April and May 2015 Newsletter. First Covenant Church of Saint Paul 1280 Arcade Street, Saint Paul, MN (651)

Transcription

1 April and May 2015 Newsletter First Covenant Church of Saint Paul 1280 Arcade Street, Saint Paul, MN (651)

2 Table of Contents WORSHIP pg. 1 ADULT SPIRITUAL GROWTH pg. 2 CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRIES pg. 4 YOUTH AND FAMILY MINISTRIES pg. 7 CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILY MINISTRIES pg. 11 OUR LIFE TOGETHER pg. 12 STICKY FAITH pg. 16 PARTNERS pg. 17 EAST SIDE THRIVE ROOTS COVENANT FAMILY VALUES FOR LIFE URBAN ROOTS BLOCK NURSE LOOKING AHEAD pg. 21

3 Worship 9:30am worship through May 17 the summer worship schedule begins at 10:30am on May 24 SUNDAY, APRIL 12 9:30am Hope & Believing John 20:19-31, Hebrews 3:1-6 (7-19) Communion SUNDAY, APRIL 19 9:30am Disappointment vs. Hope Romans 5:1-5 SUNDAY, APRIL 26 9:30am The Audacity of Hope Romans 8:20-25 Pastor Brandi, preaching SUNDAY, MAY 3 9:30am Joy & Hope Romans 12:12 Communion SUNDAY, MAY 10 9:30am Endurance, Encouragement & Hope Romans 15: am, All Church Baby Shower (see pg. 13) SUNDAY, MAY 17 9:30am The Hope of Eternity Titus 3:1-11 Bibles handed out to 2 nd graders (see pg. 6) This is the last Sunday for Spiritual Growth Hour and Sunday School for children and youth SUNDAY, MAY 24 10:30am Pentecost Sunday The Church is Born Acts 2:1-13 SUNDAY, MAY 31 10:30am Confirmation Sunday Celebrating God s Promises To Us Acts 2:36-41, Colossians 2:6-7 Communion SUNDAY, JUNE 7 10:30am Graduation Sunday Sold Out or Sell Out Acts 2:42-47 Kate Makosky, preaching 1

4 Adult Spiritual Growth SUNDAYS at 11:00am ADULT SPIRITUAL GROWTH HOUR (2 nd, & 4 th, and 5 th Sundays) Upper Fellowship Hall Join us after worship and fellowship for a time of teaching, enriching, and growth. Topics will range from church history to spiritual practices to issues that relate to our life together. Date Topic April 5 No Spiritual Growth Hour (Easter Sunday) April 12 Can Muslims and Christians Talk Together? Part 1 See the class description below April 19 Can Muslims and Christians Talk Together? Part 2 April 26 Can Muslims and Christians Talk Together? Part 3 May 10 All Church Baby Shower (see description on page 13) Can Muslims and Christians Talk Together? April 12, 19, and 26 Upper Fellowship Hall Dr. Jim Lewis of Bethel University will join us for a three week presentation on how and why Christians should be in dialogue with our Muslim brothers and sisters. A graduate of Bethel Theological Seminary (B.Div.) and The University of Iowa (Ph.D.), Dr. Lewis has served as a missionary in Vietnam, as an interim preacher at Crosstown Covenant, as a professor at Union Biblical Seminary in India, Crown College, Wheaton College and Graduate School and currently is Professor of Religious Studies at Bethel. LIFE GROUPS (1 st & 3 rd Sundays in May) Not every group meets on Sundays, many meet in people s homes at different times and at different frequencies. Each Life Group is unique, but each is committed to sharing life together through prayer, study, mission, and worship. If you are interested in more information about Life Groups, or are interested in joining a Life Group, Erik Carlson at erik@first-covenant.org. May 3 Life Groups Sunday May 17 Life Groups Sunday 2

