Vacation Bible School Is June pm 8pm. Check out the details inside!

Transcription

1 Christ the King Lutheran Church South 42 nd Street (3 blocks south of Harrison) Newsletter Growing in Faith Love and Service to the God who loves us Christ the King Lutheran Church 7308 South 42 nd Street Bellevue, Nebraska RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Vacation Bible School Is June pm 8pm Check out the details inside!

2 Grace and Peace! When I came to Christ the King one of the most exciting things for me was our garden. Daniel and Katheryn were five at the time and thought it was the best part of the church. They would go to the garden and walk with God playing Adam and Eve. (Fear not, it was not a clothingfree enactment.) There was a sign that read "God's Garden", but it was really unnecessary... it was very clear to Daniel and Katheryn that God was in that place. There were bushes to hide behind waiting for God to find them and forgive them. (Yes, I got to play the part of God; a role they do not afford me anymore.) There was, of course, a tree in the garden. This was the most important feature to make it the Garden of Eden for our role play. I could see this tree from the window of my office. It shared with me what the wind was doing outside. Harriet and I delighted when a robin used it once to build a nest and have a clutch of babies. Though it was the most prominent feature of the garden, the tree had seen better days. Branches had died. These were pruned away but the tree was looking sad, twisted, clinging to a thread of life. I say, "was" and "could" rather than "is" or "can" because after two church clean-up days Jon Butler and I decided that the tree had met its end. That Saturday the tree was cut down. All that remained was a stump. When the kids saw this they were sad... maybe even a little angry. I reminded them of another story that they loved; Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree". They pointed out that I had cut the stump too low for them to sit on. They were not satisfied. But a tree, even one that it now just a stump, is not satisfied with just being a bush. It is called to be much more than that. It is called to grow in the blessings of its Creator. It is to drink the water that rains down and reach up to the light of the sun that gives life. Last weekend Dan Bratsveen weeded the whole garden. (Thanks Dan) The weeds of early spring actually looked pretty for a while but eventually they became a mess. After the weeds were removed it looked great again. Great, except for the mess that was now growing around the stump. It wasn't really a bush anymore... it was a mess. I looked at it. And looked at it. What to do? I resolved to do what I should ve done some time ago: kill the stump. But before I applied my stump killer I figure I should cut down all the shoots. It would be easier to get at the stump and besides; I'd have to remove them eventually anyway. I took my pruners to the stump and started clipping. Some of the shoots were actually growing sideways. They wound around each other and were over crowded... there was no way that this was ever going to be a nice, pretty bush. I was clipping and pulling and I noticed two shoots about four feet tall that were actually fairly straight growing out of the same base. I wondered. Could this old stump have new life? I pruned more carefully and these two little shoot gradually resembled something deliberate. Last spring I noticed that some shoots had sprung up from the sides of the stump. I never quite got around to spraying it with stump killer. By the end of fall it started to look like a bush and that, I thought, wouldn't be a bad thing... another bush in our garden.

3 It is God's garden. And in the mess God was singing again the song of creation... and recreation. When we take the time to stop and look and listen we have the opportunity to hear the song. Too often in our lives, and even in the life of the congregation, we get over crowded and it takes a deliberate action to clear out the clutter. When we take the time to clear things, take stock of what we have, we often discover God has something special just for us... a message of new life. We may think summer is a time for recreation, and it is. Golf courses, pools, trails and baseball games are fun, but make sure this summer to take time for re-creation. Do not neglect your spiritual life; do not neglect your relationship with God. Take the deliberate action to clear out the spiritual clutter by coming to worship, praising God, hearing his word, praying and fellowshipping with your brothers and sisters at Christ the King. In Christ YOU are a new creation. Stop, look, and listen for the song of your Creator. It is a love song he sings just for you. The Synod Assembly trip this year was full of good questions and deep thoughts. We saw old, familiar faces like Pastor Glenn Schacht and made new friends from all over Nebraska. We were introduced to the new bishop, Bishop Brian Maas, who has been in office a short nine months. He is a thought-provoking individual. It s okay to have doubts and ask questions, he said. If I had to list only one thing that stuck in my mind from his presentations, it would be this question: Are we following impulses or following paths? There were a variety of speakers from a trendsetting female pastor with a plethora of tattoos, to a Contextual Theology professor, a writer on American religion and culture, and many others. One very interesting piece of news we learned that may be of interest to those in the Omaha area is what Midland University has been up to over the last year. Midland University is in the process of building a new campus and acquiring Dana College to join in a partnership of creating and maintaining a Christian presence within Nebraska colleges and universities. They plan to take care of maintenance issues regarding the buildings on the Dana College campus in addition to building on the grounds to utilize the wasted and unused space on campus. Another way Lutherans are making an impact is that the Nebraska Synod is being asked to partner with the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska to be the Christian presence on a Tri-Faith religious campus. The location will be at 132 nd & Pacific and will boast religious buildings (a mosque, a synagogue, and a church) in three corners of the campus with a collaborative center in the middle where people from the different backgrounds can go to learn about each other. The hope is that this site in Omaha will be an example of interfaith respect and peaceful coexistence to the nation. One of the speakers, Reverend Barbara Berry- Bailey, spoke about an exercise she conducted with a youth group. She asked the youth to think about what Jesus would look like today. What if he had greeted us at the assembly? What if he greeted you in the grocery store or at church? Would we know what he looked like? Instead of asking, Do you know who I am? what if he asked, Do you know who you are? Do you know you are a wonderful, blessed child of God, full of potential? Who do other people say you are? Beth Christy

