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Gospel Story More Than Just Words
WEST BOYNTON BEACH, FL (December 27, 2003) - Parishioners at Hope Community
Covenant Church took the words of a recent Sunday sermon to heart and a
church family is glad they did.
Pastors Doug Oliver and Jim Black took church to the home of Damien and
Maryanne Wahner - including the sermon, scripture readings, music and even
the church members - and after worshiping with the woman they painted her
three-bedroom house.
According to a recent story in the Ft. Lauderdale (Florida)
Sun-Sentinel, the Wahners, have had more than their share of
difficulties. Maryanne developed severe diabetes during pregnancy. That led
to kidney damage and now she's on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.
On top of that, she has suffered two strokes since June 2002. In July of
this year, doctors performed heart bypass surgery. During the operation,
Wahner suffered a heart attack. And, to add insult to illness, the local
homeowners association notified the family that they had to paint their
house or be fined.
It seemed appropriate that the Sunday service, conducted in the front yard
of the Wahner home, was centered on James 1:22: "But be doers of the Word
and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Oliver gave the sermon. Black
sang a song he wrote, which begins, "Let the Words of the Lord Jesus Christ
Dwell in You." And when church ended, parishioners spent more than an hour
transforming a house from gray to yellow with a little paint and a lot of
love.
"This isn't rocket science," Black told them. "All we have to do is paint
the house."
A handful of church plant updates, some individual achievements and news
from mission efforts on three continents are also highlighted in this
Covenant Communications compilation of newsletter articles from more than
250 Covenant congregations throughout the world. Information is presented
by conference and region.
CANADA
- Dundurn, Saskatchewan: Blackstrap Covenant Church hosted a grand
opening service in March and currently has an average worship attendance of
65 under pastor Steve Menshenfriend. It is a unique church plant because
the town of Dundurn, located half an hour from Saskatoon, a city of
230,000, has just 500 people. The church draws from four small communities
and has hosted a youth drop-in center at a local ice rink on Friday
evenings (7 p.m. to 1 a.m.) that begun this summer. The ministry has moved
to a local military base during hockey season and has expanded to other
nights during the week - more than 20 regularly volunteer and more than 50
youth and teens are attending. On Tuesday mornings, a "Mom 'n Me" group
started by Steve's wife, Kirsten, reaches families with small children.
Menshenfriend had worked with Shoreline Covenant Church near Seattle before
starting the Blackstrap church plant. He began work in the area in August
2002.
CENTRAL
- Chicago, Illinois: Veronica Mitina of Ravenswood Evangelical Covenant
Church recently finished first in a district Metropolitan competition in
St. Louis. The Met is a nationwide competition for young musical artists.
Originally from Russia, Mitina will compete in a multi-state regional
competition in February.
- Chicago, Illinois: Nearwest Connection hosted a recent pizza party at a
local restaurant and had a question-and-answer session with professional
baseball player Joe Girardi and his wife, Kim. Nearly 70 people turned out
for the special Family Celebration. Pastor Noel Castellanos led the
session, which focused on issues related to the couple's faith, marriage
and family and about how they juggle family life with the rigors of
professional baseball. Joe Girardi also gave out signed baseball cards.
Located near downtown Chicago, Nearwest Connection began ministries in
September 2002 and started preview services in January under Castellanos
and Jonathan Hancock. The church worships in space located at a local
hotel. A parishioner, Beverly Hancock, recently received Rush University
Medical Center's inaugural Course for Excellence award for her work in
leading Rush (a Chicago hospital) to achieve Magnet recognition for
Excellence in Nursing Services. More information about the church and its
ministries may be found by visiting www.nearwestconnection.org.
- Elgin, Illinois: Country Evangelical Covenant Church parishioner Lynn
Landmeier planted eight acres of pumpkins on his land and donated the money
from pumpkin sales to the church. The proceeds from selling 1,800 pumpkins
is between $8,000 and $10,000, reported a recent Central Conference
newsletter article. Fellow parishioner and longtime beekeeper Larry
Dieckman, now chaplain at The Holmstad in nearby Batavia, offered his bees
(400,000 of them) to pollinate the pumpkin flowers. The money from the
pumpkins is being used to help pay off debt from the church's purchase of
1.5 acres of property adjacent to the church's current facility, said
pastor Dave Trosper, who has seen worship attendance double at his church
in two years.
