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Christ the
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October 28, 2008 Dear Members & Friends of Christ the King: Every time I sit down to this keyboard to write a newsletter I find myself simultaneously dealing with enthusiasm & energy AND frustration & sadness. I am deeply aware that there are some who don’t even open the envelope, some who may read a line or two but who have long since decided CtK just isn’t that important to their life so they ignore the rest, and some (hopefully that’s YOU) who really care about this church, value its ministry, and want it to continue and succeed. Unfortunately, sometimes it feels like there are all too few of that last group, but I am nothing if not an optimist and a believer that there are always options & alternative ways to do things that help people find, value and develop their spiritual self. Christ the King Church exists, in my mind at least, for one simple purpose, to allow as many people as possible to discover, learn about, and develop an appreciation of GOD’S presence in their lives…the many ways He shows His love for them…and the opportunities there are for them to RESPOND to God’s love. In a world so full of painful complications, divisions, & angry, even hate-filled, people, where there is so much fear and ,insecurity about the present (and of course the future) this purpose has never been more important or more needed. Those of you who have been in church in recent weeks know that I have been consistently touching on this need, and trying to make it as clear as I can that those who know in their deepest heart that they are in the hands of a loving God CANNOT join in this mood and attitude of division & distress but MUST be shining examples of faith, hope & love to those around them. I am desperately trying to find the words, programs, or actions I can offer that will guarantee that you & many others will “get” that message, understand and respond to it, and thus be energized & encouraged to BUILD this congregation. On our way to Palmdale last Sunday we were listening to a Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD filled with wonderful hymns. One of them struck me deeply so I played it over & over…I even mentioned it in my sermon….the words & music have stuck in my mind and I have been humming it now for going on 3 days. “Come, Come Ye Saints” is a hymn of faith & hope for a time of struggle & difficulty. It has words that more directly speak to the pioneers doggedly facing the enemies & obstacles of the journey west, but it really deals with the personal feelings of fear, failure, and depression that were common to those making the journey just as they are so very, very, common in our society today. The closing words of each stanza are “All is well! All is well!” as the lyrics sing of God’s faithfulness, love and power to save those who respond to Him and truly pray that HIS WILL be done ‘on earth as it is in heaven.” I am putting the words for “Come, Come Ye Saints” on the back of this page; no matter where you are in life’s journey, no matter how secure or Insecure you may feel at times, no matter how the election or the economy plays out or how much hatred, fear & anger may be around you, I hope you will read these words over & over…. and be comforted! Speaking to matters of the schedule and business of our church, I can only HOPE that you have decided to read this second page of my letter. There are several upcoming matters I reallllllly want you to know about and respond to: This coming Sunday, November 2nd, is the day we will be observing ALL SAINTS DAY and thus will be having a special time of prayer and thanksgiving included in the service that recognizes the wonderful people, now passed on, who have made significant contributions to our life. “All Hallows Eve” or Hallowe’en is always an introduction to this important celebration in the Christian Church when we thank God for those on whose shoulders we stand in so many areas of our life. If you can give me a list of 5 or 6 names you would like mentioned, before the service, I will include them in the special intercessions. With the coming of the month of November our thoughts automatically jump to ‘the Holidays’ …the first of which is THANKSGIVING. Now, if GOD isn’t included in your observance of Thanksgiving, I can’t imagine who in the world you are thanking so we are, once again, going to encourage your participation in a worship time that Wednesday evening. We will be joining with our wonderful Lutheran hosts at St. Stephen’s and with people from the Antelope Valley Parish (of which we are charter members) for a time of hymns, scripture, inspiration, & communion, all of which are aimed at expressing