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Christ the King Lutheran Church 1

T H E K I N G ’ S BA N N E RVolume 71, Number 6,

June-July, 20162353 Rice Blvd, Houston TX 77005

713-523-2864 ctkelc.orgChrist the King Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas

Sending Sunday June 5Join us for a day of celebration of Pastor Moore and Kathy’s ministry

8:30 a.m. Holy Communion with the Rev. Dr. Ashley Hall preaching.Pastor Hall is professor of church history at Creighton University in Omaha where he also serves on the pastoral staff of Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church. Bishop Cindy Halmarson (Global Mission of the ELCA) and Pastor Christian Wolff (retired from St. Thomas Church Leipzig) will participate in the rite of Thanksgiving and Sending.

9:30 a.m. “Sending” brunch in the courtyard10:50 a.m. Holy Communion (See above)5:00 p.m. Bach Vespers with Pastor Christian Wolff preaching. The Bach Choir will sing Cantata 147, Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Heart and Mouth and Deed and Living).6:15 p.m. Texas BBQ in the courtyard. Suggested donation: $10/person.

What’s happening this summer?Moore Thoughts pages 2-6Interim Pastor page 7Mission Offerings page 8 Summer Book Reviews page 9 Q&A by Confirmands page 11Volunteer Opportunities pages 14-15 Refugee Advocacy pages 16-17

Missionary Susan Smith to Be Hosted by CTKDr. Susan Smith has been the Education Consultant to our companion synod, the Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (EEL-RCA), since the Fall of 2012. She will give a presentation at Sunday Forum on Sunday, July 10. See page 8-9.

Summer Book ReviewsThe summer book reviews are a beloved tradition as an educational of-fering on Sundays at 9:45 a.m. during the summer months. See page 9.

Call Committee UpdateThe Call Committee members have completed our training and are beginning our work with a focus on the process described in the “Tune In” Guide: calling people of faith into the neighbor-hood & world. Developed by Peggy Hahn and the TX-LA Gulf Coast Synod’s LEAD program, this guide explains the Tune In Process, a ten-step program undertaken by congregations in transi-tion. The guide is helping us think about ways to listen up (to God), listen in (to the congregation) and listen out (to the community and beyond). We expect to set up various ‘listen in’ events or activities beginning in July. In the meantime, we welcome your ideas; please feel free to share thoughts or comments with any of us when we see you at church events. We also invite your continued prayers for the Committee’s work.

Council Names Interim PastorThe Rev. Dr. Duane Larson has accepted the call to serve as Interim Pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church beginning July 16. Pastor Larson will serve as head of staff during the search process for the senior pastor. Pas-tor Larson reports to the council as does the search committee; however, the Interim Pastor does not work with the search committee. See page 7.

Photo by Kevin McGowen

Prayer of SendingAlmighty God, You watch over our going out and our coming in: bless this time of ending and beginning.You surround your people in every time and place:keep us close in your love.You accompany your people in times of joy and times of trial:prosper all that has been done to your glory in this time together;heal and forgive all that has fallen short of your will for us.Help all of us to live with courage and gladness in the future you give to us.Amen.

2 The King’s Banner

Senior Pastor Robert G. Moore

I have served as a pastor at Christ the King Lutheran Church for over twenty-two years. My first regular call as a rostered Lutheran pastor began on January 1, 1994 at Christ the King Church. My second regular call on January 1, 1999 was to the position of senior pastor. I am now in my twenty-third year of service in the congregation and will conclude that service on July 10 when I begin a third call, this time with the Global Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) as a missionary representing the denomination in Witten-berg, Leipzig, and other Reformation sites during the years around the 500th Anniver-sary Observance of the Reformation (2017).

Christ the King Church has molded and formed me into the pastoral office over a span of twenty-six years when we be-gan participating in the liturgy. Originally trained and called as a Baptist minister, I had been working as a chaplain in the Texas Medical Center and was completing my PhD work at Rice University. It had been a huge time of loss and agony in our lives as we moved away from our Baptist roots, relationships, and relations. Everything had turned to grief which was made intense from being fired from a job and the death of my brother to AIDS. The liturgy brought tremendous comfort and hope to us in such a difficult time.

Kathy and I officially joined the congregation in the summer of 1991. After one year of membership in Christ the King congregation I was endorsed by the congregation council to apply to the roster of ordained pastors in the ELCA. The next stage of application was at the synodical level. The synod’s candidacy committee approved my application and forwarded the application to the Churchwide organization. A national review committee was constituted, and I met before them at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. I was approved by the committee without further requirement of seminary or internship work.

I still remember the admonition of one committee member

who cautioned me that although the committee recognized my readiness to serve in the Lutheran Church I should be careful to serve at first in a congregation which could com-municate to me the Lutheran ethos. In the meantime Kathy and I were offered an opportunity through ELCA Global Mission to go to Germany and improve our German. After six months we returned and began the process of seeking

a call with the words of the committee still in my ear to find the proper congregation. I was relieved when that congregation turned out to be my own, Christ the King Lutheran Church.

I had been in conversation with another con-gregation in this synod and was about to accept my first call when the leadership at Christ the King Church asked that I suspend that process while Christ the King congregation took the necessary time to develop a regular call in an orderly fashion. In November 1993 the con-gregation called me as associate pastor, and I began work on January 1, 1994.

I was charged with the tasks of supplying for the senior pastor, Edwin Peterman, who was on a five-month sabbatical and for developing

a continuing education center to be called The Melanchthon Institute. Most significant was the expectation that I was to be groomed as a Lutheran pastor at one of the exemplary Lutheran congregations in the ELCA. During that time I ex-perienced great joy learning the liturgies and rites of the church, preaching, teaching, doing church administration, inviting and hosting guest theologians, and later traveling to Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, there especially Leipzig made famous by Bach, near the center of Luther’s work, and sister-city with Houston.

There was also an increasing awareness of the presence of German nationals and German-speaking Houstonians who were attracted to the Church by the architecture, the bells, the Bach Society, and ease with which our members wel-comed foreigners to our worship and fellowship. The first German-language worship service was held on Christmas Eve 1994 with the nave overflowing with worshipers.

Moore Thoughts Final Edition


I served five years as associate pastor. I considered this to be the richest blessing that a pastor can know, to truly take in the Lutheran ethos. My formation as a Lutheran pastor was rich and life-changing, but in my fourth year I began to consider that it was time to seek an opportunity to serve as a senior pastor somewhere and that meant going to another congregation. Interestingly an opportunity arose in Wit-tenberg, Germany where the ELCA planned to open a new center. Once again I was preparing to go another direction, but that did not turn out as expected.

Pastor Peterman began to indicate his retire-ment as he completed thirty years of service at Christ the King Church. While in Austria on vacation I received a call from Churchwide to come to Chicago for a final interview for the directorship of the new Wittenberg Center. I was the candidate “of choice.” If the interview went well, I would be offered the post. It was a dream of a call; however, when I informed the leadership at CTK that I would go for the final interview, once again I was asked to decline the position in order to await the outcome of a possible search for a new senior pastor. That was uncertain enough.

It is, furthermore, customary that an associate pastor not succeed a senior pastor because of the political pitfalls that can arise. I was somewhat anx-ious about what to do, so I visited with Bishop Blom. I was not sure if he would even sign off on such a development. Bishop Blom encouraged me to stay in the synod and allow the process to run its course or in other words let the Holy Spirit do its work. I declined the final interview in Chicago.

Pastor Peterman did, indeed, announce his retirement on his 65th birthday effective the end of 1998. A search committee was formed. I was invited to appear before the committee and was told that the committee’s first order of business was to decide whether I was the candidate of choice or not. The committee did decide to recommend me to the congregation council, and the council forwarded the recommendation to the congregation for a vote.

I began my first year as senior pastor with the awareness that there was much to honor in the life and tradition of the congregation and, therefore, much to build on. Under

Pastor Peterman’s strong leadership the congregation had developed a regard for and an ability to proclaim the gos-pel through liturgical forms of worship. This was further strengthened by love of music supported by devoted lay leaders. The Bach Society brought a new frontier of quality to the congregation and to the community.

