News
And Events
 Kids,
Get Ready!
Vacation Bible School
Is Coming June 23-27!
For Kids Age Four Through Fifth Grade (Completed)
Kids are invited to join us on June 23-27 from 9:00 a.m. to
noon for a great week of skits, Bible stories, crafts, games,
music, and fun!
Thank you to Anne Schorle for directing this wonderful outreach for kids!
The cost per child is $25 (early registration by May 25 is only
$20 per child). Scholarships are available.
Registration includes t-shirt and music CD! Please pick up
your registration form at the church office or email
info@covpcfm.com to
request a form!
See our May
newsletter for more information!
MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)
Open House on August 26!
MOPS of Covenant will kick off again this year on Tuesday, August 26,
with an OPEN HOUSE from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Moms will be able to tour
the nursery, meet the Steering Team, meet fellow moms, learn about the
theme for the year, and fill out all necessary paperwork. MOPS exists to
encourage, equip, and develop every mother of preschoolers to realize
her potential as a woman, mother, and leader in the name of Jesus
Christ. If you know a mom with a little one from an infant through a
kindergartner, please invite them to this event.
MOPS Meeting on September 9!
Our first MOPS meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 9, from
9:30 AM to 12:00 PM. We will continue to meet through the year on the
second and fourth Tuesdays from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM. There will be
fellowship, food, guest speakers, service projects, crafts, childcare,
and much more at our meetings. If you have any questions or would like
to register for MOPS, please contact Anne Schorle at 369-3034.
New Concert Series
Thank you to Bill and Jaimie Flack for organizing Covenant's
2008-2009 Concert Series - our 28th season! Stay tuned
for details on the guest artists for the upcoming season!
More on the Concert Series
The Chancel Choir Has Opted to
Sing Throughout the Summer!
Thank you to the choir members who have chosen to sing
during our summertime worship services! We appreciate
their wonderful ministry! If you're interested in
singing with the choir on Sunday mornings, please join them in the music room for rehearsal on
Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. No audition is required! If you have questions, please leave
your name and phone number in the church office (334-8937).
Handbell Choir
If you're interested in playing the handbells, please leave
your name and phone number in the church office (334-8937)
or call Sonia Wagner (481-1157).
Mission Opportunity in
Your Own Community!
Have you always wanted to go on a mission trip, but for
whatever reason, you have not experienced such an
opportunity? Our world missions committee has accepted the
challenge to serve once a month at Mission Peniel in
Immokalee as part of the Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, which
is sponsored by our Peace River Presbytery. We are just one
of many Presbyterian USA churches in this area who are
participating in this ministry. Miguel Estrada, a former
associate pastor of our sister church (El Divino Salvador),
is the pastor. We are seeking seven volunteers once a month
to go to Immokalee to serve a hot meal and to distribute
clothing and toiletries to the farm workers. Our first
service day is Friday, May 16. We will meet at the church at
11:30, arriving in Immokalee about 1:00 to prepare for the
food and clothing distribution (the food is prepared for us
to serve). Our group will return to the church by 7:00 PM.
Please call Bill Whitaker, 466-7228, if you would like to
serve on May 16. For everyone: We need donations of
men’s clothing, pants (30-36), shoes, shirts (especially
long sleeved), underwear, socks, hats, and small-sized
toiletries (deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and
shampoo). Women’s and children’s clothing will also be
accepted. A box will be in the church office to receive your
donations. Join us as we serve in the name of our Lord and
Covenant PC(USA)!
|
Primetimers
(Formerly the KeenAgers)
“Cabaret”
Royal Palm Square Theatre
Wednesday, May 28
Buffet at 11:45 • Show at 1:15
Cost: $45 (Great Seats!)
There's a
sign-up sheet on the
Connection Station clipboard in
the courtyard on Sunday mornings.
Stay tuned for
new events!
More on the
Primetimers |
Alice Crowe Allen Scholarship Awarded!
The 2008 Alice Crowe Allen Scholarship was presented to Miss
Keely Seaman, a lifelong member of Covenant, who graduates
this month from Mariner High School in Cape Coral. She has
been active in the children’s and youth ministries at our
church and currently works in Covenant’s nursery. Keely, who
is the daughter of Karl and Tracy Seaman and the sister of
Kody, is the third recipient of the Alice Crowe Allen
Scholarship. The $1,000 cash scholarship is made possible
each year by contributions from the family and friends of
Mrs. Allen, wife of Claude I. Allen, Jr., our second pastor.
|
The Gathering of
Covenant
Presbyterian Women
Thank you to the ladies
who attended the "get acquainted" luncheon on Saturday, April 26,
in
Fellowship Hall!
