Covenant News - Newsletters Reflect Active Time for Churches

Covenant News

Newsletters Reflect Active Time for Churches

CHICAGO, IL (July 26, 2005) - Northwest Covenant Church in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, began its 50th anniversary celebration recently with 300 people attending a worship service led by founding pastor David Noreen, who reminisced about the past and issued a challenge for the future.

Jane Applequist, the director of music for 25 years, was surprised with a specially commissioned anthem in her honor. The anthem was written by Wayland Rogers and sung by the choir. Later, a 50th memorial bench was dedicated as part of an anniversary picnic. The church is holding events throughout the year.

Following is information on various activities from throughout the Evangelical Covenant Church, culled from the more than 250 local church newsletters reviewed each month by the Department of Communication. The activities are grouped by conference and region. To have your church's information considered for publication, add the Communications Department to your newsletter mailing list at 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625.

CENTRAL

Chicago, Illinois: Elmer Sundberg of Edgebrook Covenant Church celebrated his 100th birthday.
Moline, Illinois: Shayla Holub graduated with a Ph.D. in developmental psychology and has accepted a position at the University of Texas-Dallas. Patti Lindstrom graduated with a master's of arts in teaching and leadership from St. Xavier University.
Paxton, Illinois: Alaina Eckerty graduated with honors from Illinois State University with a bachelor's degree in financial accounting.
South Bend, Indiana: The Evangelical Covenant Church is spending several days this month working on the Habitat for Humanity Matthew 25 house. Members raised $1,000 through their "Sign a Stud" project. The stud was installed in the house.
Rockford, Illinois: Members of Bethesda Covenant Church hand out free popcorn at the community Family Video night.

EAST COAST

Lexington, Massachusetts: Forty-five members of Trinity Covenant Church traveled to Mexico on a mission trip.
Manchester, Connecticut: Michelle Prairie traveled to Spain to help with the church in La Coruna. Mission teams from the church also have traveled to West Virginia and Mexico.
Springfield, Massachusetts: Members of the Women Enjoying Outdoors Group at the Evangelical Covenant Church we on a canoe and kayaking trip on the Connecticut River.

GREAT LAKES

Jamestown, New York: Cindy Hansen of First Covenant Church received the "Apple of the Week" award from a local radio news station after being nominated by her students at Washington Middle School. Pastor Dan Soderberg and Matt Johnson coached the Pirates of the city recreational baseball team to the city championship. Church member Mark Soderberg played on the team.

MIDWEST

Des Moines, Iowa: Urban Heights Covenant Church members helped Good Samaritan Urban Ministries get apartments ready for mothers and children entering the Family Growth Program, which helps single mothers through education, Bible study, obtaining a job and connecting with a church. The church commits 11 percent of its budget to mission activities.
Salina, Kansas: Sean Pietrzyk of First Covenant Church signed a letter of intent to wrestle and play football for Dana College. He was a first-team all-state defensive end, and won the state wrestling title two of the last three years.
Wausa, Nebraska: Ben Rodenborg of the Evangelical Covenant Church is traveling during the summer with the New Way Singers of Nebraska Christian College.

NORTH PACIFIC

Mount Vernon, Washington: The Liberty Quartet performed a concert at Bethany Covenant Church. The church also held an all-church camp.

NORTHWEST

Mankato, Minnesota: More than 30 couples from the Evangelical Covenant Church attended the church's marriage retreat.
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Betty Hall and Linda Merriam of Bethany Covenant Church are participating in a mission trip to Thailand. Carrie Johnson traveled to Ukraine on a mission trip.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST

Tucson, Arizona: Mark Brown, the groundskeeper for the Evangelical Covenant Church climbed Mt. Humphrey's near Flagstaff. At 12,633 feet, the mountain is the highest in the state.
El Cajon, California: Community Covenant Church was honored as Volunteer of the Year by the Alliance for African Assistance.
Los Altos, California: A number of people from Foothills Covenant Church received a variety of honors. Kelly Miller was valedictorian of her graduating class at the San Francisco Conservatory; Doug Ericsson traveled to Washington, D.C. to receive a leadership award from Lockheed Martin for which his employees nominated him; and Stephanie Ericsson played the lead role in "42nd Street," which was put on by the Sunnyvale Community Theater. Several members participated in the Tierra Bella Bike Ride, including Mark Liedstrand and Blake Gaderlund who rode 100 miles.
Orange, California: Pastors Frank Riley and Jeong Ho of River47 church were interviewed on a Korean radio station with a listener base of more than 100,000. The pastors were interviewed because of the church's commitment to being multi-ethnic. Ed Rybarcyzk returned from leading a mission team in the Balkans.
Roseville, California: Five members of Bayside Covenant Church traveled to Medellin, Colombia, to minister to youth and children in the Covenant churches.
Spring Valley, California: Ed Ward and Mark Fredericksen won the tennis tournament that paired staff and residents of Mt. Miguel Covenant Village in doubles teams.
Spring Valley, California: The Mount Miquel Covenant Village held a Family History Fair for residents of the health care facility. The fair included displays featuring biographies and pictures of its residents.

SOUTHEAST

Greensboro, North Carolina: Two college graduates from Trinity Covenant Church graduated with honors. Lucas Daniel earned Summa Cum Laud honors from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, where he graduating with a bachelor's degree in computer science and math. William Young earned Phi Beta Kappa honors at Center College in Kentucky, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics and music.

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