We are a Christian community practicing discipleship as we worship, learn and serve.
Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. - Martin Luther
Happy New Year!
Tonight (new year's eve), CtK hosts the Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association Labyrinth Walk. It provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year now over and prepare for the new year.
Labyrinths are used in a wide variety of faith traditions. One of the most famous labyrinths is in the floor of the Chartres Cathedral.
Read about the event here, in a Bozeman Daily Chronicle article from last week.
From the website of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, which houses a replica of the Chartres Labyrinth: General Information and Instructions
The labyrinth is an archetype, a divine imprint, found in all religious traditions in various forms around the world. By walking a replica of the Chartres labyrinth, laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France around 1220, we are rediscovering a long-forgotten mystical tradition.
The labyrinth has only one path so there are no tricks to it and no dead ends. The path winds throughout and becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives. It touches our sorrows and releases our joys. Walk it with an open mind and an open heart.
Three stages of the walk
Purgation (Releasing) ~ A releasing, a letting go of the details of your life. This is the act of shedding thoughts and distractions. A time to open the heart and quiet the mind.
Illumination (Receiving) ~ When you reach the center, stay there as long as you like. It is a place of meditation and prayer. Receive what is there for you to receive.
Union (Returning) ~ As you leave, following the same path out of the center as you came in, you enter the third stage, which is joining God, your Higher Power, or the healing forces at work in the world. Each time you walk the labyrinth you become more empowered to find and do the work for which you feel your soul is reaching.
Guidelines for the walk Quiet your mind and become aware of your breath. Allow yourself to find the pace your body wants to go. The path is two ways. Those going in will meet those coming out. You may "pass" people or let others step around you. Do what feels natural.
Photos from the Sunday School Advent/Christmas program on 12/20 and high school/young adult "Cookie Ninjas" delivering treats to those who work the night shift in service to our community, 12/18.
Note: what follows is a guest post from CtK member, Jerry Johnson. Jerry's opinions are his own, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts of CtK or the ELCA.
Bah, Humbug!
As I grow longer in the tooth, my attitude
about holidays has changed--Margaret would say for the worse.Some of it is definitely age related.Huge holiday meals are overwhelming and leave
me miserable.Drinking has its own
problems.Staying late at functions has
lost its charm and gifting in a materialistic society is crass at best.January should give us a new start, but it’s
frequently with unneeded pounds and a feeling of exhaustion.
In our current atmosphere of fear
“Christians” forget their role and want to isolate Muslims as we did to the
Japanese in WWII.They complain about
Starbuck’s holiday cups, saying they either promote Jesus or dis him, when the
intent was neither.Earlier cups had
snowmen, candy canes, etc. which are not Christian symbols.My understanding is the plain red and green
cups are so you can decorate them any way you want, or not.
Christians whine about the “War on
Christmas” not fully knowing the history or seeing the melding of the spiritual
and the commercial and of course we’ve carried political correctness from
reasonable to ridiculous.The origins
probably began with celebrating the lengthening of the day after the winter
solstice, and Romans celebrated December 25 as the birthday of the sun god
Mithra.It wasn’t until the 4th
century A. D. it was associated with Jesus’ birth and didn’t become significant
until the time of Charlemagne around 800 A. D.Catholics made it a tradition and Protestants banned it (Puritans
thought Jesus was born in September and they hated the associated holiday
debauchery in late medieval England).The Christmas tree came from Germany and was considered to be a symbol
of pagan idolatry.The Lutherans were
castigated for “groveling before a shrub.”Jeremiah 101-4 condemns cutting down a tree from the forest and
decorating it with silver and gold.George Washington even attacked the Hessians during the Battle of
Trenton in 1777 on Christmas because it was a popular German holiday.Clement Moore’s poem “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”
in 1823 was an enormous success.In 1836
Alabama declared Christmas a public holiday, but it wasn’t until 1870 that
President Ulysses S. Grant declared it a federal holiday.
Of course, the media likes turmoil, so
they seize on anything to stir up the pot.I find Advent a time to reflect.I like our “Soup and Service” suppers and the fellowship.In our Tuesday men’s Bible study we studied
Stephen Patterson’s book, Beyond the Passion: Rethinking the Death and Life of Jesus.Patterson says that
without Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection are meaningless.Ernest Campbell said the Gospel receives its
force in the world from the fact that it was lived.People confuse expressing religious values
with living them.The most recent example
of this is Martin Luther King, Jr. who preached passive resistance as did
Ghandi.We put King on a pedestal and
violence is still the way.The same
could be said for Jesus, revere him, but don’t follow him--that could be
dangerous to our health (mortal, not immortal).
