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Michigan Church Celebrates 125th Anniversary
MUSKEGON, MI (June 26, 2006) - The past, present and future of Forest Park Covenant Church were celebrated in song as part of the recent worship service that honored the church’s 125th anniversary.
The June 11 service opened with “Thanks to God for My Redeemer,” sung in Swedish. “Teach Me, O Jehovah,” played during the offertory, was written by Carl O. Borgeson, who served the congregation as choir director for 42 years from the early 1940s to the early 1980s. The modern hymn, “This is a Time to Remember,” was penned by well-known Covenant hymn writer Bryan Jeffrey Leach.
 Looking to the future, the choir sang the specially commissioned “High on a Hill,” written by Rick Carlson, another contemporary Covenant songwriter. The congregation also closed the service with the song.
Donn Engebretson, executive vice president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, preached on the message theme “You are the Plan!” The sermon drew on Acts 8:1-8. Engebretson’s participation also linked the present with the past – his father Milton Engebretson, former president of the Covenant, spoke during the church’s centennial celebration.
The weekend celebration began June 9. Jerry and Michaella Jacoby served as wandering minstrels, while Covenanter Ken Davis shared his humor and spiritual insights.
The church was formed in 1881 and has been known by three names: the Swedish Mission, 1881-1917; Muskegon Covenant, 1917-1983; and Forest Park Covenant, 1983 to the present.
Lyrics to “High on a Hill”
From high on a hill through the darkness of night
One dared raise a flame to the storm,
To shine in a world where there’s no light at all;
Come and find the way, Come and find your rest,
Come and you can know the Lord.
What flamed in the past are embers still bright
Igniting the saints of today,
The table is set for the body of Christ;
Come and eat the bread. Come and drink the wine,
Come and you can know the Lord.
(Chorus)
There is just one body, just one Spirit, one baptism as you were called,
One faith, one hope, one Lord.
For you will shine as a light to all peoples, a light to the nations,
A light to the whole world, the whole world,
The whole wide world to come to Christ.
So Lord fan the flame of the Spirit of God,
To blaze in our hearts from today,
Transform and renew from what gets in the way.
Come and give your peace. Come and give your joy.
Come, so we can know you, Lord.
Copyright Rick Carlson (2006)
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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