the king’s banner
TRANSCRIPT
Christ the King Lutheran Church 1
THE KING’S BANNERVolume 68, Number 5, May, 2013Christ the King Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Recognition of 2013 Graduates on May 12 Graduates of all degrees will be invited to participate in a short rite of recognition on May 12 at the 8:30 or 10:50 a.m. service. High school seniors will receive a gift from the Piecemakers. See page 9.
Bread for the World Offering of Letters on May 12
Each year, Bread members and friends write to their members of Congress, advo-cating for policies
that help end hunger in the United States and around the world. We encourage all people who care about hunger to write to their representatives and senators on Mother’s Day May 12. See page 6.
Sunday May 1912:15 p.m.
Come and join together for a good ol’ time at our annual Pentecost Picnic in the courtyard.Sizzling fajitas and tortillas will be provided.
Suggested donation: $5 per person with a cap of $20 per family. All families and individuals are asked to bring sides to supplement the fajitas such as rice, beans,
fruit and green salads, vegetable dishes, dessert, and anything that complements our festive entrée!
All are invited to don their casual red attire in celebration of Pentecost Sunday.
Pentecost Picnic
Justice Fair on Sunday May 19 Visit the tables in the courtyard on Sun-day, May 19, during the Sunday School hour to learn ways that you can make your voice heard on behalf of others through advocacy opportunities. See page 4-5.
Emmanuel Health Center, Central African RepublicSunday, May 19, 4-6:00 p.m., Rev. Tim Iverson, Director of Global Health Ministries will present the inspiring story of Emmanuel Health Center in the Central African Republic. See back page.
Ascension DayThursday, May 9 8:15 a.m.
Holy Communion
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The mission offering is collected at the church doors at the end of worship.
Meals on
WheelsInterfaith Ministries
Interfaith Ministries' Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston program pro-vides nutritional support to help seniors stay independent and in their own homes.
Their programs — Meals on Wheels and aniMeals — assist more than 4,600 seniors in greater Houston to remain independent and in their own homes.
Meals on Wheels is a home delivered meal program for seniors with limited mobility, through the Harris County Area Agency on Aging. Interfaith Ministries is the largest provider of services in the Houston area. Each meal includes an entree, two 1/2-cup servings of fruit
or vegetables, bread, milk and whole fruit or dessert. They serve more than 4,600 seniors a hot meal each day.
This service is available to homebound individuals 60 years old and older and spouses of current service recipients.
aniMeals on Wheelsis a program in which volunteers deliver donated dog & cat food to Meals on Wheels seniors who have pets. The program was started because they found that seniors were sharing their limited food and resources with their pet companions. Your support helps them continue to deliver almost 5,000 pounds of pet food to 750 pets each month!
Donations are accepted in the form of wet and dry dog and cat food or gift cards to local stores which sell pet food. During May, we ask that members drop off pet food in the basket in the narthex.
Interfaith Ministries for Greater HoustonInterfaith Ministries (IM) brings people of diverse faith traditions together for dialogue, collaboration and service, as a demonstration of our shared beliefs.
It envisions a community of faith working and acting together in response to the Divine call to create a more just, compas-sionate, and caring society.
IM’s Core Beliefs are: Interfaith Ministries promotes a community where faith is vital for our life together.• People of faith are accountable for building a just and compassionate community.• There is value in working together in the community.•
IM works with 10 communities of faith, including Baha'I, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist and Zoroastrian. Together they provide the foundation upon which IM builds collaborative partnerships to serve seniors and refugees. Their programs advocate for the needs and rights of at-risk and special needs children, enhance the independence and dignity of low-income seniors, and improve the quality of life for refugees.
Collaboration among people of different faiths strengthens what IM accomplishes and bridges misunderstandings among people of diverse beliefs. IM serves individuals in a ten-county, greater Houston area with the help of over 2,000 volunteers.
Interview with Presenta Cabascango
submitted by Julie Giam
Do you have a special pet or have a soft spot in your heart for animals? If so, you have much in common with fellow CTK member Presenta Ca-bascango. She loves cats, and has three cats of her own, but does so much more for other animals. She, along with her parents, feeds any cat that comes to their door. She will even take a stray cat to be spayed or neutered if she can catch one, which is not as easy as it may sound.
Presenta has been a generous supporter of an-iMeals on Wheels, founded so that homebound seniors enrolled in the Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston program through Interfaith Ministries, would not feel compelled to share their limited food and resources with their pet. Making this small gesture of donating cat or dog food for aniMeals is a significant act of service for a senior who relies on this program to feed their four-legged friend. For many seniors, a pet is their only companion. Having a pet, Presenta says “completes your life.” She talks about how much her parents love and rely on their cats for com-panionship and entertainment. Her mom has a special bond with the youngest cat, about 3 years old, and she loves watching and playing with the kittens that come to visit and find a welcoming meal. Her father has been her primary inspiration for loving and caring for animals. Without pets, she says, “life would be boring!”
www.imgh.org
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Luther Lectures Available to Check OutYou are invited to check out CDs of the Luther Lectures recorded at the Martin Luther Jubilee in Washington DC on November 6-12, 1983.
These lectures are provided by the Rev. Arthur Preisinger, attendee of the Martin Luther 500th anniversary jubilee conference in 1983.
This audio library of CDs is in the narthex.
Class for New Members and InquirersA class about Christian faith in its Lutheran expression will be held Friday, May 10, 7 – 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The class helps to make mean-ing of baptism and the baptismal life following out of it. We use Martin Luther’s Small Catechism written over 400 years ago as a guide for life in the faith. The class is open to inquirers, those seeking membership at Christ the King Church by baptism or affirmation of their baptism, and members wishing to refresh their memory on some of the basic tenets of our faith. A minimum of 8 participants is necessary for the class to take place. To sign up please contact the church office, [email protected] or 713-523-2864, ext. 1021. Childcare is available when requested in advance.
