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Nursery
Available
Sunday, Feb. 7th ~ 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
~ Transfiguration of the Lord ~ ~ Communion ~
Luke 9.28-43 “All Were Astounded
At The Greatness Of God” Rev. Timm High
Wednesday, Feb. 10th ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Ash Wednesday ~
Matthew 6.1-21 “Witnessing To The Gospel:
‘Practicing Proper Piety’” Rev. Timm High
Sunday, Feb. 14th ~ 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. ~ 1st Sunday in Lent ~
Luke 4.1-13 “Witnessing To The Gospel:
‘Focusing on God’s Will’” Rev. Timm High
Sunday, Feb. 21st ~ 8:30 & 11:00 a.m.
~ 2nd Sunday in Lent ~ Luke 13.31-35
“Witnessing To The Gospel: ‘A Calling To Repentance’”
Rev. Timm High
Sunday, Feb. 28th ~ 8:30 & 11:00 a.m. ~ 3rd Sunday in Lent ~
Luke 13.1-9 “Witnessing To The Gospel:
‘Embracing Urgency’” Rev. Timm High
February 1, 2016 Volume 33, No. 2
The Caring Church in the Heart of the City!
~ LENT ~ Lent is a forty day season of the Christian Year (not counting Sundays) which begins on Ash Wednesday & ends Saturday, the day before Easter. Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter" & the reverence of Lent is tempered with joy-ful anticipation of the Resurrection. In the early church, new converts prepared for baptism during Lent.
Forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring temptation & preparing for his ministry. Similarly, we can take some time to pray & listen for God through simple living, repentance & fasting. Lent is characterized by self-examination & reflection.
~ ASH WEDNESDAY (February 10th) ~
In Jewish & Christian history, ashes are a sign of mortality & repent-ance. Mortality because our bodies are finite & eventually become dust/dirt/ash. Repentance because long ago, when people felt remorse for their actions, they would put ashes on their head & wear “sackcloth” (scratchy clothing) to remind them that sin is uncomfortable & leads to a sort of death of the spirit. This was a way of confessing sin & asking for forgiveness. We get ashes for Ash Wednesday by saving the palms from Palm Sunday, burning them & mixing them with water or oil.
~ FISH DINNER ~ 5:15 p.m., Knox Hall, $5 adults, $3 children
Be sure to make dinner reservations by Tuesday, February 9th.
~ WORSHIP SERVICE ~ 6:30 p.m., Sanctuary
Recognize life as a precious gift of God & re-turn towards Jesus Christ. Receive the sign of the cross from ashes.
~ LENTEN STUDIES ~ This year’s Lenten Study introduces us to people who encountered Jesus & their reaction/witness to the encounter. Studies are more fun with lots of participants! Watch the church website & bulletin for a complete listing. “Come & See” how a Lenten Study can give your Lent meaning & prepare you for Easter!
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5
VOLUME 33, NO. 2 THE COVENANT CHIMES
To the saints who serve God as disciples in Jesus’ name in First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, greetings;
So, does this mean that there were at least two versions of what we’ve come to call “The Lord’s Prayer” in circulation in the early church? Yes. At least two. And what about the end that we always say, “For thine is the kingdom and the glory and the power forever”, why isn’t that in either of these prayers? Because the early church (but later than Matthew’s or Luke’s church), added it. And how come they’re different? Evidently, Jesus is remembered as saying the prayer in more than one way.
How confusing! And yet very truth-full. If you’ve ever stood around me when we’ve been reciting the Lord’s Prayer out loud, you’ve probably noticed that I use different words than either Matthew or Luke. This is because this prayer was not, in my understanding, ever designed to be a fixed prayer. It was designed to be a framework for prayer, an outline for prayer.
