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News and Updates | Life at Christ Covenant Church
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NEW and UPDATED ITEMS are highlighted in blue.
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Today's Special Offering: Lily Pad Haven
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed," Luke 4:18
Lily Pad Haven is a locally-based organization that provides transitional housing and counsel for survivors of human trafficking. These survivors, both male and female, include children, teens, and adults. All have been referred by federal, state, and local law enforcement following rescue from their captors. Lily Pad Haven makes use of a network of safe houses and trained volunteers along with professional staff. To learn more visit www.lilypad-haven.org.
Human Trafficking is the fastest growing business of organized crime. It is a worldwide form of modern-day slavery and a federal crime in the US. Defined as the "trade in humans, most commonly for the purpose of sexual slavery, forced labor, or commercial sexual exploitation induced by force, fraud, or coercion," human trafficking is in fact a dehumanizing assault of individuals and groups. Our region is a hub for trafficking in the Southeast.
Your gift today will help assure that Lily Pad Haven has the necessary resources to work with trafficking victims for both their urgent needs following rescue and the help they need to build new lives and live independently. Thank you. Please pray that God will multiply our gifts and be used to reclaim many lives. Pray that we would not ignore this evil practice in our own community. Pray that God would show us how to bring these modern-day captives the good news of true freedom in Christ.
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Items for Prayer this Week: |
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Strategic Initiative |
Connection Project Group
The Connection Project Group is working to improve the visitor experience and to guide non-members and members through the connection process to the glory of God.
Please join us in praying for the Connection Project Group:
- For the church body to be making some good new connections on January 5th;
- We are seeking one additional team member, for the the Lord's provision.
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Supported Workers of the Week|
Ralph & Anna Cunnington
Ralph and Anna are planting City Church Manchester, in the center of Manchester, England.
- Pray for their need of a new building.
- Pray for a church revitalization opportunity.
- Pray for the growth of their church.
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Persecuted Church | Ethiopia
Pray for believers in Ethiopia where violence against Christians has increased at the urging of activists who oppose the leadership of prime minister, Abiy Ahmed. The prime minister received this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his commitment to democratic principles, including freedom of religion. In response Islamic opponents attacked Christians in many towns, including Sebeta where two pastors were beheaded in mid-October.
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Unreached People Group |
Uyghur in China
Only 0.01% of Uyghurs out of 11.8 million know Christ. The 99.99% are Islam.
Today over one million Uyghurs are being detained and placed in internment camps where they are being forced "to renounce their religion, renounce their culture, renounce their identity, force them to speak Mandarin" and pledge allegiance to the Communist Party. Pray that the millions of Uyghurs who have been detained and placed in internment camps would be treated as ones made in God's image. Pray that Han Chinese believers would lead the way and demonstrate the compassion of Christ towards the Uyghurs. Pray for Christ to be known among the Uyghur.
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Presbytery Church of the Week |
Uptown Presbyterian Church
Uptown Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC
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Women's Weekly Prayer Gathering
Sunday, December 1 | 4:45pm
All ladies are invited to pray with women of Christ Covenant on Sunday afternoons in the Worship Center Prayer Room from 4:45-5:45pm.
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Men's Fellowship Breakfast
Saturday, December 7 | 7am
All men 16 years and older are invited to a fellowship breakfast on Saturday, at December 7, 7-8:30a. We will meet at Stacks Kitchen to learn about "Forming a Spiritual Friendship with Your Wife from Pastor Derek Wells. RSVP here. The cost is your breakfast.
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Order your Christmas Poinsettias
Help beautify our worship center for Christmas by ordering a poinsettia either "In Memory of" or "In Honor of" a loved one. To order, enclose $10 per plant (payable to Christ Covenant Church) along with your designation by using the form below, in an envelope marked "Poinsettias." You may put your order in the offering, bring it to the church office, or mail it to the Operations Department to the attention of Jill Joyner. Have questions? Email Jill at jjoyner@christcovenant.org. Deadline to order is Sunday, December 15.
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Christmas at Christ Covenant
Various Dates in December
We hope you, your family, and your friends will be able to join us as we celebration Christmas throughout the month of December. Below are various events throughout the month. To learn more, click here.
Christmas Choral Concert
Sunday, December 8 at 6:00pm
Childcare for ages 4 months to 2 years is available.
Cookie reception to follow in the main lobby.
Saturday, December 14 from 10:00am to 11:30am
For 5th grade and younger in the upper CLC.
