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This Church changes lives!
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News for the week of 11/21/2021
WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY AND SAFE THANKSGIVING
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Adult Faith Formation
9:20 a.m.
Thru November: "Celebrating God" Includes Exodus, 2 Samuel, Psalms, Mark, Acts, and Revelation with Dave Keammerer on room 120
11/28: Thanksgiving weekend--no Faith Formation Hour
Thru February 2022: "Justice, Law, History" Includes Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Ezra, Job, Isaiah, Nahum with Dave Keammerer on room 120
12/5: How Lutherans Interpret the Bible - video series #1 - Sanctuary
12/12: How Lutherans Interpret the Bible - video series #1 - Sanctuary
12/19: How Lutherans Interpret the Bible - video series #1 - Sanctuary
12/26: Christmas Break - no Faith Formation Hour
1/2/2022: New Years - no Faith Formation Hour
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The 2021 Silent Auction
November 14th – December 5th,
2021
Location: East Link Hallway
Bidding:
· Leave your name and phone number clearly printed on the item sheet at the table!
· Winning bidders will be contacted on December 5th and
6th to arrange pick-up. Baked goods and services winners will receive contact information to make their arrangements!
· Bidding closes on December 5th after the
10:30.
We are excited to be hosting the Youth’s
Silent Auction for the upcoming Holiday season! All money raised in the auction will go towards our upcoming trip to the 2022 National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis, Minnesota!
Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are
invited to walk through chapters of America’s history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity.
The 10-part series is built around a powerful online curriculum of documentary films and readings that focus on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian/Pacific American histories as they
intersect with European American histories.
Christ Lutheran Church, in partnership with St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, invites you to join in this discussion circle beginning in January 2022 and meeting every other week for 10
sessions, each 90 minutes. We will meet via Zoom. Watch for information about registration.
If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Owen ( jlo46383@msn.com) or Kathy Sutherland (ksutherland54@yahoo.com). For more information about Sacred Ground, please see this link: https://episcopalchurch.org/sacred-ground/about
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Jesus is the Reason for the Season!
As a tradition at CLC, we are taking up a collection for Christmas
gifts for our CLC Staff. If you are interested in contributing, please either drop off your contribution to Jenny at the church office or place it in the offering plate with the designation “Staff Christmas Gift.” It is our intention to divide the funds evenly among all of our CLC staff.
Christmas will be here before you know it, please have all contributions in
by Sunday, December 12. If you have any questions, please contact any Church Council Officer.
The Virtual Angel Tree Project 2021 has
begun!
Priscilla Circle will repeat our gift giving to family units that live in Porter County and sponsored by our partner groups such as Hilltop Neighborhood House, Housing Opportunities, Disabled
American Veterans, Little Lamb Preschool and our congregation. Donations from members & friends of CLC will go toward purchasing $25 Wal-Mart gift cards. Based on last year’s experiences, our partner groups have suggested that we offer the Walmart cards to the adults & children that each group serves. The generosity of last year’s donors made it possible to show the love of Christ to 64 adults and 39 children. The need of the families served by our partner
groups continues this year.
Angel Tree Project 2021 is ready to receive electronic donations through the CLC Giving Center at http://clcvalpo.org/give. Set up or use your existing account, indicate a one-time gift, date, then select Angel Tree Project 2021. Checks can also be made out to Christ Lutheran and mailed to 2610 Campbell St. Please make sure to put Angel Tree 2021 on the memo line & on the outside of the envelope. You can also place cash or checks into an envelope, marked with Angel Tree 2021, in the
outside lock box or in your offering. Your generous support will reflect God’s love & care for our community.
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Updates to our COVID
planning
With Porter County returning to "Orange" status, we are again adapting our COVID planning
to reduce the amount of group singing. Our other in-person worship protocols remain:
- We strongly recommend wearing masks for those who are fully vaccinated.
- For those who are not yet vaccinated, masks are required while in the building, for their own and others' protection.
- We continue our other, on-going COVID precautions (distancing, limiting contact, limiting singing).
- Note that everyone will need a mask while singing.
Volunteer Opportunity in Gary on Saturday, December 4
As many of you my know, the Valpo Police Department has recently hired a social worker. That social worker, Samantha Burgett, I was fortunate to meet while she was a grad
student at V.U. Even then, as a student, she was organizing an effort to provide transitional housing for men coming out of incarceration. Her effort, called "Community Change Center: WeAreOne,Inc.", is located in Gary at 2120 Broadway.
I was impressed with Sam's entrepreneurial sprit when I first met her (she was buying the building in Gary) and I am impressed today.
On December 4th, a Saturday, she is asking for volunteers to help clean up the building: organize non-perishable foods,
transport loads of donated clutter to Goodwill, and generally prepare the building for use.
She and her intern will work from 8:00 pm until 5:00 pm and hope to have volunteers work either the morning or afternoon shift. Lunch will be from
12-1:00.
