Memorial Weekend

What a great day Sunday will be:

As you can tell by the Red, White and Blue, this is Memorial Day Weekend. When we remember and pay tribute to all those Men and Women who gave themselves to Serve Our Nation. We will certainly honor them during our service.

It is also gonna be special, Bells Angels. Lisa White is directing the Handbell choir in a special song.

And then our Church Calendar shows it is Pentecost Sunday. A day we say is the Birthday of the Church. Several of our young folks will be confirming their faith during the 9:00am service.

My theme is Finding Contentment in this Discontented World. One way may be to rid your house of stuff. Why not plan on bringing it this coming week for the Crafter's Rummage Sale. One person's trash is another person's treasure.

May 13, 2012 Sermon Download Available

Yesterday's sermon, How to Build a Godly Home, is now available as a free MP3 download from our website. http://tinyurl.com/5j6nl3. This is part of Brother Chris' Game of Life sermon series.

Good Dirt!!

We have dirt! Good Dirt! Trucks moving it in, and dozers spreading it. Praise Be To God from who all Good dirt comes. Progress is being made!

Don't forget Sunday. Honor Your Mother who always wanted you in church, by coming to Worship Our Father. All Mom types will receive a gift, we will honor our Graduates, and my message is About Building Our Christian Homes on Good Foundations.

Sincerely,

News and Happenings

We have bad dirt! That's okay, we are in process of exchanging bad dirt for good dirt. What makes it good is that it doesn't compact as much as our bad dirt does. Who would have thunk!  

Wednesday
9:30am - Explorers Bible Study
5:00pm - Hand Bell Choir
5:30pm - Wednesday Night Dinner - one of the last of the year.
6:15pm - Children's Ministry Program
6:15pm - Bible Study- Last Session - Living the Lord's Prayer: Lead us Not into Temptation and Deliver Us from Evil 

Sunday
Mother's Day and Honor Our Graduates at Church in both worship services

VBS up and Coming - Register soon

Children's Ministry Celebration - May 20th - Check Out the events of the day online and in this weeks bulletin

May 6, 2012 Sermon Download Available

Last Sunday's sermon, Surviving the Storms, is now available as a free MP3 download from our website. http://tinyurl.com/5j6nl3. This is part of Brother Chris' Game of Life sermon series.

2012 Vacation Bible School

Mark your calendar for July 16-20 as Covenant presents the Go Fish Praise Vacation Bible School. Open to kids entering Kindergarten through 5th grade, the program features the music and videos of popular praise group Go Fish. Kids will rotate through stations including music, crafts, mission, Bible story, and snacks as they learn how to apply lessons from the book of Daniel to their daily lives. This high-energy VBS program is sure to excite everyone and your kids won't want to miss it. Check Covenant's website for online registration starting soon.

Any adults looking for a fun and exciting way to participate in the spreading of God's message should contact Jennifer Manuel at jenandwally@earthlink.net or 856-9462 to volunteer for VBS. All adult and teen volunteers are welcome.

Youth and Young Adults

April was such an exciting and amazing month for our youth and young adults. We hid eggs, baked cookies for Kairos, and practiced and performed sign language with the children for both services. We were also honored to be included in the ground breaking ceremonies. Participating in the ground breaking ceremonies on Easter Sunday was very special to our youth and young adults. However, it was especially rewarding for me to be able to see our kids taking part in such a milestone for our church. I remember being at the first ground breaking and never imagining how much this church would grow, or how this wonderful church family would touch my life in so many ways. I pray that our youth will always feel the love and support from our Covenant family that I have felt these past 31 years.

It is hard to believe that the end of the school year is already here. On May 5th we are having a graduation banquet for our graduating seniors. Jacob Hester and Rex Jones, graduating from Lafayette High on May 19th, Lauren Lee graduating from Academy of the Sacred Heart on June 1st, and Moriah Rabeaux, congratulations.

Coming up in May and June, we will be doing a couple of fundraisers for our mission trip in July. Our goal is to be able to pay for the entire mission trip for those going. I know we can do this with prayers, hard work and support from our wonderful church. I am looking forward to a very busy, productive and fun filled summer.

If you have or know of a child in junior or senior high or a young adult and they are not participating please encourage them to come and give us a try, I don't think they will be disappointed.

Sheri Hester

Chiildren's Ministries

We are constantly in consideration of ways to improve our ministry, engage you as families, and to make the most of our time with our Covenant Kids. After prayerful reflections and conversations, we have decided to change the Sunday afternoon programming from every week, to once a month. I hope this will make your time with us more manageable and will allow your young one to join us more frequently. Our primary goal is to help the children become a part of the church now, so they remain an active member for life, whether at Covenant or wherever they go in life.

The last Club 456 was May 6th. After the summer, monthly programming will resume in September, continuing with Mission Possible Kids and other special activities. On behalf of the church and all the children, I would like to thank Leigh and Jerry Nugent for bringing Club 456 to Church of the Covenant. It has been a special blessing to all involved and we appreciate your love and commitment to the kids. Thank you!!

May 13 – Graduation Recognition
May 20 – CM Celebration

Graduation Sunday - May 13th

If you are graduating this May of have graduated in the past year, we would like to recognize you! This includes high school, college and technical school. Please contact Peggy in the church office at 981-2088 or peggy@covenantum.org.

Covenant Rummage & Bake Sale

Friday, June 1st—8am-3pm & Saturday, June 2nd—8am-12noon

PLEASE BRING DONATIONS Wednesday, May 30th & Thursday, May 31st
(Please - NO clothes - NO computers)

We “treasure” your “trash”

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED BAKE, SET-UP, SORT, PRICE, SELL, CLEAN-UP

Seeking Children's Ministry Director

There is an opportunity open for a person feeling called to serve God by serving the children of Covenant, to shape the future of our children’s program, to have fun and inspire our team of volunteers, to continue organized efforts to put vision into action...to make a difference in the life of Covenant. If this is you, or someone you know, please contact me. If you have any questions or interest, please let me know. Prayer and the power of God will place the right person. So, I do ask for the church to be praying for that as well.

