by Priscilla Berg and Karen Meyer (recorded during worship 7/10/22)As we prepare to participate in the Community Support Center's Walk 1000 Miles For Our Neighbors event on July 31, Karen Meyer joined us in worship on July 10 to share a bit about CSC and the walk.
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By Pastor Sarah Anderson
As summer continues, so does CtK’s theme of beCOURAGEous. Last Sunday’s gospel of Luke 10:1-11 reminds us of the courage sometimes required when we give witness to our life of faith. In fact, during last week’s sermon, I issued a challenge for each of us. The challenge is to verbally share - to use our words to give witness to the good news. Before you think, “I can’t do that” or “what would I say,” remember that no one is better equipped than you to share your own experiences of God. Two questions were posed last Sunday to get us thinking about how we can be witnesses of the good news. I invite you to continue to ponder, pray, and wonder how your responses to these questions can bolster your courage to share your faith with someone in the coming weeks.
St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th century mystic writes: Christ has no body on earth but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ looks out to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless others now. Go forth, dear CtK, and beCOURAGEous! As you may be preparing to celebrate Independence Day, we offer two blog pieces from different ELCA contributors today. The first is a reflection on this week's gospel in light of the need for peace in our world. The second is a response to the recent Supreme Court ruling, offered by ELCA bishop Elizabeth Eaton.
We remember that celebration does not occur in isolation; we hold in tension the importance of celebrating and coming together on days of great importance with the knowledge that we remain a nation and a world in great need of healing, peace, and love. Cities of peace by Cory Driver, ELCA misisonary serving as the director of graduate studies at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo"I don’t know about the rest of you, but these last couple of months have left me feeling burdened. Far too many of our streets, stores, schools and places of worship are dangerous or even deadly. I want to feel, and I want all our neighbors to feel, peace and safety in our lives. I believe this longing for peace in our cities is intimately tied to God’s reign. . . ." [Continue reading] Bishop Eaton issues pastoral message on SCOTUS ruling regarding Roe v. Wade by Bishop Elizabeth Eaton "Whatever personal perspective one might take on the June 24 abortion ruling from the Supreme Court, it is the legal framework in which we now minister, and I wish to speak a pastoral word at this time. . . . I wish to remind everyone that this church supports peaceful means of expression within a diverse society. Peaceful protest is a crucial element of civic engagement; violent protest is not, and this church reproves it. Likewise, this church is on record against hate speech. Let us be instruments for peace where there is none. Let us listen to one another. Let us serve the needs of neighbors in all the complexities life presents. God calls us to be for others, just as God in Christ is for us. . . ." [Continue reading] by Deb Wolterstorff
“Lord, you are more powerful than the roar of the ocean. You are stronger than the waves of the sea.” Psalm 93:4 Vacation Bible School (VBS) is just around the corner!!! Ahhhhh….here we go….a time of excitement, singing, stories, games, crafts, science, friends, connections and so much fun. And VBS provides a wonderful space for all of this to happen. It’s a crazy, fast paced time together but most of all, it is Holy time together. This year’s VBS, we are doing “Make Waves.” The kids will be learning about how what they do today can change the world around them. We will learn how God is our master creator…we were made in God’s image, to take care of the world and show others what God is like. We will learn how to “Catch the Wave”…to make waves by showing Jesus’ love to others. We will learn how to “stay afloat”…to learn how Jesus is our life Preserver, how God sent Jesus to make a way for us to be with God now and forever. We will learn how to “make a splash”…to make a splash in someone else’s life by showing them the love of Jesus. And finally, we will learn how God’s Spirit can help us make a ripple effect throughout the world around us. We start in 2 weeks! Can’t wait! Wednesday nights July 6-Aug 3 from 5:30-7pm with a light optional meal at 5:00 for those who would like one. Register your kids NOW! Deb By Trish Blomquist
“I Come to the Garden Alone” always reminds me that when we are stressed, sad, mourning, or just having a bad day God is letting us know that there is a place of solitude for us. A garden can be a spiritual retreat from a noisy world and hurried people. For me, that’s the Community Garden here at Christ the King. The Community Garden has many facets – developing friendships, planting and watching plants grow, harvesting the produce and then giving the “fruits of your labor” to the local Food Shelf. In this way, we become “Community”. We also find that the purpose of the Community Garden is to not only grow a sense of community within but also to build relationships, connect with neighbors and provide food. When working in the garden we see God’s gifts – those to be shared with others. Author Alfred Austin stated that “the Glory of Gardening can be defined as hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed the body and the soul.” Nurturing a Garden