Transition
CTK Administrator
Congregational Meeting

The members of Christ the King Presbyterian Church are called to a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, November 22, 2020 from 7:00 to 8:00 PM, preceded by a prayer meeting that will start at 6:30p. This meeting will be held virtually.

Business to be conducted at the meeting:

  1. Elect a pastoral search committee* for the purpose of recommending a pastoral candidate for Cambridge

  2. Elect church officers – the slate of candidates to be elected will be shared upon approval by the Session

  3. Share information with the church

Instructions for how to participate in the virtual meeting will be forthcoming.

* PCA Book of Church Order chapter 20-2

Transition
CTK Administrator
Congregational Meeting (10/18)

The members of Christ the King Presbyterian Church are called to two upcoming Congregational Meetings.

The first is on Sunday, October 18, 2020 at 7:00 PM and will be held virtually. Business to be conducted at the October meeting:
1. Consider the resignation of Rev. Rick Downs as Pastor of Christ the King Presbyterian Church
2. Approve a process for forming a pastoral search committee*
3. Hear more information and ask questions related to placing an interim pastor in Cambridge and the search for a permanent replacement

The second is on Sunday, November 15, 2020 at 7:00 PM and will be held virtually. Business to be conducted at the November meeting:
1. Elect a pastoral search committee* for the purpose of recommending a pastoral candidate for Cambridge
2. Elect church officers – the slate of candidates to be elected will be shared upon approval by the Session

For updates about these two meetings, please follow https://www.ctkboston.org/news-events. Instructions for how to participate in the virtual meetings will be forthcoming. Other business may be added to either meeting. If so, we will provide advance notice.

* PCA Book of Church Order chapter 20-2

PCA Unity Fund

Rick mentioned the PCA Unity Fund during the service this past Sunday. The PCA Unity Fund is an initiative committed to raising up leaders from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the PCA through education, training, and mentorship. You may remember hearing from Rev. Scott Bridges back in January when he came to speak to our congregation about this initiative. You can learn more by watching this video or visiting their website.

Livestreamers

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Live-streaming has become an essential component to our Sunday gatherings, but we are in need of more volunteers to broadcast the service. Learning does not require expertise or particular tech savvy. If you would be willing to learn more, we’ll have an informational/training call on Zoom on Thursday, 6/18 at 7:30pm. Attending this meeting doesn’t mean you’ve committed to the role - it’s simply a way to learn more about how the livestream works. If you have questions, please contact laura@ctkcambridge.org.

Building Renovations

Now that the sanctuary renovations are complete, the deacons are continuing to plan other repairs and improvements to our church building--and we welcome your input and help! We are holding monthly Zoom meetings to plan and prioritize building work, and anyone in the congregation is welcome to join the discussion (either once or every month). The next meeting is Tuesday, May 11th from 7-8:30pm on Zoom, and topics will include:

  • selecting a design for a balcony rail extension to improve safety in the sanctuary,

  • refining the scope of exterior masonry repairs for later this year, and

  • prioritizing potential HVAC improvements throughout the building.

If would like the Zoom link, or if you’re unable to join the meetings but have thoughts or questions about the building, email us any time at deacons@ctkcambridge.org.

Tonight, the Cambridge Black Pastors Alliance and clergy from across the city — including from CTK — are gathering at 6pm for a George Floyd prayer vigil. This vigil will be livestreamed on Facebook and Youtube and can be watched live or after-the-fact.

Also, this afternoon, a pastoral letter was sent out via CTK Stories from the pastors and elders of the CTK Network regarding the death of George Floyd and the church’s response to this tragedy and systemic injustices that led to it. In the letter, they called for a special day of prayer and fasting on Friday, June 5 at 7am (password: 540769) and a time of prayer and lament on Sunday evening, June 7 at 7pm. The links to these events can be found at ctkcambridge.org/calendar.

The entirety of the pastoral letter can be read here.

Volunteer Opportunties

Park Street Church is coordinating volunteers to help six partners respond to critical needs in Boston: Food pantries in East Boston, a food pantry at Voice of the Gospel Tabernacle Church, Saint Francis House, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston Public Schools Meals Program, and making face masks for multiple organizations. If you are interested in volunteering, click here for details and instructions.

Boston Fellows Applications

The Boston Fellows is a nine-month fellowship for young professionals at CTK and other Boston churches to cultivate the worldview, in prayer and in the community of the local church, necessary for meaningful vocation, in a cohort of peers, spiritual leaders, and professional mentors.  Applications are being accepted now for the 2020-21 cohort, which will begin in September.  See www.BostonFellows.com to apply or for more information about the nine-month fellowship (or about the shorter, vocation-specific Boston Fellows industry cohorts), or contact Nathan Barczi at nathan@ctkcambridge.org.

Housing Available

Housing Available: First-floor, newly-renovated, 3-bedroom unit in a two-family house available August 1 in East Watertown. Unit is 1200 sq. feet and includes a living room, dining room, hardwood floors throughout, and a washer/dryer hook up. Close to Cambridge and public transportation. Rent is $2,500 per month, which includes off-street garage parking. First month's rent and a security deposit required. No smoking, no pets. If interested, please e-mail the owner, Ruth Bautz, telling her a bit about yourself at Watertown56@verizon.net.

Grace Prep

Grace Prep is hosting a virtual information meeting on May 5, 2020 at 7:00pm to discuss their program which partners with homeschooling families, providing curriculum plans, teaching support, and other “school” experiences for families, all while encouraging students in their relationships with Jesus Christ. To learn more about Grace Prep and this meeting, please visit https://www.facebook.com/graceprepboston/ or https://graceprepboston.org/.

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Sunday Volunteers

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Every week at CTK, in normal times and now, we serve the Lord and each other by contributing to our corporate worship through various roles.  But in these unprecedented times, the staff and leadership of CTK would like to express particular gratitude to the volunteers who have been serving on Sunday mornings these last weeks. With heartfelt thanks, we would like to recognize Tim Carter and Cara Pardo for serving on the music team, as well as Kris Sachsenmeier, Sam Beswick, and A.W. Simmons for running the livestream.

With deference, respect, and mutual love, all those involved on Sunday mornings — staff and volunteers alike — are encouraged to consider their own needs and the needs of their families, and to bow out from service at their discretion. With that in mind, the Pardos have decided that it would be best for their family for Cara to remain home on Sundays. We wanted to announce this in advance so that it wouldn’t be cause for surprise or concern on Sunday morning during the service. Their family is well. We are so grateful for Cara’s service and for Jonathan, Penny, and Maxwell’s sacrifice in doing without her these past five Sunday mornings.

Prayer and Fasting

Join us tomorrow (Good Friday) for a day of prayer and fasting. The PCA is calling all its members to join with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in setting aside Good Friday, April 10, as a day of prayer and fasting to cry out for God’s help as well as a Holy Day of worship. CTK will participate with 4 online prayer times, at 7am, 12pm, 5pm, and 9pm, in addition to our Good Friday service at 7:30pm.

For more details and resources on prayer and fasting, as well as links to the online meetings, see ctkcambridge.org/prayer-and-fasting. There are also prayer worksheets available on that page for any children who would like to participate in the day of prayer.