by Pastor Tim | Nov 29, 2018 | Pastor Tim's Thoughts
Eric Nedergaard, our treasurer, would be the first to tell you that Christ the King Lutheran Church has done a good job reducing expenses in 2018 without a loss in effectiveness of our ministry. I owe a lot of thanks to several people who have helped us to identify ways to be more efficient in our use of technology, volunteers and existing resources. As we look to the future, there are still more ways in which we can envision more efficient, effective ways of doing things.
Over the past couple of years, we have investigated ways of reducing the amount of paper that we consume. The office staff have done a good job at utilizing the technology already at our disposal to reduce the amount of paper we use. Still, the biggest culprit of paper consumption continues to be our weekly bulletins. I have long been a supporter of printing the entirety of the liturgy in the bulletin, including songs and Bible readings. This is a simple way to show hospitality to our visitors who may not be familiar with Lutheran liturgy or songs. It eliminates the need to flip back and forth around the hymnal to find the right words or songs. And a full paper bulletin provides a resource that people can bring home for devotional study.
However, this convenience does come at a cost. We print about 85 bulletins each week; each bulletin using an average of 6 sheets of legal-size paper. We print these on our office copier – which is an absolutely marvelous and efficient machine – but we are charged a small amount for every page we print on it. Furthermore, the staples we use to bind the bulletins last a long time, but when they run out (a few times a year) they are expensive to replace. Surely, then, this an area where we can find ways to reduce expense without a loss to the effectiveness of our ministry, right?
One solution which we are looking to complete sometime in the next few years is to install high-quality televisions in our sanctuary, where the liturgy can be displayed in its entirety using only technology. But this solution is not something we are looking to do imminently. In the meantime, we are going to try transitioning back to using our hymnals for our worship life together, and referring people to pages in the pew Bibles for the readings. We will still have a paper bulletin with a printed Order of Worship; lyrics to songs not found in our hymnals; special prayers; and announcements. Even still, this will greatly reduce the amount of paper we use each week. It’ll take a little getting-used-to, but I’m sure we’ll find our stride with it soon.
You can look forward to this new bulletin format to begin on December 23rd. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Peace,
Pastor Tim
by Social Ministry Team | Nov 28, 2018 | Social Ministry
CONNECT WITH THE ELCA & THE SYNOD
Over the summer, several members asked the Social Ministry Committee about topics of interest in our community and country. It appears that our members may not know about ways to get infor- mation about the ELCA, and the Rocky Mountain Synod (RMS). Members no longer receive the Living Lutheran magazine (which followed The Lutheran magazine). The RMS also sends a weekly e-mail to anyone signing up for this information. It’s a great way toknow what our bishop and staff are doing and how other churches are serving.
So if you feel disconnected or want to know more about how the ELCA is serving in the country and the world, we are suggesting some options:
1. You may sign up for the RMS e-mail by going to this link:www.rmselca.org, and scroll to the bottom to subscribe to the e-mail newsletter.
2. If you are interested in receiving the Living Lutheran mag- azine, you have two options: it is free online at:www.livinglutheran.org Or, you can purchase a subscription for $8.95 to $11.75/year, depending on how many subscrip- tions from CtK we would order.
The church must make this payment to get a bulk rate. So if you want to subscribe to the hard-copy magazine, please let Jigger Staby know you are interested. Then we’ll see what the rate will bebased on the number of responses. Please respond by 11/20.
We hope this will help us connect within the Synod and the ELCA and help you to be informed about important matters of our faith community.
by Mandy Gardner | Nov 28, 2018 | Faith Formation
CtK’s LIVE NATIVITY is BACK!
This year it will be held on December 9th at 10:30am. We need people of all ages to be carolers and shepherds and angels and animals (including family dogs to dress up like cows and camels and such) and Mary & Joseph and Wise Men and we need YOU!
We’ve done this enough that we really don’t need rehearsal time – just show up at 9:15am on 12/9 to get your part and costume. Sign up on the bulletin board in the Welcome Center so we know how manyhuman and dog actors we can expect. We also need extra treats for fellowship that day, so there’s a sign upsheet for that as well.
Also, if you have real cows and camels and such, let Mandy know ASAP (Christian.ed@ctkdurango.org) and we can figure out how to have them here, too.
by Pastor Tim | Nov 27, 2018 | Pastor Tim's Thoughts
In 2016, we began a ministry partnership with the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM). As mission partners, we keep this mission and its minis- tries in our prayers – just as they pray for us. We strive to visit and assist with ministry projects at least once a year. And we seek ways to support them fi- nancially or with donations when possible.
One of the biggest ministries of NELM is the Christmas Quilt Giveaway which happens after theirschool’s Christmas Program. This year, that event will be held on December 13th. This ministry is vital to the health and well-being of the people NELM particularly as winter approaches and tem- peratures plummet. Many homes are not insulated, and – even if they are – many homes are over- crowded with several generations of families. Therefore, children sometimes sleep outside, even in the winter. So, quilts and blankets are not only a nice thing to have – they are a necessity.
NELM also has a clinic as part of their mission to their community. The closest health services are 50 miles away in Chinle, Arizona. So, even in the case of an emergency, it can take up to 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. The clinic at NELM is currently a place to go to seek simple first aid; although they hope to develop this into a permanent clinic where people can find more ro- bust medical treatment. For now, donations of first aid items (bandages; anti-bacterial creams; gauze; etc.) are always welcome.
So, beginning on Sunday, November 11th (the same day as our Semi-Annual Congregational meet- ing, by the way), we will have a box in the Welcome Center for donations of quilts, blankets, and first-aid items which we will deliver to NELM for the Quilt Giveaway. The last day to bring items to CtK will be Sunday, November 25th.
If you have any questions, or if you’re interested in helping NELM beyond quilts and first aid kits, please see me. I’d be happy to share more information with you.
Peace, Pastor Tim
