Seeing the Underside and Seeing God: Nadia Bolz-Weber with Krista Tippett at the Wild Goose Festival

Several CtK members have let me know they enjoyed hearing NPR's "On Being" this past week. The radio interview featured an ELCA pastor, the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, who is the founding pastor of a quirky congregation in Denver, House for All Sinners and Saints. Here's the whole, unedited interview, on video, from the Wild Goose Festival this past summer. Enjoy!
Seeing the Underside and Seeing God: Nadia Bolz-Weber with Krista Tippett at the Wild Goose Festival from On Being on Vimeo.

A BIG Week!

This is a big week in the life of our community of faith.

The Adult Choir resumes its rehearsals tonight (9/4) and will meet weekly on Wednesdays at 5:30pm. We welcome new Choir Director, Laurie Jo Howard, to the congregation, and look forward to the blessing of great choral music during worship!

Youth Group for 6th-12th grade students (AND THEIR PARENTS) kicks-off tonight as well, with dinner at 6pm and conversation about the year's goals and activities. Bring your family calendar as there will be several dates you'll want to get down!

This Sunday, September 8th, marks the beginning of "regular" age-group Sunday School classes. It's going to be a great year, with classes for children who are 3 years old on up. Preschool through Elementary age children will start off with a time of music in the big classroom. Middle school youth will meet in the church library. High school youth will meet in the upper room. Adults will meet in the social hall - the topic of adult forum for September is World Religions. Come learn more about the variety of faiths practiced here in Bozeman and around the world.

This Sunday is also God's Work. Our Hands. Sunday - we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ELCA with a presentation by the high school youth who went on the summer mission trip to the Blackfeet Reservation, a potluck and a Day of Service. The breakdown for potluck items is: last names A-H = main dish; I-Q: salad/side; R-Z = dessert. Service opportunities include volunteering at the Bozeman Marathon to help Family Promise, trail maintenance with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, joining a hymn sing-along at the Bozeman Lodge, working with the Interfaith Quilters at Hope Lutheran, and potluck clean-up here at CtK. Interested in serving? Call the church office 587-4131 for more information or to sign up.

Voices from the past

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:32

I’ve been thinking about the 50^th anniversary of the March on Washington, which will happen on August 28^th.  I’ve been listening to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on YouTube and letting his words of freedom and justice sink into my bones.

I’ve been pondering how far we’ve come as a country since the dark days of 1963 when African Americans countered blatant racism and bigotry in many areas of America.

There has been some economic progress, though the levels achieved are vastly different when you poll Caucasians and African Americans.

I am afraid I do not have much exposure to the African American community, either growing up or as an adult. I do have some exposure to the Japanese American community, mainly in San Diego, CA where I grew up.

Japanese Americans were denied their civil rights during World War Two. My scout master, Bill Hata, was kept in an internment camp in Idaho as a boy during the war. I do not know if he harbored any resentment against the United States for locking him and his family up because the government feared attacks by persons of Japanese ancestry.

I do know that Bill Hata was a man of deep Christian faith who was an attentive and caring scout master to BSA Troop 258. I do know that he served his country faithfully as a civilian contractor for the United States Navy. I do know that he taught his scouts never to forget the lessons of history.

So on the 50^th anniversary of the March on Washington D.C., I will be in a pensive mood, thinking about how some of my fellow citizens of the United States were denied their civil rights. I will give thanks for lessons I have learned from people like Bill Hata about fear, retribution, justice, and peace making. I will pray to God and thank God for people who expose racism and bigotry. I will reflect on the fact that my country has not always treated its citizens fairly and justly, which in turn should cause me to turn to God for forgiveness and healing.

Blessing of the Backpacks

It's that time of year again: the first day of school is just around the corner!

Here at CtK we want to bless students (of all ages) and teachers as they head back to the classrooms. So, all students, teachers, professors, and everyone else headed back to school, are invited to bring their backpacks/school bags/brief cases to worship with them THIS SUNDAY, August 25th, at 10am for a blessing as the new school year begins.

ELCA's 25th Anniversary - God's Work Our Hands Sunday

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the ELCA. And there is going to be a day of celebration in service on Sunday, September 8th.
Across the country, members of ELCA congregations will roll up their sleeves and get to work serving in their communities. The same will happen here in Bozeman!
The details on all of the service sites/projects are still being worked out, but we're hoping to have opportunities for everyone who wants to serve, to make a difference in our world.
If you'd like to order a t-shirt for the day, please leave a comment here, or call the church office (406-587-4131) ASAP, as the order will be placed THIS FRIDAY, August 9th. There are youth and adult sizes available, and each shirt is $6.50.

Vacation Bible School 2013 - God's Backyard Bible Camp!

CtK's Vacation Bible School begins on Monday, July 29th and runs through August 2nd. This year we're trying something a little different, and VBS will be in the evening, from 5:45-7:45pm each night. Children age 4 years  - entering 5th grade this fall are invited to attend and have a great time! We'll sing, learn, play and have a great time serving!

Registration forms are available online at the CtK website: www.ctkbozeman.org Please fill out one per child and bring it with you on Monday evening.

Have questions? Contact the church office at 587-4131.

Here am I... Send Me!

The 2013 Middle School Service Plunge ended a week ago today. I have almost recovered. :)

Twenty-eight middle school students, led by adults from Christ the King Lutheran Church, Hope Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian Church, spent the week serving, learning, playing lots of games, and doing some wacky art projects.

Weeding @ Family Promise

Organizing the garage @ Family Promise



Food Bank

The theme verse this year, Isaiah 6:8: "Here am I... Send me!" reminds us that God is always calling people to do God's work in the world. We learned about Abraham, Samuel, Isaiah, Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene - each called by God to do something (often a HARD something). And God continues to call us. When we answer that call, we can change the world.

Very creative cell phone collection boxes

This year youth served at the Family Promise Day Center (weeding, cleaning, organizing), with Gallatin Valley Land Trust (maintaining trails at Bozeman Pond - lots of shoveling, wheel-barrowing and raking of gravel!), at ROC Wheels (building TWO wheel chairs), the Gallatin Valley Food Bank (bagging food), and HAVEN (decorating cell-phone collection boxes).



Building a wheel chair @ ROC Wheels

One of two chairs completed

GVLT trail work in the sun

On Friday the crew headed down to Rockhaven Camp and hiked and did the high ropes course. A good time was had by all!