Mo Up de Graff on the loss of his sister, Susan Wolpin.

Devin and Abigail Cerrato on the birth of their daughter, Delaney Ruth Cerrato.

We hope you will take time to submit your confidential prayer requests either online at ChristCovenant.org/members/prayer or by email at prayer@christcovenant.org. Your pastors and staff are continually praying for you!

We have new prayer guides for your use that can be found at christcovenant.org/prayer. Each prayer guide is printable after downloading and can be found below.

It’s not too late to turn in your pledge card for the Envision Capital Campaign! You can pick up either a booklet or a brochure and a pledge card to learn more about the many upgrades and changes we hope to accomplish through Envision! Both the booklet and the brochure have pledge cards that can be filled out and submitted. Pledge cards can be turned in at any time in the offering boxes located inside the sanctuary by the main exits on the south, north and main parts of the sanctuary. You can also make a pledge online at christcovenant.org/envision.

This Sunday we will have communion and a special offering for Joni & Friends. You can learn more about Joni & Friends in the article below.

Joni & Friends is an international ministry founded in 1979 to address the needs of families affected by disabilities. This ministry traces its roots to one day in 1967 when 17-year-old Joni Eareckson Tada’s life was changed forever in a diving accident. In God’s providence, Joni’s own story of that accident, her quadriplegia, and her search for God’s purpose became a best-selling book. The book was followed by a movie reaching audiences in theaters, church halls, and homes around the country. God had given Joni a platform that allowed her to talk about God’s love for His children, and a vision for using that platform to share God’s love with people who share her life-altering challenges.

Today, with more than forty years of experience and an international reputation for excellence, Joni & Friends focuses on advancing the disability ministry and changing the church and communities around the world. Their mission is to communicate the gospel and equip Christ-honoring churches worldwide to evangelize and disciple people affected by disabilities. Their record of service gives them a voice on issues that affect people with disabilities.

Here in Charlotte, the Joni & Friends regional office is a welcomed partner in our own church’s ministry. We are grateful for the opportunity to share their resources with our families. Those resources include Wheels for the World, Family Retreats, International Family Retreats, Cause for Life global missions and internships, church engagement, the Christian Institute on Disability, and media programming including Joni’s radio program and the weekly Joni & Friends ministry podcast. We appreciate their engagement with Christ Covenant, including their input on ways to make our church more welcoming and our campus more accessible.

Your gift today will be used by Joni & Friends to expand ministries to families and individuals who do not have the means to take part in family retreats and to expand the availability of wheelchairs and other equipment that improve their quality of life.

Pray for Joni & Friends evangelistic outreach and mercy ministries. Pray for Joni Eareckson Tada and her husband Ken as they work closely with Joni’s doctors to monitor her health concerns. Pray for her physical strength and her wisdom in knowing how to best use her time on a limited schedule. To learn more about Joni & Friends visit: www.joniandfriends.org.

What gives you heartburn? For most men it’s stress over work, paying bills, chasing success, their marriage, or how their favorite sports team is performing. Luke tells us that when two followers were with Jesus on the Emmaus road their hearts burned. There are many things that may cause us heartburn, but there’s only one person our hearts should burn for. Join us on the Men’s Retreat on May 14-16, 2021 to learn how to free our hearts to burn for Jesus with Pastor Tom Groelsema as the speaker and Gavin Billings as the worship leader.

Two nights is $144 and a one-night stay is $100. Rates include a shared room, four meals (3 meals for a one-night stay), planned group activity, and a bonfire. Hotel-style accommodations. Register and learn more by clicking here. Registration deadline is today, May 7.

Mother’s Day is a special day for many women, but for some it can be a very painful time. For women who have lost babies, who are struggling with infertility, or who are post-abortive, this is a bittersweet day. Morning Will Come is a collection of stories of couples who have been through a loss or are infertile. If you have experienced a loss, please visit the Caleb Ministries display in the main lobby to obtain a free copy of this book. For more information please visit www.calebministries.org.

We want to publish the names, schools and plans for the immediate future (i.e., college, military, career, post-grad) of our high school, college, and post-grad members of the Class of 2021 so our church family can celebrate these milestones with you. Please send your graduate’s information (name, graduating from, going to, degree, military) to communications@christcovenant.org. We will publish all grads and their future plans in the Courier on May 30. We will also recognize our graduates during morning worship on May 30. Deadline to receive graduation information for the Courier is Tuesday, May 25.

Please consider participating in the Monthly Day of Prayer on Tuesday, May 25. There are two ways you can participate. One is to come in-person for your prayer time to room 105 in the worship center from 7:30 am-9:00 pm. Prayer guides are provided for you in the prayer room. Another option is to pick a time slot and pray where you are, whether that’s home or work. The day is divided into

30-minute segments for individuals to sign up and pray for supported workers and for the needs of the congregation. You can select the time that best fits your schedule by clicking here or by signing up at one of the tables in the lobbies to help us cover the day in prayer.

We also hope you will take time to submit your confidential prayer requests either online by clicking here or by email at prayer@christcovenant.org. Physical prayer cards may be found in the pews and in the lobbies and may be turned in at one of the offering boxes located inside the sanctuary by the main exits. Your pastors and staff are continually praying for you!

We gain encouragement and worthy models of faith when we look to those who have followed Christ before us. In June and July we will get to hear from our pastors about the lives of various Christian men and women and what we can learn from them today. Each Sunday School will be online on all of our online platforms. The first Summer online class will be available on Friday, June 4. More information is forthcoming.

Current opportunities at Christ Covenant include:

• Pastor of Evangelism & Mobilization

Details: christcovenant.org/aboutus/employment

Covenant Day School is currently accepting applications for several new roles in both academic and administrative departments. To learn more or to apply online, click here.

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 2021.