If you have questions, please contact Sam at samantha.burgett@weareone.org
To learn about Samantha's mission, visit the web site at WeAreOne,Inc. Community Change Center: WeAreOne | Facebook
Paul Schreiner
Project Neighbors
405-3070
A Different Way to
Give
A few years ago, my aunt made it clear to my sisters and me that birthday and Christmas presents
to unwrap weren’t on her priority list anymore. “I really don’t need more stuff,” she said. “A donation in my name would be great.” It wasn’t hard to find the right donation to honor her. A bicycle to enable a girl somewhere in Africa to get herself to school suited her legacy as a pioneer in women’s sports and a lifelong educator.
Your gifts can give twice— and honor the true spirit of giving that Jesus teaches us. The five
organizations below are a great place to start. Most offer some way to let your loved one know about your gift in their name.
May Jesus be your Light and shine through you this Advent
season.
Lisa Owen
Social Ministry and Mission Committee
SOJOURNER TRUTH HOUSE
is a ministry of hope and help for homeless and at-risk women and their children located in
Gary, sponsored by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. When you donate to Sojourner Truth House, you’re creating ripples of lasting change in women’s lives, and, ultimately, the future we share.
Go to https://sojournertruthhouse.org/ways-to-give/
or text gift19 to 855-934-4JOY
GRAIN OF RICE PROJECT
Oh, the amazing changes in Kenya! Amy Ahiga brought handcrafted items from Nairobi to sell at
CLC’s Alternative Giving fairs, as a way to help people in impoverished neighborhoods to earn livelihoods. Since we last saw her, she and her organization have built and opened a school in Kenya. To read about and shop for gifts that support this ministry, go to https://grainofrice.shop/collections/alternativegifts?mc_cid=3ee4c6a8fc&mc_eid=a4008b9f4f
To shop for handcrafted items, got
to https://grainofrice.shop/
TREE OF LIFE IMPORTS
Hocker has been visiting Central America for over 30 years, partnering with local families to
expand their market by bringing their handcrafted goods back to the U.S. Tom can take orders via email. You can shop and find his contact info at: http://www.thetreeoflifeimports.com/
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
The ELCA’s Good Gifts catalog is a place to shop for 50 gifts that grow the church, fight hunger
and transform lives. There’s even a Christmas section, where you can personalize a Christmas card to let your loved one know what you’ve gotten them.
Visit https://goodgifts.elca.org/
STARFISH PROJECT
Founded by an Elkhart, IN native,
Starfish uses jewelry sales to help exploited women and girls experience freedom, establish independence and develop careers. Shop their catalog at https://starfishproject.com/collections/all-jewelry
For Children and Families
Sunday School
Service Project
This Christmas season we’re again partnering with CLC’s Social Ministry Team and Bethel Lutheran in Gary - collecting this year for the needs of women leaving Sojourner Truth House and for residents of the Crisis Center. You’ll find the list of needed items in the Social Ministry advertisement in this newsletter!
Sunday School
Christmas Program
Our Sunday Schoolers will share the Christmas Story with us on Sunday, Dec 19 (students arrive 9:00am, program at 9:20am). Sunday Schoolers will begin to look at some music in the coming weeks, but the bulk of our preparation will be at our one rehearsal on Saturday Dec 18 from
9-10:30am.
Bible Basics for
Third Graders and their Families/Bible Presentation in Worship
Though our Together in Faith program is on hold as we wait out the end of the pandemic, we want to be sure our 3rd graders have their usual milestone of learning about how we read the Bible and receiving their own Bibles. 3rd Graders and Families are invited to a Bible Basics class at CLC on Saturday, February 12 from 9-10:30, and to join in the Bible Presentations in worship on Feb 13.
Communion
Conversations
Our young folks begin receiving communion at a variety of ages, whenever families determine that they are ready. If your child has not yet participated in our Communion Conversations class, learning more about the sacrament, this year’s opportunity will be Saturday, February 26 from 9-10:30am at CLC.
CLC Social Ministry and Mission
November 2021
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November’s specific emphasis is to provide support for the Lutheran Diaconal Association (LDA) www.thelda.org. Sunday, Nov. 28, will be LDA Sunday at CLC – more details to come during month of November. Below is a message to CLC from LDA:
“Since 1919, the Lutheran Diaconal Association has formed people for ministries of service. In the early years we trained women primarily as nurses serving in missions and institutions of the church. In 2012 the
LDA began forming men for diaconal service. Our ministries have changed throughout the last 102 years in response to the times and the needs of God’s people. Today we serve in a wide variety of ministries, across the street and around the world. We are nurses, lawyers, engineers, musicians, social workers, chaplains, parish deacs, teachers, campus chaplains, missionaries, professors, and so much more.
A deaconess or deacon is someone one who serves. Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and instructed them to do the same for others. Sometimes deaconesses and deacons do actual foot-washing like Jesus did; but more widely, they
serve Christ by walking with those the world easily forgets; the marginalized, the poor, the powerless, the sick.