5 Adult Spiritual Growth WEDNESDAYS ADULT BIBLE STUDY 9:30-11:00am Upper Fellowship Hall The Wednesday morning Adult Bible class led by Don Pelto is continuing our study of Haggai and Zachariah. The last Bible Study with lunch will take place on May 13. ADULT BIBLE STUDY AND SERMON DISCUSSION 6:15-7:30pm Conference Room This group meets on Wednesday nights to study the scripture that will be preached on the following Sunday. Join us and share your insights, thoughts, reactions, and questions as we study the sermon texts together. Everyone is welcome. For more information, Erik Carlson at The last class is May 13. WOMEN S MINISTRIES BIBLE STUDY FOR WOMEN Fridays, 9:30-11:00am Conference Room April 10 to May 8, the study will feature Choose Joy by Kay Warren. This DVD and study book format is a great choice post-easter. Cost is $8. Scholarships are available. Contact Lynn Gilmore with questions. FAMILY VALUES FOR LIFE (Our Community Partner) Maintaining the New You Saturday, April 11, 10:00am 1:00pm Upper Fellowship Hall Inspirational Speaker Joyce Lester will encourage participants to stay on track with their goals. A guest praise dance team will minister and a Financial Stability Workshop will be presented by Darryl Savage of Thrivent. Morning snacks and lunch will be served. This event is free of charge. Sign up at the Welcome Center. Mother/Daughter Tea Saturday, May 16, 10:00am 1:00pm Lower Fellowship Hall A Personal & Image Development Workshop will be presented by Alice Flowers of AF Image Development. This event will also feature mother and daughter teams in praise dance, singing, and modeling. The opening prayer and welcome will be given by Pastor Anne and her daughter, Charissa, from First Covenant of St. Paul. The Keynote speaker, Pastor Laurel Bunker from Bethel College, will be introduced by her two daughters. It will be a fun event! Watch for a sign up sheet at the Welcome Center. 3

6 SUNDAYS INFANT NURSERY (birth 2 years old) 9:15-10:30am & 11:00am 12:00pm Room 105 Children & Family Ministries TODDLER NURSERY (2 & 3 year olds) 9:15-10:30am Room 106 Our toddlers enjoy hearing Bible stories, singing, crafts, and play time. CHILDREN S CHURCH (pre-k 2 nd grade) April 12 May 17, during the worship service Room 104b We continue our journey through the New Testament, using the Holy Moly video curriculum. Children meet the Children s Church leaders in the back of the sanctuary immediately following the offertory and will rejoin families during the closing song. Parents and caregivers can learn more about our curriculum by signing up at (use the Church ID: BigGsneighborhood). After creating a log in, Donovan will approve your request. SUNDAY SCHOOL (pre-k & kindergarten) April 12 May 17, 11:00am 12:00pm Room 106 Our children are using the church calendar to walk through the Bible, learning Bible stories, doing crafts, and building relationships. You can learn more about your child s curriculum by creating a log in at the same website as listed above with Children s Church. SUNDAY SCHOOL (1 st grade 6 th grade) April 12 May 17, 11:00am 12:00pm Room 104b All grades will begin in Room 104b, with a video opening. Children will then divide up into grades: 1&2 Room 104b, 3&4 Room 104a, and 5&6 Room 201. We ll be using the church calendar to walk through the Bible, learning Bible stories, doing crafts, and building relationships. 4

7 WEDNESDAYS EAST SIDE THRIVE (Kindergarten 12 th grade) April 8 May 20, 4:00-5:45pm Youth Wing and Lower Classrooms FREE DINNER FOR ALL April 8 May 20, 5:45-6:15pm Upper Fellowship Hall A hot meal is provided by Loaves and Fishes between East Side Thrive and our evening programs. Come and eat with your children or simply come and meet new children from our community. NURSERY CARE (birth 2 years old) April 8 May 20, 6:15-7:30pm Room 105 Children & Family Ministries LITTLE G s NEIGHBORHOOD (pre-k & kindergarten) April 8 May 20, 6:15-7:30pm Room 106 Little Big G s are learning about the amazing love of Jesus Christ as it is told in the Gospels of Mark and Luke. In Little Big G s, the children hear Bible stories, do crafts, learn new songs, and enjoy time of free play. The Holy Moly curriculum can be found at the same website as listed for Children s Church and Sunday School. BIG G s NEIGHBORHOOD (Grades 1-4) April 8 May 13, 6:15-7:30pm Lower Fellowship Hall Big G's Neighborhood continue learning about the amazing love of Jesus Christ as it is told in the New Testament. In Big G's Neighborhood, the children begin with a large group opening and then divide into grade levels for story and craft time. SUPER G s NEIGHBORHOOD (grades 5 & 6) April 8 May 13, 6:15-7:30pm Room 201 Super G's continue using the "Confident Kids" curriculum to learn how to deal with real-life struggles. This is done through skits and small group discussion. Super G's is also planning a service project to complete this Spring. 5

