Christmas Eve

Weihnachtsmesse
(German-language Service)
4:00 p.m.

Candlelight Services
6:00 p.m. 11:00 p.m.

Holy Communion at all services.
Carols sung 15 minutes before each service.

Christmas Day

Carols and Communion
11:00 a.m.

Godly Play Lesson Today

No lessons this Sunday,
Children will rehearse for the Christmas Pageant.

Taking Faith Home

Advent Stars

During Advent a star is hung in the south end of the nave of Christ the King Lutheran Church. In the early Nineteenth Century special multi-pointed stars began to appear in the Moravian churches of Saxony. They were originally made from paper, perhaps originally as geometry projects. Soon the stars were very popular in the churches as reminders of the light of creation, of the prophecy that a star would arise out of Jacob, of the Star of Bethlehem, and of the bright and Morning Star, Jesus Christ. They also became popular in the Lutheran churches of Saxony and beyond. The star appears in Advent and remains until the Epiphany of Our Lord and sometimes even later.

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 2010 Altar Guild Flower Chart is on the mobile bulletin board. Flower arrangements for weekend services are $45. Please pay for the flowers when you sign up.

Contemplative Prayer on Monday Evenings

Matthew 6:6 says "go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret". Contemplative prayer is a Christian spiritual formation practice in which one "goes into their room to pray." Exterior stillness helps to develop an interior silence and space where one can listen with the ear of the heart to hear the God who is always more willing to listen to us than we are to pray. Come on Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. to room 206 and pray this ancient form of prayer.

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 on the First Saturday of Each Month the Taizé Service

The congregation and friends of Christ the King Church are invited to the Taizé service onthe first Saturday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the nave with Prayer around the Cross.
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.

Prayer Around the Paschal Candle, Ministry of Healing on the Second Saturday of Each Month at the Taizé Service

An additional worship opportunity has been added to the Taizé service on each second Saturday of the month. It is called Prayer Around the Paschal Candle and offers the option to receive a Healing Blessing. The Prayer Around the Paschal Candle complements the Prayer Around the Cross which is held on the first Saturday of each month. Persons who wish may come forward for a prayer with laying on of hands and anointing with oil. The congregation accompanies and supports the individuals coming forward with songs of hope and resurrection faith. The Prayers of Intercession will deliver to God petitions on various aspects of healing. Gathered by the Holy Spirit around Jesus Christ, the Word of salvation, we pray for God’s healing in all its dimensions. See an expanded article.

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.

Parking at Rice Stadium Lot Permitted

Press the intercom button at the entrances to the stadium lot.
Let the attendant know that you are going to church. The attendant will let you in at no charge.
Rice personnel can use their parking cards.
Parking in the lot south of the church is available Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.

BeadforLife Bead Party!

BeadforLife eradicates extreme poverty by creating bridges of understanding between impoverished Ugandans and concerned world citizens. Ugandan women make gorgeous handcrafted paper beads from recycled paper and turn them into necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Join us Sunday, December 13, at 9:45 a.m. near the morning snacks to learn about BeadforLife and to purchase this colorful handmade jewelry...and help others a world away. . More information about the BeadforLife

Christmas Pageant
December 20, 10:00 a.m.

This year’s Christmas pageant, “O Come Let Us Adore Him,” will be presented on Sunday, December 20 at 10:00 a.m. by children who either attend Sunday Church School or Wednesday Night Alive! Every child age 2-12 is invited to participate by singing, dancing, or acting. Children are already learning the music on Wednesday nights and will rehearse on Sundays in Advent. On December 6 rehearsals will take place for the entire Sunday Church School hour and costumes will be fitted. On Wednesday, December 9, children will have pizza at 5:30 p.m. and rehearse the whole pageant. The full dress rehearsal will be on Sunday, December 13 at 9:30 a.m. We hope your children will be able to take their place in the age-old story of the birth of Jesus. Anyone who would like to help with costumes or rehearsals may contact Marie Monroe

Tamales! Tamales! Tamales! - December 20

After services on Sunday, December 20, the members of El Buen Pastor Lutheran Church will be selling their delicious tamales again. The cost is $8 per package. Proceeds go to support projects for their church. Remember, don’t wait too long, they always go fast. Thank you to our friends at El Buen Pastor Church.

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.

Wednesday Night Alive!

Wednesday Night Alive! is on break for 2009. Activities will continue on January 13.

Wednesday Night Alive! is a great opportunity for members and friends of the congregation to meet over dinner, in class, in the kitchen, at the welcome table or while making music together. All members, recent and longtime, are especially invited to come and find their spot as volunteers and participants.

