Pastor
Paul’s Pen
Rev. Paul F. Gysan
Like my namesake
Paul, I join with him in saying, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, thankful
for your partnership in the gospel from the first day (October 3, 1993) until
now (September 2009).” As the days to my retirement pass by, your prayers for
me have been felt. That partnership in the Gospel will continue, even though
miles will soon separate us.
Last month I
mentioned that instead of delivering a “last lecture” I’d share one portion of
scripture each month that has been a blessing to me. Last month I shared Luke 4:18-19. This month
I’d like to share these two verses from Hebrews 12:1-2. “Therefore,
since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside
every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with
perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and
perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right
hand of the throne of God.”
I thank God for
each of you who have surrounded me. You
are the “cloud of witnesses,” those “cheerleaders of faith” who have been
there. Years ago when Moses’ arms raised
in the air during battle became weak, others were there to help him keep his
arms in the air so victory could be won. At Christ the King there are those
witnesses, who when I have doubted whether we should take a leap of faith in
terms of ministry have come forward and said, “yes, let’s accept that
challenge. With God with us, all things
are possible!”
That cloud of
witnesses which surrounds me consists of those who have gone before us and now
rest with the Lord in heaven. On All
Saint’s Sunday when we remember the saints who have gone before us, I’m so
thankful for those who have died within our fellowship. They are more than a
memory, for they are a living presence!
I’m sure you feel that too, whether it’s from those in heaven or those
who continue to be with us on our earthly journey.
Paul visions this
journey as a “race.” He says, “let
us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us
run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” Marathon runners tell me that if
their shoes weigh an “ounce” too much, they can feel it. As a community of faith, we gather in worship
and confess our sin. We confess all that hinders us from running well. What joy we experience together via
absolution from sin. Those sins of
thought, word, and deed no longer cling to us, and new beginnings, new
adventures, new hopes and dreams lie before us. A congregation is forever
becoming, as we look to Jesus.
Paul urges us to “look
to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has
taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” At Christ the King we need to look away from
the world and turn our eyes toward Jesus.
Any runner visioning a race, keeps their eye on the goal. We need to
keep our eyes on Jesus.
The chorus of one
of my favorite hymns has these words, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in
His wonderful face, and the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of
his glory and grace.” Jesus is the model
for our faith, the one who brings our faith to its culmination in fulfillment
of God’s plan. Jesus was motivated by “the
joy that was set before him.” He
came to serve, and endured challenges and hostility, but nothing could stop him
from his mission of connecting the world with God’s grace. AND nothing can stop
this congregation for making a difference in this corner of God’s Kingdom!
I meditate upon
this scripture as I take an early morning run, as I have faced serious surgery,
and as I look back to these 16 marvelous years we have had together. I urge you
as that “cloud of witnesses” to “continue to run the race” as you look to
“Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of your faith.” What an exhilarating race
this has been and will continue to be for all of us! My love and prayers will continue to be with
you!
ELCA ASSEMBLY NEWS
The next issue of the LUTHERAN should contain
information concerning the latest Assembly in Minneapolis. A number of articles concerning business have
been noted in the Washington Post. Here
are some emails from our Bishops that might contain information which is
helpful to you. Let us continue to pray
about these decisions!
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in
your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.
-- Colossians 3:14-15
I write
to you from the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis with official
information about the actions of this assembly related to human sexuality. I am
grateful for the manner in which this church has engaged in this conversation.
The way this assembly has discussed these questions is a continuation of the
way this church has deliberated: with deep and heartfelt respect for each
other, engaging with Scripture, listening to the faith stories and experiences
of one another, and through worship and prayer seeking the discernment of the
Spirit.
In my
response to the voting members on Friday, August 21, I made this request: we
need one another. We need time. We need the voices of those who lament and
those who rejoice over these actions, for together we have been called to
proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and engage in God's mission for the life
of the world.
The
assembly adopted 676-338 -- precisely two-thirds of those voting -- "Human
Sexuality: Gift and Trust," the ELCA's 10th social statement, with minor
editorial amendments. It also adopted a series of implementing resolutions with
amendments. This theological and teaching document builds on the key Lutheran
principles of justification by grace and Christian freedom to serve the
neighbor. It emphasizes that central to our vocation, in relation to human
sexuality, is the building and protection of trust in relationships. It
therefore affirms that we are called to be trustworthy in our human sexuality
and to build social institutions and practices where trust and trustworthy
relationships can thrive. The social statement addresses marriage, same-gender
relationships, families, protecting children, friendships, commitment, social
responsibility and moral discernment. Regarding same-gender committed relationships,
the social statement says that this church is not in agreement and recognizes
the different perspectives which are present among us.
