Discover your purpose at Community Lutheran

< All Newsletters

Called by the Spirit: A reflection on purpose and participation

Why do you attend Community Lutheran Church? You might think you know the answer to that question, but I bet you don’t.

You might think it is because a friend recommended you come here. Or you saw an ad or a Facebook post. Perhaps you even were conned by a collar-wearing lady in a coffee shop. None of those are why you attend Community Lutheran.

Has someone ever asked you for a favor or some help, and without thinking, you said yes? You didn’t check your calendar or your bank account, nor did you even ask permission from your spouse. You simply, instinctively, agreed, not really knowing why. Some time ago, my wife, Suzi, and I began attending here and were not really involved until one day, the pastor called and asked if I could help, as a team leader was very ill. Not thinking about it, I said yes.

I know now that the reason I said yes, the reason for our purpose here at Community Lutheran, and the reason you attend here is because the Holy Spirit has brought us here together. We radically welcome and feed hungry people, support those who have been rejected, traumatized, and ostracized by other people and places, help our Hispanic neighbors learn English, and will support many other outreach ministries to come.

The direction and outward focus of this congregation have never been clearer. I am personally confident that Pastor Carla will successfully guide us toward those efforts. However, before you consider anything further, listen to the Holy Spirit. How will it guide you to participate in our ministries? How much will you give to meaningfully support our congregation? Or simply, why has the Holy Spirit brought you to Community Lutheran?

David Nilsson
Finance Team Lead

Help students start strong with school supply donations

Can you believe that summer is more than halfway over? It’s hard to imagine, but the start of school is just around the corner! Once again this year, Community Lutheran Church will be collecting school supplies for the students at John Clayton Elementary School. Please see the list below for suggested items that are needed:

• Backpacks
• Notebooks
• Pencils (preferably number 2)
• Erasers
• Spiral Notebooks
• Crayons
• Rulers
• Colored Pencils
• Folders
• Any other item(s) you think an elementary school child can use

If you would like to purchase any of these items for the students at John Clayton Elementary, there is a box in the Narthex to collect donations. Any items donated will be taken to the Frankford Library by August 23.

Please contact Terri Windlan with any questions.

Thanks so much for your support of this important ministry.

Social Justice small group invites members to engage in local advocacy

Community Lutheran Church is in the process of organizing a Social Justice Small Group. So far, the group has hosted a sign-making party and joined the protests by Indivisible Southern Delaware in Rehoboth. We have also researched and attended the Indivisible Southern Delaware group in Bethany Beach. Both groups are available to those interested in participating on Saturday mornings. Rehoboth meets in front of the old Bed, Bath and Beyond on Coastal Hwy (parking available). The Bethany Beach protest is located on Route 26 just east of St Ann’s Catholic Church. Both are currently gathering from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. during the summer. Watch for time changes as the weather cools. More information on Indivisible can be found at www.indivisiblesode.org

We are interested in branching out to other Social Justice opportunities and would love to hear from you. Your interest and ideas to share are appreciated. Some suggestions have included supporting the Food Pantry at Community and being trained in signing up clients for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Future options include working with organizations like the League of Women Voters during election cycles, working for more affordable housing in Sussex County, and supporting the Hispanic community in our area. For those looking for quieter ways to perform justice acts, lists of businesses to boycott are another suggestion. What are your ideas?

We are called to serve our neighbors. Community has been working toward community outreach opportunities. The work we do outside the church building is the work of serving Christ. Prayerfully consider this opportunity. If this ministry interests you, please send an email to pamdean.pedersen@gmail.com. She’ll be in contact with you soon.

What’s Happening at Community