Church of the Covenant

Boston, Massachusetts


This Week at Covenant

Sunday, October 2, 2022

World Communion Sunday

All-ages Worship

This Sunday at Covenant


Hybrid Worship Service

10:30 am


Zoom Link: click here

Bulletin: click here


Worship Participants:

Worship Leaders – Children & Youth of Covenant, CYCE teachers, Rev. Kate Carlisle, Rev. Joshua Lazard, Rev. Rob Mark

Special Music – Joseph Jewett

Sabbath Supply Minister of Music – Kate Salfelder

Moment for Mission – Barbara Darling

Digital Ministers – Rev. Joshua Lazard & AV Team

Audio-visual Techs – Abhishek John, Jon Schwarz

Ushers – Denice Thornhill, Anne Crane

NEW & NOTABLE THIS WEEK AT COVENANT


WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY ALL-AGES WORSHIP

Join us this Sunday, October 2 for our all-ages service World Communion Sunday, when we gather at the table with our siblings in Christ around the world and across time and space. Our children, youth, families, and teachers will take leadership roles in the service, from sharing special music to baking our Communion bread. We invite you to bring a small cup, mug, jar, or other vessel, one per person, for our celebration of Holy Communion, and for the potluck afterward.


WORLDWIDE COMMUNION SUNDAY SPECIAL OFFERING

This week, on October 2, Worldwide Communion Sunday, we will collect the Neighbors in Need Offering (UCC) and the Peace and Global Witness Offering (PCUSA). The UCC's Neighbors in Need Offering this year focuses on economic justice. One-third of the Neighbors in Need offering supports Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds are used by Justice and Witness Ministries to provide grants to UCC churches and organizations as well as supporting a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.

The PCUSA's Peace & Global Witness Offering addresses systemic conflict and injustice across the world and supports promoting the peace of Christ around the world. 25% of the PCUSA half of the offering will go to support Cameroonian peacemaker Rev. Nta William Nche (who is visiting the Boston Presbytery this October! See more below.) The rest goes to PCUSA peacemaking efforts around the world. 


ALL CHURCH POTLUCK & ADULT ED

All are welcome to join our potluck following worship this Sunday, October 2 on the Berkeley Street steps. Please bring a dish with serving spoon to share with a note describing the ingredients. Directly following the potluck please join us as Kathryn leads our adult ed on the state of our nation in the light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 


ZOOM ONLY WORSHIP NEXT WEEK

Join us for worship on Zoom only next Sunday, October 9, the day before Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Rev. Dr. So Jung Kim, Associate for Theology at the Presbyterian Mission Agency, is preaching. There will not be an in-person gathering at 67 Newbury.

"FINDING CENTER" ALL CHURCH RETREAT REGISTRATION OPEN!

Saturday, October 29, 9:30am-4:30pm

There is much that can be said about the past two and a half years. One apt descriptor most can relate to is disorienting. We have been through a lot and as we pause and take stock of our lives, we might feel things have shifted, and our direction and focus become confused. In the spirit of reorientation, join us on this all-church retreat where we will spend the gift of a day together focused on finding center. Come enjoy some time contemplating what is most sacred and important to you at this point in your life. Focus on the “divine core” – on who the Spirit is calling you to be, on what is essential, and how your values, choices, plans and actions might better flow from that pivot point. Join us as we return to beautiful natural landscapes and comfortable gathering spaces of Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham, just a mile or so from the sea. Learn more and register at this link by October 16. Early registration deadline: Wednesday, October 5 – free COTC swag for all early registrations!

UPCOMING WORSHIP


Please join us each Sunday at 10:30am as we come together in community to pray, sing, share celebrations and concerns, and hear God’s still-speaking Word proclaimed in these Hybrid services (in-person and Zoom options). Zoom Link for each service.


  • Sunday, October 2 – All Ages Service, World Communion Sunday
  • Sunday, October 9 – Rev. Dr. So Jung Kim preaching, Zoom Only
  • Sunday, October 16 – Rev. Joshua preaching, Communion
  • Sunday, October 23 – Climate Jubilee Service

PRESBYTERY OF BOSTON PEACEMAKER VISIT

The Presbytery of Boston is hosting Reverend Nta William Nche from Cameroon, an international peacemaker who is part of a group of seven individuals touring the country for the next month with the PC(USA)’s Peacemaking Program. Rev. Nta will be visiting a number of congregations in the greater Boston area from September 29-October 3. For more details, including the schedule of events for this weekend, see this week's Presbytery newsletter.