The congregation was driven by the spirit of “faith seeking understanding.” There was a desire to understand the faith tradition through the historic confessions and the contem-

porary interpretations by such Lutherans as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Paul Tillich, Eric Gritsch, and Timothy Wengert. The congregation was active in caring not only for one another but for others as well. The strong experience of the AIDS Care Team excited the congrega-tion to further new efforts. The members understood themselves as ministers to the university campuses. There was a desire to deepen work with our youth and to minister to children. There was a desire to understand the faith and respond accordingly to social conditions around us, in our nation, and in the world. Finally there was a need to expand stewardship in order to undergird each aspect of the work of our congrega-tion living, singing, and serving the gospel of Jesus Christ.

These things represented a panoply of concerns and aspira-tions that for five years had already begun to form me in the faith and in my understanding of what this congregation wanted to achieve. From 1999 until the present we have been at work to accomplish these things. We often set our goals high, perhaps too high. There was, nevertheless, a flex-ibility brought about by a forgiving spirit that offered great freedom in our efforts. And there was a continuous supply of crises that interrupted our striving, ”so as to remind us that “unless the Lord builds the house, those who build work in vain”: Tropical Storm Allison (2001), September 11 (2001), Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005), Hurricane Ike (2008), the Great Recession (2008- ), and my own personal crisis with open-heart surgery to repair my mitral valve (2009). This is the stuff in which life consists and which faith conquers.

It was clear that we needed to build a competent staff to


enable the work before us. Eileen Spehr was with us but soon moved to New Jersey. Ashley Hall served as my as-sistant. Pastor Karin Liebster was available to assist me in the first months in the liturgy. On May 1, 1999 Beth Warpmaeker was ordained and installed as associate pastor. In addition to regu-lar pastoral duties Pastor Warpmaeker oversaw cam-pus ministry. Pastor Allison Werner, daughter of the congregation, was ordained and installed as associate pastor and director of the Melanchthon Institute. By 2002 Pastor Werner had re-turned to Germany with her new husband Pastor Janning Hoenen.

In the summer of 1999 the nave was renovated which served as a clear sign that worship would continue to be the first priority of the congregation. Seating was expanded, a new floor installed, and the sacristy renovated. At first it was most important to keep the Sunday liturgy consistent. Still there was need for a different kind of worship, something that appealed to those hurting, healing, and hungry for quiet. For this reason Pastor Warpmaeker went to Taizé, France to prepare to bring this French community’s ecumenical and meditative style of worship to Christ the King Church. The first services began in the summer of 2000.

By 2001 we had conducted our capital campaign and were pre-paring to start construction on a new ministry building which quintupled our space for offices, classrooms, rehearsal rooms, conference rooms, and a kitchen. Construction concluded in December 2002, and we moved in on January 1, 2003.

With the appropriate space available we moved toward

the challenges of professional education and music leader-ship. Pastor Warpmaeker led powerfully to establish new directions in faith formation, for example, the Milestones Program and Godly Play curriculum. Pastor Karin Liebster newly welcomed on the roster of ELCA ordained pastors was called to work with German-language ministry. By 2003 Pastor Warpmaeker returned to Minnesota with husband Pastor Mark Warpmaeker. Pastor Liebster then took up the lead in faith formation. Now Godly Play is well established in our congregation as a faithful guide in spiritual formation and to the proper reading/hearing of a biblical text.

Pastor Liebster and I serve together as colleagues in the pastoral duties at Christ the King Church. One of the great strengths of the congregation is that while I serve as the “lead” pastor this is not a one-pastor congregation or person-ality dominated congregation. Our being “crossed-trained” gives us more opportunity to serve beyond the walls of the congregation.

By 2006 the number of children reaching adolescence was such that council felt it was time for professionally trained youth leadership. We began by inviting summer interns from Texas Lutheran University. Tim Lenz was hired as our first full time minister to youth and families. Ben Remmert, associate in ministry, now serves in this position as we assist families in a deeper understanding of the baptismal life and the life of faith.

Also we were able to establish a full time campus pastor posi-tion when Pastor Brad Fuerst began work on the campuses of Rice University and the University of Houston in 200?. The Houston Lutheran Campus Ministry is a shared effort with our synod and has great potential due to the groundbreaking work of Pastor Fuerst.

The Bach Choir and the church music ensembles were facing changes in leadership. The founding director of the Bach Choir, Professor Robert Lynn, was ready to retire, and we began the long search for a new director. It soon became evident that this search was interlocked with the need for professional leadership in the congregation’s mu-sic program. After thirty years of devoted leadership from Carroll and Dorry Shaddock including the acquisition of an extraordinary pipe organ, the search for a music director for the congregation was linked with the search for the new Bach Choir director.

After a brief interim by German conductor Peter Kopp and by Dr. Albert LeDoux, the latter was hired as the music direc-tor of Christ the King Church and the Bach Society. During Dr. LeDoux’s tenure the Bach Society experienced rapid and substantial growth. The church choir grew, and the work with children’s music program expanded through the midweek Wednesday Night Alive! program. Soon the congregation’s need for a full-time organist became apparent. Sebastian Knebel of Dresden, Germany served an interim year. Mark Mummert was hired in 2008 as church organist, chorus


director, and choristers director. A good portion of his work was to assist us in learning and taking full advantage of the new worship resources. In 2006 the congregation was among the first ELCA congregations to purchase the new worship book, Evangelical Lutheran Worship. This theological focus reinforced the Lutheran emphasis on baptism and the bap-tismal life.

The new emphasis on baptism made us realize that our original font had aged, leaked too often, and was really too small for the sacrament as Luther described it. We decided to acquire a new font that captured worshipers’ attention in the nave and at the beginning of every service.

In 2014 Rick Erickson, associate in ministry, was called to serve as music director of Christ the King Church and Bach Society Houston. Together with Christopher Holman, Bob Walp, Vicki Gorman, and Sonya Anderson our music team is complete. We are reaping the benefits of a faithful striv-ing toward a music program that supports fully our worship and proclamation of the gospel, encourages our fellowship, and motivates us to greater service. Even as we have been displaced in the parish hall during these months of renova-tion to the nave, our music in worship has been strong and flourishing.

The life of baptism necessarily is manifested in the vocation of caring both for those in the community of faith and those outside. Like in most congregations, care takes place more easily among those who know each other personally. Congre-gation care must include all members. During the years of the AIDS Care Team (roughly the 1980’s) members had learned that care for others can be organized and directed toward non-members and members alike . The lay leadership of the congregation began to organize. Several members were invit-ed to assist the pastors to distribute the Holy Communion to those who were unable to join the Sunday assembly. A team of Lay Eucharistic Ministries (LEM) w e r e fo r m e d and trained. A committee was formed to con-s ider ways to organize health care ministry. The results of this committee’s work were the re co m m e n d a -tions to establish the positions of director of con-gregation care and congrega-tion nurse. Bev-

erly Davis was hired for the former and Linda Schoene for the latter.

Beverly and Linda went promptly to work to further orga-nize our caring min-istry. The model that seemed to fit best was the “Commu-nity of Hope,” a lay chaplain movement inspired by the Rule of St. Benedict. Now dozens of our mem-bers have trained together and are vol-unteering in our congregation and in other settings such as hospitals. As congregation nurse Linda makes visits every week to those dealing with serious health issues. She often visits in the hospitals and accompanies those who wish to have another set of ears with them when they visit their physician. All together our congregation has become a much more effective source of care.

With Beverly’s leadership we have coordinated the effort to care within and beyond our congregation. We continue to be one of the leading congregations in support of the ELCA Hunger Appeal. The annual Christ the King Festival funds numerous outside projects. Our congregation is a covenant partner with over a dozen organizations dedicated to serving the poor, the homeless, the underemployed, and refugees.

