THE KING S KRIER. The Work Of Christmas. CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH January/February 2018

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THE KING S KRIER CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH January/February 2018 The Work Of Christmas When the song of the angel is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are

peace among the people, To make music in the heart.

1 THE KING S KRIER CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH January/February 2018 The Work Of Christmas When the song of the angel is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among the people, To make music in the heart. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Recently, I heard a news anchor person comment before Christmas Oh, I just love Christmas, the anticipation and waiting and all, but after Christmas Day it s all over no carols, no joy and no gifts to open. Is Christmas over for you? Many people after spending so much time and energy on Christmas, cooking, shopping, wrapping and planning all the while the clock ticks down, are glad and breathe a sigh of relief, when the whole Christmas season is over and the world gets back to normal. Is that you? Pastor s Pen 1 President s Report 4 Events 5 Faith Formation 6 Council Meeting Highlights 8 Ministry News 9 The Word 13 Reasons to Celebrate Staff 14 Calendars 15 Continued on next page.

2 Pastor s Pen In the poem The Work Of Christmas by Howard Thurman, we learn that it is only after Christmas that the real work of Christmas begins. In this beautiful poem, we hear the echo of Jesus mission as stated in Isaiah 61 and Luke This is the mission statement of our Lord! The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy The celebration of Jesus birth is about the birth of a Savior who comes to save the lost and brokenhearted. So, Christmas is not over by a long shot. The work of Christmas begins after Christmas. I know many of you are thinking, wow, all those worship services, meals served and special preparations I need a break not more work! Well the work of Christmas could mean freeing yourself from trees and tinsel and getting on with the real work of keeping the Light of Christ alive in season and out of season. In my office. I have a nativity sculpture hanging above my desk with a cross above it to remind that the birth of Christ and Christ on the cross are inseparable. You can t have one without the other. Christmas is not a destination, it s a life-long journey. So don t put Jesus back in the box with all your favorite ornaments and keepsakes until next year. Share and engage each other in His story. Keep the story alive through prayer, questioning and conversations around His word. Maybe the work of Christmas is to remain open to the wonder, miracle and mystery of Christmas to remain faithful, available and teachable twelve months a year? Continued on next page. 2

3 Pastor s Pen, continued On Saturday, January 27th, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm you will have an opportunity to refresh your soul! We are sponsoring a time to intentionally deepen your relationship with God and with one another. To grow in genuine fellowship. Patti Damiani, a discipleship coach and mentor, will lead us in this day retreat. She is a coach with Navigators and works with many pastors and congregations in going deeper with God. Ms. Damiani lives in Traverse, MI with her husband, a retired senior pastor. If you re interested in pursuing the work of Christmas and are serious about making a commitment to life and faith at Christ the King, me no later than Jan 12, Your council will be participating with lay leadership. All are welcome! With you in the journey, Pastor Dona 3

4 January/February 2018 President s Report During the month of November, Pastor, Mike, Gladys and I went to Mansfield to attend a Reformation service celebrating the 500 th anniversary of the Reformation. The keynote speaker, James A. Nestingen is a nationally recognized Luther scholar and a popular speaker and lecturer. There were two sessions: The Reformation 1517 What Was It? In this session we learned why Luther broke from the Catholic Church and how he translated the Bible so the people could read the scriptures. Luther also wrote the Small Catechism for families to understand the basics of the religion and the Large Catechism for the Priests. In the second session, The Reformation 2017 What Is It?. we learned the significance of the Reformation today. The day concluded with a beautiful worship service, with a choir made up of people from all the churches in Ohio who attended. Lynn Spatz Congregational President 4

5 Events 5

Faith Formation Ash Wednesday February 14 begins our Lenten Season Lenten Midweek Worship and Conversations: The Power of Influence (How to influence others with your time,

6 Faith Formation Ash Wednesday February 14 begins our Lenten Season Lenten Midweek Worship and Conversations: The Power of Influence (How to influence others with your time, talents, treasure and testimony ) Wednesdays Feb 21, 28, Mar 7, 14, 21 Casual Conversations About God Worship 6:15 pm Fellowship and Community Meal 5:30 pm Invite a neighbor or friend! 6

