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TRANSCRIPT
“We bring the hope
we share in Christ to
all!”
DECEMBER 2012 VOLUME 56—ISSUE 12
WELCA CHRISTMAS DESSERT To: The Women of Atonement - All Ages Welcome
Date: December 3, 2012
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Atonement Lutheran Church
Dessert provided by: WELCA board members
Entertainment by: "Checkpoint"
Please join us for what has become the traditional kickoff to the Advent season—
a relaxing evening of fun and fellowship with the women of Atonement. Meet our new board members for 2013 and hear the entrancing sounds of Checkpoint
in what promises to be one of our most memorable events.
Prayer Partners for 2012 will be revealed.
“Catch the Christmas Spirit”
Sunday School
Christmas Program
Saturday
December 15, 2012
4:00 PM
[rehearsal at 10:00 a.m.]
additional information on page 4
2013 Prayer Partners The WELCA Board is pleased to announce a new program for prayer partners in 2013. This year we are going to eliminate "secret" prayer partners and use this as an opportunity to
grow in relationship with one another and God. With that in mind, those individuals wishing to participate will be paired up with another interested person. Over the next 12 months you will be encouraged to become better acquainted, chat, have coffee, share your joys and sorrows with your prayer partner and grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
Anyone wishing to have a prayer partner but who is unable to attend the Christmas Dessert may sign up on the clipboard at the back of the church.
The Commentator — Atonement Lutheran Church Page 2
Hello and greetings from your Council President. In
lieu of Pastor Mark’s monthly letter, I would like to
provide you with an update from Council and the
Executive Committee.
As I am sure you are aware, Atonement will be having
guest preachers help us out for the next couple of
weeks. After Pastor Mark announced his decision to
leave, the Executive Committee contacted the Bishop
asking for help. The Bishop (and Associate Bishop)
started the search for an interim pastor for Atonement.
Atonement has had a couple interim pastors in the past,
and their goal is to not only bridge the gap between
when Atonement will call permanent pastors, but also
to help heal any wounds or conflicts from when the
outgoing pastor left. While the Bishop’s office searches
for a suitable interim pastor, Atonement needs to find
supply preachers who will preach until the interim
starts.
Please know that the Bishop’s office, St. John’s and the
other Lutheran churches in Billings have graciously
offered their support and we have found enough supply
preachers until the interim begins. Please help me in
welcoming these guests; their support and generosity
throughout this busy Advent season is greatly
appreciated!
In late October the Bishop’s office put out a region-
wide call for interim pastors. The Bishop’s office has
given Atonement the name of a pastor whom they
highly recommend (Pastor Philip Reitz), who the
Executive Committee is currently in negotiations with.
As you may remember, Pastor Reitz was the director of
our very successful capital campaign and preached at
Atonement a couple times throughout that process.
Pastor Reitz is very excited to join Atonement and his
knowledge and background will not only help
Atonement through the pastoral transitional period, but
also as he led our capital campaign, he will be able to
calm fears people may have regarding our new church
home. Pastor Reitz is anticipated to begin work at
Atonement in mid- to late January. His presence and
talents will be needed, welcomed and appreciated.
In the absence of Pastor Mark, a number of individuals
have admirably volunteered their time to keep the
ministries Atonement supports running. Their support
cannot be thanked enough. If you would like to help
with any activities or ministries Atonement provides,
please contact any Church Council member and they
can help point you in the right direction.
Transitions are always tough, and this one will be no
different. Your Council takes this task very seriously
and is working hard keep Atonement strong. I wish you
and your families the best during this holiday season!
Blessings,
Tyler Westrope
Council President
A s many of you know by now, I will continue serving at Atonement for the remainder of my
internship! One of the questions I've been asked by many of you is if I am the interim pastor.
Meaning, will I be serving as the pastor until a new pastor is hired? The answer is No, I'm still just the
seminary student intern! My role will remain the same as it has been for the past few months--preaching,
teaching 7th grade Confirmation, and participating in the various committees.
Another question I've been asked is whether I'm the youth director or youth pastor. I want to learn as
much as possible about the role of a pastor within a parish (church) context, so my participation will be as
varied as possible. So, while I am greatly enjoying working with the youth group--and will continue to do
so!--I am not in charge of the youth. We have an amazing group of parents who are rocking out youth
programming, and are doing a far better job than one person could ever do on their own. I expect we'll see
some fantastic things over the next 6 months as they continue to grow, both in size and in faith.