As Advent draws to a close and Jesus’
birthday is upon us we need to think on what it’s all about.We should recognize that all things change,
even what we know about Christmas.We
should remember in Jesus’ life and love he reached out and asked us to follow
him--feeding and clothing the poor, visiting the sick,taking in the stranger and visiting
prisoners.For each other it will be
plenty sufficient to share our love.
Warm up your voices!
This Sunday, December 20th, carolers of all ages will gather at Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital (at 3:00pm in the chapel, by the main entrance) and share God's love and the joy of Christmas with patients, families, and staff.
Wear a santa hat if you have one!
Loving God, your heart overflows with compassion for your whole creation. We remember those we have lost to HIV/AIDS. We give thanks for continued progress in prevention and treatments. We pray that our work in collaboration with our global partners and companion churches will further develop and expand ministries of HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment, care and advocacy where they are needed most. Grant us compassion and guide us in our work. Pour out your Spirit on all people living with illness for which there is no cure, as well as their families and loved ones. Help them to know that you claim them as your own and deliver them from fear and pain; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord. Amen Today is World AIDS Day - The ELCA has ongoing ministries for education, prevention, and treatment for those affected by HIV/AIDS. You can learn more here: http://www.elca.org/en/Living-Lutheran/Blogs/2015/11/151201-The-Lazarus-effect-and-AIDS Read about some of the successes of prevention and treatment work, here: http://www.elca.org/en/Living-Lutheran/Blogs/2015/11/151201-The-Lazarus-effect-and-AIDS
Join us each Sunday in Advent as we learn what it means for us to follow the star to Bethlehem. The series begins this Sunday, November 29th. (Yes, it's the magi who followed the star to Bethlehem, and we celebrate their journey and arrival on the Day of Epiphany, January 6th. But most of us experience Advent-Christmas-Epiphany as all of a piece, so work with us here!).
November 29th, “A New Hope” (Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36). Jesus encourages us to, “lift our heads, for your redemption is drawing near.”
December 6th, “The Empire Strikes Back” (Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79; Philippians 1:3-11; Luke 3:1-6) In the midst of Roman rule, John preaches a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The Apostle Paul writes from a Roman prison.
December 13th, “Return of the Baptist” (Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18) John points to Jesus as the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
December 20th, “Faith Awakens” – Sunday School Advent/Christmas Program (Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:46b-55, Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45) Elizabeth blesses Mary, because she believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.
All are welcome to CtK's Thanksgiving Eve Worship & Pie-Luck tonight at 7:00pm. Come sing (hymns by request at the beginning of the service!), listen, share, pray, and give thanks to God for all good gifts. Then enjoy great company and some yummy desserts!
This Sunday, October 25th, is a big day in the life of the congregation. We'll celebrate Reformation Sunday, singing some favorite hymns, giving thanks for the good news of the Gospel of Jesus and all those the Spirit uses to call people to faithfulness (Martin Luther included!).
Two of the youth of the congregation will publicly affirm their baptism during worship at 10:00am, and profess their faith. It's a big deal, and definitely a day for the church community to gather around them for prayer and support. When an individual is baptized, the assembly is asked this question: "People of God, do you promise to support name and pray for him/her in his/her new life in Christ?"
And the assembly responds: We do.
Then, after the baptism, the congregation addresses the newly baptized: We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share: join us in giving thanks and praise to God and bearing God's creative and redeeming word to all the world.
That baptismal journey continues, and Affirmation of Baptism (aka Confirmation) is a big step on that journey, when a young person becomes an adult member of the community of faith. Don't miss it!
There will be a reception, with cake, and a Reformation Sunday photo booth, after worship.
Sunday afternoon we hold our annual Trunk or Treat. It's always a ton of fun, and a great way to reach out into the neighborhood. Trunk or treating will happen in the parking lot, and there will be games, crafts, and less sugary snacks in the social hall, 4:30-6:00pm. (Family-friendly) costumes are encouraged!
This Sunday CtK launches Sunday School classes for kids age 3-103. (Children under age 3 will sing songs and play in the nursery). Sunday School Registration forms are available now on the CtK website: www.ctkbozeman.org - every child age 3-12th grade needs a form.
This Sunday in the Adult Forum, meeting in the social hall, we welcome Amir, from Iran, and Mahmud, from Jordan. They will tell about their experiences in the USA, as Muslims, and discuss the current media that often portray Islam as a danger to Americans. They may also have some thoughts on how Americans treat visitors (including tourists, refugees and immigrants). This will be an opportunity to broaden your understanding of spirituality and how God is at work through all our hands in this world!
