Well over 500 attended shows sponsored by Destiny Covenant on Halloween as the church used its "Elmo in the Hood" event to provide a safe gathering in the neighborhood. According to Larry Sherman, associate superintendent for the Great Lakes Conference and director of Church Planting for that region, The Halloween show began with Spongbob Squarepants, continued with Dora the Explorer, and then Elmo People were later invited to go to the basement of the Academy (the church's worship site) where two large "Bouncy Castles" were set up along with games like ring-toss and snacks.

Volunteers from Daystar Church and Kensington Community Church, two area congregations, helped with the event. Kensington (a non-Covenant church) has partnered with the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) in the launch of Destiny Covenant and has aided other church plants in and around Detroit. Additional funding for "Elmo in the Hood" came from the ECC, the Great Lakes Conference and Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, another new church plant under pastor Harvey Carey.

Destiny Church uses hip-hop and contemporary gospel music in worship with a message focused on non-churched adults and a strong vision for children's and youth ministry on Detroit's east side. The church's grand opening is Sunday (November 14). More about Destiny Covenant can be found by emailing Gibson at gibbydestiny@sbcglobal.net.

Other good things are happening for children, youth and young adults throughout the ECC. Here is a sampling from more than 250 church newsletters and email reports from around North America.

CENTRAL

• Galesburg, Illinois: The Covenant Church of Galesburg's Sarah Holman was first runner-up in the 2004 Warren County Prime Beef Festival Princess contest in nearby Monmouth recently.

EAST COAST

• Waltham, Massachusetts: Colin Holmes of the Covenant Congregational Church is performing in this year's Boston Ballet performance of The Nutcracker during the Christmas season.

ECCAK

• Soldotna, Alaska: Alaska Christian College has its largest class yet, said president Keith Hamilton in a recent email report, and the contingent of 34 used their talents to lead a fundraiser event for more than 200 people. Students also led an October retreat in White Mountain that attracted more than 60 high school students from around the Norton Sound region. "We saw many changed lives and our students were changed as well," said Hamilton of the event. "Pray for our students as the days are shorter and for the semester as midterms are coming. Pray also for their student leadership team led by Rae Fancher and their commitment to ministry at ACC." The school is in the midst of finishing accrediting application materials and is seeking a summer relief food services person to help work teams and on-site staff. It is also finishing a dining hall and getting approval from the local fire marshal. It is hoped the $415,000 project can be completed by next fall so that as many as 50 students can attend the school. More about ACC can be found by checking the school's web site at www.alaskachristiancollege.org or by calling 907-260-7422.

GREAT LAKES

• Muskegon, Michigan: Forest Park Covenant Church youth pastor Tim Ciccone had the privilege of giving the invocation at a September rally for President George W. Bush. His son Caleb had an even bigger treat, getting his picture taken with the president.

MIDWEST

• Windsor, Colorado: Covenant Bible College-Midwest students traveled to Mexico from October 2-9 for a mission trip co-sponsored by Amor Ministries.
• Mason City, Iowa: First Covenant Church's Molly and Katie FitzPatrick, Nathan and Seth Johnson, and Rachel Bowen were among those involved in the North Central District Choral Festival held at Waldorf College November 8. The students sang in various age-group honors choral groups after being selected from the region's public schools.

NORTH PACIFIC

• Bellingham, Washington: Bellingham Covenant Church, under Boy Scout Troop 6 students Troy Carter, Josh Burdick, Brian Nulle and David Dentinger, helped the city by creating a trail behind the church for public use. The work was done as part of the foursome's final Eagle Scout project. It is being done in four stages, including the construction of benches along the path and a picnic table, among other things.

NORTHWEST

• Mankato, Minnesota: A mission team from the Evangelical Covenant Church of Mankato traveled to Reynoso, Mexico, to work with Covenant-sponsored Merge Ministries on a service trip. They included adult leaders Carlos DeVitis, Karen Gilbert and Summer Wenger and students Lexi and Naomi Anderson, Christa Ballard, Meredith Darge, Lindsey DeCock, Tom Dierenfeld, Kayla Donahue, Jenny Esau, Shateen Gens, Matt Gullickson, Luke Hackbarth, Andrew Kind, Jennifer Kottke, Katie Lundquist, Lisa Rivers, Ian Roberts, Matthew and Melissa Ruyter, Ellen Travis, Samantha Walden and Eric Wilzbacher.

PACIFIC SOUTHEST

• Compton, California: At Sunago Grace Covenant, 230 youth are enrolled this fall in the educational programs including a newly launched Pregnant Teen/Single Mom program, at Fragment House School. A building has been acquired just three blocks from the church to house the Teen Mom Learning Center (TLC), according to information provided via pastor Brad Boydston of Cornerstone Covenant Church in Turlock.
• Sacramento, California: Sanctuary Covenant Church's elementary after-school program "The Greenhouse" is going strong on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays this fall. On Fridays, the kids are taught art lessons before going to their workshops (soccer or sewing). For junior high and high school students there is a Thursday night youth and one-on-one tutoring is available for those requesting a tutor.

ELSEWHERE

• Mexico City, Mexico: A total of 20 youth and young adults, ages 12 to 26, attended the Kokoten Youth Retreat, which was planned by Covenant missionaries Karl and Sue Peterson. Several of them participated in leadership training at the event.