New Class: Worship Matters. An Introduction to WorshipFive Wednesdays: May 8 through June 5, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Second Floor Council Room
Are you new to Lutheranism or Christianity and curious about the things that happen in worship? Have you been a Lutheran all of your life and want to learn more about the traditions, innovations, or deeper meanings of our liturgies? Why does worship look or sound like it does at Christ the King Church, and how does our worship practice compare to other Lutheran congregations, or other worshipping
Christians around the globe? Maybe you are curious why Evangelical Lutheran Worship, our worship book published in 2006, suggested some changes from the previous books – changes in words, or ac-tions, or emphases. If any of these questions are your own, or if you have other questions about worship, this course is for you!
This 5-session introductory course has been developed to help participants grow into a richer understanding of the foundations of Lutheran worship. With a focus on the principal gathering around word and sacrament, this course explores the foundational ques-tions about why we gather, how we encounter God in worship, and how that encounter shapes our response in both our communities and our world. Topics include the Church Year, the Lectionary, Holy
Baptism, Holy Communion, Corporate Prayer, Worship and Culture, and more.
Mark Mummert, Director of Worship, will teach this course. Prior to assuming his roles on the ministry team and as musician at Christ the King Church in 2008, he was Seminary Musician at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (1990-2008) where he con-ducted the Seminary Choir, was Cantor to the daily Chapel, and taught courses in hymnody, church music, and liturgical studies. He was active on the editorial teams that assembled Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Mark serves on the advisory council of the Institute of Liturgical Studies at Valparaiso University, and his musical compositions for Christian worship and essays on worship are published by Augsburg Fortress and MorningStar Music.
The textbook for the course is available for purchase online at: http://store.augsburgfortress.org/store/product/17508/Worship-Matters-An-Introduction-to-Worship-Participant-Book. Copies of the book can also be purchased from the CTK book cart in the narthex at the cost of $7.00. All adults are welcome to attend. While attendance at all five sessions is encouraged, this is a course that is possible if a participant can only make several or a few sessions.
Summer Book ReviewsThe summer book reviews are a beloved tradition as an educational offering on Sundays during the summer months. All interested in presenting a book are invited to contact Dr. John Boles ([email protected]) with title, author and available Sundays this summer. While the choice of topic is free, the tradition has been to address topics of a religious, theological, or ethical nature.
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Sunday ForumSundays at 9:45 a.m.
in the basement classroomMembers are invited to suggest speakers or
topics. Contact Donna Olson-Salas with your ideas at [email protected]
May 5Spirituality in 19th and 20th Century ArtProfessor Jessica Locheed
Christ the King Church member and art histo-rian Dr. Jessica Locheed
will lead Sunday Forum in observations on art and spirituality in the works of 19th and 20th Century artists such as Paul Gauguin, German Expressionists Emil Nolde and Karl Schmidt-Rotloff; Alexej Jawlensky; Kazimir Malevich and Piet Mondrian. Jessica will enlighten the Forum about these artists’ religious backgrounds and show how their work was part of their spiritual practice.
May 12 Advocacy for Social Justice Federico SalasAs Christians we are called to action when we witness injustice. The ELCA believes that doing justice, means addressing inequities in political, economic and social systems and that only working for justice we can make lasting changes that reduce the need for charity. How do we respond to this call to action? What is our role, as members of the body of Christ, in addressing injustice and becoming involved in advocacy work? We are going to discuss the meaning of advocacy within the church and in our communities and the steps we can take to educate ourselves and others resulting in meaningful action. The concerns of social justice are many but our power as Christians with a vocation of service enables us to make a dif-ference; we just need to know what to do and how. See page 5 for more.Federico Salas-Isnardi, a member of Christ the King since 1987, is an adult literacy specialist with Texas A&M University where he also is pursuing a PhD in adult education. He is a professional development expert who speaks around the nation on issues of education in the 21st century, leadership, social justice, anti-bullying education, and immigration reform. He has co-authored a multimedia series of textbooks to teach English as a second language and serves on a number of state and national educational organization boards.
May 19 Justice Fair in the courtyard“…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 (NRSV)
Visit the tables in the courtyard on Sunday, May 19, during the Sunday School hour to learn ways that you can make your voice heard on behalf of others through advocacy opportunities.
May 26 The Cyrus CylinderProfessor Matthias HenzeCyrus II of Persia, victorious over the Babylonian Empire in 539 B.C.E., is mentioned over 20 times in the Hebrew Bible. The prophet Isaiah praises the Persian king as “anointed” by the God of Israel, as Cyrus liberated the Israelites (along with other subjugated peoples), and encouraged them to return to their homeland and to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
In this richly illustrated talk, Dr. Matthias Henze—the Watt J. and Lilly G. Jackson Chair in Biblical Studies and Professor of Religious Studies, and Founding Director, Program in Jewish Studies, Rice University—compares the words of Cyrus, ruler of the world’s largest empire in that age, from his famous cylinder with what the Hebrew Bible records of the Persian monarch, to show why the remarkable legacy of Cyrus the Great remains so strong.
Justice Fair on Pentecost Sunday - May 19
“…and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with
your God?” Micah 6:8 (NRSV)
Visit the tables in the courtyard on Sunday, May 19, during the Sunday School hour to learn ways that you can make your voice heard on behalf of others through advocacy opportu-nities.
