Worship & Music Ministries: Upcoming Events & Items of Interest
Updated 1/31/12

Epiphany
(Greek επιφ?νεια: "manifestation" or "appearance")  On the day of Epiphany, January 6, the church celebrates the revelation of Christ to all nations as represented by the magi (wisemen) who come to worship Jesus.  The church calendar recognizes the season of Epiphany from January 6 until the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday which is celebrated as the Transfiguration of our Lord.  The length of the season of Epiphany varies and is determined by working backwards through the season of Lent from the moveable date for the celebration of Easter.

The principal themes of Epiphany include: the revelation of Christ to all nations; Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan (celebrated January 8 this year); Christ as the light of the world; the public ministry of Jesus Christ, including Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana; and growth in a Christian's baptized identity.

The colors of the season: White, a color associated with the festivals of Christ and suggesting gladness, joy and light for the day of Epiphany, the first week after the Epiphany when the Baptism of our Lord is celebrated, and the last week of the season of Epiphany when the Transfiguration of our Lord is celebrated.  Green, the color used for times when festival or penitential colors are not appropriate.  Green suggests spiritual growth.  Green is used in the season of Epiphany beginning with the second week after the Epiphany until the week before the Transfiguration of our Lord is celebrated.
 

In planning the liturgy: we use the Kyrie on the "white" Sundays of Epiphany (First Sunday after the Epiphany and the Transfiguration).  Omit it on the "green" Sundays.  Use the hymn of praise throughout the season; on the festival of the Baptism of our Lord (the first Sunday after the Epiphany), we include a Thanksgiving for Baptism at the beginning of the worship service; we use the Nicene Creed for the "white" Sundays of the season.  Use the Apostles' Creed for the "green" Sundays after the Epiphany; we have a ritual of farewell to Alleluia on the festival of the Transfiguration of our Lord. 

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper & Peachtree Symphonic Winds Combo Concert
Tuesday, February 21 – Pancake Supper 6 p.m. – Concert 7 p.m. sanctuary

Our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will be held in the Fellowship Hall.  It is followed by an Abendmusik presentation - A fun evening of favorites by the Peachtree Symphonic Winds Combo will conclude the evening.  A treat for the whole family!

Ash Wednesday: February 22 - Noon & 7 p.m. (Chancel Choir at 7 p.m. only)
Christians gather on Ash Wednesday to mark the beginning of Lent's baptismal preparation for Easter.  On this day, the people of God receive an ashen cross on the forehead (a gesture rooted in baptism), hear the solemn proclamation to keep a fast in preparation for Easter's feast, and contemplate anew the ongoing meaning of baptismal initiation into the Lord's death and resurrection.  While marked with the ashes of human mortality, the church hears God's promise of forgiveness and tastes God's mercy in the bread of life and the cup of salvation.  From this solemn liturgy, the church goes forth on its journey to the great baptismal feast of Easter.

Abendmusik is our series of concerts, arts events and worship that is offered free to the public. It is our mission to reach out into the community and invite newcomers to our programs, and to make most programs child friendly. A season brochure is available in the Atrium.  Donations are always welcome. Become a Friend of Abendmusik by making your check out to Christ the King and note in the memo line, “Abendmusik.”

Abendmusik 2011-2012 Events:  a brochure with complete details is now available.

