2015-11-29 - Covenant Presbyterian Church

COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
Come and See, Grow and Share!
THE COVENANTER
NOVEMBER 29. 2015
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G E O R G I A
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S Y N O D
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G E N E R A L
A S S E M B L Y
O F
S B Y T E R I A N
C H U R C H
( U S A )
Thornwell’s ministry is possible because of your partnership. Along with other generous churches and
individuals, YOU have helped…
 Serve 118 children last year in residential care
 Give 41 families a new start through Building Families
 Educate 82 children in our 4 year old kindergarten
 Keep 76 children with their siblings
 Reunite 27 children with their families
 Serve children and families across FL, GA & SC.
You can give hope & wholeness to children with your gift to Thornwell.
You will find a flyer and envelope in your mailbox. And don’t forget to pick up a turkey to fill with coins.
Thornwell is an independent ministry in covenant relationship with the churches in
SC, GA, and FL of the PC(USA) Synod of the South Atlantic.
Opportunity to Help!!! Sign Up !!!
Covenant will be hosting one homeless
family, a mother and two children overnight for IHN (Interfaith Hospitality
Network) the week of December 13-20.
Please examine your calendar and give
thought and prayer of a way you can
serve from the many options: set up, take down, provide a meal,
spend the night, host for two hours one evening, drive the van to
the day center, and more. The sign-up board is now in the
Gallery, so please sign-up and help us provide Christian
hospitality to families seeking a home of their own. This year
IHN has serviced 17 families and all are now in their homes and
with regular jobs. Thanks to Covenant for playing a big part in
helping lift these families out the dark hole they were in.
COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
1065 Gaines School Road
Athens, Georgia 30605
706-548-2756 or 706-613-2344
www.covpresathens.org
Graduates
Covered Dish
Luncheon —see page 7
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5th, 6:30pm—
ANNUAL COVENANT PROGRESSIVE
DINNER! You are invited to join us for this
moveable feast. Add your name to the signup sheet on the bulletin board to enjoy
an evening of fellowship. Bring an
appetizer/salad, veggie or dessert and if
you would like to host a course, note that
on the signup sheet. Consider inviting
folks that have visited church or an individual who no longer likes to drive in the
evening hours.
The Fellowship Ministry Team
REMEMBER
: Anna Holshouser, recovering at The Oaks, after knee replacement
surgery Nov.23; Marilyn Brown’s dear friend Françoise, with cancer of the tongue; Grace Eubank,
Bobbie Lindstrom, Bill Willis, and others at home.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS—
Monday
November 30 Leviticus 25: 10-12
Tuesday
December 01 Luke 1: 5-20
Wednesday
December 02 Luke 1: 57-80
Thursday
December 03 Isaiah 42: 5-9
Friday
December 04 Zephaniah 3: 14-20
Saturday
December 05 Isaiah 61: 1-4
Sunday
December 06 Romans 8: 1-6
Read your Advent Devotional:
“Journey to Jubilee”
The Graduates (Covenant's retirees)
are planning to put a bench by the
front walkway, near to the parking lot
and under the overhang. This bench
will be similar to the ones on the front
patio. It will be available to everyone,
including people who are dropped off and picked up at the
walkway but need to wait for their cars to be parked. If you
would like to participate in this project, please send your contribution to the church office and mark it for "Bench Fund."
For more information, contact Pat Tinga.
The advent devotional, “Journey to Jubilee” is now in your mailbox.
Thank you to everyone that submitted a devotional.
MOTTOS AND MONIKERS. Identify the following
people, places, or things from the description on the left.
1. The eternal city : ______________
2. Big Blue: _____________
MOTTOS & MONIKERS:
1. Rome
2. IBM
3. New York City
3. Gotham: _________________
We hope by now you have had a chance to read the Capital Campaign letter for Covenant's Jubilee celebration.
While we are scheduling several Minutes for Mission to address specific dimensions of this campaign, we realize that
you may have questions that would be better addressed on an individual basis. So that this process will be as helpful
and transparent as possible, we wanted to offer a list of all the good people who have been on the Capital Campaign
Planning Team. Feel free to talk to them if you would like more information about this important effort. While none
of us may have all the answers to your questions, all of us are committed to finding out whatever you need to know
to become a committed participant yourself. Thank you in advance for your prayers and generous contributions! Mark Harper for Dianne Simpson, Bill Rigsby, Linda Rogers, Kent Silver, Gijs Schimmel, John Chamblee, John
Scott, Joan Prittie, Jim Newland, Dolly Barstow, Tom Cooney.
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WHO’S WHO? Whose father (of someone at Covenant) once
met President Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office?
