Atonement Lutheran Church - Spring Valley, CA
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Worship >
      • Sermons
      • Prayer Requests
      • Pray For Us Calendar
    • What We Believe
    • Newsletter
    • Staff
    • History
  • Activities & Events
    • Atonement Gaming Guild
    • Monthly Calendar
    • Choir and Bells
    • LWML
    • Hiking Club
    • Kids & Teens
    • Photos
  • Education
    • Atonement Tutor Center
    • Adult Bible Studies
    • Membership
    • Sunday School
    • VBS
  • Contact Us
    • Location
    • Resources
  • Blog
(619) 670-7174

August - Pastor's Newsletter Article

8/22/2013

 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

A well-known author on personal time management, Alan Lakein, once said something very insightful about the task of planning. He said, “Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” On the evening of Tuesday, August 20, the people of Atonement are going to have an intentional opportunity to plan! We will have an opportunity to “bring the future into the present so that we can do something about it now.” For a couple of hours on that evening from 6pm-8:30pm, Gary Norton, the Regional Mission Facilitator for our region of the Pacific Southwest District of the LCMS, will be guiding us through a vision workshop. We will have an opportunity to gaze into the future to see what kind of “Kingdom of God” impact Atonement Lutheran will be able to make in Spring Valley in the next one to three years. We will have an opportunity to envision the future of Atonement and its mission activity so that God can empower us to do something about it!
A vision is a picture of the future. For the people of God, a vision is a God-given, Spirit-led picture. In the Book of Habakkuk, the prophet files two complaints against God in his short, three chapter message. After his second complaint the Lord responds to Habakkuk and says, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay” (2:2-3).

Now I am not talking about some immediate revelation from God. Neither am I talking about waiting around to hear the voice of God. But I am talking about our congregation prayerfully considering the mission God has given us in this place and how we can use the arsenal of resources he has given us—personnel, talents, financial gifts—to steadily advance the Gospel in our families, among our friends and neighbors, and in the community of Spring Valley. Forward, steady progress!

As we all prepare for August 20 and the opportunity to “bring the future into the present,” let us rest secure in the truth that each one of us as God’s children are already and will continue to be caught up in God’s mission to make disciples of all nations. We are wrapped up and enfolded in his vision to place witnesses “in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and all the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) so that “all would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

In Christ,

Pastor Josh

P.S.-Look for more details on the vision workshop in the Newsletter, the bulletin, and on the “Information Board” in the Narthex.


Comments are closed.

    Atonement is ...

    Atonement Lutheran Church is a Christ centered congregation that cares for the whole person with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

    Archives

    October 2016
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011

    Categories

    All
    Advent
    Catechism
    Church Growth
    Church Year
    Devotional Resources
    Hymnal
    Lent
    Liturgy
    Lutherans
    Membership
    Newsletter
    Reformation
    Synod

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from davecito, quinn.anya