Beverly is a missionary at heart and has been a force lead-ing the congregation to greater global outreach. We have

all benefitted from her experience in overseas mis-sions. Now we are firmly rooted in our partner synod, the Evangelical Lu-theran Church in Peru, particularly in Trujillo. Other trips have included Mexico City. Our youth have been especially involved in longer intern-ships with the congregations in Trujillo.

In addition to co-

Photo by Kevin McGowen

Pastor Moore, center with other pastors of Christ the King Lutheran Church, past and present, at the 60th Anniversary of the church in 2005. L-R: Pr. Peter Stockmann, Pr. Kathy Hauisen, Pr. Fred Haman, Pr, Kenneth Larson, Pr, Robert Moore, Pr. Karin Liebster, Pr. Alison Hoenen, Pr. Beth Warpmaeker, and Pr. Ed Peterman.


ordinating the mission effort of Christ the King Church at home and abroad Beverly has overseen the work of our food ministry and the many hospitality opportunities that fall to us as a congregation. Beverly is the one who is always running and, thereby, keeps us running toward ministry.

All our efforts were a matter of stewardship. Buildings, land, maintenance, risk manage-ment, utilities, custodial, and staff are the means to our way of proclaiming and living the gospel. They are simply a part of the larger picture of what we call stewardship. God is “the Creator of heaven and earth.” Everything counts as gift (grace). What we do with it can only make sense when we use it out of gratitude for life no matter how short or long we live. I have always taught that members of Christ the King Church should give gratefully, give regularly, and give according to one’s means.

The administration of a congregation re-quires talented persons who can produce documents, run machinery, handle money, and steward the congregation’s resources to appropriate projects and persons working in authority with the leadership. We are most fortunate when it comes to our administrative colleagues. Michael Shelton has been the “face and voice” of Christ the King Church for over twenty years. Serving as receptionist, Mike has published The King’s Banner, This Week, and thousands of brochures, cards, post-ers, flyers, and logos. Cheryl Gaspard has also served nearly twenty years as the publisher of our worship documents. Cheryl also manages accounts receivable maintaining the contribution records of members and friends. She oversees the congregation’s archives and much, much more. Noelle Jung has expanded the office of church business administrator working with staff, with the treasurer, the financial secretary, and president. The congregation receives as much as three million dollars annually, especially during capital campaigns. Our spaces have to be scheduled properly so logistically everything moves smoothly through the week. And everything has to be maintained and cleaned on an ongoing basis. Noelle man-ages three custodians responsible for set-up and clean-up: Santiago Callejas, Arturo Ortega, and Garrett Jung.

As I served as associate pastor, I began to realize that the members of Christ the King Church had tacitly agreed not to speak to each other about their financial support. I found as pastor I could ask for support and find a good degree of readiness to help with projects, so I would ask! With the major capital campaign of 2000 there began to be a change as members discussed among themselves what they could

do to underwrite the mission of the congregation. We are in our third capital campaign during my tenure, and we have experienced a large outpouring of support in a time in which the congregation has expanded our contiguous land footprint to the max and brought our buildings into excellent condition.

Kathy and I have enjoyed living in the parsonage for over seventeen years. For Kathy it has been a labor of love in which a fine old house in Southampton was restored against considerable odds and now serves as a place of hospitality of the congregation to hundreds of guests and members. The guest house was finished in 2001 and served resident theologians (Eric Gritsch, Philip Hefner, John Nunes, Timothy Wengert), musicians (Peter Kopp, Christoph Biller, Gotthold Schwarz), pastors (Christian Wolff), storm refugees, artists, missionar-ies, patients in the Texas Medical Center, dignitaries (Christoph Wolff and Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung), friends and relatives of members. Kathy has transformed an old house and large piece of real estate into a valuable estate for the congregation to use in the work of ministry.

Now my call is drawing officially to a close. Professionally it is imperative that there be a clear break from the office of senior pastor; however, after twenty-two years as your pastor our hearts are inextricably woven into the fellowship of Christ the King Lutheran Church. I thank you for the privilege of serving and I thank you for your having formed me in the faith and in the

pastoral office. Soli deo Gloria!

American Guild of Organists Perform at Christ the King ChurchOn Wednesday, June 22, while National Conven-tion of the American Guild of Organists gathers in Houston,welcoming around 1200 colleagues from around the country, our beautiful organ will be featured in two re-citals performed by Edoardo Bellotti, Associate Professor of Organ, Harpsichord, and Improvisation at the Eastman School of Music. While these events are not public events, due to issues of seating capacity, it is surely a sign of the regard for our beautiful instrument and worship space that Christ the King is one of the churches featured in this convention!

However, each church hosting a concert is asked to provide volunteers to usher. We need volunteers for our concert on Wednesday, June, 22 at 1:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Interested in helping with this concert or other aspects of the conven-tion? Contact coordinator Linda Thomas at [email protected].


Council Names Interim PastorThe Rev. Dr. Duane Lar-son has accepted the call to serve as Interim Pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church begin-ning July 16. Pastor Larson will serve as head of staff during the search process for the senior pastor. Pastor

Larson reports to the council as does the search commit-tee; however, the Interim Pastor does not work with the search committee.

Pastor Larson is a native of California. He is an alum of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. He earned the Master of Divinity from Luther-Northwestern Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He served three congregations in California. After completing his doctoral work in systematic theology at Graduate Theo-logical Union in Berkeley, California, Dr. Larson began teaching at Gettysburg Theological Seminary. In 1999 Professor Larson was called to serve as president of Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.

Since 2010 Pastor Larson has served as an adjunct profes-sor and as an intentional interim pastor. He has written three books and numerous articles. He serves on the board of the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Stras-bourg, France. He is active in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran World Federation.

Pastor Larson and his wife Joen have two adult children and six grand children. He enjoys choral singing, playing the guitar, and proving “regularly that he does not belong on a golf course.”

An Update from our Congregation Presidentsubmitted by Carolyn Phillips

As we enter this summer season much is occurring that will have a lasting impact on our beloved church. The nave and sacristy reconstruction is essentially done and we have celebrated in style in a more open environment. Unfor-tunately some of our recent severe storms have unearthed a few leaks in two of our stained glass windows and evaluations are being done. The back of the church including the roof area also needs some work.

The Meditation Garden/Colum-barium work is in progress. You may signup for a niche anytime. In late summer/early fall we will have a small celebration when it is finished and we can use the parking lot. We are busy exploring leasing the newly acquired Chaucer property next to the church and trying to understand all the cost and tax implications. Do we do it ourselves or use a broker? Do we seek one tenant or more? Many aspects to consider.

We are saying a formal goodbye (and a fun one) to Robert and Kathy as they look toward a challenging new assignment. It will take us a while to rebound from this loss. In July we will welcome an Interim Pastor while the Call Committee continues work of seeking the right new Senior Pastor for Christ the King. Everyone has warned us not to hurry, but to be prayerful and considerate, finding the right fit. It is not an easy task we have set for the com-mittee but I have great confidence in them. We may need to do some work in the parsonage (of the old plumbing and electrical sort) so we are planning for the Interim to stay in the Melancthon apartment on the parsonage grounds.

If you have questions or comments please let us hear from you at [email protected]; I will share with Council.

Mem

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Min

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y Valerie Lloyd was re-elected to serve on the synod council as Youth Member. Valerie’s term is for one year. Congratulation Valerie!

Susan Myres was awarded the Dave Gibson Award for profes-sionalism and excellence in the practice of Family Law by the members of the Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists. John and Alex Uri were present when she was sur-prised with the announcement.

The Rev. George Brookover will celebrate his 50th anniversary of ordination on June 12. (June 12, 1966)Congratulations, Pr. Brookover! Thank you for your ministry.

Rick Erickson volunteered at the Houston Food Bank during the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod Assembly in May.


June Mission Offering Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service In 1939, Lutherans all across the United States banded together to reach out to assist Lutheran refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. Creating Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) to organize their efforts, they welcomed these new Americans and walked with them as they began their

new lives in the United States.

Seventy seven years later, LIRS has di-

rectly resettled over 500,000 migrants and refugees in the U.S., extending the love and hospitality of this great nation.

