Council Updates – We Share Program

In 2018 the Church Council, our Pastor, and members of our congregation worked with Pastor Nancy Nyland, the Indiana-Kentucky Synod Director of Evangelical Mission, to develop a purpose statement. The purpose statement we developed is “Christ speaks, we listen, we share.” Six words, a very powerful statement, and a challenge to be generous. We remind ourselves of this purpose every time we gather.

Your Council Hard at Work.

Christ Speaks, We Listen, We Share!

“Sharing” has been a topic of discussion at every Church Council meeting this year. We have celebrated the many gifts our members already give of their time, talents, and treasure. Discussions on sharing have included mission support giving to the ELCA (national and international), the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, and numerous local charities and groups.

We also discussed the idea of a special council “sharing project” each month to help us model sharing and ask ourselves to give more. We decided to pick one organization to share support with each month. Congregation and community members are encouraged to suggest local organizations or causes that CLC can share with as part of our mission.

Sharing so far this year has included:

01/31/2019 – January “We Share” Giving – The Church Council discussed completing a letter of intent to give financial support to the Evangelical Lutheran Church is America (ELCA) and the Indiana-Kentucky Synod of the ELCA. Based on our members commitments designated to support and the council’s projections of unpledged giving to mission support we set in a letter of intent committing ourselves to giving $18,153 to the ELCA in 2019 adding to the financial support whenever additional gifts are given to CLC designated for things such as world hunger and disaster relief.

02/28/2019 – February “We Share” Project – In February we recalled a sermon our Pastor gave on sharing where she used the phrase “if you have two coats” give to someone who does not have a coat. We asked the congregation to donate coats to be given to Coordinated Assistance Ministries (CAM). In February we delivered twenty-three good gently used coats to CAM.

03/31/2019 – March “We Share” Project – In March the Church Council decided to support CAM and the Kokomo Rescue Mission by donating personal hygiene items and paper products. The response was overwhelming to me. We took boxes and bags of items including tooth brushes, tooth paste, hand soap, laundry detergent, deodorant, toilet paper, paper towels, and many other hygiene items to CAM and the Rescue Mission.

04/07/2019 – April “We Share” Project – In April we decided to ask our congregation to increase our giving to support two local foodbanks. A bulletin insert was prepared, and announcements were made asking members to fill the little red wagon in the narthex every week with items the food banks we support need. On Sunday, April 7, the wagon was overflowing with food and paper products that we will “share” with local food banks.