News for the week of June 28, 2026

JOIN US

In keeping with creation and the caring of creation we would like to share with the congregation to learn more about the Bioswale and our numerous CLC gardens. 

Please join us after service on Sunday, July 12 for our family faith activities to become one with nature.

LDA SUNDAY WITH A SPECIAL GUEST

Deacon Erin Brown

Followed by a potluck luncheon

July 26, 2026

Erin serves on behalf of the ELCA as the Regional Representative for South America and is based in Argentina. In this role, she will steward ELCA’s relationships with global companion churches (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia) and partners through deep engagement and presence in their lives and ministries. She provides contextual mission interpretation to ELCA, Synods and Congregations, fully informed by the perspective of the companion’s churches and partners and the theological lens of accompaniment.

YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE! HERE’S HOW TO GIVE: 

By check: Make payable to “Evangelical Lutheran Church in America” with “Erin Brown GCS3618” in the memo line. Give through your synod office or mail your check to: 

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 1809, Merrifield, VA 22116-8009. 

By credit or debit card: See ELCA.org/MissionaryGiving or call 800-638-3522 and specify 

“Erin BrownGCS3618.” 

By automatic monthly bank withdrawal, or to establish a covenant of prayer, communication and support: Contact 800-638-3522, ext. 2820, or [email protected]. 

Civil Rights Pilgrimage

A few of us at CLC have been thinking about the possibility of a Civil Rights Pilgrimage and have identified an experienced leader who will explore with us the possibility of a trip. 

We would learn history by WALKING…… We would visit Montgomery, Birmingham, Selma, and Atlanta. • Get the BIG PICTURE at EJI Legacy Museum and Memorial • Take a walking tour of downtown Montgomery and see MLK’s “Dexter Church” - Freedom Rides Museum - Rosa Parks Museum - slave market square • Walk the bridge in Selma and learn about Jim Crow south from a Foot Soldier • See Birmingham 16th St Church, Ingram Park, Jail where King stayed, “dynamite” hill, and much more • Plus enjoy some EXCELLENT Southern cooking & BBQ. 

If you are interested in exploring this possibility, please join us after the 9:30am service on Sunday, July 5^th.  No commitment is necessary.  We would like to gauge the interest of folks at CLC to this kind of trip together. If you can’t be there on that Sunday but would like more information, contact Pr. Erica or Kathy Sutherland.

Sheltered in Grace: We did it and then some!

We launched Sheltered in Grace with a Foundation Goal of $120,000 to replace the sanctuary roof.  We have not only met that goal, we’ve exceeded it – by a lot.  As of this week when writing this note, we’ve already received pledges of $177,609. Thanks be to God!

Because of your generosity, our Council has reviewed and approved a contractor bid which, gratefully, actually came in under what we anticipated.  We anticipate the project getting started in August, but of course, that’s just the beginning.

Because of your generosity, remember that every dollar above the actual cost of the project is going directly to our mortgage principal, to reduce our monthly payments and free up resources for ministry.  Already we have more than $57,000 going directly to that principal.  Thanks be to God!

Once we’ve received all your gifts and the project is complete, after all your generosity has been applied to the principal, we will ask our lender to recalculate our payments based on the new balance.  Our calculations show that paying down our mortgage by every $100,000 frees a little over $13,000 per year in budget relief. 

We are at 69% of the Hallelujah Goal, and there is still time to be a part of what we’re doing. Gifts are received through August 1. If you have not yet made your commitment, or if you feel moved to do more, join us as God is doing something remarkable!

Give or make your commitment at clcvalpo.org/shelteredingrace.  Interested in giving appreciated securities, a tax refund, or an IRA charitable rollover? Check the box and Heather Budnik will be in touch.

We built this place together. Let’s protect it and then some.

July Altar Gifts

Holy Communion       Grace Safrin ~ In Celebration of Kara’s birthday! 

Altar Candles              Marilyn McGawn ~ In Memory of Malcolm

Eternal Lamp             Sara and Jeremy Long ~ In Celebration of our 30th Wedding Anniversary         

Christ Lutheran Church offers a Grief Support Group every other week on Wednesdays from 9:30 - 11 am in the Conference Room. (209). The group serves adults who have experienced a loss of a spouse, parent, child, friend, or neighbor. The core group of peer support welcomes others to walk together in our grief journey .

