Covenant Calling - Community Covenant Church

The Community
Covenant Calling
Pursing Christ and His priorities in the world
May 2015
www.communitycovenant.net
CCC achieves firsts along Vitality Pathway
By Mary M. Rall
Community Covenant Church
Community Covenant Church
isn’t the first to walk along the Vitality Pathway, but the congregation’s
involvement in its workshops and
the PULSE assessment have set it
apart from all previously participating churches.
John Wenrich, the Evangelical
Covenant Church’s Congregational
Vitality director, said CCC is the first
church in his nine years of teaching
Congregational Vitality to have almost 40 percent of its regularly attending parishioners participate in
the PULSE assessment.
CCC had 199 people participate
in the assessment, which gathered
feedback on how those 12 and older
perceived the church is doing on implementing the 10 Healthy Missional
Markers, said Vitality Team Facilitator Debbie Bogart. The results of
the assessment are being compiled
by the ECC and will be provided to
CCC in the upcoming weeks.
Wenrich said the church also
stood out in the manner in which
high schooler Nathaniel Swanberg
participated in the Congregational Vitality process, as he’s the only
teenager to ever attend all three local
Vitality workshops.
“I want to know what’s going
on,” Swanberg said of his workshop
attendance, which included Veritas,
EPIC and One. “I know what’s going
on, so I can help with it and be involved with it instead of just seeing
what’s going on.”
About 38 people attended the One
workshop April 11 at CCC, which focused on unifying the congregation
with one plan, as one people and
with one language as the Strategic
Ministry Planning Team prepares to
Photo by Mary M. Rall/Community Covenant Church
Evangelical Covenant Church Congregational Vitality Director John Wenrich leads
the One workshop April 11.
discern how the Holy Spirit will help
them interpret the results of the information gathered by the Internal
and External assessment teams and
the PULSE assessment.
“There’s something very endearing to the heart of God. He loves it
when His people are one,” Wenrich
said. “That brings a lot of glory to God
when a church is united around a common language and a common plan.”
Lead Pastor Todd Michero said
the selection of the team was determined following several months of independent prayer by himself, Bogart
and Worship Arts Pastor Tyler Shaw
to determine who God would have
serve on the team.
“It was amazing – the unity –
how the same names came forth,”
Michero said. “Every single person
who God spoke to us in unity about
said ‘yes.’”
The Strategic Ministry Planning
Team will be comprised of Michero,
Kevin Halvorsen, Dave Wille, Denise
Smith, Stephanie Stockhouse, Cary
Moore and Prayer and Missions Pastor Erika Whittington, Michero said.
Denise Smith of Eagle River said
she committed to participating, because she trusted what God communicated to those who prayed about
who should serve on the team.
“I trusted that the Spirit worked
through them, so I said ‘yes,’” Smith
said. “Saying ‘no’ to them would have
See One - Page 7
Church to host Global Leadership Summit
Community Covenant Church
Community Covenant Church
will be hosting the 2015 Global
Leadership Summit Aug. 6-7 from
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
No matter where a person
leads, the Global Leadership
Summit is a world-class experience designed to help participants get better and embrace
their grander vision — the reason
God called them to lead.
The summit is broadcast live
from the Willow Creek campus to
more than 375 premier host sites
in North America and later around
the world, and participants are invited to join an expected 260,000
people to experience the event.
Churches from throughout the
Anchorage Bowl and the MatSu
Valley will be invited to attend,
and CCC is looking for volunteers
to help support and participate in
this event.
For more information, contact
Mary Rall at 632-0366 or mary@
communitycovenant.net.
2
The Covenant Calling May 2015
Generosity reaps heavenly dividends
By Pastor Todd Michero
Community Covenant Church
I’ve never seen a U-Haul following a hearse, have you? The answer
to this question serves to remind us
that “you can’t take it with you.”
Jesus said it this way: “Do not
store up treasures for yourselves on
earth, where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures
in heaven, where moth and rust do
not destroy, and where thieves do not
break in and steal. For where your
treasure is, your heart will be also.”
(Matthew 6:19-21).
As we continue to pursue Christ
and His priorities in the world, let
our hearts be inclined toward generous living and giving. An investment
in Christ’s work in the world yields
heavenly dividends.
For several years, MasterCard
conducted an advertising campaign
that highlighted the costs associated with a “priceless” experience. You
might be familiar with one commercial that shows a father and son on
an outing to a major league baseball
game.
