Poverty in Northwest Indiana

Join us as we continue to deepen our welcome and understanding in our community and beyond.  We will learn from 2 local organizations that CLC supports through our social ministry outreach.  

Sept 8: Project Neighbors Paul Schreiner, Executive Director and Larry Baas, Board Member

For over 50 years Project Neighbors has worked to strengthen Valparaiso by engaging in a wide range of actions: housing, healthcare, daycare, public discourse, education, economic development and human relations. Come learn about the work of Project Neighbors and how they address needs in NWI. 

Sept 15 Is My Neighbor in Poverty?  Jen Trowbridge, President and CEO of CoAction

We are defining what it is, regulation wise, and why does CoAction exist (and why the heck did they merge with Housing Opportunities!).

Sept 22 Is Poverty a Choice?  Jen Trowbridge, President and CEO of CoAction

Experience the elements that contribute to financial hardships and what you can do to alleviate some of the causes and conditions for your neighbors.

August Altar Gifts

Holy Communion       Given to the Glory of God  

Altar Candles               Sara & Jeremy Long ~ In Memory of Dean Long (Jeremy's Dad)

Eternal Lamp               Given to the Glory of God

Grief Support Group - Next Meeting Wednesday, August 28th at 9:30am

This support group is for those that have suffered a loss, and is open to anyone in the community. The group meets every other Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in the conference room (room 209) and is facilitated by Pastor Jane Aicher. If you or someone you know is interested in this group but are unavailable at this time, please contact the church office. 

LWR Quilting Update

New quilt count as of this morning:  298!

Our long quilting day last week was a success! We got at almost 20 extra quilts tied. We enjoyed the day so much, we decided to do it again in September. We'll meet from  9am-3pm on Wednesday, September 18th at CLC. Lunch will be provided by a Thrivent grant.

We still have 4 bins of matched sets to layer and tie, so there's plenty to work on. Please plan to come for as much time as your schedule allows. Bring friends, too! Many hands make light work.

The LWR Ingathering at CLC is earlier this year. All quilts and kits will be packed up on Saturday, October 19th. Quilts will be displayed on the pews at CLC from  September 22nd-October 13th.
 

American Red Cross Response

Greatest response in several years!

51 registered donors (6 were Power Reds)  - one first-time donor; 

Only 1 deferred donor [14 were CLC donors]

Goal = 47 pints

Pints Collected = 56 (including 12 by the Power Reds)

Amazing numbers of "walk-ins"; only 3 with scheduled appointments

12 CLC Volunteers

Your support will go a long way towards replenishing blood supplied and ultimately saving lives!

***Please bring a card to label your dish***

Sunday School Begins September 8!

Our Sunday School classes welcome children 3 years old through those entering 4th Grade – please 

follow the link below to register:

https://clcvalpo.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2465341  

Youth Ministry Updates

God on Deck! Are you on deck?

When you hear the words “on deck” in performances or during a baseball game, its phrasing means that the individual is available and ready for action. Our Youth Board recognizes the importance of this phrase; as followers of God, we are called to be “on deck,” ready to accompany one another always. This idea of always being ready for action was one that truly resonated with our Youth Board. The story of the Good Samaritan provides a wonderful visual for what it means to be “on deck.” The Samaritan was walking down a road, and while perhaps unexpectant of what would take place, was still entirely ready to help care for the beaten man on the side of the road.

Over these next few weeks, you will be hearing from various individuals who have been a part of our youth ministries in all sorts of ways. From involvement in Fusion, as a parent, to serving as a chaperone, our hope is that you can hear some of the stories of why these people were ready for action! We are so grateful for the ways that these individuals are ready for action with our youth ministries! If you are interested in hopping on board with us and being a volunteer with the CLC Youth Ministries, please contact Kaitlyn, Director of Youth Ministries, at kaitlyn.jedrzejowski@clcvalpo.org.

Fusion- Help Wanted!

Here at Christ Lutheran, we know the power and importance of relationship and community! With Fusion starting up on September 8^th, we are looking for high school and adult volunteers to help lead and walk alongside our students in Fusion! If you are someone who loves being in conversation with others, enjoys playing games, and has an appreciation for projects and bringing discussion to life through action, then we hope you will consider volunteering with Fusion. There will be a training for volunteers on September 8^th following the 10:30am service for individuals interested in learning more. If you have any questions relating to Fusion, please contact Kaitlyn, Director of Youth Ministries. 

Time to Pop on Over to Popcorn Festival!

Popcorn Fest is around the corner and there are plenty of ways to be involved! On September 7th, Christ Lutheran will have its annual booth set-up in which we will be selling brats and hotdogs! Each year, this fundraiser helps provide funds for our youth ministries, and this year, the funds raised from Popcorn Fest will go towards scholarships and funding for youth ministry trips, mission trips, and faith formation events! 