Christ the King Church has a long history with many ministries of both charity and justice. Charity can be defined as responding to the imme-diate needs of hurting people in our world. We express our congregational call to charity through ministries such as Christian Community Service Center, SEARCH Homeless Services, Houston Food Bank, World Hunger Appeal and the Hospitality Apartments. Justice, on the other hand, is defined as changing the systems to reduce suffering and removing barriers that keep people separated. This is expressed through advocacy, community organizing, cul-tural immersion and accompaniment, etc. We express our congregational call to justice through such things as email and letter-writing campaigns, our Cre-ation Care Team, the ONE Campaign, Bread for the World, Texas Impact, trips to visit our companion synods, purchasing Fair Trade coffee and edu-cational and participatory events (i.e. April’s Sunday Forum conversations on the proposed ELCA Social Justice state-ment on Criminal Justice). Both charity and justice responses are important; however only justice has the capacity to make lasting changes that reduce the need for charity. Christian Justice welcomes and respects all people—and works toward the ultimate goal of loving our neighbors as ourselves. The new Christ the King Justice Team hopes to strengthen our congregation’s call to promote justice over the coming years. Visit the courtyard on May 19 for ideas and conversation on how you can get involved in doing justice in our community and the world.
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Social Justice and Advocacy in the Church
submitted by Federico Salas-Isnardi, April 2013
What is advocacy? How do we advocate for causes that interest us? What is the role of the church in social justice advocacy? Is it our role to engage?
As we devote our attention to social justice, we must answer these and similar questions if we are to respond to the call that, as Christians, we receive to be witnesses to the Gospel and to make this world a better place for our families, for our neighbors, and for our future. Before we attempt to understand what advocacy is, we should address the difference between the work of charity and the concern for justice. The Texas Louisiana Synod of the ELCA expresses the definitions simply:
Charity: Responding to the immedi-ate needs of hurting people in our world. This is expressed through food pantries, homeless shelters, programs and services, etc.
Justice: Changing the systems to re-duce suffering and removing barriers that keep people separated. This is ex-pressed through advocacy, community organizing, cultural immersions and accompaniment, etc.
“Both responses are important,” says the church, “yet only justice has the capacity to make lasting changes that reduce the need for charity. Christian Justice welcomes and respects all people.”
Advocacy: If we are to express our work for justice through advocacy, as invited to do by the church, then we need to understand what advocacy is.
As a student of language, when I search for a meaning, I always look first to the etymology of a vocable; more often than not, in the origins of a word I find its true essence. To advocate comes from Latin Ad (toward) and Vocare (to call.) To advocate, then, is to call one’s attention toward a particu-lar situation or to call someone to witness a condition. As Christians we are called to be vocal witnesses of God’s Grace and have a vocation to serve our less fortunate brothers and sisters. But we also have a responsibility to be advocates for our neighbors and our Earth. We are both called and callers. Our Christian vocation of service is made manifest through our advocacy for justice in the world.
Our church is committed to advocating for social justice; according to the ELCA’s web advocacy page, “Lutherans believe advocacy is a public witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ where the Church speaks with and on behalf of others in need.” “Doing justi ce,� according to the ELCA, “means ad-“Doing justi ce,� according to the ELCA, “means ad-Doing justice,� according to the ELCA, “means ad-dressing inequities in political, economic and social systems.
It works to restore relations among people and with the earth to the way God intended them to be. It means challenging ourselves to step outside our comfort zones.” According to the Johns Hopkins International Fellows in Charity, social justice advocacy is an obligation of a civil society and, ultimately, it involves overcoming inequities in the distribution of power or resources. If advocacy is a responsibility of a civil society it is also a calling of the church. This calling to service can take many guises but, at one time or another, being an advocate may mean taking a risk outside our comfort zone. Many of us feel uncomfortable or unskilled in the work of advocacy but need not feel that way.
Advocacy works along a contin-uum at the beginning of which we start by becoming aware of a social injustice. It is not shameful not to be aware but it is to be aware and not to at-tempt to do anything as we are called by Christ to do and as we are able to do. The next step is to educate ourselves about the issues understanding that we cannot call others to action until
we are aware of all implications of a problem. At this stage we start learning about policies, practices, cultural and social norms surrounding the injustice we want to address, and become aware of ways in which we can help address inequities. Advocacy, then, requires us to be involved and to be active. We advocate for justice by “calling attention” to the conditions of injustice, pow-erlessness, poverty, abuse, hunger, and the destruction of our natural environment which is God’s Creation. We then take action helping our neighbors, writing let-ters, participating in marches, gatherings, educational events. We organize, we immerse ourselves in advocacy groups, and we stand side by side with those oppressed by injustice. As a congregation, we join forces with other members and with other congregations concerned with the same injustices. We form or join action networks. We remind each other of our Christian calling. At the other end of the continuum, advocates educate others and foster the birth of new advocates.
The work of charity is aimed at ameliorating the re-sults of inequity while the work of advocacy, which we embrace as Christians, calls us to action to change the social conditions and the structures that generate injustice. Join me and the other Social Justice Ministry volunteers during the month of May and every month thereafter; the work of advocacy goes on.
Advocacywww.elca.org/advocacy
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The ONE Lutheran Campaign is a col-laborative effort with ONE to rally Lu-therans to the cause of ending poverty in our world and achieving the Mil-lennium Development Goals (MDGs). ONE is a grassroots campaign backed by more than 2 million people who are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, par-ticularly in Africa.
ONE holds world leaders to account for the commitments they've made to fight extreme poverty, and cam-paigns for better development policies, more effective aid and trade reform. ONE also supports greater democ-racy, accountability and transpar-ency to ensure policies to beat poverty are implemented effectively. Learn more about The ONE Campaign at www.one.org.
