Missional Offering

Mission Offering for October –
Thrivent Builds - Habitat for Humanity

The mission offering is collected at the church doors at the end of worship.
The October offering benefits Thrivent Builds - Habitat for Humanity.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity, put the faith of Lutherans and their communities into action by helping families buy affordable housing, achieve greater economic independence and achieve more stable home environments.

Through Thrivent Builds, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans sponsors the construction of hundreds of Habitat for Humanity homes every year in the United States by combining the efforts of 2.8 million Thrivent Financial members with Lutheran congregations and institutions. More than two-thirds of the funding for each home is contributed by Thrivent Financial, its members and local chapters. The remaining funding is raised through the ongoing efforts of local Lutheran congregations and Habitat affiliates.

Since 1991, Thrivent Financial and its members have worked with Habitat for Humanity to build more than 500 homes, raise more than $25 million and contribute more than 1.4 million volunteer hours in homebuilding time.

In addition, all Habitat affiliates donate 10% of their funds raised to build Habitat homes in other countries. Tithing from Thrivent Builds contributions will allow up to 500 additional homes to be constructed around the world.

Special

Blessing of the Animals
October 13

There will be a Blessing of the Animals service in the courtyard of Christ the King Lutheran Church on Saturday, October 13 at 11:00 a.m.
The service lasts about 45 minutes. In the past it has drawn pet owners both from the congregation and from the community at large. A diversity of pets have been presented, including ferrets, crabs, and gold fish, as well as the more typical cats and dogs.

Can you Hear Me Now?

Has your email address changed? Do you have a new cell phone number or have moved? Consider if you have made changes in the past months and have not yet notified the church office.

Contact the church office with any changes in your information.

Safety Kit in Basement

We now have a Safety Kit located in the cupboard above the sink in the basement classroom. Safety Kits are also located in the nursery, sacristy, and kitchen on the first floor; in the education office on the second floor; and the restroom on the third floor.

Worship

Godly Play Lessons Today

Pre-K/K:
1st/2nd grade:
3rd Grade: Wife of Isaac

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.

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

The Prayer Around the Cross at Christ the King Church will be held at the Taizé service on the first Saturday of the month. 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. This time of contemplation will be accompanied by Taizé chants..

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

The Bach Society Twenty-fifth Anniversary Abendmusik

The Bach Society at Christ the King Lutheran Church celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary this season. The anniversary season is opened with an Abendmusik concert on Sunday, October 7, at 5:00 p.m. featuring some of Johann Sebastian Bach’s most joyful compositions. The professional Bach Choir and the Bach Orchestra, now playing exclusively on period instruments, will be led by Albert LeDoux.

The anniversary program includes excerpts from Cantata BWV 29, Wir danken dir, Gott; a motet for double choir, Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied; and the secular cantata BWV 205, Der zufriedengestellte Aeolus, with guest soloists Sam Handley (in the role of Aeolus); Randolph Lacy (Zephyrus); Stephanie Prewitt (Pomona); and Melissa Givens (Pallas).

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!

Wednesday Night Alive! is back 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 are available in the narthex.

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.

This week’s menu is:
Pot Roast w/ gravy, mashed potatoes, roasted autumn vegetables, chopped salad, corn muffins, ookies/brownies/cupcakes prepared by Courtney Harper.

Pizza VIP

Always loved the smell of fresh baked, yummy pizza? The Wednesday Night Alive team is looking for Pizza VIPs to coordinate pizza pick-up in the Rice Village and selling it on Wednesday nights. The job takes about an hour between 5:15 and 6:15 p.m. and is done together with the assigned greeter for that week. With more than one person volunteering the commitment could easily be split. All who are interested may contact Pr. Liebster

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.

Sunday Café

Sunday Café provides 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.

Retreat for Teens and their Parents

The Melanchthon Institute is partnering with the Gulf Coast Stewardship Team and Lutherhill Ministries to offer a weekend retreat for teens and their parents October 26 and 27 at Lutherhill in LaGrange. Highlight of the weekend will be Nathan Dungan, president and founder of Share Save Spend TM. His organization helps adults and youth achieve financial sanity by developing and maintaining healthy financial habits. He’s considered one of the country’s “go-to” experts on family finances and the impact of mass marketing on our youth.

Cost: $35/person and limit of $125   -   Includes Friday snack and two meals on Saturday.
Housing options include:
     Camping at Lutherhill RV Center: $20/night.
     Cabins at Lutherhill: $60/Night per cabin.
     Special Rates at Best Western/LaGrange: $74/night.
     Special Rates of $95 – 100 (double occupancy) at Brendan Manor B&B in LaGrange.
          (Mention the Share Save Spend event at Lutherhill) 

This event is made possible by a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Follow this link for reservations and more information.

