Telling Time

Telling Time

by | Mar 30, 2019 | Pastor Tim's Thoughts

Easter this year falls on April 21st, which is almost as late as it can be. The date of Easter was set by the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, and it was tied to the lunar calendar. It was determined that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox (March 21st). That means that the date of Easter Sunday can range anywhere from March 22nd to April 25th. The last time it fell on March 22nd was 1818, and it won’t happen that early again until 2285. The last time it fell on April 25th was 1943, and it won’t happen that late again until 2038.

Cool, huh?

Keeping track of time in the church is important. The seasons and festivals of the church year provides a rhythm for our lives together. And we mark those seasons with special worship services and celebrations in our church. And – maybe this is just me – but I feel all out of whack when I miss marking one of those celebrations. I feel like I’m off balance, or just plain missing out on something.

All of this is to say, during Holy Week we work hard to provide some extra-meaningful worship services that mark some special times in our Lord’s life. Mark these events on your calendars now, and be sure that you come. I promise it will make the Easter celebration that much more meaningful!

April 14th – On Palm Sunday, we ritualize Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. So, be sure you’re at worship at either 8:00am or 10:30am.

April 18th – On Maundy Thursday, we commemorate the institution of the Lord’s Supper and we follow Jesus’ example of humility and service by washing one another’s feet (if you want). Worship will begin at 6:00pm.

April 19th – On Good Friday, we read and remember the passion story in its entirety, and marvel at the length God has gone to show us love, mercy and salvation. Worship will begin at 6:00pm.

April 20th – On Easter Eve, we hear some of the greatest stories of the Old Testament which all testify to God’s consistent action of bringing life out of death; light out of darkness; hope out of despair. We begin this evening with a meaningful and delicious meal at 5:00pm, and the interactive, immersive worship service begins at 6:00pm. Please note that space is limited for this worship service. See Mandy’s article in this newsletter for more information on how to sign up.

April 21st – On the Day of Resurrection (a.k.a. Easter), we celebrate the Lord’s victory over death and the grave. Join me for a short 30-minute SONrise worship service at Greenmount Cemetery at 6:30am. Or come for some celebration services at Christ the King Lutheran Church at 8:00 or 10:30am. Easter Brunch will also be served in the Community Hall this day from 8:30am-10:30am.

I hope you’ll join us for these worship services this year. They’re going to be great.

Peace,

Pastor Tim

Taking the Psalms – and Hunger – Seriously

Taking the Psalms – and Hunger – Seriously

by | Mar 1, 2019 | Pastor Tim's Thoughts

In 1940, Dietrich Bonhoeffer published a book called The Prayerbook of the Bible. It was a short book that described how Christians can and should use the Psalms to direct their prayer life. Importantly, though, he taught that individuals should pray the Psalms communally. The idea, in brief, is that the Psalms are filled with prayers of lament and prayers for healing and prayers for vengeance and prayers of praise (among many other things); but, how do we pray these things if we are not currently experiencing hunger or lament or pain or praise? Should we just skip over those particular Psalms and pray only the Psalms that speak to our current experience? By no means, says Bonhoeffer.

Instead, he offers a perspective on the Psalms which I have found extremely helpful in my own (prayer) life. In regard to Psalms of suffering, he writes “No single human being can pray the psalms of lamentation out of his or her own experience. Spread out before us here is the anguish of the entire Christian community throughout all time.” You see what he did there? He asserts that we pray the Psalms even if they seem not to apply to us in the moment because we know that they apply to someone in the Christian community in that moment.

This I find helpful as I think about the theme of world hunger for the season of Lent this year. I am not a person who experiences chronic hunger. (In fact, I admit that I often experience quite the opposite!) But by praying the Psalms, I can lift up my prayers on behalf of those who are experiencing hunger or need – and the Psalms, indeed, have a lot to offer in that regard. So, in addition to a monetary collection for ELCA World Hunger that we are offering this year (more on that in the Social Ministry article this month), I am also going to be adding daily prayer of Psalms to my routine for the season of Lent. I invite you to join me in this discipline as well.

“Let my prayer rise up as incense before you, O Lord. The lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.”