Fair Trade CoffeeFair Trade coffee from Equal Exchange is on sale after services and through the church office.
Equal Exchange, founded in 1986, is the oldest and largest for-profit Fair Trade company in the US. They offer organic, gourmet coffee, tea, sugar, cocoa, and chocolate bars produced by democratically run farmer co-ops in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. More information at www.equalexchange.coop. Equal Exchange is a partner of Lutheran World Relief.
Mother’s Day Offering of Letters Bread for the World’s 2013 Offering of Letters will be held after each service at Christ the King Church on Sunday, May 12, Mother’s Day.
What is an Offering of Letters? Each year, Bread mem-bers and friends write to their members of Congress,
advocating for policies that help end hunger in the United States and around the world.
How is this year's Offering of Letters dif-ferent than in the past? The 2013 Offering of Letters includes signing a petition to the president as well as writing letters to Con-gress. Now is the time for a bold, unified plan to end hunger in the United States and abroad. Writing letters to Congress is par-ticularly important this year as lawmakers continue to negotiate the federal budget. Letters (and calls and email messages) help give them the political will to protect programs that help hungry and poor people. Those programs are at great risk and any cuts will significantly harm the lives of thousands or millions of people.
What does the Bible say about hunger? Throughout scripture, God's king-dom is portrayed with ample food and drink and a place for all people at the table. Read our biblical reflection about the biblical basis for our Offering of Letters at www.bread.org.
How does the film A Place at the Table help our efforts to end hunger? This year Bread for the World is an alliance partner for A Place at the Table, a feature-length documentary about the persistence of hunger in America. Showing around the country and available on-demand, the film gives ad-vocates an excellent opportunity to raise awareness. Get more information about the film and supplementary material—including a discussion guide—http://www.bread.org/ol/2013/a-place-at-the-table/
How can I learn more about the issues? You can find videos, stories, fact sheets, links, and more on Bread for the World’s Learn the Issues page, www.bread.org.
Advocacy Requested by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee ServicesOn Wednesday, April 24, a comprehensive immigration reform bill was in-troduced in the U.S. Senate.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) has designated the state of Texas as one of the four priority states to conduct far reaching advocacy work that will result in the successful passage of a humane Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) bill that aligns with LIRS Principles emphasizing family unity and earned pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocu-mented immigrants in our country.
As Lutherans, we are called to bear prophetic witness to God’s love for all people and stand in solidarity with migrants and refugees. It is really criti-cal that the voices of faith communities, particularly those of Lutherans are heard loud and clear in support of CIR by our elected officials. Please check out www.lirs.org for more information on how you can Stand for Welcome and drop by the Social Justice Fair in the Christ the King Church courtyard during the Sunday School hour on May 19.
For information on justice advocacy efforts in the state of
Texas, check out www.texasimpact.org.
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Lutherans Respond to West, Texas DisasterLutheran Social Services of the South continues to accept monetary contributions to help with needs arising out of the devastating explosion in West, Texas. LSS Disaster Response is a key partner of the Texas Voluntary Organiza-tions Active in Disaster (VOAD), a broad statewide network of agencies that specialize in disaster response. LSS will be there as long as they are needed to assist and bring help, healing and hope to those impacted. When disaster strikes, their focus is always:
• Short-term emergency needs• Long-term response and recovery• Spiritual/emotional careYou may contribute to LSS directly at www.lssdisasterresponse.org.
Ascension DayThursday, May 9 8:15 a.m. Holy Communion
April 28:Sharon BottsCindy MurphyJenna NassifAmelie EdelmannTod SchenckMichael EdelmannKristen HawleyDustin Irvin Michelle JenningsMichael LinbergTerry MarksElaine McAnellyMolly MillerJodi NashEmmi RautioAnna Marie SmithIsabella SmithJeff ThompsonCheryl Pfennig
May 5:Lori ScottDiane PerssonMichael NassifRobert MooreSharmon HansenRandy NaquinCecilia WangChristopher WoodAllegra JohnsonJanice StuffClara HaymonSophie SantanaPreston WeatherlyJoseph Winston IVCathleen TrechterBud WendtGentiana WenzelLeslie Winesett
May 12:Matthew ThompsonPeter BryantRebecca ShieldsChase Batten-SmithThomas DeVanyLinda KuiskEllen NewcasterMicah KenfieldJillian TsaiMelissa WhiteBailey Boles
May 19:Anthony LloydJulia TammGeorge RandtNathaniel SharmaAnn GebuhrBradley WhiteJoan Adams
Celebrate your
BaptismalAnniversary!
“Remember and rejoice, Renewed by floods of grace. We bear the sign of Jesus Christ, That time cannot erase.” (ELW 454)
May 26:Augustin LiebsterKatherina BrinkSabine BrinkJohn ArdeelEric DrakeJamie GiamAlexander GonzalesAnnabella LoTurcoKaelyn NishimuraMichael SandozLinda EklofGalen KragasChloe’ Godret-MiertschinMinush AzariLea MiertschinMatthew WinstonMike ThackerJimmy CastroMichael EdelmannKristen HawleyDustin IrvinMichelle JenningsMichael LinbergTerry MarksElaine McAnellyMolly MillerJodi NashEmmi RautioAnna Marie SmithIsabella SmithJeff Thompson Tassilo Friberg
Do You Speak a Foreign Language?Each year on Pentecost Sunday (May 19), we invite those who speak or read a language other than English to participate in the reading from the book of Acts. We encourage wide participa-tion from all who worship with us. The readings will be done from the seats, taking place simultaneously with the languages filling the nave. Please contact Cheryl Gaspard in the church office (713-523-2864 or [email protected]) for more information or a copy of the reading in your language.