Our
assembly also adopted resolutions proposed by the Church Council based on those
contained in a "Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies." The
actions direct that changes be made to churchwide policy documents to make it
possible for those in committed same-gender relationships to serve as rostered
leaders in the ELCA. There were amendments to two of the proposals. The
assembly adopted the resolutions in the following order, beginning with a
strong statement about how we will live together in the face of our
disagreements:
Resolution
3: "RESOLVED, that in the implementation of any resolutions on ministry
policies, the ELCA commit itself to bear one another's burdens, love the
neighbor, and respect the bound consciences of all." (Adopted 771-230 as
amended)
Resolution
1: "RESOLVED, that the ELCA commit itself to finding ways to allow
congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly
accountable life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships." (Adopted
619-402)
Resolution
2: "RESOLVED, that the ELCA commit itself to finding a way for people in
such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to
serve as rostered leaders of this church." (Adopted 559-451)
Resolution
4: This resolution called upon members to respect the bound consciences of
those with whom they disagree; declared intent to allow structured flexibility
in decision-making about candidacy and the call process; eliminated the
prohibition of rostered service by members in publicly accountable, lifelong,
monogamous same-gender relationships; recognized and committed to respect the
conviction of members who believe that the ELCA should not call or roster
people in committed same-gender relationships; called for development of
accountability guidelines; directed that amendments to ministry policy
documents be drafted and approved; and stated that this church continue to
trust congregations, bishops, synods and others responsible for determining who
should be called into public ministry. (Adopted 667-307 as amended)
I invite
you into important, thoughtful, prayerful conversation about what all of this
means for our life in mission together. What is absolutely important for me is
that we have this conversation together.
We meet
one another finally -- not in our agreements or our disagreements -- but at the
foot of the cross, where God is faithful, where Christ is present with us, and
where, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are one in Christ.
In
Christ,
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
ELCA Presiding Bishop
Friends,
By now
you have heard of the actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly meeting here in
Minneapolis. We have voted to adopt statements* that will make it possible for
same-gender faithful committed partnerships to be recognized in our
congregations and that will allow men and women in such relationships to serve
in ministries on the rosters of our church. With all the debate that preceded
our decisions, with all the hesitation, and with allowance made for all work
that will be required before any change in our church can actually be
implemented, this was still a significant step. Many people have lived a long
time hoping for these actions. I believe that what has been done was necessary,
difficult but necessary, and pleasing to God.
But I
know not everyone will agree. A significant minority of the voting members of
the Churchwide Assembly was in opposition to all or part of what we adopted.
Our church took great pains to try to protect the consciences of those on the
losing side of our voting. Whether people will feel this is enough is something
we will have to wait and see. But I hope nobody's decisions will be hasty, and
I hope that we will, in good Lutheran fashion, try to put the best construction
on the words and actions that grow out of this moment in the life of our
church. The public media will report everything to us in the most glowing
or the most negative tones. This is a moment to pause, pray, and weigh our
words with patience and care. If we can all try to ask "What does this
mean?" and if we can be patient as we figure it out together, then Christ
will be glorified among us no matter what.
Meantime,
I believe that our synod has a unique opportunity in the life of our church. We
have been for some time now the kind of Christian community where disagreement
does not cripple mission. We are not of one mind on many issues. We are not in
agreement on how to become of one mind. But we have been clear that we are
sisters and brothers nonetheless, and we have done some great things together.
There is so much work for us to do, so much mission crying out for our
attention. We have no choice but to continue to witness to the power of our
Lord Jesus and to work out our differences as we witness.
Here at
the Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis we are pretty much exhausted and tired
of being away from home. We know that many of you are following our debates and
keeping us in your prayers. We miss you and we look forward to telling you
about our adventures out here in the Lutheran heartland.
May the
God of peace give us all joy in believing, now and forever,
Bishop
Graham
As a committed body of
Christ we will
Gather for Worship
August
29 & 30
13th Sunday after Pentecost
“Not Mouth Religion”
September
5 & 6
14th Sunday after Pentecost
4pm Sat. Wedding of
Melissa Apte & Patrick Carroll
September
11
7pm Service
Great Falls Freedom Memorial
Linda Blankley, Speaker
September
12 & 13
15th Sunday after Pentecost
Installation of Deb Cantrell,
Youth & Family Minister
RALLY DAY
9:45 - Everyone meet in Sanctuary
September
19 & 20
16th Sunday after Pentecost
September
26 & 27
17th Sunday after Pentecost
Worship & Music
It is that time again when our thoughts and energies
turn to a "new year". Summer
is waning…school is about to begin…and the ministry teams at Christ the King
are itching to launch activities and events for the coming church year. Each of the ministry areas need a staff of
volunteers so now is a great time for you to give some thought to the
opportunities offered in Worship and Music.
Are you a "people" person? If so, you would make a great greeter or
usher. Do you love the stories of the Bible?
Then being a lector is a perfect way for
you to tell those stories. God's stories
are also told thru music. Do you like to
sing or ring? All of our choirs are
looking for enthusiastic hands and voices. Talk with Jane or Andrew to get information
about practice times and schedules. The
Altar Guild has room for those who like to work behind the scenes setting up
for communion or decorating for Christmas and Easter.
There are so many ways to give a little or a lot. The only requirements for any of the
opportunities mentioned are enthusiasm, energy and a willingness to devote some
time to Christ the King through Worship and Music. If you need more information about any of the
above, please call Lynne Roots, (703)421-0288. Thank you.
Lynne Roots,
Worship & Music Committee
A Choir For You!
