Missional Offering

Mission Offering for September – Hospitality Apartments

The mission offering in September will benefit the Hospitality Apartments (HRDF), an organization with which Christ the King Lutheran Church has been closely associated for over a generation. The Hospitality Apartments provide free temporary housing and a welcome, comfortable, supportive environment for families in need who must come to Houston for treatment in Texas Medical Center hospitals. The average stay is 7 weeks and the cumulative occupancy rate is over 99%. The guests arrive from all over the United States and neighboring countries. Christ the King Church has been a loyal financial and volunteer supporter of the Hospitality Apartments for over 25 years.

At present, the Hospitality Apartments are constructing new facilities at a cost of approximately $4 million. The majority of the capital funds already have been raised, but the capital campaign does not include funds for new furnishings. Each apartment is furnished with two twin beds, a chest of drawers, bedside table, linens, sleeper sofa, recliner, end table, TV and VCR (or VCR/DVD), two lamps, dinette set, refrigerator, stove, microwave, cooking utensils and other kitchen items—at a total cost of $5,000. Our August mission offering will be donated to the Hospitality Apartments to assist in furnishing the new apartments in a manner that brings comfort and dignity to guests while staying in the Hospitality Apartments.

Special

Worship

Lectio Divina on Wednesdays

Our Wednesday evening prayer group, Lectio Divina, led by Velma Rice, will begin on Wednesday, September 5 from 6:45-7:30 p.m. This ancient form of prayer is translated “Divine Reading,” and has been part of the spiritual practice in the church since ancient times. All are invited to participate.

Training for All Current and New Acolytes

All children who are currently serving as acolytes and those who wish to become acolytes will have training with Pr. Moore and Pr. Liebster on September 8 at 10:00 a.m. in the nave. There will be a make up session on September 15 at 10:00 a.m. Generally, children who are in fourth grade are invited to become acolytes. They must receive training before they will be allowed to serve. Please contact Pr. Liebster with questions.

Morning Prayer

Each weekday morning at 8:15 a.m. Morning Prayer is said in the narthex. All are welcome to participate.

Prayer Around the Cross at Taizé Service on the First Saturday of the Month

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.

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.

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.

Wednesday Night Alive! is starting September 5

Wednesday Night Alive! is back starting September 5 with dinner at 5:30 p.m. Children and adults alike will fill every room and corner of the ministry building: eating, learning, singing, playing instruments, studying, praying, writing life stories, and so much more. The Wednesday Night Alive! program has grown from an exclusively children orientated ministry in its early years to a weekly congregational event spanning all generations from infant to those reflecting on their life stories. All members and friends are invited to come and see the building up of strong bones for the body of Christ.

The offerings are very similar to previous years. The schedule, detailed class descriptions, and registration packet will be available on September 5. The information will be online at www.ctkelc.org all year.

We need volunteers and leaders willing to commit to two or three Wednesdays a semester in the following areas:
Kitchen Help – cooking, cleaning, serving. Here is your opportunity to Praise God with a Spoon and Pot! We are especially looking for chefs and assistant cooks.

Welcome Table – we need smiling faces to greet, help with registration, and sell dinner tickets.

Godly Play – both those certified as teachers and those who can quietly assist as Door Persons are needed for the Godly Play class. No experience is required for Door Persons. We especially need volunteers who are not parents of young children for this role.

Kids Club and World Explorers – these special groups are led by Tim Lenz and Irmi Willcockson respectively. They need creative and patient volunteers who are called to work with elementary age children in games, crafts, science studies, and similar areas.

If you would like to serve as a volunteer in a position this year, please let Pastor Liebster and/or Alicia Goodrow know.

Dinner Time for all on Wednesdays!

All are invited to join the crowd for dinner Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00 p.m. An adult’s plate is $5.00, a child’s plate $3.00. Pizza is sold for $1.50 per slice.

Altar Guild Fall Luncheon

Come wearing your festive fall hat to the annual fall luncheon of the Altar Guild at the parsonage Saturday, September 15 at 12:00 noon.
All interested members of Christ the King Church who would like to know more about the work of the Altar Guild are invited. Please RSVP by September 10 to Kathy Moore.

