Mission Possible KIDS - April 1, 2011

Sunday, March 13 our MPKids agents were recognized at both services for their hard work these past two years. To date, our MPKids group has completed 15 mission projects and touched the lives of over 1,000 people! Several of our agents have completed over 12 mission projects. Way to go, agents!

We would like to thank the church for supporting us in our mission goals, especially in your participation in our bake sale March 13. You helped us raise over $500 for PSC Partners Seeking a Cure, an organization aimed at helping people who suffer from primary schlerosing cholangitis, a disease which can lead to liver failure. MPKids raised this money in honor of LHS freshman Chelsea Yaeger who suffers from this disease and will eventually need a liver transplant. Chelsea came to the 11 a.m. service March 13 to lend her hand at the bake sale. Please keep Chelsea in your prayers as she fights this debilitating disease.

Thanks to Kim Havard for helping me out during the 11:00 service. Thanks also to all the moms who helped out with the bake sale, especially Kellie Kinsland, who collected the money and "closed out" the sale when Agent Jennifer had to scoot out early.

Continue to keep our Mission Possible Kids in your prayers as we seek opportunities for service throughout the church and community. This national program is open to all kids in 1st through 6th grades. We meet the first Sunday of each month from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. All are welcome.

Join Us Sunday Mornings for Adult Sunday School

The Trinity Class is open to all ages. Studies the Bible verse by verse, currently in the book of Colossians.
Rev. Bernie Shamp—Preschool Bldg. rm 3

The Believers Class thoroughly studies each verse as the Holy Spirit leads to try and understand the fullness of its meaning for our lives. This class may be just the place to spend an additional God-filled hour each Sunday morning. The class is currently in the book of Isaiah.
Pat Griffith—Holley Bldg, rm 7

Daily Living Class is a mixed class of singles, married, widowed, with a great mix from early 30's to 80+. This group uses the Bible and other topical material, to see how the teachings of the Bible apply to our “daily lives.”
John Hines—Holley Bldg, rm 4

The Fellowship Class, made up of warm, friendly and smiling faces who welcome you to this class (comprised mainly of “card carrying” AARP members). The Cokesbury Adult Bible Studies is used in a lively discussion format. Currently studying the book of Genesis.
Marie Smith—Holley Bldg, rm 5

The Pairs and Spares Class, a mixed group of singles and couples, discusses new and different ways God's teachings relate to our lives. Presently studying the “The Essential Bible Guide” which takes 100 selected reading, so you can see the big picture of the Bible.
Paul Guilbeau & Dale White—Pre-school Bldg. rm 1

The Searchers Women Class, on the 50+ side of life enjoy fellowship with other women. The Bible is studied, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse using the “Serendipity” resources. The class is currently doing the “Purpose Driven Life”.
Kathy Hoover/Lucille Hendrix—Holley Bldg. rm 2

The Seekers Class, a very diverse class with both couples and singles ranging in age from 40-80. Free flowing discussion and questions and opinions are encouraged as they try to apply God's word to our lives. Studying the book of Revelation.
Strand Martin—Pre-school Bldg.

The Wesleyan Class utilizes the International Lesson Series with the focus on how the Scriptures apply to our personal, interpersonal and religious lives. The lesson series is now in the book of Exodus.
Gene Blevins—Holley Bldg, rm 9

The Young Adults Class is our newest class. We are open to anyone between college age and early thirties. Come give us a try.
Rev. Byron Aucoin—Holley Bldg., Fellowship Hall

You Have the Opportunity to "Visit Those in Prison"

Five Covenant women will be listening and loving at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women April 28th — May 1st at Kairos #32.

The Kairos goal is to teach Christ’s love to the 30 women who attend our weekend short course within the prison facility, so that they will be able to live in Christian community within the prison. This has tremendous personal results for these women and their families, not just while they are still imprisoned, but even after they have been released. The recidivism rate is reduced from 80% to 18% in women who have completed our Kairos weekend short course (ie - without Kairos 80% of women released from prison will return to it, with Kairos, only 18% return). The program does make a difference to society.

Here are the various ways you can support Kairos:
Prayer: Every minute of the weekend is covered in prayer and our prayer support is extremely important. Early in the weekend, the super long prayer chain is brought out to show the residents how many people are praying for them – even through the night. It is a powerful moment, and the women find it hard to believe that folks on the “outside” are praying for them.

Cookies: Each team volunteer is responsible to bring 35 dozen cookies. We have five members from Covenant on this team, so we need 175 dozen cookies! We give cookies to every resident of LCIW on the first night that we are there. Those women attending the Kairos weekend receive a dozen cookies each night, with an extra dozen given on Saturday night. They are instructed to share the extra dozen with someone whose forgiveness they seek or someone who they need to forgive. The cookies have to be home baked, but not necessarily from scratch - any pre-made dough is fine. We ask that you pray over your cookies as they bake – that whoever receives them will feel God's love in a mighty way.

Money: Each of us on the team is asked to raise $225. Total our Covenant participants, need to raise is $1,125. We are asked not to just pay the amount ourselves, but to give others the opportunity to be a part of the Kairos ministry with their gifts. While the cost of putting on a Kairos weekend has increased greatly, the amount to be raised by each team member has not. So, as always, we know you will be generous to meet our expenses. 

