by Nate Crary
“[Noah] sent out the dove from the ark; 11and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth.” Genesis 8:10-11 Tomorrow, our family will celebrate Noah’s 2-year baptism anniversary. It doesn’t seem possible that two years have passed since my family gathered in the lawn outside the columbarium at CtK to celebrate Noah’s new life in Christ. It’s hard to believe that was already two years ago because of all that’s happened (and is still happening) in our lives and in the world. I wonder what it was like for Noah (from the Old Testament) to wait for the dove to return to the ark after the rain had stopped. Did time stand still? Did time fly by? Was Noah confident in God’s new covenant? Did he fear the rain would start up again? What if the dove got distracted or forget the way back? When the dove returned that night, brining an olive leaf to the ark, Noah new something would be different from that point on. God made good on God’s promise to restore the earth and everything in it to fullness and life. A fresh start. Tomorrow, Michael and Olive will be baptized during the outdoor worship service at Christ the King. They will be washed clean and forever claimed as God’s beloved. And when the waters subside, the baptism is not over. They need each of you to support them and pray for them in their new life in Christ. Their lives will be changed forever as will the life of our church as we remind each other of God making good on God’s promise to love us through death and into new life. A fresh start. May it be so. Thanks be to God
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 by Pastor Nuru Makweta
Our blog this week is a message from Christ the King’s companion congregation, the Nduli Parish, in the Iringa area of Tanzania. The Global Mission Team early this spring approved a toilet project for this parish for the amount of $5500, which translates to approximately Tsh 12,675,000. The funding comes from our Alternative Christmas sale and is sent through the SPAS Bega Kwa Bega Office in St. Paul to the Bega Kwa Bega Office in the Iringa Diocese. They help get the funding to our Parish as approved for various projects. Completing a public toilet is the current project. We have helped build the pastor’s house, plant trees and other agricultural products that support the church, provide scholarships for secondary youth (an annual payment), etc. We hope you are doing well, and the work of God, and we are doing well. First of all we [are grateful] for praying, greetings, and saving project[. W]e Received an amount of Tsh 12,675,000 [approximately $5500] for toilet project [. W]e are very happy[;] thank you very much for your sacrifice[. W]e are very blessed and God blessing your construction continues as you can see in the picture. "The members are very happy for your sacrifices and they continue to pray for you and they have been responsive to continue doing God's work." It is now the harvest season[;] many believer's are reaping, but this year the harvest has not been good[;] we ask you to pray for us[. O]n Sunday we will have an election of church leaders[.] We wish you good service, Mungu awabariki sana, karibuni sana usharikani kwetu tumewakumbuka. by Priscilla Berg and Karen Meyer (recorded during worship 7/10/22)As we prepare to participate in the Community Support Center's Walk 1000 Miles For Our Neighbors event on July 31, Karen Meyer joined us in worship on July 10 to share a bit about CSC and the walk.  By Pastor Sarah Anderson
As summer continues, so does CtK’s theme of beCOURAGEous. Last Sunday’s gospel of Luke 10:1-11 reminds us of the courage sometimes required when we give witness to our life of faith. In fact, during last week’s sermon, I issued a challenge for each of us. The challenge is to verbally share - to use our words to give witness to the good news. Before you think, “I can’t do that” or “what would I say,” remember that no one is better equipped than you to share your own experiences of God. Two questions were posed last Sunday to get us thinking about how we can be witnesses of the good news. I invite you to continue to ponder, pray, and wonder how your responses to these questions can bolster your courage to share your faith with someone in the coming weeks.
St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th century mystic writes: Christ has no body on earth but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ looks out to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless others now. Go forth, dear CtK, and beCOURAGEous! As you may be preparing to celebrate Independence Day, we offer two blog pieces from different ELCA contributors today. The first is a reflection on this week's gospel in light of the need for peace in our world. The second is a response to the recent Supreme Court ruling, offered by ELCA bishop Elizabeth Eaton.
We remember that celebration does not occur in isolation; we hold in tension the importance of celebrating and coming together on days of great importance with the knowledge that we remain a nation and a world in great need of healing, peace, and love. Cities of peace by Cory Driver, ELCA misisonary serving as the director of graduate studies at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo"I don’t know about the rest of you, but these last couple of months have left me feeling burdened. Far too many of our streets, stores, schools and places of worship are dangerous or even deadly. I want to feel, and I want all our neighbors to feel, peace and safety in our lives. I believe this longing for peace in our cities is intimately tied to God’s reign. . . ." [Continue reading] Bishop Eaton issues pastoral message on SCOTUS ruling regarding Roe v. Wade by Bishop Elizabeth Eaton "Whatever personal perspective one might take on the June 24 abortion ruling from the Supreme Court, it is the legal framework in which we now minister, and I wish to speak a pastoral word at this time. . . . I wish to remind everyone that this church supports peaceful means of expression within a diverse society. Peaceful protest is a crucial element of civic engagement; violent protest is not, and this church reproves it. Likewise, this church is on record against hate speech. Let us be instruments for peace where there is none. Let us listen to one another. Let us serve the needs of neighbors in all the complexities life presents. God calls us to be for others, just as God in Christ is for us. . . ." [Continue reading] |
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Christ the King Lutheran Church
1900 7th Street NW New Brighton, MN 55112 Phone: 651-633-4674 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: 9 am - 2 pm Mon - Thurs or by appointment Sunday Schedule Morning Worship at 9:30 am |
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