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.

Did You Know?

.....financial statements, council minutes and committee reports are posted every month on the bulletin board by the elevator on the first floor.

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

Musical Opportunities Resume at Christ the King Church

The Church Choir sings weekly at the 10:50 a.m. Sunday service, offering a variety of music from the classical repertoire, with an emphasis on works from the Lutheran tradition. They rehearse Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the Music Suite (rm. 001). All singers are welcome, and there are no auditions. Albert LeDoux is the director.

The Brass Choir plays festival services, music from the bell tower, and also lighter music for social occasions. All brass players at intermediate level and above are invited to join. Rehearsals are held Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:15 in the nave.

Taizé Ensemble singers and instrumentalists serve as leaders and accompanists of the Taizé service. The ensemble meets at 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays, an hour before the 6:00 p.m. service. Rehearsals are open to anyone who would like to participate.

The Chorus enjoys all varieties of music, from classical to inter-national, and sings weekly at the 8:30 a.m. Sunday service. Rehearsals on Wednesdays begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. and end at 9:00. All singers are welcome; there are no auditions.

For more information, contact Music Director Albert LeDoux or 713- 523-2864 x28.

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, August 4. For information, contact Daria Nashat

“Gracias por los recuerdos en San Antonio”

Thanks for the memories in San Antonio! Sunday, August 20, at 9:45 in the parish hall the attendees of the National Youth Gathering will share their experiences, thoughts and pictures in appreciation to all who made this trip possible. Come see what the attendees were able to experience and take back home. Enjoy the taste of Mexican sweet breads during the presentation. All members, youth and their family are invited to join us and find out more information about the last and next triennial gathering! For more information contact Tim Lenz.

Pool Party on Wednesday, August 9

Summer Wednesdays finishes this season with a pool party at Willow Pool on Wednesday, August 9 at 5:15 p.m. Children and their parents are invited. Detailed information is available at www.ctkelc.org. Click on Summer Wednesdays

Rally Sunday August 27

Rally Sunday is the kick off to the new Church School year. This year’s theme will be Stewardship. At 9:45 a.m., breakfast will be served, the children will present a small program, Bibles will be presented to third graders, confirmands will be introduced, and children will meet their Sunday Church School teachers.

Activities continue in the courtyard and parish hall Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. with a barbacue catered by Goode Company. Bring your favorite beverage and dessert (watermelon, etc.). Suggested donation is $10.

Luther League on Wednesday Nights!

Luther League meets Wednesday nights during the summer. Anyone who is entering 6th grade or older is invited. At 5:15 p.m. we will meet in the basement for fellowship, food, and to just relax! Then at 6:00 p.m. until 7:20 p.m. we will assist in recreational time for Summer Wednesdays. The Luther League meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the basement youth room and include games, bible studies, theme discussions, along with planned fellowship trips to go bowling, Astros’ games, and trips to the theater. Friends are welcomed and even encouraged to come along! For more information contact youth director Tim Lenz at 713-523-2864.

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.

Yoga on Saturdays

Yoga classes now meet on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. in the basement classroom. Beginning Saturday, August 19, class time will move to 1:00 p.m.

Katherine Krause and Scott Brady have been teaching yoga for many years. They teach 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: 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 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.

Fall Wednesday Night Alive!

It’s time to start thinking about fall!!!

Please join us Sunday, August 27 or Sunday, September 3 after each morning service to:

1) Register your child(ren) for Wednesday Night Alive! activities.
2) Review the schedule and see how the program will flow this year.
3) Sign up for any portion you want to help with.
4) Meet other parents who will have a young one participating.

Education

Sunday Forum

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

Summer Book Reviews

August 6: Michael Pullara reviews Kingdoms of the Sand by Karsh & Karsh
August 13: Chuck Alexander reviews Beyond Belief, by Elaine Pagels
August 20: David Frazier reviews Doing Well and Doing Good: The Challenge to the Christian Capitalist by Richard John Neuhaus

Introducing Jesus of Nazareth CD Available

Join gifted pastor, theologian and Grace Matters radio host Peter Marty on a journey across the Holy Land. From Nazareth and Bethlehem where it all began, to Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan Valley, the Mount of Transfiguration and finally Jerusalem. “Introducing Jesus of Nazareth” is a straightforward, concise re-telling of the Gospel story. Helping Peter Marty tell the story, are a diverse group of pastors from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

CDs are available at no charge in the narthex and the church office.

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.

New Member Class

If you are interested in becoming a member of Christ the King Church, you are invited to attend the Adult Catechesis class.
We will offer a 2-day class on Friday, August 18, 7:00 until 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, August 19, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
These classes, based on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, are open to inquirers, those seeking membership, and members wishing to refresh their memory on the basic tenets of our faith.

You may sign up on the bulletin board or contact the church office or 713-523-2864, ext. 21. Childcare for the 2-day class is made available when requested the Monday prior to the class.

Bonhoeffer Conference in Houston

The Melanchthon Institute is presenting a conference celebrating the life and works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran minister who was executed by the Nazis for leading the protestant resistance against Hitler. Bonhoeffer left remarkable writings about his faith and ethical beliefs. The conference “Bonhoeffer Today: Peace, Ecology, and Christian Ethics” will be held in the Museum District of Houston October 19-21. The conference will host a panel of internationally acclaimed experts on Bonhoeffer’s works: Barbara Green, Larry Rasmussen, and Clifford Green. Plus there will be guided tours of the Holocaust Museum, concert performances of the opera Bonhoeffer written by Lutheran composer Ann Gebuhr, and personal memories of the Holocaust given by survivor Walter Kase. The movie Bonhoeffer by Martin Doblmeier will be shown. The conference will be held at the Holocaust Museum Houston, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, and Christ the King Lutheran Church, all located close to each other.

