Purposeful Presentations: The Impact of Isolation Join Angela Wehner of Porter-Starke Services on Sunday, December 8^th during Faith Formation in the Fellowship Hall to discuss isolation & the impact it has on us.  Brought to light by the pandemic, isolation is not a new concept however one that everyone became familiar with. As explored in the Surgeon General’s 2023 report “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation”, isolation & loneliness take a toll on both our mental & physical health; holidays & the winter months have potential to increase this toll.  During this interactive presentation, we will discuss definitions of & barriers associated with isolation & loneliness as well as discuss ways to create, foster, & maintain social connection.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Continuing with our 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 Jen 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 22. If you have any questions, please contact any Church Council Officer.

AMOS TEAM NEEDS US

An AMOS https://www.facebook.com/amissionofservice ministry team, including CLC’s Gail Mannington (Board member and Treasurer), regularly undertakes Medical Mission trips to Esquipulas, Guatemala.  On each trip AMOS provides medical clinics, speech pathology services and education to remote mountain villages surrounding Esquipulas and Copan, Honduras where residents have limited/no access to medical care.

The team will be leaving for Guatemala in February 2025.

They need the following:

This is a list of the medications we need, bold mean high volumes needed, underlined mean we run out quickly.

The following ointments:  Neosporin, Hydrocortisone, Anti-itch cream, triple antibiotic, Diaper Rash, antifungals, muscle rub, Benadryl.

Vitamins:  Adult and Children Chewable (NO GUMMIES PLEASE, they melt), Prenatal Vitamins

Children’s Pain and Fever medications, cough syrups, Flu relief (We always run out). Infant Pain and Fever Medications (We always run out)

Benadryl, Tums/Antacid meds, Anti-diarrhea meds, Daytime and Nighttime multi-symptom meds, any NSAIDS (Ibuprofen, Aleve, Naprosyn, Motrin, Advil, Baby Aspirin 81 mg), Acetaminophen/Tylenol, Pepcid, Omeprazole, Zantac, Aspirin, Urinary Health meds, 

Other the counter (OTC) Medication only, No personal prescription or other medical equipment. 

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR CLC Retreat

February 7-9, 2025

More information to come.  Click on link below to register.

https://clcvalpo.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2616793

Social Ministry Monthly Emphasis

December 2024

Bethel Lutheran Church – Miller/Gary

December’s Social Ministry emphasis is to provide monetary support, along with continuing collaboratio activities, with Bethel Lutheran Church, a diverse, urban ELCA congregation in the Miller neighborhood of Gary, Indiana (part of NW Indiana Conference of I-K Synod) bethelmiller.org and facebook.com/bethelmillerbeach  Bethel’s Pastor is Rev. Joy Heine.  Bethel means "house of God" and members believe strongly “that the God of Jesus Christ truly is present as they regularly gather in fellowship around his Word and sacraments”.  CLC has partnered with Bethel over many years, including our 4^th joint worship service at a Gary park this past summer, and it is wonderful to further build relationships with a sister congregation.

CLC began as an ELCA suburban mission congregation almost 55 years ago.  The I-K Synod Mission and Urban Congregation programs some years ago refocused on needs of urban, rural, and diverse congregations.

Help achieve our goal of $2500 in December (over and above giving combined with CLC’s budgeted amount of $1200).  By achieving our goal CLC will help Bethel Lutheran continue to thrive as a congregation with outreach activities to organizations such as Interfaith Action Network, Crisis Center, and Sojourner Truth House.  Use your weekly worship giving envelope mailed with check to CLC and indicate “Bethel” 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.

CLC now has a NaloxBox located just outside of door #2.  What is a NaloxBox?  A NaloxBox holds individually packaged single doses of Naloxone, a chemical that reverses opioid overdose.  Anyone may use Naloxone on an individual who is suspected to be experiencing an overdose.  If a dose is administered to someone who is not experiencing an overdose, no harm will come from it.  This box allows individuals to take Naloxone with them – no questions asked – and is intended to be a distribution option versus something that is grabbed and used on the spot (CLC has included Naloxone in its AEDs and First Aid Kits should the immediate need arise).  A staff training was conducted at the time of installation; a community training will be held during Faith Formation on January 12^th, 2025.   This box was made possible in partnership with the Porter County Hub Coalition and the Reducing Opioid Overdose Together sub-committee.  

Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Angela Wehner, BSW

Older Adult Grant Project Director

Porter-Starke Services

701 Wall Street , Valparaiso, IN 46383

219.706.1044

Christ Lutheran Youth

A Huge Thank You!

As our annual Youth Silent Auction wraps up for the year, I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for supporting this fundraiser. We had many amazing items donated this year, more than we have ever had! Thank you to those who helped set up and prepare our Silent Auction and to all of you for placing those bids! Through your support, we are able to send our youth to some transformative events that play a huge role in their faith lives. During the Formation Co-Op listening sessions, many of our youth identified Quake as a significant and transformative event in their faith experience. Events such as Quake are made possible through our fundraisers, so thank you for supporting CLC’s youth ministries!

Fusion- Help Wanted!

Here at Christ Lutheran, we know the power and importance of relationship and community! We are looking for 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. If you have any questions relating to Fusion, please contact Kaitlyn, Director of Youth Ministries. 

