Covenant News - Redwood City Programs Highlight June Youth Activities Roundup

Covenant News

Redwood City Programs Highlight June Youth Activities Roundup

REDWOOD CITY, CA (June 3, 2004) - Two Peninsula Covenant Church missions programs are among highlights from the more than 250 local church newsletters received this month by the Department of Communication.

The Peninsula Covenant aquatics program recently assisted a swim program in Pichilemu, Chile, as 12 aquatics team members participated in a Swimming With A Mission (SWAM) ministry effort at the Centro Deportivo Pura Vida community center. Tim Brochier, Christ Yarranton, Zach Healy, Matt Petromilli, Jay Knochenhauer, Meghan Dunn and Katie Hagey helped run swim practices and clinics and competed in a swim meet there. The church's director of aquatics is Dave Knochenhauer. Peninsula Covenant has connections with Mitch and Juliet Anderson in Chile and has been involved in the mission during recent years. A former summer coaching intern at the church and a native Chilean, Maricio Farias Astorga, was a coordinator of a Saturday evening outreach program during the week.

Meanwhile, the church's student ministries mission trip to Mexico included 65 teens and adults, including several students from the church's Skatechurch team. The skateboarding ministry attracted more than 150 individuals to a local park by creating a homemade skate park. The team produced a skate video of the week and a local pastor presented the gospel message on the final night of the trip. Along with the skate park, the team constructed a new home, refurbished churches and visited a local orphanage, according to student ministry director Jake Stewart.

Following are other items gleaned from newsletters, organized by conference and region.

CENTRAL

Chicago, Illinois: North Park Covenant Church's Sofia Hindaileh, a junior at Von Steuben High School, was inducted into the National Honor Society. And another youth at the church, seventh grader Monica Laytham, was also mentioned in the church's recent newsletter. Laytham has been accompanying the church's Children's Choir since last September, including playing piano for a musical. She has been playing since age six.
Chicago, Illinois: Nearly 200 junior high students from the Central Conference participated in the conference's bi-yearly spring breakout event, which focused on service opportunities throughout Chicago. Students served as food sorters, cleaners and in other areas while ministering at local churches, food pantries and other nonprofits. Kris Causton, the CHIC 2006 council chair, was the guest speaker while Erik Strom led worship services.
Naperville, Illinois: Naperville Evangelical Covenant Church's Michelle Mueller received the "Sophie's Golden Heart Award" recently from the University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine. The award is given to a veterinary student excelling in cardiology. Mueller, who graduated on May 16, was selected for an internship in veterinary cardiology in California. The recent church newsletter also noted that a high school graduate, Drew Stiling, was the student representative for Naperville Central High School.
Flossmoor, Illinois: Donielle Davenport a senior at Homewood Flossmoor High School and a member of Friends 4-Life Covenant Church in Flossmoor, competed in the Illinois High School State Class AA track and field championships in the triple jump event and received a sixth place metal out of 125. She had a leap of 37 feet, 11 inches.
Iron River, Michigan: On May 30, the church celebrated Graduation Sunday as several high school students - Jessica Aho, Joel Frasier, Anders Lindwall, Katie Pratt and Karla VanWagner - and some college graduates were honored. Aho, the Miss Iron County of 2003, was listed on the Who's Who Among American High School Students after serving as assistant editor of her school's yearbook, earning recognition with the National Honor Society academically and playing clarinet in the high school band. Frasier, a student at Wykon High, played three sports and earned All-Conference and All-Region notice. He also is a member of the National Honor Society. Lindwall of West Iron County High placed third in the Business Professionals Club of America's state competition under the Digital Media Productions category. He was ranked third in his class academically while competing regionally and nationally in slopestyle skiing. Two graduating college seniors, Katie Lindahl from North Park University in Chicago and Janelle Meyer of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, earned high academic honors.