BOSTON VEG FOOD FEST

Boston Veg Food Fest is Saturday & Sunday, October 1 & 2, with free admission for all, at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Boston. Exhibitors, food sampling, speakers, kids' activities. Details here.


MUSICAL PSALMS EVENT AT OLD SOUTH

Saturday, October 22, at 2:00pm, a special free event will take place at Old South. This unique interactive event uses live musical performances as a springboard for discussion about Scripture and faith. Participants gather to hear world-premiere performances of brand-new musical compositions inspired by the psalms, then join each other in conversation about the ways these pieces help us experience and understand Scripture. For more info: deus-ex-musica.com/i-will-lift-my-eyes

FALL 2022 AT COTC


CLIMATE JUBILEE DIY JAUNT UPDATES

Our Climate Jubilee Team has been encouraging us to get out into the beauty of God's natural world and take joy in it it is now – knowing that even as the climate is changing things, there is still profound joy and lessons for us to learn from being outside – helping us get out into the beauty of God’s natural world in the gift of our watershed, and find peace and blessing from it. We have these invitations this fall: 

  • DIY JAUNT: Between now and October 9 we invite you to go outside on your own or with friends/ family to enjoy being in God's Creation. Employ all of your senses on your DIY Jubilee Jaunt and record what you see, hear, smell, feel and taste either in your memory, with photos on your phone, or by writing what you experience in a journal. Climate Jubilee will host an Adult CE gathering on Sunday, October 9 on ZOOM (right after our ZOOM ONLY worship) so we can share our DIY expeditions with one another. If you've taken a jaunt this summer, or if you do soon, it's not too late to share! Here is the link to submit your photo and SHORT reflection/ observations/ thoughts.
  • MIDDLESEX FELLS: Join us Sunday, October 9 at 2:30pm for a Jaunt in Middlesex Fells with Syd Smith. Park at the Flynn ice rink in Medford. Please sign up here.
  • Want to add a jaunt? Email Betty and we'll add it to the list!


LIFE ALIVE APPLE PICKING TRIP

Save the date: immediately following worship on Sunday, October 18, Trudi Veldman will be hosting Life Alive for a fall apple-picking outing. Let Rev. Joshua know if you have any questions or if you'd like to be on our young adults email list.


SEASON OF THE SPIRIT EVENING PRAYERS

Join us each Wednesday at 6:00pm for half an hour of intentional liturgy, contemplative song, psalms, and sharing of prayers with our siblings from Newton Presbyterian on Zoom.


BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAYS

Our weekly morning Bible Study is each Wednesday morning at 9:15am on Zoom. We are studying the Gospel of John. If you’d like more information or want to be on the list to get regular reminders & Zoom info, contact Jan Gough at revjangough@gmail.com.


OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH, & FAMILIES

We've gotten off to a great start to our CYCE school year. Thanks to the families we've gotten to see and catch up with so far! The nursery is open during in-person worship, and we're resuming Godly Play, youth classes, and other special activities with kids, youth, and families. We will continue to share details via email, so let Rev. Kate know if you want to receive updates.


LOOKING FOR CYCE VOLUNTEERS & CHILD CARE PROVIDER

We are currently gifted with a number of children in our community! How wonderful is this! It is our goal to be able to offer loving and stimulating environments and programs to all of them. We have a variety of age groups from babies to youth. Do you have interest or questions about being involved in any way at all with children or youth? This might be an occasional presence in the nursery, or a background person in a children or youth class, or something more often or more directly involved. Please consider if this calls to you at all, and reach out to Kate Carlisle (kate.carlisle@cotcbos.org), Kathy Bull, Karen Henry, or Diane Lauber. No commitment to ask us about this!

We are also advertising for a paid nursery care provider, so we encourage you to reach out if you have any interest for yourself or someone you know. You can find that job listing on the COTC website


THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE COVENANT NEWS can be read online here

617.266.7480   info@cotcbos.org  www.cotcbos.org
67 Newbury St
Boston, MA 02116
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