Summer is almost over.
Planning for new music and opportunities for singers and
instrumentalists is in full swing. Here
at Christ the King Lutheran, we have a fully staffed music program for our
youngest members to our oldest. Please
see the listing of our choirs that follows.
If you have any musical talents to share, feel free to contact the
appropriate director at church, or me, Jane Cooper, Coordinator of Music,
703-759-3919.
Find The Joy!
PSALM 149 says:
“Praise the Lord. Sing to the
Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the
people of Zion be glad in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with
tambourine and harp. For the Lord takes
delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing
for joy on their beds.”
Where is the JOY in your life? Are you GLAD to be a Christian? Just as “the Lord takes delight in his
people” we should be delighting in Him. Come
“sing for joy” in the King’s Choir or “make music to him” with the King’s
Ringers. Rehearsals start Wednesday, September
9 at 7:30 p.m. for King’s Choir and Thursday, September 10 at 7:30 p.m. for
King’s Ringers. For more information,
contact Jane Cooper, Director of King’s Choir at 703-759-3919 or Andrew Dobos,
Director of King’s Ringers at 301-460-9642.
September 16 Cantor Camp
Calling all Cantors and solo singers who would like to
cantor! We will have a mini camp to
refresh our skills, discuss scheduling, and sing some Kyries on Wednesday at
7:00pm. (before choir) in the choir loft.
Please call Jane Cooper at 703-759-3919 if you have any questions, or if
you cannot make the camp, but wish to continue as a cantor.
Choirs & Directors At CTK
King’s Cherubs
Patti Flowers-Jacobina &
Bill Takis
PreK–2nd Grade
Sunday 9:30am
Music Room, starting 9/20
King’s Kids
Jane Cooper
3rd--6th Grade
Sunday 9:30am
Choir Loft, starting 9/20
King’s Chimers
Karen Magley
3rd--6th Grade
Sunday 5:00pm
Music Room, starting 9/20
(New chimer workshops: 9/6 & 9/13)
King’s Ringers
Andrew Dobos
7th Grade to Adult
Thursday 7:30pm
Music Room, starting 9/10
King’s Choir
Jane Cooper
7th Grade to Adult
Wednesday 7:30pm
Choir Loft, starting 9/9
As a committed body of
Christ we will
Grow in Faith
Sunday School Registration
Online
Sunday School Registration
is now available online
thru Christ the King’s webpage. Here’s
how to register:
§
logon to www.Christ-the-King-Lutheran.org,
§
Click on the link entitled “Click
Here for Sunday School Registration”
§
Follow the
directions and prompts.
Just as a reminder, you’ll
need to register each one of your children separately. Questions?
Contact Tim Riffe or Antonia Siebert.
Sunday School Rally Day and BBQ - September 13
CTK - "Committed to Kids"
& Adult Education
Join us at 9:45am in the Sanctuary on Rally Day,
September 13! All adults & children
in the congregation are invited to attend a gigantic PEP RALLY!! We'll introduce all our "players,"
our "coaches" and share with you the "game plan" for this
exciting new year! Then we'll break out
into classrooms where all the players and their parents can meet their coaches
and register for their teams. Then,
following the 11:00 service on Rally Day, the Pep Rally will move out onto the
front lawn of the Church. You'll be
hungry by then...and we'll have a BBQ lunch waiting for you! How 'bout some "Bedouin" Burgers,
"Wilderness" Wieners, "Trinitarian" Pretzels,
"Promised Land" Pop Corn and Ice Cream "Sundays"? Lastly, we are going to have an Ark of the
Covenant scavenger hunt to wrap up the days activities! There will be clues through the wilderness
(actually, the Church) leading to the discovery of the Ark and its famous
contents. More prizes can be won by
those seekers who are successful in their mission. Join in this great day as we begin our new
year of learning!
Men's Bible Study
A Men's Bible Study is starting on Tuesday, September
15th, and will be held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month
thru November, 8:00-9:00pm, in Luther's Lounge.
Please mark your calendars and attend as available for interesting
discussions on scripture and application to life. Contact Steve Wilson
(Steve_W_Wilson@ctihome.com) if you have questions or
ideas.
Calendar:
please put on the church calendar on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the
month thru November, 8-9 PM.
Adult Education Schedule
Come feast on the Word and quench your thirst for
Biblical knowledge! Here’s what’s
percolating in Luther’s Lounge every Sunday from 9:45 to 10:45 AM:
Sep 20-Dec 6 10-week study of the Gospel of
John, led by Gale Bobzien: Created by ELCA as a followon to last year’s
“Opening the Book of Faith” series.
Workbooks are here already; pick one up from Gale for $14 each. Bring your study Bibles along, because John’s
Gospel gives us an altogether different Jesus than the first three. Visit www.enterthebible.org to preview the
wonderful resources that accompany this study.
Oct 10, Jan 9 & Mar 13 & 20 The totally
awesome Spiritual Gifts Workshop returns to CTK three times this year. In October and January, the format will be
offered as a full day Saturday event. In
March, we’ll offer it as two 4-hour Saturday workshops. A fantastic way to discern your strengths and
purpose!