EAST COAST

Lexington, Massachusetts: Trinity Covenant Church's Celebration Bells and Tender Loving Chimes musical groups performed in a spring concert on May 19 under the direction of Judy Decker. Those in the groups include Tiana Bartee, Reuben and Ann Bigelow, Leah Buckley, Kurt, Shaina and Zachary Decker, Jaunita and Kathryn Healy, Nancy Leskiw, Ginny Smith, Heather Turner, Sharon and Alyssa Unumb, Dave Wassen and Larry Wendell. A junior choir under director Carol Zaczkiewicz also performed on May 19. The group included Kristen and Leah Buckley, Mimi Crampton, Zachary Decker, Carl Gocht, Ariana Sandeen, Alyssa Unumb, Rachel Watts and Tom Zaczkiewicz.
Bedford, New Hampshire: Bethany Covenant Church honored more than a dozen graduating high school students in a recent newsletter. One student, Christen Shiebler of Nashua Christian Academy, was salutatorian of her class. Carrie Faucher was president of the National Art Honor Society at Manchester High School West while classmate Nick Shakra was his school's Outstanding Wrestler. Shakra finished third in the New Hampshire State Meet of Champs and fifth in New England as a junior in the 125-pound weight class. He plans to attend Hofstra University in New York. Another student from West, Nate Toth, earned a New Hampshire High School Athletic Academic Award as a student athlete. He also made National Honor Society and the National Technical Society. He is currently finishing his prep baseball season as a catcher for the varsity team and will attend Radford University in Virginia this fall. Alex Smith, a college graduate from the church, was vice president of the Senior Senate at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and earned an award from the United States Achievement Academy and from COMAP in the field of Mathematics. A Dean's List student and Phi Theta Kappa honoree, Smith is headed to the University of Illinois for graduate school with hopes of earning a Ph.D. in mathematics.

ECCAK

Eagle River, Alaska: Community Covenant Church's Tiffany Mertens recently won the University of Alaska "Anchorage Idol" talent contest.

GREAT LAKES

Traverse City, Michigan: West Bay Covenant Church's Keegan Beyer was featured in a recent church newsletter for his efforts with the regionally known Northwestern Michigan Children's Choir. He has sung baritone in the choir for three years while attending West Junior High School. Also, seventh grader Bethany Hansen earned a first place ribbon at a recent Science Fair and an award for poetry in another event.

MIDSOUTH

Edmond, Oklahoma: Life Church has taken on ministry to children in a big way as the congregation is taking 535 children to LifeKIDS Summer Camp 2004, "The Great Adventure."

MIDWEST

Clyde, Kansas: Brantford Evangelical Covenant Church's Tammy McCarren was featured in an April sports article in a local newspaper for her record-setting performances in track and field for Tabor College. She holds the school records for the discus throw (148 feet, 6 inches) and hammer throw (133-7) after winning state Class 2A titles in the shot put and discus during high school. She stated in the Hillsboro Free Press, "I hope people remember that I competed and loved the sport and Tabor College; but more than anything, I want to be remembered as someone who loved God." Many other teens and young adults from the church have made their mark as well. College student Lynette Brax heads to Santiago, Chile, for two months of mission work with Ibero/American Ministries, focusing on outreach to women. Senior Janelle McCarren will graduate from Clyde-Clifton High School after participating in the school's drama and music departments, along with the forensics team. Classmate Jesse Lundquist was part of the school plays and musicals, made the National Honor Society and Scholar's Bowl, played football and has been involved with the youth group at church. He is among those traveling to Saltillo, Mexico, in June for a two-week Teens For Christ mission trip to help a local orphanage. Another teen attending the church, senior Nick Uhlrich, was a co-winner of a prep golf tournament while representing Washington High School. A state medallist in high school, Uhlrich is an honor student who will attend Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kansas, this fall. His sister, April, was awarded Academic All-America honors while competing for Cloud County. Clyde-Clifton High School's Matthew Carlson was invited to the national Future Business Leaders Association convention in Denver this summer after he and his teammates helped their school start a community health fair and help with a local business venture.
Omaha, Nebraska: First Covenant Church's Betsy Wallace placed second in a Metro National History Day competition and competed at the state level recently. Also, a young adult, Ashley Koenig, is traveling to Japan this summer to lead a mission team for two months.

