By Pastor Sonja Hagander
At many cottage meetings I attended, parents voiced their concern and curiosity on how faith was forming in their children. Parents wondered what the real impact of faith formation is on how their children are growing, exploring and leading full and busy lives. How do we parent today? How can our elders who have already been through this help us? What is this overwhelming growth of anxiety and depression in children and teens? I am no therapist, but as a pastor and parent and in my work with therapists, with 20-some years of work with young adults who have helicopter parents, I have come to know something called SPACE: supportive parenting for anxious childhood emotions. With SPACE, parents are the ones doing the changing, not the kid (it’s not about blaming social media, or blaming cell phones for the rise in anxiety and depression). Two main changes that parents learn to make is to 1) respond more supportively to their child and to 2) reduce the accommodations they as parents have been making. You can learn more about it in this article… I encourage you to read it!
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by Pastor Sonja Hagander
What a delight all the cottage meetings have been! I’m grateful for the generosity offered by each of the hosts and the more than 100 of you that have participated. I am learning so much! We’re not done yet! Some important focused cottage meetings are preparing to launch: You may ask, “What are focused cottage meetings?” They are key opportunities to gather 2-4 times with specific parts of the congregation to wonder how best to support, accompany, journey, do ministry with these vital areas of our life together…and it begins with deep listening to these voices of parents. Why parents? One of the principles is the fact that parents are the most important people in a child’s life (more than a coach, pastor, youth director, teacher, friend, peers….(from National Study on Youth and Religion and The Search Institute). Cohorts will meet with Rollie Martinson, consultant, professor, pastor, congregant, friend, who has accompanied the field of children, youth and family ministry for many decades. There is a Families with Young Children Cohort and a Families with Teens Cohort and a Young Adult Cohort. I have hunches what we might hear and learn, but it’s important to pause and deeply listen and not make assumptions. Vision and structure follows from listening. What might nurture connectedness? How might our congregation help people thrive? What does it look like to live our Christian calling out in the world at our places of work, home, school, travel and recreation? In other words, how might CtK help one another love God and neighbor as we continue to form our faith and be deeply connected to one another across all generations? As we move towards the end of summer and into early fall, we will ask: what have we heard? What stories are we telling? What do we yearn for as a congregation? What are our neighbors hopes? How are we getting to know one another? By Pastor Sarah Anderson
This is the third blog post in the series exploring CtK’s Welcome Statement and it highlights the final paragraph which reads: “We offer Christian worship in the Lutheran tradition with the goals of making worship meaningful and readily accessible. We welcome the diversity of families present in our neighborhood. We welcome children, offering a community of worship and faith development where they are seen and heard, respected and accepted as they are. No matter where you find yourself on the journey of faith, we warmly welcome you here.” Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7).” Worship is a central expression of our life together, drawing us further into relationship with God. In our Lutheran tradition, worship consists of four parts: Gathering, Word, Meal, Sending, and you can see these headings marked each week in CtK’s bulletin. While there are specific liturgical elements which fall under each category (i.e. Thanksgiving for Baptism, Scripture Reading, Holy Communion, etc.) there is a lot of flexibility for what the content is. For instance, much of the spoken elements of worship this month draw from the Pride resources of Reconciling Works. From the variety of music to the use of expansive language and names we use for God and everything in-between, worship is as diverse as the people who gather. This diversity is a gift from God, making space for each and every one of us to experience the fullness of God. Questions to ponder this week:
By Pastor Sarah Anderson