Dec 13-Jan 3 3-week Advent-ure based on the
DVD, “Search for Messiah:” brought to us by Gale Bobzien. This contemporary true story details the
journey of an Orthodox Jewish man whose family is split when his mother becomes
a Christian. Sure to generate many
spirited exchanges and much introspection!
Jan 10-Feb 17 6-week study on the
Intertestamental Period. Sometimes
called “the silent years,” this 400-year period bridges the Old Testament to
the New. Delve into the history pivotal
to understanding tensions which set the stage for Jesus’ coming as
Messiah. Developed by Gale Bobzien &
Joni Holeman.
Feb 28-Mar 7 Our friendly Thrivent Financial
rep, Nancy Orta, brings us two one-hour workshops on resource stewardship. These interactive events focus on using your
values to help manage your time, talents and treasures. Informational rather than sales-oriented,
these are offered at no cost or obligation whatsoever. Highly pertinent topics as we walk our inward
Lenten journeys.
Mar 14 & 21 Leading into Holy Week, can you
imagine the outrageous rumors created by the empty tomb? Spend two weeks exploring “Resurrection
Myths” with Gale Bobzien as our Lenten journey brings us to the foot of the
Cross.
Apr 18-Jun 20 Our final series is an amazing
3-book, 27-week course on “Biblical Leadership Foundations.” Each 160-page book spans 9 weeks of
comprehensive study. Book 1 addresses
Self-leadership. We cannot lead others
unless we first understand who and what we are.
Perfect for anyone looking for ways to witness our faith at work, or how
to apply faith principles to our secular lives.
Facilitated by Joni Holeman.
For more details, please call Gale Bobzien 703
444-1171 or Joni Holeman 703 430-4075.
Grab some coffee or a cuppa, and join us for Adult Sunday School!
The King’s Players
Theatre and Drama Ministry
Drama and theater are powerful ways to utilize God’s
gifts, bring scripture to life and present the gospel of Jesus Christ to
others. If you have a dramatic flair or
a passion for drama and theater, please consider attending the organizational
meeting for the King’s Players. We invite children, youth and adults, experienced thespians, the
novice and those who prefer to work behind the scenes. If you have an interest in acting, scene
design and construction, lighting, costume design and construction, publicity,
production, organization and production, we will see you there!
Thursday, September 17. 2009
6:00pm-7:00pm
Jr. Player (Grades 3rd-8th)
Sanctuary
7:00pm-8:00pm
Sr. Players (HS and Adult)
Sanctuary
Remember this is a ministry for youth and adults. For more information, please contact Deb
Cantrell at deb.cantrell@verizon.net or Antonio Siebert
the.sieberts@verizon.net
YOU
H and
Family Ministry
From the Youth Minister
2009 ELCA
Youth Gathering
On July 22, 2009, sixteen youth and their eight
chaperones from Christ the King loaded into cars and vans and made their way to
the airport. They spent six days at the
ELCA National Youth Gathering in New Orleans in service, worship and
fellowship.
The event titled Jesus
Justice Jazz was attended by 37, 000 youth from around the country. It was based on the idea we are “called to
compassionate justice.” The senior high
school students from Christ the King worked their way through the streets of
New Orleans in an effort to live out this call.
The youth and adults were earnest about their call to
serve and seek justice. They along, with
the 37,000 others, contributed 200, 000 volunteer hours, collected $154,000 for
Change the World: 2009 Lutheran Youth
Challenge, donated 1, 023 units of blood and 300 donations of hair for
chemo patients.
They approached opportunities for worship and
fellowship with as much gusto. Mass
gatherings for worship were held at the Superdome featuring speakers Bishop Mark Hanson, Viola Vaughn
(CNN’s 2008 Hero of the Year), Pastor Jay Bakker (son of Tammy and
Jim Bakker), Marc Kielburger (Free the
Children), Anne Mahlum (founder of organization Back on My Feet) and musicians Group1Crew, The Katrinias, Skillet,
Rachel Kurtz and more. In the evenings,
the CTK youth gathered with others for dancing and music and other times chose
to come together as an intimate group for discussion and prayer.
All of the Christ the King youth and their Youth
Minister would like to thank all of those who played a part in supporting this
trip either with prayer, financial consideration or time. We would especially like to thank the
volunteers who gave of their hearts, minds and spirit to act as chaperones: Taz
Miller-Cvilikas, Robert Badgley, Susan Boruff, Kevin Magley, Tracey Maxwell,
Melanie Miller-Cvilikas and Janet Wright-Simpson.
To get a better idea of what went on at the gathering
check out the website:
http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Ministry/Youth-Ministry/Youth-Gathering.aspx
God’s peace and blessings,
Deb
Cantrell, Youth Minister
If you are attending college or seminary, we would
like to have some information about you.
As a part of the Youth and Family Ministry, we want to keep in touch
with our college students. Please email
your name, address at college, email address, birthdate and approximately what
month and week your semester finals are scheduled. Please email this information to Deb Cantrell
at deb.cantrell@verizon.net. We would
like to send you a little something on occasion and want you to know you are in
our thoughts and prayers - we would include any special prayer concerns, if
needed by the student or their families.
