It's been a couple weeks since we've blogged, but I just wanted to stop by to say: Thanks for continuing to be the church even when we can't be AT church!

As pastors, I think we get to see a birds-eye view of all the ways YOU have been active as a church, so...I figured I'd list all the ways that God is working through you to continue to BE the church even when we're not physically gathered together.

Siblings., God's love is coming to life at CtK...

1. Through your comments, greetings, and interactions during online worship and Joy's musical meditations
2. Through the volunteers who have committed to calling members who live alone or don't have internet access to check in 
3. Through the online gatherings of our young people grades 4-12 at their weekly online meet-ups
4. Through your emails you have sent checking in on your pastors and offers to help with things we might need from a distance
5. Through the ministry teams that have continued to gather online to plan the important ministries of our church that will resume once we are able to gather again
6. Through the conversation and faithful devotion to scripture that we see and experience during Tuesday Bible Study.

I'm certain that if I had more time, I could come up  with so many other ways, but honestly, perhaps this week I'll leave that to you! As you read this blog, feel free to comment on all the ways YOU are seeing God's love coming to life in your world!

Peace be the journey,
​Pastor Dara

Welcome to another week of the CtK blog where we share stories of how God's love is coming to life at CtK!

This week, I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Jameson.

Jameson is a lovable, inquisitive, expressive, and curious toddler, who LOVES coming to church. Just like most adults, Jameson has his church routine. Here's a little bit of what it looks like:

1. Arrival at church-- This involves running through the doors with big eyes and hands waving ready to greet his pastors, but before he makes it to them, he looks around to see all the people, then veers off to greet or see someone else from his church family.
   
   
2. Assumes usual spot -- Jameson sits in the Prayground. Just like most adults in our congregation, he's got a favorite spot. The Prayground is his place he shares with his friends and his family, and it's the space in worship where he can see whats going on. In that space, he is free to roam, explore, and learn.
   
   
3. Practice songs- The short sign in the Prayground has become Jameson's music stand. After weeks of watching Heather and our talented song leaders, Jameson realized that he too has a beautiful singing voice, and takes the opportunity before worship to warm up along with them. To do this, he stands in front of his music stand and sings...sometimes quite loudly, and always with lots of passion and praise for God. He also sings in front of his music stand at various other times during worship. 
   
   
4. Greet the congregation- There's a stack of carpet squares near the small table of the Prayground that we sometimes use in worship. When they're not being used though, they serve as Jameson's steps to lead worship from. Sometimes he dances on them, other times he sweeps up his arms to instruct the congregation to stand before he yells, "GOOD MORNING!" to them...multiple times...no matter what time of day. :) From this place, Jameson can see his church family and watch what they are doing as he learns about worship. 
   
   
5. Liturgical dance- At some point during the worship service, Jameson offers up a spirited liturgical dance because he is so moved by the music. 
   
   
6. Remember baptism- Using the child-sized baptismal font in the Prayground, Jameson will take a moment to remember his baptism and to remind others of theirs. He will excitedly run up to the font, dip his finger into the bowl, then mark a cross on his forehead. After doing this to himself once, or twice, or 5 times, he'll then dip his finger into the bowl and approach his family to mark crosses on their foreheads, and remind them that they too are beloved children of God.
   
   
7. Share the peace- Along with everyone else in the congregation, Jameson walks around the Prayground with his hand extended to share peace with his siblings in Christ. 
   
   
8. "Dip Dip"- Jameson doesn't yet receive communion, but he understands that it's something special and it's something we all do together. So when the time for communion comes, Jameson takes the toy communion wafers that are in the Prayground and he brings them up to pretend he gets to "dip dip" into the grape juice so he too can be part of the meal. 

We give SO MUCH THANKS for Jameson and the ministry he offers all of us in the congregation. Through him, God's love is most certainly coming to life and reminding us all of the sense of wonder, awe, joy, laughter, and celebration that comes along with being a child of God. God is working through him to show us what it is to worship fully, to try new things, and to just be ourselves--singing loudly, dancing freely, and remembering that we are God's beloved children.