Andrew Peterson in Concert: Behold the Lamb of God
Wednesday, December 18 at 7:00pm
No childcare provided
Tickets must be purchased prior to concert
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Tuesday, December 24 at 6:00pm
Childcare for ages 4 months to 2 years available.
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Save the Dates: No Sunday School
There will be no Sunday school or childcare for December 8, 15, 22, and 29; however, there are some exceptions.
* Pastor Bruce Creswell's senior community will continue to meet during this time.
* New member interviews will be December 8 during Sunday school as scheduled.
* Young Families and the Young Seniors communities will have fellowship breakfasts December 15.
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Year End Giving
Year-End Giving - Gifts to the church in December help support more than 50 ministries and are a significant part of our annual income. Generally, gifts to the church in the form of checks or cash that are mailed (and postmarked) by December 31 or delivered in person to the church office by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 31, should be deductible for tax purposes. You may also take advantage of our secure online giving (under the Members tab on our website). God blesses Christ Covenant through your gifts, and they are greatly appreciated. Call Sandy Spitz at 704-814-1010 with any questions or for more information, including details on handling stock/fund transfers.
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Discovery Class in Winter/Spring 2020
The Discovery Class is the membership class for adults and students 9th grade and above who wish to join Christ Covenant Church. Our Pastors teach this class, which reviews Christ Covenant's philosophy of ministry, the reformed faith, the Presbyterian form of government, the vows of church membership, and other topics pertinent to church membership. This class is required for those seeking to join Christ Covenant Church and will begin January 5. For questions or to register, contact Mary Jo Culver at mculver@christcovenant.org or 704-814-1039.
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Hinged
January 31 - February 1, 2020
Christ Covenant Church is hosting Hinged, the 2020 PCA Women's Conference - January 31 - February 1st. Spots are filing up fast, so register now!
There are Friday and/or Saturday attendance options and reduced registration for High School and College Students! For details and registration visit https://pcacdm.org/hinged-conferences/.
If you would be interested in being a table hostess on Friday night, please contact Staci Poston at sposton@christcovenant.org.
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I Still Do Marriage Conference
Christ Covenant is hosting the marriage conference "I Still Do" on March 27-28, 2020 with Dave Harvey. Whether you find yourself pleased or displeased with the state of your marriage, this conference will offer you encouragement, hope, and practical tools for weathering life's storms together. The early bird pricing is $65 per individual or $120 per couple. Early bird registration goes through January 18. Please visit https://ibcd.org/i-still-do/ to learn more or to register!
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Help a Family with the Human Coalition
This Christmas
Christ Covenant has the opportunity to come alongside The Human Coalition (formerly Pregnancy Resource Center) and bless a family who has chosen life this Christmas. Our church has been assigned a family, a mother and her 4 children, to purchase both needs and wants for Christmas. Details and to sign up to provide items to bless this family can be found at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d4faa6-project. Let's be generous to this family and show them that they are cared for by our church this Christmas! Contact Karen Chambers at kchambers@christcovenant.org with any questions.
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Cookies for Christmas Choral Concert
We are hosting a Christmas Cookie Reception after the Christmas Choral Concert the evening of Sunday, December 8th.
We'd love to have an assortment of delicious Christmas cookies! Please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0444aaaf2ea2fc1-cookies to sign-up to bring 3 dozen of your favorite Christmas cookies in a disposable container to the Information Desk in the Worship Center the morning of the concert.
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Help Wanted in the King's Community Sunday School Class
The King's Community, a Sunday
School class that serves those affected
by disabilities, is seeking volunteers
and helpers to serve during the
Sunday School hour. No experience
necessary. Expect to receive more then
you give. Contact Tiphany Speck, tiphanyspeck@gmail.com, if interested.
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Serving in Children's Ministry
The Children's Ministry is staffing for the new year and would love to have you serving alongside us! Join us as we sow seeds of discipleship in to the youngest members of our church. Contact Lindey Buiter at
lbuiter@christcovenant.org or Mindy Thornton at
mthornton@christcovenant.org if interested.
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Advent Books are in the Book Nook
Are you looking for a great resource for the upcoming advent season? Stop by the book nook and check out the
following titles:
*Love Came Down at Christmas: Daily Readings for Advent by Sinclair Ferguson,
*Come, Let us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional
by Paul Tripp,
*The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent by John
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Christmas is Coming
Over the next few weeks, the worship department will be moving things around on the platform to prepare for the various church and school holiday events. We hope these changes will not be too disruptive.
