Special

Annual Meeting of the Congregation

On Sunday, December 3, following the 10:50 service, the congregation will meet in the nave to elect three people to 3-year terms on Church Council. Church Council will present a slate of three names; additional nominations may be made from the floor. A catered lunch will be provided.

The budget committee will present a draft of the proposed budget for 2007 for an initial review. Based on member input and the pledges received in November and December, the committee, along with Church Council, will develop final budget recommendations to present at Part II of the Annual Meeting on February 4, 2007.

Mission Offering in December designate for World Hunger Fund

Beginning on the First Sunday in Advent a “Mission Offering” will be received at the conclusion of the Taizé and Sunday liturgies. The Mission Offering is designated as means to help the poor. This is a new element for us at Christ the King Church, but it was for centuries the traditional way of ending the service of word and sacrament among Christians.

Each Sunday ushers will stand at the exit doors with baskets indicating the purpose of the Mission Offering. 100% of the offerings will go to the purpose for which they are dedicated. The worship bulletin will report the previous week’s offering.

December offerings will go to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. Christ the King Church has long been the leading congregation in our synod with gifts to the World Hunger Appeal. In 2005 $27,188 was given by members of our congregation. Thus far in 2006 we have received $19,538.

Parents are encouraged to help their children participate in this offering as vital part of worship.

More information on the decision to implement this offering can be found on our website


Click here for more information on the ELCA World Hunger Appeal

Worship

Godly Play Lessons Today

No Godly Play Today. Plan on attending the Advent Wreath Workshop

Advent Wreath Workshop

On December 3, during the Sunday Church School hour, the Altar Guild will conduct an Advent wreath workshop in the parish hall. Adults, youth, and children are invited.

Greenery, candles, ribbon, and frames will be available for a suggested donation of $10. If you have your frame from last year and only need greenery and candles, a $7 donation is suggested.

Christmas Pageant

The Christ the King Christmas Pageant will be presented at 9:45 a.m. on December 17. Rehearsals will begin on December 3; after making their Advent wreaths, toddlers will go to their classroom and all others will go to the basement rehearsal room. On December 10 at 9:45 a.m., children will gather in the parish hall for a full rehearsal There will be no regular Sunday School classes that day. All children are invited to participate in the annual pageant on December 17. Please contact marie@rice.edu if you have questions or would like to volunteer to help with costumes

Flowers for the Nave

The 2007 Altar Guild Flower Chart will be on the mobile bulletin board in December. Flower arrangements for weekend services are $40. Please pay for the flowers as you sign up.

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.

Lectio Divina Returns on Wednesday Evenings

6:45 - 7:30 p.m. in room 204
“Divine Reading” is an ancient form of prayer and has been part of the spiritual practice in the church since ancient times. All are invited.

Music

Abendmusik:
Music for Advent and Christmas

On December 3, at 5:00 p.m. in the nave, the Bach Society performs Abendmusik: Music for Advent and Christmas. This annual Christmas Concert features Bach’s Magnificat and music for the season by Michael Praetorius and others.

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.

Sunday Café

Sunday Café provids lunch in the parish hall at 12:15 p.m. An adult’s lunch is $5; a child’s lunch is $3. First time visitors receive a complimentary lunch; undergraduate and graduate student lunches are always complimentary.

Free Lunch for Students after Worship on Sundays

Students: Join u

s in the parish hall for Sunday Café after the 10:50 a.m. worship service for a FREE and delicious lunch catered by Hungry’s Bistro. Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?!?

Weihnachtsmarkt - December 9

On Saturday, December 9, a Weihnachtsmarkt (German Christmas Market) will be held in the courtyard of Christ the King Lutheran Church. This event will be held from 10:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and is sponsored by the Deutsche Samstagsschule (German Saturday School), and the Houston/Leipzig Sister City Organization. There will be performances by the children of the Samstagsschule, as well as Christmas crafts, Christmas music, tower trumpeters, a visit by St. Nicholas, and Glühwein, a beverage traditional to German Christmas celebrations. All are invited to attend.