Moment For Remembrance
What's your favorite Covenant memory? Our 50th
anniversary calls for a full year of celebration and
thanksgiving. Whether you are a long-time member or
a newcomer, you are invited (encouraged, urged) to
share your memory in 60 seconds or less during our
weekly "Moment for Remembrance.” Add your name to
the sign-up sheet to reserve your preferred date or to
be contacted if you have questions. "Come Celebrate
the Journey Now and Praise the Lord!"
Covenant’s Jubilee 50th Anniversary is on
its way – Sunday, May 1, 2016 - as we count
down the days! Look on the easel by the front
doors for monthly postings of historic photos
from our life together, provided by
Linda Koehler.
Covenant’s annual
Christmas Choral Worship service
will be held on Sunday, December 13,
beginning promptly at 10:45am, with a service of
readings and musical offerings by the Praise Band,
Now Let Us join the
Cheerful Song!
the Covenant Band, the Chime Choir, the children’
s Joy & Carol Choirs, and the Adult Choir. Please
be on time, as the welcome & announcements will be
very brief, and we will move right into the full
worship service, even before 11:00am.
Remember to signup on the bulletin board
for the Fellowship Catered Luncheon which will
follow this worship service, as we need a good
count to give the caterer.
Donations may be
offered at the door, if you’re able. Thank you!
The month of
November is
sponsored by
the Journey
Church School Class and are collecting for the
Athens Area Emergency Food Bank: canned fruit, soup
and spaghetti sauce.
Thank you Covenant and
may we all have enough!
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A concert of Advent Music
presented by
the combined choirs of
Covenant Presbyterian Church
and
Friendship Presbyterian Church
Offered two nights at 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 6, 2015 at
Covenant Presbyterian Church
1065 Gaines School Road, Athens
Sunday, December 13, 2015 at
Friendship Presbyterian Church
8531 N. Macon Highway, Athens
Under the direction of
Jeff Tilley, Covenant Church
Kevin Kelly, Friendship Church
Free and open to the public
The purpose of Christian Education at Covenant Presbyterian Church is to nurture
our discipleship, build our spirit of community and cultivate clarity of thought about
our faith.
Children in K-5 Sunday School continue to learn about the images of the kingdom of God—
the mustard seed, a field with a treasure, and a valuable pearl—during the month of November.
Watch for a sign up sheet for spring teachers! Thanks to all who helped this fall!
NO ACTIVITIES ON WED., Nov. 25th—WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS RETURN!
December 02, 2015
COVENANT CONNECTION
5:15pm—6:00pm K-2nd grade Choir; 3rd-5th Servant Time; Youth (supervised)
6:00pm—6:30pm Family Dinner for children, youth and adults ($15.00 donation for meals per semester)
6:30pm—7:15pm 3rd—5th grade Choir; K-2nd Servant Time; Youth (6-12 grade) Faith & Film
6:30pm Adult Bible Study Dec. 2 and 9 only.
Discussing video, “The Star of Bethlehem & Mystery of the 3 Kings”.
We meet from 6:30-7:25pm and follow the Covenant Connection schedule all year.
7:00pm Evening Devotions
7:25pm Adult Choir in Worship Center
YOUTH GROUPS NOVEMBER 29th at 5pm!
All women are invited to the Bowden
home in Green Acres for the annual
Presbyterian Women’s Cookie Party,
on Friday, December 11, at 10:00am.
Bring a plate of cookies to share. The
leftovers will be enjoyed at the Fellowship Luncheon on Sunday.
Come for an Advent gathering of warm hands & hearts, singing,
prayer, and devotions.
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The Restaurant
Roadtrip crew will
head out to Taziki’s
Mediterranean Café in
the Bottleworks building, at 227 Prince Avenue, on Tuesday, December 15, at
. You can meet us
there, or a carpool departs Covenant at
11:15am. Please signup to let us know
you’re coming. There’s a good parking lot
behind the building, and Taziki’s is on the
corner. Hope you can come!
25TH ANNUAL GIFT
OF HOPE
The Ark:
United Ministry Outreach Center
This Holiday Season, YOU can be the
difference between light and darkness,
warmth and coldness, health and sickness. For as little as $25, you can play a vital role in helping
a neighbor who’s been knocked down by life’s unpredictable winds and rains get back on their feet and equipped
with the tools they need to withstand life’s future storms.
Every “gift of hope” received will be given to a neighbor in
need under the promotion of self-sustainability. By partnering with other agencies, The Ark is able to provide a
more holistic approach to well-being, including financial
support, financial literacy, health and wellness counselling,
and legal services. Mail your tax deductible donation
to The Ark, 640A Barber Street Athens, Georgia
30601. Donations made in honor of family or friends
make great Christmas cards! Simply include a list of names
and addresses with your donation. Donations received
by December 16th will be acknowledged no later
than December 23rd.The Ark hopes that you will help
make a difference in the community this holiday season.
