Join us in Loving and Serving
Lent @ CtK
Again this Lent, CtK is joining with several community partners in an effort to serve those who are hungry, thirsty, unknown (a stranger), poor, sick, and imprisoned.
This effort—called the Matthew 25 Project—offers many ways to explore the issues named in this well-known Scripture reading. There are opportunities to understand more fully with one’s mind, to experience more deeply with one’s heart, and to serve in some small way with one’s hands.
The following sections describe all of the Matthew 25 Project events in detail. For your convenience, we’ve organized the events into four broad focus areas: Worship, Giving, Service, and Arts and Awareness. A full calendar of events can be found at the bottom of the page.
To access this information in convenient booklet form, click here. Copies of the booklet are also available in the narthex.
Worship Opportunities
Wednesday, March 5 + 11 am and 7 pm
Join us in the sanctuary for a traditional Ash Wednesday service, including Holy Communion and imposition of ashes. The 11 am service will be followed by a light soup lunch. The 7 pm service will be livestreamed on YouTube and our Worship on the Web page for those who are unable to join us in person.
Each Sunday in Lent + 8:15 am, 9:30 am, and 11:15 am
Throughout Lent, Sunday worship services will be held at their regular times: 8:15 am (traditional), 9:30 am (contemporary), and 11:15 am (traditional). The 9:30 and 11:15 services will also be livestreamed at ctkluth.com/worship.
Wednesdays from March 12 through April 9 + 7 pm
Join us on Wednesdays at 7 pm for this brief musical service, to be held following “Soup & Art.”
Sunday, April 13 + 8:15 am, 9:30 am, and 11:15 am
Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, with services held at 8:15, 9:30, and 11:15 am. All three services will include a processional with palm branches.
Thursday, April 17 + 7 pm
Join us as we celebrate the new commandment and the Last Supper. This service will feature Holy Communion and music from the Sanctuary Choir and Alleluia Ringers. This service will also be livestreamed for your convenience.
Friday, April 18 + 7 pm
Reflect on Jesus’ final hours at this meaningful service, presented in dramatic “reader’s theatre” style and featuring music from the Sanctuary Choir and Alleluia Ringers. Join us in person or via livestream.
Saturday, April 19 + 7 pm
Get a first glimpse of Easter at this service featuring music by Xalt! and scripture readings presented by CtK’s young people. Holy Communion will be celebrated. Weather permitting, the service will begin in the back parking lot around the fire pit, then move to the sanctuary. Join us in person or via livestream.
Sunday, April 20 + 8:15 am, 9:30 am, and 11:15 am
Join us at 8:15, 9:30, or 11:15 am to celebrate this most joyful day of the church year! The 8:15 and 11:15 services will feature traditional music from the Alleluia Ringers, Sanctuary Choir, and young musicians, while the 9:30 service will feature contemporary music from Xalt!
Giving Opportunities
Wednesday, March 5, through Sunday, April 20
This Lent, CtK is continuing its commitment to make an impact in the lives of a local refugee family from Venezuela. Our goal is to raise $15,000 to help purchase a reliable vehicle for the family and provide funds for licensing, maintenance, and insurance. This investment will grant the family the independence needed to work, attend school, and fully integrate into their new community.
Contributions can be made in the form of monetary donations, or if you have a vehicle you’d like to offer, it can be donated to the cause. (Should the vehicle not meet the family’s needs, we have the ability to sell it and direct the proceeds toward their car fund.) If you would like to support this effort, please place your donation in the offering plate and mark it “Car Fund” or contact the church office.
Sunday, March 9 + Sunday, March 16
All are encouraged to bring in product donations for the Spring Break Food Pack initiative conducted in conjunction with Clay Food Pantry. Shopping lists, bags, and collection boxes will be available in the narthex on Sunday and throughout the week.
Sunday, March 23 + Sunday, March 30
In partnership with First Presbyterian Church, CtK is providing Easter baskets for approximately 230 children at LaSalle Park Homes, El Campito, and Hope for the Hungry. Bring in items to fill the baskets and help us bring joy to children in our community. Shopping lists and collection boxes will be available in the narthex on Sunday and throughout the week.
