Senior News

Thrivent Financial is sponsoring a workshop/meal where we will be tying fleece blankets with the CLC youth on Sunday, January 7, 2024.  We will be dining and working from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the CLC Gathering Space.   

The Youth Group will be tying blankets for Living Hope.  Our Senior Group will have additional fleece blankets to tie, along with port protectors to be stuffed, on behalf of Phil's Friends, the group represented by Judy Earnshaw, our November meeting speaker.  Various other provided items will also be assembled at that time for Phil's Friend's cancer care boxes. 

We will meet at church at 6 p.m., with a meal of sloppy joes & chips kindly provided by Thrivent Financial.  Please come and enjoy the fellowship and a meal with our youth while we all work together for the benefit of these two great organizations. 

Please respond to Judy Boom at mbboom@comcast.net by December 30, 2023, if you are able to attend so that the appropriate amount of food may be provided.   

If a few could also provide desserts, that would be appreciated.   

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January 25, 2024:  Thursday, 9:15 a.m.  Meet at church for our meeting as Pastor Erica will share with us her sabbatical experiences!  A sign up sheet will be on the bulletin board, and also indicate if you are able to provide treats for that meeting. 

Thank you for letting me know if you are able to attend this Sunday's gathering!  If needed call Beth Bigham at 219 477 3937, or please reach out to Sue Reinhold. 

Retreat 2024 - The Freedom of Forgiveness!  

Registration is open for the retreat, which will be held February 23-25, 2024. Congregation members will share how God has been at work in their lives through the practice of forgiveness; it's a great time to step back from our stressful daily lives into a time of respite and spiritual renewal at the beautiful Lindenwood Retreat Center near Plymouth, IN.  Follow this link to register: https://clcvalpo.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2062067

CLC Social Ministry and Mission

January 2024

“Spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed” (Isaiah 58:10). 

First Contact, Inc. and Mike Steiner Special Needs Memorial Fund.

Each month the Social Ministry highlights a special giving opportunity and volunteer opportunities.  January’s emphasis is to support 1) First Contact Porter County https://facebook.com/firstcontactportercounty and 2) the Christ Lutheran Mike Steiner Benevolence Fund.

First Contact is a not-for-profit interdenominational resource and referral ministry, which endeavors in the name of Jesus to assist Porter County residents in need.  The vision of FC is to engage a community of givers, through churches, individuals, and organizations to help support those facing hardship.  FC has offices in Valparaiso and Portage.  When Porter County residents come to the offices of Christ Lutheran with needs as described above, First Contact is our partner in helping address these needs.  FC also welcomes volunteers to help in staffing their office hours.

Mike (Marjorie) Steiner was a member of Christ Lutheran who through her will asked family to donate her financial savings (about $15,000) to CLC.  She asked that these monies be used to help CLC members who at a particular time have social, physical, and financial needs.  The Social Ministry and Mission Committee established policies and procedures for making effective use of these funds to benefit those needing help with rent, utilities, emergency food, medicine, and counseling.  Since it has been quite a few years since Mike’s gift, and since numerous CLC members have benefited, the fund needs new donations each year.

Help achieve our goal of $2500 in January (over and above giving combined with CLC’s budgeted amount of $1200).  By achieving our goal CLC will help First Contact and Steiner Fund continue to thrive.  Use your weekly worship giving envelope mailed with check to CLC and indicate “FC/Steiner” or contribute through Subsplash on the CLC website https://clcvalpo.org via the “Give” button.  Thank you to members for supporting monthly social ministry emphases.

Getting to Know CLC

Join us to learn more about Christ Lutheran's ministry, history, and teaching.  We'll gather for a 3-week series during the Formation Hour on Sundays (9:20am-10:20) January 28; February 4 and 11 in the Church Hall. Please click on the link to register  https://clcvalpo.churchcenter.com/groups/seasonal-classes/getting-to-know-clc-winter-2024.  Call the church office 219-462-6660 if you have any questions.

Lenten Dinners at CLC!!!

During Lent, you are invited to join in Lenten dinners at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at CLC, before each 7:00 p.m. evening service. Please sign up for each meal in advance in the East Link so that the cooks know how many to expect, and consider bringing a dessert to share. A free-will offering will be collected at each meal. Come and join in the fellowship!

As the season of Lent approaches, we are looking for individuals or groups to make the evening meals. Sign-up sheets are in the East Link, for more information call the church office.  Remember when signing up to also ask for volunteers to set-up and clean-up the hall.

Dinner schedule:

February 14—Ash Wednesday

February 21

February 28 

March 6

March 13

March 20

Weekly Prayers

Grief:

• Ramona Krueger, died 12/24
• Family of Frank Dutton, lost daughter last week

Celebration:

• Birth of Isabella

Global:

• Violence in the Holy Land
• Anti-Semitism hate crimes
• Tornadoes in TN

Hospice:

• Joi
• Janet
• Pat
• Julia
• Frances
• Norma

Long-term/ongoing:

• Ken
• Stuart
• Wayne
• Nancy
• Heather
• Joy
• Sally
• Letty
• Katrina
• Jimee
• Tim
• Mike
• Dawn

1/7

• Darlene

12/31

• Melody
• Suzanne
• Harry and Suzanne

12/24

• Arlo and Adler

12/20

• Jacob

12/12

• Alicia
• Resa
• Astrid
• Gabi
• Joanna
• Denise
• David
• Amelie
• Joan
• Shawn
• Lissa
• Rosie
• John
• Ted
• Lus, Norberto, and family
• Maritza
• Laura
• Raven
• Ms. Leonelli