- Portage, Indiana: The Evangelical Covenant Church of Portage has
started Café Manna West, which has been in operation since early November.
The ministry served 107 plates of food to area residents in need, according
to a recent newsletter report. Area businesses and churches have supplied
food and volunteer help, along with the help provided by parishioners at
the church.
EAST COAST
- Attleboro, Massachusetts: Eva MacPherson of the Evangelical Covenant
Church of Attleboro, a noted supporter of Covenant Women Ministries (CWM),
died on Thanksgiving Day at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, Rhode
Island, after serving on CWM's national board and in her church. The
79-year-old MacPherson was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, and grew up at
the Quincy Covenant Congregational Church. Known as "Mrs. Kitchen" because
of her devotion to helping organize and coordinate church functions, she
became a member of the Attleboro Covenant church in 1958 and sang in the
church choir for almost 40 years besides her volunteer work at the church
and at a local hospital. As a way to honor their mother's memory,
MacPherson's four sons have earmarked memorial donations to CWM and Pilgrim
Pines Conference Center in Swanzey, New Hampshire, in her name.
ECCAK
- Bethel, Alaska: Bethel Evangelical Covenant Church is offering a Friday
night ministry to post-high school young adults. Called "PIVOT," the
Covenant Youth of Alaska (CYAK) sponsored ministry hopes to offer fun
options for young adults. It opened with a fall BBQ and wants to expand its
ministry to include weekly Bible studies as well.
- Eagle River, Alaska: Field director Rodney Sawyer stated in a recent
ECCAK newsletter that ECCAK recently hired Chris Danielson, who is based in
Fergus Falls, Minnesota, as its new Director of Resources and Development
with hopes of helping ECCAK finance projects that serve to better regional
ministries.
- Soldotna, Alaska: Alaska Christian College celebrated the dedication of
its new Quyana Hall in November and college president Keith Hamilton said
in a recent email that construction is almost complete. The
ECCAK-sponsored school is also beginning now to seek funding for a dining
hall to begin construction in the spring if funds are available.
GREAT LAKES
- Nashville, Tennessee: Designers Church hosted its final preview service
at J.T. Moore Middle School on December 14 and hopes to begin weekly
services on January 11. Pastor George Stull has been in youth ministry for
13 years, much of it at another church in Nashville, before beginning the
new Covenant church plant. To learn more about the ministry at Designers
Church visit www.designerschurch.com.
MIDSOUTH
- Norman, Oklahoma: Journey Church has attracted a number of athletes and
coaches at the University of Oklahoma through an ambitious college
ministry, said Midsouth Supt. Garth Bolinder. The quarterback of the 2000
national championship Division I college team, Josh Heupel, was a regular
attendee at the church when it was beginning its ministry in the fall of
2001. Assistant football coach Mike Stoops (now head coach at the
University of Arizona) and his wife, Nicole, became regular attendees -
Nicole has served as a grade school Sunday school teacher - and some OU
soccer and women's basketball players have been regulars. The college group
meeting, Lifestream, has attracted nearly 400 per week on Thursday
evenings, as the OU campus is located just three miles from Journey.
Special concerts have drawn 1,000 or more and Journey has a large college
age contingent at its Sunday late morning service. The church is averaging
more than 2,200 for its four weekly services under pastor Clark Mitchell.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: Water's Edge Covenant Church, under pastor Greg
Coates, will host its initial preview service January 11 at Metro Christian
Academy. Coates hopes to target those who have never been involved in
church or who have been disillusioned with the church. Small groups will be
a key element for the new congregation, which began its ministry on July 1
and has about 30 people in core group development. Nearby Redeemer Covenant
Church has given support to the work of the church plant.
MIDWEST
- Manson, Iowa: Twin Lakes Christian Center hosted its 10th annual Swede
Bend Christmas on December 6, attracting about 230 guests, said program
director David Wenell. The Swede Bend church building was the site of the
first Covenant congregation and was built in 1861. A Swedish Smorgasbord
and a pair of concerts were among the activities held during the day.
NORTH PACIFIC
- Wenatchee, Washington: Columbia Grove Covenant Church, a new church
plant under pastor Andrew Thompson, had 75 people attend its first preview
service at Eastmont Junior High. For information on the prayer sessions and
worship service locations please visit www.columbiagrove.org or call the
church at 509-860-4001.
