The Herald - 96bda424cfcc34d9dd1a...

The HeraldVolume VII No. 11 Telling the story of Christ the King Lutheran Church December 2017

The Herald is published monthlyby Christ the King Lutheran Church.

1900 7th St. NW, New Brighton, MN 55112Website: www.lifeatctk.org | Phone: 651.633.4674

In this issue:“May You Find a Light” | Page 3

2017 Financial Contributions| Page 3Alternative Christmas Gifts | Page 4

Local Mission Partners Sunday | Page 5Advent and Christmas Schedule | Page 6-7

Cody & Tyler Concert | Page 8Community Garden | Page 9

Yogadevotion | 0Sunday School Christmas Pageant | Page 10

Christmas Gospel Brunch | Page 11

2 | The Herald

Christ the King Lutheran Church

Guided by the Gospel, it is the mission of Christ the King Lutheran Church to make disciples for Jesus Christ by

inviting and welcoming all to serve God and God’s people by joining in:

• Gathering for worship and fellowship,• Growing in faith and understanding,• Giving of our time and resources.

1900 7th St NWNew Brighton, MN 55112

651-633-4674

Worship with us8:30 a.m. Worship

9:30 a.m. Faith Formation10:30 a.m. Worship

12:00 noon Servicio en EspañolFourth Sunday of the month

On the Webwww.lifeatctk.org

Facebookwww.facebook.com/lifeatctk

Twitter@LifeatCtK

Instagram@LifeatCtK

Staff DirectoryPastors

Peter Hanson ext. 106Lead Pastor

[email protected]

John Schwehn ext. 109Associate Pastor

[email protected]

Program Staff

Caleb AndersonSound and Light Technician

Ana Becerra ext. 108Mission Developer, Cristo Rey

[email protected] Nate Crary ext. 116Director of Worship and Music

[email protected]

Steve Fischer ext. 110Director of Youth and Family Ministry

[email protected]

Dietrich JessenOrganist/Accompanist

[email protected]

Heather Nelson ext. 114Choral Director

[email protected]

Hannah PagelDirector of Handbell Choirs

[email protected]

Deb Wolterstorff ext. 111Director of Children and Family Ministry

[email protected]

Administration

KC Gubrud ext. 101Director of Operations

[email protected]

Eunice Helgeson ext. 104Business Administrator

[email protected]

Sarah Malm ext. 107Communications Coordinator

[email protected]

Krista Riedel ext. 102Administrative Assistant

[email protected]

Maintenance/Kitchen

Paul Alexander ext. 112Maintenance Custodian

Ginger KlietzKitchen Coordinator

[email protected]

Steve KaunBuilding Steward, Chef

Tony Nourse ext. 112Lead Custodian

Dale RazskazoffCleaning Custodian

Nikolai RazskazoffCleaning Custodian

Faith Community Nurses

Judy BenkeElaine FoellJulie Philbrook

Missionaries

Dr. Mark and Linda JacobsonArusha, Tanzania

Current Prayer Needs

We are a community that

prays with and for one another. Join us this month as we pray for the following people known to us to be in need of our prayers:

Christ the King Lutheran Church

Lynn AndersonChuck ChristiansPat Collmann Rick HansonBrent HarapatJuliann HenriksenPhil JankowskiTruman JeffersCarrie KaneRita KenyonKathy Leding

Those Who Grieve:For Paula Pettis on the death of her mother, Alice Pettis; For Holly Olson and family on the death of her father, Bob Olson.

The recently baptized:

Maxwell Johnson Moore, Malcolm Gray Routh, Liam Edward Schaekel, Samuel Andrew Michog, Marlo Jane Foell, Sergio Giovannie Murcia, Christopher Miguel Murcia, Holden Kyle Pagel

Aldys MillerSam MillerLee Olson Sawyer PetersonJohn QuinnArnie RudiOlav SteenDean TollefsonJan WallerstedtXander Otey Wold

December 2017 The Herald | 3

Advent is an incredible liturgical season, the first in a new church calendar, and it is filled with rich Biblical imagery that reminds

us of our need for God’s light to break into a darkening world. Advent bids us to slow down and wait during, what is for many, the busiest time of year. Advent might actually be a huge disappointment for most of us. When we need a powerful leader to clean up the mess that has been made, to fix all that is wrong, corrupt, and evil in the world, and to show us how to be the best version of ourselves, we get an infant Palestinian refugee born to an unwed teenager.