8 Children & Family Ministries SPECIAL EVENTS CHIC PARENT + CAREGIVER NIGHT OUT Friday, April 25, 6:00-9:00pm First Covenant Church of Saint Paul Looking for an affordable evening away? Save the date for this evening of childcare, provided by CHIC attendees and adults leaders. Engaging, fun and safe childcare is being offered at the church to provide an opportunity for you to get some time away. Sign up at the Welcome Center beginning Sunday, April 5. Please note: snacks will be provided, not dinner. Cost: $20 per family, all proceeds go towards CHIC fundraising. GO: SERVE Saturday, May 2, 10:00am 3:00pm Redeemer Covenant Church, Brooklyn Park, MN This is a Northwest Conference event, intended to bring Northwest Conference families, with children in pre-k - 5th grade, together for a shared learning and outreach opportunity. For more information, talk to Donovan DeGaetano Donovan@first-covenant.org or Kara Stromberg kara@northwestconference.org. We are excited that our Youth Worship Team has been invited to lead the opening worship set at this event and through this service our youth are receiving a financial contribution from the NWC toward CHIC. THIRD GRADE BIBLES Sunday, May 17, during the worship service Sanctuary As our current 2nd graders move up to third grade, they will be presented with the NIV Adventure Bible. As they turn the corner from learning to read, to reading to learn, it is important for them to have an age appropriate Bible to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. CONFIRMATION TREK CHILDCARE (infant 2 nd grade) Wednesday, May 20, 6:15pm - 7:45pm Lower Fellowship Hall The Confirmation Trek is a wonderful milestone in the lives our youth, and we want everyone to be able to celebrate this milestone. If you will be using our provided Childcare, please sign up at the Welcome Center or contact Donovan DeGaetano at donovan@first-covenant.org. 6

9 Youth & Family Ministries SUNDAYS (April 12 May 17) SENIOR HIGH SPIRITUAL GROWTH (9th-12th graders) 11:00am - 12:00pm Graffiti Room This spring we are taking a six-week walk through the book of James. Through Bible study, group reflection experiences and more, we will grow together in community and in our understanding of God s word. Join us as we build habits that form a deeper daily walk with Jesus. JUNIOR HIGH SPIRITUAL GROWTH (7th-8th graders) 11:00am - 12:00pm Game Room Over the next 7 weeks, the junior high students will be going on a journey called Back 2 the Basic, which is a 7 week journey through the basics of Christian faith. Students will discuss topics such as salvation, sin, youth evangelism, giving, and several other topics. In these upcoming weeks students will have a better understanding of Jesus, and what He expects from those who follow Him. WEDNESDAYS (April 8 May 20) EAST SIDE THRIVE (grades K-12) (Sponsored by East Side Thrive) 4:00-5:45pm Youth and Children s Wing East Side Thrive After School Program continues to go strong. We are excited about the growth we have experienced this year in volunteer and student participation. Students who participate in the program have been thrilled about the additions we made to this program early this year. In February we started a Hip Hop Dance class, and a Music Production class, that has taken EST to a whole new level, and we plan to keep introducing new programming to make East Side Thrive After School Program even better. If you have questions, please contact Leslie X. Sanders, Program Manager at leslie@first-covenant, for more information. CONFIRMATION (7th and 8th graders) 5:00-6:00pm Room 201 (7th graders) and Pastor Anne s Office (8th graders) Our Old Testament journey continues as we wrap up our study of the Old Testament. For more information, contact Pastor Anne, Pastor Brandi, Kate Makosky or Erik Carlson. The last Confirmation class for the season is May 13. 7

10 Youth & Family Ministries WEDNESDAYS (April 8 May 20) FREE DINNER FOR ALL 5:45-6:15pm Upper Fellowship Hall A hot meal is provided by Loaves and Fishes between our East Side Thrive and our evening programs. Come and eat with your children or simply come and meet new children from our community. The last Wednesday night dinner is May 20. YOUTH GROUP 6:15-7:45pm Game and Graffiti Rooms Youth group is the perfect place for youth to explore their real questions about faith and life. With peers and youth mentors, youth explore foundational issues of faith and life in a way that is Biblically grounded and leads back to the transformative work of Christ in their lives. Our evenings are filled with games, small group discussion and Bible study so youth can find a place to belong, to grow in their belief and become the people they were created to be. YOUTH LEADERSHIP (9 th -12 th Grade) Saturday, April 25, 12:00-1:30pm Room 201 This is a 3-Dimensional, new, exciting experience to equip senior high youth to love, lead, and serve as leaders. Senior High students apply for one of three tracks: SERVE Team: lead behind the scenes in a variety of ways such as serving communion on a rotating basis and planning service opportunities. LEADERS IN TRAINING (LIT): lead alongside the SERVE team, but also serve alongside youth mentors in a variety of areas. JUNIOR MENTORS: lead alongside the Serve and LIT teams. These youth are paired with a youth mentor to serve as co-small group leader or Sunday School teacher. These unique ways to lead provide opportunities for leadership skill development, service and to be challenged to grow in personal faith. For more information Natalie Goodrich at natalie.goodrich@gmail.com or Jim Berger at jimantonberger@q.com. 8