our gratitude to God for so much! The 9th of November will see us, for the first time in several months, actually celebrating our “2nd Sunday Social Time” on the 2nd Sunday of the month! Please plan to be at worship with us that day and bring some food to share at the ‘brunch’ after the service. For some reason, attendance has been pretty sparse in recent weeks and we MUST try to recover the sense of ‘family’ and mutual caring & sharing for which CtK has been famous for such a long time. It means a LOT to the very future of this church for our people to clearly be loving, praying, & helping each other in any and every way possible…but we have to KNOW each other well before that can happen. Plan to be at church for this “2nd Sunday!” We need you & want you here! Last week, our wonderful church Treasurer, Liz Tellez, formally notified me of her resignation as Treasurer of CtK. Liz is a terrific lady who has been unbelievably dependable & thorough in dealing with the finances of CtK. We can never thank her enough. She is moving to Reseda to start a new phase of her life now that her two daughters are away from home at college. SHE is excited and very happy (and WE are, for her), but it presents us with the necessity of finding someone capable, dependable, and constant who will take on that job. It is a VERY important matter, literally affecting the FUTURE of CtK, for us to have someone volunteer to keep track of accounts, write checks, pay bills, and generally cover the financial side of the life of our church. It does not take that much TIME, but it is an incredibly important job that actually touches the life of every single member of Christ the King. I will be looking & hoping to hear from someone. Remember….We are trying to make “Sunday School” or Christian Education a part of everyone’s Sunday now. We want children (of any age) here at 9:15 so those who volunteered to teach can run a regular class & follow a program. Adults can come for coffee & conversation about current events with me (Or I have prepared a serious Bible study if they prefer) for 15-20 minutes. We start the service at 9:40 (promptly) & the kids rejoin us for Communion after the sermon. PLEASE make worship & church an “every Sunday thing” for you and your family. We need you...it’s good for CtK...& I guarantee it’ll be good for YOU ! Fr. Seipel
July 31, 2008 Dear Members & friends of Christ the King: I am writing this to you at the very end of July…but I intend it to be our AUGUST Newsletter since it will deal with things that are coming up in the next 4 or 5 weeks. I have put several notices in the Sunday bulletins related to the S L O W weeks of July & August we experience in the church, attendance wise, and how much we appreciate those wonderful people who make it a POINT to get to worship on those summer Sundays. I am hoping that your getting this newsletter will provide a real stimulus for YOU to make an effort to be one of those people. I have been doing a lot of reading and thinking about AWARENESS and CONSCIOUSNESS in people over recent weeks, born, at least in part, out of my own frustration and amazement as I watch and read about the incredible things our neighbors and fellow citizens are doing (and NOT doing) these days. No matter whether it is their driving on the highways, caring for their children, expressing their thoughts about (or ignoring) news about the ecological & economic realities of our state or our country, their choice of television programs, or their behavior & values, there just seems to me to be an astounding number of people who evidently haven't got & don't want a CLUE!! I am always conscious of that old adage that “If they knew better, they'd DO better, but even that does not comfort or calm me as I see or read about the waste, the foolish spending, the insensitivity & readiness to judge (OR accuse) others, and the refusal to read the handwriting on the wall of so many people in our society. Our country suffers, our society suffers, our children suffer, our economy suffers, and, eventually each of US suffers because of the apparent ignorance, inattentiveness, & lack of awareness & concern of the people around us! It's a shame, and thinking, caring, Christian people like you are the ones we all count on to make it different than it is. There are a whole bunch of things in this life I am unsure about, but one of the things I am absolutely POSITIVE of is that God speaks, reveals, provides, & has plans….and that it is nearly impossible for a real CHRISTIAN to not be listening, looking, and wanting to learn what GOD is revealing….what He is asking of or telling us. You need not be one of those who agonize or have to DO something about the issues, but you HAVE to be aware of what they are! NOT