the Building Ministry Team works with them. We will officially approve the new building plans at a future Congregational Meeting.

God’s Hope ~ Our Journey’s future plan!
Please come to the May 15th Congregational Meeting following the late service. We will be electing the ministry team leaders and sharing future plans. We do not want to forget that the God’s Hope ~ Our Journey funds will be spent according to original plans. Additional staff (Ruth Zartman - Parish Nurse and Julie McNitt as Youth Ministry Coordinator) will begin to work when they are available this summer. We were pleased to achieve our first goal and welcomed Cathy Nicholson as part of the office staff beginning February 1. We are searching for a Contemporary Worship Coordinator. We have visited with one person but will continue our search.

Pastor Del

April 2005 - GHOJ Building Ministry Team

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The God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Building Ministry Team

Pray for your Building Ministry Team.
Ron Lorenz, chairman;
Jan Harding,
Jade Santoro,
Michael Lewellen,
Steve Riedel,
Bob Lombard,
Ron Andersen,
Pastor Jim and Pastor Del.

The God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Follow-up Ministry Team

After the tremendous response and commitments, the longer and equally important journey is underway. To guide us through the remainder of the journey will be the God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Follow-up Ministry Team (GHOJFMT) headed by Larry Koppenhaver. The GHOJFMT will be comprised of five groups:
Financial Growth
Communications
Special Events
Spiritual Life
Relational Visits
In the near future the GHOJFMT Financial secretary will provide commitment response reports to members who made commitments. The Building Committee has regularly met to pave the way for construction. This includes significant coordination with the City of Lakewood to ensure building requirements are achieved.

April 2005 - Alleluia! Alleluia!

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Alleluia! Alleluia! May the Risen Lord breathe the Holy Spirit into each of us so that we will be empowered and strengthened to respond to our world with the many tasks before us. We are called to be “Easter People”. Because we are baptized and continue to be nourished at the table of our Lord, we are called to be “Living In God’s Love and Reaching Out With Hope!”

One year ago we were contemplating partnering with Kairos. After the initial phase of our capitol campaign – God’s Hope Our Journey, we are continuing to respond to the challenge of $906,000 over the next three years. The Building Ministry Team interviewed several contractors on April 4. After a contractor is chosen, Bob Saas of Eidos Architects, LLC will continue working with the City of Lakewood. The city has already given Mr. Saas a positive response. The next step is that plans will be developed with the contractor, Mr. Saas and the City to bring back to our Building Ministry Team for consideration. This is an ongoing process until the City understands the amount of money pledged and what our building budget is. Ground breaking has already changed to September or October and we can expect more changes. We will make every effort to keep everyone informed of our progress. Pray for your Building Ministry Team. Ron Lorenz, chairman; Jan Harding, Jade Santoro, Michael Lewellen, Steve Riedel, Bob Lombard, Ron Andersen, Pastor Jim and Pastor Del. They have many decisions of great responsibility to the congregation before them in the coming months. Please bring any questions you might have to any of them or to Pastor Jim or Pastor Del.

Pray for our Mission together! Pray that God will breathe new life into us for each day! May we have the courage to be honest, compassionate, and loving to each other as God through Christ has shown us duringthe past Lenten Journey, Holy Week and Easter. We continue now in the Easter Season on our way to Pentecost! The journey will be exciting as we respond to the call of our Lord to be “Easter People” living in this complicated world!

From the desk of Pastor Del

Feb. 2005 - GHOJ Update Part 2

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Current Pledges (over 3 years): $905,388.50 from 126 pledges

At our Congregational Meeting on January 23 we formally approved Mike Nicholson to be the treasurer for God’s Hope ~ Our Journey. We also reviewed plans for benevolence, staffing and building.

What’s Happening with …

Benevolence: A task force will meet soon to create a protocol by which the congregation will choose the recipients of the first year’s Designated Outreach Gifts. Hopefully, these first gifts (totaling at least $11,000 this year) can be distributed by the summer.

Ministry Programs: The Parish Education Task Force met on Sunday, January 30. Recommendations will be forthcoming. An Evening Worship Service Task Force will be meeting on Saturday, February 19 to begin laying the groundwork for a new weekend evening service.

Staffing: Cathy Nicholson begins her position on our secretarial staff February 1 – welcome Cathy!

A job description for our Parish Nurse for Health Ministry is completed and available upon request. A Task Force will soon begin work on a job description for the Youth Ministry and Education Coordinator. The Worship Ministry Team has a first draft of a job description for a Contemporary Worship Coordinator in hand and will be reviewing it.