We will celebrate World Refugee Day Sunday with LIRS on Sunday, June 19. See page 16 for more information.

The mission offering is collected at the church doors at the end of worship.

July Mission Offering Lutheran Church of the Central African RepublicOur sister church in CAR as well as the country are rebuilding. Here is a quote from the Lutheran Partners in Global Mission web site, whose founding director, Gordon Olson, recently visited CAR: “In C.A.R., people are resuming their lives. Mar-kets are flourishing and people are everywhere. Everything seems back to normal, but there are many wounds from the past three years. The country is still fragile, and violence could erupt. Still, people are hopeful for a fresh start.”

The recent resumption of the annual Youth Gathering held in May is an example of hope and new energy. The theme was “Wake Up” from Ephesians 5:14. JEELCA, the church’s youth organization, includes ages 15 to 35. Meetings were held at a Lutheran church in Bohong, a town at the end of an unpaved road, where about 75% of the homes were destroyed and are being rebuilt. The town has no running water or electricity. The youth filled the church, with others outside at the doors and windows. They sang, did bible study, heard messages, reports and speeches, voted on proposals, and had a good time. Youth stayed with local church families. New arrivals were greeted with a crowd waving, singing, and shouting, even waving palm branches. A joyful event!

Many of the church’s ministries continued during the crisis in CAR but are now in full swing—sewing classes at the Women’s Center, Village Savings and Loan meetings, Village school sessions, and even the building of new permanent schools.

Emmanuel Health Center at Gallo continued to function, despite loss of staff and many other challenges. Its Central African doc-tor was gone for 6 months, recuperating from an automobile accident in which the clinic driver was killed. In spite of difficul-ties, during 2015, over 3,000 children were vaccinated; there were several thousand medical consultations, and almost 11,000 health and hygiene seminars were conducted. Babies were born, surgeries performed, and lab exams done.

Our companion synod needs our support now, more than ever, in prayers and offerings. See next page about Mission-ary Susan Smith’s visit to Christ the King Church in July.

Youth Gathering welcome.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service

Lutheran Church in the Central

African Republic

Sewing class in CAR.Susan addressing youth.

Susan with the director of the Peouri School in Baboua.

Missionary Susan Smith with Pastor Racel Doumbaye, Vice -President of EEL-RCA.

www.lirs.org


SummerBook ReviewsSundays at 9:45 a.m. in the basement classroom

Summer Book ReviewsThe summer book reviews are a be-loved tradition as an educational of-fering on Sundays at 9:45 a.m. dur-ing the summer months.

June 5: No Book Review “Sending” brunch in courtyard

June 12: Michelle Shonbeck The Soloist, by Steve LopezMichelle is Executive Director of the Christian Com-munity Service Center (CCSC). Their mission is to serve the poor, hungry, disabled, and otherwise needy while respecting religious, ethnic or cultural differences. CCSC was created out of faith, and founded in the belief that we are called to help all God’s children heart to heart and hand in hand. Our congregation has supported CCSC’s mission for more than 25 years.

June 19: Karli McGowen The Beer Drinker's Guide to God: The Whole and Holy Truth About Lager, Loving, and Living, by William Miller

June 26: Terri Bourne Rising Strong, by Brene’ Brown

July 3: Frederico Salas-Isnardi Other People's Words, by Victoria Purcell-Gates

July 10: ELCA Missionary Susan Smith presentation on Central African Republic

July 17: Carolyn Jacobs, essays titled Making Sense of the Central African Republic

July 24: Elmer Ledesma The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World , by Daniel Yergin

July 31: Kristine Wallace Resurrection: The Power of God for Christians and Jews, by Kevin J. Madigan and Jon D. Levenson

August 7: George Brookover One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America, by Kevin Kruse

August 14: Dianne Schoppe The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need from Grownups, by Erika Christakis

August 21: Mel Rosenbaum Hitler came for Niemöller: The Nazi War Against Religion, by Leo Stein

Central African Republic Missionary Susan Smith to be hosted by CTK during JulyDr. Susan Smith has been the Education Consultant to our companion synod, the Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (EEL-RCA), since the Fall of 2012. She will give a presentation at Sunday Forum on Sunday, July 10, and will be staying in the church’s guest apart-ment the week preceding that Sunday. If anyone is willing to host her for a meal or an activity that week, please contact Carolyn Jacobs, [email protected]

Susan’s tenure began shortly be-fore what is sometimes referred to in CAR as “the events,” so she has had to carry out a good deal of her work from Cameroon, with occasional trips into CAR. She was able to meet frequently with leaders from many of the EEL-RCA’s programs. Travel in CAR is becoming safer again and in May she attended the Annual Youth Gathering of the church, held for the first time in five years. Youth came in rented trucks that broke down. Read the story in Susan’s blog: http://susan-car.blogspot.com Also recently, she accompanied ELCA leaders into CAR, and later, Jakelle Cornell from Eastern North Dakota synod, who represented the three U.S. partner synods of the EEL-RCA at the annual international partner’s meeting. Come July 10 to hear Susan talk about her work with our Central African companion synod.

Children’s Activities on Summer SundaysStarting June 5, there will be offerings for children ─ toddler through 6th grade ─ every Sunday throughout the summer at the SCS hour between worship services. The smorgasbord will include singing, story telling, activities and movies about various topics, repairing and build-ing Godly Play materials etc. Children will find leaders for each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in the second floor children’s library. Parents are invited to join us or enjoy a book review in the basement classroom or a leisurely coffee hour.

If you have some time and activities to offer this summer, please contact Marie Monroe at [email protected].

Lifestyles of the Birds of Texas June 26The Creation Care Team invites all kids to nature education during the Sunday School hour on Sunday, June 26. Mike and Joyce Bradshaw will be offering Lifestyles of the Birds of Texas, with engaging and beautiful photos of birds. Kids will learn about Texas birds and discuss their lifestyles in this nature education class. This class is the first in a series of summer nature education classes for kids.

Pub Theology June 12 and July 10Young Adults are invited to gather at 7:30 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month at the Ginger Man pub, located at 5607 Morningside Dr. The gathering on June 12 will be led by CtK Music Associate Chris Holman, and on July 10 by Cantor Rick Erickson. Come and meet new friends, enjoy beer, and discuss faith, religion, worship, music, life, and anything concerning how to enliven your faith. For more information, contact Meaghan Wheeler at [email protected].

Susan assisting with Communion.


For information, contact Ben Remmert, AiM Director of Youth and Family Ministry, [email protected] or 281-468-4686.

June 5 Sending off Pastor Moore , 6:00 p.m.9 -19 Peru Trip19-24 Disciple Project26 Summer Luther League, 9:45 a.m.

July3 Summer Luther League, 9:45 a.m.10 Summer Luther League, 9:45 a.m.11-15 Camp Hope Week One17 Summer Luther League, 9:45 a.m. Summer Double Feature, 6:00 p.m.18-22 Camp Hope Week Two24 Summer Luther League, 9:45 a.m.25-29 Camp Hope Week Three31 Summer Luther League, 9:45 a.m.

Summer Luther LeagueAll middle school and high school students are invited to join us for Sum-mer Luther League meetings every Sunday at 9:45 a.m. beginning on June 26. This summer, we will watch the National Geographic documentary The Story about God with Morgan Freeman. This will be a great time for Sab-bath, conversation, food, and fun.

Sending off Pastor Moore and Ultimate Freesbee June 5Come and join us as we celebrate the ministries of Pastor Moore and Kathy Moore before they go to Germany. We will meet at church at 6 p.m. for din-ner and fellowship. Cost will be $10.00 which covers the catered BBQ. We will play a game of ultimate and reconnect with friends before the summer begins. Make sure to be here so we can give the Moore’s a great send off!

Peru Trip June 9-19This summer nine adults and four youth from Christ the King Church will travel to Peru to visit our brothers and sisters in the four companion churches located in around Trujillo, Peru. This will be our congregation’s fifth trip to visit our companion partners in Trujillo.