11 Youth & Family Ministries SPECIAL EVENTS M.O.V.E. (9th-12th graders) Friday, April 10, 6:00pm - Saturday, April 11, 5:30pm Meet at and return to First Covenant Church of Saint Paul Event is hosted at Minnehaha Academy M.O.V.E. (Mission Outreach Venture Experience) is a 23-hour service/learning weekend where senior highers are inspired to fight injustice and have the opportunity love their neighbor as themselves in tangible ways throughout the Twin Cities. Cost: $30. Questions? Contact Kate Makosky or Leslie X. Sanders JUNIOR HIGH LUNCH OUT Sunday, May 17, 12:00-2:00pm Meets at and returns to First Covenant Church of Saint Paul Join in the fun as we hit up Sun-Ray for bowling and pizza to celebrate the year together. Questions? Contact Leslie Sanders or Kate Makosky. Cost: $5. CONFIRMATION THE CONFIRMATION TREK Wednesday, May 20 Confirmands present their projects highlighting what they have learned this year from their study of the Old Testament. 5:45pm dinner and instructions (Upper Fellowship Hall) 6:15pm presentations (various rooms) 7:30pm dessert (Upper Fellowship Hall) CONFIRMATION SUNDAY Sunday, May 31 Confirmation Sunday is a high moment for the entire church to celebrate with our young people and their families as they publicly give witness to their faith. This year we are confirming the following young people: Niki Anderson, Adina DeGaetano, Yliana DeLeon, Slyvester Garcia, Erik Haider, Donovan McGee, Mayme Norris, Alaina Sandau. 10:30am worship 11:45am - reception honoring the confirmands 9

12 CHIC (9th-12th graders) July 11-18, 2015 CHIC (Covenant High In Christ) is our denomination s triennial youth conference. This event is designed for current 9th-12th graders to grow in their faith and experience of God through creative worship, faith-forming messages, hands on opportunities to learn and engage in God s love for them and for their world - all with over 4,000 other youth. Held at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville CHIC is exciting and life changing. This year we have 24 youth and 4 adults attending. It costs $24,200 to send our young people to CHIC - help us meet our goals by supporting our upcoming fundraisers! CHIC FUNDRAISERS CINNAMON ROLL AND BAKE SALE UPDATE Thank you all for your incredible support of our CHIC attendees at our February fundraising event. $831 was raised to send our young people to CHIC! Thank you for your incredible appetites...and support! CHIC AUCTION Sunday, April 19 - Sunday, April 26 Our auction is expanding! Check out our vast array of trips, items and services all available for you to bid on, beginning on Sunday, April 19. The auction continues throughout the week online, and concludes on April 26. First Covenant friends and members, as well as outside friends can participate to raise funds for this amazing trip. If you have new items, experiences or services to donate for the auction, please Kate Makosky at kate@first-covenant.org. CHIC PARENT + CAREGIVER NIGHT OUT See page 7 for more information. Youth & Family Ministries 10

13 Children, Youth & Family Ministries COVENANT PINES BIBLE CAMP Covenant Pines Bible Camp (CPBC) is a ministry of the Twin Cities Covenant Churches, located in McGregor, MN. At CPBC, children and youth are able to hear the Gospel message of Jesus Christ through an experience in a Christian environment located in a natural setting. For more information about Covenant Pines visit the website at: COVENANT PINES 2015 SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE Pathfinders (entering grades 3-4): June Kids Kamp (entering grades 2-3): June 29-July 1 *Trailblazer 2 (entering grades 4-6): July *Junior High 2 (entering grades 7-9): July 27-August 1 *Senior High 2 (entering grades 9-12): August 3-8 *these camps have an official bus stop at First Covenant Church of Saint Paul CAMP PHYSICALS Monday, May 18, 6:00-8:00pm Graffiti Room Did you know that each camper needs a completed physical to attend camp each summer? Make a 15-minute FREE appointment with local physicians at First Covenant Church of Saint Paul. You can sign-up to save a spot and pick up a physical form on Wednesdays at the Check in/out table or on Sundays at the Every Kid to Camp display. For more information please contact Kate Makosky at kate@first-covenant.org or Donovan DeGaetano at donovan@first-covenant.org. 11