•    “Lest We Forget” - Sunday, September 11 at 5 pm at First United Methodist Church, Norcross (2500 Beaver Ruin Road)  A joint concert with Norcross community churches remembering a day Americans will never forget—September 11, 2001.
•    Blessing of the Animals: Saturday, October 1 at 10 a.m. Come have your pet blessed by a pastor.
•    Peachtree Symphonic Winds: “A Night on Broadway,” with guest soloists Nancy Petrie and Bernard Turgeon - Saturday, October 15 at 7:30 pm. A fellowship dinner will precede the program at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  Peachtree Winds will present an evening of the best of Broadway — music from the Great White Way, featuring the return of Christ the King favorites Nancy Petrie and Bernard Turgeon who have performed at CtK before.  Audience favorites abound! A fellowship dinner preceeds the concert at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall: $7/adults, $3/child, $24 max. per family. Reservations should be made through the church office by Oct. 12.
•    Halloween Monster Concert & "Trunk-or-Treat:" Sunday, October 30 at 3 p.m.  Come in costume - fun for the young and young at heart.  "Spooky" tunes on the organ by our resident ghouls with trick or treating in the parking lot following the 20 minute concert.
•    Electrify Your Strings! Concert: Saturday, November 12 at 6 p.m.  Presented in conjunction with the music department at Pinckneyville Middle School, the Electrify Your Strings! program works with instrumental and choral students to bring out the best in them. The clinic is led by Mark Woods, former violinist of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The program is free and open to the public.
•    Hanging of the Greens: Saturday, November 26 at 10 a.m.  Come help "deck the halls" for the holidays. We'll be trimming the Christmas tree and decorating the church for the Christmas season.
•    Christmas Concert: Sunday, December 4 at 4 p.m. with refreshments in the Atrium starting at 3:30 p.m.  All Christ the King musical groups are featured with a special choir cantata. Come enjoy the best music of the season!
•    Merrill Grant Concert: Sunday, January 29 at 4 p.m. - reception following.  Our own Merrill Grant grew up at Christ the King and has gone on to a fabulous and wide-ranging career performing through the U.S. and abroad. She returns to us to perform in the new year.  More details to follow. You can catch up with Merrill at http://web.me.com/merrillgrant/MerrillGrant/Home.html
•    Peachtree Band of Jazz Concert: Tuesday, February 21 at 7 p.m. Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper in the Fellowship Hall at 6 p.m.
•    Good Friday Tenebrae: Friday, April 6 at 7 p.m.  The service of Tenebrae focuses on seven episodes in the Passion and Death of our Lord on this most holy day.  Music by Celebration Ringers.
•    SCOR Workshop: Thursday-Saturday, April 12-14 — led by Kyle & Beth Bultman

Scor! is perfect for most adult amateur string players. Depending on the event, we have options for beginning through advanced players. Numerous string teachers have also enjoyed attending to have fun playing, and get some fresh teaching ideas. For details on how to participate, see http://www.stringcamp.com/index.html

Chancel Choir: newcomers are always welcome!  Rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings, 7 p.m., in the Music Suite.  We alternate singing at the 9 & 11 o’clock services (and special events).  Be part of the best small group (high school age and up) at CtK! Child care provided.

Celebration Ringers: new handbell ringers are always welcome.  Pianists and other instrumentalists find it an easy transition to bells, but anyone can learn.  We rehearse on Sundays at 5 p.m.  If you cannot be a regular ringer, consider being a sub (“an irregular ringer”) – someone who fills in when a regular ringer is gone.
 
Celebration Orchestra: our instrumentalists (high school age and up) are the best!  If you play an instrument, we have a seat waiting for you!  Rehearsals are Tuesday at 7:15 p.m., in the Music Suite, and play one Sunday per month as scheduled.  If cannot be with us all the time, play when you can.  We play a wide variety of music and I’ll work with you to be certain you are “up to speed!”

Saturday Night Together Worship (SNT) – YOU are welcome!
The Saturday Night Together music team invite you to visit this service at 5:30 each week in the chapel.  Enhancements of energy, spirit and connectedness give increased intimacy to worship.  Our music includes a wide range of hymns, spirituals, gospel, and familiar contemporary pieces with uplifting lyrics.  Our music leadership team meets at 4 p.m. Saturday to rehearse music for the service.
 
Looking ahead  .  .  .  
•    LPM Atlanta (Leadership Program for Musicians).  This program prepares capable and confident worship leaders who will enable their congregations to sing well and take their part in the liturgy of the church.  Anyone is welcome to attend!  John Marsh serves as coordinator for Atlanta.   For more information, see www.lpm-online.org, click on this link for a brochure.
•    Kindermusik Classes at Christ the King:  Each Kindermusik class is a world of discovery and adventure. In every class, you'll witness your child's developmental evolution in language skills, literacy, listening, problem solving, social skills, self-esteem, and musicality. Contact Judy Madson for complete details, bassett30@yahoo.com
•    Peachtree Symphonic Winds: This wonderful Atlanta wind ensemble rehearses at Christ the King and performs at the church several times a year.  For details, see http://www.peachtreewinds.org/

Did you notice  .  .  hymn info?
Many of you have asked about the sentence or two of information that’s being included with our hymns at worship.  Yes, it’s intentional.  Every hymn comes with its own unique story.  Knowing that story and its background helps all of us enjoy the words and music more.  So keep looking for it in the bulletins.