Building Expansion: The Building Committee and Church Council Executive Team met with Carol Schneider, a representative of the ELCA Mission Investment Fund on January 13 and determined that the borrowing potential of the congregation for the building phase of our project is approximately $1.5 million. Together with monies that will be received through our pledges, we have a tentative building project budget of $1,750,000. At our Congregational Meeting the Executive Committee of the Church Council was authorized to contract with architect Bob Saas so that detailed design plans can be drawn up and permits acquired from the City of Lakewood.

Feb. 2005 - GHOJ Update Part 1

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What a great congregational meeting on January 23, 2005! The best one! Hopefully there will more like it! Questions were asked and lots of discussion took place. I was so proud that eighty of you came to share the Vision! Ron Lorenz, our Building Ministry Chairperson said, “ We have a Vision that our building needs to catch up to!” “We can do this!”

Carol Schneider from the Mission Investment and Loan Fund of the ELCA met with the Building Committee, Council Representatives, and Pastors on January 13, 2005. She provided a special formula for determining how much we are eligible to borrow. Knowing this figure helped Bob Saas, our architect, begin to make changes to the original design plans to match our budget. Our total package at this moment is approximately $1,500,000 instead of the original $2.7 (for the original plans first and second phase). That is the amount that we presently will be able to borrow. That may change as more gifts and pledges arrive. But that is where we are now. According to our Annual Report 2005, pg. 42, “God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Budget for 2005“, our known expenses amount to about $293,000 which includes architect fees, present mortgage, staffing, benevolence and expenses from 2004 programs (such as the capitol campaign etc). Please pick up an Annual Report 2005 in the narthex and look at the back several pages for this information in detail.

We are on our way for an exciting journey. Hopefully, we’ll be breaking ground between July and September 2005. That depends on the City of Lakewood’s cooperation by approving design plans. We expect that you will have more questions because this is a lot of information to understand. Keep asking them! There may well be things we haven’t thought about yet. It is the Building Ministry Team that will be working to bring you information during the next months. Already Bob Saas has had to change the original conceptual plans to fit our budget.
1. There will be no basement under the new sanctuary but the walls will be built to allow a digging out of the dirt at a future time when we can afford it. We need another $350,000 to do that task. However, that can be done at a future time.
2. The current narthex will be made into office space, kitchen and small narthex. Please look at the new conceptual plans in the narthex.

We also voted to have Jerry Bowen elected Treasurer and Cathy Nicholson as Financial Secretary of the congregation serving on Church Council. Joyce Fisher, Cathy Nicholson, Pastor Jim and Pastor Del were accepted as Assembly Delegates to attend the Synod Assembly in Ft Collins in May. Mike Nicholson was voted Treasurer of the God’s Hope and Our Journey fund.

The Budget for 2005, $361,254, was accepted after good discussion of the four new positions: Secretary, Parish Nurse, Youth Ministry and Education Director and Contemporary Worship Ministry Director, to be added this year. What opportunities and challenges we have before us to integrate these positions into our Ministry.

Are you listening to the Vision that is directing our Mission? What an exciting time for the Atonement Family. Pray that we keep focused on Jesus of the Cross who invites all into this new Kingdom yet to happen. Thanks for your questions, support and concerns. We are a congregation that is being led by a Spirit of love and compassion into an unknown world.

Jan. 2005 - GHOJ Update

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At our Congregational meeting on January 23 we will formally approve Mike Nicholson to be the treasurer for God’s Hope ~ Our Journey. Larry Koppenhaver, chair of our Follow-Up Team, will also describe how this on-going journey will enhance our life together over the next three years.

What Happens Next with …

Benevolence: A task force will begin meeting in January to create a protocol by which the congregation will choose the recipients of the first year’s Designated Outreach Gifts. Hopefully, these first gifts (totaling at least $11,000 this year) can be distributed by the summer.

Ministry Programs: An Evening Worship Service Ministry Team will be established in January to begin working on plans for a new service. A review of the Parish Education position on our church council and the Confirmation program also begin this month. Look for the Stewardship Team to get to work on redefining how we understand our role in God’s mission!

Staffing: It is hoped that a new part-time secretarial position will be approved by the congregation in January and will be staffed by February; the Church Council is recommending Cathy Nicholson to fill this position. Final touches will be made on a part-time Parish Nurse position, with the actual position to be filled in June; our candidate for this position is Ruth Zartman. Task forces will also be meeting this month to begin crafting job descriptions for a part-time Youth Ministry and Education Coordinator as well as for a Worship Ministry Coordinator. Julie McNitt is the candidate for our Youth position; the Worship position is still under study.