7 Faith Formation, continued 7

8 Faith Formation, continued Costly Grace Tuesdays, February 6, 13, 20, 27 March 6, 13, 20, 27 9:45 am-11:00am Don t miss this one! What you can expect: Rethink your priorities Refocus your attention on Jesus Restore your need for community In 1937, on the threshold of Nazi Germany s war on the world, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote what turned out to be one of the most influential books of the century, The Cost of Discipleship. In it, he challenged the flabby faith and compromises of German Christians, famously writing, When Christ calls a man he bids him come and die. Now, seventy-three years after the book was first published, Jon Walker writes Costly Grace: A Contemporary View of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. Walker brings to a new generation the timeless message of Bonhoeffer against the background of today's political upheaval and societal change and what it means to those who claim to follow Christ's teachings. Christianity Today named Bonhoeffer's book one of the ten most influential books of the twentieth century, but although the book still has a loyal readership, it has not been adequately viewed through the eyes of the twenty-first century, until now. Grace is a foundational doctrine for Christians, yet it is one of the most misunderstood. Bonhoeffer watched as many used the doctrine of grace as an excuse to do whatever they wanted, and in response, he wrote his classic work on what it truly means to follow Jesus. We cheapen grace, he declared, when we use it to compromise our behavior or to lower the standards of God s Word. In a modern retelling of this Christian classic, Walker explains what Bonhoeffer meant when he taught that grace is free but will cost us everything. 8

Ministry News Dr. Henry Cloud has some fruitful things to say about how to manage people who lie. Why Do People Lie and What Can You Do About? There are two types of categories for lying.

Then there are people who deceive others for selfish reasons. So, what do you do it you catch someone lying to you? Confront it. Hear the response and see how much ownership and remorse is shown.

9 Ministry News Dr. Henry Cloud has some fruitful things to say about how to manage people who lie. Why Do People Lie and What Can You Do About? There are two types of categories for lying. There are people who lie out of shame, guilt, fear of conflict or loss of love. They are the ones who lie when it would be a lot easier to tell the truth. Then there are people who deceive others for selfish reasons. So, what do you do it you catch someone lying to you? Confront it. Hear the response and see how much ownership and remorse is shown. Find out the reason for lying. Is the person afraid of feeling guilty? Evaluate the readiness for change. Is the change being sustained? Hearing I m sorry isn t good enough. If someone you know isn t being transparent, set a boundary. Tell yourself, I deserve to be in the company of honesty. NEW! Winter study: BOUNDARIES in RELATIONSHIPS based on the book Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud If you would like to learn more about setting personal boundaries, beginning February 8th, at 1:00pm, Pastor Dona will be introducing the highly acclaimed Boundaries, a study based on the book by the same name This will help you to improve your relationships in your marriage, with your family, co-workers and congregation. This is a great series to consider. Come join us! Thursdays at 1:00 pm 9

10 Council Meeting Highlights CTK Church Council met twice in November and once in December. Items presented at each meeting include: November 21, 2017 Regular Council meeting: Council decided visiting our homebound members with a gift would be CTK s Advent service project. Discussion was held on church safety. Council decided there would be no regular Council meeting held in December. Thank you: To the Hospitality Team for our Stewardship Luncheon. To Rob Tomlinson for arranging the repairs on our building. November 29, 2017 Special Council meeting: Council discussed church safety and security. December 17, 2017 Special Council meeting: Discussion was held on CTK 2018 proposed budget. Motion was passed to approve the CTK 2018 budget with $300 revision. Council approved money from Benevolence to be given to Oromo NALC congregation. Discussion was held on the letter going to the congregation on church safety. Kay Deubner, Council Secretary 10

Ministry News, continued Hospitality Team We have had a busy couple of months with planning for Becky's shower and farewell, Reformation and Consecration meals and advent meals.

Looking forward to the new year, we will be having a meeting around January 23rd to plan for upcoming events. I will be contacting the team, so we can plan for the year's upcoming events.