Playgroup on Tuesdays 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Christ the King Church invites parents with babies and toddlers to participate in a playgroup on Tuesdays from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. in the nursery. Each week parents meet with children of various ages for fellowship and exchange. Playgroup will continue meeting throughout the summer on Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 in the nursery. Please contact Diane Schoppe if you have any questions. 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

Sunday nights at 6:00 p.m., all 6th grade through 12th grade youth are invited to the Luther League meetings in the youth room. Food, games, discussions, and new friends can be found during the 90 minute meetings. The meetings are led by youth director Tim Lenz along with other young adults and parents. Please contact Tim Lenz for more information. Click here to view the Luther League website.

Luther League Meeting on September 2

Sunday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m. is the next scheduled Luther League meeting in the basement youth room. We will be viewing and discussing parts of One, the Movie. More information on the film can be found at www.onetheproject.com . All 6th grade through 12th grade youth are invited. Friends are always welcome! Food and fellowship will precede the film.

Sunday Café Resumes on Rally Sunday

Sunday Café resumes on Rally Sunday, August 26 providing 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.

Hey College Students! FREE MEALS! Woohoo…Oh Yeah!

Every Sunday after the late service, Sunday Café happens in the church fellowship area. Hungry's caters, and college students eat for free. Life simply doesn't get better than this! Come join members of Christ the King and fellow college students for great fellowship and a great meal.

Mark Sunday September 9th on your calendar! After Sunday Café (that free meal we're talking about), we will gather to talk about Lutheran Campus Ministry Bible study throughout this semester as well other Houston Lutheran Campus Ministry events happening throughout the year.

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.

Yoga on Saturdays - 1:00 p.m.

The yoga class will meet on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. in the basement classroom. Bring a mat or foam for comfort. The cost is $7 per person.

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

Sundays at 9:45 a.m. in the basement classroom
No Sunday Forum on September 2

Reading the Classics: Homer, The Iliad

Have you ever wanted to go back to college and read some of the “great books” of the West? Here is your chance to do so. In the first series of the Sunday Forum class offerings this fall we will read some of the greatest books ever written. We begin in September with Homer’s The Iliad.

On four Sundays, beginning September 9, Matthias Henze will read excerpts from this Greek classic. Please note that the rules of the Sunday Forum classes will change slightly. Participants are expected to read short sections from The Iliad before coming to class. The Iliad consists of 24 books. Below are the dates of the four class meetings. The books listed behind each date will be discussed on that Sunday; this means that the assigned books will have to be read before coming to class.

Start reading now! English translations are easily available at every major book store in Houston and on-line. It does not matter which translation is chosen, though the paperback edition and translation by Robert Fagles in the Penguin Classics series is recommended. Make sure that you bring your copy of The Iliad to every class meeting. And please don’t be intimidated: we will go through the text slowly and will take plenty of time for questions. Most importantly, you will find reading Homer immensely rewarding and will come to appreciate why The Iliad is one of the greatest timeless classics ever written.

September 9, The Iliad, Books 1 and 4
September 16, The Iliad, Books 6 and 9
September 23, The Iliad, Books 15 and 16
September 30, The Iliad, Books 22 and 2

Call for Sunday Church School Assistants and Substitute Teachers

Join the teaching team for a class by regular attendance but without a commitment to lesson preparation or be “on call” as a substitute teacher. Lessons will be pre-planned for subs.

Please e-mail Marie Monroe if you would like to join our fantastic teaching team this year.

Friday Study Group to examine the Patriarchal Narratives in the Book of Genesis

Everyone is invited to a new study with the Friday Morning Bible Study beginning September 7 at 10:00 a.m. We gather for snacks at 10:00 and conduct the study from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Pastor Moore will lead the study.

We will turn our attention to the biblical narrative of Genesis 12 - 50 concerning Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel, and Joseph. These sweeping narratives are foundational for the Hebrew and Christian understanding of the promissory character of faith.

The realism of the patriarchal narratives invites readers to participate in the developments, the threats, and deliverances that occur. God reigns magisterially over events, but God remains an “illusive presence” throughout. God is known through the experience of the events and the promise that brings meaning to the vicissitudes of human evil and folly.

