Special

Uncomfortable in the Pew?

Orthopedic seat cushions are now available for use in pews and chairs in the nave. All who need extra support are welcome to request a cushion from the ushers.

Lutherans Celebrate 300 Years of Ministry in India

Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg arrived in Tranquebar on the southeast coast of India on July 9, 1706, to bring Lutheran piety to the Tamil people. He became a part of the Tamil culture, and 300 years later the mission he founded and the people he influenced celebrate his arrival.

A 16-member delegation from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will be on hand to help Lutherans in India celebrate the tercentenary of Ziegenbalg’s arrival including the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the ELCA.
For more information, see: www.elca.org/news.

Worship

Singing the Lord’s Prayer

We will continue to sing the Lord’s Prayer at the 8:30 and 10:50 a.m. services. The Lord’s Prayer will be sung during particular (but not all) seasons of the church year. This sung version is printed in the LBW in setting 3 (page 112) and appears also in the new hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

Prayer Requests

To add a loved one to the prayer list please complete a prayer request card, located in the pew fronts, or on the mobile bulletin board, and give it to an usher, email the church office or call 713-523-2864. ext 21.

Prayer List Available

A complete prayer list of all the people for whom we pray can be found on the literature rack in the narthex or on the permanent bulletin board by the first floor elevators in the ministry building

Music

Al Raja - Hope
Dancing in Hope, Dancing for Peace

Join a whirl of motion, color, and sound with the young people of the Al Raja Palestinian Folkloric Dance Troup on Monday, July 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the University of Houston, Cullen Performance Hall. Tickets are $10.

Al Raja - the name means “hope.” Christian and Muslim teens from the Evangelical Lutheran School of Hope in Ramallah are sharing their talent and a witness of hope with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and our community.

Celebrate with dance the living relationship we share with the Evangelical Luthehran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.
For more information, contact Brigitte or or see www.elca.org/peacenotwalls.

Music Camp in July!

Debbie Whitmire is offering a week long daytime music camp for babies, preschoolers and lower elementary children July 10-14 at Christ the King Church. This camp is fee-based and open to the community. Sessions are 45 minutes each. Schedule TBA. For information, contact Debbie Whitmire.

Fellowship

Join Us After Worship

Snacks, coffee, and juice will be provided after the 8:30 and 10:50 service. Please join us in the courtyard. Donations benefit world hunger.

Young Adult Perspectives

Young Adult Perspectives (“YAP” for short) is a student and young adult discussion group that meets on the 1st and 3rd Friday evenings of each month at 8:00 p.m. in the church basement. No preparation is necessary... just bring an open and inquiring mind. Join us on Friday, July 8. For information, contact Daria Nashat at or Eleanora Wendt.

Thousands of Lutheran Teenagers Worldwide Cross Borders this Summer

About 40,000 high-school-age and adult Lutherans from the United States and around the world will be crossing all kinds of borders to renew their faith as they gather for the 2006 Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The gathering will take place in two back-to- back events — July 5-9 and July 12-16 — in San Antonio, Texas.

The gathering will feature activities built around the theme “Cruzando: Journey with Jesus.” Cruzando is a Spanish word for “crossing.” The gathering will have a Latin emphasis, inviting participants to celebrate global diversity, nurture their faith, support and strengthen youth ministry. The ELCA Youth Gathering is held every three years under a unique theme.

Information about the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering is available at www.ELCA.org/gathering/home.html.
Information about the Lutheran Youth Organization is at www.ELCA.org/lyo.

National Youth Gathering in San Antonio

The 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering and Youth Ministry events will take place in San Antonio, Texas July 5-9.

Christ the King Church youth have prepared for this trip and raised funds during the last year and are ready for this life-changing experience.The theme for the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering is CRUZANDO Journey with Jesus.

Your Support for the National Youth Gathering - Luther League Dinner Raffle

Be the first to host an elegant dinner in your own home for up to six people with the meal prepared, served and cleaned away by the High School youth attending the National Gathering in San Antonio this summer! Tickets go on sale this Sunday, June 4. Tickets are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20 and the big drawing will be held between services on July 2. You do not need to be present to win, so buy multiple tickets to increase your chances of winning this exciting dinner party opportunity. We will negotiate the date for the dinner once the winner is announced. The culinary skills of the group are well known at Christ the King Church and we’re determined to work our way to the National Gathering! We appreciate all the support we have received from Christ the King Church members all year long and look forward to another chance to work together! If you have any trouble finding one of the youth to purchase tickets, contact Tim Lenz and he’ll get it worked out.