Registration for all events is $75 per person, plus $7 for Saturday lunch, and $25 for Saturday dinner. Registration forms can be printed from the Melanchthon Institute website at www.melanchthon-institute.org For more information, call The Melanchthon Institute at 713-523-2864 ext 1030 or send an email to MelanchthonDirector@ctkelc.org

Help Turn Hate into Hope

If you are interested in history and art, comfortable speaking in public, and looking for a meaningful ministry that impacts the lives of others, consider becoming a docent at the Holocaust Museum Houston. During the six-week training, participants are immersed in the general history of the Holocaust, the Museum and its exhibitions. Volunteers are mentored by seasoned docents and trained to present the material in a meaningful and relevant manner. The application deadline is August 8, 2006. For more information, contact Suzanne Sutherland or 713-942-8000, ext. 102.

“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

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.

Big Foot Shoes For Orphan Souls!!

There are millions and millions of feet all over the world that belong to kids without shoes. Many of those feet belong to older children and teenagers who are the forgotten ones in orphanages. They are filled with a sense of hopelessness as the years have passed and no parents have come to take them home. We need YOU to put shoes on their Big Feet by donating shoes, sizes Youth 1 through Adult 10. Due to customs regulations, shoes for the children need to be new – and we also need new, clean, white socks for those beautiful feet! Be a Big Foot Benefactor and Bring Big Smiles to Beautiful Children! Bring your shoes and socks donations to church before August 20 and we’ll get them packaged and shipped. If you’d prefer to give a cash donation, make out the checks to Christ the King Lutheran Church, and note on the check that it’s for Shoes for Orphan Souls. We’ll take it from there!!

Feed the Homeless

Campus and Young Adult Ministry sponsors a Homeless Ministry program at Christ the King Church, and we would love for you to join us. On the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings of each month we meet at Christ the King Church to make sandwiches and prepare meals, and deliver them to downtown homeless individuals. We meet in the kitchen and parish hall at 5:45 p.m. to set up and prepare the meals, and leave for downtown at about 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. to deliver them. All are invited to help out with meal preparation, downtown delivery, or both! Our next gathering is on Monday, August 14. Contact Wendy Wiker

Blood Drive - August 27

Christ the King Church will host a blood drive on Rally Sunday, August 27. The M.D. Anderson Blood Mobile will be here from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Flu Vaccine Available at Christ the King Church

Mark your calendars! Kelsey-Seybold Clinic will be offering the flu vaccine again this year. They will be at Christ the King Church on Sunday, October 22, from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.Vaccines will be available at $25 per injection. Contact Linda Schoene, Congregational Nurse for more information.

Christian Community Service Center

Christian Community Service Center serves as the outreach arm of 37 local churches – including Christ the King Church. This vibrant, volunteer-driven organization has six programs that alleviate the effects of poverty: Emergency Services, JobNet, Martha’s Way, Back To School, Jingle Bell Express, and the Louise J. Moran Vision Care Program. The agency also operates Sunshine Resale Shop – a treasure-filled store in Bellaire.

We encourage you to get connected to CCSC. There are dozens of volunteer and giving opportunities. Become part of an award-winning effort that positively impacts over 27,000 lives each year — call 713-961-3993 or visit www.ccschouston.com

Who’s Volunteering?

Church folks. That answer probably doesn’t surprise busy members of ELCA congregations, but it’s nice to know numbers to back it up.
A recent national survey by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans shows that more American adults volunteer through their place of worship (30 percent) than through any other organization.

Next to recruit people willing to help out were; charitable organizations, 28 percent, schools, 24 percent, and employers, 16 percent.
In all, 57 percent of people interviewed reported they had done volunteer work in the past 12 months, while 43 percent said they didn’t volunteer through a third party.

For ideas on how you can volunteer either within Christ the King Church or with one of our partner agencies, contact Beverly Davis or 713-523-2864 ext. 1027.

ELCA Works in Washington D.C. to Help Gulf Coast

Here are a few numbers that Andrew Genszler, Director for Domestic Policy at the ELCA Washington Office jotted down in his blog on the the gulf coast and his efforts to find help and hope for the region.

• 50 percent - the amount of housing destroyed by the hurricanes in Cameron Parish/Sabine River, La.
• 25 percent - the amount of doctors left in New Orleans, compared to the number living there before Hurricane Katrina
• 15 percent- the amount of psychiatrists left in New Orleans, compared to the number living there before Hurricane Katrina
• 5 out of 6- the number of New Orleans households without a car before Hurricane Katrina
• 250,000- the number of evacuees living in Baton Rouge (pre-Hurricane Katrina population: 400,000)
• 80,000 - the number of projected housing units needed along the Mississippi coast
• 8 - the number of months left for people living in FEMA trailers
• 0 - the number of months left before the New Orleans bus line begins charging again

To see more on how the ELCA Domestic Policy is covering this issue to offer help and hope to this region, see www.elca.org/advocacy/how/blog.

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.