June Vacation Bible School. Church Picnic. VBS Work-Bee. Christ the King Lutheran Church Where We Are About God s Grace For God s People

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1 Christ the King Lutheran Church Where We Are About God s Grace For God s People Inside this issue: Pastor s Corner 2 Kids & Nature 3 Youth News 4 Offerings & Attendance Retirement Planning Those Who Serve 10 Calendar Vacation Bible School June 2018 This year Christ the King will be teaming up again with Calvary-Rapid River and Trinity-Stonington for VBS! VBS will be held the week of June 12 th through the 15 th and the big theme we re working with is: Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus. Like last year, we ll be sponsoring a bus to bring our kids back and forth from Stonington. And know also this: A hearty lunch and plenty of snacks will sustain your kids for a faith and fun-filled week. Hope to see as many young ones as possible there! Sign-up forms are available in the office. VBS Work-Bee One last VBS work-bee at Trinity in Stonington on Sunday, June 3, starting at Noon and ending around 3pm! Lunch will be served very close to noon, then the work will commence! Come get your craft on - we will be making coral, trees, coconuts, and other island props. We will be measuring and planning, and enjoying fun and fellowship. Thanks in advance! Special points of interest: Vacation Bible School Fun Starts June 12th Join us for our Senior Luncheon Picnic, Tuesday, June 12th Godspeed to Pastor Chris, Patty, Ella, Evan, Ashton, Michail, Dragon, Trei as they attend the Nat l Youth Event in Houston, TX this month Church Picnic Join us on Sunday, June 24th (following worship) at the pavilion in Ludington Park as we gather for our annual church picnic. Meats and beverages will be provided. All are asked to bring a dish to pass and your own table service. You might want to bring a lawn chair as well. John Hendrickson will be providing the meats and we all know what a treat that will be. We hope that you can join us for good food and fellowship. Games are being planned.

2 Page 2 Pastor s Corner Deuteronomy 15:1 At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release. The Summer is a great time to recuperate as the church year continues to ebb and flow. It seems like yesterday I was preparing for the annual meeting! Time always eludes us, doesn t it? It s amazing how fast time flies but it s also amazing at how we in the church can I know I do at times feel a bit of guilt when a whole lot of things aren t going on. I think part of that is due to being faithful to the call: We in the church are called to serve, teach, and so on. Serving, teaching, and ministering takes time; time you don t get back, but time used for the glory of God. Shortly after annual meeting time (also around the time Heather had kidney stone surgery!) I read a sermon by Jonathan Edwards, a Congregationalist pastor who served in Massachusetts in the first half of the 1700 s. Edwards preached a sermon entitled The Preciousness Of Time And The Importance Of Redeeming It and the sermon really made me think: How have I been using my time? Am I using time gainfully for God s kingdom? Selfishly on trivial pursuits? Wastefully and on things that do not matter, that do not edify the soul, that distract from the riches we have in Christ our Joy and Treasure? Am I being a good steward of the time the Lord has allotted for me? health (Lutheran s love potlucks!). We can be so busy in the church we forget this is Christ s church, not our own. If we step away for a time, the church won t cave in because Jesus has promised that not even the gates of hell can prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). The church will always and ever be Christ s beloved bride (Ephesians 5:22-33; Revelation 19:6-10). We the body of Christ, the bride, the church, can rest assured we are in good hands with Jesus our Savior. This gives us the freedom and the assurance to rest. There is indeed a time for hard work, long hours. But there also is a time to step back, refresh, renew, and get reinvigorated for God s mission in and through his people, through his church. How will you be managing your time this summer? Will you be faithful in rest? Will you be faithful and using the gift of time appropriately? Will you be diligent in worshipping the Lord your God who not only commands your worship but also your rest? And also, will you joyfully grant release to the leaders of Christ the King who ve been so busy for so long? Wellrested workers in the kingdom of God are some of the most productive. And well rested, may God send us back out in to the harvest! Your brother in Christ, Pastor Chris The questions above only further solidified in my mind the need for sabbatical rest. Not only for myself and my family, but also for Arlene. We can be so busy in the church at the expense of our family. We can be so busy in the church at the expense of our own personal In solitude there is healing. Speak to your soul. Listen to your heart. Sometime in the absence of noise we find the answers.