May You Find a Light By Nate Crary, Director of Worship and Music

Advent is not meant to meet your expectations, and it is more than a mere countdown to Christmas. And while we maintain the ancient art of marking the passing time by lighting a candle on the Advent wreath each week, worship at Christ the King will move us deeper than good cheer and glad tidings. Worship will help us to embrace the wait in spite of the swirling storm of retail sales and fondue fountains waiting for us at every turn. Worship will fully prepare us to joyfully welcome Immanuel, God with us.

The light of Christ is ready to shine through the darkness in your life – may you find a light.

Just a reminder that, in order for your 2017 contributions to be recorded in 2017, they need to be received in the church office

by December 31, 2017, or postmarked by December 30, 2017 (December 31, 2017, is a Sunday, so there is no mail processing that day). If you are donating stock, please start the process early enough for the transaction to be completed in December, keeping in mind that financial institutions might have shortened hours around Christmas. Also, please let us in the church office know if your contributions are coming directly

from a financial institution, because checks that come directly to the church don’t always indicate who the contributor is.

2017 Financial Contributions By Eunice Helgeson, Business Administrator

4 | The Herald Christ the King Lutheran Church

members. Those gifts will be offered again this Christmas season.

This year we learned of another opportunity to collaborate, this time with Feed My Starving Children. Many of you know this organization, and some have volunteered for them. FMSC tackles world hunger by sending nutritionally complete meals to 70 countries, where they are used in orphanages, schools, clinics, and feeding programs. FMSC is offering their own “alternative Christmas gift” this year – a Christmas ornament made by female artisans in Uganda. You will find this ornament on our 2017 Alternative Christmas Gifts order form. Each ornament costs $20 and will provide 45 lifesaving meals to starving children.

Last year we began offering cancer medicine as one of our gifts, to be used at the recently-built Jacobson Infusion Centre in Moshi, TZ, and named for our missionaries, Dr. Mark and Linda Jacobson. Other medical-focused gifts are nursing scholarships, textbooks for the Arusha Lutheran Nursing School, and stethoscopes for nursing students.

Check out benches for Nduli Parish’s churches, with an ornament lovingly crafted by Orv Nally, or our newly designed ornament for church windows. Support families’ self-sufficiency with the gift of a dairy goat, bee box, or flock of chicks. Place a Swahili Bible in hands of a faithful Tanzanian believer.

We are presenting 16 different Alternative Christmas Gift options this season. Stop and visit our sales table on Sundays beginning November 26 to view our charming ornaments. Click here to see our complete order form. Print it and bring your order to our table on Sunday mornings. You can also pick up your form on Sunday mornings at our display, in the office, or at the Welcome Center. Global Mission Team members look forward to helping you select gifts for your giving season. Thank you for your support of Alternative Christmas Gifts.

Alternative Christmas Gifts at Christ the King have become a giving tradition. The Global Mission Team receives

your monetary gifts to purchase items for our Tanzanian partners in faith. In return you receive a simple Christmas ornament and card to give to someone important in your life.

When God is with us, our hearts overflow with joy at the many gifts he gives us, especially his son, Jesus Christ. In turn, we want to be God-like – we want to share with others just as God shares with us. Especially at Christmas, we give gifts to others in our lives to share that joy. Sometimes when we answer this call we find others who are answering the same call, and we celebrate our shared causes.

Last Christmas we had the opportunity to collaborate with Compassion International in serving the youth of Kising’a, one of Nduli Parish’s preaching points. Compassion International is a Christian organization dedicated to long-term development of children living in poverty around the world. They are focused on 195 Kising’a children, ages 3 to 9. After our 2016 Tanzanian travelers visited Kising’a and saw the work happening there, we created Alternative Christmas Gifts to support Compassion International’s work: playground equipment for the Kising’a site and paint for this site and other

churches in the parish. Some bags of cement will also go to this project. Labor for cement work and painting is always provided by local church