Luciadagen

The Swedish pageant of St. Lucia will be at Clarewood House, 7400 Clarewood by Sharpstown Mall, on December 10 at 2:30 p.m. This year’s St. Lucia will be Allie Anderson, grand daughter of Rose Anderson. For information contact Rose Anderson

Young Adult Perspectives (YAP)

Young Adult Perspectives (“YAP” for short) is our Young Adults group that meets on the 1st and 3rd Friday evenings of each month. All students and young adults are welcome! The next meeting will be on December 15.
For more info, contact Wendy Wiker

Last Wednesday Night Alive! of the year

Schedules are posted on the bulletin boards and are availabe in the narthex and parish hall. Description of classes available in the registration packets. Click here to view online.

Last Wednesday Night Dinner for the year

5:30 - 7:00 p.m. in the parish hall
Instead of cooking on Wednesday evenings, swing by the parish hall and either eat-in with friends and family, or take-out a delicious and inexpensive meal. Adult dinners are $4 and children’s plates are $3.

Last Baby Dance on Wednesdays

A music class is offered for infants from 6 weeks up on Wednesday nights as part of the Wednesday Night Alive! program. All parents of infants and toddlers are invited to enjoy music and fellowship. Debbie Whitmire is a certified Musikgarten teacher and speaks enthusiastically of the stimulation for the physical growth and mental development that “Baby Dance” offers to our youngest family members. Two classes are offered for the very young: For infants to 24 months (5:45-6:15 p.m.) and 24 – 36 months (6:15-6:45 p.m.). To make life easier on class nights, dinner is served in the parish hall from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Registration is on Wednesday before class on the first floor. Classes are held in the basement. For more information please contact Debbie Whitmire at 713-728-9154.

Luther League Meets with Friends on Sunday Nights

Luther League meetings include food, games, a discussion, and fun fellowship outings. The Luther League is open to youth 6th grade through high school. Some plans already include a ropes course, bowling, a fall fundraiser, Christian concerts, LYO Youth Gatherings, and weekly meetings. Come join us to meet new friends and hang out with old ones. Contact Tim Lenz or 713-523-2864 ext. 1001 for more information.

Heifer Project International - Alternative Gift Sale

Changing the World Two by Two – It’s that time again! The Luther League will begin taking donations on Sunday mornings through December 17 after each worship service for animals or trees through Heifer Project International. Our goal is to raise another $5000 to buy a Gift Ark. Come by right away and be an “Ark Angel.

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 meets on Saturdays at 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.

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: 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.

Christ the King Foundation Accepting Grant Requests

The Board of Directors of the Christ the King Foundation is now accepting grant requests for projects meeting Foundation Criteria. Individuals or groups may request grants to further special projects and needs of the congregation or its mission to the community. The Foundation makes grants based on the income from its investments. Past grants have been awarded for seminary scholarships, programs at the Melanchthon Institute and other special educational programs, and outreach projects.

Application forms will be in the Church Office October 16 for your grant request. Deadline for requests is noon, December 4, 2006.

Education

Sunday Forum

November 26: No Sunday Forum

December 3: Orthodoxy versus Heresy
presented by Paul Monroe
Christ The King Church member Paul Monroe teaches a class on the distinction between orthodoxy and heresy in the ancient church and its significance for Christians today. Using the work of the Episcopal Bishop C. Fitzsimons Allison, Paul discusses which teachings were rejected as heresies by the ancient church.

December 10: Discovering the Evangelical Lutheran Worship book (ELW).
presented by Pr. Robert Moore
Pr. Moore will offer this class to help in the discovery of our new worship book. The ELW is a rich resource for use in church and home.esies by the ancient church.

