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

Buy a Pie from the Luther League on Christmas Eve

Instead of traveling to the grocery store this Christmas for pies, purchase one or two freshly baked homemade pies from the Luther League before and after the Christmas Eve services on December 24 for $12 each. The homemade pies will be filled with fresh and colorful blueberries or cherries and covered with a homemade lattice or solid pie topping. Fill your home with the sweet aroma of a homemade pie this Christmas!

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

Council Retreat

On Friday and Saturday, January 11and 12, the Council will hold its annual retreat workshop at Camp Allen in Navasota. Though the workshop is planned expressly for Council members, it is open to all church members at their own expense. If you are interested in participating, please contact Pr. Moore at the church office by noon on January 4

Worship

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..

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.

Altar Guild Vases

Members who have received the altar flowers in the past are kindly asked to return the vases to the Altar Guild sacristy.

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

Lessons and Carols

The season of Advent is filled with anticipation of Christmas. This time of waiting is also a wonderful opportunity to ponder the mystery how Christ’s birth was the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Savior to earth. In a spirit of expectation and contemplation on the mystery of Christ’s birth, Christ the King Lutheran Church’s musical ensembles will join to present music celebrating the advent and coming of Christ in a Service of Lessons and Carols on December 16 at 5:00 p.m.

The Service of Lessons and Carols originated at King’s College, Cambridge in 1918, and has been broadcast annually since the 1930s. At the heart of the service are nine scripture readings which tell the story of Christ’s birth as the central event in the redemption of the fallen human race. Between the scripture lessons, the choir and the congregation sing carols—a term originally including devotional songs of many kinds—relating to the readings and to the feast of Christmas.

In our setting, in a variation on that traditional service, the congregation will respond to each of the readings not with Anglican carols and hymns, but with chorales from the rich treasure of Lutheran music, in the manner of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio or Passion music. Much of the choral music, too, will be from the German tradition although—like the King’s College service—there will be a variety of music from around the world.

The Service of Lessons and Carols is an occasion to hear the music of Advent and Christmas within a worship service centered on the Gospel account of Christ’s birth. It will be an informal event, and will last about an hour.

Sunday Church School Christmas Pageant and Advent Café

December 16 at 9:45. This year’s pageant is called Lumen Christe (Light of Christ), and is a musical account from the perspective of John the Baptist - or his witness - of how Christ came to our world. Every child from 2-12 is invited to participate by singing or acting, and many of the songs will be accompanied by our Orff instruments as well.

The youth group offers an Advent Café with fresh baked waffles and hot chocolate. Proceeds benefit the Luther League.

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! will begin again on January 9

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.

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

How to Share Your Life’s Experiences

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. 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, along with Dr. Diane Persson, Director of the Harris County Long Term Care Ombudsman in the Center on Aging at UT Houston 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.

Martin E. Marty to Preach and Lecture on January 13 and 14

Dr. Marty is the Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago, where he taught chiefly in the Divinity School for 35 years and where the Martin Marty Center has since been founded to promote “public religion” endeavors. The Rev. Dr. Marty is a Lutheran pastor, author of more than 50 books, columnist for the Christian Century, and weekly contributor to Sightings, a biweekly, electronic editorial published by the Marty Center at the University of Chicago Divinity School primarily in the fields of history and religion. He will preach at both Sunday services and present lectures on Sunday and Monday evenings primarily on his latest work, The Mystery of the Child (Eerdmans).

George Nickelsburg - The Melanchthon Institute Theologian in Residence for the Winter 2008 Semester

The New Year will bring a new Theologian in Residence to The Melanchthon Institute: Dr. George Nickelsburg. Dr. Nickelsburg is Emeritus Professor of Religion at the University of Iowa where he taught for over 30 years. Among his many books are Enoch, Jewish Literature between the Bible and the Mishnah, and Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins: Diversity, Continuity, and Transformation. He is considered one of America’s finest interpreters of Christian beginnings in the context of Judaism. Dr. Nickelsburg, who is also an ordained pastor in the ELCA, will present his research and thoughts in a Sunday Forum class. He will also teach a course on the text of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion which will be presented by the Bach Society during Holy Week 2008.

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, January 18 and Saturday, January 19, 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.

Last 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 17 at 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.

Service & Care

Feed the Homeless

The Feed the Homeless Ministry meets on Monday, January 14 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.

Bicycle Assembly

On Thursday, December 20, from 6- 8 p.m. everyone aged 9 and up will have the chance to help a child receive their first bike by volunteering to help assemble bikes with the Elves and More program. We will gather in the church parking lot at 5:30 p.m. to car pool to Reliant Park. Elves and More provides underprivileged children in our area not only with bicycles, but also with books, toothbrushes, games, toys, shoes, clothes, and new school supplies.
Underprivileged children prefer bicycles over every other gift. Although bikes may seem to be just toys, for these children they offer the freedom and flexibility to go places: to participate in positive after-school activities, to go to the library and get on the Internet, or (for teens) to take a part-time job and help make a better life for their families.

If you are unable to volunteer and would like to make a donation, visit www.elvesandmore.org. To sign up to volunteer, please contact Tim Lenz

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!”

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!”