Prayer was very important for Jesus, a factor that Luke calls attention to more than any of the other Gos-pel writers with seven allusions to prayer in addition to this text, which comes in response to Jesus’ disciples asking him to teach them to pray, as John the Baptist taught his disciples. In addition to this text, there are seven other times Luke presents Jesus at prayer: Jesus’ baptism: Luke 3.21-22; Jesus withdraws to pray after a healing: Luke 5.12-16; Jesus prays before calling his disciples: Luke 6.12-16; Jesus asks the disciples who they say he is after he has been at prayer: Luke 9.18-27; Jesus prays on Mount of Transfiguration: Luke 9.28-36; Je-sus is asked to teach the disciples to pray: Luke 11.1-13; Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane: Luke 22.39-46; Jesus prays while dying on the cross: Luke 23.44-49
Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer is found in the midst of his first teaching section, the so-called Ser-mon on the Mount, Chapters 5-7 of his Gospel, and is part of a larger excursion on prayer and other forms of practical piety. It’s this text that is the Gospel lesson for Ash Wednesday each and every year. And Lent, which Ash Wednesday begins as the first of the forty days of the season (not counting Sundays), is a useful time for disciples of Jesus to once again focus on deepening their practice of prayer. It doesn’t make any difference if it’s fixed or free-form; your words or somebody else’s words; words spoken out loud or spoken in silence. Prayer is simply a form of communication with God, an intimate co-munnion with God.
Thank you for the privilege of being your temporary supply pastor. May this season of your life find you doing the best you can in all that you do with all you have, given God’s help, amidst the challenges and comforts that come your way.
Be Well…Timm
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Reflecting on
“Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.” Matthew 6.9-13
[Jesus] said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.”
Luke 11.2-4
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VOLUME 32 NO. 5
*Please pray regularly for our ministry.
We have listed below some of our
congregational joys & concerns as
The Covenant Chimes goes to press on
January 25, 2015 ~ .
Prayer Concerns Please pray for God’s healing presence for
those discharged from hospitals since the last edition of The Covenant
Chimes: Charles Liken, Bonnie Zimmerman, John
Lindner, Nancy Fair & Marrick Bauer.
Thank You To…
Those who pray regularly for the mis-
sion & ministry of First Presbyterian Church of
the Covenant.
The members of the Board of Trustees who
have been called to serve in an important transformational role
within the life & history of this community of
faith.
Our mission at First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant:
“To awaken all people to our need for a life-changing encounter
with the living Lord Jesus Christ, and to encourage and equip
each one to become His fully-devoted follower.”
Those who have made a commitment to
financially support the mission & ministry of God in the name of
Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit
within FPCC during 2016.
Those who participated
in Part 1 of the Annual meeting of
the congregation & corporation on January 31st!
VOLUME 33, NO. 2
Congregational Joys & Concerns
PAGE 3
Worship in February will find us as a worship-ing community celebrating the sacrament of com-munion on Ash Wednesday, February 10th and the immersion into the season of Lent.
Worship in February
Adult Spiritual Formation Class
Timm’s offering on Sunday mornings at 9.30 a.m. on February 7th will continue with the study of Luke & beginning February 14th we’ll be working with the Lenten Study: “Accepting The Invitation To ‘Come And See’”, a study that will introduce us to intersections Jesus had with a number of persons in the Gospel of John.
Lenten Study Be on the lookout in early February for the 2016 Lenten Study. This year’s study is entitled “Accepting The Invitation To ‘Come And See’”, & will introduce us to intersections Jesus had with a number of persons in the Gospel of John. This study will loosely be tied to the Sermon series during Lent: “Witnessing To The
Gospel”. You’re encouraged to find a group, create a group, or simply enter in-to the study on your own. Group oppor-tunities at the church will include Sunday mornings at 9.30 a.m. in the Fidelis Room & Wednesday mornings at 10.30 a.m. in the Parlor.
Articles Due by: Wednesday, Feb. 17th
Mailed on: Wednesday, Feb. 24th
March Issue…
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VOLUME 32 NO. 5
VOLUME 33, NO. 2
PAGE 4
If you notice an incorrect or missing birthday/anniversary or
one that is listed that should no longer be there,
please help us by calling the church office at 456-4243
so that we can update our records. Thank you!