Peace,

Pastor Tim

Traditions

Traditions

by | Feb 1, 2019 | Pastor Tim's Thoughts

Our Thursday Bible Studies for the past several months have taken us on a tour of a series of books and documents called “The Apocrypha.” Some of these texts are still well-known and recognized by some Christian churches today, especially some that are included in the Roman Catholic Old Testament. Many apocryphal texts – especially those written after the time of Jesus, for instance – are not included in any Christian Bibles. Nonetheless, it has been interesting to learn about how many traditions of faith stem from these apocryphal texts. The festival of Hanukkah, which comes from the books of the Maccabees, for instance. Or the tradition that St. Peter was crucified upside-down. Or really any stories about Joseph at all. These traditions and many more come through these obscure texts that many – if not most – of us have never read.

 

Traditions hold an important place in our faith lives, however. They provide a rhythm to our year, and a way to remember important figures in history. Reformation Sunday, or All Saints’ Sunday, or even my own Dr. Seuss Sunday (coming March 3rd!) are examples of these traditions that we hold dear.

 

In mid-February, we come across another traditional event: St. Valentine’s Day. Interestingly, however, the person for whom this event is celebrated has little to nothing to do with the lovey-dovey atmosphere the day now requires. In fact, it seems that St. Valentine (actually, there were several St. Valentine’s) was martyred for his faith in the late third century – hardly a romantic story! But instead of remembering this saint’s life on this day, February 14th became a day that was recognized in medieval England and France as the day(ish) when birds would find a mate. Chaucer even wrote poetry about it, linking it to “Seynt Valentyne’s Day.” And thus it was that this day’s origins were forgotten, replaced by a more pleasant tale. And the tradition has continued ever since.

 

I’m not really advocating for reviving the original macabre atmosphere of St. Valentine’s Day, but I do hope that this tale might encourage you to look into other traditions that you celebrate. How did they start? What did they mean when they began? What about now? Has anything changed? I hope this can be a fun exercise for you to do… perhaps even over a candlelight dinner with a close friend on February 14th!

 

Peace,

Pastor Tim

January 2019 Bible Studies

January 2019 Bible Studies

by | Jan 8, 2019 | Bible Studies

Circle of Contemplative Prayer

The Circle of Contemplative Prayer meets on Mondays from 5:30-7:15pm in the Chapel. We are currently studying through “personal reflections.” For more information, contact Sharyn Butler.

Great Ol’ Broads of God (GoBoGs)

GoBoGs invites you to join them in study and fellowship. They meet at CtK in the classrooms W6/W7 each Monday from 4:00-5:30 pm. (The first Monday ofeach month is dedicated to Share The Care, GoBoGs’ outreach mission.) They are currently studying “An Altar in the World” by Barbara Brown Taylor. Please join them for study sessions that are deeply rewarding. For more information, contact Lynda Morris.

Midweek Bible Study led by Pastor Tim

The class meets each Thursday from 12:00 noon—1:00 pm. Bring your lunch and join us for engaging discussion on a variety of topics. Currently, the group is in a course called “The Apocrypha.” For more information, call the church office at 247-5310.

Khuvara (“Circle of Friends”)

The Khuvara Women’s Group are currently reading the book “Love Wins” by Rob Bell. All women are welcome, and we gladly invite new members to join us. We meet each Thursday at 1:30 pm in the CtK Library. For more information, contact Stella Welcher.

Spiritual Study Group (SSG)

Currently the Spiritual Study Group is reading and discussing “The Jesus I Never Knew” by Phillip Yancy. Please join us for lively, enriching discussions! The Spiritual Study Group meets weekly on Thursdays at 3:00 pm in room W3, the Bridal Room. For more information, contact Aurora Rose .

Sixth Annual Festival of Light Coming January 9th!

Sixth Annual Festival of Light Coming January 9th!

by | Jan 7, 2019 | Pastor Tim's Thoughts

The Sixth Annual Festival of Light comes to Christ the King Lutheran Church on Wednesday, January 9that 6:00pm. A simple soup supper will be available starting at 5:00pm in the Community Hall. Please invite your friends and family to join you for this beautiful, inspiring worship service to celebrate the Epiphany of Our Lord. This service highlights all of our musicians at CtK, including Joyful Noise, our Chancel Choir, and other special arrangements. It also theatrically demonstrates the growing light that has come into our world in the person of Jesus. If you’ve never attended a Festival of Light worship service before, don’t miss out on this one!

 

This year’s theme is “The Gifts We Bring.” After swimming in the cultural Christmas milieu for months where the focus is on finding the perfect thing for that special someone, it seems appropriate to think about the gifts that we already are, and how we use our lives as gifts of gratitude for all God has done for us. We hope that you will leave the worship service this year energized and empowered to go into the world and spread the good news of Jesus’ birth using whatever gifts you have been given.

 

I hope to see you there!

Pastor Tim