thinking of the feelings or abilities of others, NOT being responsible about your own health or eating or finances, NOT knowing or caring about the condition of our planet, or about the water shortage, or about the number of starving & suffering children & adults in the world, NOT taking care of your body or your mind or that of your children or loved ones, NOT listening & learning as new information in medicine or nutrition, or economics, or ecology, or international political divisions & problems is revealed….ALL OF THESE are just as surely the cause of sins of OMISSION as temptations are for sins of COMMISSION!! Wanting & working to stay aware, reading & listening to become aware, and trying to make things better are all ways that we tell God thank you for the life He has given us, the people we love & who love us, and the world He created so magnificently! We don't have to give our lives over to anxiety or enslave ourselves to causes and actions, but we do have to pay attention and do our best to make things better at least in our life and the lives of those around us, and MAYBE others, in some special way, on a much larger scale. We have to be thinking, caring, and paying attention! Sunday church worship and receiving the sacrament are ways we open ourselves to God's orders for our life in the coming week; they are ways to express our thanks for God's grace & blessings, and they are opportunities for us to get new information and food for thought that can help us be a better person…a better Christian. I really want YOU to worship with us each Sunday! I really want you to pray & listen & receive the Sacrament. I really want you to be thankful to God!! I really want YOU to be one of those thinking, caring people! (I'm sorry if it seems I got carried away with all that …I really am…but I've just been reading again the story of the little baby that was left to die in a closed up car in front of the family home, and the police dog that died in a locked up police car….BOTH because those responsible just didn't realize!! and I'm sorry, but I simply cannot conceive of that being true!!) ON A MUCH BRIGHTER NOTE****** by the time you read this I will be in Hawaii!! I missed LAST Sunday, the 27th because of my ongoing commitment to the congregation in Glendora; I am missing this Sunday, August 2, because of our family vacation, and I may miss next Sunday, the 10th, because I'm supposedly getting back at 5:30 a.m. that morning & if things run late, I may not be able to get to church by 9:30 (I'm going to try in every way I can to be there, but who's to say for sure anything about the way airlines work these days!!) We are so very fortunate to have our wonderful Bp. Connie available to cover our service the days I have to be gone. He tells me he will have his terrific grandchildren there to do the music for the service; I hope he & they will have a good size congregation there to appreciate all their efforts! *****BECAUSE I MAY MISS THE 2nd SUNDAY**** Aug. 10 would normally be out Social Time for the pot luck brunch after the service, but I really want to MOVE things to the 17th, the 3rd Sunday, when I know I will be back. We really enjoy those times and I do NOT want to miss the chance to hear about YOUR summer activities and tell you about ours. So PLEASE plan to bring food for sharing to church with you on the 17th and plan to stay till about noon so we can have a relaxed, brunch & visit with one another. 2nd Sunday will be 2nd Sunday in Sept. but for Aug. it's the 17th!! Our music machine is working very well providing us with a marvelous organ & piano background for all our hymns. Jack Knowlton set up a super case for transporting it, Tom White & Jack did all the wiring and have the system all set up, now if the PRIEST can just do his part and learn to operate the thing to maximize its utility we'll be going great guns!! I keep working at it, and I promise it's only a matter of 2 or 3 weeks till I'll have that thing fully & dependably operational!! PLEASE make sure you get to worship so you can enjoy the great music….and compliment me when I finally get it all working properly!!! (I need all the encouragement I can get!!) There are several more things I want to be certain you are aware of….which I HOPE will impress you such that they will encourage your full and regular participation at CtK. We now have 4 women who have each volunteered to teach a Sunday school class one Sunday a month…under the direction of Bp. Connie. We are gathering some materials and want to maybe get a practice session in between now and the middle of Sept. The time for this is still under consideration, but it looks MOST LIKELY that we will start about 9:15....