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THE E-COURIER
NEWS & EVENTS
May 7-13, 2023
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This Week at Christ Covenant |
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If you are unable to join us in person, we hope you will join us on the livestream.
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Morning Worship at 10:45 am
"The Deadly Seriousness of Sin"
Leviticus 20
Kevin DeYoung
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Evening Worship at 6:00 pm
"A Slave by Grace"
Luke 17:7-10
Eric Russ
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You can prepare for worship this week by listening to the music we will be singing. The links below have music playlists of what we will be singing this week!
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Livestream Options
If you are unable to join us in person for either morning or evening worship we hope you will join us on the livestream on either YouTube and or our website at christcovenant.org/live. |
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Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Rom 12:15
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Sympathy to:
Chris Hillesheim on the loss of her husband and our member and elder, Rick Hillesheim.
Diana Sylvester on the loss of her brother, Tom Smidt.
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Ministry Highlight: Deacons’ Special Offering
Joni and Friends
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Our deacons’ special offering on Sunday is for Joni and Friends. 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.
Please place all special/monthly communion offering gifts in an envelope (found in pews) and label it ‘Special Communion Offering’ and include the name of the ministry before placing your gift in one of the tithe boxes located inside the sanctuary at our main doors in the north, south and toward the main lobby. You can also give online by clicking here. Thank you for your gift! |
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Class Location Change for This Week
For Sunday, May 7, we have a class location change. "Financial Stewardship for Those Getting Started (and anyone else who is interested)" taught by Will Ertel will meet in the Community Life Center room 5. Trusting our Bible Translations taught by Will Ross will meet in the Community Life Center room 6. Please note that this change is for this week, Sunday, May 7.
We have a variety of classes that began at 9:00 a.m. We hope you will find a class that will benefit your relationship with Christ and connect you with others. To learn more about each class and its location, we encourage you to either pick up a Sunday School booklet found on the tables going into the sanctuary or online by clicking here.
Our pastors are looking forward to hosting a time of fellowship and prayer each Sunday morning as we begin class. Regular discipleship and fellowship is a vital part of learning to stand on truth and walk in grace together. If you have any questions about Sunday School, please email info@christcovenant.org. |
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Ministry to Men Fellowship Breakfast
Saturday, May 6
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All men ages 16 and older are invited to join us on Saturday, May 6, from 7:00 am – 8:30 am at Stack’s Kitchen for the Ministry to Men (MtM) Monthly Fellowship Breakfast! Come for food and fellowship with your brothers in Christ hear how God impacted men’s lives during the men’s retreat. The only cost is your breakfast. |
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'O Nights' - Christ Covenant Church Outreach
Tuesday, May 16
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Everyone is invited to join us on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month for Christ Covenant Outreach Nights, called O Nights. Our next one is Tuesday, May 16, from 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm. One O Night per month will be outreach/evangelism in the community with people going into different sections of the community to share their faith. The other O Night each month will have some time of training to equip our people, but for those that are comfortable with evangelism and don’t need the training, they will still have the option of going out to do surveys/evangelism.
Our desires are to provide different spaces where we can learn more about our community while at the same time care for people, take steps of faith to engage others, and avail ourselves to opportunities to share the gospel. It also gives us the opportunity to serve together, pray for our community, and see God work in another way.
We will meet in the south lobby of the worship center. If you do not feel comfortable walking, we would love for you to participate by praying on our campus. Please bring your small group, family, etc. and join us! If you have any questions, contact Michelle Gustavson at mgustavson@christcovenant.org. |
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Evangelism Tools in the South Lobby Book Nook |
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How is your relationship with your neighbors? We are happy to provide you with resources to help cultivate evangelism in your neighborhoods. In the south lobby book nook we have resources like Kevin DeYoung’s The Story tract, a community survey, guest cards, and even pens and a clipboard to provide you with all the tools you would need to foster evangelical conversations with your neighbors. The community survey walks you through a conversation and provides a space for you to take note and get information for follow up purposes. Please take any of these free resources to help guide your evangelism to your neighbors. Please return completed community surveys and the clipboard to their designated areas. Have questions, contact Michelle at mgustavson@christcovenant.org. |
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Ascension Celebration Concert
Sunday evening, May 21
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On Sunday evening, May 21, at 6:00 pm, it will be our joy to honor Jesus Christ as the ascended King and to give thanks for the gift of the Spirit. We hope everyone will invite a friend and then join us for an evening of praise and worship, sacred music, spirituals, and more. Please pick up invitations on the tables outside the sanctuary to use as you invite friends, neighbors, and family! |
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Recognizing 2023 Graduates
Deadline for Information is Tuesday, May 23
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We want to publish the names, schools and plans for the immediate future (i.e., college, military, career, postgrad) of our high school, college, and post-grad members of the Class of 2023 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 and recognize our graduates during morning worship on May 28. Deadline to submit graduation information for the courier is Tuesday, May 23. |
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A New Church Directory is Coming!