Children’s Drawings: If you would like an activity for your kid’s Sunday school class, preschool, girl scout/ boy scout troop, Club 456, Mission Possible, we need children’s drawings. They can be of anything that depicts God’s love and encouraging thoughts: ie - angels, pretty pictures with “God loves you”. Whatever a child thinks would cheer people up and show God’s love. It can be poster sized, or drawn on regular 8 x 11 paper. Markers, pencils, or crayons are great, but no stickers or glitter please.. Many of these women have children and grandchildren that they are estranged from, so it is really powerful for them to receive drawings from children. We ask that the child put only their first name and age on the drawing. Any age and talent level is welcome and appreciated!

Personal Notes to those attending the Kairos weekend:
You may also get involved by writing personal notes to either one or all 30 of the women attending Kairos. These notes would also go in their paper bag with many others to help them realize how much God and the outside world really do care. We will have instructions and a sample note on the Kairos table in the foyer.

We want to thank you so much for all you have done before and for all you will do in the future for Kairos Prison Ministry.

Susie Blanchard, Jennifer Blanchard, Mary Fontenot, Donna Guidry and Lisa White

From the Associate Pastor - March 30, 2011

In the Gospel of John 19:18 it says, There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. (NLT) They nailed Him to the cross. As we continue the Lenten season heading toward Holy Week, I pray we remember the suffering and agony of our Savior on the cross. One way is to take a small nail and place in on your refrigerator, put it your pocket or purse, Upper Room, Bible, tape it to your TV remote, or anywhere you will see it everyday. When you look at the nail, remember that Jesus suffered and died so that you may have eternal life. They nailed Him to the cross.

Byron

Children's Ministries - March 29, 2011

By the time you read this, all the children will know that we are participating in "Change for Miles" to benefit Miles Perret Cancer Services. This is a service project designed to teach children about giving back to their community and helping local families suffering with cancer. The children become "Ambassadors" for Miles Perret as they share information with their family and friends. If you haven't received your change bottle, stop by and see me during the Sunday school hour in Room 7 of the Children's Building. Grown-ups are invited to participate, too, until the bottles run out.

On April 17, our children will have an Easter egg hunt during the Sunday school hour. Many thanks to Lindsey Perry for organizing this event. We are in need of plastic eggs preferably filled with goodies. We'll also take empty ones, goodies to fill them and volunteers to prepare the eggs and hide them. If you'd like to bring supplies, please leave them in the Narthex in the container provided. For more information or to volunteer your time, please call the church office.

Happy Easter!
Kim

What to Do When the 'Rests' Come?

This is one of the busiest times of the year for our music volunteers. All are hard at work preparing music for this wonderful season. But, like Christmas, it's easy to become so focused on the work at hand we can overlook the message we're working on.

Two of the fundamental elements of music are 'notes' and 'rests'. Simply put, 'rests' are beats or sections where there is no music. John Ruskin, one of England's greatest thinkers of the 19th century, once pondered the importance of 'rests' in a musical composition. He began to compare those 'rests' put in by a composer to the 'rests' that come to us in life; the times, for example, when our lives seem to be put on hold for awhile. The times when, for whatever reason, we are compelled to sit and wait until we realize God is now telling us to move on ... out of the wilderness into the promised land God has prepared. Ruskin wrote: 'There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it.'

So as God lets the music of our lives unfold, be pleased with the tune, 'rests' and all.

What Difference Does Easter Make?

We are approaching some of the busiest times in the church calendar. Still in the midst of Lenten reflections and studies and messages, we will soon be at Holy Week and Easter Sunday. To many in our world, Easter is only a day for picnics and family get together. For some, the Easter Bunny and candy and egg hunts have replaced the traditions of the church. To be politically correct, we have replaced the Easter vacation at school with the secular “spring break.” Ask most children, and Easter has more to do with jelly beans and time away from school than what Easter really means.

What difference does Easter make? It makes all the difference to those of us who are in touch with the reality of life and death. It is about the man who was God’s Son, who came to show people not just a way to live, but a way to face the great enemy of death. Jesus came to reveal God’s love for humanity. And what happened, humanity rejected Him. Humanity, not just evil leaders, but humanity murdered him by nailing him to a cross. Humanity buried Jesus in a tomb carved out of the side of a hill. It seemed as if evil had the final word but we know Easter does make a difference.

In an instant, history was forever changed, when the stone was rolled away to allow the women who showed up expecting to anoint a dead body, found the powerful hand of God moved the stone away as Jesus Christ stepped forth brimming with life. Where once the human mortality rate had been 100%, it was now all different. Death is no longer the last word for the followers of Jesus Christ; life is now the last word.

While world religious leaders have come and gone, the fact remains that only One stepped forth from the tomb. Only one has risen from the dead. Only one offers the promise of eternal life and abundant life to the followers. Only one said: I AM the resurrection and the life.” I hope you will join us here at Covenant as we celebrate the presence of the Risen Lord in our worship experiences. We will declare Easter makes the difference as we gather on Palm Sunday, not just to have an Easter Egg Hunt for our children during the Sunday School hour, but to worship the Lord as our Chancel Choir presents Journey to the Cross. Holy Wednesday, we will gather for Holy Communion Service. Good Friday, our sanctuary will be open for self-directed devotion focusing on the way to the Cross. Then on Easter morning, our worship begins at 7:00am for our sunrise service. Our 9:00am and 11:00am am services will be celebrating the difference Easter makes as Redeemed will lead us in original musical composition entitled: Eyewitness. I can’t think of a better way to say: “Yes, Easter makes a difference in my life”, by joining with and inviting others to come celebrate the Resurrection here at Covenant. I can guarantee you, that at each of those special events, you will experience the risen Lord and feel His touch on your life. We can celebrate the victory over death, and declare to the world, Easter means Jesus Christ is Lord indeed!

See you at your place of worship,
Rev. Chris Blanchard