Together Magazine from CTK Cary

A SEASONAL MAGAZINE OF CHRIST THE KING LUTHERAN CHURCH

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021 “At CTK, ‘All are Welcome’ isn’t just a slogan” PAGE 3 Taking GREEN Steps Forward PAGE 8 Pentecost Celebration PAGE 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 5 6 7 8 10 11 12

“At CTK, ‘All are Welcome’ isn’t just a slogan” Paying It Forward: PPP Funds Funds for Success Funding Future Church Leaders Taking GREEN Steps Forward Lag Time Pentecost Celebration CTK Members at Work International Travel Opportunity

On the cover: Member Anna Palmer created beautiful chalk art to express CTK’s motto at the Easter Saturday Revival, April 3, 2021. Jacob Lohnes and Krista Grimsrud wanted to promote Anna’s great artwork.

About TOGETHER Magazine

The name of TOGETHER magazine is inspired both by Jesus’ prayer for unity of believers, recorded in John 17, as well as Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together. Bonhoeffer’s book is an “inspiring account of a unique fellowship in an underground seminary during the Nazi years in Germany. It reads like one of Paul’s letters giving practical advice on how life together in Christ can be sustained in families and groups. The role of personal prayer, worship in common, everyday work, and Christian service is treated in simple, almost biblical words,” (from the book cover).

As you read TOGETHER magazine each season, it is our hope you will see examples of Christ’s love shared through our community as we seek to learn, live, and tell the story of God’s grace together.

2

TOGETHER - SUMMER 2021

TOGETHER Together is a seasonal magazine published by Christ the King Lutheran Church of Cary for members, attenders, and friends. Together is copyright protected and its content cannot be published without written permission.

Christ the King Lutheran Church 600 Walnut Street P.O. Box 164 Cary NC 27512 919-467-8989 Summer Office Hours begin Monday, June 14 Monday-Thursday, 9am - 5pm Closed Fridays Pastors Rev. Dr. Wolfgang Herz-Lane Senior Pastor Rev. Daniel Pugh

Associate Pastor Rev. Athena Thomasson-Bless Associate Pastor Online and In-Person Weekly Schedule Sunday Worship, 8:30 and 11am Friday prayer, 11:15am See ctkcary.com/calendar for details Visit us online CTKcary.com To contact the editor, write to: communications@ctkcary.com.

Submissions are welcome and may be published based on editor’s discretion and available space.

An Interview with Communications Specialist Michael Eley, Jr. Michael joined CTK’s staff as the first, full-time Communications Specialist on March 1 of this year.

In this interview with TOGETHER Magazine, he talks about his first three months on the job, his experiences as a Black person working in a mostly White congregation, and his vision for the future—both CTK’s and his own.

“At CTK, ‘All are Welcome’ isn’t just a slogan.”

Q: So Michael, after three months on the job, how are you doing?

Michael: I’m really, really loving it. I was a bit apprehensive in the beginning and thought the context is so different, but church is church, and I find it liberating.

To me, it’s not just a job, it’s ministry.

Q: Did your initial apprehension have to do with the fact that you are an African-American, just one of two Black people on the CTK staff serving in a mostly white congregation?

Michael: Well, I don’t feel like the token Black person. What I appreciate at Christ the King is the intentionality of wanting to be welcoming and wanting to work for social justice. “All are welcome, no exceptions” isn’t just a slogan but really the embodiment of who we are and who we want to be as disciples of Jesus Christ.

I was surprised to see when I came that the church was giving away $81,000 to charitable causes, including Black entrepreneurs who had suffered especially under COVID-19. It’s clear that we put our money where our mouth is.

Q: Maybe your apprehension had to do with the fact that you are not a Lutheran, and until recently didn’t know much about the Lutheran Church?

Michael: Actually, it’s been eye opening.

As a seminarian, I appreciate that the Lutheran Church takes me back to the foundations of the Protestant Reformation that we all share, whether we’re Lutheran or Baptist. I feel right at home here. Baptists have a very traditional background, but look, everybody drinks.

It’s just that you Lutherans do it openly. continued on next page

Above: Michael at his desk transitioning between a desktop and an iPad. “I rely heavily on a Mac for many of the graphics applications I use.”

3

All are Welcome

continued

Q: Speaking of seminary: By the time people read this interview, you will have graduated with a Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity. First of all, congratulations! With that degree under your belt, where do you see yourself going?

Michael: Ultimately, I want to be effective in spreading the Gospel. Overall, I’m glad to be here, and I believe God has me just where I’m supposed to be. I want to pair everything I have gained in education with doing actual ministry. The goal is the Great Commission that calls us to make the Gospel receptive to all.

