Covenant News

Retreat Offers Opportunity to Live the Faith

SPRUCE PINE, NC (April 12, 2001) - Hands and Feet was the theme that drew some 67 participants recently to a mission retreat weekend sponsored by Bridge Ministries, which is part of the Southeast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

The youth and adults, representing Evangelical Covenant churches in North Carolina and Georgia, gathered at the 80,000-square-foot Pinebridge Center. Bridge Ministries is the planning team of youth ministers for this conference region, said Coordinator Jeannie Cheuvront.

The primary purpose of the weekend was fulfilled as participants spent an entire day working at three mission sites:

• One group of men renovated and painted at the Albert Woods Christian Retreat Center.
• A group of younger and adult women visited the Brian Center Nursing Home, chatting with residents, conducting a hymn sing-along, picking up debris from the grounds, preparing a garden site that had become overgrown with weeds and constructing a stone pathway.
• Another group of younger and adult women ministered at High Pastures Christian Retreat Center, helping prepare the center for the spring season - washing windows, doing general cleaning and clearing debris from the grounds. A time of prayer followed.

Other weekend highlights included an evening concert with the Hazard County band from Greensboro, North Carolina. Participants received shirts designed by Travis Spouse of New Gate Covenant Church in Hickory, North Carolina. A group from the Hickory church, Footprint Drama Ministry, also performed.

North Carolina pastors David Bowden of Mt. Bethel Christian Church in Summerfield, and Chuck Thomas of Trinity Church in Greensboro led the Sunday morning worship, which included a foot washing service and communion.

"This was a powerful weekend in which everyone gave of themselves and truly became the hands and feet of Christ to each other and to those they served," Cheuvront said. "To God be the glory!"

The next area event will be a fall retreat September 28-30 at Look-up Lodge in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. For more information on Bridge Ministries and its activities, contact Cheuvront by email at youthbear@aol.com.

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