Covenant News

Berkeley (CA) to Observe 100th Anniversary

BERKELEY, CA (October 3, 2003) - Berkeley Covenant Church will celebrate 100 years of ministry February 20-22, including an informal social time on that Friday, a pancake breakfast and evening banquet on Saturday and a worship celebration on Sunday.

The church will continue its celebration two weeks later as Glenn R. Palmberg, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, preaches on March 7.

Berkeley Covenant Church, once known as Swedish Mission Church, signed its charter December 31, 1903, as lay pastor N.P. Palmquist (a physician) led the congregation of 16 members. Five years earlier, two laypersons started a Sunday school to reach Swedish-speaking families in Berkeley. Albin Anderson eventually became the first full-time pastor as the church moved into its first permanent building in 1907. It also joined what is now known as the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) that year. It was not known whether the church would survive during the early years. The church was closed periodically between 1917-1922 and at one point nine families left the church to move to neighboring farmlands.

In 1922, the church permanently reopened under pastor Sam Strom and the congregation grew with the help of a growing Sunday school, Ladies Aid programs and innovative church events. The church moved into its current facility in 1955. By then, the church and pastor C. Reuben Anderson had orchestrated a regular radio program heard all over the Bay area called the "Covenant Melody Hour." Church members and organizations of the church paid for the radio time.

In 1981, the church acquired Mustard Seed Preschool and it has served as a strong outreach to the community under the leadership of Cathy Squires. A second preschool has been opened at New Hope Covenant Church in Oakland and Berkeley Covenant has aided the ministry in that area as well. Al Tizon is the current pastor of the church, which averaged 102 in worship attendance last year according to Covenant Yearbook statistics.

Berkeley Covenant has had many pastors and laypersons that have gone on to serve the denomination in many venues. Longtime Africa missionary teacher Vanette Thorsell was commissioned from the church in 1945. One previous pastor, Ralph Hanson, eventually became secretary of Foreign Missions for the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). Craig Anderson left Berkeley Covenant and became associate superintendent of the Central Conference. Max Lopez-Cepero currently serves with Covenant Ministries of Benevolence in its Churches Planting Ministries initiative. Helen Cepero, who co-pastored the church with her husband for a time, is director of spiritual formation at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago.

The church is seeking the names and addresses of former Berkeley Covenant Church attendees. Information may be directed to 510-526-8775.

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