In the News...
13 Gave Life in January! Next Opportunity: March 12th
Thirteen units of blood were gathered in the Community Blood Bank bloodmobile on a Satur-day morning last month, including one unit by Gannon student & FPCC friend Abdulla Obaid from Iraq. This was the second time he gave at the church’s drives. Abdulla said, “I am thankful to God for so much about living in Erie. I am glad the church gives me this opportunity to give back to the community.”
It’ll nearly be St. Patrick’s Day, so make someone LUCKY to receive your gift of life! (We promise no leprechauns will be involved, just the great staff of the Community Blood Bank!) Sign up for the next drive which is: Saturday, March 12th. from 8:00 a.m. until Noon. Invite a friend, co-worker, neighbor or family member to donate with you! Call Tim Campbell
Looking for something to do with those old toys? Consider donating your child’s toys as they outgrow them. The nursery would be happy to take your child’s gently used toys appropriate for children up to age 4. Contact Anne at 814.456.4243 or [email protected] to donate!
Nursery Toys
Feb. 1 George Dusckas
Lauren Fabich
Lynette Hughes
Carolyn Tattersall
Feb. 3 Jason Irwin
Gayle Wright
Feb. 4 Riley Munger
Rebecca
Stoczynski
Sheldon
Van Deventer
Feb. 5 John Marsden
Feb. 6 Patricia Sachse
Feb. 7 Emma Crowers
Romaine Musso
Karen Young
Feb. 8 Sarah Anderson
Feb. 9 Amy Fisher
Sally Prozan
Troy Reese
Gridley Wright
Feb. 11 Esther Tregler
Feb. 12 Philip Magnuson
Feb. 13 Nancy Klahr
Feb. 16 Michael
Glotzbach
Rebecca Kaus
Kaitlyn Wilson
Feb. 17 Mary Concoby
Feb. 18 Barb Macks
Anna Shimek
Russell Tattersall
Feb. 19 Sandra Leretsis
Jane Mascharka
Feb. 21 Matthew Allen
Feb. 22 Ellie Eggleston
Jamie Gaither
Feb. 24 Thomas Gustin
Feb. 26 Harold Konnerth
Feb. 27 Richard
Bernardini
Greg Filbeck
Marsha
McKinley
Feb. 28 Edith Konnerth
Cass & Jay Shimek, Seph Kumer and Abby Blank-enship represented the church in January’s “Martin Luther King Memorial March.” Check out Abby’s interview on JET-24 news via the church’s Facebook page or at http://bit.ly/1UoOWXQ
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VOLUME 32 NO. 5
Clerk’s Corner
VOLUME 33, NO. 2
PAGE 5
“Parish in the Parlor”
January 2016
The stated session scheduled for Monday, January 18th was canceled due to weather & road conditions. As of the “Covenant Chimes” submission deadline, the meeting has not been rescheduled. W.D. Holmes, Clerk of Session
The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) has now met several times. Executive Presbyter David Oyler and Committee on Ministry co-chair Don Worthington lead us through an orientation to the pastor search pro-cess, Mary Lou Neithamer was elected secretary of the committee and Geoff Ginader and Bill Holmes were elected co-moderators. The committee has begun to study First Covenant’s recently completed Mission Study and the questions in the Mission Information Form required by Louisville. It is anticipated that the next sev-eral weeks will be spent structuring answers to those questions.
PNC Update
The Deacons would like to invite you to “Parish in the Parlor” on Sunday, February 28th. Try this 28 Day Scripture Writing Plan to glorify God. You are on your own for the extra day in 2016!
