Dear Faithful People of Christ the King Lutheran Church,

We have begun Lent 2026 as usual: With ashes on our foreheads on Lent’s first day and, following the pattern of the Hebrew slaves leaving slavery in Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and journeying toward the Promised Land, we prayed the Great Litany in procession yesterday. All of this following the practice of Christ’s Church since the early 4th Century CE.

Yet other things have been added this year.

First, our 2026 Generosity (Stewardship) Campaign, delayed from last Fall to allow us to recover from the “changes and chances” of summer 2025, but begun now so that we can prepare to call a new (younger!) senior pastor and move forward in Christ’s mission. In their Temple Talks these past two weeks, our congregation leaders have shared their optimism and enthusiasm for our ministry now and in the future. Sharing that enthusiasm, I urge you to respond to the Generosity letter we all will receive this week.

Second, and also in preparation for calling a new pastor, my beloved fellow retired pastors - our fellow members – have begun a four-week forum series on the New Testament roots, Lutheran theological understandings, and our congregation’s constitutional expectations of our pastors and deacons. These continue in-person in the basement Adult Classroom at 9:45 am – 10:45 am and via ZOOM on Sunday mornings March 1, 8, and 15. Again, I urge you to attend, and if you are unable, to access the recordings.

Finally (and back to ‘as  usual’), on every Wednesday in Lent starting this week, February 25 and concluding March 25, we have soup suppers and conversation in the Parish Hall at 6:00 pm, Vespers in the Nave at 7:00 pm, and youth conversations on difficult subjects with Deacon Ben at 7:30 pm and choir rehearsal with Cantor Ben beginning at 7:45 pm.

‘As usual’ or ‘additional,’ all of these are means by which God is working in and among us to revive our faith and renew our faithful living!

Peace and Joy – and Courage,

Mandy

Amandus J. Derr

Interim Senior Pastor