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This Church changes lives!
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News for the week of 4/18/2021
CLC Social Ministry and
Mission
April 2021
Housing
Opportunities
Each month the Social Ministry highlights a special giving opportunity. April’s emphasis is
providing monetary and voluntary support for Housing Opportunities www.hoi.help (2001 Calumet Ave., Valpo).
· With the extraordinary support from donors and the dedicated work of staff, Housing Opportunities serves many clients each year. Because of supporters, H.O. in 2020 during the Pandemic housed 591 adults and 296 children and help save hundreds of homes from foreclosure. 187 housing units were operated by H.O. H.O. has helped 166 people in the community
that are experiencing street homelessness, including this past winter (and through April) a Warming Shelter for single women and single men - that CLC has helped staff on Saturday evenings. Thousands of hours of case management are provided to clients each year. Also, H.O. has a resource center for vulnerable folks to shower, wash clothes, use pantry etc.
· Right now, dozens of people in our community have no place to live—including adults who go to work every day and kids who go to school. Some of H.O. clients are professionals with college degrees who have hit hard times. Some clients are not able to work due to crisis or disability. 1 in 3 is a child. Housing challenges can affect people of any gender, age, or
socioeconomic status. H.O. believes a safe, secure home is the foundation of growth and independence—the first step on the road to self-sufficiency.
· Food Pantry and other Donations. See https://hoi.help/pantry plus see “Additional Opportunities (H.O.)” below.
· Help achieve our goal of $2,500 in April (over and above giving combined with CLC’s budgeted amount of $1200). Use your weekly worship giving envelope mailed with check to CLC and indicate “H.O.” or contribute through PushPay on the CLC website https://clcvalpo.org via the “Give” button and choose Monthly Social Ministry Emphasis. Thank you to members
for supporting monthly social ministry emphases.
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Join us for the virtual premiere on Facebook
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Kuambatana (Accompaniment):
The Ministry of Mark and Linda Jacobson
Documentary Premiere
When: Saturday, April 24, 11 a.m. Central time
Where: ELCA Facebook page
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For 38 years, Mark and Linda Jacobson have worked in the health field in Tanzania,
becoming our church’s longest-serving missionaries. In partnership with Tanzanian leaders, they’ve developed the Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre, started the Widow’s Might craft project and more. Their powerful story is featured in the new documentary Kuambatana, which means accompaniment in Kiswahili. The 30-minute video will premiere on the ELCA Facebook page on April 24.
Invite your congregation to watch the premiere together online! Your members will hear the Jacobsons’ story and see how their own support for ELCA missionaries is making an impact. You can also go deeper by discussing the documentary in a video call or small group afterward. Use the discussion guide to talk about what it means to serve in a spirit of accompaniment. Announce the virtual premiere in your bulletin, and then attend together
at Facebook.com/Lutherans.
ELCA missionaries serve at the invitation of global companions to meet specific community needs. They are pastors, educators, advisers, doctors, communication specialists and more. Working in a spirit of accompaniment, they walk together with our companions and follow their leadership. Your congregation can support missionaries doing God’s work around the world! Make a gift today at ELCA.org/MissionaryGiving, take an offering at your service, or sponsor a missionary by filling out the form at ELCA.org/CovenantForm.
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COVID BLUES
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting so tired of this Covid stuff, the masks, the social distancing, and the disruption of our lives. As a physician, I despair at the weekly reports that the medical staff receives on the
number of people admitted with serious illness and the number that end up in the ICU. I want this infection to go away!!
With the vaccines there is hope but we must press on. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the President’s Chief Medical advisor was asked, what with the availability of the vaccines, have we turned a corner? His reply: “No, but we are
beginning to approach that corner.”
The number of new cases of infection is not rising but has plateaued to 63,000 a day nationally. Dr. Fauci’s concern is that this may lead to a new surge in cases. The Covid virus mutates, as do all viruses. The mutations
may give the virus an edge over our immune system. The most recent mutation of clinical concern, the United Kingdom variant, allows the virus to bind to cells more efficiently, therefore making it more infectious.
What defenses do we have? Low tech social distancing and masks work. An unintended side effect, the usual flu season this year was greatly diminished because of them. The vaccines are a great boost. The virus cannot survive
in a vaccinated host which also means less chance of mutation. The vaccines are the most studied and monitored medications, ever! Are they effective? Yes. Against the variants, Yes. Are they safe? Yes. Are there side effects? Yes, mainly the ones associated with vaccinations such as soreness and transient low fever. Are there allergic reactions? Yes, this is a rare event, occurring in 66 out of seventeen and a half million people vaccinated. Of those 66 people, 90% had history of prior
allergic reactions such as severe food allergies, bee stings, etc. This is why they want you to wait half an hour after the shot before leaving the vaccination site. If you are at risk, please discuss with your health care provider, as to the advisability of taking the shot and you might want to have it administered at one of the hospital sites. There were no deaths in these folks with allergic reactions as compared to the current death toll from the virus, 559,454.