Peace be the journey,
​Pastor Dara

The activities and preparations of getting ready for our Lenten themed Wilderness has been quite abuzz lately.  For me, to be ready for the Ash Wednesday sermon, I needed a two-hour window of time of not being distracted.  I ended up at Seth’s Coffee Tuesday morning, to relax and focus.  As I worked through my sermon the activity at Seth’s was the usual.  Customers in, customers out.  Handshakes and hugs, well wishes and laughter.  But there was one table next to the window, where the sunlight was streaming through, that caught my attention.  One winter coat draped on the mother’s legs and the other coat piled on a chair of the 7ish year old boy standing alongside the table.  I could hear the shake, shake, shake of dice, and then the roll of the dice onto a table. I marveled at their controlled interactive play and their sharing excitement for one another as they rolled their dice.  Then the son with great excitement yelled, “Yahtzee!”  God’s love was alive at this playful table!
 
Last night I certainly could see God’s love coming to life with amazing food, fellowship, and worship.  Our rooms and renovated spaces were filled up!  The sanctuary was full!  We ran out of bulletins and we had so many confirmation students present that we needed to make more copies of the worship notes.  The prayground was active with some of our youngest coloring, rushing the front of church, dancing, and playing together too!  The fellowship hall and gathering space was bursting with conversations and people welcoming one another as families united at mealtime.  The kitchen was busy with our 9th grade students serving soup, washing dishes, and busing tables.  We come together on these Wednesday evenings to name our “Wilderness” journeys in life.  We explore God’s presence in a relational, experiential, playful, and glad-hearted gusto.  Helping and caring for one another in our deepest needs.
 
Last year’s Lenten theme was playful around Disney & Pixar movies.  This year we will be playful about life’s wilderness journey.  In worship last night (and at 11 am too) we received the sustaining spiritual meal of Jesus’ body and blood in Holy Communion.  We also remember God’s promise of eternal life when the ashen sign of the cross was marked on our foreheads.  Ashes are used to remind us of the reality that none of us gets out of this life without returning to the dust.  Let us daily take on the Lenten discipline of devoting some time dwelling in scripture, the word of the week, the devotional booklet, meditating, and praying.  It is important to play with one another like a mother and her child or the coming together that Lent has to offer.  The reality of the world and local news can be sobering especially when we hear about the Coronavirus, shooting deaths at Molson Coors Brewery in Milwaukee, to the recent murder of two children in Kaukauna.  Let’s play a bit more with one another.  Let’s fellowship with one another and ask important questions.  Let’s share the depth of spiritual presence God has and desires of us and we’ll see the love of God come to life at Christ the King and in the world.
 
God’s Lenten Blessings & Peace,
Pastor Nate
 
P.S. in case you missed the Ash Wednesday sermon question from Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 here they are:

1. Where is the physical or metaphorical wilderness for you?
2. What does the scripture teach about the wilderness?
3. How does the wilderness shape those who journey through it?
4. Where is God in the Wilderness?

What a joy to welcome back former pastor and associate with the bishop Doug Bisbee to Christ the King Wednesday night.  Although in a different capacity, as a certified counselor at Samaritan Counseling, he shared about the importance of mental health with our confirmation students, their families and our community.  Our mental health is very important.  1 in 4 people are affected with issues attributed to mental health.  Whether it is trauma we experience or something we cannot control, seeking help is normal and helpful.  The example shared was, if you break a bone, who do you go to?  You would go to a doctor for help.  If you or someone you know is having difficulty with mental health, you help them find a certified counselor.
Mental health can be a pretty serious subject, but in typical Doug style he broke down large concepts so that we could understand.  All people have their ups and downs.  Doug helped us to understand and even laugh!  God has put us here to help one another.  On Wednesday night we saw God’s love’s evident through the presentation and in our youth, who asked some pretty insightful questions about how to deal with life and even situations around suicide.
Important lessons learned is that God is with us no matter what.  God provides other people in our midst to help us.  Doug also taught us the 4x4x4 method for breathing.  Breath in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and exhale for 4 seconds.  Repeat this 4-7 times and you should feel a calmness come over you.  Exercise such as walking, lifting weights, hitting a punching bag also help us to release tension and stress by readying us for our daily challenges.  Talking with trusted people and seeking certified counselors are always good to help us gain perspective when we don’t have answers.
God’s love came to life and filled the room in our time together.  I thank God for people like Doug and the many people at Samaritan Counseling who can walk with people to help them find their way.  If you are having challenges in your life or need someone to listen.  Pastor Dara and I are here for you and we can help guide and direct you to people in our community who can help.  May you see God’s love come to life in your day.
God’s blessings and peace,
Pastor Nate