Missional Offering

Mission Offering in March
Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (EELRCA)

Mission offerings in March support the ministries of our companion synod, the Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (EELRCA). These include operation of the newly constructed Women’s Center to train women in literacy and job skills, as well as two programs which will help provide future leaders for the Women’s Center, the Village Education Project, which has started coeducational schools in 20 villages that had no schools, and the Young Women’s Scholarship program, which provides funds for high school or technical school education.

SEARCH was the recipient for all of February’s Mission Offerings. We collected $1724.21 in February ($873.67 was collected on SouperBowl Sunday).

Worship

Godly Play Lessons Today

Pre-K/K and 1st/2nd grade: The Faces of Easter II
3rd/4th Grades: Ezekiel

Midweek Lenten Vespers and Soup Suppers on Wednesdays

5:30-7:00 p.m. Soup Supper (served continuously)
6:45 p.m. Vespers Service

The theme for the Midweek Lenten Vespers will be “Readings from the Easter Vigil.” Selected readings are:
March 14 Testing of Abraham
March 21 Deliverance at the Red Sea
March 28 Valley of the Dry Bones

Ignatian Contemplation offered on Wednesday Nights

Marion Hanson leads a series on Ignatian Contemplation during Wednesday Night Alive! from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. in room 204 from through March 28.

Marion Hanson is a leader and spiritual director at Grace Institute. She is married to Dr. Hanson, theologian-in-residence for The Melanchthon Institute.

Prayer Around the Cross at Taizé Service

The Prayer Around the Cross will be held at the Taizé Eucharist on the first Saturday of each month at 6:00 p.m. A wooden cross on the floor of the altar sanctuary confronts worshipers with the suffering of Christ on behalf of humanity. In its presence the suffering of the world and our own burdens come to light. Christ gave salvation to all on the tree of the cross. It is the tree where life might be restored. Worshipers may choose to meditate on the cross from the pew or may enter the altar sanctuary and kneel at the cross.

The Gospel of Luke

Sunday, March 25, 2007
at 5:00 p.m.

A complete reading of
The ospel of Luke

in preparation for Holy Week
Read by Robert L. Patten
Lynette S. Autrey
Professor in Humanities, Rice University
Editor, Studies in English Literature 1500-1900

Christ the King Lutheran Church - parish hall
(approximately two hours with a break)

Professor Patten is the author of Charles Dickens and His Publishers and George Cruikshank’s Life, Times, and Art, which was recently chosen by the Guardian as the best biography of the decade. He has held fellowships from Fulbright, Guggenheim, and the National Endowment for the Humanities and serves as editor of Studies in English Literature 1500–1900 (SEL). He has been a fellow at the National Humanities Center and at the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. He currently is president of the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publishing and is a Phi Beta Kappa Couper Scholar. Professor Patten teaches courses in 19th-century British literature and art, the European novel, and the history of the book.

Professor Patten has appeared on several programs on the Biography Channel. He attends Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal).

How Do They Make Those Palm Crosses?

You are invited to find the answer to that riveting question on Saturday, March 31. Join the Altar Guild at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 31 to make 400 plus Palm Crosses used to help celebrate Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. In fact, you are invited to join the Altar Guild period! We always welcome new members. It is an honor and a blessing to serve behind the scenes preparing the Lord’s Table. We find that many hands make light work, and we are a fun, supportive group within the congregation. Contact Gaelyn Lesher for more information.

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

Organ Vespers

Christoph Keggenhoff is the organist for the Bach Society’s Organ Vespers at 5:00 p.m. March 18. In observance of the 400th anniversary of Dieterich Buxtehude’s death (1637-1707) he will play an all-Buxtehude program.
Admission to Organ Vespers is free; an offering will be received.

Abendmusik:Music for Passiontide

April 1, 2007 • 5:00 p.m.
(Palm Sunday)
April 3, 2007 • 7:30 p.m.
(Tuesday in Holy Week)
April 6, 2007 • 3:00 p.m.
(Good Friday)
J.S. Bach: St. John Passion, BWV 245

TLU Choirs in Concert

The choirs of Texas Lutheran University will present a concert at Christ the King Church on March 23 at 7:30 p.m. The highly eclectic program, entitled Lamb of God, includes music of many different periods and styles performed by choral groups under the direction of Dr. Douglas R. Boyer, associate professor of music and director of the TLU School of Music. This is the choir’s 78th annual tour; this year’s itinerary includes concerts in other churches, but the TLU students will also visit a hospice, an Alzheimer’s Center, and nursing homes while in the Houston area and will sing for those residents. There is no admission charge for the concert.

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 us 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?!?

Wednesday Night Alive!

This weekly congregational event spans all generations and walks of life: infants, kids, youth, singers, musicians, life-long learners, writers of life stories, those who study, those who pray, those who cook, those who clean and those who serve. All meet together in one place to enjoy a night of fellowship. Click here to view online.