Confirmation Classes of 2008 and 2009

The new confirmation class combines youth to be confirmed in 2008 and in 2009. Aubyn Link, Aaron Schaer, and Andrew Winston have already studied Bible in the last year and are now welcoming the new class of 2009: Dylan Beckman, Erik Biegert, Blake Bourne, Nils Krahe, Franz Liebster, Raven Wichelhaus, and Matthew Willcockson. This year the youth will study and memorize Luther’s Small Catechism. Confirmation class takes place on Wednesdays, 6:15 – 7:15 p.m. in the conference room on the third floor. Pr. Liebster and Tim Lenz will lead the class.

Baptized into Christ - Luther's Small Catechism

Persons wanting to deepen their understanding of faith or wanting to prepare for baptism are invited to this study of the most significant text for the Lutheran understanding of faith.

The Small Catechism was written almost 500 years ago by Martin Luther as a means to teach adults the basics of Christian faith. Like most catechisms of the day, the Small Catechism included sections on 1. The Ten Commandments, 2. The Apostles Creed, and 3. The Lord’s Prayer. Luther added sections on 4. Holy Baptism and 5. Holy Communion.

The class begins on Wednesday, September 5, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the council room on the second floor and will be taught by Pastor Moore. The series is scheduled for September through November and January through April.

Life Stories Writing Workshop

The Writing Life Stories Workshop resumes with the beginning of the Wednesday Night Alive! September 5 at Christ the King church. The Workshop is held from 5:00 until 6:45 p.m. and includes an opportunity for participants to enjoy the evening dinners served at the Church.

This Fall we will begin exploring various aspects of storytelling including the ways in which they affect our lives and the lives of others. Resource materials for the Fall workshops will include Christina Baldwin’s Storycatcher: Making Sense of Our Lives through the Power and Practice of Story and Mary Pfifer’s Writing to Change the World.

All those interested in writing their memoirs or in having an opportunity to explore various forms of storytelling and writing are invited to join us. We are a very informal and sharing group. And the stories each session have been priceless! For more information contact Anna Fay Williams.

Service & Care

Feed the Homeless

The Feed the Homeless Ministry meets on Monday, September 10 at 5:45 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! All are welcome.Contact Wendy Wiker for more information.

Ten Thousand Villages to hold Oriental Rug Event
Fairly traded rugs foster peace

Ten Thousand Villages in Houston will offer Oriental rugs from Pakistan made by fairly paid adult artisans during an Oriental Rug Event September 13-17. The rugs, handmade in Pakistani homes by fairly paid adults, will be available for sale in a variety of sizes and colors during the event.

The store will present an Introduction to Oriental Rugs Seminar for the public on Thursday, September 13 at 7:00 p.m. Admission to the seminar is free, but reservations are suggested.

For more information

Get Ready

A graph of hurricane frequency over the past 100 years indicates that the majority of hurricanes form in September. As we draw closer to that busy month, it pays to repeat the preparedness message. Persons living alone should find a family member or friend with whom they can either evacuate or shelter in place, No one should be alone. The Care Team here at CTK has been evaluating this situation within our congregation. If you have concerns about yourself or someone else, please contact Linda Schoene, Congregational Nurse.

In addition, avoid the long lines and frenzy that occur when a hurricane threatens by taking time now to stock up on water and non-perishable food items. Make sure the flashlights have fresh batteries and the first aid kit is stacked. Keep all medications up to date and phone numbers and important papers handy. Being prepared readies us care for ourselves and our families and positions us to help others!

Thrivent Builds with Habitat

Thrivent Builds is sponsoring two Habitat for Humanity home builds in Umland Park September 28, 29, and October 5, 6, 13.. If you are interested in helping a family build an affordable home, contact Torsten Louis for further information.

Food Service Ministry Continues this Fall on Wednesday Nights: Calling all Cooks and Bottlewashers

Our Food Service Ministry Team will continue to delight our hungry Wednesday Night Alive! participants again this school year. We are blessed with great cooking, as well as serving and cleaning talent, in our congregation. All members who enjoy good food and good fellowship are invited to join us by volunteering one Wednesday night during the fall semester. Food service will be from 5:30-7:00 p.m. each Wednesday from September 5 through December 5. We have a full range of positions available from skilled to unskilled (from cooks to servers to dishwashers). And not only do Food Service Ministry Team volunteers get the satisfaction of serving others, but they also get a free meal. How’s that for a great deal?! For more information or to volunteer, please contact Beverly Davis