Wednesday Night Dinners Are for EVERYONE!

If you haven’t had a homemade dinner lovingly prepared by our food service ministry team, you’ve really missed out. Instead of cooking on Wednesday evenings, swing by the parish hall between 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. and either eat-in with friends and family, or take-out a delicious and inexpensive meal. Adults $5/children $3.

Nursery Volunteers

Do you like babies? Or watching young children play with trains and other toys? Our church's families are growing, and we need your help. We are looking for more volunteers to help out in the nursery a few times a year, for either the early service or the late service. Babies need to be held, and there are small children to be read to. If interested, please contact Diane Schoppe or sign up in the nursery. See you there!

Parent's Night Out/Movies in the Hall

Interested in an evening out while your children are cared for in the church nursery? Christ the King has a baby sitting co-op that provides a monthly evening out while parents take turns working in the nursery. Want more information? Contact Mark Wolf.

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.

Members are invited to suggest speakers or topics to be addressed during Sunday Forum.
Contact Susan Myres Uri with your ideas and comments.

December 13 - World Hunger and Lutheran World Relief

Karen Landahl will talk about the work of Lutheran World Relief and her experience in Tanzania. She attended the Lutheran World Relief’s Women to Women study tour to Tanzania and has been a part of their volunteer speaker’s bureau ever since. Karen graduated with master’s degrees in theology and social work and is particularly interested in ways the people of faith can reach out into the world. She is currently a full time mother to her 11 month daughter and works part time as a chaplain at Christus Dubuis Hospital. Her husband, Steve Cauley, is associate pastor of Covenant Lutheran Church in Houston.
Christ the King Lutheran Church has a history of being one of our synod’s largest contributors to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal every year. Come learn about how our contributions are used and how the ELCA fits into the world-wide Lutheran Church. 

December 20 - Christmas Pageant - 10:00 a.m. in the parish hall

The Sunday Church School children preform O Come Let Us Adore Him, a musical account of the birth of Jesus.

Confirmation Classes

The new confirmation class combines youth to be confirmed in 2010 and in 2011. Ten of our members will be participating in this year’s class. This year the youth will study and memorize the Small Catechism. Confirmation class takes place on Wednesdays, beginning September 9, at 6:00 – 7:15 p.m. in the council room. Pr. Moore and Tim Lenz will lead the class.

Class for New Members and Inquirers

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 two day class covering all topics is offered. Future dates to be announced.
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.

Last Day to Fill a Shoebox for a Seafarer

In keeping with our motto, the village church with a global mission, Christ the King Church children will be wrapping shoeboxes to give to seafarers who visit the Port of Houston this 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 shoe-box FULL with items such as: combs, soap, shaving cream, disposable razors, lip balm, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pads, pens, pencils, puzzles, envelopes, needles and thread, deodorant, heavy socks (no ankle socks), shoe laces, work gloves, knit caps, flashlights, calendars, bottle openers, nail clippers, aspirin, band-aids, key chains, small photo albums, Texas souvenirs, disposable or one-use cameras, playing cards, magazines, hard candy (no chocolate) or something fun. (These are items we take for granted but they are appreciated tremendously by the seafarers. There are very few women on the ships. Please pack boxes primarily for men).

Please bring your filled shoebox to the narthex through December 13.
For more information, contact Tim Lenz

Feed the Homeless

The Feed the Homeless Ministry meets on Monday, December 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 Tim Redl for more information.

Serve Lunch at SEARCH

Christ the King Church members and friends join members of congregation Brith Shalom on the third Wednesday of each month to assist with the preparation and service of the noon meal for clients of SEARCH Homeless Services. Our next outing will be on Wednesday, December 16, 7:30 - 11:30 a.m. Contact Beverly Davis

Elves and More Bicycle Assembly: December 16

On Wednesday, December 16, from 5 – 8 p.m. help a child receive his or her first bike by volunteering to assemble bikes with the Elves and More program at the Reliant Center. Bike assembly is easy and can be learned quickly

All volunteers must register at www.elvesandmore.org and donate a mandatory $20 per person or $50 per family. Please bring a copy of your registration confirmation email for check in. All who wish to carpool should meet at the church at 4:30 p.m. For more information please contact Tim Lenz.

