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Ministry to Mohawks Highlights August Newsletter Activity
HOGANSBURG, NY (August 5, 2004) - Twenty-one high school students and adult
leaders from Community Covenant Church completed volunteer work on a
Mohawk Indian reservation in upstate New York - one of many mission
trips being undertaken by Evangelical Covenant Church congregations this
month.
The June 28 trip, sponsored by YouthWorks, also included volunteers from
churches in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. They lived in a
refurbished Quonset hut that had been converted into a church, running a
Vacation Bible School for 40 kids, ministering to the elderly and
painting homes, among other things.
"Through a daily Kids Klub program, through visiting and serving at an
area nursing home, through painting and working alongside Mohawk leaders
at the reservation's Boys and Girls Club, and through painting and
general maintenance of individual homes on the reservation, lives were
changed as relationships were established and stories shared," said
youth pastor Johnny Agurkis.
"The generosity and expressions of thankfulness shown by the residents
of the reservation were more than just token words and handshakes,"
Agurkis continued. "As cultural barriers fell and communication around
picnic tables and paintbrushes developed during the week, God's
faithfulness was evident to all. Lives were changed - Mohawk lives and
Covenant lives . . . it was a trip well worth all the time and effort
that was put
into it."
Eight other Covenant churches took student mission trips of some sort
during recent months, according to information gleaned from the more
than 250 local church newsletters received each month by Covenant
Communications. Some traveled to Latin America and the Caribbean and
others ministered in various states or nearby cities. A number of other
young people participated in mission trips sponsored by non-Covenant
organizations or plan to serve in the upcoming weeks. Following are
highlights of those and other activities, grouped by conference and region.
CENTRAL
- Stillman Valley, Illinois: Valley Covenant Church sent a group of
nine high school students and two counselors on a mission trip to Boston
to help an area church with Vacation Bible School and other projects.
The group included Chris and Paula Ravn, John Tallman, Mike Anderson,
Brian Holmertz, Cortney Bond, Angie and Carla Huber, Ted Smith, Aaron
Deets and John Feimster.
- South Bend, Indiana: Katie Fisher of the Evangelical Covenant Church
of South Bend recently performed in Pajama Game, a summer school
musical in the area.
EAST COAST
- Manchester, Connecticut: A high school group from Trinity Covenant
Church recently spent time at a local food pantry after being given $80
by the church's stewardship team for "furthering God's Kingdom." Those
involved in the project included Beth Kline, Amy Russell, Tim DeValve,
Jim Munsie, Josh McAuliffe,
Rachel Moore, Michelle Marciano and Deanna Shippee. Some helped stock
food at the food pantry. Others went to a local store and bought food
with the money given to them by the church as a way to add to the food
already at the pantry. The $80 bought 800 pounds of food for the local
shelter and soup kitchen and the pantry. The team worked for three hours.
- East Bridgewater, Massachusetts: Melissa Ellis of Community Covenant
Church was selected as one of 64 national finalists in INSPIRATION'S
2004-05 Christian Artist Talent Search in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Ellis will sing while accompanied by Janice
Wright. The winner of the competition will be awarded a $200,000
recording contract with the Butterfly Record Christian Label Studio.
- Springfield, Massachusetts: A team of about three dozen high school
students and volunteer leaders headed to Monterrey, Mexico, on July 17
for one week of mission work that included Vacation Bible School
programs and outreach efforts, among other things. They partnered with
Covenant-sponsored Merge Ministries and with Mexican Covenant
congregations, according to a recent church newsletter report.
- Cranston, Rhode Island: Calvary Covenant Church's Valerie Zabel has
committed for a year of mission work with an inner-city ministry in
Philadelphia called Mission Year, beginning in September. Part of her
time will be spent serving in community outreach and part of her efforts
will be as a volunteer in a local organization, such as a school,
shelter or arts center that will be arranged after she arrives.
ECCAK
- Eagle River, Alaska: Students from Community Covenant Church have
been busy this summer as groups have gone to Jamaica and Mexico in
recent weeks. A group of 15
traveled to Ensenada, Mexico, in June for a mission trip under youth
pastor Brian Nanninga. Along with Nanninga, adult leaders included
Janelle Heagy and Ileana Garcia-Soto. Students included Robert Baker,
Renee Daw, Elizabeth Ducharme, Joshua Ellis, Kristi Grove, Shane
Hoffbeck, Taylor Huerta, Jake McDonald, Robert Schnell, Tory Schuyler,
Jenny Schwartz and Matt Stouffer. The contingent in Jamaica included
Nanninga and adult leaders Autumn Botts, Neil Botts, Dan Cooper, Sally
Engibous and Amanda McDonald, along with students Huerta, Katie Cooper,
Shelby Effinger, Catherine Engibous, Ian Hoffbeck, Sam Meredith and
Nicole Noyles.