Everyone is welcome in our musical groups!  (Newcomers especially)

Cherub Choir (Ages 2-5) – Sundays 10:20-10:40 a.m. – KidZone Auditorium

Children’s Choir (Grades K-5) – Sundays, 11:00-11:30 a.m. (room 142) 

PROCLAIM (youth music; Grades 6-12) 

Celebration Ringers (handbells; high school - Adults) – Sundays, 4:30-6:15 p.m. – Music Suite

Celebration Orchestra (high school-Adults) Tuesdays at 7:15 p.m. - Music Suite we play once each month and rehearse twice each month

Chancel Choir (high school-Adults) - Wednesdays 7 p.m. - Music Suite, Child care provided. we sing every Sunday at either 9 or 11 - newcomers welcome! - come see what it's all about!

Saturday Night Together Worship Team - Saturdays at 4 p.m. – Chapel  rehearsal at 4 p.m. - worship 5:30 p.m. Tony Rimore, Music Associate, leads music for this service.

For more information or questions about any ministry or event,
please contact Dr. John Marsh, Director of Music, at 770-449-1211, ext. 109, jmarsh@ctklutheran.org, or Tony Rimore, Music Associate, at 558-662-9006, arimore@ctklutheran.org.  Check out our new website for complete details, www.ctklutheran.org

The Lutheran Service

Lutherans use a liturgy as their basic form of worship.  Liturgy means “the work of the people.”  It is what we do together, pastors and people, to worship God.

We begin with Confession to clear our hearts and minds and make us receptive to the Word.  We receive Absolution or forgiveness of sins so that we are renewed in soul and mind.

A Gathering Hymn draws us into a community of worshipers and sets the tone for the day.  The Kyrie, a responsive prayer for Jesus’ intercession for peace in and among us, and the Hymn of Praise (or Gloria) set a tone in which we celebrate the power of God in our lives.  All of these are parts of the Liturgy of the Word.

Now comes the reading of the Word: a lesson from the Old Testament, from an Epistle, and from a Gospel.  In the midst of these, we say or sing a psalm, an ancient hymn of faith.  Lutherans hold the Word to be the norm and authority of our faith.  A Sermon follows the readings, a thoughtful approach as to how the readings have meaning for us today.

The Creed is one of three that can be used and expresses in brief form the totality of our beliefs.  This is followed by the Prayers of the Church in which we pray for one another and for the needs of the world.

We then share the Peace, a means of reaching out to one another with our personal ministry of witness and promise.

With the Offering, our gifts to God of our treasures, and the gifts of Bread and Wine placed at the altar, we are ready for the Liturgy of the Eucharist or Holy Communion, the place in our worship where we encounter the Risen Lord in the person of His Body and Blood and receive His personal forgiveness and renewal.

This section begins with the Great Thanksgiving, one of the oldest and least-changed parts of the overall liturgy.  The Preface to this order concludes with the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy,” the most ancient and universal of Christian hymns.

The service then moves to the Eucharistic Prayer in which we hear of God’s salvation of His people and in which, through the Words of Institution, the elements of bread and wine are consecrated, or set apart, for our use.  Lutherans believe and teach that these are now become True Body and True Blood, that Christ is present “through, with, and under” the bread and wine.

Following communion, the altar is cleared as we sing a hymn of thanksgiving and the service moves to its conclusion with the Benediction, a final blessing as we prepare to leave.

We end with simplicity – a Sending Hymn and a final Dismissal: “Go in peace.  Serve the Lord” to which we respond “Thanks be to God.”