Last spring, Rabbi Ed Stafman, of Bozeman's Congregation Beth Shalom, was a guest speaker at CtK's adult forum for two Sundays. He reminded us just how often in the Torah God reminds God's people to care for the stranger, the alien, the sojourner, in their midst. As Deuteronomy 10:19 puts it: "You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt."
God uses the people's history to induce empathy, and still does.
I have never been a refugee, but I have felt lost. I've been sick. I've been scared. And over the past two weeks I've seen heartbreaking photos of children on beaches and old people on rafts whose seaworthiness is questionable. And Deuteronomy echoes in my ears: "you shall also love the stranger."
The Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary, Tamás Fabiny, wrote the following, about the refugee crisis in Hungary, and shared by the Montana Synod:
Walking with Refugees - the Church Amidst the Refugee Crisis in Europe I would like to recall the poignant memories of the weekend when thousands of refugees set out from Budapest, Hungary, towards Austria and, finally, reached the other side of the border on board of buses provided by the Hungarian government.
I will never forget that march. I am very well aware that the refugees were hindering the traffic and broke several rules. However, what this persistent march gave proof of was their final desperation and their determination forged by the war, suffering, persecution and defencelessness they had left behind. And we have to admit that the heartlessness of some also strengthened their feelings of hopeless resolution.
cannot forget that march. It was similar to the processions led by Martin Luther King in the cities of the US in the 1960s or to the opponents of the apartheid in South-Africa singing “We are marching in the light of God”. Looking at the crowds of refugees walking on the motorway I was also reminded of the wandering, let me use the word “migrant”, Jews on their way to a new homeland. This association is closely linked to a prayer written by the Reformed pastor Sylvia Bukowski: “God of Mercy, who led your people across the desert and shepherded them in the exodus; we cry to you for the millions of refugees who have left their homes in uncertainty and are escorted by poverty, persecution and violence on their way. May you be their guide and guardian, oh Lord!”
In the marching crowd of refugees you could see a one-legged man supporting himself on crutches and trying to keep up with the others. Many were carrying children in their arms or on their backs. One of the parents was pushing a toddler in a shopping cart. Yet others were carrying elderly or sick relatives on their shoulders.
I believe that the Bible’s account is relevant today as well: Jesus has compassion on the crowd, because they are like sheep without a shepherd. Are we able to have mercy? Do we dare to show empathy? Can we speak words of compassion even if others demand us to demonstrate power?
Let politicians be concerned with politics. As a church we should ask ourselves: are we able to use the voice of humanity and act in a credible manner? When the bodies of 71 suffocated refugees, including women and children, were found in a delivery van on Austrian territory, the Austrian Lutheran Bishop Michael Bünker suggested that, following the identification of the deceased, the victims should be buried in a respectful way according to the rites of their own religion. In Hungary, a middle-aged Syrian man collapsed and died near the railway station of Bicske. Do we know anything of him? Has anyone tried to track his identity or his family down?
Although official reports consequently refer to the alienating term ‘migrants’ instead of refugees, we should make an effort to imagine how traumatised these people must be with all their experiences of war and life-threatening situations. Can we realize what it must feel like to be scapegoated all the time? Can we fathom what it means to give birth to a baby during such a flight and spend the night at a railway station five days later? We should keep this in mind at Christmas time when writing and listening to heartbreaking sermons about the Holy Family...
Still, something has changed. More and more people dare and manage to express their feelings of solidarity towards refugees. Voices of disapproval and reservation seem to be less frequent and the willingness to help is getting stronger.
Beside the sadness and despair expressed in this text, I would also like to voice my hope and even joy. Although the past few weeks have been full of hardships and painful experiences, we have also seen examples of resourceful love. Several Lutherans have shared their insights and practical advice on the internet. The spontaneous help offered by many civil activists is side-by-side with the conscious and relentless efforts of the Diaconal Service of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary to organize aid activities. The Hungarian Interchurch Aid, one of the country’s largest and internationally recognized charity organizations, is also present with its decades-long professional experience. Secondary school students are inquiring about ways to contribute, university students are acting as voluntary interpreters and congregations are collecting donations. Many of our international partners have also stated their willingness to help.
All of us can do something to make the suffering of refugees more visible in our countries and to give a face to people who might seem threatening and frightening as members of a crowd. We can make their story heard. Most of all, we can help to recover their dignity.
In my experience, something is stirring within more and more of our Hungarian fellow-citizens. We might indeed be capable of showing our purer sides. We can see Ezekiel’s prophecy fulfilled: “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ez 36:26)”.