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5
Classes begin at 9:30 a.m. Children
* Nursery (infant-age 3) Room 113 Morgan Wood
* Age 4-Grade 1 Classroom C (2nd floor) Monty Service
* Grades 2-5 Classroom D (2nd floor) Nancy Irwin
* Grades 3-12 watch weekly bulletin for handbell & chimes details
Youth * Grades 6-12 Middle School Lounge Ron & Lauren Fabich Youth are using the “Connect” video curriculum
* Confirmation (Gr. 7&8) Room 119 Diane Sutton & Seph Kumer
Adult * Short Letters from the New Testament Witherspoon Room William Holmes
* Lenten Study: “Accepting The Invitation To ‘Come And See’” Fidelis Room Rev. Timm High
* What Matters Most? Room 116 Bill Sesler
VOLUME 33, NO. 2 THE COVENANT CHIMES
PAGE 6
Winter Faith Formation Classes
for
All
Ages!
Four students and two leaders are exploring the basics of the Christian faith.
Keep them in your prayers as they meet on Sunday mornings in Room 119 through May!
2016 Confirmation Class
Gather those old Christmas & all-occasion cards and
join us on Saturday, February 6th from 9 am to 1 pm
in the Witherspoon room. Let's "upcycle" those old greeting cards
into beautiful creations.
Marsha MacKinnon will show us how to recycle, reuse & re-purpose those resources
we have on hand to make a beautiful card for someone special.
It's fun & easy.
Reservations recommended by contacting [email protected] or 969-0416.
Please bring your old cards, adhesive photo squares and embellishments (optional).
Light lunch provided. No charge &
no experience necessary. All are welcome to come
and be creative!
Creative Card Making Workshop
(L-R) Seph Kumer, Alec Reese, Haley Fabich, Laura Taylor, Marrick Bauer and Diane Sutton
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VOLUME 32 NO. 5
Join a Lenten Study! Be a WITNESS!
Our Lenten Journey to Easter kicks off on Ash Wednesday February 10th. Now is the time to think about Lenten Studies. First Covenant has a long tradition of forming special Bible study groups for Lent. Lenten Study Groups meet in homes, the church and other locations across the Erie region. Some meet during day-light; others meet evenings.
A group is offered many days of the week. The First Covenant Family and friends gather together in this special way for 6 weeks each year. It is a great way to get to know your church family, make new friends…and prepare for Easter.
What will Lent 2016 hold for our faith community?…The Discipleship Committee is making plans for Lenten Studies that will unite us around a study written by Timm High, Accepting the Invitation to “Come and See”. Each week walks us through an encounter someone has with Jesus, and the witness each person then has with others. All from the gospel of John.
Watch for a listing of this year’s groups in the worship bulletins as we approach Lent. There is still an opportunity for YOU to host a group…at your home, work place, church or other location. Please con-tact Seph Kumer in the church office if you are interested!
VOLUME 33, NO. 2
PAGE 7
Lent is Here…Already!
The Covenant Connections dinner for Ash Wednesday, February 10th is a delicious baked fish meal. Cooks Jackie Jones and Kevin Stevenson will also prepare a bountiful, healthy salad bar and tasty dessert.
Reservations are a must for Ash Wednesday, so please make your dinner reservation in the church office as soon as possible. The cost for dinner is $5.00 for anyone age 12 and older, $3.00 for ages 5-11 (or college students with I.D.), and free for those 4 and under.
Plan to come to the 6:30 p.m. Ash Wednes-day worship service in the Sanctuary. Bring your friends, and invite them to join you for dinner at 5:15 p.m. in Knox Hall.
Ash Wednesday Fish Dinner
February 15th
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5
VOLUME 33, NO. 2 THE COVENANT CHIMES
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Mark your calendars... A Big Event is coming to First Covenant on Saturday, March 5th!
What Big Event? THE Big Event!
“The Big Event” is the annual gathering of Presbyterians from across the Lake Erie Presbytery for a morning and early afternoon focused on “awaking, encouraging and equipping” for ministry. This year’s event is focused on something very time-ly for our congregation: HOSPITALITY.