ELCA Formation Co-Op

This past May, our congregation was selected to be a part of the ELCA Youth Network’s Formation Co-Op! The Formation Co-Op aims to explore new frameworks for youth ministry to “root young people in a lifelong and transformative faith in Jesus.” Congregations that are selected enter a two-year intentional listening process, paired with research, to develop new youth ministry frameworks that are suitable for the specific congregation’s context. 

There are many individuals from CLC who have been a part of this process thus far and are passionate about the ways in which we can adapt our youth ministry structure to be more inclusive to all youth in our community. As we conclude the listening stage of our process, we invite you to pray and consider the ways your gifts and presence could be a part of the future stages of this process! If you are interested in learning more about the Formation Co-Op and possibly being a part of the design or implementation teams, please contact Kaitlyn at kaitlyn.jedrzejowski@clcvalpo.org.

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 Sign-Up Genius. 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!

Tree of Remembrance

Tuesday, December 10 @ 6:00 p.m. 

Christ Lutheran Church

Family and friends are invited to attend this heartwarming event (in person or virtually) to honor the memory of a loved one. This year’s ornament is an etched glass teardrop, symbolizing tears we have shed & tears that have yet to fall, all because we care, we love and we remember!

The program for the evening will include the VNA Hospice Choir and a message from our VNA Chaplain. Families and friends are welcome to gather in the common area following the ceremony for fellowship, coffee, cocoa and cookies.

You may email a picture of your loved one to be included in the ceremony slideshow to mhamline@vnanwi.org or mail to VNA, 501 Marquette St. Valparaiso, IN 46383. (photos will be returned)

All completed forms and photos must be received by Dec 6th to be included in the ceremony slideshow and to receive a pre-printed/prepared ornament at the event.

Adult Faith Formation Hour

“Faith at Work” panel participants needed!  In the spring 2025 months we are looking for CLC members, guests, & friends who would be willing to reflect and share about vocation, call, and their faith at work. We will likely have several people with similar work situations participate in the same week as a group panel to share their thoughts. Guiding questions will be provided before the sessions, such as : What called/calls to you in your work? Does your work give you a particular window on God at work in the world, or on the needs of the world? Is there a way that you understand your work as service to God and neighbor? Are there places in your field/your work that are a struggle to fit with your faith, or where you feel a tension/disconnect? How have your thoughts about your work changed as you’ve moved deeper into your field and grown in faith? 

Please talk to Pastor Erica or Karen Hernes karenhernes@gmail.com if you are interested in participating.  

GIVING ENVELOPES

The 2025 giving envelopes are available.  You will find them in the Gathering Place, in the church hall and by the church office.

Please me Jen Bias know if you have any questions. 

Stephen Ministry ~ Here to help!              “I will not leave you…”

Everyone knows men face issues and concerns in their lives.  Whether it’s starting or adding to a family, bringing two families together, a job challenge, health concerns, a withering faith.  Life often brings great joy; but also great stress and bewilderment.   Life often can bring challenges. Whether everything goes as expected or complications surface, we may struggle with the situation or where to turn for help and support.  It’s also not unusual for men to feel confused, afraid, hurt or even rejected by God. 

Some years ago, my younger brother was murdered in northern Michigan leaving a spouse and 2 adult children.  A Pastor at CLC asked me if I would like someone to walk with me during my grieving process.  Over the next year a trained Stephen Ministry Caregiver met with me each week to share Scripture and Stephen Ministry materials, also prayed together and had valuable conversations.  Two of the things I learned were:  1- that Jesus cried at the death of his friend Lazarus which helped me understand how deeply Jesus knows my grief (John 11:35) and 2- understanding that everyone grieves in a different way and in a varying timeframe.

 A trained Caregiver prayed for me during this journey and during our time together was always ready to help.  I highly recommend Stephen Ministry for any important experiences of your life. 

The promise at the heart of scripture is that we are never alone.  Our loving God is with us and offers strength.  Regardless of what we face, there is help, unfailing love and people willing to walk with us and listen. CLC has a group of well-trained, faithful persons with a heart to care, offering support and encouragement.  They can help.

Tim Sutherland

Specially trained Stephen Ministers are always available to walk with you, listen to you, confidentially and faithfully.  We wear those blue name tags or contact either Pastor; their confidential email is:  pastors@clcvalpo.org or call 219-462-6660.

Good news! Good News!

Daybreak shelter on Don Hovey Drive in Valparaiso will open on 

Feb 1st, 2025.

For nearly 20 years area churches have been part of the PADS ministry housing and feeding men experiencing homelessness who are clients of New Creations. Christ Lutheran has hosted these overnight guests on Saturday nights for 6 months out of year for the past 13 years.

Daybreak will now provide overnight housing for the men in the New Creations program and will continue to provide case management services to them. Daybreak will also offer emergency overnight housing to men, women and children living on the streets in Valparaiso when the weather is too cold or dangerous for them to be outside. There will also be a resource center for these folks in the facility. The resale shop will continue to help fund the New Creations side of the facility.

Your help is needed to get the shelter up and running. There is a giving tree of ornaments in the Gathering space for you to donate items in memory of or in honor of someone. Take an ornament to give to the person you designate your gift to. There are small gift options and larger ones. You can also donate on line.

There is also a need for volunteers and meals. There are QR codes with links to make this easier for some of you. There will be volunteer training on Jan 16th and 18th. More information on that will be coming soon.

Contact Diana Iltzsche, Lisa Owen or a member of social ministry for more information.