Christian Community Service Center

The mission of Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) is to serve the poor, hungry, disabled and otherwise needy while respecting their religious, ethnic, or cultural differences.
In its 29th year, Christian Community Service Center continued to meet the vital needs of our neighbors in crisis. As is the agency’s hallmark, CCSC exceeded industry standards in corporate governance and the allocation of expenses to program services. With the support of 42 covenant congregations and hundreds of dedicated volunteers, lives were changed through seven social service programs (Emergency Services, Gethsemane Food Pantry, JobNet, Martha’s Way, Back To School, Jingle Bell Express, The Louise J. Moran Vision Care Program) and the Sunshine Resale Shop.
In 2009, Christ the King Church contributed $3,816 to CCSC with additional gifts of $1,555 designated for CCSC’s Back to School program and $500 to Jingle Bell Express. Many of our members volunteer with CCSC on a regular basis. Mission Offerings for CCSC will be accepted throughout March in all services of worship.

Godly Play Lessons for This Sunday

Toddlers, Pre K and K: The Faces of Easter IV
1st-2nd Grade: St patrick
3rd Grade: St Patrick

Midweek Lenten Vespers and Soup Suppers on Wednesdays

Midweek Lenten Vespers are on Wednesdays during Lent at 6:45 p.m. The theme for the Lenten vespers this year is “Holy Communion,” Part Five of Luther’s Small Catechism.
The Sermon (based on Luther’s Small Catechism, page 1166 ELW) for March 17 is How can bodily eating and drinking do such a great thing?

5:30-7:00 p.m. Soup Supper
(served continuously)
6:45 p.m. Vespers Service

This Week's Soup provided by the Stewardship/Witness and Assimilation Commission

In preparation for Holy Week

A Complete Reading of the Gospel of Luke

by Joan Fox

March 21 - 5:00 p.m.
in the parish hall
(Under three hours with two breaks)

How Do They Make Those Palm Crosses?

You are invited to find the answer to that riveting question on Saturday, March 27. Join the Altar Guild at 10:00 a.m. in the council room to make 400 plus Palm Crosses used to mark Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. In fact, you are invited to join the Altar Guild; period! We always welcome new members. It is an honor and a blessing to serve behind the scenes preparing the Lord’s Table. We find that many hands make light work, and we are a fun, supportive group within the congregation. Call Jill Bailer at jbailer@earthlink.net or 713-771-2734 for more information.

Contemplative Prayer on Tuesday 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 Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. to room 210 and pray this ancient form of prayer.

Taking Faith Home

Friday Morning Bible Study

New participants are welcome to join the Friday Morning Bible Study. The study is based on the readings prescribed for Sunday worship. Entry into the group is easy. Snacks will be served at 10:00 a.m. Class begins at 10:30 a.m. and ends at 11:45 a.m.

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 Around the Cross on the First Saturday of Each Month the Taizé Service

The Prayer Around the Cross at Christ the King Church is held at the 6:00 p.m. Taizé Eucharist on the first Saturday of each 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.

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

A Ministry of Healing service is 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. The next Prayer Around the Paschal Candle will be held January 9 at 6:00 p.m. in the nave of Christ the King Church. 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.

Morning Prayer

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

Last Chance to Sign up for Flowers - only a few dates left

The 2010 Altar Guild Flower Chart is almost full. The remaining available dates for Sunday Flowers are:

• May 23
• May 30
• Nov 21

Flower arrangements for weekend services are $45 and should be paid for at the time you sign up by placing a check in the offering and mark it for “Altar Guild.” Please contact Cheryl Gaspard

Wednesday Night Alive!

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.

This Week's Soup provided by the Stewardship/Witness and Assimilation Commission

How Do They Make Those Palm Crosses?

You are invited to find the answer to that riveting question on Saturday, March 27. Join the Altar Guild at 10:00 a.m. to make 400 plus Palm Crosses used to mark Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. In fact, you are invited to join the Altar Guild; period! We always welcome new members. It is an honor and a blessing to serve behind the scenes preparing the Lord’s Table. We find that many hands make light work, and we are a fun, supportive group within the congregation. Call Jill Bailer for more information.

Easter Breakfast

Please help us have a delightful Easter breakfast! If you can bring a breakfast food to share during the Sunday school hour on Easter morning, please contact Beverly Davis

Easter Egg Decorating for Parents and Kids March 27

All bunnies ages 0-4 and their parents and older siblings are invited to an afternoon of family and friend time on Saturday, March 27, 4:00-5:30 p.m. in the courtyard. Parents and children will join together for a short Godly Play lesson on Easter eggs. Families will then decorate Easter eggs. Egg decorating supplies and snacks will be provided. Also keep in mind that these informal family fun events are a great opportunity for you to invite other families to join you and get to know our church in time to worship with us at Easter. Please RSVP to Maureen Sahualla by Friday, March 26, so we can make sure we have enough eggs and decorating supplies for all. Hope to see every-bunny there!