14 Our Life Together HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSURE The office and building will be closed on Easter Monday, April 6. MEN'S PRAYER BREAKFAST 1 st Saturday of every month, 8:00am - 9:30am Upper Fellowship Hall Men, rise up early and be encouraged by other men! All men (young and old!) are invited to gather with us monthly for our Men's Prayer Breakfast. In this gathering, we will share a meal, study a text from the bible, and pray for each other. If you'd like more information, please contact Aaron Bryant at thebryants2@gmail.com. MN SINFONIA CONCERT Friday, April 10, 7:00 pm Johnson High School Auditorium (1349 Arcade St., Saint Paul, 55106) This concert is free and features Inna Faliks, a Johnson High School student, on piano. Once again, First Covenant Church and Johnson High School choirs will join in closing the concert by singing Handel s Hallelujah Chorus from the Messiah, accompanied by the Minnesota Sinfonia Orchestra NORTHWEST CONFERENCE ANNUAL MEETING April 17 & 18 (Ministerial Association April 16 & 17) Salem Covenant Church, New Brighton Key Speaker: John Wenrich, the Evangelical Covenant s Director of Congregational Vitality. John is instrumental in providing resources, guidance and support to established churches. Hear testimonies of how God is doing mighty things throughout the region. Experience relationship and fellowship within the family we call the Covenant. Join other lay leaders from all parts of the NWC to make decisions impacting Kingdom work. Our FCC delegates are Audra Fields, Keith Turnquist, Sharla Scullen, and Rachel Hanks. THRIVENT THURSDAY April 23 and May 21, 6:00pm 9:00pm Upper Fellowship Hall Darryl Savage and Sabrina Fay from Thrivent Financial are leading a pair of financial workshops in April and May. The April workshop will be on planning for retirement while the May one will be on the basics of budgeting and financial planning. This is a positive environment where the essentials of budgeting and financial planning are given in a welcoming and positive environment. There is no cost to attend. A meal is included, so please RSVP with Erik Carlson at erik@first-covenant.org or sign-up at the Welcome Center. 12

15 Our Life Together BROADWAY DINNER NIGHT III Friday, May 8, 6:00pm Lower Fellowship Hall This night of entertainment features FCCers singing favorite Broadway tunes. Directed by Jorge Martinez and Richard Voth, this fundraiser event helps cover the costs of our musicals with our partner schools Farnsworth and Johnson. Advance ticket purchase required: adults ($20), under 18 ($10), under 5 (free). Scholarships available on request. The evening includes a dinner, show, coffee and dessert. Child care will be provided. Be sure to invite your friends and neighbors for this unforgettable evening of entertainment. If you are interested in participating in this event, please contact Richard at richard@first-covenant.org or Jorge at martinezflia@comcast.net. TEAM WORLD VISION RUN A MARATHON WITH TEAM WORLD VISION 2015 Water is life - and you have the life-changing opportunity to bring clean water to communities in Congo. We want YOU to join our 2015 Team World Vision team! Contact Charissa Pederson at (651) or crvpederson@gmail.com with any questions. New runners welcome! Basic training begins on April 6. STICKY FAITH ALL CHURCH BABY SHOWER Sunday, May 10, 11:00am 12:00pm Upper Fellowship Hall Children need to develop strong personal identity in Jesus Christ for faith to stick, and the church community helps do just that through relationships. The best time to start investing into the life of a child and their family is when they are young. We invite all of First Covenant Church to join us to participate in the 1 st, First Covenant All Church Baby Shower young and old, male and female. We will have refreshments together as we meet and show our support for those that recently have had babies. The shower is for all babies that have been born since April of The church will be presenting the babies with a gift, so please do not bring individual gifts for the babies. For more information please contact Donovan at donovan@first-covenant.org or Diane Carlson at dianeywanney@hotmail.com. UNITE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Thursday, May 7, 7:00pm (doors open at 6:00pm) University of Minnesota, Mariucci Arena UNITE for the National Day of Prayer with worship led by Kari Jobe and speaker Francis Chan. For event information go to 13