If you sense a call to help with this ministry, please
call or email Deb Cantrell.
f u cn read
dis msg,
thN u myt B
NterestD n r tx ministry.
(Translation: If you can read this message, then you
might be interested in our text message ministry.)
Text Message Ministry
Whether you were able to read the above message or
not, you might like to receive a inspirational text message each day. Each message will be in plain English with
very few abbreviations. The message will
arrive each evening, Monday through Friday, at 9pm eastern - with some
exceptions. The text message will contain
either scripture or an inspirational quote with a reference to scripture. (You probably should have unlimited text
messages from your provider as you will receive several messages each month, if
you participate in the ministry.) These
text messages are sent in four different time zones across the country. They are a great way to end each day with a
focus on prayer and scripture. Please
contact Deb Cantrell by email deb.cantrell@verizon or text message at
816-510-1993.
Mark Your Calendars
Senior High Youth
9/26
Youth Fellowship
Morven Park, Leesburg All
Day Event
Awakening
Gathering
10/4
Youth Meeting
Youth Room
6:00-7:00pm
7th and 8th Grade Youth
9/27
Youth Fellowship
Youth Room
4:00-6:00pm
Pizza and Movie
10/11
Youth Service Event
10/25Youth Fellowship
4:30-6:30om
5th and 6th Grade Youth
9/27
Youth Meeting
Confirmation Room
2:00-3:00pm
(parents please attend)
10/25
Youth Fellowship
Fellowship Hall
1:30-3:30pm
Please note this calendar is a work in progress and is
not complete. Check the calendar on the
Youth and Family bulletin board for updates - available the first of September.
As a committed
body of Christ we will
Evangelize the Gospel
Looking for a church home?
We will be having a new member class during the first
three Sundays in October, with our next new member reception at the 11:00am service
on October 18. We will be meeting at
9:45am in Pastor Gysan’s office. Please
notify Pastor Gysan of your interest.
As a committed body of Christ we will
Serve Others
NOVACO Life Skills Dinner – Monday September 14th
CTK will provide dinner for the NOVACO clients and
their families at King of Kings Lutheran on Monday September 14th at
5:30 pm. Volunteers are needed to
provide food and to help set up and serve the dinner. Please sign up on the bulletin response sheet
if you can help!
NOVACO “Victory Over Violence” Dinner & Auction
The Annual NOVACO “Victory Over Violence” Dinner &
Auction will be held on Saturday September 26th at the Westwood
Country Club in Vienna VA. NOVACO helps
homeless victims of domestic abuse become healthy, secure and self-sufficient
by providing housing, education, childcare, counseling, mentoring, and
financial management. If you would like to attend and help support this
organization please indicate your interest on the bulletin response sheet. For more information, call (703) 218-3984 or
go to www.novaco.org.
Back to School Backpack Drive
The Service Committee sends a big thank you to
everyone who contributed backpacks to our Back to School Backpack Drive with
Reston Interfaith. With the combined
effort of Vacation Bible School families and Christ the King families, we
donated 56 backpacks to needy kids in our area starting school in September.
Thrivent Builds with Habitat
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the Lutheran
Congregations of Loudoun County and Western Fairfax are sponsoring the building
of a Habitat House in St. Louis (a small community near Middleburg). In addition to $10,000 raised by our local
Lutheran Churches the project has received a $65,000 grant from Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans. The grant is
based on Lutherans providing half of the volunteer labor to build this
house. We have scheduled our second
Christ the King work day for Saturday, September 12th. See the Church bulletin on September 5/6 for
details on departure time, car pools, etc.
Contact Allen Wild if you have any questions.
Cedars Luncheon
After being on summer "vacation," Cedars
will resume monthly luncheons at Great Falls United Methodist Church starting
on Tuesday, September 15, at 11:00am.
The program will be presented by John McCabe on The Art of Portraiture,
followed by Lunch at noon. The cost is
$5.00 and all those over 55 are invited to attend.
CTK will again support this program so in addition to
those attending the luncheon, volunteers are needed to help with table setup,
serving, and cleanup. Step-up begins at
9:30am and serving at noon with cleanup following. We are usually finished by 1:30pm. If you would like to help out with this
program, watch the bulletins and signup on the response form when it appears in
September. For more information on the
"Cedars" volunteer program, call or talk to Audrey Wild, 703
471-6567.
NOVACO Ten Year Anniversary Dinner
Saturday, 9/26 marks ten years of “survivors success
stories.” Gather with others to
celebrate “Victory over Violence.” There
will be music, auction items donated from wonderful local businesses, dinners,
handmade quilts, vacation packages, door prizes and wonderful people who care
about survivors of abuse. We hope to
have a number of people attend from Christ the King to support this important
ministry. We are involved in sponsoring
a victim of domestic abuse and her daughter, help with the Life Skills dinners
etc. Tickets can be reserved at
www.novaco.org/tickets.html.