Alternative Christmas Gifts By Judith Hill, Global Mission Team

Collaborating with Others to Share


Pastor Justin Grimm, our preacher on Local Mission Partner Sunday on Nov. 19, preached on the Parable of the Talents in

Matthew 25: 14-30. The servants who received talents and invested them were commended. The servant who hid his talents was told that even his one talent would be taken away. Through this text, Pastor Grimm encouraged us to take risks and invest our talents in God’s mission. As we do that, we too will be told, “Well done…, you have been trustworthy in a few things, (the master) will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”

Pastor Grimm thanked Christ the King for our investment in Cristo Rey, our Latino ministry. He also thanked us for taking leadership in several global and local missions. At the SALT session between services he told of the great needs that exist in the local ministries of our synod. He encouraged us to give an offering over and above our regular offerings to the Hmong, Chinese, Latino, and other emerging ministries

in our synod. During both services, several of the worship assistants were newer immigrant members of our church. At the 10:30 service the Good Samaritan Youth Band played during the offering. After each service, all our mission partners were on display in the Fireside Room with wonderful tastes of ethnic foods associated with our ministries.

On Dec. 9, Local Mission partners will serve lunch to more than two hundred children and families from the Harrison neighborhood of North Minneapolis. This Christmas Store is an annual event that allows children to buy 25 cent gifts and get them wrapped by volunteers at Redeemer Lutheran Church, our Local Mission Partner in that neighborhood. Anyone wishing to join us for this event, let Dale Erickson know.If you are interested in receiving more information on the work of Local Mission Partners, contact Dale Erickson ([email protected]), our new chair of Local Mission Partners at Christ the King.

Encourages Us On the Way!Local Mission Partners Sunday

By Vern Rice, Local Mission Partners


Sundays in Advent: May You Find a LightAdvent is a season of slowing down and waiting and during worship on Sunday mornings we will sing seasonal hymns and songs and hear scripture that will help prepare us for the birth of Jesus Christ. Guest musicians and new liturgical elements will help mark this important season, the first in the church calendar. Each Sunday, children will be invited to hear the good news during a Gospel Processional while we light the Advent wreath.

Sunday, Dec. 3 First Sunday of Advent Worship at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Guest Musician: John Hermanson

Sunday, Dec. 10 Second Sunday of Advent Worship at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Guest Musician: Nathan Hanson

Sunday, Dec. 17 Third Sunday of Advent Worship at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday School Christmas Pageant at 10:30 a.m. Las Posadas meal hosted by Cristo Rey at 11:30 a.m.

Garden View Communion Service at 1:00 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 24 Fourth Sunday of Advent One morning service at 10:00 a.m. *See Christmas Eve schedule below

Wednesdays in Advent: Holden Evening PrayerWednesdays, Dec. 6, 13, and 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Fireside ChapelFor the third year in a row, all generations of Christ the King will gather for a mid-week vespers service of light singing Holden Evening Prayer. This simple and beautiful vespers setting was originally written during the winter of 1986 while the composer, Marty Haugen, was at Holden Village in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington state.

Advent and Christmas


Christmas Concert: As One UnknownSunday, Dec. 10 at 4:00 p.m. Free admission | Light reception to followMembers of the music ensembles at Christ the King are excited to invite you to our annual Christmas Concert. This year’s program, As One Unknown, will feature seasonal music and readings that explore and celebrate the mystery of how God comes to us as stranger through the birth of Jesus Christ.

Christmas Eve: A Light Shone DownSunday, Dec. 24 10:00 a.m. Fourth Sunday of Advent Worship

Morning service with Holy Communion

12 noon Cristo Rey “Servicio de Nochebuena”Christmas Eve worship in Spanish

3:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Family WorshipWorship for all ages featuring carols, an interactive Christmas story, and Holy Communion

4:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight ServiceWorship featuring candlelight, carols, King’s Ringers handbell choir, and Holy Communion

9:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Candlelight ServiceWorship featuring candlelight, carols, Sanctuary Choir, and Holy Communion

Christmas Day: Monday, Dec. 25 One morning service at 10:00 a.m. featuring Christmas Lessons and Carols

First Sunday of Christmas: Sunday, Dec. 31 One morning service at 10:00 a.m. with Holy Communion

at Christ the King


On December 21 in the evening, you have the opportunity to hear a dynamic duo entertain a crowd. This event is sponsored

by Celebrate Recovery, a recovery support group with a Christian base, that meets at Christ the King every Thursday evening.

