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Youth Groups Busy with Camping, Mission Trips
CHICAGO, IL (March 25, 2005) - Evangelical Covenant Church youth across the
country have been spending a lot of time camping and developing plans
for mission trips throughout the United States and in various countries.
Planned trips include Seattle, Washington, and Chicago to work with
people in inner city areas. Others include trips to Ecuador and Mexico.
Churches are raising funds for the trips in many ways, including
ping-pong tournaments and auctioning of services provided by the
students. Plans also are under way in many churches in preparation for
CHIC 2006 to be held once again on the campus of the University of
Tennessee in Knoxville.
Other events in which Covenant youth have been involved have been
gleaned from the more than 250 local church newsletters received each
month by the Department of Communication. The following information is
organized by conference and region.
CENTRAL
- South Bend, Indiana: Several youthful attendees at the Evangelical
Covenant Church received awards in different competitions. Kipchumba
Kibet was the fifth-grade spelling bee champion for the city of
Mishawaka while four other students received honors at the Indiana State
School Music Association contest. Krista Bladel, received three gold
medals for violin solo, quartet, and large ensemble; Cierra Strawder
received two gold medals and one silver medal for violin; Gordon Sill
received a gold medal for a piano solo; and Kim Gibson earned first
place in Group 1 vocal quartet, second place for Show Choir and third
place for Show Choir.
- Ellsworth, Wisconsin: Zion Covenant Church youth had an adventure to
Duluth and spent much of the time skiing at Spirit Mountain.
EAST COAST
- East Bridgewater, Massachusetts: Members of Community Covenant
Church are reaching out to the community through pickup hockey games at
the local ice rink.
GREAT LAKES
- Lyndhurst, Ohio: Teens and senior adults at Bethany Covenant Church
shared a meal and stories together during the congregation's first
Keen-Teen Luncheon recently.
MIDWEST
- Lindsborg, Kansas: Fourteen-year-old Rachel Friedman was the
youngest person to perform in the annual production of Frederick
Handel's Messiah. She was one of three cellists and it was her
first time to participate. Other Covenanters participating in the
performances were Robert Ahlstedt, Kimia Bundgard, Melinda Hansen,
Priscilla Johnson, Josh Jones, Ruth Ann Leaf, Joshua Lindgren, Kathy
Lindgren, Larry Lindgren, Jordan Smith, Cheryl Spare, Lukas Spare, and
Norman Yoder. The nationally recognized production is 124 years old –
the oldest in the country - and is part of the Messiah Festival of Music
and Arts, which runs through Holy Week. Held on the campus of Bethany
College, the performances have been the subject of articles in national
and regional magazines.
NORTH PACIFIC
- Bellingham, Washington: Students from Bellingham Covenant Church
participated in a 30-hour fund-raising famine project. Teens went
without food for 30 hours as a way to raise funds to benefit World
Vision and the local ministry of LOVE, Inc.
- Portland, Oregon: The youth group of First Covenant Church broke a
three-year streak of getting stuck on Mt. Hood during their winter retreat.
NORTHWEST
- North Mankato, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church youth
group attended the two-day conference "Acquire the Fire."
- Richfield, Minnesota: Erick Abramson is now studying in Sweden.
- Blaine, Minnesota: The new youth room was dedicated at Good Shepherd
Covenant Church.
- Iron River, Michigan: Andrew Pifke was awarded the "God and Family"
medal awarded by the Boy Scouts of America.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST
- San Diego: Heavy rain thwarted 45 junior and senior high students
from Clairemont Covenant Church who had planned to attend Alpine Camp
and Conference Center - they had an overnight at the church instead.
They made a weekend of it playing mud football, watching the Chargers in
the playoffs and making pancakes during the Sunday school hour.
- Los Altos, California: The Santa Clara County Girl Scouts presented
Foothills Covenant Church with a Community Partnership Award for hosting
a number of troops.
- Tucson, Arizona: Eight teenagers from the Evangelical Covenant
Church visited the Casa de Elizabeth Orphanage in Imuris, Mexico.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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