Thanks for Supporting CtK’s Guatemala Hurricane Relief Fund
We wanted to thank the congregation for your wonderful response for our special giving for one of our partner missions, the church in Zacaleu, Guatemala. Both Guatemala and Nicaragua were hit hard in the late fall by two hurricanes. Significant damage was done to vast areas of the country, including the village where Pastor Tim and CtK members have visited several times. Property, crops, and infrastructure were damaged, and the recovery effort was hampered by these challenges. CtK donated $3500 during November and December. Pastor Karin and the whole ELCA church in Guatemala thanks you all for your compassion and generosity. Please keep all in your ongoing prayers.
Jigger Staby
Social Ministry Team
Focus on CtK’s Love Fund and ELCA World Hunger
February is a short and busy month for Social Ministry. First, it is the month for Valentine’s Day. In honor of this day of courtly love, we stretch it a bit and try to remind everyone of Christ the King’s Love Fund. This fund was established 10 years, no, 15, well many years ago to provide emergency monetary support for congregation members and frequent attendees who find themselves in temporary financial hardship. We can help with rent or mortgage, car repair, medical expenses, or almost anything else that is causing temporary cash flow problems. If you, or someone in the congregation you know is in such a position, let Pastor Tim know. It will be handled confidentially. There is no expectation of payback; it is an expression of Christ’s love from our church. If, on the other hand, you find yourself enjoying God’s blessings in abundance, consider donating to the Love Fund. Simply make out a check and put “Love Fund” in the memo.
The second thing that happens in February is the beginning of Lent. This year, as we have for 10 years, no, 15, well many years, we are raising money for ELCA World Hunger. We have set a goal for our congregation of $5000, a goal we met easily last year despite the intervention of the plague. Here from the ELCA World Hunger Website:
More than 820 million people – that’s about 11 percent of people in our world today – are hungry. As members of the ELCA, we are called to respond. We are a church that rolls up our sleeves and gets to work–working with and through our congregations, in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Lutheran churches overseas and other partners, ELCA World Hunger is uniquely positioned to reach communities in need. From health clinics to microloans, water wells to animal husbandry, community meals to advocacy, your gifts to ELCA World Hunger make it possible for the ELCA to respond, supporting sustainable solutions that get at the root causes of hunger and poverty.
Hunger facts
- 821 million people around the world – that’s more than 1 in 10 – can’t access the food they need to live active, healthy lives.
- According to the most recent estimates, 736 million people live in extreme poverty on less than $1.90 per day. That’s 10% of the world’s population.
- At some point in 2017 (the most recent year available), more than 40 million people in the United States were unsure where their next meal might come from.
- 39.7 million Americans were living in poverty in 2017. For a family of four, this means their annual household income was below $25,094.
Please help us support this cause. Download the 40 Days of Giving 2021: Lenten calendar at https://www.elca.org/Resources/ELCA-World-Hunger.
John Condie
Social Ministry Team