The group will take daily excursions to visit Cristo Vive just north of Trujillo, Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Chocofan, and San Francisco Lutheran Church in Magdalena de Cao. As we build on our partnership with our church family to the south and continue to foster long-term relationships based in our faith and life as one church body, please keep us in your prayers. The youth and adults traveling are Joan Boutte, Ralf Brehm, Anne Clutterbuck, Beverly Davis, Terri Koehler, Augustin Liebster, Ed Nikonowicz, Peter Nikonowicz, Rebecca Nikonowicz, Ben Remmert, Lindsay Remmert, Ben Willcockson, and Katherine Willcockson.

2016 Peru InternsThree high school youth from Christ the King Lutheran Church will intern with our companion congregations in Trujillo, Peru this summer. Augustin Liebster, Valerie Lloyd, and Peter Nikonowicz will live, work, and immerse themselves into the Peruvian culture for five weeks. The lay pastor at San Andres Lutheran Church in Trujillo, Jorge Pereda, and congregational presi-dent, Dr. Wilbur Cubus will supervise, host, and teach our young people as they help facilitate the Sembrando children’s programming, assist with the church’s medical ministry, and also teach English at the University of Trujillo. Grab one of these youth when you see them to inquire more about their trip and please keep them in your prayers this summer. Thank you to all our sponsors and those that donated their time, support, and finances to make this possible for our youth!

Camp Hope Day Camp Ministries Faith Lutheran Church July 11-15, July 18-22, July 25-29Come and join us for three weeks of learning and fun as we teach 15 bible stories through art, music, crafts, snacks, and worship. Camp Hope is a 3-week Day Camp that is led by teenagers and mentored by adults. For all kids who complete Kindergarten – 6th Grade. Cost is $130 per child / per week. The camp day is from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Registration is found online at http://faithbellaire.org/learn-ing/faith-camp/.

CTK Faith Camp Staff Congratulations to our high school students that will be working at Faith Camp at Faith Lutheran Church! Please pray for our youth as they will be leading faith formation of children in our neighborhood. These students will also be attending Disciple Project on June 19-24 learning about age development, behavior management of children, and the Camp Hope curriculum. Here are our students:

Eric Linberg, Worship Director Peter Nikonowicz, Small Group Leader Thomas Swindell, Small Group LeaderBen Willcockson, Small Group LeaderKatherine Willcockson, Office Support

Confirmands: Zach Goodrow, Katherine Willcockson, Elizabeth Eklof, Stephanie Eklof, and Yonas Eberhart. See page 11.


Yonas Eberhart 1. What I enjoyed most about confirmation is the times when we had games during class. I enjoyed the times we gathered together for Luther League events.

2. What I learned in confirmation is the small catechism and Luther’s explanations to the Ten Commandments. I also enjoyed from last year our conversations about how God created the world when we studied Genesis.

3. I have questions about what the faith creeds meant to the church when it first started meeting. I am curious what the creeds means to others.

4. It’s hard to decide, I believe that all of them are im-portant. I feel that the first commandment is the most important because when you honor God, everything else falls into place.

5. What is the relationship between science and faith?

6. I will be participating in Luther League activities. I am very interested in gardening and enjoyed the service project we did with the butterfly garden during Luther League meeting.

Elizabeth Eklof 1. I liked learning about my faith with people who were my age.

2. Two things that I learned from confirmation is the detailed explanation about the Ten Commandments in the small catechism and how the protestant reformation began the Lutheran church.

3. How did the creeds came to be? My understanding of the creeds is that they lead our faith and helps us summarize our faith for our lives.

4. The most important commandment to me is the first commandment. God is the only God who created all things and we should honor God.

5. Are there other books in the Bible? Why they are not included in our Bible?

6. I will be participating by coming to church meetings and voting on important issues of the church.

Stephanie Eklof 1. I liked the people and the conversations we had in class. They were challenging conversations that helped me understand my faith.

2. I learned about the Lutheran faith as a whole. When we went over the explanations from the small catechism, it helped me understand why we believe the things that we believe in.

3. I want to know how the faith creeds came to be. Who worked on them? How long it took to make them? I believe that the creeds help us understand our faith.

4. The most important commandment to me is the eight com-mandment, you shall not bear false witness. I feel that this is the most important because we need to be honest with each other. This is very important in trials.

5. How is it proven that there is a God? Is there proof that Jesus was a real person? Why do we believe in things we can’t see?

6. I am not sure right now.

Zach Goodrow 1. I liked our Wednesday night meetings where everyone came together for class. I enjoyed working with the modeling clay.

2. I learned about the commandments, what they were and how Martin Luther understood them. I also enjoyed learning about the Apostle and Nicene Creeds and what they mean to us.

3. Why did they make both? How many faith creeds are there in the church? The creeds are made when the church needed to be unified. Many churches had defined Christ in different ways and the creeds help us unify the church as a whole.

4. The most important commandment to me is the first com-mandment, you shall have no other gods. This the most important commandment to me because we should not put God above anything because God is our Creator.

5. What are the different Christian denominations and how are they different from the ELCA? What are the other sacraments in other denominations?

6. I will be participating in the church by serving in worship as a crucifer and a reader. I will also try to be here for church meetings to vote on issues.

Katherine Willcockson 1. I liked the conversations that we had in our classes. They were challenging but they did help me dive deeper into my faith.

2. I learned about the Ten Commandments and the traditions of other religions. I enjoyed the time when we visited the Orthodox Church.

3. I would like to know why we have not come up with a new faith creed. I understand that the faith creeds stands for our beliefs and help us understand who God and Jesus were.

4. I think that the First Commandment is the most important one be-cause when you follow the First Commandment, the rest are fulfilled.

5. Who made the Bible? Why did they want to make the Bible? Why are there so many different translations?

6. I will continue to serve in worship however I can, attend Luther League meetings, and work at Faith Camp at Faith Lutheran Church.

Confirmands 2016Six questions asked the Confirmands

1. What did you like best about confirmation?2. Write about two things you learned that you think

will stay with you.3. What questions do you still have about the Apostle

or Nicene Creed? What is your understanding of what the Creed is and what it stands for?

4. What is the most important commandment to you and why?

5. What other questions do you have about the Christian faith?

6. How will you participate in the Church now that you are fully initiated member?


Eid for Refugees June 18Come together in support of newly-arrived refugees in our city.

At Thanksgiving, you bring meals. Dur-ing the winter holidays, you bring gift bags. And now, there is another way for you to welcome refugees to Houston.

IM's Eid for Refugees is an event in which families come together in support of newly-arrived refugees in our city. During this event, par-ticipants will assemble welcome gift baskets filled with housewares for our refugee families.

Eid for Refugees annual volunteer event will be held on Saturday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m. Stay tuned for more information on volunteering and donat-ing. We couldn't do it without your help! For more information on volunteering or donating, contact [email protected].

Montrose Grace Place June 9Montrose Grace Place offers vulnerable youth ages 13-21 a hot meal and a safe, welcoming shelter from the street every Thursday evening from 6 to 10 p.m. Of course, we can always use more volunteers to cook, set up, and serve the meals. Volunteers are also welcome to help with our bimonthly meals. Christ the King Church night is the 2nd Thursday of the even months! The next date is Thursday, June 9, and servers are needed between 5:15 and 7:45 to set the tables, dish up the food, and load the dishwashers. Contact [email protected].

Saturday July 9

houston food bank Leave the church at 7:30

Return at noon For information, contact [email protected]

In May a group of 11 volunteers from Christ the King assembled boxes used for The Houston Food Bank’s Backpack Buddy program.

Many school children go home to meager or no meals on weekends. The Houston Food Bank’s Backpack Buddy program works to fill that gap.

On Fridays, at participating schools and other locations, children take home child-friendly, nonperishable, easily consumed and vitamin-fortified food. The food is given to the children discreetly, to avoid inviting unwanted attention.

During the summer months the Houston Food Bank’s Keegan Kitchen is preparing to increase production to feed children in need this sum-mer and they need your help! During the summer months children lose access to breakfast and lunch served during the school year, which may be their only source of food for the day. Last summer, the Keegan Kitchen provided 255,252 meals and 125,878 snacks to children.

