June 9 , 2024 Time after Pentecost

May 26, 2024

May 24, 2024

June 14, 2024: Time after Pentecost

June 14, 2024

Time after Pentecost

Will I be changed by this day, this season?

A Message from the Interim Pastor…

On this coming Sunday, the congregation will hold its Annual Meeting for Reports and Elections, just 3 weeks short of the end of my first year as your interim pastor. A lot has happened during our time together. Most of it has been outlined in my report to the congregation. But some things are worth repeating and I would like to highlight one of them.

On July 2, 2023 when I led worship at Atonement for the first time, I was struck by how incredibly quiet and sedate everyone was. Before the service began, there was dead silence in the pews. Even after the service had ended, there was almost no chatter among folks. In contrast, on this past Sunday, there were many people engaged in lively conversation before the prelude began and almost everyone was chattering after the postlude had ended. This transformation is nothing short of incredible. The word that comes to mind when I think about this is joy. There is a sense of joy on Sunday morning that was not there a year ago.

I think that there were only 9 people in the pews on that first Sunday. This past Sunday there were 20. On Easter Sunday there were nearly 50. This transformation is also nothing short of incredible. I attribute it to that joy I mentioned just a few sentences ago. You see, joy is contagious. Joy is transformational. Joy is what worship is supposed to be about. As I said in this past Sunday’s sermon, the psalmist enjoins us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”

You have come a long way in just one short year. There’s more work to be done, but I believe that you are on the right path. You’ve made incredible progress toward restoring Atonement Lutheran Church as a place of vibrancy and relevance, both within the community that worships and within the community outside your doors. I congratulate you!

Peace and blessing,

Pastor Michael

COME AND WORSHIP

SUNDAY AT 10AM

Service of the Holy Communion

Our Gospel Reading is:

Mark 3:20-35

Jesus replied, “Who are my mother and brothers. v.33

Prayer

Jesus, help me make my spiritual family a real presence in my life today.

Amen

Zoom link for worship is at the bottom of this email.

Download the Service of Holy Communion Pentecost Season Setting 1 Bulletin

Download the Readings and Prayers for Sunday June 9, 2024

THIS SUNDAY!!!

June 9, 2024 Semi Annual Congregation Meeting

After Church, Light lunch will be served.

Pick up your copy of the report at church.

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LAST SUNDAY

We welcomed the Robinson Family as our newest members.

Noel, Rosanne and Nadia

We are grateful that they have chosen our church family in their journey to strengthen and deepen their faith life.

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NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD BREAKFAST

Sunday July 14, 2024

COME ONE, COME ALL

COME TO HELP OR COME TO EAT

at 7:30am we will begin preparing sandwiches.

We will serve between 8 and 9 am.

Life Together for Atonement

Look for more on Stewardship.

Finance Committee will be planning a Fall Stewardship Program

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HELP WANTED

We are looking to prepare for our June Semi-Annual Congregation Meeting. We will need to elect 1 or 2 new people to the Church Council.

If you think you might like to be a part of this exciting time in our church as we transition to a new phase, a new way of being Atonement Lutheran Church in Asbury Park, please speak with Pastor or a Council member.

It is an important part of our church life.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR TWO PEOPLE TO SERVE ON OUR CHURCH COUNCIL. The New Council Members will be elected at our June 9, 2024 Semi-Annual Congregation meeting.

Please speak with Diane Brockel, Don Brockel, Denise Sherman or Victoria Stewart if you are interested.

Other ways to help:

Assisting Minister, Greeter, Lector, Altar Guild, Coffee Hour, special projects, like our recent community breakfast before church.

Reach out to Diane Brockel for more information.

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DONATIONS NEEDED

LITTLE LIBRARY IS VERY ACTIVE!

we need help, books are flying out of our little library.

We are asking if anyone has books to donate to be placed in the little library it would be greatly appreciated.

Bring them any Sunday, placed them in the back of the church and they will be collected and used to fill our little library.

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HEART FUND/BLESSING FUND/RENT UPDATE

GIVE THANKS WITH A GRATEFUL And GENEROUS HEART

We are currently in the process of helping a woman who got behind in her rent after she experienced the death of her son and 2 months later her daughter passed. She had to expend money to honor them and did not have the funds to pay her rent. She has been trying to catch up since early spring.

She is grateful for our help.

We are grateful we can help her.

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This Week and coming weeks in Atonement

6/9/24 Semi-Annual Congregation Meeting of Programs after church, light lunch will be served.

6/10/24 Bishop here to meet with the Church Council and Call Committee 7pm

6/12/24 Food Pantry 10:30 to 12:30pm

6/17/24 Church Council Meeting at 7pm

6/26/24 Food Pantry 10:30 to 12:30pm

7/14/24 Neighborhood Breakfast 7:30am start preparations

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CHURCH COUNCIL