Q: So, we’ve heard you talk about this eCampus idea a lot. Tell us some more about that.

Michael: What we are trying to do is to keep up with the times. The Great Commission forces us to go out into the world, and eCampus means we do that as an online church with an in-person option.

Post-pandemic, I don’t think church will ever be the same, and the point of all our marketing and outreach is to provide as broad an experience of church online as in the building.

Q: As CTK’s new Communications Specialist, what priorities do you want to set during your first year here?

Michael: Let me say that we have an awesome volunteer staff in Jenean and Suzan, they are major blessings. (Suzan Noden oversees the website; Jenean Todd handles print publications like this magazine).

First priority is to integrate all of our communications—from the website to social media to the new ChurchCenter app.

Secondly, we pay attention to people on the inside and on the outside. I call it in-house vs. out-of-house, and it means that we communicate in ways different people can hear and respond.

Third, we re-imagine and review the mission, who we are, who we say we are, and what we do, with a constant eye to innovation. The current Vision 2025 process will go a long way to help us with this.

Michael, thank you for this conversation . . . and welcome to CTK!

CTK’s new on-screen personality is Communications Specialist Michael Eley, Jr. Michael has filmed the Big Three Announcements weekly since he began at CTK. 4

TOGETHER - SUMMER 2021

Paying It Forward: PPP Funds The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone, but disproportionately so for people, communities, and businesses of color.

Although hard on CTK members also, CTK was extraordinarily blessed to receive a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan in April 2020 which was forgiven in February 2021.

We were able to cover our salaries during the early days of the pandemic when there was much uncertainty. Because we had a number of unfilled staff positions and because CTK members and worshipers continued to give faithfully, CTK ended the year with more income than we had budgeted for 2020.

At their February 2021 meeting, CTK’s Congregation Council voted to disburse $81,000 to six organizations to help serve their pandemic-related needs. The criteria for selecting the organizations was four-fold: • established non-profits; • responding to needs arising from COVID-19; • local to North Carolina; and • serve or support communities of color.

Dorcas Entrepreneur Grants / Cary $15,000 grant to support five upcoming LaunchCary entrepreneurial training graduates in our local business environment. Learn more at LaunchCary.

El Pueblo / Raleigh $10,000 grant to support immigrant families in NC who have been financially impacted by lay-offs / reduction of hours due to COVID-19 and are not eligible for government assistance because of their or their family member’s immigration status. Learn more at El Pueblo.

First Nation’s COVID Response Fund / Albuquerque, NM $10,000 grant that will swiftly be distributed to Native non-profits and Tribal programs responding to COVID-related needs specifically for NC tribes. Learn more at First Nations.

BYP100 Durham $10,000 grant centered on ending systems of anti-Blackness and emphasizing the urgency of protecting folks living on the fringes of the margins, including women, girls, femmes, and LGBTQIA+ people.

Learn more at BYP100 Durham.

Because of your generosity through a very difficult year, our church provided grants for these nonprofits: Camp Agapé / Fuquay Varina $20,000 grant to support the Go Camp! Building Love! campaign. Learn more at Camp Agapé.

Emmaus Freedom School / Charlotte $16,000 grant to support children of color for a program to supplement their lack of educational alternatives in 2020. The program was developed by Dr. Shanitria Cuthbertson, whom many of us met through NC Synod’s Racial Justice Network. Learn more at Emmaus Lutheran Church.

The grants support three of CTK’s five strategic directions.

5

Funds for Success Thanks to Support from CTK, 16 Cary Entrepreneurs are Ready to Launch!

LaunchCARY, a 10-week entrepreneur training program hosted by Dorcas Ministries this spring, prepared 16 hopeful entrepreneurs to launch their small businesses. Thanks to funding from Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary, graduates have help to assist them with start-up expenses!

“We are so thankful to generous donors, such as Christ the King Lutheran Church, who made it possible for Dorcas to not only give the local entrepreneurs the training, but also the grants to help them turn their dreams into reality,” said Jill Straight, Director of Client Services at Dorcas Ministries.

LaunchCARY is part of a national network of programs that strives to develop successful local entrepreneurs by expanding access to comprehensive business training, and financial and business resources. “The Cary program is offered in partnership with WakeTech and Cary Rotary Clubs. Grants by generous donors like Christ the King help to transform the entrepreneurs’ dreams into their new reality,” added Ms. Straight.

Dorcas Ministries will host another LaunchCARY class in the Spring of 2022.

For more information, visit launchcary.org.

“I am so thankful for this grant funding! I am going to use it to buy a new laptop to help me with my business,” shared one graduate who plans to expand her gift basket business.