The commercial tallies the day’s
expenses and concludes the experience the father purchased is “priceless.” It then adds, “There are some
things money can’t buy, but for everything else there’s MasterCard.”
We were reminded April 26 at
the Sunday services that our investments in Christ’s priorities at Alaska
Christian College are “priceless” in
heaven’s economy. The generous gifts
made to the college by our congregation yield hope for students whose
lives are being transformed by the
power of the Gospel.
Yes, there are things money can’t
buy. Some things only God can make
possible. Hope is one of them. God
is using your generosity to make a
transforming walk with Jesus a reality in the lives of students from Native
villages in Alaska. Priceless!
Meet the Strategic Ministry Planning Team
By Mary M. Rall
Community Covenant Church
The Strategic Ministry Planning
Team is working to understand where
God is leading Community Covenant
Church as it carefully considers the
information compiled by the Internal
and External assessment teams and
PULSE in support of the Congregational Vitality process.
The team members recently
shared their thoughts as to why they
accepted the invitation to be part of
the team and how they hope to help
CCC learn and grow together through
the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor
Todd
Michero: “The strategic planning essentially
becomes
the ministry of the
church, and, as the
church pastor, I’m
called to lead our congregation into
the discernible future that God will
produce through it.”
values. Decision making aligned with
broader values, goals and direction is
usually better than reactionary decisions that lack intention and focus.
“I enjoy thinking about the ‘bigger picture’ and orienting concepts.
I enjoy thinking about change and
growth, not just at the individual level, but also within communities, systems and cultures.”
Kevin Halvorsen: “I joined the
team in large part
because it aligns
with my own interests and personal
David
Wille:
“We have a good
church, and we’re
headed in a positive direction. I believe we’re following
Lead Pastor
Todd Michero
todd@communitycovenant.net
16123 Artillery Road
Eagle River, Alaska 99577
(907) 696-5229
Communications and
Connections Director
Mary M. Rall
mary@communitycovenant.net
@CCCEagleRiver
May 2015
God’s will for His church. His will is
for His church to be great, because
God is great, and we could be a great
church if we listen and follow his
direction. I would love to help be a
part of the greatness of what God
does here in Alaska. That could be
with us.
“I bring stimulus, and I bring
some team building skills. We will
pray that we can reach our full potential as a team. I’ll also bring motivation to build the momentum we need
to make progress. Hopefully, we can
develop a strategic plan that clearly
guides our church’s ministries and
obviously has God’s blessing.”
The Covenant Calling us to expand what we’re doing in Eagle River and Alaska, and I have a
feeling of anticipation when I think
about being involved in his work.”
Denise Smith:
“I trust in the process and how the
Holy Spirit was
leading those selecting the team. I hope
to bring my experience with strategic planning and my
people skills. I’ve been described as a
connector.”
Cary Moore:
“I joined the team
because I felt the
Lord’s leading to do
so. As a busy mom
and wife, I am careful about commitments that involve time outside of
our family.
“When Pastor Todd asked me
to consider the team, I was excited
about the opportunity to listen to how
the congregation responded through
PULSE, prayerfully consider the direction that would take us and chart
an organized path towards new goals.
I enjoy being a part of growth and
change and was truly honored to be
asked to join this team.
“I hope to bring organizational
skills, communication skills and decision making skills that are led by the
Holy Spirit”
Stephanie
Stockhouse:
“It
felt like a good way
to be involved in
the church’s future
direction and building on the foundation we’ve built over the last 20 some
years. I have a sense that God wants
Pastor
Erika
Whittington:
“I’m
acting as the staff liaison. That lines up
with who I am as far
as being a strategic
thinker, so I think it
makes sense for me to be part of the
team.”
Name: Tyler Shaw
Age: 48
Spouse’s name: Wendy Shaw
Number of children: Two
City of residence: Eagle River
What brought you to Alaska?: Wendy is from here, and
we wanted to live here
How do you serve at CCC?:
Worship Arts Ministry
What did you want to do
when you grew up? Ministry
or music
What song would be on the
soundtrack of your life?:
“Amazing Grace”
Who would you choose to
be your mentor?: Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
What would you change
your first name to?: Raul
What would you like to learn
to do?: Fly a helicopter
What’s something most
people may not know about
you?: Wendy and I lived on
a sailboat for two-and-a-half
years
3
4
The Covenant Calling May 2015
Saying goodbye to the Lomens
By Mary M. Rall
Community Covenant Church
The geography of a church sanctuary can often be described by the
individuals and families who serve as
landmarks in the plots of seats they
routinely fill on Sunday mornings.