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Did you miss one of the joint Sunday schools?
Both joint Sunday schools were recorded! If you missed one or would like to go back to review the information given, please see the links below:
Shepherding Sunday School | October 13
New Sunday School Model | October 20
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Strategy and Vision: We Want Your Feedback!
The Recommendation Steering Committee would like your feedback about the strategic vision for the future of our church. Many of you have already responded and have provided great insight for the project teams. Please
CLICK HERE to submit your feedback/ questions. As always, keep praying for our church and its leadership as we continue on this journey together.
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Covenant Day School
Covenant Day School is now accepting applications for new students in grades TK-12 for the 2020-2021 school year. The deadline for application for new-to-CDS students is January 15, 2020, in order to be considered in the first round of decisions. If you would like additional information, please call the Admissions Office at 704-847-2385 to book a private tour or to chat with someone from the admissions team.
Visit covenantday.org/apply to complete the online application.
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Congregational Accommodations
Our slideshow on Sunday mornings displays infographics with details on the amenities we have available for our congregation are as follows:
- a fragrance-free area (in the balcony, adjacent to the elevator);
- nursing mothers room (WC-111);
- hands-free outer door (on ground level near handicapped parking);
- elevator to ground floor, main floor, and lobby;
- hearing loop seating in the sanctuary;
- large print worship folders at the information desk.
Please visit the information desk if you have questions about these amenities. |
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Employment Opportunities
Christ Covenant Church regularly seeks to employ individuals who want to engage their gifts to help make disciples who worship God, grow in community, love others, and serve the world. Check
christcovenant.org/aboutus/employment for current positions and to apply. Current opportunities include:
- Hospitality & Kitchen Coordinator (PT).
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Worship Notes
Sunday, December 1
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Morning Worship - 10:45 AM
"Many Ways, One Way
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Evening Worship - 6:00 PM
"Seventy Sevens and the Coming Anointed One
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Daniel 10:1-11:1
Kevin DeYoung
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Large print worship folders are available at the Information Desk.
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Quick Links to church webpages |
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THIS WEEK
December 1 -
December 7
9 AM |
Sunday school
10:45 AM
| Morning worship
4:45 PM
| Women's weekly prayer gathering
5 PM |
Timothy Project
6 PM |
Evening worship
Monday, December 2
6 PM |
Support Groups
7 PM |
Men's open seminar
Wednesday, December 4
6:30 PM | Various choirs
Thursday, December 5
6:45 PM | American Heritage Girls & Trail Life
Friday, December 6
12 PM | Seniors luncheon
Saturday, December 7
7 AM | Men's fellowship breakfast
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Dec 8 | No Sunday school
Dec 8 | New member interviews
Dec 8 | Christmas Choral Concert with Cookie reception after
Dec 9 | CCYM Monday prayer
Dec 9 | Women's open seminar
Dec 14 | Birthday Party for Jesus
Dec 15 | No Sunday school
Dec 15 | Young families fellowship breakfast
Dec 15 | Young seniors fellowship breakfast
Dec 16 | Men's open seminar
Dec 18 | Andrew Peterson concert
Dec 22 | No Sunday school
Dec 24 & 25 | Offices closed
Dec 24 | Christmas Eve Service
Dec 25 | Merry Christmas!
Dec 29 | No Sunday school
Jan 1 | Offices closed
Jan 5 | New Discovery class begins
Jan 5 | New Sunday school begins
Jan 8 | CCYM Lumberjack games
Jan 11 | HisAbilities speaker series
Jan 13 | Men's ministry NCAA Football
Jan 19 | CCYM youth & parents missions meeting
Jan 20 | Offices closed
Jan 31-Feb 1 | Hinged
Feb 15-23 | Missions conference
Mar 27-28 | Marriage conference
March 27-29 | PCA spring retreat for high school & middle school
Apr 4 | Easter Egg Hunt
Apr 5 | Church wide picnic
Apr 5-12 | Holy Week
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Our Tithes and Gifts
Thank you for your tithes and gifts to all of the ministries of Christ Covenant. Don't forget to take advantage of our secure
online giving.
1/1/19 - 11/24/19
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Actual
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Budget
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Difference
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%
(-) or +
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| Operating Budget - Inflow |
$4,717,864
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$4,789,500
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$-71,636
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-1.5%
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| Faith Promise Budget - Inflow |
$320,438
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$285,496
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$34,942
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12.2% |
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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 also read past versions of the newsletter as well as specific news items about our bigger events with more details available.
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