I echo the plea of our new Director of the CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, who begs us to get vaccinated. In my opinion, getting vaccinated, in these times, is an expression of the Great Commandment, in that we do this,
not just for ourselves or our loved ones but the stranger, that person whose life we may save and never know them. In order to achieve herd immunity we need 70-85% of the population vaccinated. Coverage currently stands at 19%.
I have to give a shout out to our current Council President Cindy and previous President Brian who got their shots. (Great picture in the newspaper of Brian getting his - NWI Times March 18!) Both our Pastors, and a
great majority of CLC and Little Lamb Preschool staff have also been vaccinated – doing the most that they can to protect others while they do the work of ministry. I invite you to join them in loving your neighbor by getting vaccinated!
The Love of Christ surrounds us -
Phil McGuire MD, Associate Director, Alverno Clinical Laboratories
Please reserve your vaccine, as you are able- https://vaccine.coronavirus.in.gov/
Statistics are current as of 4/8/21
Annual Plant Sale
It has been forever since our last plant sale so please join us on
Saturday, May 1 from 11 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and pick up something special for Mother's Day.
Plants will also be available after church on Sunday, May 2.
We will have succulents, baskets, perennials and more.
Please look for us near the Memorial Garden.
Contact Betty Luckett (219-929-7788) for more information.
Bible Study with Bethel Lutheran
Save the Date for August 8 Worship at the Lake
A group of us at Christ Lutheran are beginning a joint bible study with Bethel Lutheran (Gary/Miller Beach). We'll meet Sundays, 12:30-1:30 PM on Zoom (with a phone option), beginning April 25 and running for four weeks.
Contact Adam Gibson-Even (email to adam.gibson@gmail.com) preferred, or voice to 219-299-2583) if you're interested, or have questions. He'll forward the Zoom info. We're likely to use the Augsburg Adult Bible
Studies books that Dave Keammerer's Sunday morning bible studies have used for many years.
You're very welcome to join us! Our aim is to grow in our knowledge of Scripture and God, but also to grow together with our neighbors across some traditional boundaries and save the date for an August 8 worship service and gathering at the lake front with Bethel.
Family Activities
Sunday School
Sunday School remains online through the Spring - while vaccinations are becoming more available, we don’t anticipate being able to recruit all the volunteers we’d need to lead Sunday School safely. Watch your email for links - some weeks we’re on Zoom, and others are recorded/live-streamed.
Vacation Bible School
We’re hopeful that by June we’ll be able to gather more freely - but likely we still won’t be back to normal. This year we are planning an all-ages family VBS in the CLC “backyard,” some evenings during the week of June 13. We’ll have a good time together and think about the ways God calls us to take care of one another and our world!
CLC Softball Team
Hello All, church league softball is quickly approaching. If you would like to participate, please contact me. It is a great way to meet people from other churches and have great comradery. We
play softball one night a week (tuesdays) at the old fairgrounds fields in Valpo. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on the field. If you have any questions please let me know. Call/text/email me bboedeker77@gmail.com, 219-617-0032.
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Christ Lutheran has an email list of people who would like to be contacted when a meal schedule has been made for folks after the death of a loved one, after surgery or during illness, or after the birth of a baby. Just since COVID hit, we have provided 9 meal schedules for people. If you would like to be added to this list, please send a note to amyknauff@gmail.com. You will only be notified when there is a current schedule. There is no obligation. Also, if you or someone you know is in need of meals, please contact Amy Knauff or one of the pastors.
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Sandy & Dave Keammerer are always collecting the following items for Lutheran World Relief (LWR). Please drop off at the church.
BABY CARE KITS
All clothing items newborn to age 2
(2) gowns or sleepers: long- or short-sleeved (no feet)
(2) t-shirts: lightweight cotton
(1) jacket/sweater/sweatshirt: with hood, or include a baby cap
(2) pairs of socks
(2) receiving blankets: medium-weight cotton or flannel, or crocheted, or knitted with lightweight yarn, up to 52" square
(4) cloth diapers: flat fold preferred
(1) hand towel: dark color recommended
(2) gentle soap bars: 4-5 oz., bath-size, in original wrapping
(2) diaper pins: or large safety pins
3-ply baby yarn and flannel fabric in increments of .75 yards.
FABRIC KITS
(2) spools of thread (250-300 yards)
(2) pieces of cotton/cotton blend fabric (3 yards)
PERSONAL CARE KITS
New and in original packaging
(1) bath towel: lightweight, dark color preferred (between 20' x 40" and 27" x 52")
(1) toothbrush: adult size/NO TOOTHPASTE PLEASE
(1) nail clipper
(2) bars of soap
(1) STURDY comb
PRAYERS
MEMBERS: Jean Albers, Connor Byrne, Deb Will, Joyce Spoljaric, Andy Hornyak, Carla Nolting, Josie,
Ed W. Seykowski
FRIENDS AND FAMILY: Juanita (Mother of Linda Griffith), Gary & Sharon (parents of Melissa Summerville), Victor (friend of Ramona), Amanda (friend of Melissa Summerville), Dan Murfey, Ed Krentz
Military: Justine, Joe and all of those serving in the military, especially in the time of a pandemic.
For all those affected and infected by COVID
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