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Oaxaca Ministry Center Highlights Newsletter Activities
OAXACA, MEXICO (January 22, 2004) - The first phase of construction of a new
Oaxaca Ministry Center for the South District of the Iglesia Evangelica
Misionera del Pacto (IEMP) was inaugurated December 12-13 with workshops
for various pastors and church leaders highlighting the event.
The two-day gathering of pastors and church leaders from throughout the
state was the context for the first official church gathering on the
property since construction was begun, said missionary Dennis Carlson.
Carlson taught a preaching class for 25 pastors and John Forcey from a
mission in Tecate taught a pastoral training workshop for 50 people on day
one. A united worship service attended by 200 was held in the evening.
The sharing of a new district organizational and ministry plan highlighted
day two - the leadership team hopes to initiate the plan this year. The day
concluded in typical fashion with a shared afternoon meal. All of the
district leaders and pastors received a copy of Una Vida con
Proposito, the Spanish translation of "The Purpose Driven Lifeas
a Christmas gift from the mission.
Carlson said funding for development of the Oaxaca Ministry Center has come
in large part through an appeal as part of the Covenant Friends of World
Missions program. In February 2002, a group from First Covenant Church in
Virginia, Minnesota, erected the first building. First Covenant, in San
Jose, California, sent a work team in August 2003 and completed foundation
work for the new building, which will have bathroom facilities on one side
and a meeting area on the other once completed. A number of churches have
contributed voluntary labor in recent months. The master plan for the site
also includes a large meeting facility for 200.
Other Covenant congregations and individuals also have been busy this
winter as reflected in the more than 250 local church newsletters received
each month by the Department of Communication. Following are excerpts from
those newsletters, grouped by conference and region.
CENTRAL
- Bettendorf, Iowa: Riversong Covenant Church hosted a second preview
worship service on January 4 and had 77 in attendance. Pastor Darin Youngs
said a snowstorm may have hindered attendance, but 24 visitors came to
worship at Bettendorf Middle School. The congregation held its first
preview worship service December 7, drawing 98 people. Youngs said the
church will host additional preview services February 1 and 22.
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: A work team from Covenant Harbor Bible Camp
headed to Chile this month to work on projects for a Covenant camp. One
group left January 15 and a second group went on January 17.
EAST COAST
- Cromwell, Connecticut: Hilltop Covenant Church contributed to the East
Coast Conference-sponsored New England Seafarer's Mission, sending 126
hats, 153 ditty bags and 275 sewing kits to the Boston-based organization.
- Bowie, Maryland: Church of the Redeemer's Dr. William "Bill" Tarrants
was recognized for his many achievements in the 2004 edition of Who's
Who in America. Tarrants worked, taught or published in the field of
safety engineering for more than 40 years, earning numerous awards. A
graduate of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, he earned a Masters
and a PhD from New York University in industrial engineering. Tarrants has
also been involved in his church as trustee and church chair.
GREAT LAKES
- Allegan, Michigan: Pastor Patrick White said that a new tradition at
Christ Community Church began at Christmas and added an interesting nuance
to a Christmas season worship service. At the end of worship event, three
of the church elders dressed up as wise men and distributed gifts to
children and blessed them before they departed. Previously, a person
dressed up as Santa Claus presented gifts to children. White reported that
the wise men provided a biblical and spiritual model that the congregation
appreciated.
- Rochester, New York: Quest Covenant Church began ministry on January 1
and hopes to conduct its first preview service in April, according to
pastor Brian Haak. A native of Rochester, Haak served four years as a
pastoral intern to small groups at Browncroft Community Church. He helped
organize the church's "20 Something" bible study, an ecumenical resource
for Rochester area single and married Christians, targeting the 20s and
early 30s demographic age group.
MIDWEST
- Lincoln, Nebraska: First Evangelical Covenant Church's Ernie Rousek was
honored with a President's Award by the Wachiska Audubon Society during its
annual banquet for his many volunteer hours protecting the local habitat.
NORTH PACIFIC
- Redmond, Washington: Creekside Covenant Church's Diane Anton
participated with nine others in a mission project in Trapichitos,
Guatemala, in November through Seattle-based Agros Foundation. The
organization helps indigenous Indians throughout Central America in
community development, education and other areas.
