CHICAGO, IL (January 1, 2003) - Each new year brings with it new opportunities, new expectations, new joys and new celebrations. It is an exciting time filled with wonderment and a unique sense of anticipation generously mixed with uncertainty.

These are busy days in the Evangelical Covenant Church, as evidenced by the growth in the volume of stories published daily in this Covenant news report - hundreds and hundreds of stories are published throughout the year, sharing what God is doing in the ministries of local churches, conferences, departments and institutions of the denomination.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our online readers who not only contribute information for use in our news reports, but also provide valuable feedback that helps us to provide the kind of information that you find most useful. We have learned that one major benefit is the connections that the news reports encourage - letting an individual or group in one area learn that another group is working in similar ministry areas, allowing people to contact one another and share ideas.

The reports also alert Covenanters quickly to breaking news, whether an outbreak of violence in the Congo or a volcanic eruption in Ecuador, so that we all know how to pray for the needs of those affected and how to offer other kinds of support.

The Internet is proving to be a powerful tool for the church. Our ongoing challenge is to learn how to use it effectively. We welcome suggestions, including story ideas. It is particularly helpful if local churches add us to their newsletter mailing lists - the newsletters provide a valuable source for information to include in our reports. Send the newsletters to the Department of Communication at 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625, or by email to newsdesk@covchurch.org. You also can contact Craig Pinley by telephone at 773-907-8333.

Another important tool is Covenant Newswire, the free news headline subscription service that sends one email message each day to your email box containing headlines of any new stories published to the Covenant site during the previous 24-hour period. It is especially useful for busy people who cannot visit the Covenant website each day, but who do not want to miss out on what is happening. Visit the Newswire link on the home page and sign up today.