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN SANTA EXPRESS!
Each year Presbyterian Women celebrate the holidays with
residents of the health services centers at Presbyterian
Home, Quitman, Presbyterian Village, Austell, and our
newest residents in Swainsboro. Whether carefully selected
from a store or made lovingly by hand , these gifts remind
our residents of the joys of the holidays. Throughout the
year gifts are given to honor birthdays and to welcome new
residents, and are treasured prizes for games and therapy
sessions.
HOW CAN YOU BE ONE OF SANTA’S ELVES?
Select one or more items from the “suggested gift items”
found in the basket in the hallway, and place them in a clear
plastic sandwich or storage bags.
PLEASE DO NOT WRAP YOUR GIFTS.
Bring them to the church no later than December 6th and
leave in the basket in the church hallway. Thank you!
WHO’S WHO: Mar y Anna Wynes
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Girl Scout Troop 12309 (Carrie T and Lily H)
are collecting diapers, baby formula and
gift cards to benefit Department of Family
and Children Services foster
parents. Please drop your baby item in
the collection box wrapped in baby paper
in the hallway. Thank you for your help
with this service project!
Citizens’ Climate Lobby:
Meeting Location Changed
From the CCL website: “Citizens’
Climate Lobby is a non-profit, non-partisan,
grassroots advocacy organization focused on
national polities to address climate change.”
You can find out more about this organization
and its Carbon Fee and Dividend proposal at
its website: citizensclimatelobby.org.
Currently, there are about 250 chapters across the US and a new chapter is being
formed in Athens. The next meeting will be
held on Saturday, December 5th, 11:30am—
2:30pm, at Covenant Presbyterian Church.
All who are interested are welcome to
attend.
113 thousands of football fields’ worth of land
are taken over by invasive kudzu annually.
100-the number of European starlings
released into Central Park in 1890-91 by
Eugene Schieffelin, a Shakespeare devotee.
200-the number of starlings in millions,
descended from those birds. They range from
Mexico to Alaska. From Smithsonian.com
A celebration from Interfaith Hospitality Network in Athens! In 2015, every one of our families
moved into a better housing situation at the end of their stay in IHNA. 16 families moved into their own
housing; 1 family moved into a protective shelter situation; and 95% of the adults in our program found a
job. Fantastic! Thanks for your continued prayers, donations, and volunteerism, Covenant! Save the next
hosting week, Dec.13-20.
Did you know? A wonderful, devotional resource for the new year is your PCUSA Mission Yearbook, telling
short stories about all the good ministries we are involved in around the world and asking for your prayers
throughout the days & months ahead. The Cave at Covenant was highlighted last winter. So make it a new
year’s resolution, and start right now! This publication is online = www.presbyterianmission.org/yearbook
UPCOMING EVENTS
December
Meals on Wheels special offering
Sun. Dec.13
IHN hosting week begins
10:45am, Christmas Choral Worship
12:15pm, Catered Luncheon in Fellowship Hall - signup
5:00pm, final Youth Group until January 3
7:00pm, Joint choral concert with Friendship Pres at Friendship
Tues. Dec.15
11:30am, Restaurant Roadtrip
Wed. Dec.16
10:00am, final morning Adult Bible Study until January 6
5:15pm, final Covenant Connection until January 6, with a visit from Santa!
Fri. Dec.18
Middler Midnight Madness + High School Youth Lock-In
Mon.Dec.21
8:00am, Breakfast Club at Cracker Barrel
Thurs. Dec.24
4:30 & 7:30pm, Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Worship
Dec.25, 28, 29
office closed
Dec.25-Jan.1
Beecher on leave
Sun. Dec.27
Youth Reunion Sunday + 10am breakfast + NO Church School
Tues. Dec.29
11:30am, Lunch Bunch at DePalma’s Eastside
Sun. Jan.3
NO Church School
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WEDNESDAY EVENING DEVOTIONS
From the Witness Team:
no
December 02 at 7:00pm
7:00pm - gathering time
7:05pm - contemplative time with
quiet, music, Scriptural resources,
and candles
7:25pm departing time
May,
2016
Lunch Bunch meets monthly at DePalma’s
Italian Restaurant Eastside on final
Tuesdays for delicious food and
conversation. So Join us Tuesday, Dec.
29th at 11:30am. All are welcome!
Purchase a beautiful live Poinsettia in honor or
memory of someone special!
They will be used in the Worship
Center through the Christmas
season. Sign up sheet is on the
table in the gathering room.
Make your check payable to
Covenant and put it in the drop box—$10.00 each.
Please no cash!
Meet you there!