- Yelm, Washington: Crossroads Community Covenant Church, located 20
miles east of the state capital, Olympia, began its church plant last
Easter and had its launch service in September. The congregation averages
280 in Sunday morning worship and meets in a local school. Pastor Russ
Blake said that River Ridge Covenant Church in Olympia has been integral in
helping the church plant. Contemporary worship and practical teaching and
preaching have been hallmarks of the church and community service has been
a high value. The church hosted a free "Family Fun Fest" barbecue last
summer and organized a fall hoedown at nearby Cascades camp, including a
horse show. A community "Valentino's Diner" banquet and show is being
planned for Valentine's Day. More about the church can be found on the
church web site at www.crossroadscovchurch.org.
NORTHWEST
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethlehem Covenant Church's Rich Enderton, who
teaches math at Minnehaha Academy, was awarded a Fulbright Memorial Fund
Scholarship and traveled to Japan to learn about the country's culture and
educational system. He spent much of his time in Tokyo and Osaka, according
to his church's recent newsletter.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST
- Modesto, California: A ministry of Modesto Covenant Church was integral
in helping a family deal with fire damage and burglaries to their home this
fall. Kelli Thompson, Susan Walker and their children lost their Modesto
house to a fire and were burglarized twice, according to a recent
Modesto Bee news article. A local ministry, Advancing Vibrant
Communities, found local churches to help the families. Modesto Covenant's
Servant Church Program volunteers helped pick through the burned home to
salvage what they could. They laundered smoke-soaked clothing and linens in
their home washing machines. And the church footed the bill to allow Walker
to spend extra days at the Vagabond Inn, which had given housing to the
families through American Red Cross assistance.
- Otay Ranch, California: Rancho Vista Church under pastor John Rose is
benefiting from a move into a new high school and the development of a
large community in southern California during its church planting phase.
Otay Ranch is currently among the largest planned community in Southern
California with plans for a population of more than 50,000 people when it
is completed. The church will be using Otay Ranch High School for worship
services beginning in late February, said Rose. After hosting its grand
opening a year and a half ago, Rancho Vista Church has averaged 125-150 for
Sunday worship. It is located 10 miles from the Mexican border in San Diego
County. The church has become highly involved in missions in Ensenada,
Mexico, traveling there every three months for an intensive mission project
at "Let The Little Children Come" orphanage. A "Freedom Festival"
(featuring sky divers) and a music event called "The Gospel According to
the Beatles" (a worship team performs Beatles songs and talks about the
spiritual meaning behind the lyrics) have also been successful outreaches.
More about the church can be found on the church website at
www.ranchovistachurch.com.
ELSEWHERE
- Yaounde, Cameroon: Covenant missionary Jeff Stoker was selected to sing
with the British High Commissioner's Christmas Chorus. The Stoker family is
at Rainforest International School (RFIS), where many Covenant missionary
children have been educated out of a cooperative effort between church
denominations such as the Evangelical Covenant and Evangelical Free
churches and parachurch organization Wycliffe Bible Translators. The
cooperative effort began in June 2001. As a partner, the Covenant has a
responsibility to provide part of the teaching staff. Carolyn Stoker has
taught science at RFIS. Children Brian and Keith are part of a running club
and the latter also plays basketball. A daughter, Beth, sings with the RFIS
worship team and has led weekly chapel services, according to information
provided by the Stokers to a local Covenant church.
- LaCoruna, Spain: Missionaries Roberto and Nancy Reed report their
church has grown in numerous ways recently. In a January 19 email, the
Reeds note that "last Sunday, with many people absent, we had an attendance
of 72 and during the week we had 50 people attending our cell groups. We
are averaging over 70 people on Sundays and need larger space in order to
keep growing. Gabriel, a man known for being very, very closed to the
gospel, gave his life to Christ last week. Another man known as the
neighborhood drunk had come to church recently on several occasions with
cheap wine in one hand, walking up to the altar in mid-service, and
crossing himself with the other hand, as Catholics do. We have been praying
for him. Last Sunday he came to church sober and stayed for the whole
service."
To learn more about what is occurring in Covenant ministries, regularly
visit this online Covenant news report at www.covchurch.org. To send
information about your church or parishioners for consideration in this
report, call Covenant Communications at 773-478-4676, extension 117 or
email the Department of Communication at newsdesk@covchurch.org. Church
newsletters can be sent by regular mail to Covenant Communications, 5101 N.
Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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