“Therefore since we are surrounded by so great
a cloud of witnesses...."
-- Hebrews 12:1
We hear the term “cloud computing” more and more these days as more and more of our information is handled on devices that we pick up and take with us. The idea is that the same information can be stored in a “cloud” that can be accessed from your phone, your laptop, your tv, and who knows what else these days. For instance, I can go to and change my calendar from my phone or my laptop, which is very convenient for keeping track of my appointments and my “honey-do” list. It’s nice to know that if I drop my cell phone into Gulf of Mexico, all my information is still up there in the cloud.
The author of Hebrews talked about a different kind of cloud, but one that has our back just the same. This is the “great cloud of witnesses,” the giants of the faith who have gone before us and who teach us how to love God and connect to the Spirit. No matter where we are or what we do, that cloud is all around us, supporting us in our struggles and leading us in faith.
With the summer far gone, time is passing quickly and a lot is happening. This year we have both our boys in college and both working, Su continuing with her job cleaning houses, and all kinds of changes going on at church.
Stepping out of summertime, we’ve hit the ground running here at Atonement. We have new groups using our church building, including job training classes for those with disabilities on Mondays, and three new Girl Scout groups. We have new people in charge of ministries, such as Robin Boyd who is doing Time and Talent and Dick Lambert, who put together this month’s newsletter. We have new ministries taking shape, such as our columbarium which is now ready to be used, and the reconstituted Building Team, led by Terry Martin. Our asset mapping session has shown that there is great interest in developing more fellowship and caring opportunities. Along with all this, we are firing up confirmation, getting oriented to our new praise team director Kenneth Watts (and getting him oriented to us), and wrapping up a new Vision which will be our launch pad into 2015 and beyond.
With all the growth in the Wesley Chapel area that’s happening now, this is an exciting time and place to be serving the Lord. With all that’s happening at Atonement, this is an amazing congregation to a part of the body of Christ. There was a time years ago when Atonement nearly disappeared off the map, but today we are growing like never before. Please remember to greet new people, make new friends, and pray for the needs of your fellow members and for the needs we discover in our community. We are here to keep hope alive, and it happens as we gather, worship, pray, serve, encourage, and share.
So it doesn’t get forgotten in the bustle and shuffle of Fall activities, I just want to take a moment and say thank you to all the volunteers, leaders and faithful attendees and supporters of Atonement. Our little congregation is growing, to the point where no one person can do it all, know everyone, or be involved in everything. This is a good thing — and it’s due exclusively to the Holy Spirit working through the goodwill of everyone who has had a hand in what’s happening. In a very real and physical sense, I am constantly aware of being surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who pray for me and are there to help me when I need it (and boy, do I need it!). Not just the saints in heaven, but those living, breathing, active and caring individuals that we can lean on when we’re tired, listen to when we’re lonely, and follow when we’re lost. Thanks for being “in the cloud.”
Peace,
Pastor Scott
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