This week we lift up Juneteenth, which commemorates the end to slavery in the United States. Next Saturday, June 22, join other Minnesotans for an all ages event at the State capitol for a day of celebration, education, and community building. The next time you’re in the building of CtK, check out the Racial Justice Team bulletin board across from the office, to further explore the importance of Juneteenth. Additionally, as Pride month continues, so does our closer look at CtK’s Welcome Statement. The first paragraph focuses on the life-transforming nature of God’s love and grace, and the second paragraph continues with: “Christ the King is constituted by people of many backgrounds. Grounded in the promise of God’s grace, we are called to extend Christ’s welcome to all people. We welcome all, regardless of race, age, culture, national origin, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, family status, marital status, physical or cognitive ability, theological knowledge, education, political perspective, economic condition, or religious background. Our journeys in life often look very different on the surface, but we believe that God’s love changes everything for everybody.” Pointing out differences might just be the universal superpower humanity never wanted, because so often differences divide what is better when remained together. God created a world with a kaleidoscope of difference because it is beautiful and wonderful. For instance, in these summer months the beauty of difference is celebrated when an assortment of flowers fill our landscape and various vegetables grow in CtK’s Community Garden. Why do we celebrate some differences and not others? The apostle Paul’s reminder to the people of Galatia can be our reminder as well, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) Questions to ponder this week:
By Pastor Sarah Anderson
Among many celebrations, like the official first day of summer, June is also Pride month. Like Black History month, Asian American and Pacific Islander and Hispanic Heritage months celebrate culture and race alongside pointing to the inequities in our society, Pride month is part celebration and part protest, drawing attention to the issues still facing the community. At the February 2018 annual meeting, CtK voted to approve a Welcome Statement that continues to guide us. This statement also led Christ the King to become a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Partner, which you can read more about at Reconciling Works. CtK’s Welcome Statement is three paragraphs long and for the next three blogs, each paragraph will be highlighted. Paragraph one begins, “The congregation of Christ the King Lutheran Church affirms that: All are welcome in this place,” and it continues, “Our faith is based on a life-transforming story that is both ancient and timely. It is a story of a compassionate and patient God who has boundless love for all people. It is a story of Jesus Christ changing lives and transforming hearts. It is a story of God’s Spirit bringing us comfort and strength.” This week, you are invited to wonder more deeply about the life-transforming story God invites each of us into. Questions to ponder:
By Vern Rice
About 20 years ago one of our pastors suggested to our member, Paul Redlinger, that we start a Lutheran College Scholarship Fund to encourage members to attend one of our Lutheran colleges. Currently our Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has 26 colleges which include Upper Midwest schools, Augsburg, Augustana, Concordia (Moorhead), Luther and Saint Olaf. All these colleges match all or part of the $1,000 scholarships. A group of members each year led by Paul Redlinger has offered scholarships of about $1,000 to seventy five students who tell stories of going on to various callings including a pastor among them. It is very encouraging this year to have four students awarded scholarships at our service on Sunday, June 2nd. Following the congregational meeting, a SALT session in the Trinity room led by Vern Rice will help the students and some parents tell their stories about what the college experience means to them. We're hoping to continue this service in years to come. Anyone wishing to contribute to the ELCA Lutheran College Scholarship Fund may make out a check to Christ the King marking "Lutheran College Scholarship" in the memo line. Anyone who would like to work with the committee, contact Karen Hillerman or Vern Rice Offered by Pastor Sonja Hagander
Memorial Day was first observed in 1868 to decorate the graves of American Civil War dead and is now a national day to honor those members of the armed services killed during wartime. Many families use this day to honor anyone who has died in their family. Set out pictures of loved ones whom you want to remember on this day, particularly those who, in one way or another, have sacrificed their lives so that your life might be better. Light a candle if you wish. For use at home, at graveside or columbarium Opening Prayer: Dear God of our foreparents, give us an understanding mind and a grateful heart as we consider all who have sacrificed so that we might live. Amen. Bible Text: Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her (Matthew 26:13). Reflection: -Name each of the family members or groups of people who have died, and because of whose life and death your life is different (ancestors, those who have fought in wars, for civil rights, for public safety, for better health care, for better education….). Share or write their names in a journal or note. -These sentence starters may be helpful: When I think about these people…..I am most grateful for…..I am most sad about….. Ritual Action: Light a candle naming each person or group, allowing a moment of silence after each name. Song: tune of Amazing Grace To God, with joy, our thanks we bring, Rememb’ring those today, Who gave their lives, a sacrifice, Preserving freedom’s way. Blessing: May God, who journeyed with those before us, go with us this day, making our lives a blessing to all who come after us. Amen. Ritual adapted from “For Everything a Season” by Jen Miller