Moderator Ruth Whipple and the newly elected officers will
use the summertime hiatus to arrange activities for a new
season, starting in the fall!
More on
Presbyterian Women |
 |
Thank You to Emerson and
Martina Wilson, Our Missionaries in Nicaragua,
Who Joined Us on April 27!
Emerson and Martina Wilson, our missionaries in
Nicaragua, visited Covenant on Sunday,
April 27, and participated in Sunday
school, church, and a potluck dinner which was held after
our church service.
Emerson is
Director of Ministries of First Presbyterian
Shalom Nicaragua where his mission is to preach,
teach, encourage, and mentor his Nicaraguan
brothers and sisters—especially the Shalom
Ministry Team. Martina is Director of Christian
Education for the Shalom church. Emerson and
Martina also serve as “in-country hosts” to
mission teams from the USA. Covenant has
participated in yearly trips to Nicaragua since
l998.
The mission of
Shalom is to reach out to the unchurched of
Esteli with the good news of Jesus Christ, to
bring them into the Body of Christ (the Church
of Jesus Christ), to share the Bible and
sacraments, and to teach the Reformed Doctrine
so the people of Esteli can grow spiritually and
can eventually plant new churches. This is the
first Presbyterian Church in the country of
Nicaragua. We are privileged to be a part
of this ministry.
Presbytery's Personnel Committee
Would Appreciate Your Feedback!
Bob
Rea, our Designated Associate General Presbyter is
retiring again at the end of October 2008. Bob has
served the Presbytery well, and he will be missed.
In
2003, the time-limited office of Designated Associate
was created in order to give the Presbytery flexibility
in meeting its changing needs. With Bob’s retirement,
we have an opportunity, and even a necessity, to look at
our mission and staffing design. Our future mission will
determine future staffing since form follows function.
The
Personnel Committee is now in a listening mode, seeking
consultation from various committees and groups within
the Presbytery and from the Presbytery itself at its
next Stated Meeting. Not everyone is on a Presbytery
Committee, so
here is a printable form to get your feedback as
we look ahead as a Presbytery. By May 1, please e-mail
your responses back to
Alesia@peaceriverpresbytery.org or send a hard copy
to Peace River Presbytery, Attention: Personnel
Committee, 5600 Peace River Rd., North Port, FL 34287.
Pastor Search Committee Presents
"Church Information Form"
The Designated Pastor
Search Committee (Teta
Roberts, Ed Castner, Deborah Maurer, and Don Warren) is
giving you a preview of the official forms (below) that are
presented to candidates who are interested in serving as our
Designated Pastor.
This is a very exciting time in the life of Covenant
Presbyterian Church as we work toward calling a Designated
Pastor to serve as our minister for a period to be
determined. A Designated Pastor may be selected as
early as June. Please include the committee and our church
in your prayers during this important process and decision in the life of
Covenant Presbyterian Church.
The Church
Information Form, Part 1
The Church Information
Form, Part 2
Parents' Day Out!
A Special Program for Members of Covenant Presbyterian
Church
Parents, if you'd like some free time,
we'll care for your kids on most Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to
1:00 p.m.! Programs are designed for children ages
three months to kindergarten.
Children will enjoy a Bible lesson, art project, play time, and
lunch. Parents, please provide each child with a sack lunch,
and we'll do the rest! No advance registration is
necessary! Simply show up and sign in your children!
Interim Church Council Meeting Highlights
April 8, 2008
Read the highlights!
Session Highlights
The Presbytery’s Administrative Commission, which is serving
as the Covenant Church Session during our restructuring and
calling of a new pastor, met for the first time on April 1
at Covenant. Our Interim Church Council met with them.
Actions taken by Session
Scott Maurer and Bob Sinclair
are spearheading our
youth ministry!
Please contact the church
at 334-8937
if you're interested
in joining the new group!
Thank You to Everyone
Who Attended Covenant's
27th Concert Season!
The
season
concluded
on April 4
with the beautiful performance of
Hope Krick-Osborn, Soloist
(WCC Scholarship Concert).
The Concert Committee is arranging another
season
of fine performances presented free to the community!
More on the
Concert Series
Thank You to the Fabulous
Gustavus Adolphus Wind Orchestra
for Presenting One of Our
Best College Concerts Ever!
On March 28 at 7:30, the Covenant Concert Series
featured another outstanding performance.
More on the
Concert Series
Men's Prayer Breakfast at Mel's Diner
Each Wednesday at 8:15 a.m.
