Commitment Sunday

This coming Sunday, November 15th, is Commitment Sunday at CtK. I know commitment is a four letter word in some folks' vocabulary, but certainly not in a Christian's. We are people of a committed God, a God who sent his Son all the way to a scandalous death on a cross for our sake, and who sets us free to be committed to God and to each other in love.

And so you are invited to participate this Sunday, as a worshiper, a steward, a minister, a part of the fellowship of this community, a student of the Bible; participate as a baptized child of God committed to your own life of faith, to the life of this community, and to the sharing of God's love in the world. After all, that sharing is what we really are about. That's why we do the whole "Estimate of Giving" thing, so that the gifts we give as individuals and families are intentional and proportional, not just after thoughts.

We'll be giving thanks for all of our gifts on Sunday, the tangibles and the intangibles. We will be blessing the Operation Shoe Box boxes, Lutheran World Relief school kits, the shampoo purchased with this year's Sunday School offerings, and the quilts made by our quilters. We will be giving God thanks for the resources for our lives and asking God to make us generous as we work for the good of all God's children.

And in good Lutheran fashion, there will be a POTLUCK! Brunch will be served from 9:45-10:45am in the social hall; pancakes, sausages, juice and coffee will be provided. Bring one of your favorite breakfast dishes to share if you can, if you can't, just come and eat!

Middle School Retreat - PHOTOS!

Our middle school confirmation class had a retreat in the middle of October. You can check out some additional of the pictures from the event at the Lutheran Youth in Service blog.

MSU Lutheran Campus Ministry Update

Tim Spring, our campus pastor at MSU, sends occasional updates to students and those of us on the LSF (Lutheran Student Foundation) Board. Students are the target audience, of course, but since campus ministry is OUR ministry, I thought you might like an update on some of the latest from the Christus Collegium. Here's the latest update.

Also there is at least one MSU student who regularly participates in worship here at CtK who won't be able to go home for Thanksgiving due to his work schedule. Anybody planning an early Thanksgiving feast (he has to be at work at 4pm Thanksgiving Day) and willing to set an extra place and extend some Christian hospitality to a brother in Christ? Let me know!

Enjoy the snow today, and please remember to pray for all those who have to be out on the roads, especially those whose job it is to help us all stay safe.

Hate Free BoZone March & Rally

In response to recent white-supremacist activity by "The Creativity Movement" that has targeted the university community, local schools, and people of color, Bozeman United, a nonpartisan coalition of concerned citizens and organizations, will hold a march and rally THIS SUNDAY, November 1st. YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE RALLY!!
Participants should assemble at 2:00pm at the corner of 8th and Cleveland (MSU campus) and will then march down 8th to Main Street for a rally at Willson School. You might consider parking downtown and then walking up to campus for the beginning of the rally.
Feel free to make signs or posters using the artwork above (designed by Brickhouse Creative - David Thompson, Abby McMillen, and Jessica Burch). And get the word out!

This is a great opportunity for those of us who follow Jesus to witness to the creation of ALL people in God's image.

Reformation Sunday

Reformation Day is always October 31st (the day Luther nailed the 95 theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg in 1517). We CELEBRATE Reformation Sunday on the last Sunday of October every year, which is THIS Sunday, October 25th.
Remember to wear red to worship as we celebrate not only the beginning of the Reformation almost 500 years ago, but also the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the church today.

A thought for you, from volume 26 of Luther's Works:
Let us thank God, therefore, that we have been delivered from this monster of uncertainty and that now we can believe for a certainty that the Holy Spirit is crying and issuing that sigh too deep for words in our hearts. And this is our foundation: The Gospel commands us to look, not at our own good deeds or perfection, but at God himself as he promises, and at Christ himself the Mediator. [God] says: 'I am giving my own Son into death, so that by his blood he might redeem you from sin and death.' 'Here I cannot have any doubts unless I want to deny God altogether. And this is why our theology is certain: It snatches us away from ourselves ... so that we do not depend on our own strength, conscience, experience, person or works but depend ... on the promise and truth of God, which cannot deceive.'

Photos from the 2009 Cardboard Box City

First, it was COLD! I am very thankful to have a warm, dry and comfortable place to sleep each night.

Second, THANKS - to everyone who donated money to Family Promise and to the folks who came down to check out the Parade of Boxes. It was nice to see so many folks there.

Third, THANKS - to Susie Siemsen, who remembered her camera and took a bunch of fantastic pictures. Here's a sampling:

Sleeping in a Box

Tonight is the 3rd Annual Cardboard Box City to raise funds for Family Promise of Gallatin Valley. While it's too late to register and sleep in your own box in Bogert Park, it's not too late to do something about homelessness right here close to home.

Come and check out the Parade of Boxes from 7:00-8:00pm tonight at Bogert Park. Donate to Family Promise. Get trained as a Family Promise Volunteer (Paula Beehler, CtK's Family Promise Coordinator, will be at the Cardboard Box City and would LOVE to hear you want to volunteer). Learn about the causes of homelessness here in Bozeman and around the US and world. Pray for those who are homeless; and pray for those who serve them.

See you at the park!