Midweek from the Pastor

Covenant you are the greatest. Thank you for making Jim Sides Home Going Service so special, Choir, Ken, Melissa, Sherrie Ferg on the handbell, thank you, Don and Danny and Rachel on the computer, sound board, and video machine, Doris, Mary, Hazel, Pat, Lucille, and all the others who had such delicious finger foods for the family, Gene for the class memories, and Church for your attendance. Have I told you how much I love being your pastor?  And Byron, you were great, even if you wore a hat in church. Continue to pray for Beth and the Family.

Wednesday Schedule
9:30am - Explorer's Bible Study
5:30pm - Wednesday Night Dinner
6:15pm - Holy communion and prayer
6:15pm - Children's Ministry Time
6:30pm - Financial Peace and New study & Resurrection and Easter Faith

Thursday
10:00am - Funeral service for Joyce Henson and Ambrose Constantine's sister - Clara Dell Broussard  at the Emmanuel - Mallileu United Methodist Church on North Louisiana Ave.
8:30am - Men's Bull Session
11:00am - American Heart Association, GO RED luncheon, fundraiser and publicity. Hilton for only $50 per person. Check out the website. And come if you can, Susie and I will be there

This Sunday
We continue the series on Easter Questions and we will hear Jesus ask: Do You Want to Be Made Well?   
Holy Communion also means I CAN Food Offering.

February 26, 2012 Sermon Download Available

This morning's sermon, What Do You Want?, is now available as a free MP3 download from our website. http://tinyurl.com/5j6nl3. This is part of Brother Chris' Questions of Easter sermon series.

Saturday Update

I pray this find you already preparing for our Worship service tomorrow morning. My message comes from John 1:36-38, having us look at our priorities in life, when Jesus point blank ask: "What do you want?"

Let me share two other items:
Funeral Service for Mr. Jim Sides - viewing will be from 9:00am on Tuesday at the church until we have a service at 1:00pm. I hope you can be present as we celebrate his life and celebrate his resurrection.

Also, this morning, Joyce Henson and Ambrose Constantine's sister who lives here in Lafayette died.  We will pass on funeral arrangements as soon as we can. Be in prayer for both of these families as they grieve the loss of loved ones.

Can't wait to see my church family tomorrow. 

Sincerely,

Ash Wednesday and Lent

O Lord, maker of everything and judge of all that you have made, from the dust of the earth you have formed us and from the dust of death you would raise us up. By the redemptive power of the Cross, create in us clean hearts and put within us a new spirit, so that we may repent of our sins and lead lives worthy of your calling: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I took my grand children to the Children's Parade on Monday evening. While it was lots of fun, there was something very spiritual about the time. People spend a lot of time and energy seeking and searching for trinkets in life. Not that catching the beads wasn't fun, but half were broken by the end of the night. And then, when we were able to leave the parking lot, there was trash galore in the street, on the sidewalk, everywhere. So Preacher, what's so spiritual about that? We leave behind a path of discarded, piles of junk that seemed to mean so much to us, but won't really do much for us in the eternal perspective of life. Ash Wednesday is a call for us to look around at the trash in our life, and then ask the only one who can "clean" us up: our Lord Jesus Christ to cleanse us and set our feet on the path that leads to Holiness. That is what Lent is all about!

We begin tonight, following a delicious meal, shrimp fettuccine as the main course, served at 5:30pm. Our Ash Wednesday Service will begin at 6:30pm, where we commit to allowing the Lord to work in us to clean us up. Holy Communion will be served.

Sunday, we will begin looking at the Questions of Faith found in John's Gospel, and we start with Jesus asking us: "What are you looking for?"

Next Wednesday night after our dinner, We will begin a four week study on Resurrection and our Easter Faith.

Looking for a way to make a difference in our world?  Try finding a place of ministry here at Covenant and do something in our community. March 17th - Race for the Cure, help raise funds to stop Breast Cancer. Register for our Covenant Team on Komen Acadiana web site.

Sincerely,

February 19, 2012 Sermon Download Available

Yesterday morning's sermon, Overcoming Discouragement, is now available as a free download from our website. http://tinyurl.com/5j6nl3.

Celia Sirman Whitler - UCO Benefit Concert

Celia Sirman Whitler, a former Asbury United Methodist Church member is coming to present a benefit concert for United Christian Outreach on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 6:00pm  in the Spiritwind Worship Center.

The concert is free and open to everyone. A love offering will be taken with all money going directly to United Christian Outreach. You can also bring non-perishable food items for the UCO pantry.

For more information, you may call 984.4211.

Mid-Week Update, the Sequal

Called Church Conference - Very Important Business
You Are Invited and Expected to Attend! Sunday February 12th at 10:15am during our regular Sunday School Hour we are convening this called church conference, and the District Superintendent has given me the authority to be the Presiding Elder at such meeting.

Gene Blevins, Mike DeHart, and I believe we want the largest number of people available to discuss and then approve the plans. We know it is not a good thing to call off Sunday School, but we believe it could be a great unifying and motivating event to have the largest number people possible to help us as we move forward. We will attempt to have all our questions answered and ready to proceed with a vote priore on. Discussion and a vote must be taken prior to our 11:00am Worship Service. Worship is our priority.

Please do not miss this meeting. Should you have any questions, please ask them as soon as possible, so we might prioritize the time and address the most frequently asked questions.

Bull Session For Men
Thursday Morning 8:30am
Coffee, Food, Fellowship, and The Best of Conversation

Sunday I CAN
Don't Forget Along with Holy Communion on Sunday goes the opportunity to serve the Lord by helping restock the UCO Food Pantry. Toilet Paper, Peanut Butter, and all types of food items needed. Thank You for your normal generous response. Let's fill up the baskets and overflow the foyer.