16 Our Life Together GOSPEL CHOIR Gospel choir is open to everyone! Please join us every month for a time of worship and fellowship. Rehearsal dates are as follows: April 9, 15; singing in worship on April 19 May 7, 13; singing in worship on May 17 Thursdays: Dinner 5:30-6:00pm, rehearsal 6:00-7:30pm Wednesdays: Dinner 5:45-6:15pm, rehearsal 6:15-6:45pm ONLINE GIVING First Covenant Church now has an online giving option available making it possible to give to the church almost anywhere, anytime. Visit our website at click on the word Giving on the upper right side of the home page, and then select the online giving option on the giving page by clicking on the word Here. Follow the instructions to make a gift with your credit card, debit card, or a direct deposit from your bank account. You will receive an receipt confirming your gift within 24 hours. You can even set up a recurring weekly or monthly gift that can be amended or eliminated at any time. You can access the online giving page from your computer, tablet, smartphone, or QR code shown here or on the back of your bulletin. For those of you with a scanning app on your tablet or smartphone, scan the QR code and it will take you directly to the mobile version of the page. MEAL MINISTRY If you would like to be added to a list of those asked to bring a meal to someone going through an illness or a life change, please contact Rachel Verdoorn at rachelverdoorn@gmail.com or FCC GOVERNANCE TRANSITION UPDATE During the next weeks and months you will continue to have opportunity to hear more about the process we are taking in the transition of our church governing body from a modified council structure to a leadership team model. New Bylaws are being crafted and a first draft will be presented in June 2015 during formal communications gathering (with ice cream and fruit to kick off the summer!) A Nominating Committee is being formed to identify and recruit candidates for the first Leadership Team. If you have a desire, discerning heart and are interested in being on this crucial committee, please contact one of the task force members listed below. Plans for leadership training sessions are being made Task force members: Don Pelto, Jennifer Herman, Rachel Hanks, Steve Weiss and Tom Cameron, consultant. 14

17 Our Life Together FCC MATCHING FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM It s that time of year again, and we want to remind all of you that First Covenant has a matching fund scholarship program in conjunction with North Park University, North Park Theological Seminary, and Bethel University. North Park University matches the church scholarship up to $500 per year, while the Seminary matches up to $500 per semester. Bethel University matches up to $2000 per year. The scholarship program is organized into two separate funds, one for North Park, and one for Bethel. All donations to either fund in order to be available for the school year must be received by May 20th. Please note, according to Bethel s regulations, neither the student or his/her parents may donate to the Bethel fund in the same year the student receives a church scholarship. Also note, all donations to either fund must be made to the fund, and not in the name of a particular student. Checks to either fund should be made payable to First Covenant Church, with a designation of North Park church matching grant, or Bethel church scholarship program in the memo line. Applications for scholarships are due to be handed in to the Scholarship Committee (Tom Cameron, Kate Makosky, and Louise Wilson) by June 1st. The committee will award scholarships in mid-june, and announce them by July 1st. The terms governing the scholarship program are available upon request. RACIAL TASK FORCE The First Covenant Church Racial Righteousness Task Force was formed following the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The staff agreed that we needed a team in place to keep the conversation going. This force has been tasked with the job of looking at the bigger picture of FCC and holding us accountable to our mission to be a reconciling community. 15