I know that we could talk about Schengen borders, quotas, registration, hot spots and similar subjects for a long time. These are indeed serious issues. Everyone has their own responsibilities. At the same time, wherever we stand, let us not forget the most important thing of all: exercising mercy.
Bishop Tamás Fabiny The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary
Tomorrow, September 13th, is God's work. Our hands. Day of Service. Everyone who worships with CtK tomorrow morning (worship is at 10:00am and will include an opportunity to hear from the youth who went to Detroit for the ELCA Youth Gathering this summer) will be invited to stick around to help assemble school kits for Lutheran World Relief or decorate cookies and assemble boxes of treats for those who protect and serve our community (first responders, hospital employees, etc.). We'll need a few folks to make deliveries of treats, too.
Would you rather spend some time serving outside? There will be a group heading to God's Garden to pick green beans. Wear your sunscreen and take a water bottle!
CtK's fall schedule begins THIS SUNDAY, September 6th. Worship will begin at 10:00am.
After Labor Day, many other ministries begin again for the season:
- Youth Group begins this week, with dinner served ($2/person) at 6:00pm. This week, all 6th-12th grade youth are asked to BRING THEIR PARENTS to discuss the year.
- Adult Choir will begin rehearsals on Wednesday, September 9th, from 7:00-8:00pm.
- Sunday School for all ages begins in two weeks, on September 20th, at 9:00am.
This fall CtK will join other ELCA congregations for the third annual "God's work. Our hands." Day of Service. There will be several opportunities to serve right here in Bozeman, as well as an opportunity to make a difference around the world.
Assembling School Kits for Lutheran World Relief is one way to have global impact, by making it possible for children who might otherwise not be able to pursue their education to attend school. In order to assemble School Kits, we need folks (you!?) to purchase and donate the supplies for them.
Each School Kit contains:
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 pencil sharpener One pair of blunt scissors (safety scissors with embedded steel blades work well) Five unsharpened #2 pencils with erasers Five black or blue ballpoint pens (no gel ink) One box of 16 or 24 crayons One 2 ½” eraser
It is NOT necessary for you to purchase items for one complete kit. Purchase whichever supplies you like, and when everything is gathered we'll put together as many kits as we can. All items should be new and in good condition.
For more information about Lutheran World Relief and where school kits go, check out:
Bozeman Community Café summer 2015 update from Laura
Stonecipher
June saw 2,686
diners being served over 4434 plates of yummy food. In July we served
over 4,580 meals to 2,763 hungry folks. If you are into statistics this
equates to a 27% increase in people served compared to June 2014. July
2015 saw a 14% increase in diners enjoying a meal at the Cafe. All this
translates to more people receiving nutritious dinners and being graciously
served by you the volunteers.
Fixed costs to run
the Cafe are $70,800 per year. These include water/sewer, insurance, utilities,
mortgage payments, maintenance etc. The Cafe does receive the bulk of food
served from the food bank but there are some food items that need to be
purchased as well. When you add in salaries for the staff you can see why every
little donation adds up and helps reduce the deficit. Unfortunately the
Cafe finished our fiscal year in the red again this year. We're working hard to
change this trend and so appreciate each and every contribution received.
If you haven't
checked out the Cafe's website please do so. (www.cafebozeman.org) It
is packed with great information and includes lots of new volunteer
opportunities during the day if you are available.
FYI: The Nova Cafe
is featuring a special scramble in July, August and September with 10% of the
proceeds going to the Community Cafe! I haven't been able to try it yet
but it must be yummy since they sold over 350 in July! Check it
out.
The Friday Morning Small Group will begin reading/discussing a new book at their next meeting on August 28th: Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God, by Lauren Winner. The group meets every other Friday morning at 7:00am at Clark's Fork, for conversation about the current book and life and faith. Participants usually head out about 8:30am or so. Now is a great time to join the group!
If you have questions, please talk to Pastor Lindean.
Here's an opportunity to serve and make a difference on the Rocky Boy's Reservation right here in Montana. It's a mission trip, but it's not for youth. It's for adults! Please read the letter below for information. And if you decide to go and serve, please let me know! (you can send me an email here: lindean@ctkbozeman.org)
A Letter from Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church – Box Elder, MT
July 21, 2015
Greetings!
One thing I have learned as the pastor at Our Saviour’s on
the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, don’t be shy about asking for what you need! With
that in mind, I would like to invite you, as individuals and as congregations,
to participate in a service opportunity at Our Saviour’s. August 29th-September 3rd, we will be
hosting an adult Servant Group from Zumbro Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN.
