GREETINGS TO THE LIGHT SHINING PEOPLE OF CHRIST THE KING,
On Sunday morning I arrived at church greeted by the fire alarm sounding and no electricity. Suddenly my Sunday morning routine changed. Kevin Edens arrived and we began to figure out where and how we would conduct our 8:30 worship service.
Kevin repositioned the piano to get as much light from our sanctuary windows and we were thankful for the snow that was very reflective. I lit the altar candles and added a couple of more candles to the altar. I pulled out our battery candles that we used for Christmas Eve worship and remembered that many people have phones with lights on them. We were ready for worship.
Richard Tiegs arrived, and we ran through the decisions we had made and then he went on to think about making coffee on the gas stove. We all laughed at our community Epiphany word, LIGHT and God has such a great sense of humor. Through the guiding of this community word, I am wondering and looking again at what God is up to here at CTK. We desire to worship God and we can be nimble with our many resources. God is faithful and we will worship our magnificent and amazing God.
The lights did come back on at 8:26 am and we worshipped without a hitch and only a small portion realizing what had happened for the leaders that morning. Some were disappointed that they would not be able to wave the lights on their phones in concert fashion during the worship service. I have a new appreciation of the miracle of water into wine and how the servants and disciples were in on the behind the scenes workings of that wedding celebration. God’s glory was revealed through Jesus to the disciples that day. I got to see God's faithfulness at work among us and there is a spirit of joy (KEFI) in me that is not of my own creation.
I look at the ballot with empty blanks for the chairs of Youth, Property, and Evangelism Committees and our Christ the King Christian Preschool Board and I think the “lights” have gone out of these leadership positions and alarms are going off for me. In my opinion this is our front line to the livelihood of our community of faith and we need leadership here. I’m a bit frantic like Jesus’ mother, demanding that something be done and handing it over to the Holy Spirit. I know that Yvonne Page, chair of the Nominating Committee has done the same thing and invited you all to be in prayer.
As my Sunday morning routine changed to a crisis management mode, so I realize that if the current ballot goes forward without any additions, the current leadership that is serving will go into a different kind of preparation for ministry here at CTK. We have all gone through a long accumulative period of stress and anxiety which has its effects. So we will be gracious with one another as our word LIGHT leads us, showing us the way and lightening our load as we see Jesus and yoke ourselves to him.
Yvonne has reported that people are busy and tired. When I look through the names so many of you are already here, worshipping and serving. You are a faithful people. You have many skills and are very creative. We will figure this out as we keep looking to God in faith and yoking ourselves to Jesus like a bunch of oxen called to cultivate, shine light in this world and be a bit spicy (salty).
I am very grateful for the treasurers who are stepping forward to fill the positions formerly held by Denise Rohm and Tricia Buchholz and for the full slate of our new Endowment Committee as well as Terry Lindquist serving as President, Deb Heath serving as our Vice President and Matt Nelson serving one more year as secretary. Our Executive Committee will be in full force. I am grateful for Kevin Edens and Colleen Jacobson and all the work they do as well as all the council and committee members that are serving now. I am thankful for you and this community of faith and the work God has called us to do in this community.
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