Cody James Ministries seeks to share the life-changing message of Jesus Christ through original song and relevant message. Cody and his team travel all around Minnesota and the surrounding area sharing this music and message

in prisons, recovery groups, churches and other venues.

I mentioned there is a Christ the King connection to this singing duo. Tyler Rosen, Cody’s singing partner for this concert, is the grandson of CtK members Les & Margo Kuivanen. Tyler is a guitarist and songwriter. He started playing guitar when he was 10 years old, and he has been playing guitar with Cody since 2011 when he was 15 years old. In addition to playing electric guitar, Tyler is also an accomplished musician on the piano, drums, bass guitar and even plays the saxophone. His music videos can be seen on his YouTube page where he demonstrates his “one-man band” capabilities. Check him out on YouTube at: “Tyler Rosen”. When not playing with

Celebrate Recovery PresentsCody & Tyler Concert: The CtK Connection

Cody, Tyler likes to write and record music in his home studio. Tyler is currently a college student studying electrical engineering.

Someone asked Tyler’s grandpa, Les, “Why should grandparents come and listen to this music?” Les responded, “Obviously, Margo and I, as grandparents of [Tyler], would want to come to support our grandson.” He also gave the following reasons:• Grandparents can be less than 60 years of

age and most likely still like rock and roll.• Good Christian music, message, and

testimonial. A good variety.• Cody composes his own songs--music and

words.• Cody James is a recovering addict and was

incarcerated. He found Jesus, has turned his life around and now gives witness to Jesus’ saving grace.

• Cody plays a mix of rock, slow, and patriotic music, and because the Christmas season is approaching will include that music as well.

• This will be an experience you can use in mentoring your children and grandchildren.

• Cody’s mission is to visit every Minnesota prison witnessing with his message.

• By attending, we show we care about those recovering. We support them in this opportunity to build relationships both via our presence and monetary donation. (A free will offering will be collected at the concert.)

• This may be an opportunity to “step outside the box”, maybe move a bit outside your “comfort zone”.

• You will be surprised and entertained.• Cody has some who follow him around to his

performances. Cody is a biker and some in attendance may be bikers.

All are invited, even those who are not part of Celebrate Recovery. Come and support those who are positively addressing this challenge in their lives.

By Sarah Malm with Les Kuivanen

The overall purpose of the Community Garden is to grow a sense of community within

and outside the church by building relationships, connecting with neighbors and providing food. Sharing the produce from the common garden with members of our church, with our neighbors and with the food shelf fulfills our goal to reach out to either have you enjoy fresh vegetables on your table and/or to help those in need outside of the church walls. When working in the garden or picking produce we see God’s gifts – those to be shared with others. This past year was a very productive year with all the rains. It also meant that little watering was required! However, weeds and potato bugs did provide a challenge but a good gardener is not to be done in by such things! You just search out the newest and best products for the situation. If that doesn’t work, you just try plain old hoeing and knocking the bugs into a jar and putting a lid on it!


Food from the dedicated community garden plots was shared with residents of Garden View apartments on National Night Out and placed on the table in the narthex on Sundays for anyone to take. Individuals renting plots also shared their produce. Working in the garden and calling out greetings to those walking down the street is another way of reaching out. Some great conversations have been held and for that we are thankful! One never knows if that greeting might not bring that individual inside the doors to see what we are all about!

Looking forward to 2018 - Want to get your hands dirty and reap a harvest of fresh vegetables or flowers? Consider joining the Community Garden committee and/or rent your own plot next year. Send an email to [email protected] if you are interested in joining the group. Stay tuned! Opportunities to rent a space will begin in late March.

Community Garden 2017-18Let’s Keep ‘Community’ in the

By Trish Bloomquist, Community Garden


Yogadevotion for a Healthy StartNew Year, New You

Yogadevotion began this past fall at Christ the King with a hearty group, taught by Sarah Grow. With the success of that

inaugural venture, two more sessions are planned for January and February.

The morning class is a chair class (no mats) while the evening class is a more traditional mat class. For those who have difficulty getting up and down from a mat, the Balance and Breathe class would be ideal.