The landscape of Community Covenant Church will be forever changed
in mid-May, though, when Jim and
Nanci Lomen no longer occupy the
seats they’ve faithfully filled for so
many years.
The couple is preparing to move
to South San Francisco, where Jim
has accepted a position as the San
Francisco Airports District office
manager. Jim will begin his new job
in June, and the Lomens will drive a
U-Haul truck out of Alaska May 12.
The excitement of the move and
all the adventures that will come with
it is almost palpable when speaking
with Jim and Nanci, both of whom
admit that leaving their family and
their friends at CCC will be the hardest part of leaving the state.
“Community Covenant Church
is the only church where I ever felt
I belonged, and that’s where all my
growth has been,” Jim said, explaining he began attending CCC in 2000.
Nanci began attending in 2001, soon
after they started dating.
Both said many from CCC have
been instrumental in their lives
and those of their children, Victoria
Barnes, 22, Eric Fragnoli, 20, and
Brandt Lomen, 19. All of the Lomens’
children have very different interests
and personalities, to say the least, but
Nanci and Jim said the one thing they
all have in common is the manner in
which CCC and its congregation have
poured into their lives.
The list of people who’ve loved
and supported the Lomen family
over the years seemed endless as Jim
and Nanci recounted the significant
relationships they’ve formed at the
church. Both shared fond memories
of former youth pastors Brian Nanninga and Jeff Keyser, Bob and San-
(Above) Jim and Nanci Lomen will leave
the CCC family this month as they move to
California, where Jim has accepted a position as the San Francisco Airports District
office manager. (Right) Many from the CCC
community have lived and served alongside the Lomen family over the years.
dy Gold, Kevin and Ann Murphy and
former Lead Pastor Mark Meredith.
“He was the only pastor I had a
relationship with and who spoke into
my life,” Jim said of Meredith, admitting he was initially shook when
Meredith announced he would be
leaving CCC when Jim was serving
on the church’s Leadership Team.
Jim said he soon found peace in
prayer, though, and he was privileged to witness how God worked to
bring Lead Pastor Todd Michero to
CCC.
“I had great anticipation that
God was going to do something
great,” Jim said. “To witness God’s
faithfulness to our church through
that whole process was very encouraging.”
Nanci smiled as she remembered
fond memories of how she and her
children have been supported and
loved over the last 14 years at CCC.
“The church is our family, and
the church cared for our kids,” Nanci
Photos courtesy of Nanci Lomen
said, recalling when their family was
baptized in the Jordan River during
CCC’s first trip to Israel.
“Mark prayed over Victoria the
day she got her permit, and she’s
still a good driver to this day,” Nanci laughed. “Sandy has prayed with
Victoria. Bob would sit and have
conversations with Brandt when we
were camping and would fish with
Eric.”
Both Jim and Nanci agree the
Golds were instrumental in encouraging them to serve at CCC as well.
“I would have never thought of
myself as serving with the Women’s Ministry,” Nanci said. “If Sandy
hadn’t asked, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Jim said his first act of volunteerism at CCC was hanging the acousSee Lomen - Page 8
May 2015
The Covenant Calling 5
Student serves, grows alongside adult congregation
By Mary M. Rall
Community Covenant Church
The volunteer needs of a church
are many and varied, and high schooler Nathanial Swanberg can often be
counted on to enthusiastically serve
however he’s called to do so.
Although the 17 year old volunteers by doing everything from painting lines in the parking lot in the
spring, to playing keyboard with the
worship band and ushering during
Sunday services, to serving on the
high school Student Leadership
Team, Nathanial recently stood out
by serving as a member of the Vitality
Communications Team and by being
the first teenager to attend all three
local Vitality workshops as a part of
Community Covenant Church’s Congregational Vitality process.
“I love to serve people and to see
them taking in Christ’s love, because
He calls us to love one and other by
serving each other,” Nathanial said
as to why he seeks out opportunities to volunteer independently and
alongside his family at CCC.
A significant part of understanding the church’s volunteer needs is
remaining informed, he said, which
is why Nathanial said he participated in the church Vitality process and
attended the local workshops.
“It just gives me a little bit better
of an understanding of what’s going
on,” he said, explaining it’s also a way
for him to demonstrate who Christ is
to others. “We’re moving toward becoming more like Christ and His priorities and how He wants us to love
others.”