3 Page AM Bible Study: Gospel of John We continue walking through the Gospel of John, an easy to understand and theologically deep book which recounts the glory of Jesus Christ in his incarnation, through his teaching ministry, through his signs/miracles, and the fulfillment of the Father s redemptive plan through His Son s death and resurrection. Here s what we re covering and when this month: May 30 th John 8:12-38 Light of the World among the Darkness June 6 th John 8:39-59 Jesus Rebuke and Witness June 13 th John 9:1-41 Healing of the Man Born Blind and the Blind Shepherds June 20 th John 10:1-21 Jesus Response to Israel s Shepherds June 27 th -July 4 th No Bible study class these two weeks 2018 PM Easter Bible Study: Key People in John s Gospel During this past April and May we looked at some of the important (and some infamous) people surrounding Jesus as recorded in John s Gospel. We looked at a number of the disciples and the questions they asked Jesus. We looked at some of scoundrels Pilate and Judas to try to understand why they did what they did. We covered topics like: What s the role of the Church and State? How can we talk about religion and politics honestly and openly in the Church? How do we address doubt, disbelief, atheism especially if present in our families? We also looked at the ways John portrayed Jesus and the disciples and John s use of repetition, irony, and humor. John s gospel indeed is deep and rich! Thank you everyone who participated! Lay School For Mission One of the great treasures of our synod and conference of churches in Delta County is Lay School. Students have been gathering from around our conference to dive deeper into their life of faith. Lay School may be back in session this Fall after a year-long hiatus. Please contact Pastor if interested! We have pastors willing to teach but not many students to teach to! Help us fix that problem if you could! Easter/Pentecost Choir Be sure to thank our choir members who sacrificed their time and shared their voices with us during Easter, Pentecost, and Memorial Day weekend. What a gift they provided! Be sure to thank Beth for helping lead and guide them too!

4 Page 4 Kids and Nature: A Win-Win by Thomas Rowley Nature is good for us. Obvious as that may be, Richard Louv s celebrated Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder provides study upon study substantiating and quantifying the notion: Time outside engaged in nature makes us happier and healthier. The flip side, of course, is just as obvious if increasingly ignored in our techno-saturated lives: Alienation from nature leads to a host of problems, among them diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. In turn we are (created to be) good for nature. Again, obvious to some. Not so much to others. I ve heard more than a few people (including Christians) argue that nature is here solely for mankind s benefit. An all-you-can eat, cut, shoot, drill and mine buffet. And I ve heard a few people argue that mankind is a pestilence on the planet, which must be controlled if not eradicated for other species to survive. Both are wrong. So says Scripture, which makes clear that humans are created in God s image to be His loving stewards of all things that Christ created, redeemed and reconciled according to Colossians 1: And so say leaders of the environmental movement, who increasingly recognize the truth of Scripture if not its author or authority: people the choices we make, the actions we take represent not just the problems, but also the solutions. Which just makes sense. God didn t create a universe in which people flourish at the expense of the planet nor vice-versa. But without a healthy relationship between people and nature, the win-win falters. And that relationship is fading fast. As Louv documents, we, and most tragically our kids, are disconnecting from nature at alarming rates. As an example, he cites a University of Maryland study showing a 50 percent decline in the percentage of kids aged 9 to 12 who spend time outside doing the things kids have always done hiking, walking, fishing, playing on the beach, gardening, etc. All in only 6 years from 1997 to Louv states it well when he writes...the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable, but as he notes deficit is only one side of the coin. The other is natural abundance. By weighing the consequences of the disorder, we also can become more aware of how blessed our children can be biologically, cognitively, and spiritually through positive physical connection to nature. Nature is good for us (especially our kids) and we for it. But like any relationship it takes time and effort. From /