Soup Supper

Wednesdays during Lent
5:30-7:00 p.m.
(served continuously)
parish hall

This week's soup is provided by the
Altar Guild / Witness and Assimilation Committee
Proceeds benefit the AIDS ministry of the Kijabe Hospital in Kijabe, Kenya.

Writing Life Stories

The Writing Life Stories workshop will take a break until after Easter. The workshop will resume on April 11.

The Writing Life Stories workshop meets on Wednesdays, from 5 until 6:45 p.m. This session emphasizes themes in our lives and explores the directions that we have taken in raising families, our careers and interests in retirement. We are also exploring some different ways of presenting our interests in personal essays and letters. All interested individuals are invited to attend. For more informaction, contact Anna Fay Williams.

Help Wanted - Nursery Coordinator

Christ the King Church is looking for a new nursery coordinator. This volunteer position helps keep the nursery operations running smoothly throughout the year. The nursery coordinator works with our nursery attendants in consultation with Pr. Liebster and congregational nurse Linda Schoene. Part of the task is to organize parent volunteers for Sunday mornings, and generally be attentive to the needs of our lively group of babies, toddlers and their families. Michelle Beck will be available through this spring to ensure a smooth transition. Please contact Pr. Liebster if you would like to help.

Help Wanted – Tag Sale Coordinator

The annual tag sale is scheduled for May 19, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. We are looking for a new coordinator. The tag sale coordinator’s job is easy to do with the host of skilled helpers who have pulled the event off in the past. The main task of the coordinator is to organize, delegate, supervise before and during the sale, and wrap things up afterwards. It means one week of intense work and being off for the other 51 weeks of the year. Michelle Beck will be around to help in the transition to the new leadership. A leadership team of two or three people is possible, too.

The tag sale proceeds benefit the children’s ministries and nursery. This fun event has reached deeply into the whole congregation and is a great opportunity for the generations to mingle and have fellowship. If you are willing to help, please contact Pr. Liebster or 713 523 2864.

Playgroup Changed to Wednesdays 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Christ the King Church invites parents with babies and toddlers to participate in a playgroup on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. in the nursery. Each week parents meet with kids of various ages for fellowship and exchange. Several families have enjoyed time together so far. The group is open to members and friends. For questions or ideas contact Daria Nashat at or Pastor Karin Liebster. All are welcome.

Parents’ Online Group

Log in to an online parent support group for quick answers to quick questions. Join the group of Christ the King Church members who take advantage of the accumulated wisdom and knowledge shared by parents of the youngest members.

To join the group, send an email to Penny Linsenmayer. Include your name and email address in the body of the message.

Luther League Meets with Friends on Sunday Nights

Luther League meetings are on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. in the basement youth room for food, fellowship, games, and discussion. All 6th grade through 12th grade youth are invited.Contact Tim Lenz or 713-523-2864 ext. 1001 for more information. Click here to view the Luther League website.

Books and CDs for Sale

Books and CDs on the book cart are available for purchase by check. Please make checks out to Christ the King Lutheran Church and mark “book cart” with the book title in the memo line. Place the check in the money slot in the bottom right doors of the ushers’ cabinet (or give to an usher).

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.

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! One of the YAP meetings each month is a social gathering, while the other is more educationally focused. Our next planned meeting is on March 16.
For more info, email Wendy Wiker

Parents’ Night Out/Movies in the Hall

Mom! Dad! Need Some Quality Time Without The Kiddos? Join Parent’s Night Out!
Parents’ Night Out/Movies in the Hall (PNO/MITH) operates as an independent co-op of parents to provide affordable childcare in a safe and nurturing environment at Christ the King Church. The co-op is open to members and non-members. PNO/MITH usually occurs once a month. Two adult representatives from each family commit to work together ONCE in return for at least 10 nights of childcare during our calendar year. Our calendar year runs February through January. The Co-op offers age-appropriate care and activities for ages 5 and under in the nursery and age-appropriate activities and movies for ages 6 and up. The co-op accepts members throughout the year and offers prospective members one trial evening with no obligation to join.

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.

Education

Sunday Forum

March 11: The Lutheran Church in the Central African Republic

Christ the King Church member Carolyn Jacobs will speak about our synod’s companion relationship with the Central African Republic (CAR), the focus of the March mission offering. Carolyn will talk about the Lutheran Church in CAR, and will give us an update on what was built in Bouar, CAR, last year, building projects our congregation helped support. She will also speak about the work of Pastors Joyce and Ian Graue, the ELCA missionary couple working in CAR.

March 18 and 25: Lost Christianities
Matthias Henze, Lost Christianities. The Gnostic Gospels continue to attract much attention. This two-part series examines two of these texts, The Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Judas.

March 18: The Gospel of Thomas and the Invention of Heresy. In December 1945 along the Nie River near the modern-day town of Nag Hammadi, an Egyptian farmer discovered thirteen ancient Coptic codices containing some fifty texts. The most celebrated of these is the Gospel of Thomas, a hitherto unknown Gospel that has played a crucial role in the newly emerging view of nascent Christianity.