18 Sticky Faith WHAT IS STICKY FAITH? Sticky Faith is our way of doing ministry at First Covenant Church. Sticky Faith happens when children, youth and adults are growing spiritually, intergenerationally, interculturally and in their experience of the Kingdom of God. STICKY FAITH LAUNCH TEAM It s hard to believe, but this spring is our one year anniversary for our Sticky Faith Launch Team! This group of adults has helped to evaluate how the Sticky Faith approach to ministry has been going at First Covenant. This team has helped to set goals around areas where we would like to see growth or new Sticky Faith experiences happen. This team has also helped to cast vision and implement new ideas for this intentional growth. STICKY FAITH UPDATES Make sure that you check out the information about the All Church Baby Shower on page 17! This is a key way to gather together - both intergenerationally and interculturally - to welcome and celebrate new lives into our community! The Sticky Faith Launch Team has also been strategically looking at how we equip our young people to be engaging with God s Word. We have targeted 4 specific milestones at which young people are receiving Bibles: Infants - at dedication or baptism, families are given a copy of the Jesus Storybook Bible. Simple language and engaging illustrations help to provide the foundation of sharing faith together for families. Current 2 nd graders moving to 3 rd Grade - this is the year that children typically go from learning to read to reading to learn. It is the perfect time for them to receive The Adventure Bible from their Sunday School teachers, just in time for them to bring their new Bible with them to camp for the summer! 7th Grade - upon entering Confirmation, the NLT Student Bible is gifted to our young adolescents. Full of maps, study tools and stories to help them relate God s word to their own lives in a translation they can more easily understand, this Bible is their companion throughout their time in youth ministry. 12th Grade - upon graduation, the NIV Study Bible is gifted to our graduates. This is seen both as a tool for them to continue to grow spiritually after high school, but also a form of encouragement as church leaders and community members are asked to highlight key verses for these young people to guide and encourage them on in their journey. 16

19 Partners EAST SIDE THRIVE East Side Thrive Formerly Known As The Saint Paul Covenant As was shared in the previous newsletter, The Saint Paul Covenant is now doing business as East Side Thrive. We are entering the process of developing a new logo and organizational image as well as updating our bylaws, mission, vision, and organizational goals to better reflect our current and future programing and partnerships as well as add clarity on how we operate in partnership with First Covenant Church. Executive Director Update - Tim Herman I first want to personally thank each and every one of you who helped make Annie a huge success! Over 130 volunteers, st through 6 th graders, and story after story of the huge impact we have collectively made in these students life continue to be shared and is truly amazing! I can say with complete certainty, nobody does what we are doing in partnership together anywhere else in Saint Paul and people are taking notice. We estimate that around 900 guests attended the 2 performances of Annie. Our guests graciously donated $2874 at the performances and an additional $510 has come in since. Richard says this is a new record of support for the Spring Musical. Local businesses also sponsored Annie and raised an additional $2500 as well as attracting Sunrise Bank to add sponsor support for the fall musical and our afterschool program with $1000 in total. Thank you also for your support at The Dancing Goat Coffee House as we received a check for $550 from the Dancing Goat Doing Good program. We just received news that we have been awarded a $12,000 grant from the McNeely Foundation and are working on several other grant opportunities to help us continue to provide excellence in programming and ensure the greatest impact on our students and for the many who volunteer. We look forward to our next big event in May with Broadway Dinner III and hope you will join us for an amazing show of talent and culinary goodness! Please contact Tim Herman with any questions at Tim@EastSideThrive.org or Welcome Three New Board Members East Side Thrive is excited to announce 3 new board members! Mahogany James, Dawn Holtz, and Janel Haider were added since January. They join our current Board Members: Jon Fure, Keith Turnquist, Hayley Johnson, Mercedes Martinez, Kate Makosky and Pastor Anne Vining. Mahogany James is our new Treasurer and is currently a Masters in Non-Profit and For Profit Administration Student at Metro State University while also working full-time for the University. She brings more than 10 years of Non-Profit experience and will assist with our grant writing team in securing more funding for our programs. 17

20 Partners EAST SIDE THRIVE (continued) Dawn Holtz grew up at First Covenant and now lives with her family in Maple Grove and is working on her Master s Degree in Business Administration and is a Senior Sales Representative for a Pharmaceutical company. She has been looking for an opportunity to serve and we are excited to add her energy and experience to our board. Janel Haider is one of the Founders of The Saint Paul Covenant and is excited to rejoin the organization as a board member. Janel has worked for 3M for a number of years, and will add great historical perspective as we grow and continue to cause the East Side to Thrive! Help Support East Side Thrive East Side Thrive has impacted over 300 students since the beginning of the school year. We continue to refine our afterschool programming and recently started Hip-Hop Dance and Music Production and Recording as part of our after school program. We are set to also add healthy cooking classes from a local Chef and are excited about programming partner opportunities for next fall as well. As East Side Thrive continues to grow, develop, and take that next step in community impact, I ask for your help in connecting to corporate funders, foundations and other potential individual donors who share an interest in being part of this amazing experience. If you work for a company that has a charitable foundation or supports their employees volunteering in the community. I would really like to have coffee with you and explore how we can find new ways to support East Side Thrive beyond the financial and time support members from First Covenant have been so committed to over the years. We are about to enter the budget cycle for 2015/2016 and will need to raise significantly more funding to staff and support our programming goals which may include additional days of tutoring through partnerships. We so appreciate your past, current, and future support but we also recognize that for both our organizations to truly Thrive, we need to add new sources of donor support and grant funding. Please contact me if you would like to meet over coffee. 18

