The Service Ministry is dedicated to helping the members of Christ the Servant live out the commandment to love one another.  We offer opportunities to help the less fortunate in our local Gaithersburg area, the larger D.C. metropolitan area and around the world.  Click on the links below to learn more about these programs.

 

Christmas:

·         Secret Santa program to give presents to local children

·         Gifts of Hope alternative gift giving project – raises money for service needs locally and around the world.

      Catalogs and order forms will be available the first Sunday in Advent, November 27. Sales will continue on Sunday mornings until Christmas.

 

Collections:

·         Bars of soap for Lutheran World Relief in the spring

·         School supplies in the summer

·         Coats and blankets in the fall

·         Used eyeglasses for overseas – ongoing

·         Stamps for the National Lutheran Home stamp project – ongoing

·         Wish list for the Lamb Center daytime drop in center for the homeless.

·         Upcounty Interfaith Clothing Center (UICC) – Collection on the first Sunday of the month.

·         HIV/AIDS Camp Safe Haven

  

Equal Exchange Products:

·         Sale of Fair Trade coffee the first Sunday of the month.

 

Feeding the Needy:

·         Assisting Gaithersburg HELP with food distribution to the needy

·         Assisting McKenna's Wagon with delivering food to the homeless in D.C.

 

Gaithersburg Help-

For your food offering during the worship service during the summer months, please consider the following current food needs:

          * canned fruits

          * beef stew

          * canned spaghetti sauce with meat

          * peanut butter * cereal

          * large paper grocery bags

 

They also are in dire need of food coordinators. For more information, call HELP at 301-216-2510 or click Volunteer for Gaithersburg HELP.

 

Help the Homeless Mini-Walk to Benefit Gaithersburg HELP

The Fannie Mae Foundation holds an annual walkathon on the Mall in November, and also sponsors mini-walks throughout the fall to raise money for homeless programs in the DC area. The Foundation contributes funds based on the number of registered walkers as well as the registration fees. Christ the Servant will hold its own miniwalk this fall to benefit Gaithersburg HELP. This is HELP’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

 

Here are the final numbers from the Help the Homeless mini-walk held at CTS on October 23:

 

          —$1,500 for Gaithersburg HELP from registration fees and

          —70 registered walkers toward the Fannie Mae incentive awards.

 

There were enough registered walkers in all the mini-walks for Gaithersburg HELP to qualify for Fannie Mae’s incentive award of $15,000.

 

Click on Photos to see CTS's participation.

 

 McKenna's Wagon--5th Saturday of the Month--4 volunteers needed.

What are your plans for the fifth Saturday in June, September, or December? Want to look for the face of Jesus in the lines of hungry homeless men and women in DC? This afternoon provides an opportunity to serve close up the chronic homeless. This is also a great opportunity to get to know some of the CTS family. We will meet at CTS at 4 PM to drive downtown to Martha's Table in Washington, DC, arriving at 5 PM. At Martha's Table, we will pick up a cargo van (McKenna's Wagon) loaded with soup, sandwiches, pastries and juice. We will drive to two locations in Northwest DC to deliver the food to the homeless. Our first stop is 19th and Pennsylvania Avenue across from the World Bank; the second is a few blocks from the White House at McPherson Square. We will be finished at about 6:30 PM. Please let the Service Ministry know if you would like to serve your neighbors in this rewarding program.

 

Sister Congregation in Liberia:

Subcommittee to foster a caring relationship with St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Monrovia, Liberia.

 

Thank you!

 

Thanksgiving Baskets—CTS distributed food baskets to provide Thanksgiving dinner for twenty less-fortunate families in our area. Many thanks to everyone who bought food, contributed to grocery store gift cards, assembled and delivered the baskets. You helped make Thanksgiving a blessed time for them all.

 

School Supplies—Thank you for the wonderful response to the school supplies collection for the Upcounty Interfaith Clothing Center. How wonderful for the children to receive their very own backpacks filled with school supplies and to start the school year well prepared and eager to learn!

 

Medical Supplies—Thank you to all who contributed items and cash for medical supplies for Camp Safe Haven, the camp sponsored by Lutheran Social Services for children with HIV/ AIDS. Forty-five campers enjoyed a week at Mar-Lu-Ridge in mid-August, and CTS played a small part in making it happen.

 

Hurricane Katrina Supplies—Thank you for contributing baby items, cleaning supplies, medical supplies, socks and canned food for hurricane Katrina victims in Biloxi, MS. Our seven boxes joined those from other churches on a 48-foot truck, loaded to the hilt, bound for Bethel Lutheran Church in Biloxi. Our truck arrived on Tuesday and the supplies were welcomed with open arms-the majority handed out within a few short hours.