High School and Young Adult
Ministries Director Mike Alverts
came on staff at CCC in September
and said he saw the Vitality Pathway
as an opportunity for high schoolers
to grow alongside the adult congregation.
“The Vitality process has modeled adults as being willing to pursue
becoming more healthy and missional, and this has normalized the idea
that we all want to be and become a
healthy, missional church,” Mike said.
my people,’ and mean it. This is a
vital step that’s still in need of happening for us to become more healthy
and missional.”
Nathanial said he’s gained a lot
from the experience and the manner
in which information on Congregational Vitality has been shared by
Mike.
“His messages are just great,
and they’re easy to listen to and understand,” he said, noting he would
highly encourage other teens to get
involved in the Vitality process at
their church as well. “So many times,
youth get left out of stuff, and that
way they would know what’s going
on.”
Several of CCC’s high schoolers
served on Vitality Teams, and Mike
said he’s enjoyed observing their
walk along the Vitality Pathway.
“It’s been fun to see students
like Nathaniel embrace the process,”
Mike said. “He has a significant sense
of justice and has channeled that filter to speak up for missions and for
wanting us to see us move toward
health as a community.”
Now that the Vitally teams have
concluded and the Strategic Ministry
Planning Team is serving to discern
what God’s next steps for CCC are,
Mike said it’s more important than
ever to continue to invest in CCC’s
youth and the congregation as a
whole.
The high school youth group was
in the midst of walking through the
10 Healthy Missional Markers the
same weeks they were featured in the
Sunday congregational services when
Mike started directing the program.
“I liked how the markers gave us
a common language and ideas to think
about and affirm,” he said. “The 10
Healthy Missional Markers are also
easy to buy into, as most of us want
to have these markers be true of us as
individuals, and often we would want
them to be true of our community.”
Nathanial said he appreciated
having the markers incorporated
into the high school programming,
because many students who attend
youth group don’t attend Sunday services with their families.
“It helped that the youth group
and the church knew what was going on,” Nathanial said, explaining
students can sometimes feel out of
the loop on what’s happening within the church as a whole. “Somebody
actually cared about the youth group
enough to let them know what was
happening in the
‘big church.’”
Mike said the
relational aspects of
the Vitality process
are integral to the
identity he hopes
CCC’s youth will realize as followers of
Christ.
“I wanted the
youth to look around
the room and be able
to say, ‘These are
my people,’” he said.
“Secondly, I want
Photo by Mary M. Rall/Community Covenant Church
the youth to look
around the church Evangelical Covenant Church Congregational Vitality Director
John Wenrich shares a moment with high schooler Nathaniel
and say, ‘These are Swanberg April 11 during a break at the One workshop.
6
The Covenant Calling May 2015
Thinking outside the CrossFit box
By Mary M. Rall
Community Covenant Church
Community Covenant Church
is seeking to improve the spiritual
and physical health of area residents
through its CrossFit Iron Refined
ministry.
The concept for the ministry began more than a year ago when Kate
Polk, the CrossFit Iron Refined lead
trainer, began IRON Refined – CrossFunctional Fitness at her Eagle River
home. She said the inspiration for the
ministry’s name is biblical and rooted in Proverbs 27:17, which reads,
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person
sharpens another.”
“I just found that verse to be so
meaningful as to what I was looking
for in a CrossFit community,” Polk
said. “The purpose of the community
is that we’re sweating, we’re working
out, we’re growing together in a community, and one person gets stronger
because of another. So, as iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another
– one person builds another.”
That relational mindset is inte-
gral to the ministry and the CrossFit
community, said Lisa Thomas of Eagle River, a CrossFit Level 1 trainer
with CrossFit Iron Refined.
“Everybody’s just cheering for
each other,” Thomas said. “When
I’m working out and there’s someone
who’s even faster than me or they’re
slower than me, it doesn’t even matter, I just encourage them.”
Such a positive training environment has drawn many to CCC who
may not have otherwise visited the
church, said Community Covenant’s
Prayer and Missions Pastor Erika
Whittington.
“The majority of people who are
participating in CrossFit are not part
of this church,” she said, adding there
are currently about 25 regular participants in the ministry, which began
in January.
“Four months in, and we’re right
about where we should be,” Whittington said, as most new ventures of this
nature have a growth rate of about
three to five participants per month.
Whittington added the ministry
is also an outreach opportunity that
serves a niche in the Eagle River
community that’s not being otherwise filled and may allow for a safe
and nonthreatening environment for
people to explore their faith.