4 Lutheran World Relief Update Thank you to all who gave generously to complete the Baby Care Kits for LWR. On May 19 th, we assembled 12 baby care kits that will be sent to LWR this fall when we send our quilts. Can you tie a knot? In May the quilt makers take a rest, we'll resume in September making quilts for Lutheran World relief. Each year we attempt to make quilts. Last year we fell short of the goal, this year it isn't looking good to attain that goal either. We need a few more people willing to tie quilts. Through death and health related problems we've lost 2-3 people. We're an equal opportunity group; we welcome any men, who'd like to give us a try. Yes, men do quilt; some have won prizes for their quilts. As I've mentioned, many times, if you can tie your shoes you can tie a quilt. I have discovered my greatest problem is threading a needle. We stop for coffee, chat and "goodies" - give us a try this fall. For more information contact Phyllis Carlson at June Anniversaries ries 3 John & Angie Wicklander 4 Jay & Diana Welshonse Pastor Bryan (Ordination; 2000) 6 Gary & Tammy Morrow 9 Ray & Judy Fink 14 Owen & Gayle Carmine 17 Paul & Becky Dawkins 21 Gene & Shirley Schneiderman 25 Norm & Jean Grob June Birthdays 1 Nathan Heldt Jocelyn Heldt Dave Johnson 3 Emma Dawkins Eli Drummond 5 Marlys Tengvall 10 Carol Galaska 13 Colleen Schwalm 16 Jay Welshonse 20 Randy Schultz 22 Sharon Webb Joe Schultz 24 Jasmine Taylor 27 Samantha Myers 28 Judy Taylor 30 Phyllis Carlson Ken Sirnes July Anniversaries 11 Bill & Sharon Webb 28 Del & Lois Smith July Birthdays 7 Brittany Morrow 6 Lynn Schultz 9 Erika BenSalah 15 Debbi Cline 16 Edna Keffer 17 Sheli Rice 19 Mardelle Gocek 20 Bryan Rice Tomas Velazquez Wanda Haack 23 Jacob Carmine Joshua Carmine 24 Harper Palm 25 Gabriel Voss 31 Bryce Robalik Colin Palm

5 Christ the King Lutheran Church Newsletter Growing in Faith, Love and Service to the God Who Loves Us June/July 2013 Summer is here. Our thoughts turn to vacation plans and outdoor activities. We welcome life at a slower pace as some activities take a summer recess. One thing is sure: God does not take a vacation. Remember God is with you wherever you go if you are conscious of it or not. Lutheran Women of Omaha will meet on Tuesday, June 11, noon at St Matthew Lutheran Church, 1725 South 60 th Street. Program is the Papillion Singers. Cost is $6. Reservations to Mardelle by June 9 th. Lutheran Women of Omaha does not meet in July or August. June 18 th, am our Bible Study Circle will have its annual picnic at Central park in LaVista. Please bring a dish to share, your Bible and the June issue of Gather magazine. In June we will begin our summer Bible Study All Who Hunger, Gather Gladly. We will be discussing not only physical hunger but hunger of the heart and soul. Phyllis Carlson will lead the June Bible Study. Please join us for this timely discussion. July 18 th, am we will have our meeting in the Fellowship Hall. Debi Marx will be hostess. Upcoming Events: June 7-9 Saved to Serve, Bethphage Mission, Axtell August 9-11 Saved to Serve, Prison Ministry, Lincoln September NSWO Convention, Kearney Please continue to save UPCs from Our Family products, UPCs from Campbell soups (the entire label) and General mills Box Tops for Education. A box for these items is located on the piano in the elevator room. Christmas in July We plan to celebrate Christmas in July on Sunday, July 28th. Instead of giving gifts to each other, we are asking you to bring items to fill Lutheran World Relief School Kits. Back to School sales usually start the first week of July and that is a good time to purchase items for LWR school kits. Each school kit must contain: Four 70-sheet notebooks of wide or college-ruled paper, no loose-leaf paper One 30-centimeter ruler, or a ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other One blunt scissors (safety scissors with embedded steel blades work well) Five black/blue ballpoint pens (no gel ink) Five unsharpened #2 pencils with erasers One box of 16 or 24 crayons One pencil sharpener One eraser This year we are asking you to buy several of one item instead of purchasing all the items for one school kit. There will be a Christmas tree in the entry that will have Christmas ornaments listing an item. For example, one ornament might say 50 ballpoint pens. This way you will have to shop for only one item. Also, we hope to not have too many of one item and not enough of another item to complete a kit. Our goal is to assemble 30 complete LWR school kits.