“My dream is becoming a reality, thanks to LaunchCARY!” exclaimed another grad who hopes to open a food truck that is staffed by persons with disabilities.

Instructor Andy Farrell commented, “watching these entrepreneurs evolve from business concept to developing and perfecting their pitches to understanding their financials and Sherine of Sherine’s Supreme Cookies graduated from creating a full-blown Business Plan in ten LaunchCARY this spring sherinesupremecookies.com weeks is so impressive!”

Recognition from Afar When CTK embraced the online worship phenomenon in March 2020, we knew we’d reach an expanded audience. With viewers from Maryland, Florida, Germany, and Cuba, we never imagined our live-streamed services would inspire author David W. T. Brattston, who lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, to dedicate his book to our pastors and lay leaders. The book, Bible Problems Solved by Early Christians, is available on Amazon.

6

TOGETHER - SUMMER 2021

Funding Future Church Leaders Our church established the Seminarian Support Fund in late 2020 with a goal of monetarily supporting future church leaders who have ties to CTK. In January we ran a small campaign to raise funds for our seminarians: Michael Eley, Jr., Justin Mauney, and Nathan Sliwa. The gifts

Michael Eley, Jr., graduated from Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity in Winston-Salem, NC. Michael writes, “Thanks to the assistance of CTK’s Seminarian Support Fund grant, my pursuit of becoming free from all academic debt is becoming reality. I am grateful for this investment in my future and economic wellbeing.”

exceeded $4,000; we planned to divide the funds between our candidates.

Nathan’s scholarship was matched by California Lutheran University and will be disbursed to him through the school.

Michael graduated on May 16; his scholarship was sent directly to his student loan account.

Nathan Sliwa attends California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA. Nathan writes, “I’m so grateful to CTK for the Seminarian Support Fund! It’s going to help cover my summer housing and classes, and it gives me the freedom to shape my education to my own ministry passions.”

Facility Update The Prayer Garden and Labyrinth is the new meeting place of choice!

Martha Circle utilized the space on May 18, for their first unmasked, in-person meeting since February 2020.

With more groups gathering on-site, booking your meeting is critical to maintain an accurate church calendar and for the general maintenance of the rooms or outdoor locations.

To schedule your meeting, email Ashley or Uli, or call 919-467-8989 ext. 21.

7

TAKING GREEN STEPS FORWARD HYDRATING At CTK, we’re always looking for ways to improve our property and to become a greener campus for the future of our site and for our children.

Due to the pandemic, our water fountains were off limits for nearly 14 months. Prior to reopening the building, Facility Manager Uli Dietrich and Sexton Wally Hughes facilitated the installation of three bottle ‘fill’ stations.

The dual-function chillers combine the standard water fountain with a sensor-activated water stream to fill bottles. An LED counter reveals how many singleuse plastic bottles we’ve saved. At CTK, the number increases daily. The fill stations are located adjacent to the atrium restrooms, in the church office, and in the preschool wing.

Although the fill stations have been installed only six weeks, CTK has saved more than 370 plastic bottles.

The greatest users are the preschool teachers and students; they have saved more than 209 bottles.

Students drink lots of water after outdoor play, and their station is infinitely more fun!

CTK preschooler Ysabella Hornstein adeptly uses a fill station, May 2021.

COMPOSTING CTK’s Young Adults meet twice monthly for Bible study and periodically for fun events and/or service projects.

In April they gathered in recognition of Earth Day to fabricate a compost bin with Chris and Tom Hegele.

The new bin is an important step in becoming a green campus, reducing our waste, and creating new life through healthy soil and new growth!

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

—Romans 6:5

Death and resurrection are an integral part of our Christian faith. At funerals, we read this passage from St. Paul to the Romans about being united with Christ in resurrection.

This cycle of life and death is a part of nature and we now have a visible reminder of this not only in our sanctuaries, but on our campus, too.

Nicole and Dee Livingston Fontanez discuss features of the compost bins with Chris Hegele, April 2021.

8

TOGETHER - SUMMER 2021

Gifts in memory of Bob Brisbin (left) and John Slocumb (right) funded the creation of a Prayer Garden and Labyrinth in CTK’s underused courtyard.

Leigh and Joe Pittman meditate at prayer stations.

Stephanie Burke created the parking-lot labyrinth for Easter 2020.

CONTEMPLATING 2020’s temporary labyrinth received much use and prompted an evaluation of available sites on our campus for a permanent labyrinth installation.

Facility Manager Uli Dietrich and Pastor Wolfgang worked with CTK members Hazel Slocumb and David Druck, owner of A Green Bee Landscaping Company, to design a Prayer Garden and Labyrinth.