As a committed body of Christ, we will
Care for one
another in Authentic Community
Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 18th,
from 12:30 to 3:00pm. We will meet at
River Bend Country Club to have a time of farewell and showing of appreciation
for Pastor Paul & LaVonne. There
will be a Brunch buffet, some fun activities, and time for fellowship! River Bend has offered a great price, $14 for
adults, $10.50 for children ages 7-12, and $7 for ages 4-6, for the “all you can
eat” Sunday brunch. Be sure to watch the
bulletin for further details and information on purchasing tickets for the
brunch. You may also call Amy Swineford
at (703) 481-6488 or send email to swineford.family@verizon.net.
Adult Christmas Party Host Needed!
All this 90 degree heat really makes a person want to
start thinking about snow and cold...and Christmas!!! It won't be long until we are planning for
our annual Christ the King adults-only Holiday Party. We have a group of our best party planners ready
to decorate, feed and clean up after Christ the King’ers who want to enjoy each
others fellowship at this festive time of year.
We need a house, though! The
Kelly’s have kindly obliged us the last two years, but they deserve a
break. Anyone interested in hosting us
this year on Saturday night, December 5th, (or alternatively
December 12th)? Please
contact Amy Swineford at 703-481-6488, or aswineford@gulickgroup.com as soon as
possible to volunteer your home.
Mar-Lu-Ridge
Is Mar-Lu-Ridge a part of who you
are? Then come home the weekend of
September 26 & 27, 2009 to the mountaintop to recharge yourself in a place
you surely love. Renew your friendships,
worship life, campfire songs, and love of s'mores. Join hundreds of Mar-Lu-Ridger’s for a weekend
of reunion, nature and craft activities, campfire programs, Chef Tim's
delicious cuisine, God's autumnal splendor, worship opportunities, exercise and
fresh air, and fun and games galore. Be
busy every moment, or take time out for rest and reflection. Sleep over or come for the day. Stay in the arks or cabins. Special group/family rates are
available. And, unaccompanied minors are
welcome; summer staff will be on hand just for them. Register by Monday, August 31. For more information contact Sarah Lefler at
800-238-9974.
Prayer Concerns
Kay Teach, Hilton Patterson, Charles Reges, Laurus
Newby & Mona Carlton, Lynne Roots, Linda Darrell & Karen Stein, Nancy
Ferguson, Jill Patterson, Jayne Ayers & Jamie MacIntosh, Ralph Swineford,
Melisa Heinson, Marilyn Grove & Bob Strickland, Barry Bittner, Earl Perry,
the Lynn Family, Mary Kreyling, Eva Kee, Chris Stuart, Ruth Ritchie, Tami
Phillips, Jacquie Santantonio, Prue Welsh, Hunter Presgrave, Fran Beecher,
Samuel Von Bank, Artie Wright, Justin LaPlant, Steve Smith, Stan Andon &
Mike Horsey, Cecelia Pachko, John Sandberg, Kristy Parnell, Dolly Whelan, Jack
Pertler, Pamela McManman, Deacon Thomas Gillen, John Gersic, Peter Yeager, June
Birchler, Norma Johnson, Mary Davis, Abigail Roots, Shelly Wasser, Jack Turner,
Cora Hawkins, Bill Landherr, Richard Depalma, Josh Carr, Tony Santantonio,
Polly Oakes, Lil Mason, Mary Davis.
Grieving - Dot Miller, Melanie Miller-Cvilikas & family,
at the death of Roy Miller.
Military
Personnel - Stacy Caum, Chris Nogle,
Jonathan Reading, Will Boyd & Lt. Jon Cirillo, Cpt. Chris Owen, Major Jason
Jones.
Notes
of Thanks
“On behalf of the NOVACO Transitional Program for
Victims of Domestic Abuse, I would like to thank you for your contribution of
$1,500. We very much appreciate the
support your congregation gives to our families. Your support helps us provide safe-housing,
childcare, counseling, and an education to the families working together to be
the true mentors and supporters who show our families that they are cared
about. Thanks to your congregation’s
donation, NOVACO is able to provide an education for each client &
family. Please visit our website
www.novaco.org, for more volunteer opportunities and information on more ways
you can be involved.
In Service
Together, Victoria Neeley
House Cleaning
Christ the King thanks Busy Bee Cleaning &
Janitorial Services, who, free of charge, provided an overall cleaning and
shampoo of carpets at the 2nd Parsonage after Pastor Scott an family
left for Colorado. If you are in need of
cleaning services, you can find their information at www.busybee2000.com.
Kingdom Kindred
Kat Miller-Cvilikas was “Rizzo” in the summer musical
“Grease” presented by Herndon High School.
From “innocent Liesl in the “Sound of Music” to anything but innocent
Rizzo, her time at Herndon has been an amazing adventure. Kat will be attending Christopher Newport
University in the fall for Musical Theatre.
