National Youth Gathering Recap!

Ten youth and five adults from the Roanoke Valley attended the ELCA National Youth Gathering along with over 15,000 others in New Orleans last week. While the travel to and from the event included some challenges, all enjoyed lively worship, terrific speakers, an interesting city, and plenty of new foods. Thanks to all who supported this trip with their prayers and financial gifts! Click the buttons below to view a video recap and a Facebook photo album from the event.

VBS Continues!

Vacation Bible Study with Salem Presbyterian Church continues to thrive this week! Almost one hundred participants of all ages have been gathering at Salem Pres for meals, study, games, speakers, and crafts, as we explore the theme "Who Is My Neighbor?"

Our final two meetings are tonight and tomorrow (Wednesday), beginning at 5:30 PM. Don't miss out!

Take Note

By Susan E. Short

Tuesday greetings! I hope you are making plans to join us on Sunday for worship as we celebrate the baptism of Linnea Rae Ungs. We rejoice alongside of her family and continue to hold Anita and Isaac close in our hearts and prayers. The choir will gather to share an anthem, You Shall Have a Song, and will introduce the singing of the Lord’s Prayer as a part of the communion liturgy.

Looking ahead:

The hymns for Sunday include:



• Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ (ELW #754);
• Baptized and Set Free (ELW #453);
• Baptized in Water (WOV #693); and,
• Sent Forth by God’s Blessing (LBW #221).

As a reminder, the LBW is the Lutheran Book of Worship (Green Hymnal), WOV is With One Voice (Blue Hymnal), and ELW is the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Cranberry Hymnal).

Looking in-depth:

Our processional hymn is I Come with Joy (ELW #482).

(Verse One)

I come with joy, a child of God,

forgiven, loved and free,

the life of Jesus to recall,

in love laid down for me,

in love laid down for me.

Brian Wren (b. 1936) wrote this hymn in July 1968 for the congregation he was serving in Hockley, Essex, England. He is considered as one of the most vibrant hymn writing voices today. I Come with Joy appears in at least forty hymnals in North America. Brian Wren was born and raised in Romford, Essex, England. His B.A. and Ph.D. degrees are from Oxford University. He was ordained in the United Reformed Church in Great Britain, but now is now a citizen of the United States. He holds the distinction of Professor Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia, and has been honored as a Fellow of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, in addition to possessing a lengthy list of publications and professional accomplishments. I Come with Joy was written in 1968 as a summation of a sermon series on Communion. (C. Michael Hawn, UMC Discipleship Ministries)

An arrangement by the congregation of First-Plymouth Church, Lincoln, Nebraska can be found on YouTube at: I Come with Joy (youtube.com). I look forward to joining you for worship on Sunday as we celebrate the tenth Sunday after Pentecost. Soli Deo gloria – SES

Summer Sundries!

Mrs. Dorsey's Clothes Closet serves members of our community from nearby and faraway. You have a chance to help your neighbors by providing items that the Clothes Closet finds most in demand.

This summer at CLC, we'll have a collection box in All Saints Hall. Our current focus for Summer Sundries includes:

• Deodorant
• Soap
• Shampoo

Thank you for helping others!

On Tuesday evenings from 4 to 6 PM, The CLC parking lot will be a drop-off point for Riverstone Organic Farm. Customers of Riverstone will be able to pick up boxes of produce that they have ordered through the farm's website. For more information about Riverstone Farm in Floyd, VA, click here.

Interested in fresh produce? Signing up ahead of time is necessary. Click here to sign up!

Don't Forget: Submit Your Picture for the CLC Photo Directory!

It's time for an updated photo directory of members and friends of CLC! Luckily, our existing membership record platform allows us to update and print directories as needed--we just need your photos to make it happen! CLC member Jon Osborn has graciously volunteered to coordinate this effort. Please email a JPG or TIF picture of your household members to 

jonosborns@gmail.com

Some things to remember:

• Try to have one photo with all members of your household.
• if available, and in addition to the Family Photo, please include individual photos of household members. If individual photos are not available, the Family Photo will work just fine.
• Avoid submitting a photo where someone is wearing sunglasses or otherwise would be difficult to see.
• If you do not have a digital photo, we can scan physical photos in the church office.

Thanks for helping us update our directory!

Wednesday Bible Study:

The Narrative Lectionary

Our long-running Wednesday Bible Study led by Pastor Drebes meets at 11:15 AM in Stoutamire Chapel. This summer, we will continue to follow the Narrative Lectionary.

A lectionary is a schedule of readings, and the Narrative Lectionary is a creation of professors at Luther Seminary. Articles, podcasts, and other resources related to the readings for each week can be found on the website Working Preacher.

Our current study focuses on First John. Click here to learn more!

Also on Wednesdays, we celebrate a brief service of Holy Communion at 12:15 PM. We hope to see you at one or both of these midweek gatherings!

Men's Spiritual Formation Group

Please join us for fellowship and spiritual studies, meeting on Tuesdays at 7:00 PM during Lent beginning on February 20. We will meet at the home of PK Hundley, near the church. For directions and more information, please contact the church office at (540) 389-4963, or Keith Hartman at hartmankeithe@gmail.com

CLC Card Ministry

Want to send a note to a fellow CLC member? This ministry is a great way to let others know that you are thinking about them and praying for them. Especially when someone is in the hospital, it can be difficult to send them a card. This is one way we can keep connected with one another.

How it works:

• Bring in a card of your own or use one provided on the table next to the mailbox.
• Place in the CLC Card Ministry Mailbox in All Saints Hall
• Our Parish Administrator will address, provide postage, and send cards

It's that easy!

And we thank Ashley Roop for painting the mailbox!

Announcements

Altar Flower Sponsors Needed for Worship Services

The 2024 Flower Chart is in the hallway for signup. Please contact Barbara Brandtner at 540-797-1886, if you would like to provide flowers for the altar.

Ushers Needed for Sunday Worship Services

Ushers are needed for Sunday Worship Services. Please see Joel Barfield or email joel.barfield@gmail.com.

Nursery Volunteers Needed

College Lutheran Church recognizes the importance of providing our parents with the opportunity for quiet worship, as well as, introducing our little ones to the love and care of a Christian community. In order to offer this service, we are seeking volunteers to watch over our littlest members during our 10 am service Sunday mornings. To volunteer, please contact Kellie Rice at kellierice5@aol.com or 540-797-2973. 

Catch up on past worship services

Did you miss a recent worship service? Want to hear that choir anthem one more time? Our video archives are kept on two different websites:

• Click here to visit our YouTube page.
• Click here to visit our Facebook page.

Resources for Daily Devotionals

Do you need some guidance in daily prayer? Consider downloading the D365 App! It's free, and very helpful. Click here to download it to your phone or tablet: https://d365.org/

Do you want a copy of the Living Lutheran magazine or the devotional Christ in Our Home? Let Parish Administrator Sandi Roop know! Just contact her at office1@collegelutheran.org or (540) 389-4963.

Are you interested in keeping up with the lectionary (assigned scripture readings for worship)? This calendar of scripture readings is available at a special website run by Vanderbilt Divinity Library. The site includes art for each day of the church year, and is accessible here: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/