“Extending God’s Welcome to All” will feature keynote speaker Dr. Amy Oden, teacher at St. Paul Theological seminary in Oklahoma City…. She has an interest in making ancient voices, especially women’s, accessible to current audiences. Her most recent scholarship has focused on the radical practice of hospitality in early Christianity and its challenge for communities today. She also teaches spiritual formation.
Workshops include titles like “Spiritual Dimensions of Hospitality”, “Welcoming Children and Youth to the Ministry of the Church”, “Hospitality and Mental Illness”, “Refugee 101”, “Mind the Gap”, “Soul Repair” and “What is an Inside-Out Church?” Our own Pat Tracy and Seph Kumer are a couple of the workshop presenters.
Find out more… And register at www.lepbigevent.org It’s just $15 to register, which includes lunch. (Scholarships available!) YOUR help is needed with many functions of “hosting” this event for 100 from the Presbytery…including “building guides ”, coffee hour/lunch service, registration, and more! Please let Linda Majewski or Nancy Irwin, Discipleship Committee Chairs know if you can help!
Big Event Coming in March!
MISSION SPOTLIGHT
Take 12 Initiative “Gloves 4 Gridley”
The Malawi famine is on going and needs our continued help. The Spring harvest begins in March but until then our help is needed to pro-vide food in the form of maize. The cost is $15 per 110 pound bag of maize. This is enough to feed the average Malawian family for a month. There are about 4,400 families (about 22,000 people) in need. The Marion Medical Mission (the Wells 2 Water people) has committed to this project. Please prayerfully consider a gift of any amount to this worthy cause. Use the pew envelopes or write a check using "Food Relief" in the memo section. or send a donation directly to: Marion Medical Mission 1412 Shawnee Drive Marion, IL 62959 Thank you!
Malawi Famine
The FPCC Mission Committee encompasses both Local & Global areas
as we “reach beyond our walls & ourselves to impact the community & the world
for Christ through ministries of compassion, justice & evangelism.”
Thanks to everyone for their generous contributions to the "Gloves for Gridley" Drive.
The hats, gloves, scarfs & sweaters were much appreciated.
They were delivered to Emerson/Gridley school at the end of January.
February 2nd
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VOLUME 32 NO. 5
VOLUME 33, NO. 2
PAGE 9
Tackle hunger with “Souper Bowl of Caring”
Our youth will try to tackle hunger following both worship services on N.F.L Super Bowl Sunday, February 7th. Youth group members will be receiv-ing your donations in soup pots at all church exits following both worship services.
First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant youth will join young people in churches all across the country to collect money for those who are hungry & hurting. Recent figures show that one in six Americans face hunger every day.
For 2016 our church will again donate the Souper Bowl offering to our Sun-day Supper ministry. Did you know that each Sunday, 150 neighbors gather in FPCC’s Knox Hall for a meal prepared by local congregations. FPCC has given nearly $7,500 during the Souper Bowl offering over the past 15 years. Let’s shoot for $500 this year!
Since “Souper Bowl of Caring” was initiated by a South Carolina church youth group in 1990, more than $100 million has gone to help those in need. Please support the youth of our church in this effort to “love our neighbors” by dropping your dollars in a soup pot on Souper Bowl Sunday. (Checks should be made payable to First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, with “Souper Bowl” on the memo line.)
Keep it local. Feed hungry Erie residents. Be “The Caring Church in the Heart of the City”. For more information about “Souper Bowl of Caring,” visit www.souperbowl.org
Photos ~ Souper Bowl Collection 2015... Haley Fabich & Laura Taylor, (top)
William Humphrey & Mark Gorman (left) Troy Reese & Alec Reese (right)
Middle & High School students are invited to join the church’s youth group for the following activities. Questions? Contact Seph Kumer at 456-4243, ext. 105 or at [email protected].
Sunday, February 7th ~ Souper Bowl Offering Help needed receiving soup pot offerings after the 8:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m. worship services. Proceeds again will benefit our “Sunday Supper” meal ministry. Email or call Seph in the church office to let him know if you can help!