The Covenant Men's Breakfast
group meets each Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. at Mel's Diner
on U.S. 41 next to Rooms To Go. The men meet in
the back room, enjoy breakfast, sing a hymn,
pray, hear a devotional, and have a discussion. The
time has changed from the former time of 7:00
a.m. to make it more convenient for those who
are not early risers!
Interested men
may contact Frank
Harlacher at 481-3937 or at
harbud1@comcast.net.
|
 Prayer
Shawl Ministry
Our sincere
thanks to all who have knitted and crocheted the
beautiful prayer shawls that have already brought
heartfelt comfort to over fifty recipients. Also,
thanks to the congregation for your warm support of
this new ministry which provides tangible evidence
of prayer in the lives of others. We welcome
all who want to share their skills. This is not just
for Covenant members; invite all your knitting and
crocheting friends! We meet monthly - usually
on the third Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. in Room F207.
Please join our next meeting on May 20 at 10:00 a.m.
if you enjoy knitting or crocheting! For
information, please call the church office at 334-8937.
On Mother's Day
(May 11), there will be a display of
prayer shawls in the courtyard. Special thanks
to
Alice Newsom who has knitted her 100th shawl! |
The SINGLE Source
Check out activities for adult singles! Many churches
are participating in this wonderful outreach!
More
Letter from Covenant's Interim Council
The Interim Council of Covenant Presbyterian Church
(affiliated with the PCUSA) has produced a letter which
provides an update on Covenant's status during this
transition period, a clarification of our theological
beliefs, and an overview of upcoming events (including
Holy Week services).
Read the letter.
|
NOTE: The letter (above) references the
ruling of the
General Assembly Permanent Judicial
Commission (GAPJC) that candidates for
ordination must comply with the sexual behavior
standards of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),
even if they disagree in conscience with them.
The GAPJC, in a landmark ruling dated Feb. 11,
2008, on a case from Pittsburgh presbytery,
declared that the authoritative interpretation
that the General Assembly approved in 2006 does
not permit exceptions to the requirement in the
PC(USA)’s ordination standards, which say that
candidates must practice fidelity if they are
married or chastity if they are single.
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2008/08117.htm |
Congregational Changes Resulting
From the
Meeting/Vote on February 3, 2008
posted on march 7 at
1:25 P.m.: While
we are sad that our congregation is dividing, we rejoice
that we
are
all a part of God's family. Beginning Easter Sunday, March 23,
a portion of the congregation will remain at Covenant
Presbyterian Church (affiliated with the PCUSA) at 2439
McGregor Blvd.; and the other portion will form New Hope
Presbyterian Church (affiliated with the EPC) at 3825
McGregor Blvd. Please join us in praying that both churches
will prosper and honor the Lord.
My Cancer, His
Mission
Read this true story by Chris Jorgensen on page
three of our
newsletter:
November 2006
|
Did you know that Covenant has a
library featuring a variety of books, both secular and spiritual?
For the duration of the political
season, the library will feature books written by the
candidates from various parties. The library is located on the south
side of the courtyard. Books may be signed out for two
weeks. Enjoy! |
Book Nook |
Volunteer & Ministry Opportunities
A Mission Opportunity in Your
Own Community!
We are seeking seven volunteers once a month to go to
Immokalee to serve a hot meal and to distribute clothing and
toiletries to the farm workers. Our first service day is Friday,
May 16. We will meet at the church at 11:30, arriving in
Immokalee about 1:00 to prepare for the food and clothing
distribution (the food is prepared for us to serve). Our group
will return to the church by 7:00 PM. Please call Bill Whitaker,
466-7228, if you would like to serve on May 16.
(For more information, see
article above.)
URGENT! VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED!
DeSoto Disaster Recovery has received funding to provide new homes for five additional families in Arcadia. DDR is constructing panel homes for these clients who have been in need of help since Hurricane Charley damaged their homes in 2004. Up to five volunteers are needed per day to assist with various phases of new construction. Part of the funding for these homes is contingent upon completion of construction by June 2008, so your help is urgently needed. Please call Coralee at the DDR office at 863-494-1000 to volunteer or for additional information. Thank you in advance for helping these families in need!
Opportunities at Covenant
ADULTS, JOIN THE VBS POWER LAB
TEAM!
If you love the Lord, love children, and like to have fun,
then you belong on our team! We are looking for VBS Power Lab
volunteers. There are many exciting areas to help in. We need
Decorators, Crew Leaders, Bible Blast Teachers, Hyperspeed Games
Leaders, Cinema Science Leaders, Test Tube Treats Helpers, Wacky
Works Crafts Leaders, Missions Helpers, and many others!