NORTHWEST
- Dawson, Minnesota: Marvin, Kent and Gary Goplen of Dawson Covenant
Church were honored as Yellow Medicine Soil and Water Conservation
District's Outstanding Conservationists of the Year. They were honored for
their efforts in ridge-till operation, crop rotation/pasture, and
installation of farmstead windbreaks, grassed waterways and filter strips.
- Duluth, Minnesota: Nick Ostapenko of First Covenant Church was recently
promoted to Brigadier General with the Minnesota Army National Guard to
serve as Assistant Adjutant General.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: First Covenant Church has begun to tutor a
group of Somali refugees in its neighborhood. A parishioner, Tom Albinson,
who works with an area parachurch ministry called IT Refugee Ministries,
helped organize the effort. IT Refugee Ministries works primarily with
Somali refugees in the Eliot Park area of the city stated a December church
newsletter article. The largest Somali community in the United States is
located in Minneapolis.
- New Brighton, Minnesota: Consultant Ed Anderson of Salem Covenant
Church has recently co-produced (with Greg Mathias of GLM Studios) a
14-song CD of blues-oriented arrangement of hymns entitled Rock of Ages.
Anderson's professional work focuses on enhancing personal and
interpersonal effectiveness. He is the author of three books on
relationship building and was director of a nationally known career
transition program and counseling center. He has also written original
songs and performed at numerous venues. More about Anderson and his album
can be found by emailing him at ed@edswork.com.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST
- Sacramento, California: First Covenant Church's Saturday night worship
services have had a successful start as the initial effort on November 1
attracted 340 participants. The service is identical to the church's
contemporary worship that occurs twice on Sundays. First Covenant Church
has averaged over 2,200 in worship attendance for its combined services,
said a church staff member. Ted Smith is the senior pastor.
- Torrance, California: Lon Murata, pastor of Generations Covenant
Church, and a core group team of approximately 20 people opened their first
preview worship service on Sunday, October 5, 2003. Attendance for the
worship service at Torrance High School's library exceeded expectations
with approximately 80 people.
ELSEWHERE
- China: Longtime missionary Barbara Johnson and other Covenanters have
provided practical assistance in the northwestern region via a training
school, said Chinese coordinator David Dolan of Covenant World Mission. A
group of volunteers have set up an English/Computer Training School in
cooperation with the local Vocational Middle School. One couple residing in
the area and several short-term volunteers are teaching to about 30
students. Johnson is teaching English, setting up a library and
contributing in many other ways.
- Paris, France: Covenant missionaries Francisco and Stephanie Ramos have
returned to France to help with pastoral ministry at a local church.
Francisco is teaching a Bible study in the northern part of the city and
has worked with elders on a clothing ministry to the poor. He also uses his
artistic talents for ministry, too. He has tried to paint art pieces on
various religious themes, including a baptism of Christ, and hopes to show
his artwork in local shows while connecting with the art community.
Stephanie has been involved in children's ministries and recently completed
her language proficiency degree. The family wrote in a recent letter,
"Although we are enjoying our responsibilities within the church, we are
most thankful for the numerous relationships we are developing with people
outside of the church...these relationships are our biggest joy and
challenge. Pray that we can remain authentic and transparent in these
relationships and that God would inspire us in the conversations we share .
. ."
- Monterrey, Mexico: Missionaries John and Letha Kerl reported in a
recent update that the Family Foundation has received a boost thanks to the
help of Lisandro and Patty Restrepo, who recently arrived in Mexico. They
have been working with another area organization to help an impoverished
community on the north side of the city, providing a weekly food
distribution as well as workshops for women on nutrition, health care and
domestic violence issues, among other things. They also hope to create a
lending bank to help produce income for underserved families. As project
missionaries, the Restrepos are expected to assist the Family Foundation in
facilitator training and curriculum development while aiding the spiritual
landscape of the community.
For more about Covenant churches and Covenanters throughout the world,
regularly visit www.covchurch.org. To submit information to be considered
for publication in this online Covenant news report, email it to
newsdesk@covchurch.org. Photographs may be attached in JPEG format - make
certain to identify the photo content in the email message, identifying
individuals from left to right. To speak with a news staff member, call
773-478-4676, extension 117.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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