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This Church changes lives!
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News for the week of 5/30/2021
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Summer Worship & Updating our COVID precautions
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Like you we were encouraged by the CDC’s recent announcement, which reflects the
substantial progress we are making together in controlling this pandemic. We were delighted by the personal freedoms available to those who are vaccinated even as we remain aware of those for whom vaccines are not yet available or possible: our children under 12 and beloveds of all ages with compromised immune systems and other medical concerns.
Throughout this pandemic we have kept the wellbeing of the vulnerable and our sense of
being community together as our foremost concerns - our priorities and focus remain the same. While personal freedoms for those who are vaccinated have increased, our Christian and congregational responsibility remains the same: to love and serve our neighbors, especially those who are vulnerable, both in our midst and in our surrounding community. For their sake, both in solidarity and out of abundant love and concern, our congregation will continue to shape our worship and our activities
in ways that help keep them safe.
However, thanks be to God, we have learned much better which are the most effective and
necessary safety measures. While livestream worship will continue as our primary gathering, the coming summer months allow us to return to outdoor worship which we’ve learned is even safer than we hoped. We’ve learned about transmission indoors and what’s important to mitigate and what is less so. We are excited that over the next few weeks we will be able to, safely, draw closer to the unfettered in-person worship we are all longing
for.
Already this week
we began adjusting our in-person, indoor worship opportunities:
- Because our Pastors are vaccinated and can maintain a good distance, they will remove their masks for preaching and other portions of worship leadership.
- Lectors and Prayer Assistants who are vaccinated are welcome to remove their masks for their portion of leadership, should they feel comfortable doing so.
- In the distribution of Holy Communion, we will return to speaking “the Body/Blood of Christ, given for you” individually, while retaining the practice of waiting until we’ve moved to the side before consuming the bread and wine.
- Beginning on Pentecost Sunday we will join in congregational song, singing a Sending Hymn at the end of the service. (Before we sing, exterior doors will be opened to increase ventilation.)
When worshiping indoors, because masks both protect our unvaccinated sisters and
brothers and prevent them from infecting others, we expect those who are vaccinated to continue wearing masks so as not to single out those who cannot: our children and those who are vulnerable. (Neither checking for vaccination at the door nor creating two separate populations in worship are desirable for Christian community!) Because physical distancing remains crucial to protect the health of the unvaccinated, we will continue to honor 6’ distancing and our rearranged seating; the reduced
capacity means we will continue to require registration.
Our Thursday Evening Summer Outdoor Worship will begin on June 3, and we are excited that:
- Because we will be outdoors and able to remain distanced, we will return to singing together. Our Worship team is excited to teach us a new sung holy communion service, composed by Marty Haugen (who wrote our beloved Holden Evening Prayer
service).
- Since we’ve been blessed with a big “church backyard,” we don’t expect to need registration or capacity limits.
- We’re invited to bring our own camp chairs/blankets to sit on, though folding chairs will also be available.
- We will not require masks during our outdoor worship, but we will ask for appropriate distancing.
Of course, our concern for the vulnerable is best lived-out by encouraging those who are
able to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Please encourage and, when possible, assist your neighbors and friends to make vaccination appointments. If they, or you, need help with that process, please call us in the Church Office (462-6660) and we will be glad to connect you with those who can help.
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CLC Social Ministry and Mission
As you do it for the least of these, you do it for Christ. (Matthew 25:40)
Social Ministry Emphasis for June. Each month the Social Ministry highlights a special giving opportunity. June’s emphasis is providing support for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana http://www.foodbanknwi.org. The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana’s (FBNI) mission is “to provide food for hungry people in NW Indiana through a network of charities increasing public awareness and advocating solutions for the issues involved with hunger and acting as an info &referral source to the community”. FBNI is based in Merrillville and is affiliated with and meets the guidelines of Feeding America www.feedingamerica.org and distributes over 2 million pounds of goods/year through 90 network charities in NW Indiana.
Help achieve our goal of $2500 in June (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 “FBNWI” 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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Men Shelter
Update
The men in the New Creations program have overnight housing through Housing Opportunities for the next year.
For food needs we have been providing sack lunches so that’s our greatest need right now. We need things like water bottles, lunch meat, sub rolls (they hold up better than bread), small chip bags, pudding cups, fruit, Gatorade, and snack cakes.
The need for dinners, breakfast and pantry items are ongoing. Many things like canned foods, milk, bread, plastic wrap will be needed for the men.
Please check out the list of items each week and sign up to provide a meal to about 10-12 men.
https://signup.com/go/RKPSSEY
All-Ages Vacation Bible School
June 13 and 15, from 6-7:30pm
Everything we love about VBS, in a different format as we make our way forward out of a pandemic! Families are invited to attend together, and adults without children are invited to come share in the fellowship and Bible Study as
well.
We'll gather all ages outdoors for a time of songs and Bible Stories, then separate for some games (kids) and further conversation/study (adults), and all come back together to work on a service project and share a treat. Bring a camp chair/blanket, and a hat or pair of
sunglasses!
Register Here: https://clcvalpo.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/880277
Sojourner Truth House Walk
In our partnership with our sister congregation, Bethel in Gary, Christ Lutheran is joining them for a walk, rain or shine, on Saturday, June 12 at 9 am to raise funds for Sojourner Truth House, a social services organization in Gary. (See flyer below) We'd love to have you join our
BC(Bethel/Christ) Truth Trekkers team and walk with us or if that is not possible, we encourage you to make a monetary donation to help us meet our $500 goal. There are a number of ways to make your donation:
1. See the link in the flyer below.
2. Make a check out to Christ Lutheran Church, put walk in the memo line, and put it in the blackbox by the church office.
3. Put any cash donation in the black box by the church office with a note that it is for the BC Truth Trekkers team.
4. Give your cash or check donation to either Kathy Lundstrom or Kathy Sutherland who will be outside the sanctuary before and after the in-person 10:30 service on Sunday, June 6.
For those who are able to walk as a part of our BC Truth Trekkers team, we will carpool and leave Christ Lutheran at 8:10 am Saturday, June 12 for Bethel where we will begin our walk at 9 am. Or you can drive to Bethel (411 Montgomery St. Gary, IN 46403) on your own to be ready to walk at 9
am. We will walk for about 2 miles. Thank you for supporting this worthy cause and our partnership with Bethel.
Christian Growth Committee Request
As pandemic restrictions loosen their grip, the Christian Growth Committee is looking ahead to the time we can resume offering a meal or reception following a funeral of our CLC members.
Since our faithful volunteer team has been inactive for over a year, it seems important to update the volunteer contact list.
For anyone unfamiliar with this ministry: When a family desires to have a meal or refreshments served after a funeral, volunteers are sent a group e-mail of food needs and helpers needed. The volunteers e-mail their response as to what they can provide or how they can help.
If you would like to be part of this caring ministry, please respond to memcgawn@comcast.net
If you have served as part of this team previously, please respond as well, just for clarification.
For anyone who does not use e-mail, but would like to be involved, call: Marilyn McGawn
510-5106(home) or 307-6900(cell)
"Serve one another in love." (Gal 5:13c)
Caring Meals
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.
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, Josie, Ed W. Seykowski
FRIENDS AND FAMILY: Lee Gun Seeto (friend of Jessica Byerly), Carol (friend of Jessica Byerly), 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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