5 Page 5 Faith Formation: Confirmation +Be sure to Turn in Sermon Notes and memorize your Small Catechism! +Continuing in June: Elmer s Brat & Burger Fundraiser +MANDATORY Mission trip meeting June 3 rd after worship Mission Trip to Houston! Fundraising for the 2018 ELCA National Youth Gathering is completed but know brats and burgers will be available for a while longer still. Please hold in prayer the following people who will be going down to Texas: Brett Boudreau, Evan Burroughs, Damien and Dragan Graham, Ella Johnson, Ashton and Mikhail Moran, Trei Norberg (Nancy s grandson), Joshua Stachnik (from Grand Marais), Patty Lindstrom and Pastor Chris. Pray also for safe travel on June 26 th and July 1 st as we fly and throughout that week as we traverse the busy city of Houston. Thanks for all your generosity throughout the year! Baptized Into The Faith By the water and the Holy Spirit we are made members of the Church which is the body of Christ. On Saturday, May 26th, Pastor Chris baptized Isla Jane & Paxton Rae Kenneally. Isla is the daughter Kelly Kenneally & Elizabeth Goulet. Jaylene Kaufman & Kelly Kenneally are the parents of Paxton. Tim & Kim Kenneally are the godparents for both of the girls. We welcome, Isla & Paxton to the family of God where together we strive to grow in faith, love and obedience to God. Congratulations to Our High School Graduates Hold in pray the following graduating seniors it seems like yesterday they were confirmed! Chloe Carter Carlie Heath Lucas Runkel Justin Cobb Mikhail Moran Johnny Schlenvogt Congratulations everyone! May God continue to lead and guide you! June Senior s Luncheon Join us on Tuesday, June 12th at 12:00 noon for our last Senior s Luncheon until fall. We ll be putting chicken on the grill and providing the dessert and beverage. For those who are planning to attend we ask that you bring a dish to share. Hope to see you there!

6 Page 6 Offerings & Worship Attendance For May Date 5 P.M. 10:30 Total S.S. Confirmation May 5/ May 12/ May 19/ Average attendance for May: 144 Offerings For May May 6 $3, May 13 $3, May 20 $2, Year-To-Date Income: $69, Year-To-Date Needed: $68, Difference: $ Thankfulness: An Online Opportunity to Give If you need a convenient way to make recurring contributions, are out of town and would like to give, missed worship and still want to give out of the generosity of your heart, we encourage you to check out our electronic giving option. As we get back into the routine of things, you may find electronic giving a most welcome routine and an easy way to make contributions. To set up a recurring giving schedule, visit us online at and locate the Online Giving button on the right side of the webpage. Thank you for your generosity and support of God s work through Christ the King! Readings for June June 3 The 2nd Sunday of Pentecost Deuteronomy 5:12-15; Ps. 81:1-10; 2 Cor. 4:5-12; Mark 2:23-3:6 June 10 The 3rd Sunday of Pentecost Genesis 3:8-15; Ps. 130; 2 Cor. 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 June 17 The 4th Sunday of Pentecost Ezekiel 17:22-24; Ps. 92:1-4, Cor. 5:6-13; Mark 4:26-34 June 24 The 5th Sunday of Pentecost Job 38:1-11; Ps. 107:1-3, 23-32; 2 Cor. 6:1-13; Mark 4:35-41

7 Page 7 Stewardship Ministry Faithful Stewardship: Ways to Give and Make a Difference Your Will: The primary way (though not the only way) we can make gifts is to name ELCA ministries as beneficiaries in our wills or living trusts. BUT, these gifts cannot be made if you do not have a will or living trust. The federal government says that 70% of the Americans that die each year do not have a will. You may have many reasons why you have not made a will we have all either heard or used, I am too busy, They are too expensive or I do not need a will yet, as an excuse to put off making a will. If you do not have an up-to-date will or living trust, your estate may not go to the persons in your life who need your continued financial support after your death. Further, the ministries you have supported in your life may not receive your money in death. Ask yourself if a will or living trust is an important way to both witness and carry out your faith. As you think about your life and your estate, like so many other Christians, you will surely answer that question yes. Be a willing witness to your faith make or update your will or living trust today. For more information contact: Timothy Knutsen, ELCA Foundation at or someone in the church office that can direct you. Offering Talk Focus for June: Volunteers and Kingdom Work 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. This month we give thanks for the many, many people who have and continue to dedicate their time to support the mission and work of Jesus Christ at Christ the King. Their talents, supported by our treasure like those offered throughout this month help to ensure many different kinds of ministry can happen at Christ the King. Another Stewardship Snippet Deuteronomy 5:12 Observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Do you need a break? In today s nonstop, 24/7 world, we need Deuteronomy s reminder that God actually commands us to stop working one day a week. Sabbath literally means stop. Good stewards maintain a good work/life balance. What would a Holy stoppage look like for you?