Now, as we enter the season of Advent and then Christmas, I can't wait (no pun intended!) to experience
these church seasons with you all. It is my hope that it will be a time of growth, deepening relationships,
healing, and great joy as we await the birth of the One who makes the whole world right. Thanks be to
God for this miraculous reminder!
Peace,
Vicar Jenna
The Commentator — Atonement Lutheran Church Page 3
Time & Talent List
December~ PLEASE see holiday listing on page 5
Lectors
8:00 AM 9:45 AM
Dec. 2: Bertha Olsen Linda Michaelis
Dec. 9: Marva Drain Marilyn Franklin
Dec. 16: Lora Pederson Betty Jo Furstenberg
Dec. 23: Pat Zellar Dale Cunnington
Dec. 30: Bertha Olsen Randy Shelton
Communion Preparers
December 2: Shirley Jennings December 9: Tammy Johnston December 16: Elinore Quander December 23: Ed & Rita Reeve
December 30: Eleanor & Julie Andersen
Communion Bread
December: Stacey Arneson January: Gwynn Pederson
Giving Our Time & Talents to God - Page 1
Hospital Visitation
December ~ Cindy Dunmeyer
January ~ Kathy Slehofer
Sharing Flowers for Worship
Dec. 2: Louis & Kim Plaggemeyer
Dec. 9: open
Dec. 16: open
Dec. 23: Julie Andersen
Dec. 25: open
The 2012 Flower Chart is on the table outside the office at the back of the sanctuary. The cost is $25.00 per Sunday for two bouquets given in honor or memory of a loved one.
Acolytes
Dec. 2:
8:00 a.m. Nicole Hammond
9:45 a.m. Kara White
Dec. 9:
8:00 a.m. Kenna Hofer
9:45 a.m. Briana Guse
Dec. 16:
8:00 a.m. David Hull
9:45 a.m. Ben Higgins
Dec. 23:
8:00 a.m. Dawson Mangels
9:45 a.m. Hailey Johnston
Dec. 30:
8:00 a.m. Abby Quinn
9:45 a.m. Angela King
Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk!
Meet other walkers in the church
parking lot at 10:00 a.m. on Fridays.
We walk to Lake Elmo and back.
Common Grounds
The Commentator — Atonement Lutheran Church Page 4
December
Love Offering…
IHN Christmas Party Check your calendars if you can help with
the IHN Christmas Party: Saturday,
December 15th at American Lutheran
Church from 4-7pm. For the past 4 years,
Atonement members (youth and adults)
have been helping make a wonderful
evening for our IHN “graduated” families
with the children “shopping” and wrapping
gifts for their parents, doing crafts,
decorating cookies, getting special
Christmas pictures taken, and then eating a
wonderful meal cooked by the IHN Board
of Directors. We have opportunities to
help in the following places: Shopping
Room, Wrapping Room, Christmas Pictures,
Cookie Decorating, and several different
crafts. We will also need donations of gift
items (perfume, jewelry, knickknacks,
lotions, soaps, pictures etc.) for the
children to choose for their parents, as well
as gift wrap, bows, tags, boxes, and plain
sugar cookies. In addition, we have a table
for gently used Christmas decorations that
we can pass on to families who may have
nothing. Finally, Atonement is again buying
presents for 2 special IHN graduate families
and cash donations are appreciated. Please
call Janie Fitch Meszaros at 861-9349 if you
can help with any of these Christmas
ministries.
Love Offering
envelopes can now be
found on the two tables at
the back of the sanctuary.
From Interfaith Hospitality Network Mark your 2013 calendars for Sat., February 2 at the Depot for IHN’s second annual Beach Blizzard! We are looking forward to another evening of fantastic food and fun that benefits IHN families, and we are encouraging IHN congregation members to reserve tables early. Tables of eight are $1000, so gather a group of friends and call the IHN office at 294-7432 so we can save you a table!
Adela Awner
IHN Executive Director
We are very excited to be working as a team to co-chair as the Sunday School Superintendents. We have had a great year so far and really enjoy getting to know each of your wonderful children. We have been blessed with a great team of Sunday School teachers and musical assistants and thank each of them for all they do.