People who reach out to others in this way—with care and compassion in a hurting world—are practicing diaconal service, as all the baptized are called to do. Some of them desire to do this as a professional in ministry
and enter a more formal training and formation process to become deaconesses and deacons. Since the earliest days of the church men and women have been set apart to do intentional servant ministry.
Deaconess/deacon ministry has come to mean many things: it means serving others on bended knee, and from positions of leadership. It means entering the hurt parts of society and carrying the light and love of Christ in
service to others. It means telling the story of God’s love and helping others to hear God in their own story. It means welcoming the stranger in our midst.
Life has changed for us at the LDA during the global pandemic, like it has for you. Stories of the changing dynamics of ministry abound over the past 18 months. Stories like Deaconess Barb who has
transitioned her counseling ministry to meet with clients via Zoom and phone. And Deacon Steve who has continued to provide worship services, pastoral care, and spiritual support to residents in long-term care settings through technology. And Deaconess Student Lisa who collaborated with church staff and volunteers to keep serving the hungry through a food pantry.
Formation for our students continues as well. Twenty-three students met for their student seminars in 2021 via Zoom. We worshipped, had presentations, and grew in our understanding of diaconal identity
and community.
We are so grateful for our partnership with Christ Lutheran Church. Your congregation has made a huge difference in our ministry. Your prayer support and financial support are invaluable and help the LDA thrive
and reach out to God’s people, during this trying time and beyond. Thank you!
For more info www.theLDA.org We would love to talk with you! Or talk to Deaconesses Jane Aicher or Diana Iltzsche. Or
Deaconess candidate Karen Hernes. Or deaconess student Meggan Amour.”
Help achieve our goal of $2500 in November (over and above giving combined with CLC’s $1200 budgeted amount). By achieving our goal CLC will help Lutheran
Diaconal Association continue mutual support and service activities that are crucial to effective ministry. Use your weekly worship giving mailed in check to CLC and indicate “LDA” 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's Shelter Update
Men’s Shelter (and Resale Shop) at 2102 Calumet Ave, 219-548-3548 You can help feed our neighbors experiencing homelessness: New Creations Men’s Center continues to be home base for both single men and women between homes, providing daily meals and a space to be during the day. Overnight services began at area churches on October 15. Christ Lutheran will resume our hosting in April 2022.
In the meantime, you can help NC feed their guests. Lunch supplies can be dropped off at the
resale shop counter during hours of operation (usually 10-5). Requests include: Lunch meat, Fruit, Individual juice, Snack cakes, and Chips. Dinners are also appreciated; please call New Creations (219-548-3548) for more information about quantities and scheduling of
dinners. Information to follow soon on our scheduled night to feed the men. Meanwhile please pray for those in our community living in cars, tents and on the streets.
There is a basket inside door #3 for suggested food donations for Men's Shelter.
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Sandy & Dave Keammerer are always collecting the following items for Lutheran World Relief (LWR). Please drop off at the church and put in white basket in Gathering Place and feel free to call the office if you have any questions.
BABY CARE KITS
All clothing items 6 months to 2T
(2) gowns or sleepers: long- or short-sleeved
(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: 4oz., bath-size, in original wrapping
(2) diaper pins: or large safety pins
3-ply baby yarn and flannel fabric in increments of .75 yards.
Please indicate if items given are laundered.
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
(1) nail clipper
(2) bars of soap
(1) Sturdy comb
PRAYERS
MEMBERS: Candance Jacques, Nancy Bernthal, Nancy Heckman, Ron Goodaker, Margaret Johnson, Janet Scheuerman, Herb Hofer, Connor
Byrne, Deb Will, Joyce Spoljaric, Karen Seykowski, Tom Abbring, Lois Popenhagen.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY: Shay (niece of Sue McPherson), Tyler (friend of Zach Wehner); Jacob (nephew of Holl Knauff), Sal Cordero (son-in-law of Katie Bebe); Shoshana Fufferman (friend of Jeff & Grace Safrin); Meslissa Rardin (Jeff & Grace Safrin), Carol Metrakos, Pat (Dave Burnside's sister); Carolyn (Lisa
Jennings Mother): Mark Jacobson: Donald Reinhold (Tony's Father): Brandon (Hernes Family); Patricia Venstrom (Luke's Great Grandmother); Melissa Rardin (Grace Safrin), John Holliday (Becky Fry); Cindy, Jean, Karen & Barb (friends of Becky Bakalyar): Sandy Burnside: Linda Luckey (daughter of Marilyn Vankat); Sophie (friend of Jacquie Chevalier); Dave (SIL of Pastor Jane Aicher); Dennis (family
of Kathy Stefans); Pastor Phyllis (friend of Phyllis Schroeder); Wayne Christner (stepdad of Tammy Hofer); Amanda (friend of Melissa Summerville).
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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