Helping with Hunger

The Christian Community Service Center’s Emergency Services needs your donations. Houston's needy come to the doors of Emergency Services six days a week seeking assistance. The program helps clients, who qualify, with food, clothing and possibly some financial assistance.
In 2008, CCSC attended to the immediate needs of over 15,000 individuals. In the first quarter of 2009, they saw a 67% increase in the number of people seeking assistance. Many of these individuals were woman and children.
Specific items needed are canned fruits, and meaty soups. Also, jars of peanut butter and large boxes of cereal. Please donate!
Donations may be dropped off at the food basket in the narthex on Sundays.

Check your Blood Pressure

The next blood pressure screening will be on Sunday, December 27after each morning service in the narthex. Monthly blood pressure screenings are held on the last Sunday of each month.

Pet Food Needed!

aniMeals on Wheels needs your help! The program, which delivers food for pets of seniors who receive Meals on Wheels, is experiencing a shortage in pet food. The program began because seniors receiving Meals on Wheels were sharing their limited resources and, in some cases, their much needed home-delivered meal with their pet. We provide this service because for some seniors their pet is their only companion. aniMeals on Wheels is sustained by donations and is delivered entirely by volunteers.

Please, help feed these companions by donating both dog and cat (wet or dry) pet food. For questions about the program, donation, or volunteer information please contact Stephanie Kimball or 713-533-4948. You may drop off pet food in the collection baskets in the narthex on Sundays.

Caring for One Another

Check out the Congregational Care Team display board in the narthex. Please consider joining our team in one or more capacities:

• Meals: Provide an occasional meal to a member or family in need or for a memorial reception
• Transportation: Provide occasional transportation for a doctor’s appointment, worship, shopping, or an emergency (as you are available, of course)
• Visiting/Phoning: Visit or phone a member who is temporarily or permanently indisposed, providing a listening ear and a compassionate presence
• Prayer Notes: Write a note to members expressing our support during times of need and to acknowledge life changes (scheduled for one month a year)
• Emergency Phone Tree: Inform a few of our members (call list) of a member’s death of other extraordinary emergencies
• Bereavement: Provide a faithful, appropriate presence to those experiencing a loss, such as death, property, divorce, or employment
• Community of Hope: become a lay chaplain through this training program and on-going support system.

For more information, contact Beverly Davis

Our Faith in Action

Every day, in a million ways, members of the ELCA are making the world a better place. In far reaches of the globe, and right here in our neighborhood, you’ll see that Lutherans aren’t folks who simply talk about their beliefs. We put them into action.

So make a meal to share. Have your opinion on government policy heard. Help a friend through their time of need. Here you’ll find stories that inspire and opportunities to get involved. Find out just how rewarding God’s work can be.

Help SEARCH Help Others

Now that summer is upon us, the Service of the Emergency Aid Resource Center of Houston (SEARCH) has a constant need for insect repellant and sunscreen. Our congregation has been asked to donate insect repellant and sunscreen. There is a collection box in the narthex for these items.

Donations Needed for SEARCH

Insect Repellant still Needed – Until it freezes, the damp days in Houston still encourage mosquitoes to multiply. Our street population is still pestered by these insects. SEARCH’s Mobile outreach team is in need of insect repellant.
Need for Blankets
Search Homeless Service’s Mobile Outreach team is in need of blankets as we look towards the cool/colder months ahead. In the past they have had blankets donated to them in bulk from an organization, but this year they have been informed that there will be a charge for them. Please bring in gently used blankets that can be distribute to this homeless community.
Please bring your donations to the drop off box in the narthex.

Did You Hear About the Hunger Crisis?

The world hunger crisis was all over the news this past week. In just three years, the price of staple foods like wheat, corn and rice has almost doubled. If we don’t do something soon, hundreds of thousands of people face starvation and a hundred million more could fall into extreme poverty.

Christ the King Church is a ONE Lutheran congregation. Please consider taking action with the ONE Campaign

Paper Recycling Steps Up

Our recycling container has arrived! It is located by the mechanical yard on the south end of our parking lot. Please collect and drop off ALL your paper items. The church will be reimbursed per ton of paper picked up. We need to collect at least 1.5 tons per month.

Accepted items include: newspaper, magazines, shopping catalogs, junk mail, office and school papers, envelopes with and without windows, phone books, paper bags (paper clips and staples do not have to be removed)
Items not accepted include:
cardboard, cereal/soda cartons, food wrap/containers, paper cups, tissue products, metal, trash, cans, plastics and glass.

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. Order these items online

Food Donations Needed

Help fill the shelves at Emergency Services of the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC). Food donations are needed. Current needs are: peanut butter, tuna fish, meaty soups, canned fruit and vegetables. Please bring your food donations to the drop off box in the narthex.