The main project they will be working on is roofing two of our four cabins. We
will be changing from rolled asphalt roofing to metal roofing. Here’s the deal. We could use your help! It would be
wonderful if we had enough volunteers so that we could get all four of the
cabin roofs completed before winter sets in. There is also the need to re-roof two sections of the
asphalt shingles on the Big Church. This building is used by our congregation
and our community as gathering space for VBS, Servant and Immersion groups,
larger church services like Christmas and Easter, wakes and funerals, and many
other things. Besides needing people on the roofs, people will be needed
on the ground as well to clear away stuff, take stuff to the dump, and help
with other projects on our site. We can always use people to be part of the
meal prep and clean-up crews. The Servant Group will be arriving on Saturday afternoon
(August 29th), but the actual work on the roofs will not start until
Monday morning (August 31st). If you are willing to come and help
with these projects on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (for any or all of those
days), coming the night before would help you have a great start in the morning.
The Servant Group from Zumbro will leave on Thursday, but we could continue the
work on Thursday and Friday (September 3rd and 4th), if
there were people interested in working on those days, too. I wish we were able to offer this opportunity to you at no
cost, but we are not in the financial position to do that. So, what we are
asking is that you help with the food costs by donating $20 per day and if you
are able to make an additional donation to help with the cost of materials that
would be wonderful (but we are not asking for a specific amount for that). We have space in our cabins for about thirty people, space
in the Mission House for about ten people, and room for four RVs to hook-up to
water, electric and sewer connections. Sorry, we don’t have the space to have
couples stay together. And, because of the particular type of work we will be
doing, this is an adult-only event. Young people who are high school and/or
middle school age could help out, but they will, most likely, be back in school
by then. If you are interested in being part of this project, please
contact me (Pastor Linda E. Webster) for more details. We’d love to have you
come and participate.
Blessings,
Pastor Linda E. Webster Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church 499 Mission Taylor Rd. Box Elder, MT 58521-8983 www.oslcrb.org 406-395-4307
Last week, 10 CtK youth, plus a couple of their friends and some fabulous adults, joined middle school youth from Hope Lutheran Church for a week of worship, learning and SERVICE here in the Gallatin Valley.
The theme verse for the week was Micah 6:8 - He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Monday morning the group weeded at God's Garden, which produces thousands upon thousands of pounds of food for the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and the Community Café.
Tuesday morning was spent on trail maintenance with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, at the Cherry Creek Fishing Access. It was hard work (there were blisters to be had!) but great to see the results of the effort, before and after.
Wednesday morning half the group went to the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and packaged macaroni noodles into one-pound bags (finishing off a 1,000 pound box of noodles - that's a lot of pasta!). The other half of the group offered a free car wash, with donations accepted for the food bank.
On Thursday morning, the two groups switched places - half for a carwash, the other half to the Food Bank. This time, the Food Bank crew sorted eggs and repackaged unbroken eggs into cartons.
Friday morning, everyone headed to the Family Promise Day Center to help with cleaning, yard work and other projects.
Every afternoon included Bible study, lots of games, a crafty project, and worship.
It was a great week! Look for more photos in worship on a Sunday in the near future!
Middle School Service Plunge 2015 - the closest thing we got to a photo of the whole group.
ELCA presiding bishop offers letter on Supreme Court marriage ruling
6/30/2015 4:00:00 PM
CHICAGO (ELCA) – The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), offered a pastoral letter June 30 to the 3.8 million members of the denomination in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that same-sex couples may now exercise the right to marry. The full text of the statement follows:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in the name of the crucified and risen Christ.
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court rendered its decision announcing the right of same-gender couples to have equal access to marriage. For many members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, this decision is a welcome sign of hope and a time for celebration. Other members of this church do not agree with the court's decision and remain deeply concerned because of their understanding of Scripture.
This decision affects each of us, some profoundly, and we are not of one mind. Let us continue to accompany one another with prayer, love and mutual respect as we reflect on this new reality and remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians about the enduring power of God's love.
The ELCA social statement "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" (2009) neither endorses nor forbids same-gender marriages and recognizes that we have differing understandings and convictions on this matter. In its decision, the court stated that "the First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths."
According to this church's social statement on human sexuality, all decisions about recognizing, supporting and holding publicly accountable same-gender relationships are entrusted to congregations. Recognizing that the church is not of one mind on this subject, our 2009 actions provide that congregations and clergy should discern together whether to recognize such relationships and to what degree.