Volunteers are needed between 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday starting June 6, to assist with the preparation and packaging of 5,000 meals per day. The minimum age requirement for volunteers is 16, and the dress code is closed-toe shoes, long pants, sleeved shirts and no jewelry. Parking is limited in the lot, but there is plenty of street parking available. You may regis-ter to volunteer at www.houstonfoodbank.org/volunteer or RSVP at [email protected] to join us on July 9.

Kris Solberg and Flora Roeder assemble boxes used for The Food Bank’s Backpack Buddy program.

David West and Amy Baird assemble boxes.

Help prepare AniMeals for Meals on Wheels Saturday June 18Members and friends are invited to help repack-age pet food for seniors’ pets served by Interfaith Ministry’s Meals on Wheels program on Saturday, June 18, at 10:00 a.m. Christ the King Church has supported the Meals on Wheels program for many years through financial donations and through volunteering. AniMeals was started after meal de-liverers discovered that seniors were sharing their limited food resources with their pet companions. We highlighted Meals on Wheels and AniMeals during our mission offering in April. Now we invite members to help repackage pet food and ready it for delivery. Join Jessica Locheed and friends at Interfaith Ministry’s Meals on Wheels location at 3202 San Jacinto St. (in midtown) for a morning of fellowship while sorting and rebagging pet food for this worthy cause. Contact [email protected] for more information and to RSVP.

And if you’d like to volunteer to deliver pet food to seniors, contact Heather at [email protected].

AniMeals serves 600 senior pet parents and a total of 1,234 pets (cats and dogs). That requires over 10,000 pounds of pet food every month.

Christ the King Church volunteers at AniMeals last November.


SEARCH Cards and Coffee Ministry June 15 and July 20Please join us in hosting our monthly coffee hour for SEARCH Homeless Services clients at the Perry St. Apartments, 4415 Perry, a New Hope Housing project in the Third Ward on Wednesday, June 15 and July 20, 10:00-11:00 a.m. This collaboration with SEARCH takes place every third Wednesday of the month. If you have any cards you'd like to contribute (birthday cards, get well, sympathy, blank note cards, etc.) you may drop them off in the donation basket on Sundays or in the church office. For more information, contact Beverly at [email protected].

Toast Your Health with WaterEveryone knows that water is important. With the heat and hu-midity of summer fast approaching water intake is even more important. Water makes up two-thirds of the weight of the hu-man body. Every system in the body needs water. Water flushes out toxins and delivers nutrients and is essential for keeping oral and nasal passages moist and healthy. The Institute of Medicine defines adequate total daily fluid intake as 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women. Total fluid intake includes all beverages, but 6-8 of those cups should be water. Other water facts include:

• The thirst mechanism is sometimes mistaken for hunger. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters in a University of Washington study.

• Lack of water can trigger daytime fatigue.• A 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory

and produce difficulty with focusing on the computer screen or printed paper.

• On hot summer days begin hydrating with water early in the day. If one waits for thirst it may be too late to “catch up”.

• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should increase fluid intake to 10 and 13 cups respectively.

Tips to increase water intake:• Carry a water bottle in the car or keep one at your desk.• Add a slice of lemon to improve the flavor.• Choose ice water instead of soda when ordering fast food.• Drink lots of water during exercise.• Drink a glass of water before meals.

NOTE: Persons with heart failure or certain liver and kidney dis-eases may actually need to limit fluid intake so for these conditions follow physician advice.

The Common CupRecently the worship staff asked us to consider sharing the communion wine from the common cup. As your congregational nurse I have received a few questions regarding the hygiene of sharing the common cup. The research of this practice is limited, but does suggest that the risk of infection is very low and indeed much lower than the risk of receiving infections from shaking hands or sitting next to someone who is coughing. The common cup has been used for centuries and has not been associated with outbreaks of illness within a faith community. That being said the best way to reduce the risk of infection is for those persons with an active infection or mouth lesions to refrain from partaking of the common cup and commune in one kind, knowing that in doing so they are fully communed.

If anyone has further concerns or questions please share them with Linda Schoene, Congregational Nurse, at [email protected]

Check your Blood PressureMonthly blood pressure screenings will be held in the narthex after each Sunday morning service on June 26 and July 31.

They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.Psalms 36:8

Madeline Moore, daughter of Meredith Moore.


Kids and Climate ChangeA recent report by Princeton University, Children and Climate Change (see www.futureofchildren.org), indicates that climate change threatens children’s physi-cal and mental wellbeing, both now and in future, with children in developing countries facing the greatest risks. 85% of the world’s children are in developing nations. The World Health Organization states more than 80% of the illness and mortality attributable to climate change is suffered by children under 5 years of age. Children are more vulnerable to the extreme heat, drought, and natural disasters which are direct effects of climate change. Climate change’s indirect effects also impact children’s development—through conflict, vector-borne diseases, economic dislocation, undernutrition, or migration.

You can take action to protect children by advocating for policies to combat climate change. The EPA recently finalized rules on methane emissions from new oil & gas operations, but these do not cover existing oil and gas facilities. Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas, (86 times that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period). Petition the EPA to regulate methane emissions from existing oil and gas operations(go to www.ucsusa.org & click on Take Action). Also, research has shown that coal is the most polluting form of hydrocarbons used to generate electricity. At present, 40% of the coal produced in the U.S. is mined on public lands through the Federal Coal Leasing Program. We are invited to urge the Bureau of Land Management to ensure that the use of our public lands reflects what’s best for kids.

www.lirs.org

Support Syrian & Iraqi RefugeesAt this time, 1 in 122 people worldwide is a refugee, a crisis of unprecedented pro-portions. More than half of these people are children. The number of Syrian refugees alone has reached 4 million, the largest single refugee crisis in nearly 25 years. As Christians, we heed the call of scripture, “See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.” (1Thessalonions 5:15), when we join with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service in petitioning Congress to oppose any action that limits resettlement of Syrian and Iraqi refugees in the United States. To raise your voice for justice, go to www.lirs.org and click on “take action”.

Justice Advocacy Opportunities

A refugee is someone who has fled from his or her home country and cannot return because he or

she has a well founded fear of persecution based on religion, race, nationality, political opinion,

or membership in a particular social group.

Resettlement, A Rigorous ProcessThere has been much said about the refugee resettlement process here in the U.S. in recent months. Resettle-ment presents a life-saving alternative for a very small number of refugees (less than one half of one percent) around the world. Refugees seeking resettlement in the United States must pass through a number of steps aimed at ensuring that they will not pose a security risk to the United States. What follows is a list of the steps that all refugees must pass through to come to the U.S. The robust and multi-layered series of security checks, including biometrics, medical screen-ings, interagency intelligence sharing, and in-person interviews are extraor-dinary toolsand they are effective. This process can take up to two years to complete for many refugees. The United States says it plans to resettle 85,000 refugees in 2016. With your help, LIRS and our national network of partners are ready to do our part!

Required Steps for RefugeesStep 1: Be identified as a refugee and request resettlement in a new country.Step 2: Be referred to U.S. by UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a U.S. Embassy, or trained Non-Governmental Organization.Step 3: Compile refugee personal data and background information.Step 4: U.S. State Department conducts security checks.Step 5: Additional security review by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.Step 6: Have fingerprints and photographs checked against U.S. government databases.Step 7: Face-to-face interview by the Department of Homeland Security.Step 8: Conditional approval of refugee’s application for resettlement sent for final processing by the U.S. Department of State.Step 9: Undergo medical screening.Step 10: Assignment to a national resettlement agency in the U.S., such as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and placement with a local partner agency.Step 11: Cultural orientation to prepare them for their journey to and initial resettlement in the U.S.Step 12: Second interagency security checks are conducted.Step 13: U.S. customs and Border Protection review the refugee documentation and additional security checks.


