THE E-COURIER
NEWS & EVENTS
APRIL 26 - MAY 2, 2020
This Week at Christ Covenant
To help keep you established and growing in Christ while we cannot gather in-person, we have listed together all the resources available from Christ Covenant Church's various ministries that you can access online throughout the week. You can read about each one by visiting ChristCovenant.org/Established .
Live-Stream Worship Sunday, April 26
Morning Worship | 10:45 AM
"Dealing with Doubt"
John 20:24-31
Kevin DeYoung
Evening Worship | 6:00 PM
Virtural Hymn Sing!
"When God Seems Silent"
Psalm 22
Kevin DeYoung
Send in your requests for our virtual hymn sing by emailing them to communications@christcovenant.org by Saturday afternoon! We will sing the most requested hymns!

Download a worship bulletin to follow and sing along!
Each bulletin is printable upon downloading.

Ministry to Men
Breakfast Break | Saturday, May 2

Guys, where do you find confidence and faith for yourselves and your families in these troubling times? God has an answer and his answer might surprise you!

All men ages 16 and older are invited to join together online for a Breakfast Break Connection! Instead of meeting in-person for breakfast, let's meet online on Saturday, May 2, 8:30am-9:30am. Tom Groelsema will be talking about "Family Faith" with music by Nathan George.

Click here for more information.
Fireside Devotional
Each Wednesday one of our pastors will be doing a Fireside Devotional that is fitting for you and your family during this season. Watch for a new devotional every Wednesday evening on our social media platforms or at ChristCovenant.org/FiresideDevotionals.

Pastor Tom Groelsema brought us a great word of encouragement about uncertainity and God as Father Almight.
Engage in Serving our Community
Donation Drop Off
Christ Covenant has become part of a coalition to help our community during this time of crisis, especially to provide food for those in need and Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) for first responders. We are partnering with the Charlotte Responds Coalition, who reports directly to the Char-Meck Emergency Management System. If you are able, would you be willing to bring non-perishable food donations or PPEs over the next few weeks?

We are also collecting hand written notes of encouragement that will be delivered to healthcare workers, and hand made masks that will be given and used by those working in various donation centers.

All donations can be dropped off outside the North Lobby from Monday – Friday between 9:00am – 4:00pm. No one will be there; just drop off your donations on the table designated for the food collection. Each week we will collect and deliver food to a distribution center and the PPEs to a collection center. This is in compliance with the regulations for our Stay at Home Proclamation, which states we can continue to care for others as needed.

Food donations must be pre-packaged and not in glass jars. They specifically need proteins, so suggestions include: canned meats, beans, potato flakes, canned vegetables or fruit, oatmeal packets, granola bars, etc. Nothing fresh or frozen may be accepted.

Personal Protection items needed are: N95 filter masks, surgical masks, splash suits/coveralls, safety glasses, face shields, goggles, EMS/medical gowns, medical gloves, surface disinfectant, and sanitizing wipes.

Download a pattern for how to make a mask here.
Watch a video on how to make a mask here.
*Please note, these masks are not for medical professionals but are for others serving in various essential jobs. If you have questions regarding making masks or where they are being donated to, please contact Mary Jo at mculver@christcovenant.org.
Serving One Another in the Community
We have a new service opportunity! You are invited to join us on Thursday mornings from 9:00a – 12:00p to pack boxes of food for Second Harvest Food Bank that goes directly to CMS schools for their feeding program during the virus. It is safe, fun, and easy! You must be 18 or older to serve. If you are interested, contact Karen Chambers at kchambers@christcovenant.org for more information.
Serving One Another in the Church
We know that there are many in our church family who for various reasons may be struggling to get to the grocery store, pick up medication, etc. Christ Covenant has set up a temporary team of volunteers to meet these needs during this season. Please email Ginni Larkins at glarkins@christcovenant.org, or get in touch with your pastor to request assistance with any needs you may have. We love you and want to serve you any way we can!
Good News!
We have two ‘Good News’ stories for you! We hope both of them encourage
you in your own walk with Christ.
Good News from Campus Outreach
at the University of North Carolina

A sophomore at UNC, Kiara, recently gave her life to Christ! Praise God! Kiara has been involved with Campus Outreach for over a year, but she was not very engaged in Campus Outreach last year. God kept pursuing her and she’s been more consistent this year and came on the Queen City Conference hosted by Campus Outreach where I believe she realized she was not a Christian.

During all of this downtime and isolation due to COVID-19, she’s been able to process and reflect on what God has been doing in her heart and couldn’t ignore it anymore. She prayed to receive Christ!

I’m so incredibly encouraged about how God is still moving and advancing his kingdom in a time like this. - Jennifer, CO staff at UNC
Connecting the Body of Christ

“Hello, how are you this week?” is the sound of many members of our church body who are enjoying connecting with the senior adult members at our church during this time. In order to assist Pastor Bruce Creswell in serving his nearly 200 member senior adult class, younger members of our church are calling and getting to know these seniors. They are discussing their former careers, children and grandchildren, the most recent sermon, favorite hymns, and everyday matters which give the seniors an opportunity to connect with the church body more frequently. Many younger members offer to pick up groceries or medicine, which helps some of the seniors with practical needs. - Susan Padgett

“As many of our Seniors are unable to leave home in this pandemic, we want to encourage them, assist them and remind them how important they are to the body of Christ Covenant Church,” noted Pastor Bruce Creswell.
Do You Have Good News to Share?
We would love to hear what you or a family or friend are doing to help others during this time. Would you share some ‘Good News’ with us at communications@christcovenant.org? Your story might be shared in our next Courier to help encourage our church family during this time! If you would like to remain anonymous, that’s ok! We would still like to hear your ‘Good News’ story!
Equipping you in Prayer
Additional Prayer Resources
Coronavirus and Christ by John Piper

We have some free copies of John Piper’s newest book Coronavirus and Christ. These books are available outside the North Lobby. We ask that you take one per family. These are on a first come, first serve basis.

You can read more about Piper’s newest book, or download various formats of the book for free at https://www.desiringgod.org/books/ coronavirus-and-christ. 
RTS Summer Classes
Have you been wanting to take a class or audit a class at Reformed Theological Seminary? This summer RTS is offering numerous classes from various RTS campuses all online. To learn more and to see the summer course schedule, please visit https://rts.edu/ summer2020/.
Pastors' Blogs
Watching our Budget
Thank you for your tithes and gifts to all of the ministries of Christ Covenant.
You can give online by clicking here.
Please continue to pray for God’s provision throughout 2020.
This email is our e-Courier weekly newsletter, which complements with the printed copy, The Courier , which can be picked up on Sundays at the doors outside the sanctuary. After it goes out by email, it is made available on the  News  page of our website. On that page, you can read past versions of the newsletter as well as specific news items about our events in greater detail.