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Church Newsletters Reflect Lots of Activity
CHICAGO, IL (October 27, 2004) - Evangelical Covenant churches and their
members have been busy with all kinds of ministry endeavors, as the
following review of 250 local church newsletters shows. Information is
presented by conference or region.
CENTRAL
- Chicago, Illinois: Edgebrook Covenant Church's "Crafty Angels"
recently received a donation of more than $2,000 worth of yarn from Lion
Brand Company for their work helping a ministry in Chicago called
Friendship Center – aided by North Park Covenant and other Covenant
churches. The Friendship Center now serves over 1,600 per month. The
Crafty Angels knit, sew and crochet many items of clothing and director
Chris Pokorny estimates that more than 100 people will benefit from the
added yarn.
- South Bend, Indiana: The Evangelical Covenant Church of South Bend
honored three employees who have served 10 years at the church during an
October 3 event. Recognized were organist Sharon Carlson, custodian
Everett Wilkinson and office manager Kris Woodworth.
EAST COAST
- Plainville, Connecticut: Pastor David Chandler and his family were
honored on August 29 by Trinity Covenant Church for 10 years of faithful
ministry.
- Bowie, Maryland: Church of the Redeemer parishioner Dr. William
Tarrants was selected for inclusion in the 22nd edition of Who's Who
in the World for his
achievements and outstanding service in the field of safety. Dr.
Tarrants is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers. He
received his bachelor's and master's degrees in industrial engineering
form Ohio State University and his Ph.D. from New York University. He
has published over 100 articles and books in safety and related fields.
- West Peabody, Massachusetts: Community Covenant Church participated
in a mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico, this summer, coordinating a family
carnival,
participating in church services, leading a Vacation Bible School and
doing construction work as part of their service. "One of the amazing
things was seeing prayers answered on a daily basis," said one
participant in a newsletter report.
- Bedford, New Hampshire: A group from Bethany Covenant Church took a
mission trip to Casa Losif Orphanage in Romania for 12 days in August.
The group also helped
with a youth center and a ministry to the elderly in the region.
ECCAK
- Chitina, Alaska: Eleanor Claus, who has connections with First
Evangelical Covenant Church in Anchorage, finished first among females
in the 70 to 74 age group
at the LaSalle Chicago Marathon on October 10. She ran 26.2 miles in 4
hours, 48.50 seconds.
MIDSOUTH
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: Life Church's satellite site in Tulsa hosted the
first worship service in its new 23,000-square foot-building on October
3 and had more than
1,000 in attendance. Administrator Kevin Penry said that the cost of the
new building - which had served as a Seventh Day Adventist Church - was
$1.3 million. The satellite congregation hosts three worship services
each Sunday, said a church representative.
MIDWEST
- Longmont, Colorado: Lighthouse Covenant Church brought quarters to a
local Laundromat recently to give to those doing laundry and the
congregation is praying
about making it a monthly service evangelism project. "We have not seen
an increase in attendance from this - but that really wasn't our goal
with it," said Win Jackson Houwen, the church planting pastor. "We just
wanted to bless our neighborhood and ask nothing in
return. The thing I have seen is a new understanding on the part of the
newer people in our church of the seriousness we have about being on
mission for Jesus. It has sparked a number of conversations around the
subject of why we are doing what we are doing and what is our true
motivation for ministry."
- Westminster, Colorado: Covenant Village of Colorado dedicated an
electric two-manual Britson organ on September 25 in "An Evening of
Musical Wonder" at
Smith Fellowship Hall. The concert included three sections of music,
including classics and pieces more suited for church worship services.
Musicians for the evening included itineration coordinator for the
Department of World Mission Barbara Fisk on piano, Jack Harriff on organ
and piano, Richard Cox on trumpet and Nicole Valdez on flute. Todd
Christopher, director of marketing at Covenant Village of Colorado,
served as emcee.
Covenant Retirement Communities President Rick Fisk was also in
attendance and helped provide musical backup on one number.
- Lincoln, Nebraska: First Evangelical Covenant Church's Charles
Nelson, executive director of the Nebraska Board of Engineers and
Architects, was honored recently by the National Council of Examiners in
an event in Cleveland, Ohio. Nelson was awarded a 2004 Meritorious
Service Award.
NORTH PACIFIC
- Olympia, Washington: Grace Community Covenant Church's Mindy
Anderson recently returned from a mission experience in India.
Meanwhile, parishioners Tony
Schall, Drew Stevick and Jim and Liz Sedore headed to Mongolia in
October for work in the province of the Uvs aimag.
NORTHWEST
- Brooklyn Park, Minnesota: Brookdale Covenant Church's Esther Gadbois
and seven others were part of a mission trip to Novi-Sanzari, Ukraine
recently, participating in the Lord's work with her son Dan (a music
minister), daughter-in-law and grandson, among others. Sharing her
testimony was a highlight, she stated in a newsletter update.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: A mission team including pastor Dan
Thompson, church chair Steve Mathers and Tom Albinson traveled to Italy
in October for a mission trip that would help determine whether First
Covenant Church might consider a partnership with
refugee advocacy organizations there. Albinson had 25 years of
experience in refugee work, said a recent church newsletter, and has led
international teams for a decade. The group hopes to establish places of
refugees with an evangelical emphasis for some of the
estimated two million in North Africa that attempt to cross over the
Mediterranean Sea towards Italy.
- Ellsworth, Wisconsin: Zion Covenant Church's Chris Knutson, Janet
Gray, and pastor Dave and Shawnee Eaton were part of a mission trip to
Virginia this month to
work at Mountain Mission Camp. They participated with former camp
managers Dave and Sharon Held and others from two Minnesota Covenant
churches.
- New Richmond, Wisconsin: Prairieview Covenant Church had an October
17 open house and dedication of a new sanctuary that was part of an
extensive building project. Rudy King is the church's pastor. The
congregation received hundreds of hours of volunteer labor from many
churches and individuals, including many in the Lake Pepin District of
the Northwest Conference.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST
- San Diego, California: Clairemont Covenant Church recognized two
parishioners, James and Nell Oldham, as Missionaries of the Month, for
their work with OMS
International, a parachurch ministry. They serve as regional
representatives, recruiting and educating students from Christian
colleges and universities about the work of OMS. They recently
celebrated their 50th anniversary.
ELSEWHERE
- Africa: A recent newsletter from Covenant missionaries Roy and Aleta
Danforth told of "amazing blessings" from his work in agriculture with
the Fulani. "Furthermore, there have been blessings from a Fulani man
wishing to be baptized and opportunities to share
stories (via tapes) about the Lord in nightly campfires with locals."
- Oaxaca, Mexico: Covenant missionary Cindy Hoover traveled with a
Covenant church mission group from Harvest Ridge Church in Shawnee,
Kansas, recently to
give medical attention through various means. The donation of a HemoCue,
which tests for anemia effectively, along with 350 curvettes for
individual tests, was a huge blessing, she said. "We did preventive
screening clinics each day, visiting five very different communities for
this. We also had a children's program and had digital photos printed off
on the spot to give those who came," she reported in an email update.
"We picked up some significant problems with hypertension, diabetes, and
anemia, and reassured others that though they should possibly change to
a bit of a healthier diet/lifestyle, they were currently not at risk
from the things for which we screened. This not only was a good work
trip, but a real blessing and affirmation for me as it kicks off what
I've hoped to do in this region and helped me network with those living
there. I am dreaming big dreams with God for where this can lead,
including the possibility that the health ministry will also be part of
church planting in the region, as is already happening with one group in
(nearby) Salina Cruz."
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