“Our coaches are Christians, and
the environment is one that’s positive
and encouraging. It opens the door
for people to have organic conversations,” she said. “It’s obvious that this
is a church, so that has allowed people to see the environment as maybe
See CrossFit - Page 7
Game on
(Above) Kathryn Bistodeau acts out a clue for her team
during a game of charades April 26 at a Senior High
School Youth Group game night. (Right) Aaron Davis
makes a break for the hoop with his brother, Abel,
close on his hills. The students spent the evening playing a variety of games, to include basketball, volleyball, kickball and board games.
Photos by Mary M. Rall/Community Covenant Church
May 2015
The Covenant Calling 7
From One - Page 1
been saying ‘no’ to the Spirit.’”
Wenrich has been CCC’s main resource for understanding the Vitality
Pathway, but he admits he doesn’t
know what the SMPT will encounter
over the next couple of months.
“The answers are in the conversations you’ll have as the Holy Spirit works and guides,” Wenrich said,
adding that having a Strategic Ministry Plan is biblical and is exemplified in God’s perfect plan for creation,
which includes the sacrifice of Christ
for our sins, His return and the eternal salvation of His people becoming
a reality.
Although One was the last workshop Wenrich will lead at CCC, he
said Covenant churches in Fairbanks,
Nome and the state village communiFrom CrossFit - Page 4
a place to ask questions.”
Polk said there’s also a relational
aspect of CrossFit training that encourages whole-body fitness and adds
a level of accountability to the experience that isn’t found in most forms
of exercise.
“It’s not just physical strength,
it’s spiritual strength, it’s community strength, it’s being together,” Polk
said. “I can hold you accountable all
day, but once you have this little community of people who you love seeing
every day, they notice when you’re
not there.”
According to Polk, CrossFit Iron
Refined has a training model that’s
designed for those 18 or older and is
appropriate for participants of all fitness levels.
“We have people come to us who
are injured, who have prior injuries,
women who are pregnant, people
with athletic backgrounds who’ve run
marathons and triathlons and people
who have never done anything before in their lives,” Polk said, adding
men and women in their 20s could be
working out alongside those in their
60s.
“The beauty of it is that everybody brings their own talent, their
own physical fitness gift, and is married up with other people and their
ties will soon begin their own walks
along the Vitality Pathway.
Bogart has volunteered to help
the Nome and Fairbanks churches
facilitate their journey toward Congregational Vitality, Wenrich said,
and Evangelical Covenant Church of
Alaska Associate Regional Field Director James Barefoot will be working with the village churches.
“The Vitality movement is literally moving throughout the state,”
Michero said. “We’re on the forefront,
and I’m just excited about that.”
More information on Congregational Vitality and the 10 Healthy
Missional Markers is available at
www.communitycovenant.net.
gifts,” she said. “Everybody has a
strength, everybody has a weakness,
and we’re all working on it together.”
According to Polk, the CrossFit
concept encourages high-intensity,
functional fitness through everyday
movements, such as squatting, walking, running, lunging, jumping, lifting, pulling and pushing.
“Your body is doing common
movements uncommonly well in a
workout, so that when we go into everyday life, we can lift our grandkids
when we’re 75,” Polk said. “Your bodies are used to that movement.”
CrossFit Iron Refined classes are
featured in the Community Covenant
Church gym and are offered Monday
through Thursday from 5:30-6:30
a.m., 9:15-10:15 a.m. and 5:30-6:30
p.m.; Friday from 9:15-10:15 a.m.;
and Saturday from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Although the weekday classes
will primarily focus on WODs, Thomas said the Saturday sessions will be
a great place to receive a program introduction.
The Saturday class isn’t a regular workout but includes instruction
on CrossFit movements, Thomas
said, so those who’re new to the sport
are encouraged to attend the class to
learn training techniques.
Polk added seasoned CrossFit enthusiasts may benefit from the week-
end classes as well, though.
“It’s always good to go through
foundational movements. There’re
nine of them, and they’ll just rotate
every Saturday,” Polk said. “We’ll do
an hour of those foundational movements training, and then we’ll do an
hour WOD after that.”
According to Polk, each CrossFit
Iron Refined class can accommodate
up to 12 people, who will be able to
sign up for sessions online no more
than 24 hours in advance at www.
crossfitironrefined.com.
There’s a monthly fee to participate in the ministry, and a variety
of individual and family membership
packages and punch card options can
be viewed on the ministry’s website
as well. Registered members may attend as many classes as they choose
monthly, Polk said, and classes will
be filled on a first come, first served
basis.