8 Page 8 ~From the Bishop The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, Ephesians 4:8 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Every May, your congregation sends two or more members to attend the Synod Assembly on behalf of your congregation. Every year, we as congregations joined together in ministry gather together for 2-3 days to learn, worship, network, celebrate, discern, discuss, and remember that we are the body of Christ together. This is no small thing. So often it seems there is a temptation to get overwhelmed with the demands of ministry in our own setting. We can get bogged down in the details. The mail keeps coming, the bills need to get paid, there are the continual challenges of finding volunteers, getting acolytes, arranging for funerals, attending to relationships, navigating opinions and personalities, scheduling activities around school and community calendars I could go on and on. Yet each one of our congregations is not an island unto itself. You are in partnership with neighboring ELCA congregations and ecumenical churches. You are connected to 79 other ELCA congregations in your Synod. In terms of the Body of Christ, you might consider yourself a toe, or a finger, or an elbow. Together as a Synod, when we think of all 80 congregations as connected, then we might be a whole arm with a hand, or perhaps a leg with a foot attached. Even as we consider the whole ELCA together, we are still not a complete body, as the Church also includes Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Methodists, Episcopalians, and on and on. Together we are the Church on earth and the body of Christ in world. So this work we do, the mission we strive to accomplish, is not just about what your church does in your community. The World is a big place, and God so loved it all, so our efforts are not exclusively local or global, but rather both. So that is where the Synod expression of the Church and the global expression of the Church come in very handy. Such expressions enable us to be faithful in our efforts, both locally and globally as these expressions provide the opportunity for each congregation to participate in mission and a purpose that is bigger than any one congregation or any singular community.

9 Page 9 You are faithful to our wider mission with every gift of Mission Support that you send to the Synod. Your Synod bookkeeper, Betsy Koski, then continues that faithfulness by sending a portion of what you have sent on to the churchwide expression of the ELCA. The percentage of that portion is one of the decisions that the Synod Assembly makes as we seek to be faithful, not only to the mission and ministry here in the Northern Great Lakes, but also the wider and bigger impact we can have as the ELCA together. The Synod Assembly is one way that we seek to Equip the Saints for Ministry. Those who attend will return to your congregation with stories of how our work together is building up the body of Christ, not only here, but across the Church and throughout the world. They will return to you with ideas, new knowledge, and a deeper understanding of what it is that we strive to do together that has greater purpose and broader possibilities. I pray that the people you send will find meaning and joy in the time spent with other Northern Great Lakes Synod Lutherans. And perhaps next year, it will be your turn. Yours in Christ, Bishop Katherine Finegan Let Us Pray For those Celebrating Birthdays On: June 1: Kyliana Albanez, Colton Carter, Arlene Cody, Erin Mattson June 3: Cathy Olson June 5: Patti Kenneally, Brigette Martin, Barb Smith, Chris Weber June 6: Ron Peterson, Deb Wayne June 9: Dalton Orzel June 10: Dannie Kenneally, David Lindstrom June 11: Andi Robitaille June 13: Patty Lindstrom June 14: Abbie Boudreau June 18: Jeff Possi June 21: Elaine Oman June 22: Abby Runkel June 23: Lorna Hiney, Mackenzie Jensen June 24: Ron LaCasse June 25: Austin Emmons, Lance Lindstrom June 26: Vi Oja June 27: Ray McDonald June 28: Lindsey DeMars, Isaiah Moran, June Pearson, Mike Saari June 29: Kris DeVet, Karl Kell, Connie Schmidt