Community Supported AgricultureCommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an alternative, locally-based economic model of ag-riculture and food distribution. It usually refers to a particular network, or association of individu-als, who have pledged to support one or more local farm establishments, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. One CSA in the Houston area is Plant It Forward. It offers economically-disadvantaged refugees an opportunity to become self-sufficient through growing, harvesting and selling produce from a sustainable urban farm within the city of Houston. Each farm has the potential to generate a fair wage for a family of four while providing premium brand sustainably-grown produce. Plant It Forward secures land, selects, trains, and mentors farmers and establishes each on their own urban farm to sell under the Plant It Forward brand. If you are interested in participating in the Plant It Forward CSA, please consult this link: http://plant-it-forward.org/

Sunday Evening Conversations on Creation Continue…June 26, 6:00 p.m. Water Conservation July 31, 6:00 p.m. Reducing Toxins in the Home

The Creation Care Team invites you to a series of web meetings to talk about creation. Planned as a regular, ongoing monthly series normally held the last Sunday of each month (except December), conversations will be on a variety of topics, both purely environmental as well as theological.

The June meeting , the second in a series on practical creation care, will take place on Sunday, June 26 at 6:00 p.m. Whitney Milberger-Laird, a water resource and horticulture consultant, will speak on Water Con-servation. Whitney spent 10 years working in government as a natural resource specialist and conservationist and then moved to private sector consulting in 2013. After her presentation, there will be time for ques-tions/discussion.

The July meeting, the third in the series on practical creation care, will take place on Sunday, July 31 at 6:00 p.m. Hermann Sanders will offer a pre-recorded talk on Reducing Toxins in the Home, with extensive FAQs provided for the Q&A portion of the conversation. Herman is an Assis-tant Public Information Officer for Harris County, a position in which he provides outreach and professional communications for the Communica-tions and Public Involvement Program.

If you would like to join one or both of these conversations, contact Lisa Brenskelle at [email protected] to receive an invitation to the talk.

Upcoming in August:Sunday, August. 28 at 6:00 p.m., Daniel Millikan of Edible Earth Resources on Reducing Toxins in the Yard/Garden

20 Years of Fair Trading: Lutherans Making a DifferenceThis year, we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Lutheran World Relief Fair Trade! Since 1996, U.S. Lutherans have been champions of Fair Trade and

have helped to lay the foundation for others to put their faith into action by uplifting farming communities. Christ the King Church began selling LWR Fair Trade Coffee in 2000. Fair Trade is an important tool in the mission of bringing an end to poverty, injustice and human suffering around the world. Through LWR’s partnership with Equal Exchange, more than $713,000 has been directed to the LWR Small Farmer Fund since 1998 in support of farming projects and farmers—like Bernard Magombe. Bernard is a member of Gumutindo Coffee Cooperative Enterprises

(GCCE) in Uganda. There was once a time that the farmers in his cooperative did not produce enough high quality coffee to earn a profit and support their families. Now, with sup-port from Fair Trade congregations like ours, Bernard is part of a success story. GCCE has improved its coffee and now sells their product for competitive prices to international buyers. Bernard serves as a Community Knowledge Worker and provides technical support to local farmers. He received training for his role and a smartphone that connects him to a database of agricultural information he can use to help farmers. Our support through coffee sales helped make this possible. Look for the Fair Trade display in the church court-yard following Sunday worship, buy some great coffee, and help us celebrate the 20th Anniversary of LWR Fair Trade!

Christ the King pastors attended the historic Catholic-Lutheran Clergy luncheon on May 26 at the Archdiocese of Texas.

The keynote speaker was Fr. John Crossin, OSFS, who was a key architect of the Declaration on the Way. This is a unique ecumenical text that draws on 50 years of Lutheran-Catholic dialogue in preparation for the 500th Reformation anniversary coming in 2017.


Com

mun

ity

of Hope International

Becoming More Fully Human: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery and

Faithful LivingSaturday, July 16The Enneagram has be-come many things to many people, but its roots are profoundly

spiritual and are based in the studies of the Desert

Fathers, the world’s first Chris-tian monastics. At its core, the Enneagram addresses the question of how we fail to recognize the presence of Grace in our lives. It helps us see the psychological issues that cause us to forget the Divine Presence here in each moment.

Real transformation, real con-version, requires an awaken-ing to ourselves, as well as taking the journey of discov-ering the ways in which our soul has become entangled and confused. Gaining clear self-knowledge is a crucial step in this process of becom-ing fully human, and in this endeavor the Enneagram is an enormously important aid and tool. This seminar will be led by Dr. Katherine Grabar, who has over 300 hours of Ennea-gram training through the En-neagram Institute with lead-ing experts Don Riso and Russ Hudson. She regularly applies lessons from the Enneagram in her business consulting, Lay Chaplain work, and ministry roles at The Harvest United Methodist church. The semi-nar will be on Saturday, July 16, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; cost is $50/person. Lunch will be included. Contact Beverly Davis at [email protected] for more information and to register. Deadline to regis-ter is July 12.

June 19Naomi NelsonKathryn NashJulie ReihlLindsay RemmertVicki GormanMartina Longoria

Do you want to deepen your relationship with God? Do you want to strengthen your ability to handle difficult circumstances in your everyday life? Do you want to be a better listener—to God, to your own heart, to your neighbor? Then, the Community of Hope might be for you!

The Community of Hope training awakens participants to God’s call on their lives through experiential discovery and under-standing of their own spiritual gifts for min-istry. Each student is encouraged to make a journey into wholeness. More than the absence of illness, a healthy person is one who has discovered meaning and purpose in life and understands the importance of mind, body, spirit balance. All are invited to develop their own “rule of life” while ex-ploring sacred silence, Christian meditation, compassionate listening, lectio divina and pastoral identity. The program is rooted in

Benedictine Spirituality and is based on the classic “clinical pastoral education” model used in many hospitals to train pastoral caregivers.

The experience builds com-munity and develops spir-itually centered pastoral caregivers, equipped for ministry in multiple set-tings, including their own families, workplace and civic organizations, as well as in traditional ministry settings such as the congregation, hospitals, nursing homes and hospice.

Classes will be held at Christ the King Lu-theran Church on Monday evenings start-ing August 29 and concluding November 28. Contact Beverly Davis at [email protected] for more information and to reg-ister. Registration deadline is July 31.

Community of Hope Training at Christ the King in the Fall

May 29 Galen KragasChloe’ Godret-MiertschinMinush AzariLea MiertschinMatthew WinstonMike ThackerJoseph AllenBarbara Anderson-ThomasCharlotte ArdeelPatricia ButlerDawn DenneHelen FazekasBetsy MorrisEmily ProsserHeidi ReinhardtLynn RosasDenise ChandlerLandon SchaefferTerri BourneAmanda SchoppeLuke SchoppeIsabel Karohl

June 5Larry WieseDavid ThomasKarli McGowenChad ReihlJody WinstonChris EklofMadeline MooreRalph OebenSharon OstwaldDavid HollrahJohn TriantaphyllisAnneliese WilliamsNathaniel AllenElizabeth Smith

Celebrate your Baptismal Anniversary!June 12Joanne AshlandBridget JensenEric LinbergRebecca NikonowiczMelissa SantanaConnor ScaffEric SwindellDoris HannemanBrannon LloydAugust TriantaphyllisMarc MillerAaron Rouse

June 19Naomi NelsonKathryn NashJulie ReihlLindsay RemmertVicki GormanMartina Longoria

June 26Rose AndersonSamuel VollmersJan HermannGail SchubotDaphne SimpsonKathy CollinsKat SommerElizabeth LloydTom WilsonLeAnn WatsonDavid Stouter Julianne Waddell

July 3Meredith MasseyUte CezeauxBill ColeBryce LinsenmayerHatley PostIan VuongEmily WinesettBenjamin WillcocksonMatthew WillcocksonTali NeumannStephen MartinColin BurkeLuke LesherStephen WentlandBill Pelham

July 10Cayo DeMendozaSusan TurnerYung-Hsiang WangStephen LongEileen WeidaDaniel JohnsonAlice OebenRudolph McClellanMitchell GormanMavis NelsonGregory PetnerDylan Smith

July 17Max LesherSteven StewartPriscilla BreitbeilFred HamanRobin Russell

July 24Kirk HansenHannah LongoriaFlora RoederAmanda WaddellElizabeth SchaerGregory HansenSeren WinstonHelga AurischRachel Zoch

July 31/August 1 Belinda BeekJulie BixbyWill BurgessDiane CannonKaren DouglassWilliam FennerTravis HarperElmer LedesmaReggie MundenMel OstwaldEllen TilleryJoshua TilleryTimothy VuongJacquelyn McAnellyHannah NelsonMarcus HeftyRudy HeftyZachary ReihlJames SantanaElizabeth MallonCharlotte TurnerAdrienne Winston

“Remember and rejoice, Renewed by floods of grace. We bear the sign of Jesus Christ, That time cannot erase.” (ELW 454)


Since 1986 the Chris-tian Community Ser-vice Center (CCSC) has helped deserv-ing and under-re-sourced students

through its Back To School program. In 2015, 6,642 children received grade-appropriate school supplies, a voucher for new uniforms/shoes, and a hygiene kit.