is also about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. In working with soil, plants and water, we learn about God’s call to be co-creators of life, beauty and joy. Watching the blossoms grow and the fruit develop knowing that it will feed someone is a gift from God. Viewing a garden can fill you with peace and happiness. For me it brings joy when looking at the green vegetation and having the opportunity to “play” in the dirt. Those who organize, volunteer in and cultivate community gardens often see grace in each shoot, pod and bloom. In summing up God’s purpose of a community garden, we find friendship, solitude, community, grace, peace, serenity, beauty and also food for the community. Consider joining the Community Garden crew on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 – you will be blessed with God’s gifts. Spirit of God, you bring forth order and beauty. Bless the gardens of the world that feed both bodies and souls. Amen Trish Blomquist-Chair, Community Garden By Pastor Sarah Anderson
This past Sunday we celebrated Pentecost, the day when God’s presence, in the form of a mighty wind, came to be among us forever. Ever since the rushing wind of the Spirit that first Pentecost day, God’s movement has been stirring in all of creation. In fact, the Spirit is moving in you as you read this, and because the Spirit moves within you, you are granted the confidence and courage to step into new experiences. Maybe it feels like a new experience to once again engage in our faith community after a pandemic left us isolated for so long. We are created to be in community - to interact, to laugh, to debate, to support one another, to share hard truths and so much more! In Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together, he writes, “The more genuine and the deeper our community becomes, the more will everything else between us recede, the more clearly and purely will Jesus Christ and his work become the one and only thing that is vital between us.” To be in genuine community sometimes takes courage, but I know you have it in you. One way to beCOURAGEous in community this week is to come out for Wednesday’s Pizza Night. You could even take your courage one step further and volunteer (click here to sign-up). You might even invite a friend or neighbor to join you for the evening. Yes, the night is centered around pizza, but it is so much more. It will be a Godspeed for Amity as we thank her for her service as the Director of Youth and Family Ministry before she and Alyssa prepare for their move to Michigan. It will be a time to be in God’s creation, enjoying the sunshine and the shade, the flowers blooming, and a cool breeze. It will be a time to share highs and lows of your week as you socialize with others. It will be a time to listen to each other. It will be a time for fun and fellowship, and it will be a time when God’s presence is among us. This May 25 marks the second anniversary of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. His murder triggered a series of protests across the nation and around the world and spurred a widespread grappling with systemic racism, white privilege and white supremacy. Within an extraordinarily short space of time, we saw symbols of the confederacy and slavery being removed from the public sphere and white people reading, studying and acting to better understand the systems that had been built into the fabric of this country to maintain white privilege and make it harder for people of color to live with full privilege and equality.
As a result of George Floyd’s murder Christ the King led a series of book discussions focusing on race in America and formed the Racial Justice Working Group. To that end, the group continues to seek ways to lift up learning, building relationship and acting to ensure racial equality and justice not only within our congregation and among each other but also to reach out into our community of New Brighton. While we seek to become more aware and active, we also realize that there is more discord and division in our country with regard to racial diversity, inclusion and equity. Accusations swirl around the 1619 Project and Critical Race Theory, while there is increased scrutiny and hostility toward school boards and the teaching of history including the history of the genocide of indigenous peoples and the ramifications of slavery in the building of this country. And with the horrific shooting in Buffalo, NY on May 14, we began to learn a new conspiracy theory, the Great Replacement Theory which says “that nonwhite individuals are being brought into the United Sates and other Western countries to “replace” white voters to achieve a political agenda” (www.NPR.org, “What is the “great replacement” and how is it tied to the Buffalo shooting suspect? May 16, 2022). As we mark the anniversary of George Floyd’s death, as we mourn the loss of these 10 Black people (Roberta A. Drury of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 32; Margus D. Morrison of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 52; Andre Mackneil of Auburn, N.Y. – age 53; Aaron Salter of Lockport, N.Y. – age 55; Geraldine Talley of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 62; Celestine Chaney of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 65; Heyward Patterson of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 67; Katherine Massey of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 72; Pearl Young of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 77; Ruth Whitfield of Buffalo, N.Y. – age 86), we invite you to three reflection and learning opportunities.
