Social Ministry News – Feb. 2024

Social Ministry News – Feb. 2024

The Love Fund at Christ the King

You are, hopefully, aware that Christ the King maintains a small pool of money to assist church members and attendees experiencing short-term financial emergencies.  We refer to this as the Love Fund.  However, you may not be aware of the origin of the fund nor how it is maintained.  We hope to remedy that, as the woman whose generosity started it deserves remembering!

Sandy MacAlister was a long-time, active member of Christ the King.  When she passed away in 2003, tragically at an early age, she left a sizable bequest to the church. Most of it went to set up the Mission Endowment Fund, but a smaller amount was earmarked to establish what came to be called the Love Fund.  It has been used ever since by our pastors, with the advice of the Social Ministry Committee, to aid parishioners in need.

Grants from the fund are gifts, given in Christian love, and there is no mention nor expectation of payback, though some recipients have done so.  The money has been used for emergency car repairs, rent or mortgage payments, medicine, legal fees, and many other needs.  Whenever feasible, checks are written directly to providers—mechanics, landlords, doctors, etc.  Since it is meant for short-term, emergency problems, repeat requests are not normally accepted, though exceptions can be made.  Money for the Love Fund comes entirely from donations earmarked for the fund; nothing comes from the church’s general fund.

If you are having temporary financial difficulty, please talk to Pastor Tim or Deacon Mandy.  They will first attempt to connect you various community sources that may be able to help, but if that is impossible, the Love Fund can be considered.  As with any communication to the pastor, it is all held strictly confidential.

The flip side, of course, is that if you are in a sound financial position, please consider donating to the Fund.  Make a note on a check put in the offering plate or on cash put in an offering envelope—or do what Sandy MacAllister did; remember it in your will.

Thank you for reading this far,

The Social Ministry Committee.

 

Noisy Offering Partner for February (and March):

ELCA World Hunger

November 2023 — Social Ministry News

November 2023 — Social Ministry News

Christ the King – Mission Endowment Fund

Grant Application Deadline! = 15 December, 2023

What is the Mission Endowment Fund?

The fund was designed to support Christ the King Lutheran Church in its mission.  The Fund receives unrestricted gifts and bequests from congregation members and their families, and friends of Christ the King.

This is a permanent endowment fund that is separate and distinct from the everyday operating funds of the church.  The assets are held by the ELCA Endowment Fund Trust to provide for their long-term stability and growth, so donors can be confident that their gifts will endure to continue God’s work within our congregation, the community of Durango, and the world.

How do I apply for a Mission Endowment Fund Grant?

Applications can be made at any time of the year, but the Board meets once a year, in January, to review all applications that were received prior to December 15st of the previous year.

The application form can be found on the Christ the King website at ctkdurango.org/learn-more/documents in a fillable PDF format.

To submit it, you may email to mef@ctkdurango.org.

Or it can be mailed to the church at

Mission Endowment Fund

Christ the King Lutheran Church

495 Florida Road

Durango, Colorado  81301-4730

If you have questions about filling out the application, or what kinds of projects or agencies might be appropriate, feel free to contact the board at mef@ctkdurango.org.  Or, of course, you may talk with any of us at church.

Yours in Christ,

The MEF Board

John Condie, Lynn Mitzlaff, Megan Reid, Renate Widder, and Gary Rollstin

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Christmas is coming, AGAIN!
The Social Ministry Team invites you all to participate in the ELCA Good Gifts program that keeps on giving. Using the online catalogue, you can choose from more than 50 sustainable gifts, in honor of family and friends, to give to people throughout the world who are in desperate need.
Go to, goodgifts@ELCA.org to start shopping.

There is still MORE!!!!!
Don’t forget to put Colorado Gives Day on your calendar! This year it will be held on Tuesday, 12/5/23. This year donations made starting Nov. 1, 2023 through Dec. 5, 2023 will qualify to become part of the Incentive Fund. All nonprofits receive a % of the fund equal to the % they raise for the Colorado Gives Day program. Raise 10%, get 10% of the Incentive Fund.
Go to www.coloradogives.org, choose donate and then location for local and statewide non-profits.

Let’s spread the love!

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The holidays are fast approaching, and with them, the opportunities to share our blessings with others. This year we have three of those opportunities to highlight.

