This week's news from our church | |
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I write this near the end of my time at a conference I have attended almost every year for three decades. It is a gathering of scholars, artists, pastors, hymn-writers, architects, and church leaders. Most come from North America, though some are here from places around the globe: various places in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, to name a few. What we all have in common is a love for, and commitment to, the faith life and worship of our Christian and Jewish communities.
My experiences this week involved people from many of those places, and from many different denominations and traditions. And most of these conversations expressed caution and concern about the year ahead. For example, a Russian Orthodox nun addressed our gathering about her ministry of educating people about the orthodox faith and its expressions in prayer and worship through her very popular podcasts and other media. She also mentioned how the Russian church hierarchy “was upset” by her fairly straightforward condemnation of her church’s support of the war in Ukraine. Conversations with people closer to home described how denominations and traditions are being divided by diverging opinions in political and theological beliefs that threaten their unity—from Jewish and Christian to Protestant and Catholic. Those in the global south expressed fears about how global warming and its effects are making life so difficult for so many, expressing how the northern hemisphere is lagging behind in either experiencing the effects of global warming or paying attention to them.
At the same time, we reminded each other that we are stewards of traditions that are not unfamiliar with tragedy and crisis, either natural or human made. And that our scriptures and traditions speak directly to having faith in such circumstances. It seems that every generation has their opportunity to claim that their generation has it worse than ever. And we have the opportunity to remind them that previous generations have remained faithful and hopeful in their dire circumstances, giving us an example and hope for our own.
That is, after all, what we do each time we worship. We read, pray—even sing—the wisdom of the scriptures and traditions of our faith, and claim the light of hope that has yet to be extinguished by the dark forces that seek to vanquish the irrepressible love of the God who created us all.
As we begin the new year, might we keep that hope alive in our prayers and worship in the year ahead. And might the light and warmth of the love of God we reflect and radiate, bring many people out of the dark and cold of our days and into the promise of God’s love and redemption.
With audacious hope,
~ Pastor Todd
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Craft Night tonight!
Join us tonight for an evening of craft-making or whatever project you want to work on. Bring your own projects and supplies and we’ll enjoy spending time together. Board games and puzzles are welcome too! Bring a snack to share, if you like. We'll be in Fellowship Hall, starting at 7:00 pm. All are welcome!
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THIS SUNDAY: JANUARY 7
Grief and Community session
After worship, downstairs in Fellowship Hall, the first of a two-part series will be led by Sonja Whitaker, called "Good Grief," focusing on how we can support ourselves and others through times of grief. The second session will happen on Sunday, January 21. Lunch will follow both sessions. These classes are brought to you by the Nurture Faith team.
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5
12:00 pm Bible Reading
SATURDAY, JANUARY 6
9:00 am Community Breakfast
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7
10:00 am Sunday Worship (link to livestream)
11:30 am "Good Grief" session, Fellowship Hall,
followed by lunch for all
THURSDAY, JANUARY 11
10:00 am Conversation at the Shores
12:00 pm Bible Study, Zoom link
Meeting ID: 861 0242 1704 • Passcode: 929248
7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal
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Our church calendar can be found here. If you would like to add a meeting, event, or a time that you want to use a space at the church, please let Cinda Madonna know and she will add it to the public calendar.
> Google Calendar
> Contact Cinda
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Gathering at the Shores
For those who live at Covenant Living at the Shores, we will meet next on Thursday, January 11 at 10:00 am in the Fellowship Hall at the Shores. See you then!
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STAFF SCHEDULE
Cinda Madonna: Off Monday, office closed.