Pastors are to engage in conversation, discernment and partnership with the congregations who have called them prior to solemnizing or presiding over a same-gender marriage. On the other hand, no pastor is obligated to solemnize the marriage of any couple, same-gender or different-gender, whom the pastor cannot in good conscience marry.
As Lutheran Christians, we continue to be a church that engages in conversation and discernment in all aspects of our faith and life. Creating space for respectful conversation and dialogue continues to be an important part of our life together. A helpful resource for engaging in difficult conversations is "Talking Together as Christians about Tough Social Issues."
In addition, the ELCA Ministry to and with Same-Gender Couples and their Families Working Group remains in the process of completing its work. A report of the group's findings and possible recommendations will be presented to the ELCA Church Council at its November meeting.
We seek to see our differences as a gift to be celebrated as we live out that which unites us: the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ who leads us into mission and ministry in the world. In the midst of this change, we are first and foremost church – a church that proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ. May God bless, guide and strengthen you each day as you go in peace and serve the Lord.
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with more than 3.8 million members in nearly 10,000 congregations across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer, Martin Luther.
For information contact: Melissa Ramirez Cooper Associate director, ELCA Publications and Public Relations 773-380-2956 or Melissa.RamirezCooper@elca.org ELCA News: www.ELCA.org/news Facebook: www.facebook.com/Lutherans Living Lutheran: www.livinglutheran.com
Bishop Eaton’s statement on the shooting in Charleston
June 18, 2015
It has been a long season of disquiet in our country. From Ferguson to Baltimore, simmering racial tensions have boiled over into violence. But this … the fatal shooting of nine African Americans in a church is a stark, raw manifestation of the sin that is racism. The church was desecrated. The people of that congregation were desecrated.
The aspiration voiced in the Pledge of Allegiance that we are “one nation under God” was desecrated.
Mother Emanuel AME’s pastor, the Rev. Clementa Pinckney, was a graduate of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, as was the Rev. Daniel Simmons, associate pastor at Mother Emanuel. The suspected shooter is a member of an ELCA congregation. All of a sudden and for all of us, this is an intensely personal tragedy. One of our own is alleged to have shot and killed two who adopted us as their own.
We might say that this was an isolated act by a deeply disturbed man. But we know that is not the whole truth. It is not an isolated event. And even if the shooter was unstable, the framework upon which he built his vision of race is not. Racism is a fact in American culture. Denial and avoidance of this fact are deadly. The Rev. Mr. Pinckney leaves a wife and children. The other eight victims leave grieving families. The family of the suspected killer and two congregations are broken. When will this end?
The nine dead in Charleston are not the first innocent victims killed by violence. Our only hope rests in the innocent One, who was violently executed on Good Friday. Emmanuel, God with us, carried our grief and sorrow – the grief and sorrow of Mother Emanuel AME church – and he was wounded for our transgressions – the deadly sin of racism.
I urge all of us to spend a day in repentance and mourning. And then we need to get to work. Each of us and all of us need to examine ourselves, our church and our communities. We need to be honest about the reality of racism within us and around us. We need to talk and we need to listen, but we also need to act. No stereotype or racial slur is justified. Speak out against inequity. Look with newly opened eyes at the many subtle and overt ways that we and our communities see people of color as being of less worth. Above all pray – for insight, for forgiveness, for courage.
Kyrie Eleison.
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Friday morning Small Group finished reading and discussing The Cross and the Lynching Tree, by James Cone, this past Friday morning. Just a day and a half after the horrific attack on Bible Study participants at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, we wondered together what to do, as white Christians in America, where clearly racism is alive and well. That will be an ongoing conversation, but includes continuing to learn about American history as experienced by people of color, to listen to perspectives different from our own, to speak up against racial slurs and stereotypes when we hear them, to pray, to examine and repent of our own racist thoughts and behaviors, to work for justice and reconciliation...
One of the quotes at the beginning of the book's Conclusion especially struck me:
"Perhaps nothing about the history of mob violence in the United States is more surprising than how quickly an understanding of the full horror of lynching has receded from the nation's collective historical memory." - W. Fitzhugh Brundage
Yes, the shooter on Wednesday night appears to have acted on his own, though he certainly did not live and form his opinions and beliefs in isolation. Yet, the history of lynching in the US is something most of us in the Friday small group didn't know much about. And it's not ancient history. As hard as reading The Cross and the Lynching Tree was, we're all glad we read it. And I think I can safely say each member of the group would encourage you to read it, too.
The group's next book is Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust, by Imaculee Ilibagiza. The discussion of the first chapter begins on Friday, July 3rd, at Clark's Fork at 7am. All are welcome!
