Mid-week Lenten Services will be held each Wednesday in the sanctuary during the season of Lent and begin on March 13 at 7:30 pm. The 30-minute services will be patterned after the 'Prayer Around the Cross' format, a meaningful devotional prayer service filled with music, scripture and silence.

Our large Lenten cross will be the focus of our worship. We will have times of music, scripture readings, prayer and times of silence during the service.

Each week we will have a theme to focus on:

March 20 - Do Not Be Afraid

March 27 - Healer of Our Every Ill

April 3 - Sighs Too Deep for Words

April 10 - Christ Our Peace

About Lent

The church season of Lent is a time of reflection and soul searching. It has been a time of preparation for Easter since the earliest days of the church and a preparation for Holy Baptism. Lent is observed as 40 days beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Maundy Thursday. Sundays are not counted as part of the 40 days.

Why 40 days? It is symbolic of many biblical events including Moses nad Elijah spending forty days in the wilderness;
Noah had rain for forty days and forty nights; the Jews wondered forty years to the promised land; Jonah gave the city of Nineveh forty days to repent; and Jesus fasted forty days in the wilderness with temptation.

Typically there are three practices generally observed during Lent—Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. Some people will give up something they like or money for Lent and donate the time or money to charity as a form of abstinence or fasting. Some choose to alter their diet by refraining from eating meat or drinking alcohol or soft drinks. These practices are all designed to be a meaningful spiritual discipline to keep focused on a desire to change and move closer to God. It is a time of reflection and contemplation.

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As a church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is ready to stand by our neighbors as they recover from recent tornadoes in the southeast. On March 3, powerful tornadoes hit Alabama, Georgia and Florida, causing widespread destruction. At least 23 people have died in Lee County, AL, and others are still unaccounted for. More than 1,000 homes have been damaged. Lutheran Disaster Response is working with those in the impacted states, including partnering with congregations in the Southeastern Synod to respond with immediate relief.

Lutheran Disaster Response brings God’s hope, healing and renewal to people whose lives have been disrupted by disasters in the United States and around the world.

Your gifts designated for "U.S. Tornadoes" will be used entirely (100 percent) for direct response until recovery is complete. Together, we can help provide immediate and long-lasting support for those affected by these devastating storms.

Clicking this button will take you to the ELCA Tornado Relief page and provide the option to give directly online, by mail or phone.

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Celebrate the Sounds of Spring with Dueling Pianos and Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. Gather your friends for a lively musical event celebrating the sounds of spring. Presented by the Women’s Network of LSSI, Spring Fling will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at the Westin Chicago Northwest, 400 Park Blvd., Itasca. Join us for boutique shopping with nearly 20 local vendors, raffle drawings, a delicious luncheon, and a special musical program—dueling pianos. Shopping, raffle drawings, and other fun activities begin at 10:00am. The first 20 'Early Birds' to arrive will win prizes that will make their shopping experience extraordinary. Proceeds from Spring Fling, including 20% of shopping purchases, benefit Family Mental Health Programs of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. Tickets are $75 each and student tickets are $45. For more information, visit LSSI.org/spring-fling.php or contact Mariah Heinz at 847-635-4656 or Mariah.Heinz@LSSI.org.

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Studies have shown that engaging in creative activities is linked to stress relief. Everyone is creative and can be expressive in the visual arts when working in a supportive setting. A professor at Drexel University says that “Making art is actually, factually, good for the body, mind and soul. Even if said art resembles the deranged scribbles of a grumpy toddler.”

Beginning Monday, March 11th from 7 to 9pm,  Atonement will be hosting “Creative Downtime” in the Gathering Place. Members 18 years and older can come together and draw, doodle, color, knit, crochet, quilt, cross stitch, paint or anything that can be done at a table alongside someone.

Lynne Brown will be conducting beginner knitting classes for anyone interested in learning this craft. Bring your own knitting supplies or you may purchase your own starter kit for $15. Click the blue button below to email Lynne by March 1st if you will need a starter kit.

There is no cost for joining or belonging to the group if you already have your own supplies or project. We will provide some basic drawing, doodling or coloring supplies available for all to share. Just drop in and enjoy the process of creating.

Have questions about this new offering? Click the button below to submit your questions or purchase a starter kit. 

I need a Starter Kit or have a Question

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You can’t have a close relationship with someone you never talk to. It’s impossible. God’s word—the Bible—is the primary way He speaks to us. And it’s the absolute best way to discover how to follow Jesus on a daily basis. If you want to know more about God and His promises, reading the Bible is your next step.

A great place to start is with just 10 minutes a day. You can spare that, right? Reading the Bible for just 10 minutes can change the rest of your day. It will bring you hope, encouragement, guidance, and practical advice on the every day issues you’re facing. The Bible is relevant to everyone, everywhere, at any time.

We have a special page on our website that can help you set up a plan for reading the Bible on a daily basis. Ii also has links to help you download free resources and apps that can help you learn more, research, keep track of your progress and even suggest reading plans by specific topics or personal interests. It's a great place to start if you're looking for ways to become engaged in God's Word.