No Summer Wednesdays! This Week

Summer Wednesday! activities are cancelled this week due to the the 4th of July holiday. Wednesday night programs continue on July 12

Door Person Opportunities at Summer Wednesdays

Please consider assisting in the Godly Play classes for the 6 upcoming sessions. Door persons greet and assist with the children and no advance preparation is necessary. It’s a wonderful chance to become acquainted with Godly Play and get to know the children. Please contact Jennifer Martin

Fair Trade Coffee Sales Continue

Fair 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.

Houston Farmers Market at Christ the King Church

West University and Rice Village area residents may now enjoy the Houston Farmers Market on Tuesday evenings. The market is held on the parking lot of Christ the King Lutheran Church from 4 to 7:00 p.m. The market offers fresh organic produce.

Saturday Morning Yoga

Yoga classes meet on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.

Katherine Krause has been teaching yoga for 8 years and has been practicing yoga for 10 years. She also works in student support services in Fort Bend ISD. She teaches a gentle Hatha Yoga class that is for all ages and all levels. Yoga is good for releasing stress, toning the muscles, increasing flexibility and just feeling good!!! You will be practicing yoga on a hard floor so you should bring a mat or foam for comfort. The cost is $7 per person.

Lutheran Day at the Astros Benefits Lutheran Social Services

Support LSS Houston area ministries and watch your Astros battle the Arizona Diamondbacks at Lutheran Family Night at the Astros at Minute Maid Park on July 29. For more information or to make a reservation, call Brent Broussard at 713-259-8316.

Parents’ Night Out/Movies in the Hall

PNO/MITH CO-OP accepts new members year round, but our annual open enrollment period is now. All families of children ages infant through teen are encouraged to join. Expecting parents are encouraged to join and may work before their due date. The co-op not only provides the opportunity for adult interaction within families, but ministers to the children of the congregation as they play together and build lasting friendships within their spiritual community. Member families must sign the compact and pay an annual registration fee prior to using the co-op. The upcoming dates for 2006 are: July15, August 19, September16, October 21, November18, December 16, January 20, 2007.

Contact Barbara Scott to sign up.

Parents’ Night Out/Movies in the Hall (PNO/MITH) is an independent co-op of parents that use the church facilities at least once a month from 5:30 to 10:30 for affordable childcare. Two adult representatives from each family commit to work together ONE NIGHT during our calendar year which runs February through January. PNO offers age-appropriate care and activities for ages 5 and under in the nursery with the average cost being $10/child. MITH offers age-appropriate activities and movies for ages 6 and up in the parish hall supervised by 2 working parents. The normal cost of MITH is $1/child. The co-op uses an RSVP system to assure appropriate adult/child ratios and may limit the number of participants for an evening.

Building Godly Play Summer Workshop

The “Building Godly Play Summer Workshop” will meet every Sunday morning, beginning on June 11, at 9:45 in room 208. Workshop participants create and assemble lesson materials for our Godly Play classrooms. Any and all skills are welcome: cutting felt, assembling and gluing, lots of painting. This is a great way to become acquainted with the Montessori-based Godly Play curriculum in a playful, relaxed atmosphere. You may attend one session or all of them. No registration is required and all ages are invited.

Summer FAITH CAMP at Faith Lutheran Church

Day Camp: 5 years old and have attended pre-kindergarten, through 4th grade. An action-packed day for school children of Bible Stories, crafts, games (indoor & outdoor), songs, & more. Led by Small Group leaders and support staff.

Disciple Camp: Youth who have attended 5th & 6th grade. Pre-teens learning to serve God by helping others. Bible study and crafts connect faith in God with real life.

Support Staff: Those who have completed 7th grade on up... working & learning to minister in the name of God. Please obtain a staff application. Support staff must apply and go through an interview process.

Volunteers: Adults! Flexible schedules & those eager to assist youth leadership.

A supervised play time is available for campers who need to arrive early or stay late. Register by the week.

Dates: July 10-14, 17-21, and 24-28

Registration: $85 Scholarships available through application through the youth and family ministry office. Family Discounts: $5 per week for each additional child(ren).

For more information, contact Barbara Morgan

Education

Sunday Forum

Sunday Forum meets Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in the basement classroom.