The Christmas Program is scheduled on Saturday, December 15th at 4pm, so please mark it on your calendars— the Sunday School Children love a crowd. We will practice during Sunday School on December 2nd and December 9th, and a final practice on Saturday, December 15th at 10am. We hope everyone is able to attend.
With the Holidays, questions are often raised about whether there is Sunday School. The only Sunday we will not have Sunday School is December 23rd.
God Bless,
Stacey Arneson and Janette Tulimaiau
The Commentator — Atonement Lutheran Church Page 5
Prayers 4 Members Pray for blessings, health, safety and general well-being of these members of Atonement. Give thanks for all who are workers with us in the mission we share.
December 2: Suzanne & Tyler Beauregard; Carroll & Doris Beise; Bill & Judy Belden; Maggie & Brooks Beler
December 9: Vonnie Bell; Jay, Janelle, Jared, Jacob & Jessica Berry; Todd, Joni, Brittany &
Landry Bertsch; James & Delores Bice
December 16: Jensen, Hilary & Haylie Waldron; Kay Bollinger; Lynn & Mildred Boothe; Charles, Jo & James & Angela Bott & Caleb Tonning
December 23: Randy, Jeni, Easton, Saige & Kole Boyles;
Marlys Brasel; Gordon, Brigitte & Jay Brown & Sarah Fischer; Steve, Debbie, Brock, Brea & Paige Brownlee
December 30: Joy Bruder; Conrad & Phyllis Burns; Craig, June, Matthew & Sarah Canfield; Trudy Chester
Sack lunches, holidays are Food
Bank focus
Because of the high volume of sack lunches being prepared, the Billings Food Bank is in need of sandwich makings: meats, cheese, sandwich bags, snack items, sliced fruit and veggies, large jars of peanut butter and jellies, and anything individually packed for sack lunch.
Plans are also underway for the holidays. The list for Thanksgiving food baskets is as follows:
10-12 lb. turkeys/hams stuffing
noodles/macaroni green beans
canned fruit soup
milk (canned or dry) margarine
potatoes (5 lb. or dry) cranberry sauce
breakfast cereal macaroni & cheese
pumpkin pie mix bisquick or flour
peanut butter/jellies jello
PLEASE do not leave perishable items in the Food Bank barrel at Atonement. If possible, deliver hams/turkeys to the Food Bank @ 2112 4th Ave N.
Dear Members of Atonement,
I would like to thank you for the reception on my last Sunday and the gift of the getaway at the Pollard Hotel in Red Lodge. Maryann and I will certainly enjoy that soon.
Thank you for all the cards and gifts of appreciation. I would especially like to thank the Handyman Ministries for the gift certificate to Cabela’s, the Worship Committee for the gift certificate to Fuddruckers (it will bring back memories of meetings) and the Prayer Shawl ministry and Tina Williams for the prayer shawl.
You continue in my prayers. God’s blessings to each of you!
Pastor Mark
Thanks to my Faith Family at Atonement for all the comforting words, cards, memorials, flowers, and phone calls when my dad, Bob Fitch, died in October. In times like these I appreciate even more our connections, and when my faith is wavering, you build me up. It is the faces I see each Sunday, and in all the ministries we do together at Atonement, that gives me a feeling of belonging and knowing that I am never alone. Janie Fitch Meszaros
The Commentator — Atonement Lutheran Church Page 6
8:00 AM Ushers
Dec. 2: Mike & Janet Rubich, Del & Rose Steiner Dec. 9: Mike & Janet Rubich, Ed & Rita Reeve Dec. 16: Mike & Janet Rubich, Dale Molyneaux, Karen Underwood
Dec. 23: Clarence Robinson, Bill & Judy Belden, Jo Bott
Dec. 30: George & Shirley DeMars, John & Bertha Olsen
Van Drivers
Dec. 2: Todd Koepp 256-1569 Dec. 9: Mark Jennings 248-8044 Dec. 16: Marlon Leno 248-5359 Dec. 23: Stan Newton 245-8456 Dec. 30: Kyle Johnston 256-1980
