CHICAGO, IL (June 19) - This past week's news coverage of the 121st Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, predictably generated a number of comments from readers.

Each of the three evening worship services were broadcast live over the Internet, via the Covenant website, and stories and photographs were posted throughout each of the days, keeping Covenanters back home abreast of all of the decisions and events taking place in a timely manner. That material will remain archived in the 2006 Annual Meeting segment of the Covenant website.

Readers had thoughts to share on other stories as well that have appeared as part of the daily online Covenant news report. We like to share some of these responses that are generated through the "comments" link attached to each published story. This kind of feedback is very helpful to our Covenant News Service staff as we seek to identify and publish stories of great interest to a broad spectrum of online readers of this report.

Following are comments relating to recently published stories, edited in some cases for length. To read a particular story of interest, click on the headline.

Glenn R. Palmberg Elected to Third Term

Mossai T. Sanguma, president of the Congo Covenant Church (CEUM) in Gemena, Congo, writes: The Evangelical Community of the Ubangi Mongala (CEUM), or the Congo Covenant Church, wants to express its sincere appreciation to President Glenn Palmberg for his re-election to be president for the third time of the ECC. President Palmberg is a minister who brings so easily the World to Christ and Christ to the World. He is a relation builder and he knows how to care for those who are different from himself. His great smile while embracing brothers and sisters can quickly make that person feel relaxed and connected to him without hesitation. President Palmberg is truely loved by his brothers and sisters of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The CEUM wants to see this continue with his leadership of the Evangelical Covenant Church. His re-election is God's will and we were parts of it, though we had no way to act on our behalf for him. However, what the 121st Annual Meeting has done fits into our expectation. May the Lord who guided him these past years of leadership, do it more and more for the years to come. May God bless his family to be strong and healthy to fulfill what God has given him.

T.W. Anderson Award Recipients Honored

Cheryl Crawford of Amarillo, TX, writes: Wow! You've made the Internet! It was great to pull up a website and see my aunt and uncle on the front page. Congratulations for such an honor - and I know that Aunt Doris would say, "All the glory goes to Jesus."

Twenty-Five Churches Welcomed into Membership

Terry Peterson of Grand Rapids, MI, writes: It is always exciting to read about the new churches that are welcomed each year into our denomination and to find out about the diverse ministries and people that are reached by these churches. It reminds us that God works in many ways and is continuing to expand His Kingdom when his people are faithful to follow his leading! May he continue to bless each of these new congregations as they reach their communities.

Peter Dahlstrom of Davenport, IA, writes: It would be nice to include the links, if there are any, to the churches who are coming into our denomination. That would really make the story POP! Especially for those who are (sadly) unable to attend the annual meeting. (Editor's note: Thank you for that suggestion, Peter. We will share that suggestion with our colleagues in Church Growth & Evangelism who provide oversight to the new church development initiatives.)

Sanguma: Spirit Must Guide Efforts to Bear Witness

Brian Frable of Strathmore, AB, Canada, writes: Thanks so much for this encouraging report. It's good to hear what's going on at the Annual Meeting. And it's good to hear what the speakers are saying. Bless my heart. Thank you!

Mother and Daughter Receive Degrees

George and Merva Hand of Spring Hill, FL, write: We congratulate Caren and Johnna on completing their college studies! We have known the family for over 38 years. We hope someone finds their special talents with people.

Marriage Training Offered at Three Sites

Mel and Janet McIntyre of Bellevue, WA, write: We just concluded facilitating our third Marriage Course at Newport Covenant Church in Bellevue. We have offered nine Alpha courses over the past four years and have counted quality over quantity of participants. We piloted the Marriage Course, complete with lovely candle-lit dinner and video presentation, with six couples - Christian and non-Christian, young and older, recently married and in for the long haul. All couples voiced that the course was relevant, helpful, and hard work. Winter 2006, thirty couples attended from within and without the church, with few absences. The celebration dinner, complete with live jazz and couples sharing, was a great success and 20 couples signed up for the following course. Participants, including our senior pastor and his wife, were very positive about the course, citing as valuable and enlightening the time invested as a couple led through guided questions and the weekly homework, helping them understand sources of conflict and gaining a greater appreciation of each other. The biggest bonus, we felt, was couples telling us that they were, some for the first time, praying together. We will invite past participants and those couples interested to a Marriage Celebration Dinner on November 14 and, God willing, facilitate another course sometime in January or February.

Josephson Resigns as CBC President

Doug Johnson of Chicago, IL, writes: Thank you, Neil, for a race well run! God's peace!

Older Stories

Occasionally we receive comments about stories published some time ago. Most often, readers come across them while topically perusing search engines or when visiting the online Covenant News Archive maintained by Covenant News Service. We appreciate reader comments at any time about any story that has appeared as part of our online Covenant news report.

Centering Prayer: Rediscovering God's Presence

Jason Limtk writes: How can I distinctively sense his presence? I admit that I had only one amazing incident where I could sense his presence during a healing service when both of my hands kind of "vibrated" when I held them to my heart. It was powerful because I know I could sense his presence. I yearn to have more of such experiences.

Catherine Besonen of Apple Valley, MN, writes: I am very disappointed to read that the Covenant endorses and practices this mystical 'prayer' method, which I believe is extra-biblical. You do not find this in Scripture. Not even in Ps.46:11, if you read the context of that verse, rather than take it out of context, which is so often the case. This is not the type of prayer that Christ taught His disciples.

Churches: 'It's Change or Die'

Linda Lehrke of Cottage Grove, MN, writes: Great article! Of course, I'm prejudiced - I attend CrossRoads. We have been blessed. Thanks for the article.