What routines shape your day? You get up, start the coffee, brush your teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast, head to work, maybe go to the gym after work, walk the dog, scroll through Netflix looking for something to watch until you give up and go to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. What routines shape our worship lives? We get to church, enjoy the choir prelude, chuckle at unexpected responses during the children's sermon, share the peace, receive communion, sing one last hymn, and then convene in the Fireside Lounge for coffee and donuts. Lather, rinse, repeat. We hold onto our routines, both those in our personal lives and those at church, because they are comfortable. They give our lives structure and predictability. They make it possible to live each day, to worship each week, without having to make hundreds of brand new decisions each time. They make sure we don't forget important tasks. They make life easier. And yet routines can also get in the way. They can get in the way of trying new things. They can make life too easy, so that we overlook the wonder in what we do each day. For those unfamiliar with a routine, that unfamiliarity can create a feeling of marginalization. Certain routines might even exclude certain groups of people--a clear problem, even if unintentional. So how can we make sure that our routines at Christ the King are helping our life together, rather than getting in our way? It can be difficult to find time for such introspection during the day to day work of planning worship, organizing budgets, and convening committees. To that end, Nate Crary and I are helping Christ the King form a Worship Task Force to look at the bigger picture of worship at Christ the King, identifying ways our congregation's practices can grow and evolve while remaining rooted in the traditions that we find meaningful. You can learn more at Sunday's SALT forum, or by reaching out to one of us directly. Whether you would like to be considered for the Task Force or have an idea you would like to share, we would love to hear from you. by Trish Blomquist
Ah, spring! Our first thoughts of spring typically begin with Easter and the resurrection and the first sightings of flowers. It’s our season of hope, holding a promise that change is coming and often signifies the coming out of darkness. We move towards longer days and more light. An article I recently read stated that we shouldn’t take the power of spring for granted. The reward for expanding awareness to our greater environment, as it unfolds, is that it helps us anchor ourselves in time and place. We become more centered and connected. We come together around things we all value religiously and secularly; life, new starts, love, generosity, peace. Anne Frank advised those who could to “go outside, to the country, enjoy the sun and all nature has to offer. Go outside and try to recapture the happiness within yourself; think of all the beauty in yourself and in everything around you and be happy.” Watching the tulips and daffodils emerge from the ground and watching the leaves starting to pop out on the trees also generates the desire to think of gardening. Many of us no longer have gardens as we did in our earlier years due to constraints on time and space or maybe the body just screams at us when we try to get down on our knees. There is a perfect answer for all of us (including you!) who love to dabble in the dirt: plant a few seeds in the community garden. You can watch God’s creation peep up out of the soil, grow, and produce fruit and vegetables, and finally begin to wither away, to begin to rest for the next year! Christ the King has a “Community Garden” that welcomes everyone who would like to get their hands in some dirt and grow a few vegetables to not only share with the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf but enjoy themselves as well. This is our way of caring for creation in an extended way. The “Gardening Crew” invites you (children included) to join us – we typically meet on Tuesday, late afternoon or early evening for about 90 minutes. All tools are provided, so you just need a pair of gloves and a desire to plant, hoe the unwanted vegetation, and harvest the bounty. We are not “all work and no play” – there is lots of conversation and long-term friendships are made which then makes the time fly by. More details on when we will begin the season and a schedule will be available in early May. Put “GARDEN” on your calendar and join us! |
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June 2024
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Christ the King Lutheran Church
1900 7th Street NW New Brighton, MN 55112 Phone: 651-633-4674 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: 9 am - 2 pm Mon - Thurs or by appointment Sunday Schedule Morning Worship at 9:30 am |