Synod Assembly 2013May 16-18 Camp Allen, Navasota, TX
Join Pr. Liebster and Christ the King Church’s voting del-egates (Lucky Sahualla, Tim Lenz, Bill Pelham and Carolyn Phillips) at the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod Conven-tion in the Piney Woods of Camp Allen for this year’s Synod Assembly. More information can be found at www.gulfcoastsynod.org.
Dr. Margot Käßmann will preach on June 8 and 9.
Ambassador for Reformation Anniversary will Visit Christ the King Church June 8-9Professor Margot Käßmann (CASE - mun) will preach at
Christ the King Church on June 8 and 9. Pastor Käßmann is ambas-sador of the Protestant Church of Germany advancing the �Luther Decade� leading up to the Obser-vance of the 500th Anniversary of the German Reformation in 2017. Dr. Käßmann’s visit will conclude a U.S. tour of Lutheran sites includ-ing the Lutheran Center in Chicago, Lutheran School of Theology at
Chicago, Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN, and the Central States Synodical Assembly in Kansas City, MO. Dr. Käßmann has served as Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hanover and as Presiding Bishop of the Protestant Church of Germany.
Join us for the celebration of Ascension Day in the court-yard (weather permitting) on Thursday, May 9 at 8:15 a.m. This worship service around the fountain will include a devotion and Holy Communion.
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For information on the Luther League, contact Tim Lenz 713-523-2864 or [email protected].
Faith on TapYoung Adults are invited to t h e G i n g e r Man pub lo-
cated at 5607 Morningside Dr. on Sunday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. to meet new friends, enjoy beer, and discuss faith, religion, worship, and any-thing in between concerning how to live out faith. Pr. Moore will lead this session of what is a monthly time to hang out. For more informa-tion contact Pr. Brad Fuerst at [email protected] or Tim Lenz at [email protected].
Luther League MeetingsThe Luther League is open to all youth in 6th - 12th grade. The group meets on Sunday nights at 6:00 p.m. in the basement youth room. Meet-ings include fellowship, games, dinner, Bible study, and discussions. Friends and visitors are always welcome!
Rice Baseball GameYouth and parents are invited to watch the Rice Owls take on Marshall University on May 12 at 1 p.m. at Reckling Park. Special discount tickets have been reserved for our group. We will meet with members and players from Rice’s Fellow-ship of Christian Athletes before the game. Contact Tim Lenz to reserve your ticket.
May5 Luther League 6 p.m.12 Graduation Milestone at both services Rice Baseball Game 1 p.m. 19 Pentecost Picnic - LL cooking fajitas! No Luther League Meeting26 Pool Party 4 p.m. Peru Trip Meeting 12:30 p.m.
June2 Confirmation Sunday Taco Sale 9:45 a.m.12-15 Galveston Service Trip TBA24-28 Disciple Project
Pentecost PicnicYouth and parents are needed on May 19 to help set up and cook for the Pentecost Picnic. Volunteers are needed for food prep and cooking, decorating courtyard and parish hall, and leading games.
Pool PartyThe Luther League is invited to a pool party on May 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. at a location TBA. We will enjoy hamburgers, swimming, and fellowship. All attending must RSVP by May 24.
Galveston Mission Trip in JuneSave the date for the Luther League mission trip to Galveston Island June 12-15. Students 7th grade and up are invited to the island for service and fellowship for 3 days. Youth will volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club of Galveston located on the island each day before enjoying fellowship in the afternoon and evenings. The fee of $100 ($150 for two) includes transportation, lodging, entertainment, and all meals. We are also in need of drivers and/or chaperones.
Disciple ProjectYouth in 8th - 12th grade are encouraged to be part of this special experi-ence June 24-28 at Texas Lutheran University. The week is spent in worship, Bible Study, learning tracks and fun events each evening. Youth will lodge in the dorms, eat in the dining hall and enjoy campus life at Texas Lutheran University. One of the most effective components of The Disciple Project is the wide variety of Learning Tracks developed each year. The goal is leadership through discipleship by connecting to passions, gifts, skills and daily life. Tracks target specific audiences, engage a variety of ages and have different outcomes that get carried home with each participant. Tracks include a variety of arts, theater, music, photography, social me-dia, justice, sports, and learning. Contact Tim Lenz for more information. Deadline to register is May 31.
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The Class of 2013Congratulations and Best Wishes to All Graduates
Our High School Graduates:Blake Bourne will graduate in May from Strake Jesuit Prepara-tory School where he is a National Honor Society member and plays Varsity Rugby. He was recently awarded the rank of Eagle Scout and received a scholarship from the Optimist Foundation. He will attend Rice University in the fall where he will study engineering.
Braden Stotmeister will graduate from Clements High School, Sugar Land, this June and will attend the University of Texas – Austin in the fall majoring in Computer Science.
Raven Witchelhaus is home schooled and taking courses at Mainland College. After graduating, she will continue her studies at Mainland College and then plans to transfer to the University of St. Thomas and major in English and history. She has loved playing volleyball and studying Japanese over the last 4 years.
Dylan Beckman is graduating from Episcopal High School. She ran the Houston Marathon as a junior and participated in photography and various art classes at EHS. She went on our congregation’s first Peru immersion trip and returned the following summer with the youth group. Next year she will at-tend Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut to study photography as well as liberal arts.
Franz Liebster is graduating from Bellaire High School with the International Baccalaureate Diploma and plans to attend Trinity University to study German, English, and social sciences. Franz states, “My journey through high school has been filled with exciting challenges and countless blessings, many of which are connected to Christ the King. I am optimistic about the future and thankful for all those who have helped guide me along this path.”
