As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Christ the King Lutheran Church, it’s a good time to look back with gratitude to the people who helped build our congregation, from the early days, when we worshiped at Roberts Elementary School, to today, with our growing membership and service.
Serving God in this place requires time, talent and financial support from all of us. This month, we ask you to consider how you will participate in the life of the congregation during the coming year, financially and by pledging your time and talents to the Church’s ministry.
Some of our members have been faithful members for decades, while others have joined in recent years. Today, we number 840 people of faith, including 50 children younger than four years old. New members and old worship together in our nave, learn the Gospel and teach our children, enjoy fellowship and share in our commitment to people in need whether they are members of our congregation, in the Houston community, or elsewhere.
As members of Church Council, we understand our role as stewards of the resources entrusted to it. We are grateful for the contributions of the members of our congregation, but we also recognize that we must budget wisely and honestly describe the challenges faced by the congregation.
The fact is our giving does not match the increased activity and increased debt service that came with the completion of our new facilities. Right now, we are transferring about $18,000 per month from the Bridge to the Future account to Part 2 (building budget) to help cover our mortgage payment of $28,000 per month. One of the important conditions of the Bridge to the Future debt service and debt reduction campaign in 2003 was to reduce these transfers each year over a time span of three years. Our goal is to eliminate that transfer after 2006 and to pay our mortgage from regular giving; we’ve got a long way to go.
As you determine how you and your family will support the congregation financially in the coming year, please consider these questions:
Finally, do you give according to your means? This year, the pledge form includes a summary of your family’s giving over the past three years. Please consider increasing your financial contribution by at least one percent of your family’s annual income in order to help the congregation support our expanding ministry, maintain our facilities, service our debt, and prepare to face the challenges of our growth.
We know that not every member will be able to increase its financial contributions. But we also believe that many of us do have the ability to increase our giving. If we all increased our giving, we would be able to meet our debt service obligation from regular giving; address the needs of our growing congregation; plan for future growth; and increase support for hunger programs, for missionaries in Africa and Mexico, and for many other important programs serving the poor in Houston and elsewhere – as Christ instructed us to do.
On Festival weekend, we will ring new bells and celebrate 60 years answering God’s call to be the Church in this place. With prayer and commitment from each member, we can realize our shared vision in the years to come.
David Hollrah
Richard Harper
Daniel Johnson
Gaelyn Lesher
Brannon Lloyd
Bill Mintz
Russell Post
Cindi Scruggs
Susan Teich