Come on Sunday, May 18, at 12:30 p.m. in room F-201 to
discover how you can be a part of changing a child’s life
forever. Learn about this year’s VBS theme and find out
where you can plug in. Lunch will be served. Sign up for this
volunteer meeting in the church office and let us know if you
need nursery care, or call Anne Schorle at 369-3034 to sign up.
Paid Position Available in Nursery
Must be available on Fridays from 9:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to noon. If you're interested,
please
call Dawn Castner at 282-0623 for more information.—Posted 4/16/08
Handbell Workshop Being Planned
If you're interested in playing the handbells, please leave
your name and phone number in the church office (334-8937)
or call Sonia Wagner (481-1157).
Hospital Visitation Ministry
If you are interested in this caring ministry, please
contact Pat Warren at
pwarren85@comcast.net.
Nursery and Preschool
Volunteers Needed!
If you're interested in helping with
our infants and toddlers on Sundays,
please
call Dawn Castner at 282-0623 for more information. Just an hour
can make all the difference in the life of a child!
Church Office
Volunteers are always needed to help out in various ways: preparing
mailings, assisting at the front desk, keying information into a
computer, etc. No experience is necessary—just a willing heart! Please
call the office at 334-8937 for more information.
Memorial Service Receptions
We’re seeking people with smiling faces to serve punch and other
refreshments. No food preparation is required. The goal is to have
enough volunteers so that no one has to serve more than once through the
year. If you are interested, please call the church office at 334-8937.
Sunday Morning Greeters
If you are willing to serve as a greeter on Sunday mornings, please
sign up at the Connection Station in the courtyard.
Visitation Volunteers
If you have a couple of hours a
month to visit and pray with a member of our church who might not
receive any other visitors that month, please email Deacon Ed
Christenbury at eschristenbury@yahoo.com and let him know of your availability.
Sanctuary Care Givers
Volunteers are needed to
straighten up the pew racks and to return lost items to the
office. Care givers are welcome to work together any time during
the week as long as the sanctuary is not in use. If you’re
interested, please call the church at 334-8937.
Money Counters Needed
If you would like to help
our Counting Committee on Monday mornings, please contact Barry Metzger
in the church office at 334-8937 or email
Barry Metzger, Business Administrator.
Chancel
Choir
We need more
singers! To join Chancel Choir, simply show up
Thursday evening at 7:00 in the choir room — no audition required.
Early Childhood Ministry
Volunteers are needed to rock and walk babies and to serve as helpers in
the preschool rooms. This outreach often helps un-churched families know
Christ.
Please call the church.
Opportunities in Our Community
Habitat for
Humanity
Several PC(USA) congregations in Lee County are working
together on the Presbyterian House now in progress. To
volunteer, please contact Covenant member Don Berglund at
454-0534.
Office Assistance
Zoeller Ministries, Inc., an
outreach to the motorsports community founded by former Covenant members
Stephen and Stephanie Zoeller, has two immediate needs for volunteer
office assistance.
-
Since they have now received their
501(c)(3) nonprofit status, the Zoellers urgently need bookkeeping
help to organize their receipts and to help key them into their copy
of QuickBooks Pro – Nonprofit.
-
They also need one person to help
with data entry into Excel and Outlook to update their
mailing/emailing lists.
If you’re interested in helping, please contact
Stephen Zoeller at
239-945-3333 Office • 239-940-0288 Cell
RaceRev@RaceRev.com
Mentors
The Edison Park mentoring program requires a minimum of one hour per
week during school hours. The AFCAAM after-school reading program needs
your help one afternoon a week from 3:00 until 5:00 p.m. Both
are excellent programs offering you the opportunity to reach out
in Christian love and touch the life of a child. Interested?
Please leave your name and number at the church office
(334-8937), and we will contact Lydia Christie, who is
overseeing our mentoring program. See the related article in our
September newsletter.
Transportation for Seniors
If you are under seventy and can spare several hours once a month to
drive residents from the Presbyterian Apartments to the grocery store in
our church van, please call the church.
Community Cooperative Ministries, an
organization supported in part by our church, is the umbrella agency for
the Soup Kitchen, Meals on Wheels, Faith in Action, and a new Montessori
preschool. The following notices list the volunteers needed by these
agencies.
Soup Kitchen Workers
Volunteers are
urgently needed. For information, you may contact Community Cooperative Ministries at
332-7687 (leave your number and a message).
Montessori Teacher and Preschool Helper
Community Cooperative Ministries, which recently converted their
daycare center to a Montessori preschool, is seeking help (paid
positions). Please call 332-7687 (leave your number and a message).