It may be hard to believe, but this month marks TEN YEARS since CtK's first service of worship in our current building. There were a lot of prayer, planning, work and faith that went in to making the move from the corner of 3rd and Kagy to the corner of Durston and Flanders Mill.
THIS SUNDAY, June 28th, there will be a celebration of CtK's life in this place, with cake, treats and a special slide show during fellowship time after worship.
A "wish list" has been put together, for those who'd like to include giving a gift as part of the celebration. The list includes:
Toilet Paper
Paper Towels Postage Stamps (First Class, "Forever" stamps) Postcard Stamps
New Crayons Garbage Bags
Copy Paper (letter size: white, pastel, brights)
Copy Paper (legal size, white)
Copy Paper (ledger size, buff/ivory)
Coffee (regular, decaf)
Flat Screen TVs (2, 30"-40")
White Board Markers
And, CtK's fabulous nursery attendant, "Miss Liz," has shared a list of things that need updating/replacing after 10+ years of wear and tear in the nursery:
Step 2 Kitchen (prefer Modern Cook Kitchen, Heart of the Home Kitchen, or Lifestyle Dream Kitchen)
Plastic Play Food & Dishes
Small Cars (Hot Wheels size up to smart phone size)
Car Garage (2, prefer Wader Quality Toys or Fisher Price)
Plastic Animals (prefer Learning Resources)
Baby dolls with clothes and blankets (at least 2 dolls are needed)
Baby doll High Chair
Plastic tool bench and tools (prefer American Plastic Toys or Step 2) Books (for ages 1-4, prefer Christian books/Bible stories, classics, Dr. Seuss)
Puzzles (ages 1-4)
Cloth Storage Cubes to go with the shelving in the nursery
FAIRMONT HOT SPRINGS RESORT RAFFLE - WEEK OF JULY 10-17
Support YOUR Lutheran Campus Ministry at MSU-Bozeman by purchasing a raffle ticket for a week at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, July 10th-17th, 2015. (The Montana Folk Festival in Butte is July 10th-12th, and Fairmont is only a short drive away!) Tickets are $50 each and only 100 will be sold! The Raffle Drawing will be June 5th, need not be present to win.
The prize package includes: -- accommodation in a one-bedroom Vacation Club unit which sleeps four adults (one bed, one sofa-bed) and has a maximum occupancy of six
-- 5 passes good for 24-hour entry to the pools
Additional Resort Amenities (not included in the raffle prize, but available for purchase at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort):- 350’ Enclosed Waterslide
- Massage and Spa Services
- 18-hole Golf Course
- Miniature Golf Course
-2 Restaurants and Whiskey Joes Lounge
- Casual and Fine Dining
Purchase Raffle Tickets from Mike Beehler, Melanie Schell, John Sheppard, or Pastor Lindean, or call the church office to reserve a ticket to pick up.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Praying
for those suffering from floods in Oklahoma and Texas
Loving
God, in the communion of Christ, we are joined with the trials and sufferings
of all. Be with those who endure the wind and rain. Protect those in the path
of danger. Open the pathway of evacuations. Help loved ones find one another in
the chaos. Provide assistance to those who need help. Ease the fears of all and
make your presence known in the stillness of your peace; Through Jesus Christ,
our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Tomorrow we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the community of Jesus' disciples. If you'd like to get into the spirit of the celebration (yes, it's a bad pun), wear RED or other "fire colors" to worship. We gather at 10:00am! (Sunday School is over for the season...)
Here's a reflection on the day from the facebook page of The Five Loaves:
As we reflect on the Pentecost account of that first coming of Holy Spirit upon the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11) we must...
Posted by The Five Loaves on Thursday, May 21, 2015
Memorial Day is this coming Monday, May 25th.
Many of you will be remembering loved ones who have died. You may also find
yourself helping family members and friends bless the memory of their loved
ones who have died, too.
It can be awkward to talk about a person who is no longer
living. It can be hard emotionally. Almost everyone I have ever encountered
cherishes the memory of their family members who are no longer present. That
can provide an opening for you to ask some caring questions. “What do you miss
about your Grandma Gladys? Where was
your grandpa’s favorite fishing hole?” Questions encourage story telling.
Questions show that you care.
If you are patient, gentle, and kind you will be blessed
with a retelling of memories that are very meaningful for the person sharing
them, and in the process bless the memory of the person they are remembering.
In doing so, you become a companion who demonstrates
Christian love and compassion in the midst of recalling a life lived and a life
lost to death. You can gently proclaim God’s love in the midst of loss. You can
whisper the promise of Christ’s resurrection and the good news it can bring to
the broken hearted.