Sunday, April 6 + Sunday, April 13
As part of our “Little Free Art Library” project, CtK will provide the organizations who host our boxes with a starting stash of supplies. You can help by bringing in arts and crafts materials—crayons, markers, beads, paints, brushes, yarn, or anything else that ignites a creative spark! New and gently used items are welcome. (This is a great way to clear out leftover materials in your craft closet!) Collection boxes will be available in the narthex on Sunday and throughout the week.
Wednesdays from March 12 through April 9
Help feed attendees at our Wednesday “Soup & Art” discussion series by bringing in soup, bread, and/or cookies. Cook or bake at home (or make a stop at the grocery store), then drop off your items in Van Oort Hall by 5:30 pm each Wednesday. Sign up in the narthex to reserve your date.
Service Opportunities
Wednesdays from March 12 through April 9
Help make “Soup & Art” a success! Volunteers are needed to set up, serve soup, and/or clean up after the meal. Setup begins at 5:30 pm, and cleanup occurs after the conclusion of Holden Evening Prayer in the sanctuary (around 7:20 pm). If you would like to help, look for the signup sheet in the narthex.
Saturday, March 8
10:30–11:10 am + Van Oort Hall
Join CtK and its community partners as we build “little library” boxes that will be used to share free art supplies in various locations throughout the community. Helpers of all ages are welcome, and no prior experience is necessary! Bring your tools (if you have them) and lend a hand! Donuts, coffee, and juice will be provided.
Tuesday, March 11 + 6–8 pm
Cultivate Food Rescue + 1403 Prairie Ave., South Bend
Come to Cultivate to package meals for kids in need throughout the region. This is a collaborative effort with volunteers from several different churches and community organizations. Reserve your space today at this link.
Tuesday, March 18 + Tuesday, April 1 + Tuesday, April 15
1:45–5 pm + Burton’s Laundromat + 3706 W. Western Ave., South Bend
CtK has partnered with Clay Food Pantry, the St. Joseph County Health Department, and Burton’s Laundromat to host Senior Suds, a program that offers free laundry services for seniors every other Tuesday. While seniors are washing their clothes, they are able to order groceries from Clay Food Pantry and receive a meal.
Helpers are needed at the laundromat each Senior Suds day to connect with guests and distribute the prepared meals. Volunteering this spring is a great way to see whether you might be interested in becoming a “regular” so we can keep this program alive after our core volunteer team retires later this year. Sign up at ctkluth.com/seniorsuds.
Saturday, March 29
9 am + Clay Church Firehouse Campus
Join us at the Clay Church Firehouse Campus to help sort and repackage donations for the Spring Break Food Packs project. Sign up online at claychurch.com/events.
Sunday, March 30
10:30–11:10 am + Van Oort Hall
People of all ages are invited to Van Oort Hall to help sort Easter basket donations and assemble fun surprises that will be included in each basket.
Monday, March 31
9 am + Clay Church Firehouse Campus
Come to the Clay Church Firehouse Campus to help deliver filled Spring Break Food Packs to distribution sites around the community. Sign up online at claychurch.com/events.
Arts and Awareness Opportunities
Wednesdays from March 12 through April 9 + 6–7 pm
Van Oort Hall
Every Wednesday evening from March 12 through April 9, CtK will host “Soup & Art.” We’ll gather at 6 pm for a simple meal of soup and bread, then view and discuss a piece of art housed at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art on Notre Dame’s campus. Each stand-alone session will be accessible to all and will focus on how the piece might inform your journey through Lent.
Mondays from March 10 through April 14 + 6 pm
St. Joseph County Public Library Auditorium + 304 S. Main St., South Bend
Join us for a series of films addressing community issues. Movies will be screened on six consecutive Mondays, starting at 6 pm. Each film will be followed by discussion with local nonprofit leaders and community advocates. This series is sponsored by First Presbyterian Church in cooperation with Notre Dame’s Browning Cinema and Department of Film, Television, and Theater.