Allan Waite: Off Thursday
Pastor Todd: Off Friday
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Thursday, January 11: Conversation at the Shores
Sunday, January 21: Grief and Community session, led by Sonja Whitaker
Saturday, January 27: Memorial Service for George Scranton, 2;00 pm
Sunday, January 28: Congregational Semi-annual Meeting
Sunday, February 4: Micah session, led by Andrea Johnson
Sunday, February 25:; Micah session, led by Andrea Johnson
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SUNDAY, JANUARY 7
Greeters: Steph Nelson & Kendall Magnuson
Readers: Dick and Carol Sundholm
Children's Message: Sonja Whitaker
Sermon: Todd Johnson
Coffee Servers: Sloane & James Haagenson
Usher: Jane Leach
Livestream:
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Bonnie Nelson
Carol Westerlund
Jerry Knutsen
Svea HansPetersen
Dick Sundholm
Kevin Rouse
Lola Haagenson
Phil Barber
Erik Sundholm
Elsie Nelson Brown
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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
~ Philippians 4:6-7
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THANKSGIVINGS
We pray for our world with thanksgiving
- for those who welcome the presence of Christ into our world in the most unexpected places
- for those people who are advocates for preservation of God's creation, peace, equality, and justice in the world
- for those who protest for justice in their homeland and from afar, especially people from all over the world calling for restraint, even peace, in the Middle East
- for those who care for the sick, the infirmed, and the dying with love and compassion
- for those we support who live the gospel in very different contexts than ours
- for the efforts made by those to care for our neighbors who are housing insecure or food insecure
We pray for our church with thanksgiving
- for the work of our Associate Pastor Search Committee and for their candidate Lauren St. Martin. May God's guidance and blessing be upon the process and its discernment from this moment forward.
- for the gift of being an intergenerational congregation
- for the efforts towards Christian formation in our church and forming every generation in the faith
- for the facilities we steward, and those who care for them
- for the skill and diligence of the workers who are repairing our dome and roof
- for the many visitors who continue to grace our church
- for those to whom we serve breakfast each Saturday morning
- for those who volunteer in our many ministries
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INTERCESSIONS
We intercede on behalf of the world
- for those who, like the Holy Family, find no place in this world, even in times of need
- for those who endure constant threats of oppression and violence in their homeland
- for a diminishment of violence, especially gun violence around the world, and for those who grieve the senseless killing of loved ones
- for the many people whose needs are not being met because of reduced giving to humanitarian aid
- for lawmakers who struggle to complete the tasks before them and to do so with civility
- for those who feel alone, forgotten, or a burden: might they see God's unique imprint in themselves
- for those who grieve, both those who have died and those they see slipping away
- for peace in the Holy Land and the broader Middle East. May the innocent be protected from attacks, and may those trapped by war find the essentials to keep them alive.
- for all those around the world who work behind the scenes to broker peace
- for the health of our planet
- for these most tumultuous days in our country, that we might find ways to overcome our divisions and serve the greater good, from Main Street to our Capitol Building
We intercede on behalf of our church
- for all those in our community who grieve the diminishment of friends and their abilities, who grieve the loss of partners, parents, and dear friends, and who grieve the absence of people they love
- that we might find ways we can be witnesses to God's work in our world that offer people faith, hope, and love in Christ
- for the family of Karlene Johnson, her husband John Spence, their son Alex and his fiancée Anna, as well as Tina Lee and Becka Lee, her step-sisters. We especially hold in our prayers Elena Waite and Eli and Phia who grieve the loss of their sister and aunt.
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for Tan and her ongoing recovery from cancer treatments, Verna who is in therapy hoping to be able to return to her home, and Darryl who adjusts to his lessened abilities. May we be a support and encouragement to them and all who care for them.
- for individuals, couples, and families who find themselves in a difficult season of life
- for discerning where and how God is moving in our church and our world, and how to respond
- for those in need outside our church doors, and resources for our church staff to respond effectively to their needs
- for our denomination and its leaders in churches, conferences, and the national office to have wisdom, compassion, and vision for the days at hand
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Happenings around the Covenant | |
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Evangelical Covenant Church
Weekly update on Covenant news, stories, and resources:
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Pacific Northwest Conference
“The Catch” newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Conference:
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Cascades Camp and Conference Center
> Registration opens today!
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Do you have an announcement to include in a future e-newsletter?
Send it to Sandy Nelson before Wednesday at 12 noon, the week you'd like it to appear.
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