Saturday, February 13th ~ Let’s Go Sledding ! Weather permitting. We will meet at Frontier Hill at 11:00 a.m. Bring your sled &
dress warmly. We’ll grab lunch at the church after tubing and wrap up our time between 1:30 & 2:00 p.m. RSVP to Seph.
February Youth Group Schedule
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5
VOLUME 33, NO. 2 THE COVENANT CHIMES
PAGE 10
“Student Spotlight” & “Witness” Series for February Connections February is the perfect month to get out of the house & CONNECT on Wednesday nights! Dinner will be ready in Knox Hall at 5:15 p.m., followed by an engaging “connecting” activity at 6:15 p.m. The beginning of the month will be a continuation of the “Student Spotlight” series helping us “connect” with the Gannon students who dine & visit with us regularly. During Lent we will enjoy a “Witness” series to coincide with our Lenten Study (see page 7). It will feature church and/or community members sharing how their vocation serves as a witness to their “life-changing encounter with the living Lord Jesus”.
If you missed Covenant Connections in January, you missed delicious meals & student presenters from Mongolia, India & Saudi Arabia. On February 10th, gather for the annual Ash Wednesday fish dinner followed by worship at 6:30 p.m. Dinner is $5 for adults, $3 for children & college students & free for children 4 & under. Make your dinner reservation by emailing [email protected] or calling the church office at 456.4243. *Please note that due to the presence of “Our Neighbors’ Place” on January 27th & February 3rd, we will meet for dinner in the Witherspoon Room & our program will be in the Fidelis Room.
February 3rd Student Spotlight: Abdullah Basil Obaid has been hanging out with our church family for two years-at Connections dinners, blood drives (see page 4), en-gaging with our Beach Project guests, helping with shoeboxes & renovating the play-ground. He even stops in to worship once in a while! What do you know about his life? His family? How he ended up leaving Iraq for Erie? What motivates him? Hard-ships he has overcome? What he loves & misses about Iraq & its culture? Here’s your chance to find out! (Dinner in Witherspoon Room)
February 10th Ash Wednesday Fish Dinner followed by worship at 6:30 in the Sanctuary (includes imposition of ashes)
February 17th Witness through Music: Corey Cook, Program Director for LifeThruMusic Corey will share how the organization he founded in Erie is using the arts to transform the lives of urban youth. It is his witness to his encounter with Jesus. The LifeThruMu-sic program is an innovative music mentoring program that integrates traditional music training with the latest technological updates. Students will share a performance also!
February 24th Witness through Education: Diane Sutton, Principal at Wayne School Diane will share how she feels her faith informs her leadership at the
school, her view of education. She will also update us on what is new & exciting in the Erie School District & her building, in particular.
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5
What a wonderful ministry partnership has been formed between FPCC and the First United Methodist Church as they have graciously permitted us to use their social hall for Sunday Supper while Our Neighbors’ Place is in Knox Hall. We served there the first two weeks in January and will serve there again on January 31st and February 7th. January weather has not been particularly kind to Sunday Supper guests as snow storms have blown in during the dinner hours and numbers have been low the first three Sundays. As of this writing, we await the weather reports for the last two Sundays in January and will adjust accordingly. Sunday Supper will move to the Episcopal Cathedral of Saint Paul due to Koinonia meeting in Knox Hall on Sunday, February 21st. Thank you to the congregations from Wayside Presbyterian, Emmanuel Presbyterian, Immanuel Baptist, Millcreek Community and Lakewood Methodist churches for preparing and serving meals in January. Also thank you to the many faithful volunteers from FPCC who come most Sundays to equip this ministry.
Are people hungry? When men walk in a snow storm from Academy High School or 8th and Peninsula to FPCC for a Sunday meal, I think they are hungry. Are people lonely? As stated from a previously homeless man, “There’s not much to look forward to when you’re homeless, but a good meal with others is something to look forward to.” Do people like to read? Absolutely they do, and not just children. Sunday Supper is in need of books for adults at this time. We have plenty of book for children.