Dates and films are as follows:
- March 10: The Public (2018)
- March 17: The Old Oak (2023)
- March 24: Origin (2023)
- March 31: The Quiet Girl (2022)
- April 7: The Exiles (1961)
- April 14: Crip Camp (2020)
Wednesdays from March 12 through April 9 + 10:30–11:30 am
Online via Zoom
Join people from throughout the community for a facilitated discussion of Matthew Desmond’s book Poverty, By America. Together, participants will explore why poverty exists in the United States and what might be done about it. To register and receive a study guide and Zoom link, please email fpcsouthbend@gmail.com.
Friday, March 14 + 6–8 pm
La Casa de Amistad + 3423 S. Michigan St., South Bend
All are welcome at this family-focused bilingual celebration of spring and St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy a drum circle, ukuleles, singalongs, snacks, arts and crafts, and more! Please see the signup sheet in the narthex if you are interested in meeting up with other CtK folks at this event.
Saturday, March 22 + 12–5 pm
First Presbyterian Church + 333 W. Colfax Ave., South Bend
Stop by First Presbyterian Church in downtown South Bend for this unique peacebuilding event. Outside the building, community members may safely surrender firearms or ammunition so they can be disarmed and turned into garden tools or works of art. Indoors, everyone is welcome for jewelry making, theater, musical performances, and refreshments.
Sunday, March 30 + 1:30–4:30 pm
Near Northwest Neighborhood Community Center + 1007 Portage Ave., South Bend
Take a chartered bus tour through South Bend, visiting a variety of housing organizations and developments. Stops include Diamond View, Habitat for Humanity, Housing Authority of South Bend, South Bend Mutual Homes Cooperative, and Village to Village. The bus departs from the Near Northwest Neighborhood Community Center. Advance registration is required, and a small fee will be charged. For more information or to sign up, contact First Presbyterian Church of South Bend at (574) 234-4159 or info@fpcsouthbend.org.
Thursday, April 3 + 5:30–7:30 pm
Saturday, April 5 + 1–3 pm
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art + University of Notre Dame
Explore the parable through conversations about works of art and personal reflection in the galleries. This event is sponsored by First Presbyterian Church of South Bend and will be held twice: on Thursday, April 3, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, and again on Saturday, April 5, from 1 to 3 pm. (This event will explore different works than those included in CtK’s “Soup & Art”lineup.)
Thursday, April 10 + 1–2:30 pm
St. Joseph County Public Library + 304 S. Main St., South Bend
Bring the kids and spend a portion of your Spring Break at the St. Joseph County Public Library! Discover how kindness matters in our community. Design your own kindness bridge, create and fill a book box to share, and enjoy a scavenger hunt to learn about kindness.
Saturday, April 12 + 2–3:30 pm
Pokagon Band Center for History of Culture + Dowagiac, MI
Learn more about the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi as community members share their stories of culture and heritage. Please see the signup sheet in the narthex if you are interested in meeting up with other CtK folks at this event.
Sunday, April 13
10:30–11:10 am + Van Oort Hall
People of all ages are invited to Van Oort Hall during the Sunday school period. We’ll learn more about the meaning and symbols of Holy Week through discussion and hands-on activities.
Sunday, April 13 + 4 pm
First United Methodist Church + 333 N. Main St., South Bend
Enjoy a concert featuring the Easter-themed portions of Handel’s Messiah, performed by musicians and singers from throughout the community.
Tuesday, April 15 + 9 am–1:30 pm
First Presbyterian Church + 333 W. Colfax Ave., South Bend
Enjoy a tasty tour of ethnic bakeries across South Bend and Mishawaka! Advance registration is required, and a small transportation fee will be charged. For more information or to sign up, contact First Presbyterian Church of South Bend at (574) 234-4159 or info@fpcsouthbend.org. Act quickly, because this tour is sure to sell out fast!
Thursday, April 24 + 6:30–7:30 pm
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art + University of Notre Dame
Join Pastor Caroline and others from CtK for a tour of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at Notre Dame. The tour will be led by Emily Normand, a fellow for Religion and Spirituality and the Visual Arts at the museum. Our primary focus will be the pieces discussed at our “Soup & Art” evenings throughout Lent. All are welcome, even if you weren’t able to attend “Soup & Art.” Watch for paper and online signups in early April.
