|
|
This Church changes lives!
|
News for the week of 4/11/2021
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 $2500 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.
|
|
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
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.
All Thrivent Financial Members!
Do you have any Thrivent Choice Dollars that have not been directed to the charity of our choice? If you do not direct them by the end of the calendar year, they go back to Thrivent!
There are two ways of directing Choice Dollars to Christ Lutheran Church:
Computer: Go to the Thrivent Financial web site ( www.Thrivent.com) and direct the Choice Dollars on-line.
Phone: Call Thrivent Financial at 1-800-847-4836. When prompted by the electronic answering system, say “Thrivent Choice.” Follow the remaining prompts, and a representative will come on the line to assist you. You will need your Thrivent membership ID number and will need to answer some other personal questions to verify that you are the Thrivent member who is on the line.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
COVID Vaccination Update
Hoosiers age 16 and older may now schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.
Appointments to receive the free vaccine must be made online at ourshot.in.gov, or by calling 211.
If you need any help registering or calling to sign-up for your vaccination, please call the the church office.
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
GRIEF: Family of Jackie Bengston. Jackie died 3/31.
MEMBERS: Coltan (grandson of Tony/Sue Reinhold), Jean Albers, Connor Byrne, Deb Will, Joyce Spoljaric, Andy Hornyak, Carla Nolting, Ed W. Seykowski
FRIENDS AND FAMILY: Juanita (Mother of Linda Griffith), Gary & Sharon (parents of Melissa Summerville), Victor (friend of Ramona)
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