December 17: Favorite Christmas Readings and Poetry
facilitaded by Naomi Nelson
Bring you own favorite Christmas literature, including readings, Christmas hymns, and Christmas poems

Free in the Morning?
Join Friday Morning Bible Study

This class is a great and easy way for mothers and fathers of the very young to have some adult time. The group led by Pr. Moore has started a study of the book Genesis for which it is not too late to join. New participants are always welcome; entry into the group is easy. The nursery opens at 10:00 am. Snacks are served at 10:00 in the council room; the class ends at 11:30.

Life Stories Workshop Readings on Wednesday, December 6

We’ve traveled some long roads across Texas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, and Missouri, and even as far away as Argentina, Sweden and Germany. All memorable journeys as we’ve sought out the stories of our families.
Life Stories Workshop members have brought to life the stories of the past each Wednesday evening. These are our grandparents and parents and what a bunch they were!

Members of the workshop will be selecting their favorites to read on Wednesday, December 6. This will be the last session for Wednesday Night Live!

All are invited to join us. We meet in the council room from 5:30 until 6:45 p.m. You can get your dinner downstairs and bring it up to the council room.

We can guarantee that you’ll find these stories both entertaining and intriguing. The congregation has some gifted storytellers with some wonderful stories.

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.

Service & Care

Feed the Homeless

The Feed the Homeless Ministry meets this Monday, December 11at 6:00 p.m. in the kitchen at Christ the King Church. All are welcome.Contact Wendy Wiker for more information.

Fill a Shoebox and Gift a Seafarer

In keeping with our motto, the village church with a global mission, Christ the King Lutheran Church children will be filling and wrapping shoeboxes to give to seafarers who visit the Port of Houston during the holiday season. The gifts will be distributed by the Seafarers’ Ministry, which comprises Episcopal, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran chaplains.
We encourage families to fill a shoebox with items such as:

combs, soap, shaving cream, disposable razors, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pads, pens, pencils, puzzles, envelopes, needles and thread, deodorant, socks, shoe laces, calendars, bottle openers, nail clippers, aspirin, band-aids, key chains, small photo albums, Texas souvenirs, disposable or one-use cameras, playing cards, or something fun. (These are items we take for granted but they are appreciated tremendously by the seafarers).

Please bring your filled shoebox to church (narthex) by December 17. The Luther League will be wrapping the gifts for the Christmas holiday.
For more information, contact Tim Lenz

Christmas Service Project

Do you remember getting your first bicycle? On Saturday, December 16, the Luther League and everyone aged 9 and up will have the chance to help a child receive their first bike by volunteering to help assemble bikes with the Elves and More program. We are scheduled to volunteer from 9:00 am until 1:00 p.m. Please meet at the church at 8:30 a.m. to car-pool to Reliant Park. Elves and More is a wonderful charity project involving many contributors and volunteers who get together each year to provide underprivileged children in our area not only with bicycles, but also with books, toothbrushes, games, toys, shoes, clothes, and new school supplies.

Let us not be Hungry over the Holidays

The Christian Community Service Center’s Food Pantry is busy this season. The Food Pantry provides a five-day supply of food for people in need of assistance. Clients are given food items necessary for well-balanced meal preparation. Donations of canned goods and non-perishable foods can be brought to the narthex

Grocery Bags Overflow?

Donate plastic grocery bags to the Feed the Homeless ministry! Bring them on any Feed the Homeless night, Wednesday Night Alive! or Sunday. Drop them in the Feed the Homeless box near the first floor elevator.

We Believe in Sharing Christmas - Last Days to Bring Toys

For 26 years, Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) has helped low-income families through Jingle Bell Express. This year 3,000 children will receive new toys, new books, and Christmas food packages for their families.
Please consider sharing Christmas by supporting this innovative program. You can purchase toys or books and place them in the collection box in the narthex through next Sunday, December 3. You can also help in the organization and distribution of the goodies December 5 - December 9.

Please consider sharing the spirit of Christmas by adding a few extra toys and books to your list. Simply place your gifts in the Jingle Bell Express box in the narthex. For more information on suggested toys, program dates and more, check out the bulletin board or contact member susanna_crafton@hotmail.com.

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

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.

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.

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.