Thanks to special gifts from various donors in memory of long-time CTK members John Slocumb and Bob Brisbin, the reimagined space invites members and guests to sit in contemplation, walk the labyrinth, or socialize with others in a beautiful outdoor space.

Hazel Slocumb with Layla and Baron Druck wielded the giant scissors during the April 3 dedication.

Amanda and David Druck along with children Layla, Baron, and Douglas transformed the underused, overgrown, and often muddy courtyard bordering the office and preschool entrances.

The project, involving significant leveling and drainage work, cost about $10,000.

Next on the GREEN agenda: a series of rain gardens to mitigate flooding from the upper parking lot.

9

Lag Time You give me hope. You have sustained CTK throughout the pandemic. The sometimes bumpy pathway of the last year wasn’t always pretty, but we never lost hope that God would provide resources to keep going.

As we reopen our doors to limited numbers of worshipers on Sunday mornings, we are hopeful that normalcy can return. This time between where we were and where we are headed, it is the “lag time” between where we are and the hope we see coming.

It reminds me of my son, Jacob. I have to remember when I cook dinner now that we have a growing, hungry teenager. He’s not as tall as I am (yet) but he can out-eat me on a slow day. Even though I am baffled by where all that food goes, I know that what we feed him now prepares him for continued growth.

Growth often happens like that, in fits and spurts, which is why we often factor “lag time” into our growth analysis. Through the first quarter, CTK showed a budget deficit of $10,005. This means that we are preparing and planning for a hope-filled 2021 though still receiving income like it’s 2020. This unevenness makes us feel, well, uneasy.

We know that growing churches often experience financial lag-time as giving catches up with the rising costs. We march on in good faith that if we feed it, it will grow.

I trust and pray that you are with me in preparing for this exciting future of reopening, rebuilding, and restoring our faith community.

Because, in spite of our growing pains, good news abounds!

The good news is that we have staffed CTK in recent months for reopening, including adding a full-time communications and social

media specialist and soon welcoming a new youth and family minister. The good news is that attendance—albeit mostly virtual—is up by every measure and data point that we can study. The good news is that our staff are all fully vaccinated and excited to be back together.

Some of the best news is that we are poised to live into the hybrid-style of church that we are being called to. If you had told me a few years ago to guess in what year I’d be a pastor at a hybrid church, I would have answered 2030 or beyond. But here we are, at CTK, living in the past, present, and future church all at once—and doing a good job! We even have a hybrid pipe organ!

For now, our deficit looks a lot like lag-time.

We do have some available money and several potential budget tweaks that can tide us over—for a little while. Throughout the pandemic we have continued to be good stewards of every dollar that comes in to CTK, including tithing to our larger church and honoring the hard work of our employees.

You can help us bridge the gap by keeping your giving consistent on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis and/or by making a special contribution as we continue to grow.

Many of us received stimulus checks that we were not expecting and didn’t include in our budgets. Why not invest in the church?

Like my teenage son, this church sure does look primed for continued growth. The only question I have is: how will we keep up?

God’s grace and love, Pastor Daniel

Pastor Daniel serves as the staff director for the Kingdom Builders, CTK’s year-round stewardship team. For questions or to volunteer, reach him at daniel.pugh@ctkcary.com.

10

TOGETHER - SUMMER 2021

Pentecost Celebration

Sunday, May 23, 2021

CTK celebrated Pentecost, the birth of the Christian church, with spirit-filled music, worship, and activities.

Sharing the Peace included lots of hugs.

CTK musicians filled the spring breezes with joyful tunes.

The Children’s Message was standing-room only.

Prayers were offered in various languages by: Mai Feld, Christine Banner, Ana Goehner, Abe Caceres, and Larry Wu.

Kicking styles among church leaders vary widely.

Grateful appreciation to the King’s Ringers and to guest harpist Samantha Horn for performing “Contemplation” by composer Karen Lakey Buckwalter; this was the first time the piece has been arranged and played by bells and harp.

Justin Mauney and Becky Cade use the traditional method to determine the first team to kick.

And, happy-dance thanks to Congregational Life Ministry Board for organizing Teacher / Musician appreciation chalk art and Great Balls O’ Fire kickball with ice-cream treats!

11

CTK Members at Work Nancy McNitt with grandchildren Susanna (left) and Micah Campbell prepare Lutheran World Relief (LWR) hygiene kits. Phil Telfer, CTK’s Service Team chair received 72 kits to be sent to LWR following the successful Easter Saturday Revival.

In addition to the hygiene kits, the ‘noisy’ offering collected for World Hunger exceeded $1090.

CTK members donated 742 books during the Wake Up and Read book drive.

International Travel Opportunity

senior.pastor@CTKcary.com

The site for everything

CTKcary.com