COVENANT BAND REHEARSALS!
Saturday, Dec. 5, 1:30-2:30 pm in the Worship Center
Monday, Dec. 7, 7-8 pm in the Worship Center Saturday
Saturday, Dec. 12, EITHER 1:30-2:30pm in the Worship
Center or 11-12pm in the Fellowship Hall.
Covenant Breakfast Club
at
Cracker Barrel on Epps Bridge Road,
Monday, December 07, 2015 at 8:00am
Everyone’s invited to the
Good food and good conversation
among friends! All are welcome!
Luncheon on Tuesday,
CONGRATULATIONS TO
TERRY CENTNER—
Graduates Covered Dish
December 8, at 12:30pm,
to enjoy a program offered
by Steve Rathbun’s parents, Bob & Maria,
about life on a boat in the Caribbean and
South America. Beverages and ham are
provided. Bring your favorite dish to share
& bring a friend with you. We’ll enjoy some
Christmas caroling too!
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WEEK OF November 29, 2015
SUNDAY— First Sunday of Advent
8:30am Worship
9:30am Church School for all ages
10:45am Worship
3:30pm OE Anonymous
5pm Youth Groups
MONDAY— OFFICE CLOSED
6:00pm Scouts
TUESDAY–
9:30am Athens Mothers’ Center
8pm New Freedom
WEDNESDAY10am Adult Bible Study
5:15pm—7:15pm Covenant Connection
6:30pm Adult Bible Study
7:00pm Evening Devotions
7:25pm Adult Choir
THURSDAY—
2pm Knitters & Knotters
6pm Choir Rehearsal in Music Room
6:30pm Personnel Committee Meeting
7pm Yoga
FRIDAY—
9:30am Athens Mothers’ Center
3:30pm The Cave (final)
8pm New Freedom
SATURDAY–
10am—12noon Joint Choir Rehearsal in Worship Center
11:30am—2:30pm Climate Change Meeting
1:30pm -2:30pm Covenant Band Rehearsal in Worship Center
6:30pm Progressive Dinner
Fellowship Hall Cleaned
WEEK OF December 06, 2015
SUNDAY—
8:30am Worship (final until January 17th)
9:30am Church School for all ages
10:45am Worship
12:30pm Session Meeting
3:30pm OE Anonymous
5pm Youth Groups (road clean up)
7pm Joint Advent Music Choir at Covenant
MONDAY— OFFICE CLOSED
8am Covenant Breakfast Club
6:00pm Scouts
7pm-8pm Covenant Band Rehearsal in Worship Center
TUESDAY–
9:30am Athens Mothers’ Center
12:30pm Graduates Covered Dish Luncheon
8pm New Freedom
WEDNESDAY10am Adult Bible Study
5:15pm—7:15pm Covenant Connection
6:30pm Adult Bible Study (final until January 6th)
7:00pm Evening Devotions
7:25pm Adult Choir
THURSDAY—
8pm Happy Squares
FRIDAY—
9:30am Athens Mothers’ Center
10:00am PW Cookie Party at Jere Bowden’s
8pm New Freedom
NO CAVE
SATURDAY–
10:30am Praise Band Rehearsal
Cov. Band Rehearsal either 1:30pm in WC or 11am in FH
Fellowship Hall Cleaned
WORSHIP—November 29, 2015
WORSHIP—December 06, 2015
8:30am
8:30am
Reader: Dennis Calbos
Reader: Heidi Wolfe
Ushers: Steve & Lola Bell
Ushers: Heidi & Kent Wolfe
Coffee Maker:
Coffee Maker: Shirley Hunt
10:45am
10:45am
Reader: Sandy Whitney
Reader: Phil Koehler
Ushers:
Ushers:
Greeters: Terry Centner, Phil & Sallie Hale
Greeters: Jim Newland, Anna Cobb
Piano: Betsy Burmeister
Piano: Cliff Brock
Counters: Paige Campbell & Bill Barstow
Counters: Judy Capie, Ellen Stoneburner
Flowers: Ginger Davis-Beck
Flowers: Ginger Davis-Beck
Plant Care: Frank Allen
Plant Care: Frank Allen
Open the Building: Alex Clark
Open the Building: Steve Bell
Close the Building: Phil Koehler
Close the Building: Rich Reaves
Grounds Steward: Wayne Crowell (November 30—Dec. 6)
Grounds Steward: John Scott (Dec. 6—13)
10:45am
10:45am
Nursery/Super: Dell Whitehead
Nursery/Super: Annemarie Braswell
Birth—Walking: Dell Whitehead
Birth—Walking: Annemarie Braswell
: Joan Baird, Anna Cobb
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: Jason Braswell, Lindsey Bowden,
Ansley Tweedell