Missional Offering

Mission Offering for December - ELCA World Hunger Appeal

The mission offering is collected at the church doors at the end of worship.
The December offering benefits the ELCA World Hunger Appeal

The ELCA’s commitment to supporting people who live with chronic hunger and poverty around the corner and around the world is carried out by ELCA World Hunger through relief, development, education, and advocacy. Historically, our congregation has regarded the World Hunger Appeal as one of our distinctive global mission priorities. Last year, our December Mission Offering for the World Hunger Appeal raised over $30,000.
All money raised by the World Hunger Appeal comes through specially designated offerings and donations from ELCA members, congregations, and friends. ELCA World Hunger receives no benevolence (general budget money from general ELCA member offerings); the ELCA’s world hunger ministry is based in congregations, where most of the fund raising takes place.

ELCA World Hunger improves the lives of people in need in the United States and around the world in four distinct ways:

· providing immediate relief for people affected by chronic hunger and poverty;
· assisting whole communities through long- term, sustainable development to help alleviate chronic hunger and poverty;
· advocating for justice by changing laws and systems;
· educating members of the ELCA in awareness of issues relating to hunger, poverty and justice

How does ELCA World Hunger carry out these functions?

ELCA World Hunger supports “partner organizations” that carry out international relief and development on the ELCA’s behalf with grants from money raised by the World Hunger Appeal. Also through grants, the program helps fund more than 200 relief and development projects in the United States. Funds raised by the World Hunger Appeal also support efforts of ELCA units and other outside partners as they:

· Teach members of the ELCA about causes and solutions to global poverty.
· Carry out active projects in environmental stewardship.
· Carry out hunger advocacy work in the ELCA office in Washington, D.C., and in 20 state of- fices as well as Bread for the World. · Examine our lifestyles through resources from Alternatives for Simple Living.

Who decides how the money is spent?

While most of the funds the World Hunger Appeal collects are raised in congregations, the funds are collected at the ELCA churchwide office in Chicago. There, the work of raising and spending of funds is coordinated and supported by various units of the churchwide office, including:

· Development Services (World Hunger Appeal fund-raising; hunger education, communication)
· Global Mission (international relief and development; International Disaster Response) · Church in Society (World Hunger Program - overall coordination; hunger education; ELCA Domestic Disaster Response)
· ELCA Foundation (fund-raising through major and planned gifts)

For more information on the World Hunger Appeal, see the Sunday bulletin inserts in December or visit the ELCA website

Special

Advent Wreath Workshop

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

Annual Meeting, Part 1 - December 2

On Sunday, December 2, 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 2008 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 3, 2008.

Christ the King Foundation Accepts Grant Requests due by Noon, December 3

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 are available in the Church Office. Deadline for requests is noon, Monday, December 3, 2007.

Swedish Christmas Traditions & Lucia Day Celebration

On Saturday, December 8 from 4:00—6:30 p.m. at Christ the King Church, the Swedish Club of Houston will hold a Celebration of Swedish Christmas Traditions & St. Lucia Day with a traditional Lucia procession, Scandinavian Christmas bazaar, folk dancing and traditional Swedish refreshments. The Lucia Procession in the nave will be at 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact Nancy Webor visit www.swedishclub.org.

Luciadagen

The Linnaeus Club will hold a Swedish pageant of St. Lucia will be at Clarewood House, 7400 Clarewood by Sharpstown Mall, on December 9 at 2:30 p.m. This year’s St. Lucia will be Rachel Fisher and Megan Horan.

Weihnachtsmarkt
(Christmas Market)

On Saturday, December 8, 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 approximately 1:00 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.

Time and Talent!

It is not too late to turn in your Time and Talent sheet which was mailed in November. There are many ways you can minister within our congregation, in our community, and in the world. Look through your 2008 Time and Talent catalog for a myriad of ways you can serve. For more information about any of the opportunities, please contact either the person listed in the catalog for the activity or contact Beverly Davis

Worship

Godly Play Lessons Today

Pre-K/K: The Advent Story
1st/2nd grade: The Advent Story
3rd Grade: The Advent Story

Last Lectio Divina on Wednesdays

Our Wednesday evening prayer group, Lectio Divina, led by Velma Rice, meets on Wednesdays 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.