March 25: The Gospel of Judas: In Praise of Betrayal? Lost for 1,600 years, the controversial Gospel of Judas was rediscovered in 1970 in a desert cave in Egypt and published only in 2006. The Gospel tells the story of Jesus from the perspective of Judas, who is here depicted not as a traitor but as a hero.

The Rev. Dr. Bradley Hanson and wife Marion Hanson offer Classes and Meditation through March 29

Dr. Hanson is Professor Emeritus of Religion, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. He is also Director of Grace Institute. Marion, also a leader at Grace Institute, is a spiritual director. Dr. Hanson will be the theologian-in-residence for The Melanchthon Institute.
Dr. Hanson’s teaching theme this year is: Spirituality and Gender: How Gender Influences our Relationship with God, the Church, and Other People.

A course on this theme will be offered Thursday evenings from 7 – 8:30 p.m. in the council room through March 29. Cost: $25/person plus purchase of two books: Woman at the Well by Kathleen Fischer and The Intimate Connection by James B. Nelson. You may order the books through The Melanchthon Institute for $30/set or purchase them yourselves through other sources. Childcare is available upon request.

Marion Hanson will lead a series on Ignatian Contemplation during Wednesday Night Alive! from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. in room 204. Her sessions will run through March 28.

Spirituality and Gender:
How Gender Influences our Relationship with God, the Church, and Other People.

The Rev. Dr. Bradley Hanson will teach this course on Thursdays from 7 – 8:30 p.m. in the council room from through March 29. This course will help us better understand our relationships with one another and with God. There will also be some times for meditative reflection.

Cost: $25/person plus purchase of two books: Woman at the Well by Kathleen Fischer and The Intimate Connection by James B. Nelson. Books are available for $15.00 each ($30/set) and are available from the book cart in the narthex. Childcare is available upon request.

While it’s not necessary to do the suggested readings for Dr. Hanson’s course, those who would like to read should begin with the first chapter in The Intimate Connection by James B. Nelson.

Dr. Hanson is Professor Emeritus of Religion, Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. He is also Director of Grace Institute. Dr. Hanson is the theologian-in-residence for The Melanchthon Institute.

Small Catechism Class on Wednesdays

Pr. Moore is teaching a class based on the Small Catechism on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. on the council room. The class is open to all adults. We are at the beginning of part 3, The Lord’s Prayer. All are welcome to participate in the one-hour class. Copies of the Catechism will be made available.

New Member Classes

If you are interested in becoming a member of Christ the King Church, you are invited to attend the Adult Catechesis class.

We offer a 2-day class on Friday, April 20, 7 - 9 p.m., and Saturday, April 21, 9 a.m. - 5 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. Childcare is made available when requested on Monday prior to the class.

ELCA Alliance for Faith, Science, & Technology

Do faith and science truly contradict each other?
Mass media creates the imagery of an ongoing warfare between science and religion, but there is another way, as suggested by the current issue of Covalence, online magazine of the ELCA Alliance for Faith, Science & Technology . Through the alliance the ELCA encourages conversation about issues facing our society and church related to science and technology from a faith perspective. Ask questions of scientists and join the discussion!

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.

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 on Monday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m. in the kitchen at Christ the King Church.

Join us on the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings of each month at Christ the King Lutheran Church to make sandwiches and prepare meals, and then deliver them to downtown homeless individuals. Our schedule is as follows:

5:45 p.m. - Meet in the Kitchen and Parish Hall to set up and prepare the meals
7:00 p.m. - Leave CTK for downtown to deliver the meals

All are invited to help out with meal preparation, downtown delivery, or both! Our next gathering in February will be on Monday, February 26. All are welcome.Contact Wendy Wiker for more information.

CCSC’s 11th Annual Azalea Dinner

CCSC’s 11th Annual
Azalea Dinner

Thursday, March 29
6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Westin Oaks Hotel, Galleria
For more information: Jenna Nassif

Basket for Azalea Dinner

Christ the King Church member Jenna Nassif is collecting money to donate a basket to the auction benefitting the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC). If you would like to contribute, contact Jenna.

Your Gift Giving this Year Can Change Someone’s World!

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Browse through 12 areas of giving, including the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and the Division for Global Mission. You may also send an E-card and print out a Tribute Notification for the honoree.

Lutheran World Relief
LWR is rated at the TOP of relief organizations! This is the webpage for the LWR Community Quilt. Click on the 12 items listed under “Gift Squares” to learn about different areas and levels of giving

Church World Service
An especially fun site for involving children in alternative giving! Click on different areas of the village map for an audio guide to various ways to give. You may also send an E-card to the gift honoree.

Heifer International
Founded in 1944. They work exclusively in the areas of livestock and agriculture to develop programs that alleviate hunger and poverty. Although the site is not specifically geared toward children, there are great visuals of animals and trees to give.

Americares
Founded in 1975 with a commitment to help Vietnamese orphans. Browse their international and domestic relief programs. For alternative giving, click on “Sitemap” at the bottom of the page, then click on “How To Help: Honor & Memorial Donations”.

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.