Summer Book Reviews

July 2: Helen Viereck reviews Misquoting Jesus, by Bart D. Ehrman
July 9: Mary Ann Beseda reviews Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, by Temple Grandin
July 16: Allan Dieter reviews The Jesus Dynasty, by James D. Tabor
July 23: Bill Mintz reviews American Gospel, by Jon Meacham
July 30: Lydia Busch reviews The Last Week a Day-by-Day Account of Jesus’ Final Week in Jerusalem by Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan.
August 6: Michael Pullara reviews TBA
August 13: Chuck Alexander reviews Beyond Belief, by Elaine Pagels
August 20: David Frazier reviews TBA

SCS Music & Movies

From 9:45-10:45 on Sunday mornings, we offer Music & Movies in the parish hall for all interested children and their families. To give our children a knowledge and love of the music of the church, music instruction will be given from 9:45-10:15. They will learn Lutheran hymns, carols, liturgy, and camp songs in a fun format. During the rest of the session a movie from our large collection of children’s Bible lessons will be shown, beginning with the story of King David and continuing through the prophets. Movies will be shown in room 109. Come join us each week for Music and Movies. Volunteers are needed to watch the movie with the children. A sign-up sheet is posted on the door to the Toddler classroom where the movies will be shown or Marie Monroe to sign up or for more information.

“Understanding the Roman Catholic Church”

After centuries of mistrust, indifference and even hostility, Roman Catholics and Lutherans have spent the last 40 years in serious dialogue, locally, nationally and internationally. Yet many Lutherans and other Christians have a limited knowledge of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the largest Christian church body; each year over a million infants and 70,000 adults are baptized in U.S. Roman Catholic churches. Mosaic Television (a division of the ELCA) aims to help Protestant Christians and others develop a better understanding of the Roman Catholic Church, its history and basic beliefs by listening to Roman Catholics tell their own story. The 35-minute program covers Roman Catholic beliefs, church history and Catholic renewal. You can watch it on the web or order a copy in DVD or VHS format, with study guide enclosed by visiting www.elca.org/mosaic/RomanCatholic.

Service & Care

Community of Hope Celebrates St. Benedict’s Feast Day

All members of the Community of Hope and our Congregational Care Team are invited to a special Circle of Care in celebration of St. Benedict’s Day on Thursday, July 13, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Cha Foxhall (director of The Living Well Center for Psychotherapy, Spirituality, and Health and adjunct faculty at the Institute of Religion and Health) will conduct a wellness workshop. The content of the workshop is based on the latest and most up-to-date scientific and clinical research from the fields of mind/body medicine, psychoneuroimmunology, psychology, and neuroscience combined with time honored wisdom from ancient spiritual traditions emphasizing Benedictine spirituality.

All members interested in becoming involved in our congregational care ministries are invited to attend.

A light supper will be served, so please RSVP to Beverly Davis or 713-523-2864 ext. 27.

Is God Calling You to be a Lay Chaplain?

“Would my gifts and talents be put to good use in pastoral care ministry?”
If your answer to this question is “yes” or even “maybe,” you should know about the Community of Hope. In addition to providing 42 hours of training to equip laypersons to serve in pastoral care ministry as Lay Chaplains, the Community of Hope offers spiritual growth opportunities in a community shaped by prayer and Benedictine spirituality

Christ the King Lutheran Church will begin training classes on August 21.For more information or to register, please contact Beverly Davis or 713-523-2864 ext. 27.

Houston Food Bank - July 8

In May, Christ the King Church had 14 volunteers working hard on the “Lucy Line” at the Houston Food Bank, sorting and sanitizing food donated by grocery stores. Our next trip to the Houston Food Bank will be Saturday, July 8 from 8 a.m. - 12 noon. Please contact Anna Stock to volunteer.

ELCA Provides Funds to Support the Humanitarian Response in Darfur

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) provided $200,000 May 31 to support the humanitarian response in the Darfur region of western Sudan. A three-year conflict in Darfur has resulted in the deaths of some 200,000 to 400,000 people, and more than 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes.

There also have been “many reports of rapes, looting, burning of homes, and other untold atrocities committed against primarily ethnic Africans living in Darfur,” said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, in a May 19 statement to members of the church.
“Similar to the genocide in Rwanda, the world has waited too long to respond in outrage and has allowed a poorly funded humanitarian response to take the place of political will and action,” said Hanson.

“There is cautious, hopeful news” about Darfur, said Hanson. “The Sudanese government and the largest rebel faction in Darfur — the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement — signed a peace agreement, and that has started a tenuous peace process that could end a tragic situation that President Bush and others have described as ‘genocide,’” he said.

For more information, see the ELCA webpage: www.elca.org/news/index.asp.

