Grace Notes: November 3, 2025

Dear Faithful People of Christ the King Lutheran Church:

We have three critically important Congregation meetings, each of which needs our attendance, voice, and vote (our constitution requires in-person attendance in order to vote) on the next two Sundays, November 9 and 16. All these meetings will take place in the Parish Hall between 9:45 and 10:45. Our Congregation Council does not meet until tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, so since Grace Notes is normally sent out on Monday evening, I’m a little ahead of proper procedure and the text of the resolutions for each special congregation meeting may change a bit, but not substantially.

At the 9:45 a.m. meeting on Sunday, November 9, a special meeting of the congregation has been called to act on the following resolution:

That the Congregation enter into a 10 year lease with the Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America of a portion of the Memorial Drive Campus which includes the certain designated offices, conference rooms, lobby, and chapel space in the Education Building and certain shared campus resources on substantially the terms described in the summary provided to the Congregation in the Deal Approval Sheet distributed as part of this meeting.

Further, that the Council be empowered, acting through the officers, to negotiate a lease agreement to memorialize this joint ministry and shared facilities arrangement.

This is my summary: Adopting this lease agreement enables Christ the King Lutheran Church to continue creating ministry partnerships which will enliven our Memorial Drive Lutheran Campus. To enable our synod to continue synodical support for the growing congregation of the San José congregation developing where the current synod office is; and to enable our bishop to develop our synod staff, our congregation council is recommending that we offer the spaces to be mutually designated for exclusive use by our synod at no cost to the synod for the lease’s first three years. This includes utilities as well as space. If approved, our bishop and staff will move onto the campus on or about Monday, November 17, 2025.

This special meeting should conclude at about 10:15 a.m. so the second special meeting can begin at 10:20 a.m.

At the special congregation meeting beginning at or about 10:20 a.m., our Congregation Council is recommending the following resolution:

That the Congregation authorize the Congregational Council acting through its officers to enter into a contract and to execute the sale of the Parsonage owned by the Congregation and located at 3210 Maroneal for a purchase price of no less than $_______________ (as adjusted for fees, concessions, commissions, and similar items) and that the proceeds of such sale first be applied to the repayment of any debt payable in respect of such Parsonage and then any remaining proceeds segregated for a period not to exceed 5 years in a capital fund for special use only for capital real estate investment purposes.

My summary: First, please note that I have not included a “not-less-than” sale amount because that has not yet been set by the congregation council. I expect that number will be something in excess of $900,000; that’s what I’m hearing but it has not yet been decided. In Friday’s Worship and Weekend activities email we’ll announce that detail.

Please note these three matters of importance.

1. The Congregation Council expects, after paying off the loan attached to this property, to set aside the remaining funds for housing our next senior pastor.
2. The Congregation Council has allotted $22,000 for repairs needed before sale, including a new roof, on this property.
3. Several members of our congregation and staff, led by Susan Lundgren and including among others, Erin Gough, Federico Salas-Isnardi, custodian Arturo Ortega and his family have been painting the first floor of the parsonage and doing other minor repairs to prepare it for sale. We owe them our thanks!

Materials for our Annual Congregation meeting part 1, 9:45 – 10:45 a.m., Sunday, November 16, 2025 will be sent by email immediately after tomorrow’s Council meeting and will include the council-adopted agenda and the council recommendation of the 2026 operating budget and capital budget; the procedure for the election of members of the council; and information about each candidate nominated by the Nominating Committee.

At these meetings, our Congregation will set much of the course of our mission and ministry for the coming year. Please make every effort to attend!

Peace and Joy – and Courage!

Mandy

Amandus J. Derr

Interim Senior Pastor