First, as we have for 30-some years, we will be making the stuffing for the Community Thanksgiving Dinner. As always, we will meet at Manna Soup Kitchen beginning at 4 pm on Tuesday, November 22nd. We will chop veggies, sauté sausage, and tear bread until we have 25 full pans of stuffing. It is always a wonderful fellowship event, and a huge service to the community.

Second, as we have for 1-some years, we will be doing a gift collection for our Mission partner, the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, Arizona. Tags with needed items will be posted in the Welcome Center. We will ask you to take one or more tags and purchase the item thereon. Look for these shortly after Thanksgiving.

Third, Colorado Gives Day is coming up. We want to acquaint you with this opportunity to painlessly increase the value of your donations to local charities. Donations made to non-profit organizations that have signed up will be supplemented by some percentage from the Community First Foundation. The percentage depends on total giving to all participating organizations. This year, despite the Colorado Gives “Day” title, giving begins November 1st and continues until the “Day,” December 5th. All donations made during this time qualify for the incentive. For more information, check their website, www.coloradogives.org.

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Ctk’s Noisy Offering began years ago during a time of uncertainty with the church’s budget. Tithing was down, and in the absence of knowing just how much financial gifts the church would receive each month, the Social Ministry budget was cut. This meant that local, necessary, and beloved organizations like Manna, the Food Bank, VOA of SW CO, and others would not receive monies they previously counted on. So the Noisy Offering at CTK was born. Metal cans were passed after the Offering plate, so that coins – change – placed in the buckets would not only make a joyful noise, but the change itself represented the change it was making in the receiving organization and the greater community. The joyful noise of the noisy offering reminds us that giving is much more than a duty. Your regular tithe goes to CtK operating costs and to her ministries, which do include the noisy offering recipients through the social Ministry budget – because giving is a duty and a joy!

CTk’s Noisy Offering is also a way we teach our children the importance of giving and serving. Often our children are passing the noisy offering can, and that’s by design. So especially when a tiny hand passes you the can, remember a tiny face is watching – so joyfully plunk in your change and let the noise ring out!

If you have a non-profit that you want to see included as a Noisy offering recipient, put your suggestion in the box on the credenza in the Welcome Center.

November 2023 — Social Ministry News

October 2023 — Social Ministry News

Anyone who is interested in accompanying the Christ the King group to Guatemala next June needs to have their refundable deposit of $250 in by the second week of October.

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Christ the King – Mission Endowment Fund

Grant Application Deadline! = 15 December, 2023

What is the Mission Endowment Fund?

The fund was designed to support Christ the King Lutheran Church in its mission.  The Fund receives unrestricted gifts and bequests from congregation members and their families, and friends of Christ the King.

This is a permanent endowment fund that is separate and distinct from the everyday operating funds of the church.  The assets are held by the ELCA Endowment Fund Trust to provide for their long-term stability and growth, so donors can be confident that their gifts will endure to continue God’s work within our congregation, the community of Durango, and the world.

How do I apply for a Mission Endowment Fund Grant?

Applications can be made at any time of the year, but the Board meets once a year, in January, to review all applications that were received prior to December 15st of the previous year.

The application form can be found on the Christ the King website at ctkdurango.org/learn-more/documents in a fillable PDF format.

To submit it, you may email to mef@ctkdurango.org.

Or it can be mailed to the church at

Mission Endowment Fund

Christ the King Lutheran Church

495 Florida Road

Durango, Colorado  81301-4730

If you have questions about filling out the application, or what kinds of projects or agencies might be appropriate, feel free to contact the board at mef@ctkdurango.org.  Or, of course, you may talk with any of us at church.

Yours in Christ,

The MEF Board

John Condie, Lynn Mitzlaff, Megan Reid, Renate Widder, and Gary Rollstin

 

————————-

 

Ctk’s Noisy Offering began years ago during a time of uncertainty with the church’s budget. Tithing was down, and in the absence of knowing just how much financial gifts the church would receive each month, the Social Ministry budget was cut. This meant that local, necessary, and beloved organizations like Manna, the Food Bank, VOA of SW CO, and others would not receive monies they previously counted on. So the Noisy Offering at CTK was born. Metal cans were passed after the Offering plate, so that coins – change – placed in the buckets would not only make a joyful noise, but the change itself represented the change it was making in the receiving organization and the greater community. The joyful noise of the noisy offering reminds us that giving is much more than a duty. Your regular tithe goes to CtK operating costs and to her ministries, which do include the noisy offering recipients through the social Ministry budget – because giving is a duty and a joy!

