OCTOBER 2018
Christ Lutheran Church • Highlands Ranch, CO • Gathering † Gifting † Sending
CLC’s Day of Service A Cultural Shift in Vision for Mission “Biblically speaking, stewardship is our mission, not just a means for funding our mission.” – Mark Allan Powell. This month, various members of the Council are sitting down with our staff and ministry leaders in discerning together how, through stewardship, we will live into our missional calling of Gathering, Gifting and Sending next year. This is also a time where every member, visitor, and friend of the congregation is invited back into a prayerful conversation with God that reviews both blessing and purpose in each individual faith journey. “How has God blessed me?” “How am I working with God to be a blessing to others?” “How can I further support God’s church where I have been fed in both word and deed?” “What can I do to live deeper into a missional life of discipleship that stewards God’s plan for me – and through me?” Each of these questions – and the exciting answers that emerge – are God’s own Spirit calling you into greater discovery for His church with you. Welcome these questions and answers in your faith journey. Wrestle with them in eager anticipation and hope-filled reflection. Allow for the righteous love of God to wash over your dreams for His church, and fill your heart again with delight for all that can be possible in and through your generous gifts of stewarding a vision for mission! God is revealing the dawning of great dreams coming real in our midst. And He has invited you to share in that glory! Awake with Christ Lutheran to a sight never seen before, experiencing for yourself the truth that with Christ, we are Better Together!
This month I want to talk about CLC’s Day of Service. Here are just some facts: We packed over 600 pounds of dog food and delivered it all to Douglas/Elbert County Task Force, made 50 kid kits and sent them to the main branch of Children’s Hospital. A team went to Field Elementary and cleaned up their school by pulling countless weeds and cutting tree branches, sent 100 Laundry baggies to Lutheran Family Services, and brought treats to 3 police stations and 5 fire stations! We even put together boxes for Compton, California and those are wrapped!! A team assembled 20 birthday bags to be sent over to Field Elementary School! Last but not least we made 20 tie blankets to be sent over to the Julia Temple House! CLC, you should be proud of what you accomplished within a couple of hours. There were over 100 volunteers helping with this day with over 300 hours of service logged! How amazing! A special shout out to Don Alpern, Roger Green, Brenda Thompson and Paul Klinkerman! These lovely people let me apply and use their Thrivent grants! We had $1,000 in Thrivent money, which means most of this day was provided by Thrivent Financial! To end the day we worshipped with our community and listened to wonderful music, thanks to Clint Koury and his band, ‘Mo High ‘Mo Lonesome. Thank you to all of you that helped with this day, it was truly God’s Work, Our Hands! Ally Williams, Connections Coordinator