Covenant CONNECTIONS:
Elmo is right, we can do better
Internet safety
Unfortunately, many churches (and even UW staff) are currently dealing with a new wave of fake emails, asking for money. Over the past week, several Covenant people got fake emails, which seemed to be from "Rev Dr Charlie Berthoud," asking for "help." Those who replied to the initial email get a follow-up request for $500 of eBay gift cards. If you get this email, please do not reply and definitely do not buy any gift cards . We would not send emails like this. If you know how, please report it as spam/phishing. Please advise your loved ones and neighbors (especially those with very kind hearts) to be careful with emails and be very very very careful about "helping" anyone online.
Greetings!
Elmo is on to something. After learning about racism from his dad and others, he said "We can do better."
Sesame Street and CNN partnered to put together a town hall on racism. Click on Elmo to learn more and see highlights.
Racism is a problem of the human heart (sin, in Christian terminology) and of the society (structural sin). We have a long way to go, but in recent days, I've been glad to see signs where we're making some progress:
Last Sunday, my wife and I joined thousands of people for a protest march down State Street, organized by Pastor Everett Mitchell and Pastor Marcus Allen (of the African American Council of Churches). We paused and took a knee after marching for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, to remember the brutal and tragic death of George Floyd.

We prayed and heard scripture (Micah 6:8 and Amos 5:24). Clergy were encouraged to come and I was glad to see several colleagues, along with many Covenant people. (It was hard to recognize anybody, as virtually everyone had masks on!)

I had biked downtown on Saturday and spent time pondering the graffiti art on State Street. Click on the photo above to see some pix from both days.

Along with speaking out, we need to keep listening to one another and learning. I continue to learn from books and movies.
I'm halfway through White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide, a detailed and painful look at our history since the Civil War. Click on cover to learn more.
The movie "Just Mercy" exposes racism in the criminal justice system, and it is available now FOR FREE on YouTube and many other places. Click above to watch a trailer.
Racism won't end because of a protest march or because we read a book or watch a movie. We have a lot of work do to, and we have to stay at it.

As Christians we need to repeatedly acknowledge our sin, pray for forgiveness, and be open to God's transforming love. This happens as we read our Bibles and worship and study together.

Elmo is right: we can do better. We have to do better. Jesus calls us into the kingdom of justice, righteousness, and love. And we pray: Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth....

I invite you to make a commitment today, right now, to nurturing your Christian faith and to doing something to make this world a better place, to work for the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed. And do it again tomorrow....

On the journey, apart-but-together,
Charlie
New Recipients for our Offering!

Thanks to the generosity of spirit at Covenant, the $20,000 raised through May for the COVID-19 offering will be distributed to the initial recipients: Lussier Community Education Center and Glenn Stephens Elementary School.
The Mission Committee, with Session’s blessing, has decided to focus on three new non-profits as recipients of the next phase of the COVID-19 offering: Psalm 46, Nehemiah Center, and Mission Impact.
  • The Psalm 46 fund is a collaboration between Mount Zion Baptist Church and Lighthouse Church in Madison to assist families, primarily African American and Hispanic, in our community that are facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19.
  • The Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development has had a connection with Covenant over several decades. Its COVID-19 focus is to support the large number of African Americans in the Madison area who are experiencing health, housing, employment and food needs during the pandemic.
  • Mission Impact: Mission Impact is a non-profit that serves in a variety of places in Guatemala. Its Healthy Communities arm has been working in the village of Coyolate for several years in collaboration with the local Monte Hebron Presbyterian Church. Covenant mission teams have partnered with Mission Impact in Coyolate, during several of its mission trips. During COVID-19, Healthy Communities is putting together food packages for the people in this community who have little work and little ability to provide for their families.

To support this offering please indicate “COVID Relief” in the memo line of your check, or go to  https://www.covenantmadison.org/give, click on “Give Online” and write “COVID Relief” where appropriate. Thank you!
SUNDAY WORSHIP
Join us for apart-but-together video worship on Sunday. Check your email Sunday morning for the link. Or check the Covenant website.
If you want to interact with other people as you worship, you can join with a Facebook Watch Party. Just go to Covenant's Facebook page 9:30 on Sunday morning (note the new time--9:30 not 10:30) to watch the pre-recorded worship as a community. 

Worship this week features

  • Sermon by Jeff Fox-Kline, "Why So Glum" on Jonah
  • Pianist Ben Welch, Organist Doug McNeel, Soloist Melissa Hinz
  • Sue Melrose and Charlie Berthoud offer prayers and liturgy
  • Donna Monson has a message for the children

WORSHIP by PHONE: If you know someone who does not have internet access but wants to join us for worship, please ask them to call (608) 237-1739, where anyone can listen to the most recent worship service.
If you want a good resource for an overview of each book of the Bible, "Enter the Bible," from Luther Seminary, is a great resource. Click on the logo or search for "enter the Bible" and then click on an individual book to learn more. Our focus this Sunday is JONAH
At home worship continues
While we continue to worship at home as the church building remains closed, we do have a task force working on the issues for eventual re-opening of the building. They are listening to health experts and assessing our options.
THREE QUESTIONS ABOUT READING
In case you need more inspiration on reading good books and the Good Book, several Covenant folks have responded to these three questions:
  1. What is a favorite book of yours? (fiction, non-fiction, whatever)
  2. What is a favorite verse or book of the Bible?
  3. What are your reasons for reading and reflecting on the Bible? 
New responses this week from Jennifer Morgan, Jeremy Schroeder, and Nancy Enderle, along with a few staff members. To see them all, click here: Three questions about reading
LITTLE BOOKS Devotional
If you want to receive a devotional on the little book of the week by email every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday CLICK RIGHT HERE AND SIGN UP . The devotional will also be available on our website and also here in the Connections emails.
Coffee Hour and Bible Study!
Sundays 10:30 via Zoom
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88058887877

As much as we miss having coffee and donuts together in Bradfield, we miss even more the opportunity to spend the time talking to each other. Through June and July our Adult Education hour will be a coffee hour where we can check in, say hey, and catch up with our church family. Each week will have a short Bible study led by the week’s preacher, and then we’ll divide up into breakout rooms on Zoom to connect and catch up. Bring your own coffee, and bring your own donuts, but most of all bring your smiling face to spend some time with your family.

Click on the Zoom link above at 10:30 this Sunday. Pastor Jeff will share about why he loves the book of Jonah (even if he doesn't much care for the prophet Jonah), and then we can spend some time in smaller groups together.
Join the Journey and Run or Walk with Madison Team World Vision!

This year we are moving our feet in the 2020 Madison Marathon and Half with Team World Vision to help provide life-changing clean water to children and communities in developing countries. But this is not just for runners. Walkers are welcomed and encouraged too. If you have ever wanted to do something about global poverty, say YES! You can do this.

World Vision provides more clean water than any non-governmental organization in the world, providing clean water to one new person every 10 seconds. They work to help communities lift themselves out of poverty for good by addressing issues around clean water, hunger, health, education, economic empowerment, and child protection.

Team World Vision provides everything you need to cross the finish line: training plans, weekly email encouragement, fundraising guides and incentives, and an incredible race weekend experience. The team's training kick-off event is on June 14th. Click here for more information about Madison Team World Vision watch this informational team video or contact Pastor Jeff (jfoxkline@covenantmadison.org).