Christian Segner will graduate from St. John’s School on May 21. He played for four years on the varsity baseball team at St. John’s. He also participated in Young Life and volunteered at Amazing Place. In the fall, Christian will attend Texas A&M University majoring in Construction Science.
Josephine Gottfried is graduating from Houston School for Per-forming and Visual Arts. She plans to attend The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford, CT in the fall where she will work toward a BFA in Musical Theatre.
Erik Biegert will graduate from Bellaire High School where he was on the yearbook staff and Sinfonia. He was also a member of the National Honor Society. Erik will attend Rice University this fall where he plans to study Physics.
Nils Krahe will graduate from Bellaire High School and attend the University of Arkansas in the fall.
Matthew Willcockson is graduating from Challenge Early Col-lege High School. He has been attending classes at Houston Community College, and expects to earn his Associate’s Degree this summer. He has been accepted at both University of Hous-ton College of Engineering and Texas Tech University, but has not decided on a school as of today.
Our College and Post-Graduates:Emily Snyder is graduating from Rice University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. She has already headed off to boot camp, after which Emily will be playing second oboe and English horn in the U.S. Air Force Band. We’re grateful to Emily for sharing her musical gifts with our congregation while a student at Rice.
Isaac Graham will graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Stud-ies in May. In August of this year, he will begin service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua, teaching English in a secondary school.
Joseph Blake Winston, IV will graduate on May 19 from the Fordham University School of Law in New York, New York. He’s planning to come back to Texas and take the bar exam.
Johnny Longoria Jr will be receiving his Master’s Degree in Criminology from the University of Houston Clear Lake on May 19. He will continue employment as a State Game Warden with Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Laurie Hernandez and Mike Miller will graduate from University of Texas Houston Medical School on May 31. They will both start their 4 year psychiatry residency program at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio on July 1. Laurie plans to do a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellowship so she can ultimately work with inpatient troubled teens. Mike is considering a fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry. The couple plans on coming back to be married at Christ the King Church next April.
Recognition of 2013 Graduates on May 12 If you are receiving a degree from high school, undergraduate, or graduate programs, we would like to know! Email the church office with details about your graduation date and any plans you have for your future ([email protected]).
Graduates of all degrees will be invited to participate in a short rite of recogni-tion on May 12 at the 8:30 or 10:50 a.m. service. High school seniors will receive a gift from the Piecemakers.
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MeMbers i n MinistryLong Range Planning Committee: Update
submitted by Carolyn Phillips
Were you wondering what’s taking so long? Well, we have been making good behind the scenes progress. The congregation worked hard on inputs to the process and the LRP Commit-tee has been working on the results analysis (there were 700 comments to review, compare to the survey, etc. ).
We presented a preliminary report to Council at their January Retreat for discussion and then came back and expanded and modified the re-port with more detail and presented a “final” LRP proposal to Council in April. Then each of the Commissions (i.e. Worship & Music, Service & Care, etc.) that report through the Council, were charged to look at the priorities and ideas for their area of responsibly and come back to Council with a plan for implementation over the next 5-10 years. Deadlines were set and the plan is for a LRP report out to the congrega-tion in the fall. Council will present a formal long range plan and monitor its implementation.
A few areas are already in progress. Council is appointing a Capital Needs Assessment Committee using our in house experts to define in require-ments terms the data we need to go to a contractor to get bid estimates on items like the nave, parking, sacristy and other items that the congrega-tion clearly felt we needed to move on promptly.
Interview with Chaplain David StouterSubmitted by Julie Giam
David Stouter, a fellow member of CTK and also an ELCA pastor, is a chaplain at MD Anderson Hospital, and has ministered to patients there for the past five years. Even before attending seminary and as a congregant, he visited fellow members when they were in the hospital. Before finishing seminary, he was a resident for two years in Clinical Pastoral Education in Richmond, VA. After graduation and ordination, he served as a congregational pastor for almost twenty years. During that time he did volunteer chaplaincy in local hospitals and hospices.
The Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy Division is David’s assigned area of ministry. Those receiving stem cell transplants are typically long-term patients, so David gets to know them and their families quite well. A special aspect of his chaplaincy work is performing a blessing at the time of a transplant, a high-risk procedure. Calling on God’s presence, he says a prayer for the patient and the donor, and gives thanks for the donor.
Joy is how David describes his feeling of being able to assist a patient dealing cancer. He facilitates patients use of their spiritial resources for coping with their illness, and for courage, strength, and meaning on what they are experienceing. He sees that people usually have a profoundly spiritual experience during their struggle with cancer. Their lives take on a deeper level of meaning. Sometimes their beliefs are shaken, and he helps them explore these.
David’s day may include a follow-up on a new referral, regular visits with patients, consultation with family, participation on a task force, interdisciplinary sharing with social workers, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and other team members, and even support to hospital staff. For instance, he may offer assistance to a therapist on how their faith can provide motivational support for the physical therapy regimen she has planned for a patient. He also carries a pager for emer-gencies that include a death or a cardiac crisis.
The greatest challenge in his work is when death is near. He describes this time as “energy drawing and dramatic.” He relates that his hearing must be very sharp at this crucial time. “We come alongside someone’s journey. One must honor the invitation.”
Serve Breakfast at SEARCHChrist the King Church members and friends volunteer on the third Wednes-day of each month to serve breakfast and assist with the preparation of the noon meal for clients of SEARCH Home-less Services. Our next outing will be on Wednesday, May 15, 7:30 - 11:00 a.m. Contact Beverly Davis at [email protected] or 713-523-2864 ext. 27.