Deadline to send in Pictures is Wednesday, May 24
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We are working on an updated directory for all Christ Covenant church members. Each member will have their picture, first and last name, email address, and children’s names with ages listed in the directory.
If you would like to include an updated picture in the directory, please send an email with your name and picture to communications@christcovenant.org. The last time we produced a church directory was in 2019, so please consider sending in an updated picture! If you prefer not to have your picture or any of the personal information listed above in the directory, please send an email to communications@christcovenant.org. Information and photos are needed by Wednesday, May 24, 2023. |
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18/22 Kick-Off Cookout
Wednesday, May 24
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For all students home for the summer from college, we hope that you will come and check out our 18/22 ministry! We meet every Wednesday over the summer from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm to hang out, discuss a biblical topic, and play some ultimate frisbee. Each week we’ll be looking at a topic from Scripture and how it applies to the present season of college life. We will be using the poetry of George Herbert as our guide! A book will be provided free of charge, so just bring yourself and something for jotting some thoughts.
There are several other events in store for the summer, so we hope you will join us! The Kick-Off Cookout will be on Wednesday, May 24, at 6:00, at the Campus Outreach House (which is the white house on the corner of Fullwood & Highway 51).
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Combined Sunday School
Sunday, May 28
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We hope you will make plans to join us for a combined Sunday School with middle and high school students and all adults on Sunday morning, May 28, at 9:00 am in the sanctuary. Our special guest speaker is Paul McNulty, President of Grove City College, who is speaking on “Faith, Calling, and Christian Education: A Conversation with Paul McNulty.”
The Honorable Paul J. McNulty is the ninth president of Grove City College. Prior to returning to his alma mater, McNulty spent over 30 years in Washington, D.C., as an attorney in public service and private practice. You can learn more about our guest speaker Paul McNulty by clicking here. |
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Save the Date! Congregational Meeting
Sunday morning, June 4
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The Session has called a congregational meeting for the purpose of voting on officer candidates and returning sabbatical officers. It will be held on Sunday, June 4, immediately following morning worship services. Please note that those who attend morning worship in-person on Sunday, June 4, will be voting on these nominees. We will not have online or advance voting available. We look forward to your participation in electing new officers. Candidate biographies will be available to review by late May. |
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Pornography continues to trap men in a cycle of sin and deception. The church is not immune. By some estimates 60% of the men in church have viewed pornography. Set Free is a ministry of Christ Covenant Church that works to set men free from the power of porn. The name of the ministry is from Romans 6:17-18, "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." To find how you can be Set Free please send a confidential email to Setfree@christcovenant.org.
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If you crochet or knit, Children’s Ministry needs you! |
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Did you know that the Children’s Ministry delivers a baby basket to each new baby born to our congregation? In each of those baskets is a blanket handmade by one of our members. Right now we have more babies coming than we have blankets! If you love to knit or crochet and would be willing to share your gift with the families of our congregation, would you reach out to Mindy at mthornton@christcovenant.org? We would love to partner with you to bless our littlest ones! |
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Pickup Basketball Fellowship and Outreach |
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Men's Ministry is starting Pickup Basketball Fellowship and Outreach this spring. We are playing Saturday mornings from 8:00 am - 10:00 am in Covenant Day's Aux Gym located in the A building (next to the playground). If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Robby Bell at robbybell30@gmail.com for more information.
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Women’s Ministry Summer Bible Studies |
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Registration is open for women’s summer Bible studies! Don’t miss this great opportunity to be in the Word and to have fellowship with other women during the summer months. To learn and to register, click here. |
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Envision Capital Campaign |
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We are hoping to have 100% of the congregation participate in the Envision capital campaign. We are currently at 79%. It’s not too late to turn in your pledge card for the Envision capital campaign! Pledge cards and information about the many upgrades and changes we hope to accomplish through Envision can be found in the brochures and booklets in the worship center and online. You can also make a pledge online at christcovenant.org/envision. We currently have 76% of families participating and $1,177,922 pledges toward our goal of $1,500,000.
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Thank you for your tithes and gifts to all of the ministries of Christ Covenant.
Please continue to pray for God’s provision throughout 2023.
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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 read past versions of the newsletter as well as specific news items about our events in greater detail.
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All are invited to join us for worship either in-person or on the livestream at 10:45 am each Sunday morning and at 6:00 pm each Sunday evening. The livestream can be found on ChristCovenant.org or YouTube. |
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