Sponsor A Student!$45.00 will provide the necessary tools for one child to arrive at school on the first day of class – feeling well prepared and ready to learn!

Sponsoring A Child Is Easy!There are two convenient ways to make a donation:• Donate on-line: www.ccschouston.org• Submit a check made out to Christ the King Church and earmarked

“CCSC Back to School Project” in the offering on Sundays now through August.

Donate! Gently used or new clothing can be delivered to CCSC, 3434 Branard, 77027, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. weekdays or 9:00 a.m. - noon on Sat-urdays.

Volunteer! It takes 700 volunteers to make Back To School a success ! You can contribute your time and energy to this worthy cause or help inspire others to volunteer.

Location: Faith Lutheran Church, 4600 Bellaire Blvd

Sort and Set Up: Saturday, July 30 7:30 to 11:00 a.m. Help prepare and organize supplies!

Distribution: Friday, August 5 ─ 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 6 ─ 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.Help parents/students as they pick up supplies and more!Please contact Beverly at [email protected] or 713-400-0517 for more information about how you can help with this important program.

$45.00 Sponsors One Student Travel PrayerO God, we give you thanks for those who have traveled the path of faith: for Abraham and Sarah, who trusted in your promise; for Mary and Joseph, who acted according to your word; for Paul, who spread the good news of Christ. Lead us also in your way, your truth, and your life.

Watch over all who travel. Grant rest and joy for their spirits. Be with bus drivers, flight attendants, pilots, road crews, and all who strive to make our travels safe and our homecomings joyful.

You sent your Son into the messiness of our world. Smooth the pathways between people and nations, that together we will move toward your justice and peace.

You walk with us on all the paths of life. Be with those facing hardship this day: the grieving, the poor, the lost, the sick. Hold them in the palm of your hand.

God of the journey, hear our prayer.Amen.

Christ the King’s graduating seniors received a handmade quilted pillow from our Piecemakers on May 8. Pictured from left to right are Aidan Swindell, Philipp Winston, Josh Aagaard, Trey Bourne, and Ryan Morris.

Lesser Festivals andCommemorations1 Justin,martyratRome,c.1653 TheMartyrsofUganda,1886 JohnXXIII,BishopofRome,19635 Boniface,BishopofMainz,missionaryto

Germany,martyr,7547 Seattle,chiefoftheDuwamishConfederacy,

18669 Columba,597;Aidan,651;Bede,735;renew-

ersofthechurch11BARNABAS,APOSTLE

June2016Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer9:00am PrayerShawlministry

1:00pm Yoga6:00pm TaizéWorshipand PrayerAroundthe Cross

8:30am Worship9:30a.m. “Sending”brunch9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews10:50am Worship5:00p.m. BachVespers6:15p.m. TexasBBQ

ChurchOfficeClosed8:15am MorningPrayer

8:15am MorningPrayer6:00pm ExecutiveCommittee

8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am Piecemakers6:00pm Dinnerat MontroseGracePlace

8:15am MorningPrayer9:00am PrayerShawlministry

1:00pm Yoga6:00pm TaizéWorshipand HealingBlessing

8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews10:50am Worship7:30pm PubTheology


8:15am MorningPrayer7:15pm CongregationCouncil

8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am SEARCHCardsand Coffee

8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am Piecemakers


10:00am AltarGuild10:00am AniMealsfor MealsonWheels1:00pm Yoga6:00pm TaizéWorship

8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews10:50am Worship


8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am Piecemakers


1:00pm Yoga6:00pm TaizéWorship

BloodPressureScreenings8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews10:50am Worship6:00pm CreationWebTalk



14BasiltheGreat,BishopofCaesarea,379 Gregory,BishopofNyssa,c.385 GregoryofNazianzus,BishopofConstantinople,c.389 Macrina,teacher,c.37921OnesimosNesib,translator,evangelist,193124JOHNTHEBAPTIST25PresentationoftheAugsburgConfession,1530 PhilippMelanchthon,renewerofthechurch,156027Cyril,BishopofAlexandria,44428Irenaeus,BishopofLyons,c.20229PETERANDPAUL,APOSTLES

GraduationHeidi Reinhardt graduated inMay fromtheUni-versityofSt.Thomaswithuniversitywidehonors,honorsfromtheBiologyDepartment,andhonorsfromthe"HonorsProgram"ofwhichshewas1of12studentsachievingthatdistinction.ShewillgotoCaseWesternReserveUniversityfortheDirectEntryDNP/Ph.DprogramasaResearcher/Faculty/ClinicianinPsychiatric-MentalHealth..

Church Office

Tuesday - Friday8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Lesser Festivals and Commemorations1 CatherineWinkworth,1878;JohnMasonNeale,1866;hymn

translators3 THOMAS,APOSTLE6 JanHus,martyr,141511BenedictofNursia,AbbotofMonteCassino,c.54012NathanSöderblom,BishopofUppsala,193117BartolomédeLasCasas,missionarytotheIndies,156622MARYMAGDALENE,APOSTLE

July2016Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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6:00pm TaizéWorshipand PrayerAroundthe Cross

8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews9:45am LutherLeague10:50am Worship


8:15am MorningPrayer6:00pm ExecutiveCommittee

8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am Piecemakers


7:30am Triptothe HoustonFoodBank1:00pm Yoga6:00pm TaizéWorshipand HealingBlessing

8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SundayForumwith MissionarySusanSmith9:45am LutherLeague10:50am Worship7:30pm PubTheology


8:15am MorningPrayer7:15pm CongregationCouncil

8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am Piecemakers


9:00am Seminar:Enneagram10:00am AltarGuild1:00pm Yoga6:00pm TaizéWorship

8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews9:45am LutherLeague10:50am Worship6:00pm LutherLeague DoubleFeature


8:15am MorningPrayer 8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am CoffeeandCardsat atSEARCH

8:15am MorningPrayer10:00am Piecemakers



8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews9:45am LutherLeague10:50am Worship





BloodPressureScreenings8:30am Worship9:45am SummerSundaySchool9:45am SummerBookReviews9:45am LutherLeague10:50am Worship6:00pm CreationWebTalk

23BirgittaofSweden,renewerofthechurch,137325JAMES,APOSTLE28JohannSebastianBach,1750;HeinrichSchütz,1672;

GeorgeFrederickHandel,1759;musicians29Mary,Martha,andLazarusofBethanyandOlaf,Kingof

Norway,martyr,1030

RetirementsTor KragasretiredlastJunefromBPaftera30-yearcareerintheoilandgasindustryspentdevelopingandapplyingtechnologytoimproveproductionandrecoveryperformance.Heisbusyinhisnewphaseoflifeenjoyingfamily,golf,readingandtravel.

Mary Reinhardtretiredafter25yearsasNursePractitioneratMDAndersonCancerCenter.PriortothatshewasNursePractitioneratDanaFarberCancerinstitutefor10years,andservedinearlytransplantatDartmouthfor12years.

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