The Covenant Courier “A caring and vital people of God”

The Covenant Courier “A caring and vital people of God”

The Covenant Courier
“A caring and vital people of God”
Volume XXXVI Issue No. 42
November 19 & 26, 2014
INTERNATIONAL GIFT MARKET
♦
The Courier is published weekly by
Covenant Presbyterian Church
4600 48th Street at Salem
Lubbock, TX 79414
www.covenantpresbylbk.org
Phone: 806-792-6124
COVENANT STAFF
PASTOR:
Davis Borden Price
davis.price@covenantpresbylbk.org
ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY AND
NEWSLETTER EDITOR:
Cathy Ballenger
cab@covenantpresbylbk.org
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Jeff Delman
Jeffreydelman@gmail.com
ORGANIST:
Brenda Ford
brenda.ford@rocketmail.com
ren d a Ford
LOOKING AHEAD
AT COVENANT
Sunday, November 23
Thanksgiving Sunday and
Pledge Dedication Sunday
9:30 a.m.
9:45 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12:15 p.m.
Coffee & Fellowship
Church school classes
Lord’s Day Worship
Stated Session mtg.
Monday, November 24
5:45 p.m. Covenant yoga
Tuesday, November 25
6:00 p.m. Cursillo Renewal
7:00 p.m. Scripture Reading
8:00 p.m. Centering Prayer
SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL SALE before
and after worship Sunday, November
30 and Advent Sundays through December 21
♦ PUBLIC SALE - Saturday, December 6 from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Our Gift Market features leaders in the Fair Trade movement, who rely on
volunteers to eliminate middle-men and pass the majority of the profits back
to producers. These organizations regularly visit and work with craft groups
and cooperatives to assure quality, safety, and fair treatment of workers. As a
result, artisans are assured of a consistent income and can rise out of poverty,
live in dignity, and educate their children. Many of the artisan groups
represent the poorest of the poor-widows, people with disabilities, and
refugees. Buyers encourage artisans to use environmentally friendly
processes, sustainable natural resources, and recycled materials. The Ten
Thousand Villages items are beautiful, safe and crafted responsibly.
Colores del Pueblo will bring fantastic textiles and other handicrafts
from Mayan women in Guatemala. Since 1997, the organization has provided
fair trade payment in exchange for native craft work. Go to the website
(www.coloresdelpueblo.org ) for an idea of the beautiful hand-woven clothing,
shawls, scarves, tablecloths, stoles, and other crafts made by Mayan artisan
cooperatives. They will be here for the public sale and December 7.
Returning after several years are items from our friends in Mongolia.
Samples of this colorful needlework are on display in the foyer showcase.
New this year will be a selection of coffees in addition to chocolate
bars, chocolate chips, and cocoa from Equal Exchange, a Fair Trade
company where we also order our coffee for our fellowship time. We hope you
will buy some of these special items!
The GRUB program from South Plains Food Bank will also bring its
soaps and items to the public sale.
Please volunteer to help with this important peace and justice. Sign up on
the bulletin board.
Wednesday, November 26
NO Covenant Choir rehearsal
Thursday & Friday,
November 27 & 28
Happy Thanksgiving
Church Office closed
Sunday, November 30
1st Lord’s Day of Advent
9:30 a.m. Breakfast for all
9:45 a.m. Advent Centers open
11:00 a.m. Lord’s Day Worship
Monday, December 1
5:45 p.m. Covenant yoga
Tuesday, December 2
6:00 p.m. Cursillo Renewal
7:00 p.m. Scripture Reading
8:00 p.m. Centering Prayer
Wednesday, December 3
6:30 p.m. Covenant Choir
The Session has called for a congregational meeting on Sunday, November 30,
2014, immediately following worship for the pur pose of hear ing and acting
upon the report of the Congregational Nominating
Committee and electing six elders to the Session class of
2017, one elder to the unexpired term in the Session class of
2016, one trustee to the class of 2017, and five at-large
members to the 2015 Congregational Nominating
Committee.
Because there is no Courier scheduled for next week, names
and bios will be sent to all members via email soon.
Sundays during church school hour—November 30, December 7, 14 & 21
Advent marks the beginning of the new church year. The excitement and anticipation of Christ fills our Advent
thoughts to over-flowing. This year, let us take a different approach. In the spirit of
‘spring cleaning’ let’s do an ‘Advent cleaning’ and use the four weeks leading up to
Christmas as a time of uncluttering, of emptying our schedules, homes and hearts.
May this be the Advent when we intentionally make room for the Christ child, so that
as we sing, “Let every heart prepare him room,’ we will indeed have done just that!
Centers will include: napkin ribbons, luminaries, up-cycling (household items, t-shirts, & Christmas cards) letter
writing to our homebound members & members of the military, as well as our continued mission with those families
residing at Family Promise. See below as we help provide items to families as they leave and move into their homes.
More items will be listed in the future.
Breakfast: November 30 is B.Y.O. Bread to share. Those attending as asked to bring some kind of breakfast item
to share. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk and juices provided. Youth, men and women of Covenant will provide
breakfast on the other Sundays. Watch for that information in the future.
Music: Enjoy music of the Season performed by various Covenant Household musicians.