Prayer Around the Cross at Taizé Service

The congregation and friends of Christ the King Church are invited to a special Taizé service on Saturday, December 1, at 6:00 p.m. in the nave. The Ethnos String Quartet will lead the congregation in song and meditative silence.

The Taizé service provides a unique worship experience focusing on silence and reflection. The music is simple yet uplifting. Worshipers come from all over the Houston area. This week’s service includes the Prayer around the Cross and the Eucharist..

Daily Devotions with Pr. Kathy Haueisen

December 2 through December 15 of the daily devotions of The Word in Season were written by Pr. Haueisen. This booklet, with 3 months of daily meditations, is available on the brochure rack in the narthex.

Christmas Flowers

Members may contribute toward decorating the nave for Christmas by donating $10 for greenery and poinsettias. You may place contributions in the offering with one of the inserts from the bulletin or give it to the church office.

Flowers for the Nave

The 2007 Altar Guild Flower Chart will be on the mobile bulletin board in December. Flower arrangements for weekend services have increased to $45. Please pay for the flowers as you sign up.

Morning Prayer

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

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

December 2 • 5:00 pm
Abendmusik: Bach: Christmas Oratorio, pt. 1-3

Visit the Bach Society website.

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.

Last Wednesday Night Alive! for 2007

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.

Dinner for December 5 is:

Spiral-cut Ham
Parsley potatoes
Green beans
Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Christmas Sugar Cookies

Prepared by Jessica Cannon

Wednesday Night Alive! dinners will continue on January 9, 2008

Grocery Shopping Coop?

Are you interested in becoming part of a group who will benefit from equally sharing fresh fruits and vegetables twice a month? Also to share coupons for local stores in the area? Contact Ann Chisholm, Peggy Johnson or the church office.

Sunday Snack Providers!

Are you looking for a way to help out that will make a big impact without a big time commitment?
Please consider becoming a snack provider!
Most of our volunteers are asked to provide snacks for either service (your choice) twice per year. The snacks can be as simple or as complicated as you wish - no culinary degree required!
Becoming a snack provider is a great way to help make our Sunday mornings more hospitable for guests and more fun for our members. All the money raised goes directly to World Hunger Appeal.
Join us today! Contact Anita Bryant

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.

Play Group Invitation

Are you a parent of a small child? Would you like to visit with other parents occasionally?  Do your children enjoy playing with others? Christ the King has just the place for you!
Our Playgroup is a thriving collection of parents and their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers that meets each Tuesday in the church nursery. Children play, parents visit, and friends are made. We cordially invite you to join us Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for fun and fellowship.

If you have any questions about the playgroup or the field trip, please contact Diane Schoppe at or Franziska Fischer a

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.

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.

Walking On Water!

As of November 25, we’ve walked over 3400 miles. One half of the bonus miles were added, which puts us in Naples, Italy. Only a little over 1000 miles to go. We need all the miles we can get, so everyone keep exercising!

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

There will be no Sunday Forum on December 2

Life “After Bad Things Happen”

Dr. Sharon Ostwald, Professor in the Center on Aging and the Isla Carroll Turner Chair of Gerontological Nursing in the University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston, will lead Sunday Forum for two Sundays in December on the theme of life after stroke and life with chronic illness. This class will be meaningful to all who live their lives “after bad things happened.” Sharon’s film Living after Stroke: Conversations with Couples, won a Platinum Award in the category of Religion and Ethics at the 40th WorldFest, an International Independent Film Festival. Sharon has been a member of Christ the King Church since 1995.
December 9
The class will include the viewing of Living after Stroke: Conversations with Couples, an honest and poignant exploration of the impact of stroke on the lives of six couples. They explore topics such as intimacy, finances, depression, pain, frustration, fear, job loss, spirituality, and daily struggles. It is a testament of the ability of the human spirit to triumph over life’s challenges. A discussion will follow on the impact of chronic illness on our lives and how we maintain our faith when “bad things happen.”