6 The Church of Jesus Christ where a child of God brings a balloon, where old women come to dance, where young men see visions and old men dream dreams. where lepers come to be touched, where the blind see and the deaf hear, where the lame run and the dying live. where daisies bloom out of barren land, where children lead and wise men follow, where mountains are moved and walls come tumbling down. where loaves of bread are stacked in the sanctuary to feed the hungry, where coats are taken off and put on the backs of the naked, where shackles are discarded and kings and shepherds sit down to life together. where barefoot children run giggling in procession, where the minister is ministered unto, where the anthem is the laughter of the congregation and the offering plates are full of people. where people go when they skin their knees or their hearts, where frogs become princes and Cinderella dances beyond midnight, where judges don t judge and each child of God is beautiful and precious. where the sea divides for the exiles, where the ark floats and the lamb lies down with the lion, where people can disagree and hold hands at the same time. by Ann Weems where night is day, where trumpets and drums and tambourines declare God s goodness, where lost lambs are found. where people write thank-you notes to God, where work is holiday, where seeds are scattered and miracles are grown. where home is, where heaven is, where a picnic is communion and people break bread together on their knees. where we live responsively toward God s coming. Even on Monday mornings the world will hear an abundance of alleluias! July 7, 2013 Come for a night of laughter, friendship, popcorn and a great movie. We did this at a church in Texas and it was great fun. The movie is family friendly and open to all. "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry" is a 2009 Christian film, directed by Rich Christiano. The majority of the film was filmed in Holley, N.Y. It is the story of Dustin, Albert and Mark, 12-year-old friends looking forward to a summer of fun in Dustin becomes friends with 75-year-old neighbor, Jonathan Sperry, who he has seen at church and whose lawn he mows. Mr. Sperry begins a Bible study with Dustin and his friends and encourages them to be kind to all, even Nick, the bully they are afraid of. He also has Dustin mow the lawn for a neighbor but doesn't want him to tell who is paying for it. One day, Mr. Sperry dies and the kids realize how much he meant to them. They also find out a secret that shows just how kind and forgiving Mr. Sperry was in life. We ll do something for dinner and then watch the movie. And remember its summer so it stays light out pretty late! - Norm and Jean Grob

7 Men s Breakfast June 8 and July 13 8:00am Men s Breakfast meets the second Saturday of every month at 8:00 a.m. where men of Christ the King unite in fellowship, dialogue and service to others. Come yourself and bring a friend! Vacation Bible School Is June pm 8pm Bring your entire family to Athens, and become part of Paul s dangerous journey to share the truth! You ll travel back into Bible times without setting foot outside our community. Experience this fun, hands-on Bible-times city. Father s Day is June 16 th! Each day, your family members can become part of history as they see, hear, touch, and even taste what it was like to live in ancient Athens! You ll explore the Marketplace shops, visit Paul, take part in games, dance to lively Bible songs, and sample tasty tidbits as you discover more about Paul s missionary adventures. These experiences make God s Word come alive with new meaning for all who participate! Invite your friends and neighbors! Special Service July 7, 2013

8 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday June 1 am Choir Fathers Day 9am VBS Practice /Adult Study 10:00am VBS Worship am Council Synod Assembly am LUMS 5:30 TOPS 8am Men's Breakfast WELCA :30 TOPS 4-8 Arts4All! :30 TOPS 4-8 Arts4All 30 July am LUMS 4-8 Arts4All 8am Men's Breakfast 5:30 TOPS Movie Night! am Council :30 TOPS 4-8 Arts4All :30 TOPS WELCA 4-8 Arts4All :30 TOPS 4-8 Arts4All :30 TOPS