Things needed for Advent Centers:
◊ CLEAN veggie cans – no lids
◊ Christmas cards—recycled or new
◊ Clean old t-shirts
◊ 2 or 3 portable sewing machines
(If you have a machine, please contact
Holly H.)
Things you can donate for Family Promise
Gifts of Warmth
◊ hats
◊ gloves
◊ scarves
◊ socks
(all in sizes from infant to adult)
◊
◊
◊
◊
◊
Gifts of Health
baby wash/shampoo
liquid hand soap
diaper rash ointment
tooth brushes/toothpaste
Children’s Tylenol (kept & dispensed as needed)
Look for marked boxes in the narthex and in the Advent center areas where you can place these items.
December Birthdays
1
2
5
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Leslie Dutton
Virginia Farley
Kelly Reid
Carol Vaughn
Ed George
Glenda Cochran
Mary Asbell
George Nelson
Mark Vinson
Dawson Vaughn
Patti Wolford
David Henry
Frank Hudson
Matt Santa
Tamara Mancini
Nell Thompson
17
20
21
22
23
25
28
29
30
31
Brian Shannon
Douglas Duncan
Afuhnwi Awasom
Njinidoru Awasom
Peggy Snell
Johnnie Stone
Jimmie Pace
Ashlyn Simek
Christine Azise Mbapang
Rebecca Lopez
Nelda Armstrong
Nathan White
Rich Schempp
Laura Vinson
Bill Morris
Due to upcoming holidays, we
are asking for some help in the
nursery on Sunday mornings, in
particular November 30, and
December 14, 21 and 28. Please
sign up on the bulletin board!
Our regular childcare workers
have been faithful, but one is graduating from TTU
and one is moving out of town.
So, in addition to volunteers to get us through
the holidays, we will need to hire two or three
people who are willing to work in our nursery on
Sundays, starting as soon as possible. All those
hired must undergo a background check.
If you know of someone who might be
interested, please have them contact Sandy B.
OUR MEMBERS
OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS
THOSE IN HOSPICE CARE
THOSE IN THE HOSPITAL
CONGRATULATIONS
DECEMBER CIRCLE MEETINGS
NIGHT CIRCLE—Monday, December 8, 6:30 p.m.
at the home of Sandy B. for a potluck dinner.
Please let Sandy know that you are coming.
MORNING CIRCLE—Wednesday, December 17 at 10 a.m. at the church
All women are invited to attend either circle for this time of bible study and
fellowship.
You are invited!
Doug & Sandy invite all
Covenant Family members
and friends to their home
for a
THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON
on Thursday, November 27th
We’ll try to eat about 12:30, but come anytime
after 11:00 for fellowship.
Feel free to bring your favorite Thanksgiving
dish, if you’d like. Please RSVP, so we’ll know
how many places to set, to Doug.
THANKS!
Again, Covenant has come through for the
homeless families of Family Promise.
Heartfelt appreciation to Barbara
Hildebrand, Pamela Black, Jane Burns,
Brenda Ford, Mary Asbell, Nadine & Dick
Bartsch, Beverly & Charlie Colbert, Yvonne &
Carmen-Sophia Caldera, Jen & Zuzu Shelton,
Sam & Cathey Lanham, Cecilia George, Tavita &
Winton Dorow, and Ted Kingsbery for cooking,
providing food, and keeping company for the Family
Promise guests last week.
Advent Taizé Sung Prayer Service
Sunday, December 7 at 7 p.m.
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 176
LUBBOCK, TEXAS
COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
4600 48th Street at Salem
Lubbock, TX 79414-3567
Next Deadline:
Tues., December 2, 2014
No Courier week of Thanksgiving
Advent Centers begin November 30.
Look for ways to help in the many
upcoming things here at Covenant
♦ Congregational Meeting-Sunday,
November 30 after worship
♦
♦
Search:
Covenant Presbyterian Lubbock
THIS SUNDAY AT COVENANT:
NOVEMBER 23, 2014
Thanksgiving and Pledge
Dedication Sunday
11:00 AM. LORD’S DAY WORSHIP
SCRIPTURES
Old Testament Lesson
From the Psalter
Epistle Lesson
Gospel Lesson
Deuteronomy 8.7-18
Psalm 65
1 Corinthians 9
Luke 17.11-19
NEXT SUNDAY AT COVENANT: NOVEMBER 30, 2014
1st Lord’s Day of Advent
11:00 AM. LORD’S DAY WORSHIP
SCRIPTURES
Old Testament Lesson
From the Psalter
Epistle Lesson
Gospel Lesson
Isaiah 64.1-9
Psalm 80.1-7, 17-19
1 Corinthians 1.3-9
Mark 13.24-37
Stewardship 2015
SERMON:
“The Counters of Thanksgiving”
ANTHEM: “Alleluia, Sing With High Delight” - Mozart
The Covenant Choir
OFFERTORY: “We Gather Together” - Petker
Ashley Tillerson, vocal soloist
Layleader: Cecilia George
Greeters: Jim & Dee Moyes
November Usher Captain: George Nelson
Sunday’s flowers will be given to
the Glory of God and in memory of Sandi Wright
by Trent and Janet Wright.
Practicing Generosity:
A Worthy Walk
Remember to
return your
pledge cards
and gifts of
Time & Talent
on
Thanksgiving
Sunday,
November 23.