(Yes, a few minutes before the worship service is supposed to start…) and then will bring them all into the service after the sermon is finished. This should allow about 30-35 minutes, minimum, each week and still keep the children & teacher available to receive Communion. How can YOU help us with this??! Several weeks ago…I think during 2nd Sunday chit chat…it was suggested that we might make a fun field trip to a JETHAWKS game. I have finally obtained a copy of their schedule…They are playing on Saturday, Aug.23 at 7:00 and on Sunday, Aug.24 at 5:00 pm, I need us to pick one of those dates to go. If we can get 25 people going…and THAT would be SOOOOO much fun!!!..we can get tickets for $7.50 or $8….which seems pretty reasonable. Obvious problem is that I am going to be gone during this coming week and not back till the 10th…so I need to be SURE that E V E R Y O N E leaves a note or speaks to someone at church THIS SUNDAY…as to which is best for you…or if you could go to either. Both work for Liz & me, but the Saturday game is best in some ways. I am very very serious about wanting to DO this,, and I hope you will make a BIG effort to be certain to leave a note at church for me telling me of your best date & desire to join us!! I have run out of space…..so you will have to come to church to hear about all the other things I was going to say here. You KNOW, I'm sure, that I certainly am thinking about CtK on the Sundays I'm away, and that I genuinely MISS our time to worship together. Please be at church every Sunday you can make it, and know that WE miss YOU if you're not with us for worship!! I pray you are each and every one paying attention to those around you, and that you are constantly thankful for all of God's blessings & Grace in your life!! I'll see you in CHURCH!! ALOHA & BLESSINGS!!!!!
April 2008
Dear Members & friends of Christ the King:
I spoke this morning about the Collect for the Day & the
ACTS and 1 PETER readings from scripture. Paul tells the
Greeks that he can see that they are ‘extremely
religious’ and mentions that, over and above all the
altars they have to all the various gods they worship,
he sees that they even have one
This week marks the LAST week of the season of EASTER.
Thursday, May 1st, is ASCENSION DAY, and next
Sunday, The Sunday After the Ascension, is the last day
of focusing on the journey of Jesus we started talking
about way back on Ash Wednesday in early February. There
are deep theological truths and principles that come
into play at this important time of year, and we will
talk about them next week. The following Sunday, May 11th,
is Mother’s Day….and The Feast of Pentecost….and
the 2nd Sunday of the month. Mother’s
day…well that speaks for itself…NOT a day to forget or
ignore. PENTECOST…the ‘birthday’ of the Church….the day
of the Holy Spirit…that is an important day (Do
you recall that it was just 1 year ago, on Pentecost
Sunday, that we had our big service of Baptism and
Confirmation with Bishop Carranza!!??) 2nd
Sunday…our time for the pot-luck brunch social
time…well, we can MOVE that…and we will…to May 18th.
That will be our time for some good food and visiting.
Just between us, I think there will be a lot to
talk about by then. So be sure to PLAN to be with us May
11th AND May 18th !!! Since my spring trip to Baltimore is now over, I plan to be out each Wednesday for lunch and to do whatever I can to make CtK a better church, the church YOU want it to be. We are continuing to participate in the “Antelope Valley Parish” with the 4 Lutheran churches, and you will be hearing more about that in the future. We have our new sign. We continue to look for 4 individuals or couples who will each cover a Sunday so that we can offer Christian Education to the young people who might come regularly if there was something special for them. Bp. Connie & Esther are in the Philippines for the next couple weeks, but he’ll be wanting to work on that when they get back. We’re very probably going to have our new ‘music machine.’ Craig Fulladosa has all but completed our new web page for the Internet (THANKS Craig!). Our organ is working perfectly and is much appreciated in its new temporary home at St. Columba’s in Big Bear….and, Wow, am I just crazy, or aren’t there just a LOT of things for us to be happy and hopeful about in this tiny congregation!!??? Come on folks!!! Get with it and let’s make it a LOT harder for people to think about NOT coming to church on a Sunday!!! You have my continuing and sincere wish for all God’s blessings in your life, my constant desire to do whatever a priest can do to support and add to your personal faithfulness, and my continuing hope that Christ the King can have, deserve, and grow with your participation & support!! Father
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