In the Name of Jesus–we respond

This letter gratefully goes out to the 400 of you who donated this fall to the CTK Blessing.  Most of the time, the purpose of a ministry leads to ideas, a goal, a long-term plan to carry out that purpose.  The Blessing ministries are different.  We are deeply rooted in a philosophy of ministry and a set of filters for decision-making that position us to respond with intentionality to the myriad of opportunities that arise to be about Jesus’ business here in Whatcom County.  


We can’t plan for it, but when crisis hits a CTK family, we’re equipped and ready to sort through all that’s going on to find the most effective, empowering way your offering can support them. Just this fall you helped a family with small kids after a medical crisis meant missing work and late bills. At Christmas, you supported a mom putting the pieces back together after her husband’s death left her and her three kids swimming in grief.

Response Teams faithfully tackle projects from our community partners “someday” lists.  For example, in the 8 years we have been partnering with Boys and Girls club, we have built a dumpster enclosure, put in raised bed gardens, remodeled a staff bathroom, deep cleaned several clubs, fully landscaped the Ferndale daycare, and more!

The Foodshare Ministry doesn’t tell our partners what we’re giving them.  Instead, we ask them each season what veggies their clients use, enjoy, and want most. Our item of the month system is built to meet a specific gap in their pantry supplies.

Each year, we set aside Annual Support Dollars for each of our community partners.  These are what the nonprofit world calls unrestricted funds.  Unlike most grants, foundations and sometimes even private donors, we don’t tell them how we’d like that money to be used.  We trust our partners to know how best your donations can be put to use for the stability and viability of their organization.

(Photo: Blessing Team meet with Road2Home Staff)

Check out the Winter edition of CTK Life to:

  • Meet our three new community partners (pg 16)

  • See if you might be just who we’re looking for to join Response Team leadership (p 17)

  • Celebrate God’s bounty at the CTK Farm this year (pg 21)

  • Get the update on Blessing Month giving (pg 22)

I wish I could share dozens of stories with you…Dementia Support NW going through the All is Bright Christmas lights display…community members discovering the CTK Farm on the Sustainable Connections farm tour…God speaking hope into a very difficult situation through the simple act of paying a utility bill…the shadow of a cross cast across a newly framed door as we built out a new classroom for World Relief…so many times God used a donation plus a volunteer to demonstrate God’s love for someone in Whatcom County.  Thank you for being the church in this way!

With affection for you and respect for the way you live out your faith,

Wendy Powell
Community Outreach Pastor


P.S. Should you ever want to give to the Blessing as a gift in honor of someone special or in memory of someone, you can now do that at my.ctk.church/give-with-memo