King of Kings Lutheran Church Centered in Christ, we love all, welcome all, and pursue justice and peace

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1 King of Kings Lutheran Church Centered in Christ, we love all, welcome all, and pursue justice and peace SE THIESSEN ROAD, MILWAUKIE, OR ~ P a s t o r s M e s s a g e How priceless is your love, O God! All people take refuge under the shadow of your wings. They feast upon the abundance of your house; you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light. Psalm 36:7-9 This time of year we celebrate Epiphany, when the Magi found the infant Jesus by following the star. Epiphany means showing forth, revealing, or appearance. When we use the word today, we mean we finally get it, we understand or have found clarity. We often mean that out of nowhere, some good idea has come to us. For our church celebrations, the Epiphany season reveals more of who Jesus is. He is a little baby born in Bethlehem, but he also has a greater meaning for people of different religions and nationalities (the Magi), and for the whole universe (even a star from the heavens responds to this Epiphany and makes its way to see the Savior). During Epiphany it is revealed that Jesus is God's beloved Son as he is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. During Epiphany we learn that Jesus is a miracle-worker, not to mention the kind of guy you'd want at your party, as he changes water into wine. What is God revealing to you this season? How is God being revealed each day in the people we meet and the situations in which we find ourselves? What is our guiding star how do we make decisions and find our way in this world? May God bless you with the Epiphany of God's love in the New Year and always. Pastor Aimee U p c o m i n g W o r s h i p S c h e d u l e January 3 Interactive Worship January 10 Blended Worship January 17 Blended Worship January 24 Blended Worship January 31 Formal Worship followed by Annual Meeting & Potluck

2 January 31 following worship Our annual business meeting and election of council members, assembly delegates & Mission Endowment Board members will be January 31, The meeting will include nominations & voting for council, MEB board, Synod Assembly delegates, and the very important discussion and vote to approve the 2015 operating budget. AND a potluck! Bring your favorite dish to share. Please plan to stay and be a part of ministry at KOK. At our Annual Meeting we will be addressing the following possible Constitutional change: The King of Kings Lutheran Church Council recommends a change be made to our Bylaws regarding Standing Committees as follows: Under Bylaw l, it is proposed that the inactive Radical Hospitality Committee be removed from the Bylaws AND the newly formed Social Justice Committee be added to the current Standing Committees. Social Justice Committee: This committee, respecting policy statements adopted by the ELCA, addresses issues of injustice in our social/political lives. The committee provides education, invites engagement of the congregation, and uses strategies of advocacy and activism to achieve change. S p i r i t s & T h e o l o g y Time: Monday, January 6 pm Place: Round Table Pizza, SE McLoughlin Blvd. Fellowship abounds and ideas about spiritual matters are exchanged in an informal and public setting. We certainly don t have all the answers, but we sure have plenty of opinions! Come when you can. Bring friends. All are welcome.

3 M e m b e r o f t h e M o n t h Penny Charman My legal name is Marylee Anne Charman, but my friends and family have called me Penny since infancy. In 1998 Pastor Solveig called Ed to substitute at the organ for 2 weeks which turned out to be 10 years. I came with him to give him support and thought what a friendly congregation. After a year she tried to have us join KOK. We attended the Lutheran classes but, even though the Episcopalians and the Lutherans are so similar, we could not do it for there were a couple of items we couldn't accept. Later she found out that we could join as Associate Members. So when we did join in 2000 she introduced us as her favorite "Luthapalians." After Ed s death it was assumed I would go back to the Episcopal church but how could I leave my "family" who had been so supportive and caring? I would you say to anyone who is looking for a church that everyone is welcomed here with genuine friendliness. I am a member of the Altar Guild, Property Committee, choir, chime choir, Bible Study group, lector, communion assistant, assistant minister, knit prayer shawls and help Susan in the office on Fridays by folding bulletins. I did not list them in the order of preference for I enjoy working with my friends and to the Glory of God and each one is a different experience. My home away from the church is the Stevens-Crawford Heritage House Museum in Oregon City where I am a docent and leader of the volunteers. I bowl on Fridays and play bridge twice a month. We have two children, a son and daughter who gave us 3 grand-daughters. Our son and his family live in California. My daughter, Brenda, and her husband Rian live here in Milwaukie, as does my granddaughter, Marlaina. She & Trevor are the parents of our first Great Grandchild born in June. Rilynn Rae Who is just BEAUTIFUL!

