On Tuesday morning, we confirmed plans for a pen-pal party next week. About 30 Covenant people have been sharing notes for the past nine months with fifth graders at Glenn Stephens Elementary, our partner school. |
|
On Tuesday afternoon, we learned of the horrible shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
I keep thinking about the pen-pal kids at Stephens, who are in the fifth grade, about the same age as the kids in Uvalde.
|
|
My pen-pal and I have been sharing notes about favorite foods, favorite places to travel, books, Covid, our families, and more. I look forward to meeting her face to face. Every time we exchange our notebook, it’s in a plastic bag, because she is concerned about Covid. From shootings to Covid to environmental chaos to ongoing hatreds, kids today are dealing with a lot.
I’m grateful for our partnership of seven years—we’ve shared healthy snacks, pen-pals, funding for playgrounds, gifts for teachers, and more, with the hope of helping the kids. They’ve shared with us their poetry and drawings, which have been blessings to us.
|
|
On Wednesday, after consulting with Principal Sarah, I went with Melissa and Jo to drop off some cookies, fruit, and flowers for the teachers and staff—to help them remember they are appreciated.
Like a strong majority of people in the USA, I’m puzzled and distraught that our elected leaders can’t agree on common-sense gun reform—like requiring background checks and not allowing assault-style weapons to be sold or owned.
While we rightly continue to contact our elected officials, we need to continue to work for peace in our own hearts and lives.
Last Sunday in her sermon on peace, Chelsea Cornelius said: "When we are depleted, or sad, or angry, or exhausted, we do well to help each other take it one day at a time. We do well to sing like it’s Easter even when it feels like Good Friday outside. We do well to share signs of peace as often as we can." |
|
May the peace of Christ grow more deeply in each of us, so that we can work for peace in the world.
On the journey together,
Charlie
PS--This Sunday in worship, we have our first IN-PERSON children's time in over two years!
|
|
The memorial service for Audrey and Ken Hindman is this Saturday, May 28 at 1:00pm here at Covenant. The service will also be livestreamed on our YouTube channel. Click HERE for the obituary email that we sent out in April. |
|
-
Charlie Berthoud preaching: "Living As One?" (John 17:20-26)
- Music from Doug McNeel, Melissa Hinz, and the Schmidt family
- Life In All Its Fullness Easter Sermon Series FINAL WEEK
-
IN-PERSON Children's Time with Marge Resan
- Kaleidoscope Kids during worship following Children's Time
-
Nursery Hours are 9:15-10:45am for the summer!
- In-Person and Livestream worship at 9:30am (ONE SERVICE)
- Visit our Worship HQ for everything you need to worship with us online!
|
|
The Covenant Church office will be CLOSED on
Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day!
|
|
"The tragedies of the world are apparent to all corners of the world."
Jo wrote this week's #MidweekMusings before the horrific events unfolded in Texas, but the words really held up. Take a couple of minutes to muse with us. And hold a little person close to you this week. Click on image above.
Midweek Musings is a weekly Covenant blog with a variety of authors and spiritual topics. Feel free to leave a comment as you are moved. We are excited to be reviving this blog, and hope that it blesses you this week and the weeks to come.
|
|
VBS is from June 13-16 (3-5pm) this year and the theme is Playing with Parables. Register HERE or pick up a paper registration form outside of Jo Wiersema’s office. DEADLINE to register is June 1st! It will be $5 per child, or $10 for families. Friends of Covenant are welcome. If you have an interest in volunteering or questions about Vacation Bible School, please contact Jo.
|
|
After more than 30 years working faithfully at Covenant, Church Administrator Mary Kieta is retiring in mid-June. On Sunday, June 5, there will be a retirement celebration for Mary in Bradfield Hall immediately following the 9:30am Summer worship service. A special program to honor Mary will begin at 10:45am. We hope you will join us! If you would like to give Mary a card, you can send it to church or just bring it with you to the party. See you there! |
|
|
Bring your furry (or not so furry) friends with you for this special service and potluck to follow! Bring any animal you want blessed and get ready for a great time. Stuffed animals welcome also! Dogs and cats must be on leashes or in carriers. Other animals may be in whatever container they're most comfortable in. |
|
Summer is here, and that gives us an opportunity to focus together on the Bible text for the sermon that day. We will begin meeting on Sunday, June 5 and continue through August at 8:45–9:25am in Bradfield Hall. Each Sunday will be an informal group who read and discuss the scripture passage of the day. A different person will facilitate each week, opening with prayer, reading the scripture passage, and asking a couple prepared questions to initiate the discussion.
|
|
Our next RAF Book Study begins Thursday, June 2 at 7:00 via zoom, and runs for six weeks. We will study Dr. Martin Luther King’s last book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? To subscribe to the email list, contact Jennifer Morgan, so you can get the zoom link! In this prophetic work, which was unavailable for more than 10 years, Dr. King lays out his thoughts, plans, and dreams for America’s future, including the need for better jobs, higher wages, decent housing, and quality education.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