Assistance for Seniors
Faith in Action of SW Florida is comprised of interfaith volunteers who
provide non-medical assistance to many senior residents in our
community. This assistance includes providing transportation for people
who can no longer drive themselves to see their doctors, to purchase
groceries, or to visit a loved one in a nursing home. If you are a
handyman/woman, your assistance may be helpful for minor repairs. If you
can help, please contact Community Cooperative Ministries (the parent
organization of Faith in Action) at 332-7687, ext.100 (leave your number
and a message). |
Here's the
Best News of All!
"God showed His great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
Romans 5:6
Encouraging
Verses
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|
Sunday
Bulletin
April 20, 2008
April 27, 2008
May 4, 2008
The Clarion
Newsletter
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
Schedule of
Events
Calendar
Ongoing
Notices
Volunteer and Ministry
Opportunities - Please see opportunities for service listed
at the bottom of this page!
More
Sunday Bulletin -
Please remember that information for the Sunday bulletin
must be submitted on Mondays no later than 5:00 p.m.
Thank you to Barbara Heflin for coordinating
and designing our bulletins!
Clarion Newsletter -
Please submit Clarion articles one month prior to
publication (for example, information for the August issue is
due July 1). Please email information to
Sandy Bruning at
sbruning@covpcfm.com.
Communion Visits -
If you know of any member
who is unable to attend church, please call the deacons and let
us know. We will contact the person who is homebound and set up
an in-home visit to receive Communion. Contact the church office
(334-8937) or Ed Christenbury (985-5713).
Visitation Ministry - If you know of any member who
is unable to attend church, please call Ed Christenbury,
Visitation Coordinator, at 985-5713 or the church office at
334-8937. We have a number of Christian callers who take this
commitment seriously. They will visit and pray with your loved
one and keep the visit confidential. The pastors will be
contacted if there is a need.
Online Sermon Audio - The
sermon page has been updated to
improve the speed for those with dial-up modems!
Do you have a friend or relative who has suffered a loss or
is going through a difficult time? Tell them about our
Stephen Ministry Program. Stephen Ministers are Covenant
members who have received special training to provide high
quality, confidential, one-on-one Christian care to hurting
people. It’s free, and it’s a powerful way to help a hurting
friend. More
MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meet the
first and third Tuesday of every month from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30
a.m. from September to May. Moms enjoy small-group discussions,
guest speakers, creative activities, fun, friendships, and great
childcare!
More
The SINGLE Source - Check out activities for adult singles!
More
Prayer Gram Ministry - If you would like
to have prayer grams mailed to someone in need of prayer, please
fill out a purple prayer card located in the pew and drop it in
the offering plate. Our prayer volunteers will pray for the
person in need and mail encouraging notes. Also, please consider
participating in our prayer ministry.
Military Personnel - We continue to
pray for our men and women in uniform as they serve our country
at home and abroad. If you know of anyone in the service,
please place his/her name on the board at the Connection
Station.
Sanctuary Flowers -
If you would like to donate flowers in memory of or in honor of
a loved one, please contact the church office at 334-8937.
We will order the flowers for you. The cost per
arrangement is $25.
Members, please help us save on
postage! Please fill in your email address, if
available, on the blue pew pads. This will allow us to
save a considerable amount on postage throughout the year and
reduce the amount of mailings in your mail box each month.
Canned Good Sundays
- Please
remember to bring canned goods to help
stock the shelves at the food services pantry. These items
will be used to fill food bags for families in need, to help round out the menus for Meals on
Wheels, and to prepare the lunchtime meal in the Soup
Kitchen.
Join the
Covenant Group E-Mailing List.
You will receive e-mail messages from other
members and be able to send your
messages to all members on the list.
More
Please let the church staff know if
members are in the hospital.
Changes in state law went into effect
April 14, 2003, informing hospitals
that they will no longer be able to
give out the names of patients to
their respective pastors or
denominations. Thanks for your help.
Church History - Any
information and/or copies of photos you may have regarding events
should be placed in the historian's mailbox
in the church office.
Financial Questions?
Do you need help balancing your
checkbook? Or maybe something more complicated like
organizing a will, a trust, or an estate? Maybe we can help!
Call the church office (334-8937) to find out more
information about this new ministry offered by the deacons.
Online Donations -
For a
convenient way to contribute to the church from your computer,
please
click here
to enter the secure website. (There's also a link to the
secure website on Covenant's home page.) The donation website
provides options for contributing one time or regularly.
Pass on the Praise!
Have you been blessed by the efforts of a fellow Covenant
member? "Pass on the Praise" cards are available for you to
communicate your gratitude to someone God has used to bless your
life. Once the card is completed, just place it in the offering
plate, and we will forward it to the recipient. |
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