4 Upcoming Events Oregon Trail Cluster Please let Pastor Aimee know one way or the other if your child will be attending an event or if you would like more information. We can often car-pool to events. January 3: Confirmation for Middle School Youth 1 pm at Creator Lutheran (13250 SE Sunnyside Rd., Clackamas) January 24: High school and Middle School Youth event from 5-7 pm at West Linn Lutheran Church (20390 Willamette Dr., West Linn) on the topic of Diversity, bring $2 for dinner February 14: Confirmation for Middle School Youth 1 pm at Creator Lutheran (13250 SE Sunnyside Rd., Clackamas) February 19-21, 2016 High School Retreat at Camp Lutherwood (22960 Highway 36, Cheshire, OR 97419) $100 per student High school is a time filled with transitions. Some are preparing and planning for graduation and college, while for others everything about high school is brand new. Join us for a weekend that is all about these times of uncertainty and questioning. We ll explore the hard questions like: How do we deal with the fear that comes with not knowing? Can we can trust in God s love and promises all the time? How can we find God s guidance when we re unsure of what s next? Check-in begins at 7 PM Friday, Pick-up is at 1 PM Sunday Please go to this website and for more information and to register: February 21 from 5-7pm: Middle School Youth Event at Creator Lutheran (13250 SE Sunnyside Rd., Clackamas) bring $2 for dinner. Children s Play Group Open to parents and kids 5 years old & under. Come join Pastor Aimee, Sterling, and other parents and children for some indoor play. Monday, January 11 from 10:00 am to noon. Bible 101 or "Everything you wanted to know about the Bible but were afraid to ask" Continuing January 10 Where does the Bible come from? Who wrote it? Who decided what is in the Bible? These are some of the many questions that we ask about the Bible. If you would like to learn more about the Bible you are invited to a class on Sundays from 8:45 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Presented by Pastor Tom Hiller. Bring your Bible.

5 Reconciling In Christ As we seek to live out our welcome statement, we are invited to a special worship service. Annual Reconciling in Christ Welcoming Worship Service Sunday, January 24 at 6:30 p.m. Central Lutheran Church 1420 NE 21st, Portland, OR From YOUR Church Staff... Dear KOK Family; Thank you everyone for all of your most generous gifts this season and every day of the year! We are very grateful for the many blessings we receive from King of Kings. Pastor Aimee, Karen, Lonnie, Kecia, and Susan Winston & Peggy Kurth extend their most gracious thanks for all the get-well cards, Christmas cards, thinking of you cards they have received these past few months. They have both felt supported by all the many warm wishes and are grateful to have Peggy home. Patty & Mike Hess and their extended family also felt the love and support from the King of Kings family at the loss of Patty s mother, Leona Roe. Patty especially thanks Pr. Aimee for her loving tribute to Leona at the memorial service and to all her friends who provided the sumptuous reception. We received a lovely 50 th Anniversary card from Bruce & Trudy Duncan: Happy 50 th Birthday. We are blessed to have been a part of your special community for 36 years and continue to consider the special place, home. For all you have accomplished all you have touched and loved & all you continue to do, we say Thank you! We were so sorry to have missed the celebration, but commitments kept us here in Ashland.

6 1 Tyler Noble 8 Trevor Scheese 9 Ron Peterson 10 Fabian Castillo 12 Rex Hansen 14 Karen Corbett 15 Ed Brock 15 Aimee Bruno 15 Lonnie Cline 16 Lisa Hiller L e t ' s C e l e b r a t e! God's Blessing to you as you celebrate... J a n u a r y B i r t h d a y s 9 Owen Mahoney 12 Oliver Lundgren 13 Maisie Schmid 15 Damon Gritzka J a n u a r y B a p t i s m s J a n u a r y A n n i v e r s a r i e s 17 Otis Lundgren 18 Marjie Brock 18 Sue Trotter 20 Lou Freauff 21 Gordon Merseth 25 JR Potter 27 Mary Cromer 30 Pete Hines 31 Donna Merseth 15 Kurt Gritzka 30 Barbara Peterson 31 Sarah Beyers 31 Ed Brock 18 Bobby & Charlotte Cunningham 23 Don & Sue Trotter If we miss YOUR special day, PLEASE let the church office know, we may not have the information. Thanks

7 P r a y e r s & T h a n k s g i v i n g s... Pray always for peace, solace and kindness Bernice Workman Hospitalized following a heart attack Terry Davis Hospitalized following illness; discovered an aneurysm and needed surgery Margot Konsa Cellulitis Family & friends of Tonia Cortinez Rita Helmersen s sister; at her death Family & friends of Dieter Lynda McDowell s step-father, at his death Jamie Hansen Family & friends of Scott Burke Vicki Garrison Mary Cromer Peggy Kurth Ruth Riggins Bonnie Warren Xan Harwood-Karlik Sue Setterberg Jennifer Faras JR Potter Early stage breast cancer treatment Mary Z s brother-in-law; at his death Charlotte Cunningham s daughter; for strength & support Recovering from attack of the killer grocery carts; minor leg injury, no broken bones but pretty sore She s home! Very grateful for in-home care Sharon Holford s mother; for comfort & peace Continuing good recovery from back surgery Friend of Backman s; pancreatic cancer has returned Recovering from a stroke Friend of Selma Eckert; Non-Hodgkin s lymphoma Life threatening autoimmune disorder Prayers will be left on our prayer list for two weeks unless otherwise requested. Please notify Pastor Aimee if prayers are needed for a longer period.