The ELCA Youth Gathering is only one of the many events that shapes and transforms the faith lives of our youth. The opportunity to gather with 16,000 other Lutherans is such a unique experience and it is thanks to the fundraising of our church that our youth were able to attend the one in New Orleans this past summer! 

If you are interested in helping volunteer with the Popcorn Festival this year, please consider signing up at the sign-ups out in the Gathering Space. There are opportunities to help donate items needed for the booth (such as ketchup, sodas, chips, etc.), opportunities to help pre-cook the brats we will be grilling, and to volunteer at the booth the day of Popcorn Fest. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kaitlyn Jedrzejowski, Director of Youth Ministries. Thank you for all the ways you support our youth!

Fellowship at the Circle Table!

If you are like me and love to cook, there is a wonderful opportunity to help provide dinners for our high school group, Circle! Every Sunday from 6-8pm, our high schoolers meet for a time of community, conversation, and faith formation. Part of this time together includes a meal in which we can be together in fellowship. This has been a long-time tradition at Circle, because we know the beautiful ways in which a shared meal deepens the relationships between our youth! If you are interested in providing a meal for Circle, please sign-up using the SignUpGenius. Our high schoolers love connecting with the individuals who help provide dinners for Circle and it is just one of the many ways we grow and nurture our relationships with all here at CLC!

Congratulations 2024 Confirmands!

A huge congratulations to Libby Clark and Justin Pearson on their Affirmation of Baptism this morning! We are so excited to celebrate this milestone with you and to see the ways in which your faith formation continues! 

Social Ministry Monthly Emphasis

August 2024

Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves.  Protect the rights of all who are helpless.

(Proverbs 31:8)

Global Refuge (formerly Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service) globalrefuge.org has a vision that all migrants and refugees are protected, embraced, and empowered in a world of just and welcoming communities.  Global Refuge’ mission is witness to God’s love for all people, standing with and advocating for migrants and refugees, transforming communities through ministries of service and justice.  For over 80 years, Global Refuge has been a champion for migrants and refugees from around the globe. A legacy of courageous and compassionate service has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who have sought safety and hope in America’s communities. Global Refuge history reflects American Lutherans’ and others deep immigrant roots and passionate commitment to welcoming newcomers, especially those who are most in need. In partnership with community-based legal and social service providers nationwide, Global Refuge has helped over 500,000 migrants and refugees rebuild their lives in America.

Lutheran Braille Workers (LBW) lbwinc.org has existed since 1943 to show the love of God to people with visual disabilities and to bring them into a growing relationship with God.  LBW does this by engaging some 5,000 volunteers in over 115 production centers, lbwloveworks.org throughout the United States.  Volunteers joyfully produce approximately 250,000 volumes a year of Braille and specialized Large Print Bibles and Christian literature.  CLC is one of these Work Centers and is involved in making Braille books of the Bible for the blind, for more information please contact Paige Reichardt. Monthly emphases gifts go towards national LBW activities and to help with supplies for CLC’s Work Center.

Help achieve our goal of $2500 in August (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 “Global Ref./LBW” or contribute through Subsplash on the CLC website clcvalpo.org via the “Give” button and choose Monthly Social Ministry Emphasis.  Thank you to members for supporting monthly social ministry emphases.

Lutheran World Relief

School Kits

We are still collecting supplies for the School Kits for Lutheran World Relief, which are an important lifeline for learners all around the world.  As your children will soon begin the new school year, think about choosing supplies for others.  We will be collecting items through early-October, and the children will assemble the kits during one of their Sunday School hours.  The boxes of school kits will be loaded onto a truck in mid-October and shipped to a warehouse for distribution to places where they are needed around the world. 

Each kit containing the following: 

FOUR – 70-sheet notebooks of wide- or college-ruled paper, approximately 8” x 10 ½” 

ONE – 30-centimeter ruler, or a ruler with centimeters on one side and inches on the other.

ONE – pair of blunt scissors (safety scissors with embedded steel blades work well).

FIVE – black or blue ballpoint pens (no gel ink).

ONE – box of 16 or 24 crayons.

ONE – 2.5" eraser.

FIVE – unsharpened #2 pencils with erasers.

ONE – pencil sharpener.

Gathering supplies with your children is a great way to remind yourself and them that we need to continue to love our neighbors, near and far.  It helps us all remember that God’s love is everywhere!  There is a basket in the Gathering Space for donations, or you can purchase from Amazon and choose to have the items delivered directly to the church.  Thank you for your support!

The link to the Amazon wish list can be found by searching Amazon lists for "CLC School Kit," or by clicking the link below. 

Amazon CLC School Kit wish list