10 Page 10 Those Who Serve Readers June 2/ 3 5:00 Lisa Temple 10:30 Roland Jacobson June 9/10 5:00 Dawn Martin 10:30 Leigh Schmidt June 16/17 5:00 Mary Jo Johnson 10:30 Brett Boudreau June 23/24 5:00 Deb Wayne 10:30 Patty Lindstrom June 30/ 1 5:00 Lin VanEffen 10:30 Kim Heath Acolytes June 2/ 3 5:00 Ashton Moran 10:30 Isaac Berthaume June 9/10 5:00 Brett Schlenvogt 10:30 Elijah Berthaume June 16/17 5:00 Colton Carter 10:30 Ian Burroughs June 23/24 5:00 Brett Boudreau 10:30 Camree Bonifas June 30/ 1 5:00 Evan Burroughs 10:30 Elizabeth Brandel Altar Guild June 2/ 3 Laverne Picard & Connie Schmidt June 9/10 Diane & Bill Mitchell & Marlene & Tom Raeder June 16/17 Sandy Jacobson & Judy Anderson June 23/24 Mary Jo Johnson & Tammy Jensen June 30/ 1 Lin VanEffen & Judy Anderson Assisting Minister June 2/ 3 5:00 Lance Lindstrom 10:30 Roland Jacobson June 9/10 5:00 Mary Jo Johnson 10:30 Lance Lindstrom June 16/17 5:00 Lance Lindstrom 10:30 Connie Schmidt June 23/24 5:00 Mary Jo Johnson 10:30 Roland Jacobson June 30/ 1 5:00 Bob VanEffen 10:30 Connie Schmdit Communion Assistants June 2/ 3 5:00 Lance Lindstrom 10:30 Roland & Sandy Jacobson June 9/10 5:00 Mary Jo Johnson 10:30 Lance Lindstrom June 16/17 5:00 Lance Lindstrom 10:30 Leigh & Connie Schmidt June 23/24 5:00 Mary Jo Johnson 10:30 Roland & Sandy Jacobson June 30/ 1 5:00 Bob VanEffen 10:30 Leigh & Connie Schmidt

11 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 5:00 Communion 3 9:30 Coffee Hour 10:30 Communion 12:00 VBS Workbee at Trinity, Stonington 12:00 Mission Trip Meeting 4 7:00 Property Mtg. 5 9:00 Ecumenical Pastor s Breakfast 6 9:00 Quilting 9:30 Bible Study 12:00 Parish Life Mtg. 7 10:00 Coffee with the Staff 8 9 5:00 Communion :30 Coffee Hour 10:30 Communion 12:00 Senior s Luncheon 9:00 Quilting 9:30 Bible Study 10:00 Coffee with the Staff 5:00 Communion Vacation Bible School :30 Coffee Hour 10:30 Communion 7:00 Executive Committee Mtg. 9:00 Quilting 9:30 Bible Study 10:00 Coffee with the Staff 5:30 Finance Mtg. 6:15 Church Council 5:00 Communion 24 9:30 Coffee Hour 10:30 Communion 12:00 Church Picnic at Ludington Park 25 Arlene s Back From Sabbatical :00 Quilting No Bible Study 28 10:00 Coffee with the Staff :00 of the Word National Youth Gathering Houston, TX

12 1230 North 18th Street Escanaba, Michigan Address Requested Phone: (906) We re on the Web! This issue of the King s Herald is given in loving memory of James P. Stasewich by Gayle Stoykovich KING S HERALD June 2018 CHURCH OFFICE PASTOR Rev. Chris Johnson address: pastorchris.ctk@gmail.com CHURCH OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Arlene Cody address: c.lutheran@att.net Website: WORSHIP SCHEDULE: Saturday 5:00 p.m. Worship Sunday 9:30 a.m. Coffee Hour; 10:30 Worship Holy Communion is celebrated at every Saturday and Sunday service. At the 10:30 a.m. service communion will be distributed using continuous communion.