Life Stories Spring Sessions in Wednesday Night Live!

The Life Stories Workshop meets during Wednesday Night Live! from 5 to 6:00 p.m. to share and learn about the process of capturing events and stories from our lives. For the spring sessions, we are using Christina Baldwin’s Story Catcher: Making Sense of Our Lives Through the Power and Practice of Story for guidance in our writing adventures. All are invited to participate. No special skills are required in writing, only an appreciation for story telling. For more information, contact Anna Fay Williams,

Good Friday Lock-in

All 6th through 12th grade youth are invited to the annual Luther League Good Friday Lock-in on April 2 starting at 9:00 p.m. in the youth room. During the night we will enjoy fellowship, games, discussion, and lead the canonical hours at 12 a.m., 3 a.m., and 6 a.m. before concluding at 7 a.m. Please contact Tim Lenz to help provide food or to chaperone.

Help Send a Youth to Peru    

The seven youth traveling to Peru this summer are in need of sponsors to help subsidize travel expenses. While in Peru the group hopes to develop a multi-cultural experience and grow in their faith and leadership skills through relationships with Peruvian youth and adults at a Lutheran church in Trujillo, Peru. The youth have fundraised and received some scholarships, but still need additional funds. Please contact Tim Lenz for more information or to make a donation.

Council Forum for Luther League and Parents on March 28

Lucky Sahualla will reprise the March 21 Council Forum presentation on Sunday, March 28 at 6:00 p.m. Other council members are welcome to attend as well.

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 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 Guild Annual Tag Sale

The nursery guild will hold it's annual Tag Sale on Saturday May 15. Whether you are spring cleaning or just cleaning out a closet, please consider donating your unwanted items to this annual fund raising event. Items that go well include electronics, children's toys, jewelry, funiture, housewares and holiday decorations. Please look for additional notices for volunteers, collection of donated items and specifics about the sale in the coming month. Current needs include volunteers to assist with organization and advertising for the event. Proceeds from the event go to support children's ministries at Christ the King Church. If you are interested in helping out or have questions please contact Jayme Zage

Christ the King Lutheran Church
Annual Report 2010
is online

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!

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.

Parent's Night Out

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 Diane Schoppe. 

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

Bible Study on March 14

Lucky Sahualla will lead a Bible study in the basement adult classroom. The class explores the appointed biblical readings for the day in depth as a means to let the stories speak to us in new ways. No preparation, homework, or materials necessary, just an open mind and a willingness to ask and answer questions.

Council Info Sharing Session on March 21

Please join Church Council for an Information Sharing Session. Council will share information about its work so far this year and facilitate discussion about our hopes and plans for 2010. Two sessions will be offered on that day, one during the SCS hour as the Sunday Forum and the other during Sunday Café after the late service.

In Search of Belief

The discussion continues on Joan Chittister’s book, In Search of Belief facilitated by Barbara Rozek. Popularity of this discussion group has encouraged us to continue the dialogue of this challenging look at the Apostles Creed.
Come, read together, and discuss the new perspectives on the Apostles Creed suggested in Joan Chittister’s book. Drop by and share in the reading and discussion. Books are provided.
Newcomers welcome.
This discussion group meets in the council room on 2nd floor.

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 on Friday, March 26, 7 until 9 p.m., and Saturday, March 27, 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.

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 at 6:00 – 7:15 p.m. in the council room. Pr. Moore and Tim Lenz will lead the class.

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, March 17, 7:30 - 11:30 a.m. Contact Beverly Davis

Special Event to Build Foundations, Create Peace and Foster Hope for Pakistani Artisans

Visit Ten Thousand Villages Houston's Annual Oriental Rug Event, March 26-30, where high quality, handknotted rugs made by fairly paid adults will be available in many sizes. On March 26 there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:30, an Oriental Rug Seminar at 6:00 (no charge but please call for reservations) and a Preview Party to follow. Hear the difference that fair trade makes in Pakistani artisans’ lives. Please call the store at 713-533-1000 with any questions.

Feed the Homeless

The Feed the Homeless Ministry meets on Monday, March 22 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.

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 2009, Emergency Services responded to a highly increased demand for basic needs by providing food, clothing, financial assistance and referrals to 22,365 persons in crisis. This effort included helping 1,160 families avoid homelessness or substandard living conditions by assisting with electricity, water, natural gas, and rent payments. More than 243,700 pounds of food was provided to hungry neighbors and 11,913 clients benefitted from gently-used clothing. The Community Garden harvested 2,059 pounds of fresh produce, aiding clients’ nutritional well-being. 
The Gethsemane Food Pantry expanded to three days of operation, working to address hunger in the southwest portion of our service area. The pantry fed 18,380 persons from 4,723 households, tripling results from the prior year. Of those served, 51% of client households included one or more employed adults. A Community Garden was established on site, and three Food Fairs were held to augment on-going services.
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 March 28 after each morning service in the narthex. Monthly blood pressure screenings are held on the last Sunday of each month.

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

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.