December 16
This class will explore the importance of providing opportunities for older people to share their life’s experiences through written and oral stories, pictures and memorabilia. Dr. Diane Persson, Director of the Harris County Long Term Care Ombudsman in the Center on Aging at UT Houston will join Sharon in a discussion of how we can help to make lives visible through the process of interviewing older people and/or family members and preparing a story board illustrating their lives that can be shared with others. We will also ask some of the members of our congregation who have been writing their stories for the last two years to share a few stories with us.
There will be no Sunday Forum on December 23 and December 30.

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 in early 2008. Contact the office for dates.

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 available when requested the Monday prior to the class.

Downtown Lunch Bunch Study Group - Tuesdays at Noon

The Rev. Dr. Don Carlson, a member of The Melanchthon Board of Directors and local pastor, is 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 meets on Tuesdays at noon through December 18. Bring your own lunch and a guest. Cost is $10 for each session. The meeting space is provided by Rodney Koenig at the Fulbright Tower, 1301 McKinney, 47th floor. The class will not meet the week of Thanksgiving.

Young Adult Bible Study on First And Third Mondays

Campus pastor Brad Fuerst is offering a Bible study specifically for young adults on first and third Monday nights of each month. The next meeting is December 3at 6:00 p.m. in the second floor council room at Christ the King Lutheran Church. The meeting ends at 7:30 p.m.; participants go out afterwards for fellowship.

The Bible study complements the ministry of service through “Feed the Homeless” which happens every second and fourth Monday of the month. The focus of the Bible study is on Christian ethics and discipleship. Our liturgical worship together will serve as a framework for this study. Participants are encouraged to bring snacks to share…oh, and do bring your Bible as well. Preferably, the New Revised Standard Version.

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.

Travels through Time and Memor with Life Stories Workshop Writers on December 5

On December 5 travel down the paths to holidays remembered and adventures not so long ago as members of the Life Stories Workshop read some of their favorite stories and memoirs. The reading will begin at 5:00 p.m. in the council room. You’ll find how memories can link us to the present with even more understanding and enlarge our view of the events that we have shared with others.

The Life Stories Workshop is held each Wednesday evening during Wednesday Night Alive! from 5:00 until 6:45 p.m. We invite members and friends to the December 5 meeting, the last session for the fall program. Grab your dinner downstairs and enjoy an evening of memory sharing!

Service & Care

Feed the Homeless

The Feed the Homeless Ministry meets on Monday, December 10at 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.

We Believe in Sharing Christmas

We need volunteers to help in our effort to assist the Christian Community Service Center’s annual Jingle Bell Express from Monday, December 3 through Thursday, December 6. Our own member Chuck Alexander is helping coordinate this effort.

Volunteers can help in two different areas:

1) UNLOADING: Monday, from 12:00 noon until 8 p.m. Books, toys, and food packages will be coming in by the truck load and strong, able bodied persons are needed for any amount of time you can serve. If you are able to help on Monday afternoon, please let Chuck know

2) SORT: Tuesday –Thursday from 6:00 pm until 8:00 p.m. Volunteers over the age of 10 are needed to help organize toys, books, and food packages each evening. No need to RSVP for this. Just show up at Bellaire United Methodist, 4417 Bellaire Blvd. (just inside Loop 610 at Newcastle).

Heifer Project International

Changing the World Two by Two – It’s that time again! The Luther League will begin taking donations on Sunday mornings through December 30 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!”

“There is a Bridge” – a sensitive, compassionate look at Alzheimer’s

This PBS special will be presented in DVD format on Thursday, December 6, at 6:30 p.m. in the council room. Please RSVP to Linda Schoene as a light supper will be served.

Fill a Shoebox and Delight 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 by December 14.
For more information, contact Tim Lenz.

Fair Trade Coffee Sales Continue

Fair Trade coffee from Equal Exchange is on sale after services and during the week in 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, hot cocoa and baking cocoa, and chocolate bars produced by democratically run farmer co-ops in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Order these items online

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!”