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.

Walk to Bethlehem

Christ the King Church members are invited to join efforts in an exercise program called “Walk to Bethlehem” beginning October 1st. We have 12 weeks until December 24 to reach our goal of 7,048 miles to Bethlehem. If we get tired, we can “fly” across the Atlantic Ocean instead of swimming, making the total miles walked 2,814. This is how it works:

1. Keep track of your miles during the week. To make it easy, just credit yourself 1 mile for every 20 minutes of true exercise (walking, swimming, pushing a stroller, ballet class, soccer practice, etc.)
2. Post your miles each Sunday on the mobile bulletin board so we can track our progress on a map.
3. Individuals and families who reach 50 miles will receive 200 BONUS miles!

This is a great way to keep going with our present exercise or add more exercise to our daily routine. It is now recommended that we do 60 minutes of walking or other vigorous exercise every day just for healthy heart maintenance. Families can take a walk together and add up the miles for everyone! How about calling your church friend and go for a walk, a run, or kick a ball. So let’s get walking! See you in Bethlehem!

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

Sacral parody and Pirates of the Caribbean

This two Sunday series continues the Sunday Forum theme of literature as a window to understanding the classic questions of life. This series will be taught by Mary Koenig, high school English teacher and community college instructor.

October 7: The meaning of sacral parody and the outrageous dualities presented in the “Miller’s Tale” from “The Canterbury Tales.” Participants are invited to read the “Miller’s Tale” before class.

October 14: Pirates of the Caribbean: Examination of the film’s sources in the Aeneid and the Divine Comedy.

Doorperson Training

Everyone who is interested in learning how to assist with a Godly Play class is invited to a short training session on Sunday, October 14 at 12:30. It will be held in the Kindergarten room. All people presently serving as doorpersons are especially welcome

Downtown Lunch Bunch Study Group - Tuesdays at Noon

The Rev. Dr. Don Carlson, a member of The Melanchthon Board of Directors and local pastor, will be facilitating a noon time discussion group based on a DVD series, “Living the Questions.” This 12-part series is designed for people who want to integrate their faith with the events of their daily lives and are willing to grapple with difficult issues together.

The group will meet on Tuesdays at noon. Bring your own lunch and a guest. Cost is $10/session or $100 for the entire series when paid in full by the first session. The dates are continuous through December 18 with the exception of November 20 when the group will not meet due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. The class will meet at the Fullbright Tower at 1301 McKinney. 47th Floor. Ask for Rodney Koenig when you check in with the 47th Floor Receptionist.

Journaling Workshop

Journaling taps into creative energies. Study with Dr. Allan Sager, the Melanchthon Institutue Fall 2007 Theologian in Residence. He uses journaling himself and has taught journaling methods to hundreds of others.

Two Mondays, October 15 and 22: 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.($25/person) at Christ the King Lutheran Church.
Registration and information at the Melanchthon Institute

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, October 19, 7 until 9 p.m., and Saturday, October 20, 9 a.m. until 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 for the two-day class is available when requested the Monday prior to the class.

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
(Will not meet on Wednesday, October 10. Class resumes on October 17.)

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 meets on Wednesday, 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 meets on Wednesdays 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 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, October 8 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.

Hospitality Apartments Needs Volunteers to Help Move

During October, November and December (?), Hospitality Apartments will be moving into the new apartments. Movers will be hired for the big stuff. So volunteers just have to “sweat the small stuff!” Jobs range from assembling dining tables and bed frames to washing dishes to cleaning toilets to vacuuming furniture to marking inventory lists to helping guests to ... Younger people and older people can help. There are small jobs and big jobs but no unimportant jobs.
For information, contact the Hospitality Apartments at 713-790-9120. Check out their blogspot

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

Need a Flu Shot?

Kelsey/Seybold Clinic will sponsor an immunization clinic this fall. Influenza vaccine will be available for adults and children over 36 months. To determine the level of interest, please contact Linda Schoene if you would like to be immunized.

October 14
9:30am – 12:30pm
Council Room
$27 (cash or check)

Printer/Ink Cartridges Needed!

Luther League needs your ink cartridges! The youth of Christ the King urge you not to throw away that printer cartridge when it’s empty – recycle it! The youth group is starting a recycle drive in cooperation with Cartridge World in West University. Cartridge World will make a donation to CTK for the benefit of Luther League for each cartridge we recycle. That can add up to big bucks for programming, youth gatherings and mission trips. If you are already refilling your cartridges, please consider taking them to Cartridge World (located at 4036 Bellaire Blvd, next to Whole Foods) and telling them “Christ the King sent me!”