PEACE BE WITH YOU IN THESE DAYS: We are so grateful to be connected as a family of faith! The announcements that follow reflect the ongoing abundant life that is Church of the Covenant.

As part of the Climate Jubilee Team's continued goal of being outside and appreciating nature with all of you, please join Betty Southwick this Sunday afternoon at 1:30 pm, as she takes you exploring in Franklin Park. Did you know that there were bear dens in the Park? And, also that Ralph Waldo Emerson had his home in the Park? We can do a 1 (or 3) mile walk and/or we can send you off on trails to explore. We will email directions, parking and public transportation information, meeting location, and other details to those who sign up. Sign up here. If you have questions in advance of the walk, please feel free to email southwickbetty@gmail.com. And for those of you in our diaspora, please take a walk today, send us pictures, and be with us in solidarity with nature!

REV. NANCY TAYLOR RETIRES FROM OLD SOUTH: This Sunday, May 22, our sibling church Old South Church sees its last Sunday with the Rev. Nancy S. Taylor as their Senior Minister/ CEO. There is a noon Celebration Sunday featuring voices near and far. More details here and here for their livestream. Let us give thanks to God for the faithful, prophetic and loving minister of our colleague and sibling in Christ Nancy and pray for our friends at Old South in this transition. 

Sunday, May 22, 7:00pm: Letters to our Children: Voices Across Generations For LGBTQ+ Youth. Support our wonderful partners who share space with us at 67 Newbury Street for this important concert that is based on moving letters to a transgender child and to a survivor of conversion therapy by LGBTQ+ advocates Mimi Lemay and Sam Brinton, including a World Premiere of "Here I am: I am Here" by Andrea Clearfield. Tickets and more info here: coroallegro.org

NEXT SUNDAY MAY 29: We will be on ZOOM only – there will be no one worshiping from the sanctuary at 67 Newbury Street.

UPCOMING WORSHIP: Please join us each Sunday at 10:30 am as we come together in community through Zoom to pray, sing, share celebrations and concerns, and hear God’s still-speaking Word proclaimed in these Hybrid services (in-person and Zoom options).

Zoom link for each Sunday.

ELECTRIC CARS: WHAT'S THE BUZZ, TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENING: Last Sunday, our Climate Jubilee Team held a hybrid adult ed session on Electric Cars. Thanks to everyone who made our first-ever hybrid COTC adult ed a success! If you weren't able to join, you can watch the Zoom recording here. 

EXIT CLOSURE: Please note the Copley Square exit off Mass Pike is closed until June. Plan accordingly or take public transportation as/if possible.

"COTC 101" NEW MEMBERS CLASS (NEW DATE & TIME) TUESDAY MAY 31, 6pm on Zoom: Are you new-ish to Church of the Covenant and want to find out more about who we are, our history, our two denominations, our 5-point missional plan we feel called by God to live out through 2025, and what it means to join in membership? Then please join us on Tuesday, May 31, at 6pm for an hour or so on Zoom while we cover some of these topics together. Please register here or email Rob at rob.mark@cotcbos.org.

COVENANT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP JUNE 12: The next Church of the Covenant book discussion will take place on Sunday, June 12, at 5 PM via Zoom. (Link will be sent as the date grows closer.) We will be discussing Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. As always, you are welcome to join us whether or not you have ever come to a Covenant book discussion before, and whether or not you have read the book. Ask Barbara if you have any questions: barbarakdarling@yahoo.com

CYCE UPDATES: We continue to offer weekly Christian Education opportunities for children and youth ages 5 and up, when COTC worship meets in person. We’re also reopening the nursery for young ones under 5! Our next All Ages Worship is on Pentecost, June 5. We send the latest info on CYCE activities via email, so if you want to receive those updates, contact kate.carlisle@cotcbos.org.

LIFE ALIVE is our 20s30s40s young adult group that meets monthly for brunches. If you have any questions or would like to join us, please email Rev. Joshua at joshua.lazard@cotcbos.org.

JUBILEE JAUNTS: As Spring is upon us again, our Climate Jubilee Team has also brought our Jubilee Jaunts back! Let’s get out into the beauty of God’s natural world in the gift of our watershed as it is now, and find peace and blessing from it. Mark your calendars now for these simple jaunts for an hour or two together in community being blessed by Creation.

OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH: We are sharing a call for participation from a research team at the University of Nebraska Lincoln Department of Sociology. To determine eligibility for this study, individuals are asked to first complete a short online questionnaire (the link is also provided in the above flyer). This questionnaire asks demographic questions including gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, religious participation, political affiliation, race/ethnicity, and educational achievement, and attitude questions related to American society. This questionnaire will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The research team is aiming to interview individuals with varying religious affiliations (including none) and who identify as LGBTQ and those who do not. The interview will take approximately 60 minutes via Zoom (though participants have the option to call in with a phone) and will be audio-recorded, but no video will be recorded at any point. There are no known risks to participating in this study. Eligible respondents who complete an interview will receive a $25 online gift certificate from Amazon.com for completing the interview. Respondents will read an informed consent statement with more details about the study when they complete the preliminary questionnaire.

CONTRIBUTING TO UKRAINE RELIEF: All of us are heart-broken by the devastation and violence in Ukraine. You may have donated through the websites mentioned in the bulletin below in previous weeks. Covenant's Mission and Advocacy Committee has contributed to relief to Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Poland - as of now, over half a million, most of them children -- through First Church in Marlbrough (Congregational), which has been asked by the Southern New England Conference of the UCC to coordinate contributions: https://www.sneucc.org/newsdetail/getting-aid-to-ukraine-16383498

Mission and Advocacy encourages you to consider contributing to this effort. You can write a check to "First Church in Marlborough" and put "Ukraine Relief" in the memo line. The address is 37 High Street, Marlborough Ma 01752. You can also donate directly online with this donation option. Just put "Ukraine relief" in the memo line.

As we continue to hold the people of Ukraine and Russia in our prayers in light of Putin's horrifying "war of choice," here are some other places to support:

BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAYS: Our weekly morning Bible Study is each Wednesday morning on Zoom at 9:15am. We are studying the Gospel of John. If you’d like more information or want to be on the list to get regular reminders & Zoom info, contact Jan Gough at revjangough@gmail.com.

EASTER EVENING PRAYERS 6-6:30pm: Join us for our weekly Wednesday evening prayers with intentional liturgy, contemplative song, psalms & sharing of prayers with our siblings from Newton Presbyterian Church on Zoom.

CONTINUED GENEROUS GIVING: In these uncertain times, as we continue to press on in our gospel calling to follow in the justice and love of Jesus, we continue to rely on and give great thanks for your generosity. Here are a few ways you can continue to financially support the church and its ministries:

THE MAY ISSUE OF THE COVENANT NEWS can be read online here.