11 Ministry News, continued Hospitality Team We have had a busy couple of months with planning for Becky's shower and farewell, Reformation and Consecration meals and advent meals. Thank you to all who attended and participated in meal preparations. The Wednesday fellowships were very inspirational for those who attended. Thank you Pastor. Looking forward to the new year, we will be having a meeting around January 23rd to plan for upcoming events. I will be contacting the team, so we can plan for the year's upcoming events. If you haven't checked your calendar yet, Lent begins on February 14th this year which means Easter is early in We would welcome anyone with open arms who would be interested in joining our team. Altar Flowers Save the date We have a sign up sheet on the bulletin board for altar flowers. Please sign up if you wish to honor or remember someone or To the Glory of God. Flowers are $25.00 and should be paid for in an envelope designated "Altar Flowers" and placed into Sunday collection plate. If you have any questions, please call Sandy Cole (937) Sunday Morning Coffee Since winter is upon us and colder temperatures are here, you may want that second cup of coffee and fellowship before service. Please volunteer to set up the coffee cart and bring a goodie to share. See board for sign up sheet. See Sandy if you need help in making the coffee. ~Sandy Cole 11

12 SOME THINGS NEVER EXPIRE Ministry News, continued 2017 has expired. We have entered into 2018 with new resolutions! We will work hard to successfully fulfill these new and exciting resolutions. Some of us might have decided to spend more time with our nose in the Bible, choosing a healthier selection for our daily nutrition, spending more quality time with our family or friends, or to dedicate daily or weekly time towards our favorite form of exercise. We will travel through the 12 months of the year 2018 and in the blink of an eye 2018 will expire as well. For now, we start our journey with positive energy and excitement. As I have watched my granddaughter grow, I have often referred to time as being a thief. I treasure up all her little milestones and store them away in my heart. I will pull these memories out as the milestones pass. Soon she will expire from being that sweet toddler. Eventually she will expire from being a curious young girl and then from those dreamy teenage years. She will become an adult. One thing that will never expire as she grows will be my love that I hold so dear to my heart for this little girl that calls me Mamaw. It really isn t much different from the love that Jesus has for us! Jeremiah 31:3 says The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Being in the fitness world this brings me to share with you that if your resolution includes exercise I have some excellent news for YOU! Exercise in our life NEVER EXPIRES You might be 10, 18, 21, 45, or 88 and exercise has not expired for you. Consider the body you live in. God created this temple for all of us. He simply asks that we take care of it. Sometimes we feel we have limitations that are physical or age related. I am here to remind you that nothing is a barrier when it comes to exercise. You are capable of creating a plan that works for you! Perhaps it might start small, but if you are dedicated your abilities will grow. You will even find that they will grow much quicker than you ever dreamed! When you create this new habit that is filled with exercise that is uniquely created for you, remember that God s love also never expires and as you began this new journey, He will be there rooting you on! He will be pleased that you are tending to the temple he has loaned to you! If you are interested in personal training please call me with any questions. I also offer group fitness classes and Silver Sneaker fitness classes. My studio is based here at Christ The King. It is where God has placed me to carry out the gifts He has given to me to share with you. May 2018 bless you all with God s blessings!!! Rio Light / Director of Fit 4 Faith / Cell 12

13 Ministry News, continued Castle Ministry Pastor Dona does a Bible study at the Castle on the first and last Tuesday of each month. Lynn Spatz is also a part of this ministry. Last month, Pastor explored the history of some of the Christmas Carols that we all dearly love. The members at the Castle were having such fun singing the carols, that Pastor Dona asked them if they would like to sing for the rest of the Castle members. And so the Castle choir was born. The Castle choir practiced six carols and then sang them at a program in December. Each choir member had a Christmas type hat and there were bags of goodies to hand out. The choir was warmly embraced and the guests were given programs so they could join the choir. After the singing was over, the Castle choir members passed out the goodie bags to their fellow Castle members. It was such a big hit, that the Castle choir would like to create another program in the future and again sing to their fellow Castle members. In January, the Castle members will bring pictures of themselves. The members will share their pictures with those attending the Bible study and share something about themselves based on the picture they brought. If there is anyone in the congregation who would like to join us, please let Pastor Dona or Lynn know. If you have come to this web site and would like to join us, please call the office at The Castle is a 501 3c organization that is a drop in place for those who live with mental illness. ~ Lynn Spatz 13