GREAT LAKES
- Muskegon, Michigan: Forest Park Covenant Church sent a student
mission team to Charleston, West Virginia, in late July as part of an
effort by YouthWorks parachurch ministry to aid those in the state's
capital city. Students included Russell Amidon,
Kaitlin Anderson, Alex Baldwin, Kayla Barkett, Brittney Bickmeyer,
Christa and Stephanie Bonin, Erik Borgeson, Steve Brennan, Jared
Conklin, Machelle Cook,
Paul Dallman, Kyle DeBoef, Adam Dickerson, Rachel and Tyler Drelles,
Stacey Ernwall, Christine Gaultney, Stefanie Gordon, Meredith Gruszka,
Patrick and Alex Hughes, Kellyne Irwin, Nina Carlson, Amy Kamps, Katie
Kelner, Kari Kruzel, Megan Lange, Mary Leist, James and Marc Line,
Alicia Magnuson, Tessa McBrayer, Jorden Meyers, Nicole Morris, Josh
Orton, Steven Paseshnik, Brittani Pruim, Cameron Recknagel, Meghan
Rollins, Alexis Sauter, Elizabeth Snider, Kyle Start, Emily Tisch, Nick
Townsend and Zack Wheeler. Adult leaders included youth pastor Tim
Ciccone, Roger Orton, Greg Buter, Margaret Start and Mary Baldwin.
- Saranac, Michigan: Saranac Community Church sent a mission team
including youth pastor Tammi Biggs, Gary Walters, Julie Gage, Rachelle
Agostini, Mallory
Brogger, Andy Patton, Dawn Tetterton, Chad Albert, Heather Crevier, Mike
Novak and John Walters to Ecuador to help with construction efforts,
engage in street ministry to kids and lead children's programs during 10
days in July. The group helped finish a
construction project on a church in Carmen Bajo and refurbish an
orphanage, El Dulce Refugio, in another area.
- Jamestown, New York: First Covenant Church's Matthew Johnson made
the Merit Roll for academic achievement during every marking period at
Persell Middle School
while Heather Soderberg made the honor roll at nearby Jefferson Middle
School. Mark Soderberg was named Fourth Grader of the Year at Rodgers
School.
- Lyndhurst, Ohio: Bethany Covenant Church's Micah and Asher
Littlefield traveled to Panama City, Panama, on July 11 as part of a
mission trip that includes drama and personal evangelism to spread the
gospel. Ministry to urban areas and a trip to the jungles near the city
to work with Kuna and Ebera Indians are part of the itinerary. The event
is sponsored through Teen Mania, which is headquartered in Garden
Valley, Texas.
MIDWEST
- Clyde, Kansas: Brantford Evangelical Covenant Church's Matt Carlson
and five others traveled to Denver July 12-18 for the National Future
Business Leaders
Association convention after Clifton-Clyde High School earned a spot in
nationals by competing favorably at the state level in Emporia. Fellow
Clifton-Clyde student Jesse Lundquist (co-valedictorian at his school)
traveled on a two-week mission trip to Mexico
with TFC Connection out of Phillipsburg, Kansas. He was one of 21 on the
mission team.
- Wausa, Nebraska: Matthew Olson of the Evangelical Covenant Church of
Wausa recently received his Eagle Scout Award at a ceremony held at the
church.
NORTH PACIFIC
- Eugene, Oregon: Valley Covenant Church's Kendra Meshnik spent part
of her summer with the Long Beach (CA) Rescue Mission doing urban
ministry. She worked
six weeks as part of an experience via New Life Community Center in Los
Angeles.
- Portland, Oregon: West Hills Covenant Church seventh and eighth
grade students have found a unique way to help its community find the
church – via Global
Positioning Systems adventure – as they set up a geocache on the
Internet and had an online trade of various objects that were located in
a Rubbermaid container located on the church grounds. According to Moe
Berg, who wrote an article about the idea, "the students are hoping that
the cache will attract others with an adventurous spirit and let them
know there is a church back there in the hills of west Portland." The West
Hills Crossing geocache site can be found on www.geocaching.com by
entering the zip code of the church, 97221.