For more resources and ELCA policy on the genocide in Darfur, visit www.elca.org/advocacy/issues/peace or see the mobile bulletin board.

Two Lutheran Disaster Agencies Support Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Indonesia

International Disaster Response of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is providing an initial $50,000 to support relief efforts in central Indonesia, after an earthquake struck May 27 on the island of Java. The death toll has surpassed 6,200 people with thousands more injured. ELCA funds were sent to Action by Churches Together (ACT), a worldwide network of churches and related agencies that meets human need through organized emergency response. ACT issued an appeal for funds May 29. It is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), both in Geneva, Switzerland. The ELCA is a member of the WCC and LWF.

In addition, the Lutheran World Relief commits an initial $25,000 for earthquake relief efforts in Indonesia. LWR, Baltimore, is an overseas relief and development ministry of the ELCA and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. It is a member of ACT.

You may donate to the ELCA International Disaster Response by contacting 1-800-638-3522 or through the ELCA.

Snack Providers Needed

Looking for an occasional, yet extremely important ministry?! We are now recruiting snack providers for after Sunday services. The light refreshments that are set out with the coffee each Sunday provide a great opportunity for fellowship for members and visitors alike. Not only that, the donations they generate go to the World Hunger Appeal. Join this wonderful ministry of hospitality that also benefits hunger relief. You can provide snacks only once or twice a year or as often as you’d like. For more information or to sign up, contact Beverly Davis or 713-523-2864 ext. 27.

Saludos from Eli

Elizabeth Bakalyar is in Costa Rica and runs an after-school arts program in a community in San Jose.

She sends her “saludos” and extends her heartfelt thanks for the congregation’s support. You can find out more about Eli’s exciting work as she posts her journal entries at www.travelpod.com/members/ebmargit.

ONE Lutheran Campaign

The Evangelical Lutheran church in America has been actively engaged in advocacy on hunger and justice issues for many years. Now, at a key point in history, the ELCA is joining Bread for the World, the Alliance to End Hunger, and others in a coordinated effort against the injustice of extreme poverty. ONE Lutheran is the ELCA-specific effort to promote the ONE Campaign. ONE Lutherans acting together can bring real power to this social justice movement. Check out the mobile bulletin board or visit www.elca.org/advocacy for more information.

Back-to-School Program

Thousands of children in Greater Houston will begin the 2006-2007 school year without the basic supplies needed to succeed. Fortunately, you can help. For $40.00 you can provide a student with a new school uniform and a packet of school supplies. Please submit checks made out to “CCSC Back to School Project” and place them in the offering on Sundays now through August.
The Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) is also in need of volunteers for sorting supplies (July 30) and for distribution (August 5-6). For more information, contact Susie Crafton.

School Is “Out!” Helping Others At CCSC Is “In!”

Children are enjoying their summer vacation, but they still need nutritious meals. At Christian Community Service Center’s Emergency Services facility, we want to make sure that families in need have an adequate supply of food at ALL times of the year.
Summertime is usually our lowest season for donations, so your help is particularly appreciated! Please consider donating the following items: unsweetened cereal, peanut butter, canned tuna, canned soup, canned vegetables and fruits, macaroni and cheese.
Drop off your donated items in the food basket in the narthex on Sundays or bring them uto the church office during the week.

Lutherans Offer Camps For Young Gulf Coast Disaster Survivors

Lutheran Social Services will offer more than 65 camps this summer for school-aged children who were affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Of the one million people displaced by the 2005 hurricanes, 372,000 were school-aged children in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Lutheran Social Services and Lutheran Disaster Response will offer these children an opportunity for fun and healing with Camp Noah programs this summer in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas.

The Camp Noah curriculum centers on the biblical story of Noah, allowing children to confront their disaster experiences in a faith-based, supportive environment. The story of Noah provides a framework for the campers to talk about their emotions and learn disaster coping skills.

The beginning of the week focuses on preparation and impact, using the story of Noah building the ark and the beginning of the flood. Often on the first day of camp a meteorologist teaches the children about weather systems and how to prepare for a natural disaster.
On the third day the theme is “transition” and life on the ark while waiting for the waters to recede.

The final two days of the camp emphasize God’s promise for new life.

The objectives of Camp Noah include decreasing the number of behavioral or emotional symptoms children experience following a disaster, increasing children’s coping skills with bad weather and increasing children’s understanding of God’s role in their lives.
More information about Camp Noah, including volunteer opportunities, is available at www.campnoah.org.