The Word January s Scripture Readings January 7: Genesis 1:1-5; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11

3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20 January 28: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians

9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39 February 11: 2 Kings 2:1-12; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9 February 18:

14 The Word January s Scripture Readings January 7: Genesis 1:1-5; Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1:4-11 January 14: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 [11-20]; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; John 1:43-51 January 21: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20 January 28: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28 February s Scripture Readings February 4: Isaiah 40:21-31; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39 February 11: 2 Kings 2:1-12; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9 February 18: Genesis 9:8-17; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15 February 25: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Romans 4:13-25;Mark 8:

January Birthdays: Reasons to Celebrate February Birthdays: 1/06 Sarah Collins 1/08 Craig Deubner 1/17 Beryl Chandler 1/19 Ed Sellers 1/19 Sandy Cole 2/1 Bob Olson 2/20 Dashawn Simon 2/24 Jane Mumma

15 January Birthdays: Reasons to Celebrate February Birthdays: 1/06 Sarah Collins 1/08 Craig Deubner 1/17 Beryl Chandler 1/19 Ed Sellers 1/19 Sandy Cole 2/1 Bob Olson 2/20 Dashawn Simon 2/24 Jane Mumma 2/26 Kay Sager 2/27 Dale Zehring January Anniversaries: February Anniversaries: 1/03 Mr. & Mrs. Floyd Weddell 2/18 Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Hull 1/24 Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Parsons 2/22 Rev. Dona & Mike Johnson 2/27 Mr. & Mrs. Robert Olson 50 Nutt Road Centerville, OH Staff Pastor: Reverend Dona Johnson Ministry Coordinator: Lynn Spatz Interim Worship Leader: Paula Kern Administrative Assistant: Sarah Collins Office Office Phone: (937) Office Hours: Tues - Thurs 9:30 am to 2:30 pm Church Website: Director: Rio Light uniquelyyoursfitness@gmail.com The Castle Website: 15

16 Calendar for January 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00am 9:30am Costly Grace 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA :00am Coffee Fellowship 9:00am Bible Study 10:00am Worship 10:30am 7:00pm Girl Scouts 9:30am Costly Grace 8:00am 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA :00am Coffee Fellowship 9:00am Bible Study 10:00am Worship 10:30am 5:30pm Council 8:00am 9:30am Bible Study 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA :00am Coffee Fellowship 9:00am Bible Study 10:30am 8:00am 9:30am Bible Study 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA 10:00am Worship :00am Coffee Fellowship 10:30am 9:00am Bible Study 10:00am Worship 16

17 Calendar for February 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :00am 1:00pm Boundaries 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA :00am Coffee Fellowship 10:00am Worship 10:30am 7:00pm Girl Scouts 9:45am Costly Grace 8:00am 1:00pm Boundaries 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA Transfiguration 9:00am Coffee Fellowship 10:00am Worship 10:30am 9:45am Costly Grace 7:00pm Ash Wednesday Service 8:00am 1:00pm Boundaries 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA :00am Coffee Fellowship 10:00am Worship 10:30am 9:45am Costly Grace 5:30pm Council 5:30pm Fellowship 6:15pm Lenten Service 8:00am 1:00pm Boundaries 5:30pm Gracenotes Noon: AA :00am Coffee Fellowship 10:00am Worship 10:30am 9:45am Costly Grace 5:30pm Fellowship 6:15pm Lenten Service 17

ctáàéüëá cxçm The Power of Story

ctáàéüëá cxçm The Power of Story July August 2017 Inside this issue: Pastor s Pen 1 Finance News 3 Save the Date 4 Faith Formation 5 President s Report 6 Music Ministry Notes 7 Council Meeting Notes 8 Ministry News 9 Reasons to Celebrate