CANTORS
December 2:
8:00 a.m. Marilyn Franklin
9:45 a.m. Sono Me
December 9:
8:00 a.m. Chapel Choir
9:45 a.m. Lisa Hammond & Emma Quinn
December 16:
8:00 a.m. Gary Dunmeyer
9:45 a.m. Kelly & Linda Michaelis
December 23:
8:00 a.m. Becky Lujan & Debbie Heyd
9:45 a.m. Terri Porisch & Marilyn Franklin
December 30:
8:00 a.m. Gary Dunmeyer
9:45 a.m. Kelly & Linda Michaelis
Piano Schedule ~ 9:45 a.m. Worship
Dec. 2: JoAnn Martin
Dec. 9: Stephanie Gushwa
Dec. 16: Elinore Quander
Dec. 23: Sara Hull
Dec. 30: Elinore Quander
9:45 AM Ushers
Dec. 2: Joyce Nitschke, Dennis & Donna Newell, Louis & Charlie Plaggemeyer, Janette Tulimaiau
Dec. 9: Daren, Amy, Shaun, Lane & Erika
Severson, Joan Siemers
Dec. 16: Tyler Westrope, DeeDee Stanich, Gene & Stacey Arneson, Maggie Beler, Janelle Berry
Dec. 23: [ushers being recruited]
Dec. 30: Jack & Vivian Beals, Cindy Dunmeyer, Bob & Shellie Ehrmantraut, Betty Jo Furstenberg
The Commentator — Atonement Lutheran Church Page 6
Giving Our Time & Talents to God ~ Page 2
2012 Atonement Lutheran Church Council
Tyler Westrope, President 670-3878
Lance King, Vice President 656-1183
Gary Dunmeyer, Treasurer 724-552-6693
Vivian Beals, Secretary 248-7930
Mike Rubich 248-3484
Linda Lange 245-4766
Linda Fiene-Quinn 259-2689
Dave Mangels 256-2029
Barry Hammond 861-5285
Sara Hull 245-6414
Debbie Rensvold 259-2485
Doug Harper, Alternate 373-6384
Marissa Delser, Youth Rep.
YOUTH GROUP Junior and Senior HS students
Dec. 1st ~ 9:00—noon service project at the Billings Food Bank
Atonement Lutheran Church Youth
The Commentator — Atonement Lutheran Church Page 7
GRACE BIBLE STUDY meets Tuesdays at 7:00PM
at Atonement
For more information, contact Tina Williams @ 256-7761
Friendship Club
(Friendship Club will not meet in December)
JOY Bible Study
The JOY Bible Study is a
women’s study group that
meets every Wednesday at
6:30am at City Brew
(710 Main Street).
Hope Circle Hope Circle will meet Thursday,
December 20th at 9:30am. at Atonement (room 2).
Financial Report October 2012 Income $ 27,610.53
October 2012 Expenses $ 30,047.18 Net Income (loss) for month ($ 2,436.65)
Net Income (loss) for year ($ 8,227.97)
November 2012 Offerings & Income
November 04, 2012 $ 5,169.60
November 11, 2012 $ 4,961.80
November 18, 2012 $ 3,140.58
November 25, 2012 $
Simply Giving through
11/23/2012 $ 4,065.00
Total as of 11/23/2012 $ 17,336.98
Thursday Bible Study
~ 9:30am ~ Novak Room
Reading through the Old Testament—currently reading
Psalms.
Wonderful Wednesday! December 12
6:00PM @ Bull Mountain Grille
Marvelous Monday!
No Marvelous Monday in December
All are welcome!
Atonement has two new facebook pages— “Building Brief” and “Atonement Youth.”
Go to Atonement’s website www.atonementbillings.org, scroll to the
bottom of the page and click on
On facebook, click “like” for each page. You will receive an alert when the pages are updated.
This is a convenient way to watch the progress of the building construction as new photos are added
and to stay informed about Youth activities.
Atonement Staff
Pastor . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate in Ministry . .. . . . . Kathy Slehofer Seminary Intern . . . . . . . . Jenna Pulkowski Office Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . Joann Estal Organist . . . . ... . . . . .. . . Gwynn Pederson
Atonement Lutheran Church
406-245-7004 Fax: 406-245-6951
www.atonementbillings.org [email protected]
Non Profit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Billings, MT
Permit #904
407 Wicks Lane ▪ Billings, MT 59105
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