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VOLUME 33, NO. 2
“Our Neighbor’s Place”
In early January, we completed the second rotation of this year’s homeless shelter. This would not have been possible without the support of this church and its many members. You stepped forward with all your time, talent, and treasure as a gift to those less fortunate in our neighborhood. We had a nice quiet New Year’s Eve at the shelter this time and everyone was on their best behavior. The food preparation for evening meals was “over the top” these two weeks. We had many favorable comments from our guests, thank you to all the groups who participated.
The shelter moved on to the next church and then returned to FPCC on January 27th for two more weeks in Knox hall. Our friends from all the Methodist churches in the area will act as hosts for this rotation. We will be available to assist them as they learn the ropes of a homeless shelter. This is just another part of the outreach and care minis-try of FPCC. We are providing a wonderful facility to be used by another denomination, allowing them to be part of this ministry. Continue to pray for all the guests and volunteers. On behalf of Pat Tracy and me, thank you, and God bless you. ~ Dale Sweet
“Sunday Supper”
FEBRUARY FUN FOR FAMILIES!
COVENANT PRESCHOOL FAMILY FUN NIGHT Friday, February 26th
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Knox Hall
Raffles, Games, Pizza & more Pre-purchase tickets $10 by
contacting Lisa Hiegel 456-4243, x102
LET’S GO SLEDDING ! Saturday, February 13th 11:00 a.m. Frontier Park
Return to church for pizza lunch.
Bring a snack or dessert to share.
Sign up: Seph Kumer 456-4243, x105
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5
The preschool is planning to offer seven classes for the 2016-2017 school year. Classes will operate on a 9:00-12:00 pm schedule. With the option of staying for Enrichment Afternoon.
Two - 2 year-old Playschool: either two days or one day a week Two - 3-year old classes: either 2 days or three days a week Two - 4 year old classes: a choice of 3 days (M/W/F or 4 days (T/W/TH/F)
One- Pre-Kindergarten class: 5 mornings a week
Enrichment Afternoon runs until 3:30 every day for current Covenant students in the 3’s, 4’s & Pre-K. We also have After School Care until 5:30 for those families that work until 5:00 p.m. We also offer Early Drop Off for families that need to get to work early. You can drop your child off as early as 8:00 a.m.
There are two teachers in each class and classes have limited numbers to optimize individual care. All lead teachers are certified in Elementary / Early Childhood Education. One of our teachers is a graduate of Cove-nant Preschool, indicating the strong family tradition we work to preserve.
Covenant Preschool is the oldest existing, continuously operating preschool in Erie County. We are proud of our sixty-six year history, and we know it proves that we are doing something right! We would love for you to become a part of our “Covenant Preschool Family.” Please join us and invite your friends and neigh-bors with children of preschool age to come too.
The week of January 26th is Teddy Bear Week at Covenant Preschool. This is a time set aside to recognize all teddy bears-large ones, small ones, fancily-dressed bears. Bears wearing only a bow, bears in every color… black, brown, white…and also pink, blue and green! As we celebrate diversity & discuss the way God has created each one of us uniquely, we teach the children to accept those with individual differences and physical challenges.