CTk’s Noisy Offering is also a way we teach our children the importance of giving and serving. Often our children are passing the noisy offering can, and that’s by design. So especially when a tiny hand passes you the can, remember a tiny face is watching – so joyfully plunk in your change and let the noise ring out!

If you have a non-profit that you want to see included as a Noisy offering recipient, put your suggestion in the box on the credenza in the Welcome Center.

 

———————————-

Christmas is coming again!!! The Social Ministry Team invites you all to participate int he ELCA Good Gifts program that keeps on giving. Using the online catalog, you can choose from more than 50 sustainable gifts, in honor of family and friends, to give to people throughout the world who are in desperate need. Visit https://goodgifts.elca.org to start your shopping.

Let’s spread the love!!

November 2023 — Social Ministry News

September 2023 — Social Ministry News

Greetings and prayers from the Social Ministry Committee,

As we mentioned in this space last month, we have been doing the Noisy Offering for the same group of charities over and over for several years.  While we do think that those are groups that deserve our support, it was pointed out there are many other groups out there that are equally deserving.  So, through September, we will have a suggestion box available for members of the congregation to suggest potential new recipients for occasional Noisy Offering proceeds.  Please include your name, in case we have any questions.  We will be repeating this information during services during the month, even though we know everyone reads the newsletter. 

Also, be sure to check out our table on Rally Day, Sunday, September 10.  Consider volunteering for one of our community projects.

The Social Ministry Committee

November 2023 — Social Ministry News

August 2023 — Social Ministry News

Greetings and prayers from the Social Ministry Committee,
There are a couple of things of note that we would like to tell you about:
First, it was brought to the committee’s attention (thanks, by the way) that we have been doing the Noisy Offering for the same group of charities over and over for several years.  While we do think that those are groups that deserve our support, it was pointed out there are many other groups out there that are equally deserving.  So, in August, we will have a suggestion box available for members of the congregation to suggest potential new recipients for occasional Noisy Offering proceeds.  We will be repeating this information during services during the month, even though we know everyone reads the newsletter. 
Second, remember that our long postponed (thanks Covid!) trip to Guatemala to visit our mission partners at San Juan Bautista Iglesia Luterana in Zaculeu has finally been scheduled.  We will leave June 26, 2024 and return July 3 the same year.  Please prayerfully consider accompanying us.  Talk to Pastor Tim if you are interested.
Thanks,
The Social Ministry Committee.
Durango Food Bank Update
Many thanks from the Durango Food Bank! The Food Bank provides food assistance to approximately 160 families in Durango and La Plata County. Christ the King’s congregation has donated a total of 199 lbs. from January to June 2023. WOW!!
Gluten free pastas, cereals, cream of wheat, pancake mix, syrups, and canned fruit are needed at this time. All dry foods are greatly appreciated.
Thank you! – Barbara Hawxhurst
November 2023 — Social Ministry News

July 2023 — Social Ministry News

Habitat for Humanity: A BIG Thank You to all the people who helped make our Build Day a success. We had 7 people who worked on the two townhouses – painting, landscaping, repairing railings. Three who worked on the lunch, and two who contributed a total of $500 to Habitat through Thrivent. That money was used to buy a door, paint, weather striping, wood, and more…some of which we used on Saturday. In one capacity or another, this group included Larry Rardin, John Condie, Kim & Mitch Hobby, Bev Dittmer, Larry Hjermstad, Pete Olson, Jacob Johnston, Lynn Mitzlafff, and Rap Fairley.

Frequently other volunteers join us on our build day. This time one of the Habitat Partners (those who have qualified to buy a Habitat home) needed to put in her sweat equity hours; so, she came out to help paint. She is a single parent, with two girls, who teaches in our school district. She has a second job, but still cannot afford to buy a house on the open market. Hopefully home ownership will be a dream come true for them – thanks to Habitat with a little help from CtK!