Sister Emma was in the “Rydell Student Ensemble” in the play. Mother Melanie was the “Program Director”…Thora
and Sonia Toloczko had successful swimming season this year. Thora placed
second and Sonia sixth in Divisionals in the breaststroke for their age groups
at the GF Swimming and Tennis…Joey Kiffe is one of the captains for the Langley
HS football team. Also playing on the
team is Nick Hanna…Our prayers are with James Fisher and Jennifer Rick who will
be married on Oct. 18 in Stevenson, MD…Many thanks to Becky Zeiller who
coordinated VBS, and to all the teachers and helpers. We had over 90 youth registered as we
traveled into “Discovery Canyon.” The
week closed with a wonderful program and then an outside picnic of pizza, make
your own Baskin Robbins Sundae, and a moon bounce. Churches working together helped produce
backdrops and other visual effects scattered throughout the building that made
us feel as if we were in a Canyon. VBS
was another “grand” canyon event, and we joyfully appreciated our
co-sponsorship with St. Francis…We’ve had a number of baptisms lately. Be sure to stop by the “Splash Wall” above
the drinking fountain near Fellowship Hall and note pictures of the newly
baptized…Note the 4 new evergreens behind the “Christ the King” statue. Thanks to the Kiffe family for planting
them…Scott Dulany has graduated with a BA degree, and was named to the spring
2009 dean’s list at Miami University of Oxford, Ohio…Thanks to “Wheat
Landscaping” for spreading the mulch in the playground area…Our prayers are
with Bob Burns whose wife Arlene died on Sunday August 23, in Port Ludlow, WA. Former members of Christ the King, our prayers
are with Bob and family…Prayers are also with the family of Roy Miller, who
died on August 21. Roy sang in the King’s Choir, served on our Church Council,
and was a voting representative in our Synod Assemblies. For the past few years he has been a resident
at the National Lutheran Home in Rockville, MD.
Burial will be at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bethesda, where the
service will be at noon on Saturday August 29.
September Birthdays
Congratulations to these members,
who are celebrating a birthday this month!
Greg Long 9/1
Nicole Long 9/1
Ellie Mickert 9/2
Judith Kuhnsman 9/4
Allen Wild 9/5
Mary Rambo 9/6
Kristine
Chadwick 9/7
Grant Kuhnsman 9/7
Lauren McMillen 9/10
Julian Barretto 9/11
David Chadwick 9/11
Misty Jordan 9/11
Beth Rambo 9/11
Andrew Saba 9/12
Mason Southerly 9/12
Brett Wainner 9/12
Scott Miner 9/14
Todd Chatlos 9/16
Gloria Rossbach 9/16
Joni Holeman 9/17
Nicola Magley 9/18
Jennifer Hendrix 9/19
Amanda Cooper 9/24
Daniel Pittman 9/24
Eric Wasser 9/25
Jody Pilka 9/26
Nancy Porte 9/26
Milton Babirak 9/27
Janet Sahm 9/27
David Weber 9/27
Jennifer Kalka 9/28
Milt Critchfield 9/30
Paul Gysan 9/30
Shane MacMillan 9/30
Doug Rissing 9/30
Karen Ritchie 9/30
Hansen Watkins 9/30
September Wedding
Anniversaries
Congratulations to these members,
who are celebrating a wedding
anniversary this month!
Eric & Jody
Pilka 9/2
Bill &
Lauren Carbaugh 9/4
Richard &
Lisa Benn 9/10
Mark &
Christina Dumas 9/14
Gil & Dot
Miller 9/21
John & Kari
West 9/27
Calling All 2nd – 6th Graders
Summer is over
(Boo!)
King’s Chimers
is back (yea!)
Those chimers
who joined the group last spring & all those children who are interested in
playing tone chimes this year & their parents are asked to come to
workshops
in the music
room on
Sunday
September 6th &
Sunday
September 13th
From 5:00 PM
to 6:15 PM
While it would
be best to attend both workshops, attendance at only one of them is absolutely
necessary.
No previous
experience or knowledge of music is needed
Just a willing
attitude & regular attendance
We will train
you!
Beginning on
September 20th, regular Practices will be held at the same time for
the entire group on Most Sunday Evenings until early January & then will
resume again in Late April
The King’s
chimers plans to play the prelude for the
Sign up on the
bulletin
Response sheet
or Call Karen
Magley
so that we know
how many will attend the workshops
Stephen Ministry Information
History:
Stephen Ministry began in 1975 when the
Rev. Kenneth C. Haugk, Ph.D., a pastor and clinical psychologist, trained nine
laypeople at his congregation in St. Louis to be Stephen Ministers. They assisted him in providing
distinctively Christian care to members of the congregation and community.
These trained caregivers were so enthused about their ministry, they encouraged
Dr. Haugk to offer Stephen Ministry to more congregations.
Over
the next few years, Dr. Haugk traveled to congregations and trained Stephen
Ministers. This quickly proved to be inefficient, since he could visit only a
limited number of congregations, and these congregations were then dependent on
him to train additional caregivers.
There also was little organizational structure to supervise Stephen
Ministers after they were trained. So in
1978 Dr. Haugk held the first Stephen Series Leader’s Training Course and
trained the first Stephen Leaders—representatives of various churches
who then returned home to train and super-vise their congregation’s Stephen
Ministers. Since that time Stephen Ministries St. Louis has specialized in
“equipping the equippers” through the Stephen Series ministry system.