All are welcome. Invite your friends. Come and give it a try!

By Sarah Malm with Sarah Grow

Balance and BreatheThursdays 9:30-10:30 a.m., Jan. 4 - Feb. 22$64 for 8 sessionsGentle chair yoga classes focus on strengthening balance, calming breath and scriptural meditation

Gentle Yoga Thursdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Jan. 4 - Feb. 22$64 for 8 sessionsClasses incorporate Christian scripture, yoga philosophy, and breathing to help you to listen to your body, cultivate a peaceful presence and promote healthy living.

“Humbled By a Baby and Our Father’s Love”Sunday School Christmas Pageant

By Sarah Malm

I sat down with Deb Wolterstorff to learn more about the upcoming Sunday School Christmas Pageant a couple weeks ago. I learned that

the choosing of the program begins almost a year in advance. This particular program was actually chosen two years ago. It was written by Linda Rambow who is the Youth Director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lindstrom, Minnesota.

The story, interspersed with familiar hymns and carols, begins with a group of kids discussing their Christmas lists when one shares with the others their old family bible, trying to explain that Christmas is about more than the things we have in our posession.

They even reflect on the story of the Grinch as before looking into the Christmas story found in the old family Bible. After hearing all about the birth of Jesus and all the expectation that surrounded him, the kids finally come to the conclusion that, yes indeed, Christmas is about more that what is on their Christmas list.

The program features kids selected from fourth

through sixth grade as the main characters with the whole Sunday School singing together in chorus on the songs. You won’t want to miss this very special telling of the Christmas story from a kids’ perspective.

Join us on Sunday, December 17 at the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Following the service stay for a very special Las Posadas meal prepared and served by Cristo Rey.


Featuring the Benson Family SingersA Gospel Family Christmas

By Sarah Malm

There’s still time to buy your tickets for the brunch and concert sponsored by Elders in Action and the Women of the ELCA

(WELCA) of Christ the King. Titled “A Gospel Family Christmas” this special event on Thursday, December 21 at 11:30 a.m. will begin with a tasty catered brunch followed by a concert by the Benson Family Singers who hail from Faribault, MN.

The Benson Family Singers are made up of Peter and Rachelle (mom and dad), and their children David, Aaron, Luke, Paul and Keziah, all ranging in ages from 17 to 3. Peter and Rachelle’s singing background is in barbershop chorus and Sweet Adelines. They specialize in tight, a cappella harmonies and also play a variety of instruments, including guitar, banjo, bass, violin, and mandolin. Together they have performed for

many shows, festivals, fairs, churches, and private events throughout the Midwest. The Bensons use their music, humor, and message to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you would like to read more about this musical family, you can find it at www.bensonfamilymusic.com.

Join us on Sunday, December 10 at 4:00 p.m. for this special Christmas Concert featuring

seasonal music and readings that explore and celebrate the mystery of how God comes to us as stranger through the birth of Jesus Christ.

Admission is free and a light reception will follow. If you would like to contribute a dessert to the reception, please drop it off in the kitchen prior to the concert.

Christmas Festival ConcertAs One Unknown

By Sarah Malm with Nate Crary

“He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.” - John 1:10 NRSV

Coming up at CtKHere’s a snapshot of some of the big events

we have coming up at CtK. You can find our complete calendar of events at www.lifeatctk.org/calendar.

DecemberMidweek Advent VespersWednesdays, Dec 6, 13, 20, 6:30 p.m.

Christmas Festival Concert, reception to followSunday, Dec 10, 4:00 p.m.

Christmas Pageant, celebration to followSunday, Dec 17, 10:30 a.m.

EiA/WELCA Christmas Brunch/ConcertThursday, Dec 21, 11:30 a.m.

Christmas Eve WorshipSunday, Dec 24, 10:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 9:00 p.m. (Cristo Rey, 12:00 p.m.)

Christmas Day WorshipMonday, Dec 25, 10:00 a.m.

First Sunday of ChristmasSunday, Dec 31, 10:00 a.m.

The regular worship schedule resumes on January 7, 2018.

Worship at 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. Faith Formation at 9:30 a.m.

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Merry Christmasand

Happy New Year

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