The Racial Justice Working Group (RJWG) is grateful to be a part of Christ the King and we look forward to more conversations and actions in 2022. In peace, Your Sibling in Christ, Kisten Thompson, on behalf of RJWG By Nate Crary
When I was 12 years old, my family moved from Blue Earth to Hutchinson. I vividly remember how overwhelming it was to say goodbye to so many things I had only known up to that point in order to make a way for new replacements. I had to say goodbye to our green house on main street, and to my fifth grade teachers, Mrs. Zabel and Mr. Bly, and to my best friend, Adam, and to Pastor Clark and Pastor Steve at Trinity Lutheran. And that was just the beginning! Once we got settled in Hutchinson, I had to find a new violin teacher, and a new place to get my haircut. I had to figure out where the school bus was going to pick me up in the mornings. Should I still go by “Nathan” or make a permanent shift to be known as a less-formal, “Nate”? This Sunday at church, we continue to be surprised by what God is up to in the midst of transitions. We will take time to bless members of Christ the King / Cristo Rey who are committing themselves to shepherding us in their service on the Transition Task Force. We will walk alongside our young ones who are stepping out in their faith in a new way by taking communion for the first time, while lifting up the incredible gifts for music ministry in this place. And this is just the beginning! In the coming weeks we will give thanks for the abundant blessings we’ve received from KC and Amity while they served so faithfully by our side as they now prepare to leave us and lean into a new calling in their vocational lives. There’s no question that transitions can bring setbacks and hiccups and be filled with new discoveries and a sense of deep relief. Transitions can be jarring and life-giving all at once. And, in the thick of it, please remember that you are allowed to feel exactly how you feel. It’s okay to feel sad and impatient and confused. It’s okay to feel excited and hopeful and confident. Through it all, God is making good on a promise to be with us always, leading the way to where exactly God is asking us to go. Is this just the beginning? Maybe. Thanks be to God. By Amity Lantz-Trier and 2022 confirmation students
Our confirmation students recently gathered for an end of the year retreat filled with too much soda, the right amount of pizza, 6 dozen cupcakes, and a faith focus on the Lord’s prayer. We wrestled with the questions; what even is the Lord’s Prayer? What does it teach us about ourselves and how we pray, and how did Jesus use it to teach us about God? After reading Martin Luther’s explanations and understanding of the Lord' Prayer, we came to the conclusion that sometimes using such formal language makes the prayer feel unrelatable and maybe even confusing. Together as a group we looked at this very familiar prayer and line by line and explored what it means to us, and how we can put it into language that is more comfortable and gives a closer connection to God. Our Father who art in heaven. Big Pal, chillin' in Big Pal place. Often we get caught up in God the Father being conformed into our human understanding of gender but we know God is so much bigger than that. This God is a creator, a father, a mother, a caregiver, a forgiver, and so much more. This God is our pal, the biggest pal we have. We know that where God is, we are not, but we know that place is amazing and wonderful and better than where we are now. Hallowed be thy name, You are holy, please share some holiness with us, When coming up with adjectives to describe God we found that something that we can’t achieve on our own is being holy. That is very much a God thing, and can only be shared with us. We cannot achieve holiness on our own. Thy kingdom come, Share some of the energy from Big Pal place with us here on earth. We know where God is, it is free of so many of the things that make Earth a hard place to be. We ask that some of that is shared with us, both to give us a glimpse of what is to come and to make being here a little easier sometimes. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven We will try to be your hands and feet to share your holiness with everyone We are called to do God’s will in the world. To be our best selves through the holiness God shares, and we want to share that with every person we encounter. Give us today our daily bread. Please remind us that you give us everything we need to survive. Everything we need. Every day. Both physically and spiritually. We need to be reminded daily of the amazing gift of love we received from Jesus and also that our daily needs are being met. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us Forgive us when we do wrong, and help us be as forgiving as you to others Forgiveness is one of God’s most amazing gifts for us, and we ask that we can share that forgiveness with those around us even when it's very hard and we definitely don't want to. Save us from the time of trial Be with us when the world is chaotic, hard and messy Life is hard, and we ask God to be with us through the ups and downs. And deliver us from evil. And when we get caught in a sticky situation, step in and save us. We know that there will be hard times but we also know that sometimes only God can be with us through the hardest, toughest times. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, Forever and ever. Amen You are everywhere and everything, be with us always. Amen and Amen. Amity Lantz-Trier and the 2022 confirmation students By Priscilla Berg
In Luke 10 a lawyer asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan. The point of the parable? In Bread for the Journey, Henri Nouwen explains, “We become neighbors when we are willing to cross the road for one another (…). There is a lot of road crossing to do. We are very busy with our own circles. We have our own people to go to and our own affairs to take care of. But if we could cross the road once in a while and pay attention to what is happening on the other side, we might indeed become neighbors.” This Sunday we have the opportunity to learn more about our neighbors. Mark Suggs, New Brighton’s Commissioner of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will lead our SALT session. He will present information about the increasing diversity in New Brighton and surrounding communities, and discuss what New Brighton is doing to respond. As we at Christ the King explore our mission during this time of transition, let’s look at opportunities to interact with our community, to do more “road crossing”. Mr. Suggs can provide a window for those opportunities. As Eric Overby has said, “The only way we will love our neighbors as ourselves is by getting to know our neighbors, even in the midst of our differences.” In Legacy. |
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July 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 |