Definition
of the Stephen Series: The Stephen Series
is a complete system for training and organizing lay people to provide
one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around your congregation.
The
Organization: Stephen Ministries St. Louis
is a not-for-profit, transdenominational, religious and educational
organization founded in 1975. The St. Louis-based staff of 45 includes five
pastors. Dr. Haugk, who is also a mental health professional, serves as the
executive director.
The
Name: The name Stephen comes from
St. Stephen, who was the first layperson commissioned by the Apostles to
provide caring ministry to those in need (Acts 6).
These
statistics are updated annually on September 1. If these figures are more than
a year old, up-to-date statistics can be obtained by contacting Stephen
Ministries St. Louis (314-428-2600) or by accessing www.stephenministries.org
on the World Wide Web.
Congregations:
More than 10,000 congregations are
enrolled in the Stephen Series. These congregations represent more than 150
different Christian denominations and come from all 50 states, 10 Canadian
provinces, and 24 other countries.
People:
More than 55,000 individuals (pastors,
church staff, and laypersons) have been trained as Stephen Leaders at Leader’s
Training Courses. These Stephen Leaders have returned to their congregations to
train more than 500,000 laypeople to be Stephen Ministers. It is estimated that
since 1975 Stephen Ministers have provided distinctively Christian care to more
than a million people through formalized one-to-one caring relationships and
have used their caregiving skills to touch the lives of millions of others in
an informal way.
The Stephen Series Logo: The logo Stephen Ministry congregations use consists of a cross and
circle, together with a broken person and a whole person. The broken person
stands behind the cross, symbolizing the brokenness in our lives as a result of
our sin. The whole person stands in front of the cross because it is through
the cross of Jesus that we again are made whole. The circle symbolizes both the
wholeness we receive through Christ and God’s unending love for us.
How
the Stephen Series Works: Pastors, church
staff, and lay leaders from a congregation attend a seven-day Leader’s Training
Course, taught by the Stephen Ministries St. Louis faculty, to learn how to
implement and direct the Stephen Series in their congregations. These trained Stephen
Leaders then return to their congregations to set up and administer a
Stephen Ministry program.
Stephen
Leaders recruit and select laypeople from the congregation to serve as Stephen
Ministers and provide them with 50 hours of training in Christian caregiving.
Some of the training topics include listening, feelings, assertiveness,
confidentiality, and ministering to people in specific situations such as
divorce, terminal illness, grief, and childbirth. Stephen Ministers also are
trained to recognize when a care receiver’s needs go beyond the care a Stephen
Minister can provide and where and how to refer the care receiver for
additional care.
Upon
completion of the training, these lay persons are commissioned as Stephen
Ministers. Stephen Leaders then link each Stephen Minister with a care
receiver—a member of the congregation or community who is in need of
quality Christian care. A Stephen Minister normally is assigned to only one
care receiver at a time and meets with the care receiver for an average of
about one hour each week.
Stephen
Ministers also meet twice monthly for peer supervision and continuing
education. Stephen Ministers initially commit to two years of service, but
after those years many recommit to serve additional years.
Terminology:
The organization, based in St. Louis, is Stephen
Ministries St. Louis. The lay caregiving ministry system congregations
implement is the Stephen Series. Once the Stephen Series is implemented
in a congregation, it is usually called Stephen Ministry. The pastors
and laypersons trained at a one-week Leader’s Training Course (LTC) to direct
Stephen Ministry in their congregations are called Stephen Leaders.
Those who are trained to provide one-to-one care to those in need are called Stephen
Ministers. Those who receive the care of Stephen Ministers are their care
receivers.
Important to Note
·
Stephen Ministers are
not counselors. They are trained Christian caregivers. Their role is to listen
and to care—not to counsel or advise. Please do not refer to Stephen Ministers
as counselors.
·
Stephen Ministry is a
supervised ministry. Stephen Ministers engage in twice-monthly supervision to
ensure that they are providing the best quality Christian care for their care
receivers.
·
Stephen Ministry is a
confidential ministry. What a care receiver tells a Stephen Minister remains
confidential. Even in super-vision, the names of care receivers and specific
details are never discussed.
·
Stephen Ministers do
not make cold calls. They are assigned only to people who agree to receive the
care of a Stephen Minister.
Other Ministry Systems and Resources
Stephen
Ministries St. Louis offers a number of ministry systems and resources to
enhance ministry in congregations. Besides the Stephen Series, Stephen
Ministries offers the ChristCare Series—a complete system that provides
congregations with the training, resources, and ongoing support they need to
direct and grow a ministry of Christ-centered, life-transforming small groups.
In
addition, Stephen Ministries offers a number of other ministry resources:
·
Christian
Caregiving—a Way of Life
·
Caring Evangelism:
How to Live and Share Christ’s Love
·
Antagonists in the
Church: How to Identify and Deal with Destructive Conflict
·
Caring for Inactive
Members: How to Make God’s House a Home
·
Discovering God’s
Vision for Your Life: You and Your Spiritual Gifts
·
Journeying through
Grief
· Don’t Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart: How to Relate to Those Who Are Suffering