Feed the HomelessJoin us on the 2nd and 4th Monday eve-nings of each month at Christ the King Church to make sandwiches and prepare meals, and then deliver them to downtown homeless individuals. Members and friends are invited to join in this ministry carried out by the young adults of Christ the King Church. Volunteers are welcome to help out with meal preparation, downtown delivery, or both! We will meet on May 13 and May 27, at 5:45 p.m. Contact Wendy Wiker at 713-702-0808 [email protected].
Montrose Grace PlaceMontrose Grace Place offers vulner-able youth ages 13-21 a hot meal and a safe, welcoming shelter from the street every Thursday evening from 6 to 10 p.m. We will be providing dinner on May 9 (second Thursday of each month). We can always use more volunteers to cook and to help set up and serve the meals. Contact Rebecca Shields at [email protected] to volunteer.
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Christ the King Lutheran Church 11
Saturday May 11
Leave the church at 7:45 a.m. Return at noon. For information, contact Anna at [email protected]
houston food bank
submitted by Linda Schoene, Congregational Nurse
Healthy People 2020The US Department of Health and Human Services unveiled Healthy People 2020 in December, 2010. Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health stated, “Healthy People is the nation’s roadmap and compass for better health, providing our society a vision for improving both the quantity and quality of life for all Americans.”
Healthy People 2020 is the third health initiative provid-ing evidenced-based ten year national objectives aimed at improving America’s health. The previous initiatives were successful in meeting or making progress in 71% of the stated goals focused at increasing quality and years of life and eliminating health disparities. Topic areas representing 600 objectives and 1200 measures focus on such health concerns as cancer, heart disease, nutrition and weight status, access to health services, physical activity, diabetes, respiratory diseases and sub-stance abuse. Nearly half of all Americans report living with a chronic disease such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, asthma, heart disease or COPD. All of these conditions impact both quality of life and how well individuals function in their activities of daily living.
It is interesting to note that according to a CDC study in 2011, nearly half of older Americans are not utilizing a core set of preventive services even when they are cov-ered by private insurance or Medicare/Medicaid. Such measures include vaccinations against influenza and pneumonia, screening services for diabetes, osteoporo-sis, lipid disorders, breast cancer and colorectal cancer, and counseling for smoking cessation. This speaks to the individual responsibility for health maintenance and the need to improve access to care.
A small set of the Healthy People 2020 objectives, Lead-ing Health Indicators, were chosen to communicate high priority health issues that draw attention to both individual and societal determinants that impact public health. Three of these indicators are: 1. Access to oral health issues. Oral health is linked to overall health. 2. Clinical preventive services to promote effective use of disease screening and immunizations, and 3. Reduce preterm births. Well-being of mothers, infants and children impacts the health of future generations.
For more detailed information go to www.healthypeople.gov/2020
Are You Prepared for Tomorrow and the Tomorrows to Come?Saturday, June 22, 2013As we prepare for the future we do not know what tomorrow may bring and how life will impact our children, our parents and our families. On Saturday, June 22, interested adults of all ages are invited to a workshop designed to provide information related to preparing for tomorrow. In addition to the topics listed below, Linda Schoene, Congregational Nurse will facilitate a discussion on how to prepare for interaction with doctors and hospitals. More details will follow.
Christina Lesher, attorney and advocate for elder rights, will de-scribe all the legal documents that everyone needs to have in place along with a comparison of Medicare vs. Medicaid benefits related to nursing home care.
Representatives from Bradshaw Carter Funeral Home will share the components of funeral preparation and what the processes are when a loved one dies.
Kurt Goedecke, Thrivent Financial representative will discuss finan-cial planning across the lifespan.
A panel discussion will explore answers to the questions, “What do adult children expect from their aging parents and what do parents expect from their adult children?”
On Saturday, March 11, 2013, 32 stalwart, smart, industrious, and loving Christ the King Church volunteers packed 17 3/4 pallets of boxes with 17 individual items of food. In doing so, they hoisted 15,300 pounds of food into 595 boxes, and provided 18,560 meals for women in need. And they did it with a smile! They stopped only when the Houston Food Bank ran out of cartons for this project. Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 11 when we will volunteer again to exercise our muscles and our hearts by helping our hungry community.
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Paul Kilpatrick
Sarah JespersonNyla Woods
We celebrate with Mark Mummert, Christ the King Church’s Director of Worship, on the publication in April of two of his recent choral works. The choral works are This Cross for 2-part mixed voices and Psalm 48 for 4-part mixed voices. The Augsburg Fortress description of Psalm 46 reports, “Mark Mummert has composed many psalm settings for Augsburg Fortress but none quite like this. The message is expertly reflect in the music, au-rally expressing the strengths, actions and emotions of the text.” Congratulations, Mark!
Congratulations to Jeff Hartley, recently retired after 31 years working for the Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company.
Larry and Patricia Wiese
Welcome NeW
members
Above: Lutheran Campus Ministry members and friends joined with groups all over America in a Run/Walk for Boston on Wednesday evening, April 17.
Below: Christ the King Church families and friends gather for fun and fellowship at the Lutherhill Family Retreat weekend in April.
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As the sun rises over the Emmanuel Health Center in Gallo a baby is born. She is welcomed into a part of the world that has one of the highest incidences of maternal/infant death in the world. The Emmanuel Health Center of the Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (EEL-RCA) is working to change those statistics. Since its doors opened in May, 2010, the number of patients seeking health care keeps growing and Emmanuel ‘s sustainability depends on the partnership of over twenty supporters from the US, Europe and CAR.