Building Expansion: The Building Committee and Church Council Executive Team will meet on January 13 with a representative of the ELCA Mission Investment Fund to begin determining the borrowing potential of the congregation for the building phase of our project. At our Congregational Meeting we will contract with architect Bob Sasse so that detailed design plans can be drawn up and permits acquired from the city of Lakewood. A summer ground-breaking is the goal!

Jan. 2005 - The Future is Coming!

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A year ago I wrote in this newsletter about “What Does The Future Hold?” Now, the future is upon us! It is coming with challenges and excitement. I said I was scared a year ago and I still am! We have come a long way. The Capital Campaign for “God’s Hope and Our Journey” is close to completion with pledges of $898,000 over the next three years. You have been most generous! A special thanks also to everyone for responding to the general budget to continue the present ministry and building. Remember to be alert to the changes January 1, 2005 with the building fund and the mortgage. The present mortgage will be paid from the “GHOJ” fund. The new mortgage will be refinanced in the future.

Please come to the CONGREGATIONAL MEETING Sunday, January 23, 2005 at 6:00 PM with potluck beginning at 5:00 PM. We will need to approve the 2005 budget which will include Bob Saas from Eidos Architects, LLC., to begin design plans for the new building and acquiring permits from the city of Lakewood. Other congregational meetings will occur in the future as needed to proceed with approving design plans as presented by our Building Ministry Team. Mr. Saas was our architect 15 year ago and will be the person who will continue to help us with our ministry plans for the future.
Two opening hearings on the 2005 budget are set for Sunday, January 9 and 16 at 9:00 and 10:30 following the worship services. We hope that those attending the 11:00 service will come at 10:30 with their questions. Members of our church council will be there to discuss concerns you might have. If we don’t know the answers, we’ll try to find them. Help us with questions and issues we maybe haven’t thought about.

A special thanks to everyone for making 2004 a special time for Atonement. We are crossing over another mountain of growth and entering into another new age. Pray that we keep the Cross at the center of all that we do. Pray for each other, as every moment of every day is a gift of grace that promises a New Year! God gives us the gift of life and how we respond to the challenges of ministry and discipleship will always be with God’s love and grace guiding us. Come and worship! Invite your friends and neighbors to join us! May the Epiphany Star lead us always to Jesus, the Word Made Flesh for All!

May the God of the heavens continue to guide our ministry together in the future that is now.

Pastor Del

God Will Bring Us Home

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The song “God Will Bring Us Home” has become the theme song of our God’s Hope ~ Our Journey capital campaign. The words and music are written by a member of Atonement Lutheran Church, Kevin Kurth. The words are published here with Kevin’s permission.

God Will Bring Us Home

Noah working on the ark one day
People laughed and turned away
But as the rain fell like tears across his face
Noah praised God for his grace

(He said)
Thank the Lord, thank the Lord
It’s time to get on board
Though the sea in darkness be
We will trust our God to bring us home

As the storm waves crashed o’er the bow
Disciples thought, “We bought it now”
Then Jesus woke and calmed the waves
More victims of god’s grace

(They said)
Thank the Lord, thank the Lord
I’m glad that I’m on board
Though the sea in darkness be
We will trust our God to bring us home

So let us journey on this ship of faith
For faith leads where we can’t see
Without a vision the people die
So let this be our battle cry

Thank the Lord, thank the Lord
It’s time to get on board
Though the sea in darkness be
We will trust our God
Thank the Lord, thank the Lord
And hold on to His Word
Though the way in darkness lay
We will trust our God to bring us home
We will trust our God to bring us home

11/21/2004 The God’s Hope ~ Our Journey Appeal Worship Sunday

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A large team of the Atonement family, lead by Cathy Bajcsi and Randy McNitt, coordinated the efforts of the God’s Hope ~ Our Journey capital campaign. This planning and preparation resulted in the Appeal Worship Sunday.

During the Worship Service, we prayed and embraced the beginning and continuation of our new venture. During the celebration, we enjoyed Native American Dance and the Los Posadas Journey with our Christo Rey neighbors. We were given a glimpse of the vision of our new building and ministries and we heard an inspirational message from Rene’ Myers from Kairos. After communion, we were given the opportunity to pledge our gifts and talents to the capital campaign. This resulted in 132 families pledging $906,000 over 3 years. These pledges will be dedicated to the God’s Hope ~ Our Journey capital appeal, which include church staffing, benevolence and the building of a new worship space and columbarium. These pledges strongly enables Atonement Lutheran Church to pursue this $2.3 million Journey as we embrace Living in God’s Love and Reach out with Hope.

