FROM OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT
A Note From Atonement’s President
Good things are happening at Atonement! Pastor Erica Kennedy’s first service will be June 1-2. We look forward to her ministry. Pastors Erica, Kristen and Don will preside at the services that weekend and we will thank Pastor Don for his service to our congregation after the Saturday service and between services on Sunday. The official installation for Pastor Erica will be the weekend of June 29-30th.
I want to clarify Pastor Kristen’s role; she shares her time between our congregation and Salem. We have a contract with Salem to reimburse them for 40% of her time. This contract is still in force and we have no plans to change it at this time. She will continue in the “associate” role with Pastor Erica the lead pastor.
At our May 12th special congregational meeting we voted to refinance our mortgage and move forward with needed roof, HVAC, drainage and sound system repairs. The process is moving forward with the Finance and Property Committees working in their respective areas to make it happen. A “Building Fund” has been established for other needed repairs and upgrades. Donations can be made to this fund as general donations or to a specific project. Look for the Building Fund progress reports in future newsletters and posted in the Narthex.
Our Fellowship Committee has some fun things planned for this summer. These will be good opportunities to get to know other members of our Atonement family. Family support is important to all of us...please consider how God is calling you to become involved at Atonement. Take the initiative to get involved in at least one group or activity.
Thanks to all who continue to volunteer and make “good things happen at Atonement”.
~Respectfully, Bill Buckner-President
WELCOME PASTOR ERICA KENNEDY
Bio -- Rev. Erica E. Kennedy
Pastor Erica served congregations in South Dakota and Texas and looks forward to serving the people of Atonement Lutheran beginning June 1, 2013. Her passions for ministry include discipleship, stewardship, worship planning and leadership, identifying gifts and talents in others, and equipping leaders for ministry.
Pastor Erica most recently served at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, as Associate Dean of Students and Assistant Director of Financial Aid. She worked with students preparing for public ministry as they navigated the joys and challenges of seminary and made decisions about financial stewardship and funding their theological education. She previously served on the ELCA Stewardship Staff as an Area Ministry Stewardship Specialist where she led workshops equipping clergy and lay leaders to confidently lead stewardship ministry in their congregations.
Prior to serving as a pastor, Erica used her gifts of encouragement, leadership development, administration, and team and community building in higher education administration where she served college students living on campus. This career eventually led to answering God’s call to use her gifts in the church. She graduated from Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, where she studied History and Secondary Education; the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where she received a Master of Science in Family and Relationship Counseling; and Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota, with a Masters of Divinity.
Pastor Erica claims roots in Minnesota and Iowa. In November 2002, she married Steven Kennedy, who claims roots in North Dakota and Minnesota. Steve is a teacher, musician, composer, and avid board game “geek”. Steve spent many years of his life devoted to youth and youth adult ministry before returning more specifically to his passion for music and teaching. They are the humble servants of 2 cats, neither which prefers long drives in the car. In her leisure time, Pastor Erica enjoys road trips, movies, a good mystery novel, local coffee shops, playing board games, reading cooking magazines…and even cooking on her days off.
Be sure to invite her for a cup of coffee. She looks forward to spending much time getting to know you.