Thank you
Melissa Bowen

From the Associate Pastor

I have been a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball fan for over 50 years. Each year as spring begins and the new season gets underway, I remember the 1960 World Series that the Pirates won. It has been 20 years since they have even had a winning record, yet hope springs eternal as I pull for my Bucs and hope that this year will be the year they once again win the World Series. But, win or lose I will still be a Pirate fan. Jesus is our biggest fan. We have our up and downs, our battles and trials, we win some and lose some, but Jesus is still for us no matter what and is pulling for us. When you feel like the Pirates, with 20 losing seasons, remember with Jesus we are always winners.

Thanksgiving and Prayer for Our Future!

The Apostle, Paul, opened his letter to the Philippians with “I thank my God every time I remember you, in all my prayers for all of you.. I always pray with Joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now: being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” This preacher wants to add my double AMEN to this prayer for you here at Covenant.

Hopefully by the time you receive this newsletter, we will actually have construction activity on our premises. At long last, the building will become a reality, and this preacher will have a hard time remaining patient until we are able to move into the premises. This could not have happened without all of us stepping up to the plate and helping out by giving to the general fund and also to our building fund. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP HERE AT COVENANT. Your faith in God and in our future is evident in all your support.

Your support goes way beyond funding only, as your “partnership” in our ministry is also finding a place to serve. We see so many of you involved in such areas of ministry as: our super music ministry programs, in ushering and greeting, in teaching and nurturing our children and youth, providing abundantly for such outreach ministries as I CAN food pantry, Kairos Prison Ministry, St. Jude’s, and all the ways we attempt to be partners with Jesus in His gospel. Your part of the partnership is invaluable! Thank you, and if you are not involved, find a way.

Our church leaders self-identified our congregation as an “on the move” body, which puts us head and shoulders above many of our local congregation today. As your pastor, it is my responsibility to keep us “on the move.” Remember Paul’s prayer did not condone sitting down on the premises, but encouraged us to see God continue to do His good work in us and through us. I believe that in spite of our rich heritage and the foundation of so many wonderful saints here at Covenant, our best days lie ahead of us, as we continue to commit our lives to carrying on the ministry of Jesus, which as He self-identified was to “seek and to save those who are lost”.

I have asked several leaders to join me in an extended time of prayer and study and discussion aimed at keeping Covenant “on the move”, as we find those areas in which we need to renovate and update and keeping the vision ahead of us, as we strive to please Jesus in all we do and to provide a purpose and mission of this church that will certainly outlive us all. God has given Covenant a great opportunity to make a huge impact in this community. Pray for this group, and if you are so inclined to be a part of this conversation, please contact me or Gene Blevins, our Council Chairperson. I always pray with Joy for all the Lord is doing here at Covenant and I can’t wait to see where He is taking us.

I CAN, Holy Communion, and What is a Methodist?

First Sunday in May means Holy Communion during Worship and don't Forget,  we have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ as we provide food for the UCO Food Pantry. Yes I Can make a difference! 

Plus, I will be doing a three week study during Sunday school of Who we are as Methodist. Where and How we were birthed, What we believe and How we Practice our Faith, and finally, a Look at the history of Covenant United Methodist Church and where we are going! We will examine our Mission Statement of which many do not know. A great three week study for all. Those who have come into the Methodist Church, those who are thinking about coming into the Methodist Church, and those who would just like to study about God's call to us be a Holy People in this world. Beginning Sunday during Sunday School in a class in the preschool building. Look for the notices on the door. RSVP if you would like to attend.

Sincerely,

Mid-Week Update

Dear Covenant Family-

Wednesday
9:30am - Explorers Bible Study
5:00pm - Hand Bell Choir
5:30pm - Wednesday Night Dinner
6:15pm - Children's Ministry Program
6:15pm - Bible Study- Living the Lord's Prayer: Forgiveness and Lead us Not into Temptation. We only have two weeks of Wednesday Night Dinner and Studies left for the Spring, so don't miss.

Thursday
8:30am - Men's Bull Session: we will be taking a break during the summer, so men come on out and give your opinion and how we right the wrongs. If that won't work, come out and drink some coffee.

Saturday
7:00pm - Graduation Dinner Celebration

Sunday
Rev. Byron and Ken did an outstanding job. I missed you and can't wait to see you this coming Sunday. My message - God's Direction for Life Surviving the Storms. We will have Holy Communion, which means it is the first Sunday. A time we are able to bring our I CAN food offering for UCO  food pantry.

Also, Sunday will also be the last Club 456. Jerry and Leigh Nugent have done an outstanding job with the program. In the fall, it will change direction, but I hope all the kids and parents are able to come out and thank the Nugents for a JOB WELL DONE!

Finally, Sunday we will have confirmation class for our teens who are ready to profess faith and join the Christian church. We will do this at the Sunday School Hour. Look for notices.

I will also be leading a class on Methodism for adults, as we look at the Methodist History, our beliefs and practice, as well as look at Covenant church. Join me for this three week study during Sunday School Hour. 

Just one more message, Melissa Bowen has done an excellent job as the interim Children's Ministry Director, and has some plans for the future, but wishes to turn this over to someone called by God who is willing to help us make disciples of Jesus Christ out of our children. Please let Melissa or I know if you would like to discuss the possibility of you answering God's call for this part time pay, full time service, and very important ministry.