Come when you can. Coffee and Kleenex available. 

The group is facilitated by Cheryl Slack, a Stephen Minister. You may contact her at 219-241-0677 or one of the pastors if you have any questions.

Upcoming dates are July 15, 29

CLC Social Ministry and Mission

July 2026

Each month the Social Ministry highlights a special giving opportunity with July’s emphases to provide monetary support for 1- ELCA’s Global Missions’ Arusha Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania Africa and 2- AMOS, “A Mission of Service” in Guatemala and Honduras.

Arusha Lutheran Hospital, in Arusha, Tanzania https/www.almc.or.tz  (with leadership from Dr. Steven Swanson - known to some at CLC) thrives with local African leadership.  CLC is designated as an ELCA missionary partner congregation and supports Arusha in their ministry of “providing competent and compassionate medical care, promotion of community health programs and proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

ELCA’s Global Mission, “global mission” means joining God’s reconciling work in Christ alongside more than 80 companion churches and many ecumenical and interfaith partners around the world, trusting the Spirit already at work in every place and people.  The work together has a multi-faceted approach to mission, from sending missionaries and personnel, to offering grants and scholarships designed to strengthen global church leadership and to support the ministries of companions.  https://www.elca.org/how-we-serve/global-mission

An AMOS https://www.facebook.com/amissionofservice ministry team, including CLC’s Gail Mannington (Board member and Treasurer), regularly undertakes Medical Mission trips to Guatemala and Honduras.  AMOS is thrilled to announce another AMOS mission to Central America, warmly welcoming our 2026 team of dedicated volunteers! We're set to depart for Esquipulas, Guatemala on November 6th, 2026, this team is ready to make a lasting impact!

On each trip AMOS provides medical clinics, health care, speech pathology services and education.  During each trip the team sees and treats hundreds of patients during clinic days, and the needs are voluminous. AMOS raises funds to purchase and provide prescription medications, ointments, and vitamins, and also collects over-the-counter medications for the mission team to take (CLC members have donated hundreds of pounds of over-the-counter medicines).

Help achieve our total goal of $2500 in July.  Use your weekly worship giving envelope mailed with check to CLC and indicate “Arusha/AMOS” or contribute through Subsplash on the CLC website https://clcvalpo.org via the “Give” button and choose Monthly Social Ministry Emphasis.  Thank you to members for supporting the monthly social ministry emphasis.

July Senior Outing

Hamstra Gardens

2062 IN-10

Wheatfield, IN

July 30 at 12:00, Hamstra Gardens

For those who wish to carpool, please meet at the front of the church at 11:00.

Please register online at HamstraGardens.com.  There is a $5.00 fee for visiting the      gardens. Please let me know if you plan to attend or have difficulty registering.

I'm checking out restaurants in the DeMotte/Wheatfield area.  We may come back to Valpo to eat. 

Please make sure to bring water or a beverage with you as it could be hot that day.

Cheryl Watson

219-929-5243

[email protected]

Your Love is Needed in Sunday School!
Your love – your kindness – your faith – your time. These are the best gifts you can give! Our young folks come to Sunday School each week ready to meet Jesus, to learn about God’s love and faithfulness, and that happens as they get to know YOU! We are looking for caring adults to join our team-teaching groups.

Leaders for each group are part of a rotating team that allows for lots of flexibility in scheduling. Our Youth Helpers are amazing! The curriculum is anchored in the Good News and makes preparation easy.
 

The gift of relationships with faithful caring adults is so crucial to our kids – and the gift of relationships with faithful, curious, joyful kids is so lifegiving for us adults!

So please pray about joining us – contact Pr. Erica ([email protected]) or the church office with interest or questions.

Adult Faith Formation Hour - your ideas welcome!

Planning is in the works for our Adult Faith Formation opportunities on Sunday mornings next year. Ever year we're surprised by how quickly the schedule fills with good things! If you have an idea, a series you'd like to lead, a guest you'd like to invite, etc - please be in touch with Pr. Erica ([email protected]) so that we can do our best to fit all these good opportunities into the calendar!