Bless you this Memorial Day Weekend as you share the
memories of loved ones, and gently encourage others to do the same.
It's the first Thursday of May, which means today is the National Day of Prayer.
Yes, of course, EVERY day is a day of prayer. "Pray without ceasing," says 1 Thessalonians 5:17. And yet in some traditions, a pretty big deal gets made out of today. Unfortunately, too often that "big deal" comes across more as judgment than encouragement or inspiration to pray. But don't let that stop you from praying! - and perhaps praying especially for our leaders (elected and otherwise), for wisdom, for humility, for understanding our place in the world, and in all of creation.
Here's a new "Chuck Knows Church" video from our friends at the United Methodist Church, which will give you some background about the day.
Let us pray.
Holy Trinity, one God, you show us the splendor of diversity and the beauty of unity in your own divine life. Make us, who came from many nations with many languages, a united people that delights in our many different gifts. Defend our liberties, and give those whom we have entrusted with authority the spirit of wisdom, that there might be justice and peace in our land. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our sovereign and our Savior. Amen (ELW p. 77)
It's time! Time to clean out closets, shelves, garages, etc., and to let-go of all those things sitting around collecting dust at your house. The annual Family & Youth Team Rummage Sale is THIS Saturday, May 9th, from 8am-12pm.
The youth are receiving donations now through Friday - please bring your "stuff" and leave it in the social hall. Youth, parents, and other wonderful adults will begin sorting stuff tomorrow evening (5/6) from 6-8pm. They'll sort again on Thursday evening from 6-8pm, and again on Friday, from 6pm until the job is done. If you'd like to help, please just show up!
And THEN, please come back and shop at the sale - this year it looks like there are lots of kids' clothes, and there are always some hidden treasures. Mother's Day is this Sunday - maybe you'll find JUST the thing for a mom in your life!? Rummage Sale proceeds support CtK's ministries with and to youth and their families. This summer we're sending 6 youth and 2 adults to Detroit for the ELCA Youth Gathering. It's going to be great, but it's not an inexpensive proposition... Your support is much appreciated. Thanks for your generosity!
THANK YOU to all the worshipers gathered as Christ the King Lutheran Church this past Sunday. A total of $685.57 was raised to support the work of the ELCA Malaria Campaign - and every last penny helps reach the campaign's goal of $15 million by the end of next January.
As the offering was received, we watched a video about the ELCA Malaria Campaign's work in Burundi. Below, watch about the work being done thanks to your generous support in Malawi. And if you'd like to "stay in the loop" on the Campaign's efforts, check out the ELCA Malaria Campaign blog.
Folks are also asking about how to respond to the devastating earthquake in Nepal last weekend. One hundred percent of gifts to Lutheran Disaster Response, designated for "Nepal Area Earthquake," will be used for relief efforts. The ELCA has well-developed partnerships with Lutheran World Relief, the Lutheran World Federation and the ACT Alliance, already delivering emergency aid. You can give online, or give through CtK, just indicate your gift on your check or offering envelope.
Lutheran Disaster Response is committed to walking with our brothers and sisters in Nepal, as rescue efforts and assessments continue. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has launched an immediate large-scale emergency response with its emergency team in Kathmandu at the LWF offices, which have escaped the worst impact of the quake. The ELCA is the only U.S. member church of the LWF. We are also working with Lutheran World Relief and church partners from ACT Alliance to coordinate the response, which includes the distribution of immediate life-saving supplies such as water, food, shelter and medication to people injured.
Thank you for your prayers and generosity in support of those in need.
Merciful God, hear our cry for mercy in the wake of the earthquake. Reveal your presence in the midst of suffering. Strengthen those who work in search and rescue, recovery and relief efforts. Comfort those who mourn. Inspire generosity in the hearts of those with the capacity to help. And bless us all with the assurance of hope we know in the death and resurrection of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
. Patterson says that
without Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection are meaningless. Ernest Campbell said the Gospel receives its
force in the world from the fact that it was lived. People confuse expressing religious values
with living them. The most recent example
of this is Martin Luther King, Jr. who preached passive resistance as did
Ghandi. We put King on a pedestal and
violence is still the way. The same
could be said for Jesus, revere him, but don’t follow him--that could be
dangerous to our health (mortal, not immortal).
It's time! Time to clean out closets, shelves, garages, etc., and to let-go of all those things sitting around collecting dust at your house. The annual Family & Youth Team Rummage Sale is THIS Saturday, May 9th, from 8am-12pm. 
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