NORTH PACIFIC

Seattle, Washington: First Covenant Church's Shannon Seidel placed first in the high jump and second in the long jump and 100 meter high hurdles at the Northeast 10 Conference track and field meet May while competing for the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Seidel, a junior, regularly competes in the heptathlon, a multi-event competition, and her best total of 4,454 points put her 29th in the final rankings among Division II athletes. She placed second in the heptathlon at the New England Championships on May 8 in Dedham, Massachusetts.
Yakima, Washington: Wiley Heights Covenant Church school children Aaron Bitz-Richards, Findley Faubian, Sam Snipes and Helen and Scotty Wilson have been participating in a "Math Is Cool" competition at Eastern Washington University.

NORTHWEST

Blaine, Minnesota: A group of children from Good Shepherd Covenant Church were recognized in a recent newsletter for their work in an April 25 spring children's choir concert. They included Bailey Caldwell, Issac Dahlberg, Sara and Christian Farrier, Alyssa Kurtz, Joshua and Austin Nieters, Travis Peterson, Peder Schuller, Laura and Michael Siirila and Connor Thorsten.
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota: Brookdale Covenant Church's youth competed at a regional puppet festival recently and received two silver awards and an "Outstanding Originality Award" in a song competition of the event. Puppetry performers mentioned in a recent church newsletter article included Jonathon Westmark, Mike Vadman, Caryn Anderson, Kristin Olson, Emily Noyed, Tiffany Vizanko, Tabitha Hardekopf, Tory Stulen (lighting), Nicole Khyn (signing for the hearing impaired) and Jesse Weinmeyer. The group received a lot of help from some adults at the church. Director Brenda Noyed was assisted by Renee Nelson (choreography) and scenery was provided with help from Meredith Nyberg. Design work on props was provided by Kari Lindholm-Johnson and Byron Olson. Bob Westmark and Mark Boldt helped with electrical needs.
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethlehem Covenant Church's recent newsletter featured Maria Balogh, who has trained and performed with a youth circus program called Circus Juventas. She is part of three aerial acts and juggles during a typical program, which is modeled after the internationally known Cirque du Soleil.
Warren, Minnesota: Becky Johnson of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Warren is headed to Morocco for three weeks beginning June 15. She and seven others will minister at various orphanages and will meet Christians and Muslims from that country as part of a Christian organization called AWM, based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
Brandon, South Dakota: Living Springs Covenant Church's recent newsletter mentioned high school graduates at the church, including Ashley Baumberger, Kara Brown, Phillip Loy, Cassandra Moeller, Abbey Pitz, Haley Rhoades and Nicholas Walker. Moeller also recently became a member of the church.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST

Walnut Creek, California: Hillside Covenant Church's Jeff Hanson recently finished his 2004 baseball season at North Park University by setting two career records and nearly breaking a season mark for strikeouts. His four-year total of 306 2/3 innings and 248 strikeouts are all-time among North Park pitchers and his 50 appearances were third on the career lists. The righthander struck out 75 batters this season, one behind the single-season record held by Gary Ridgely in 1970. Hanson finished strongly, allowing just nine earned runs in his final 35 innings, losing three times by a run and earning a no-decision in a game the Vikings lost against Millikin University. He will play this summer for Athletes in Action in Fairbanks, Alaska, playing in the prestigious Alaska Summer Baseball League.

SOUTHEAST

St. Petersburg, Florida: Faith Covenant Church's Melissa Tomlin participated in the Regional 8 gymnastics competition in Tampa on April 8, placing first in the Level 8 category among competitors from eight states.

ELSEWHERE

Tokyo, Japan: Amy Haworth, daughter of Covenant missionaries Jay and Ellen Haworth, finished basketball season and is now a member of the soccer team at her high school. She also worked with her father in constructing the set for the Christian Academy's spring play "The Music Man."

To have information considered for inclusion in this online news report, please add the following to your local church newsletter mailing list: the Department of Communication, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625. Information also may be sent by email to newsdesk@covchurch.org or by telephone at 773-478-4631.

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