Please join us on February 26th from 6–8 pm in Knox Hall for our Family Fun Night, contact Lisa Hiegel at 456-4243 ext. 102 for tickets. Tickets are $10/family Lisa Hiegel, Preschool Director
VOLUME 33, NO. 2 THE COVENANT CHIMES
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Covenant Preschool
The Campus Ministry team will greet those passing by the church and through the church parking lot on the mornings after the Super Bowl with free coffee, hot chocolate and Jackie Jones sticky buns in February. Monday and Tuesday, February 8th & 9th, you are invited to assist from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. (or any hour you can spare!). This new “inside-out church” initiative from 2015 has helped to further develop relationships between the church and students, Erie Courthouse employees, down-town workers, Covenant Preschool families and neigh-bors. Campus Minister Abby Blankenship & church mem-ber Barbara Macks (photo at left) keep warm during
January’s “Back to the Grind”. Other volunteers like Marylou Neithamer, Diane Sutton, Daniele Loney, Mar-lene Metzler, Marlene Spires, Rick Bernardini, Bert Hibbler-Taylor, and Seph Kumer have all discovered the blessing that comes from extending hospitality to “strangers”. Will you consider joining the ministry in February? Please contact Abby Blankenship or Seph Kumer if you would like to help.
It’s “Back to the Grind” February 8th & 9th
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5
Rev. Timm High, Moderator
William D. Holmes, Clerk of Session
Dale Sweet, Associate Clerk of Session
Class of 2016 Michael Burns
Jennifer Koebe
Stephen Osborn
John Magee
Class of 2017 Deborah Loney
Lisa Ferrick
Mark Wells
M. Buzz Tarno
Class of 2018 Bill Tauber
Ron Fabich
Bob Chambers
Marsha McKinnon
Class of 2016 Cecily Sesler
Sharon Olsen
Melissa Mauro
Cindy Kerchoff
Bert Hibbler-Taylor
Class of 2017 Phyllis Zdaniewski
Deborah Bernadini
Virginia Hey
Tracey Diefenbach
Class of 2018 Rick Bernardini
Mary Lou Neithamer
Mary Ann Sesler
Sheila Sweet
Ellie Zimmer
Class of 2016 David Doupe
Paul Diefenbach
Atchley Holmes
Greg Sesler
Scott Wright
Class of 2017 Nancy Irwin
Rebecca Stoczynski
Linda Majewski
Gregory Cooper
Allen Sheasley
Class of 2018 Sandra Herman
Scott Sesler
Marlene Spires
Richard Sheasley
Phyllis Tarno
Elders Deacons Trustees
Church Officers
Abby Blankenship, Campus Minister
Helen Greider, Weekend Host
Lisa Hiegel, Director of Covenant Preschool
Rev. Timm High, Temporary Supply Pastor
Jackie K. Jones, Covenant Cook
Luba Kovalchuk, Custodian
Seph Kumer, Director of Community Ministries
Rev. Stephen E. Morse, Parish Assistant
JoAnn Peters, Finance/Records Admin.
Anne Sauer, Administrative Assistant
John Scepura, Building & Maintenance Mechanic
Montgomery Service, Children/Youth Music
Kevin Stevenson, Covenant Cook
Leslie Weber, Organist/Choirmaster
Morgan Wood, Nursery Attendant
Church Staff
VOLUME 32, NO. 7 & 8 THE COVENANT CHIMES
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VOLUME 33, NO. 2
Have you moved? Have a new phone number or email address? If you’ve changed any personal in-formation, please be sure to update your church records by contacting JoAnn Peters at [email protected] or at 456.4243 ext. 110 with your new info.
Keep Us Up To Date
“Picture of the Month”
Donors now have the option of either purchasing flowers for worship, as is presently done, or making a monetary gift to a designated mission of the church. Reusable greens will be placed in the Chancel for those making mission gifts & donors will still have the names of those they wish to memorialize published in the bulletin. Session has designated the following mission causes as possible choices: “Sunday Suppers”, “Vacation Bible School”, “Summer Youth Mission” or “Our Neighbor’s Place” Overflow Shelter.
Revision of Flower Policy...
Congratulations to organist & choir director Leslie Weber on receiving the “Golden Apple Award” in January for her teaching in the Millcreek School District! You can view the JET-24 story about Leslie from the church’s Facebook page OR at http://bit.ly/1NxXDt9
AMS
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THE COVENANT CHIMES VOLUME 32 NO. 5 VOLUME 33, NO. 2 THE COVENANT CHIMES