On Sunday, May 19, 4-6:00 p.m., Rev. Tim Iverson, Direc-tor of Global Health Ministries will present the inspiring story of Emmanuel Health Center during a wine & cheese reception at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 2353 Rice Blvd., Houston. We invite, in particular, medical profes-sionals and others interested in health care in our com-panion synod to attend this event.
There is a Balm in Gallo, Central African RepublicGlobal Health Ministries facilitates the intentional col-laboration that makes the work of Emmanuel more sustainable. Among its American partners are the Com-panion Synods of the ELCA in CAR: Eastern and Western North Dakota Synods and the Texas-Louisiana Synod Gulf Coast Synod. Global Health Ministries works with these supporters to solicit donations of money and medical sup-plies, and to promote sharing medical expertise through training programs and volunteer service at the Center. Past Mission Offerings here at CTK have been donated to Emmanuel.
While not required, RSVP’s will be appreciated. For in-formation or RSVP: Carolyn Jacobs [email protected] or Linda Schoene, [email protected].
Sunday, May 19 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
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1 National Day of Prayer 2 3 4
Sixth Sunday of Easter 5 6 7 8 Ascension of Our Lord 9 10 11
Seventh Sunday of Easter12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Day of Pentecost 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
The Holy Trinity 26 Memorial Day 27 28 29 30 31
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
May 2013
Mother’s Day
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex Last WNA of the semester5:30 pm Wednesday Night Alive!
Potluck Dinner6:15 pm Program6:15 pm Brass Choir7:30 pm Choir and Chorus
8:15 am Morning Prayer10:00 am Piecemakers, 2nd flr
All Day Tag Sale setup8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex9:00 am Prayer Shawl ministry, 3rd floor10:00 am Friday Morning Bible
Study, council room5:00 pm Wedding rehearsal
8:00 am Tag Sale9:00 am German school1:00 pm Yoga, basement4:00 pm Wedding, Burford-Mazac5:15 pm Taizé rehearsal, nave6:00 pm Taizé Worship and Prayer
Around the Cross, nave
8:30 am Worship9:45 am Sunday Church School9:45 am Sunday Forum10:50 am Worship6:00 pm Luther League
Church Office Closed8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex6:00 pm Executive Committee, 3rd floor
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex12 noon Godly Play network6:15 pm Brass Choir6:30 pm Worship Matters class7:30 pm Choir and Chorus
8:15 am Holy Communion10:00 am Piecemakers, 2nd flr6:00 pm Community of Hope,
nave & narthex6:00 pm Montrose Grace Place
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex9:00 am Prayer Shawl ministry, 3rd floor10:00 am Friday Morning Bible
Study, council room
7:45 am Trip to Houston Food Bank
9:00 am German school1:00 pm Yoga5:15 pm Taizé rehearsal, nave6:00 pm Taizé Worship and Healing Blessing, nave
8:30 am Worship9:45 am Sunday Church School9:45 am Sunday Forum10:50 am Worship1:00 pm Luther League at Rice Baseball game5:15 pm Illuminations 6:00 pm Bach Vespers7:30 pm Faith on Tap, offsite
Church Office Closed8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex5:45 pm Feed the Homeless
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex7:15 pm Congregation Council,
council room
7:30 am Searve breakfast at SEARCH8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex6:15 pm Brass Choir6:30 pm Worship Matters class7:30 pm Choir and Chorus
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex10:00 am Piecemakers, 2nd flr7:00 pm Campus Ministry, council room
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex9:00 am Prayer Shawl ministry, 3rd floor10:00 am Friday Morning Bible
Study, council room6:00 pm Wedding rehearsal 7:00 pm Science & Religion
9:00 am German school Altar Guild Outing11:00 am Wedding Muellner-Horn1:00 pm Yoga5:15 pm Taizé rehearsal, nave6:00 pm Taizé Worship, nave7:00 pm Parents Night Out
8:30 am Worship9:45 am Sunday Church School9:45 am Sunday Forum9:45 am Confirmation Breakfast10:50 am Worship4:00 pm CAR Presentation6:00 pm Luther League
Church Office Closed8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex 8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex6:15 pm Brass Choir6:30 pm Worship Matters class7:30 pm Choir and Chorus
8:15 am Morning Prayer10:00 am Piecemakers, 2nd flr
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex9:00 am Prayer Shawl ministry, 3rd floor10:00 am Friday Morning Bible
Study, council room
9:00 am German school1:00 pm Yoga, basement classroom5:15 pm Taizé rehearsal, nave6:00 pm Taizé Worship, nave
Blood Pressure Screenings8:30 am Worship9:45 am Sunday Church School9:45 am Sunday Forum10:50 am Worship6:00 pm Luther League
Church Office Closed8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex5:45 pm Feed the Homeless
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex 8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex6:15 pm Brass Choir6:30 pm Worship Matters class6:30 pm Confirmation practice, nave7:30 pm Choir and Chorus
8:15 am Morning Prayer10:00 am Piecemakers, 2nd flr
8:15 am Morning Prayer, narthex9:00 am Prayer Shawl ministry, 3rd floor
Lesser Festivals and Commemorations1 PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES2 Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, 373 4 Monica, mother of Augustine, 387 8 Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, c. 1416 9 Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, 1760 14 MATTHIAS, APOSTLE 18 Erik, King of Sweden, martyr, 1160 21 Helena, mother of Constantine, c. 330 24 Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543; Leonhard Euler, 1783; scientists27 John Calvin, renewer of the church, 1564 29 Jiri Tranovský, hymnwriter, 1637 31 VISIT OF MARY TO ELIZABETH
First Sunday after Pentecost
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