Questions & Answers

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Q: Why are we conducting a capital fund appeal at this time?

A: The Atonement Church family has been blessed with an active congregation that feels like—and is—a family. But just as a family grows, we’ve outgrown the physical limitations of our building and our existing staff. In effect, it’s a blessing that our church has become cramped; God clearly is guiding Atonement. We’ve been talking about expanding for four years. We, the Atonement family, through extensive congregational meetings, have decided it’s decided it’s time to stop talking and start acting, praying all the while for God’s guidance.

Q: What is the total estimated cost of the capital campaign?

A: In broad terms, we are hoping to raise nearly $2.3 million over three years. Construction costs for the first phase of the building campaign total about $1.3 million, and there is another $700,000 estimated for associated costs like, servicing our existing debt and architect and engineering costs. In addition, we are estimating to need approximately $200,000 to fulfill our staffing proposals. Also, we have committed $33,000 over three years to benevolence. Atonement Church has always paid its benevolence first and aims to do just that with this campaign. Finally, when we choose to go forward with the second phase of our building plan, we estimate needing another $670,000 to finish the building.

Q: How does my response to God’s Hope ~ Our Journey affect my support to current expenses and benevolence?

A: It doesn’t! Our God’s Hope ~ Our Journey response is a totally new commitment. All money received from this commitment will be applied directly to our building and staffing project. We pray that you will continue supporting the ongoing programs and outreach of our church by uninterrupted and increased support to our annual needs.

Q: How long will God’s Hope ~ Our Journey continue?

A: The capital fund commitment is for three years and is over and above your regular giving to the congregation. Your response is your choice on how to configure your gift since not all people will want to give in the same way. Some will give one large, upfront gift, while others will give a designated amount each week.

Q: May I give stock, real estate, insurance or other gifts in kind in addition to cash giving?

A: Absolutely! You are encouraged to think of assets in addition to cash. For many people, this is the best (and smartest) way to give. Giving stocks, property, jewelry, cars or other appreciated assets as a charitable donation is beneficial to you and the church. If you think you would benefit from more information on this topic, please call the church or the corporate office of Kairos at 1-800-851-3019.

Q: Will there be an opportunity to give specific gifts?

A: At the appropriate time during our three-year giving phase, the Appeal Follow-Up Ministry Team will establish a list of needs to complete our capital project for those who wish to give specific gifts (sometimes in memory of a loved one). Specific guidelines for this giving opportunity will be clearly developed and made available to all people of the congregation.

Q: What if my financial situation changes or I move out of the area before the end of the three-year giving period?

A: At any time during the giving phase, your commitment may be increased, decreased extended or cancelled by notifying the church office. If you should move out of the area, we hope you would become involved in another congregation and offer them your support. We would be honored and grateful of you are willing to fulfill your total God’s Hope ~ Our Journey commitment, but you are certainly under no obligation to do so. No matter what your circumstances may be, we would ask you to support us in your prayers and to remember that you are always welcomed and loved.

Images of Remodeling - 1989

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Images of the Original GroundBreaking-1965

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In October 2004, our Journey Continues...

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What a great way to talk about this latest venture for our Atonement family!

The language of hope is not new to us. In our mission statement, we describe ourselves as people “living in God’s love and reaching out with hope.” God’s hope is what calls us to strengthen and nourish our faith among one another so that we might be better able to share with those around us the ultimate love that transforms the world. Can you think of anything more important?

God’s hope always leads us forward, beyond ourselves, onto paths not yet traveled. The journey on which we are now embarking will allow us to discover exciting new opportunities for ministry and mission through additional staffing, a larger facility and designated outreach gifts. Who knows where it all may lead!

We encourage you to carefully and prayerfully read the information you will find in this blog. Ask questions. Take part in the upcoming events that are intended to help us all navigate the road before us. This is not the first journey the Atonement family has been on. Indeed, it is the previous journey faithfully followed that have brought us to this point!

God’s Hope ~ Our Journey: As your pastors we are thankful to be part of the venture into the future. The challenge before us may seem daunting at times, but we move ahead trusting that God’s hand is guiding us, Christ’s grace is empowering us and the Holy Spirit is inviting us all to participate!

In God’s peace,

Pastor Del and Pastor Jim