The 12-person sessions the ministry can currently accommodate is
somewhat modest, she said, noting
class sizes will grow as more certified
CrossFit Level 1 sub-coaches continue to support the ministry. Qualified
coaches can contact ministry managers, and interested CrossFit Iron
Refined participants can learn more
about the ministry at www.crossfitironrefined.com.
8
The Covenant Calling May 2015
Celebrate youth
(Above left) Children dance with students from Alaska Christian College April 26 during
CCC’s Sunday worship services. (Above right) ACC freshman Caitlin Kernak of Bethel performs a traditional Native Alaskan dance for the congregation. (Right) Senior Marlene
Smith of Hooper Bay and freshman Peter Imgalrea of Chedak demonstrate dance movements that are common to both male and female dancers. The mission of ACC is to empower Native Alaskans through biblically-based education and Christian formation to pursue
excellence in character, learning and service as followers of Christ.
From Lomen - Page 4
tic panels in the sanctuary alongside
Bob.
“I look at how God brought me to
Community Covenant Church as really instrumental in many different
ways and how He brought people into
my path, and I was invited in, and I
took the risk of accepting that invitation,” Jim said. “Through those little risks, God has really built me up.
He’s given me opportunities to serve
and to have friendships with some
pretty amazing people.”
The Lomens’ history of service at
CCC never really ceased from those
first moments when the Golds came
alongside them, and Jim has since
served as the chairman of the Local
Mission Advisory Team, began Men
of Distinction, served for two consecutive terms on the Leadership
Team, helped develop the Mission
Action Plan, served as a senior high
school youth group volunteer, led a
high school Mountain Men group and
served on the Pastoral Search Team.
Nanci has served in support of the
Women’s Ministry, as a Bible study
co-leader, supported the 40 Days of
Purpose congregational small group
series, helped coordinate CCC’s ten
year anniversary celebration, volunteered with both the sixth grade and
junior high youth groups and has
served as CCC’s Assistant Student
Ministries Director and as a church
administrative assistant.
The Lomens have truly served in
many and varied ways at CCC, and
admit they don’t know precisely what
they’ll experience in the years ahead
as they prepare to trade their home in
Anchorage for a 36-foot motorhome.
“I’m ecstatic. Nanci and I went
from a 4,200-square-foot house with
a huge garage to an 1,800-square-foot
house with a teeny garage, and now
we have found this house to be too
big,” Jim said. “The idea to be able to
explore on long weekends is a really
exciting opportunity.”
Jim said selling their Anchorage
home to travel the Lower 48 in a recreational vehicle following his previously planned retirement about two years
from now had been in the works for
quite some time, and the unanticipated relocation to California has made
the decision to live in the RV while he
works at his new job in San Francisco
a fairly easy one to make.
Although Jim said any plans to
retire are temporarily on hold, the
adventure of the RV lifestyle is still
moving forward on all cylinders, the
excited anticipation for which Nanci
shares.
“The opportunity to be together, to explore new adventures, to try
new things…I can’t wait,” Nanci said,
noting the only thing that will be the
same from their life in Alaska is her,
Jim and their 17-year-old miniature
schnauzer, Oscar.
As exciting as the opportunity to
explore new highways and byways is,
though, the Lomens said they’ll shed
Photos by Mary M. Rall/Community Covenant Church
a fair share of tears when they depart
the state.
“The hardest part about leaving
is that I’m going to miss my family
and our friends at church,” Nanci
said. “I’ll probably cry a lot and use a
lot of FaceTime.”
Jim said their preparations for
the move haven’t left a lot of time for
them to dwell on all they’ll be leaving
behind, though.
“That will probably be dealt with
between here and Washington,” he
laughed. “We have so much to deal
with in the excitement of all this, that
it’s easy to ignore it.”
Nanci said it’s less painful to not
discuss leaving as well, noting she
and close friend and co-worker Cheri
McDonald, CCC’s Office and Building
Use Manager, have agreed to not talk
about her fast-approaching move.
“My life at Community Covenant
Church has really been an experience
of the definition of a faith community, because that church and the people there are my family,” Nanci said,
her voice cracking with emotion as
she recalls how she’s grown, prayed,
served and healed alongside many
over the years. “I got to watch God do
amazing things.”
Likewise, the congregation of
CCC has been able to watch God do
amazing things through Jim and
Nanci, whose absence in the second
row in the center of the sanctuary
and in the lives of many won’t go unmissed.