- Kent, Washington: Kent Covenant Church's Jill Schiffelbein was named
Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the King County Journal at a June
10 banquet after starring in volleyball and basketball at Kent View
Christian High School. According to an interview in a recent church
newsletter, Schiffelbein scored 1,219 points in her four-year prep
basketball career and set school records for career rebounds, blocked
shots, steals and assists. She was a first team All-Conference pick in
both basketball and volleyball and also maintained a 4.0 grade-point
average scholastically. Schiffelbein will attend Biola University in La
Mirada, California in the fall and will try to play both sports in college.
NORTHWEST
- Cottage Grove, Minnesota: CrossRoads Church student Bryan Klaes was
given a Special Achievement Award by Oltman Junior High during its
commencement ceremonies. Meanwhile, Amanda Dawson received the World
Language Award for her prowess in Spanish and Danielle Arganbright, Abby
Hendrickson and Michelle Marty were recognized for their contributions
in student activities.
- Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethlehem Covenant Church's Elisa Niemi won
a national award scholastically in Social Studies as she posted the
highest mark among second graders from 25 schools in a test sponsored by
the National Social Studies League. Niemi will enter third grade at
nearby Minnehaha Academy this fall.
- Rochester, Minnesota: Rochester Covenant Church sent 44 students and
adults to Mexico in July on a mission project sponsored through Covenant
Merge Ministries. They assisted local churches with work projects,
Vacation Bible School and outreach efforts.
Students included Shelley Anklin, Megan Frutiger, Stephanie and Rachel
Dawson, Emily Miller, Katherine Pederson, Allie Burch, Leslie Collins,
Kelsey Thompson, Megan Uhlenberg, Megan Sherden, Kaylene and Trevor
Carpenter, Sarah and Jacob Taylor, Rachel Halleen, Suzannah Bentley,
Kelsy, Ian and Rachel Olsen, Jessie Nash, Andrew Zirk, Drew Coker,
Jarrod and Matt Hofer, Wes Tanaka, Cameron and Tyler Risma, John Anhalt,
Tom Dobberke, Charlie Goeke, Dave Steffens and Erik Hester. Adult
leaders included Linda, Jarry and Shane Richardson, Jessica Petz, Alan
Bentley, Susy Olsen, Faith and Katie Zimmerman, John DuBall, Kyle Gill,
Faith Dunn and Ryan Hofer.
- Willmer, Minnesota: First Covenant Church took a mission trip to
Chicago in late July to do inner-city ministry. Students included Matt
Ahmann, Angie and Jane Beckman, Amanda, Beth and Luke Buer, Christina
and Mollie Clark, Samantha Crow, Ryan Epema, Josh Honken, Shalese and
Tom Sands, Melissa Neal, Alissa DeGrote, Brandon and Brian Klein,
Stephanie Nordstrom, Nick Kuehnast, Delina Liebe, Mallory Moore, Ben
Perry, Allyson Roberts and Cortney Staton. Adult volunteers were Dave
Ostercamp, Dan Sands, Voni Swanson, Beth Moore and Alyssa Besonen.
- Wyoming, Minnesota: Linwood Covenant Church sent a contingent of 14
students and three adult leaders to West Virginia to work with a pair of
area churches in
construction, visitation and Vacation Bible School. The students in the
group included Darla Allen, Brent Borowick, Amy Drown, Jennah Engen,
Allysa Hansen, Kayla Hofeld, Keegan Hofeld, Chris Kleinhuizen, Dianna
Schave, Heather Taylor, Jessena Taylor, Chris Turner, Dustin Turner and
Angela Williams. The adults leaders included youth pastor Jeremy Elseth
and his wife, Jaime, along with Chuck Johnson.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST
- San Jose, California: First Covenant Church confirmed Alysson Donato
and Alexandra Richmond during a recent Sunday worship service.
SOUTHEAST
- Groveland, Florida: Southeast Conference Associate Supt. Robert
Owens and Faith Covenant Church (St. Petersburg, Florida) youth pastor
Brian Alnes were the guest speakers at a conference Bible camp held July
12-16. Jim Black, pastor at Hope Covenant
Church in Boynton Beach, Florida, led music for the event, which
included nearly 40 students in middle school and high school.
To keep current with activities of Covenant youth and others, regularly
visit this Covenant online news report at www.covchurch.org. To submit
information for consideration in the online report, send material by
email at newsdesk@covchurch.org, call 773-478-4676, Ext. 117, or send
information by regular mail to Covenant
Communications, 5101 N. Francisco Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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