21 Partners EAST SIDE THRIVE (continued) EST afterschool programming continues for grades K-12 Wednesday Nights 4:00-5:45pm (April 8 May 20) First Covenant Church East Side Thrive After School Program continues to go strong. We are excited about the growth we have experienced this year in volunteer and student participation. Students who participate in the program have been thrilled about the additions we made to this program early this year. In February we started a Hip Hop Dance class, and a Music Production class, that has taken EST to a whole new level, and we plan to keep introducing new programming to make East Side Thrive After School Program even better. If you have questions, please contact Leslie X. Sanders, Program Manager at leslie@first-covenant, for more information. East Side Thrive Summer Programming and Partnerships East Side Thrive will again partner with First Covenant Church, Family Values For Life, New Lens Mentoring, and the Clyde Turner Basketball Camps, Hero Training Camp and other activities throughout the Summer. Stay tuned for additional details! FAMILY VALUES FOR LIFE Maintaining the New You Saturday, April 11, 10:00am 1:00pm Upper Fellowship Hall Inspirational Speaker Joyce Lester will encourage participants to stay on track with their goals. A guest praise dance team will minister and a Financial Stability Workshop will be presented by Darryl Savage of Thrivent. Morning snacks and lunch will be served. This event is free of charge. Sign up at the Welcome Center. Mother/Daughter Tea Saturday, May 16, 10:00am 1:00pm (Mother/Daughter Tea) Lower Fellowship Hall A Personal & Image Development Workshop will be presented by Alice Flowers of AF Image Development. This event will also feature mother and daughter teams in praise dance, singing, and modeling. The opening prayer and welcome will be given by Pastor Anne and her daughter, Charissa, from First Covenant of St. Paul. The Keynote speaker, Pastor Laurel Bunker from Bethel College, will be introduced by her two daughters. It will be a fun event! Watch for a sign up sheet at the Welcome Center. 19

22 Partners ROOTS COVENANT CHURCH UPDATE Sunday worship: 11:00am - 12:30pm 655 Fairview Ave N, Saint Paul, MN In January and February, the advisory team spent four days praying, planning and seeking God's leading as we went through a strategic planning process to define our goals for We came away with 5 goals that we believe God will help us achieve. If you want to know what they are, touger@rootscov.org! Please pray with us that God will lead over 100 people to join us for our Easter worship gathering on Sunday, April 5 at 11:00am, and that many people will meet Jesus on that day. URBAN ROOTS Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) MEMBERSHIP If you want fresh local produce and believe in our important work in transforming the lives of youth through learning, community action projects, hard work and connections to the environment, then Urban Roots CSA is a great match for you! Choose the right share for you: 10 week - Summer Garden Share: June 17-August week - Extended Garden Share: June 17-October 7 Pick ups will be at Urban Roots (463 Maria Ave, Saint Paul) on Wednesdays from 3:30-7:30pm). View sign up and price information at Or see poster on the kiosk by the Welcome Center. SPRING PLANTING VOLUNTEER GROUPS NEEDED Urban Roots is now recruiting volunteer groups to work in our East Side Saint Paul gardens this spring. Opportunities include prepping garden beds, planting and small construction projects. We have flexible scheduling from late April through May. Optimal group size is 10 to 30 people with a time commitment of 2-5 hours. We supply tools, gloves, water, a light snack and lots of fun! Mark your calendars for our upcoming planting event at First Covenant Church of Saint Paul: Earth Day Gardening Event on Saturday, April 25 from 9:00am-1:00pm. Please contact garden@urbanrootsmn.org with questions or to schedule any of these opportunities. PAYNE PHALEN BLOCK NURSE On Thursday, May 7, PBS (Channel 2) will present an hour-long, primetime documentary, "Caring for Mom & Dad." The film weaves together a tapestry of eight main characters and their families whose stories complement each other and present some of the most pressing issues facing caregivers on the front lines. The documentary includes interviews with the family of Alicia Zepeda, FCC Bookkeeper and Ana Diaz, the Medical Advocate for the Payne Phalen Elders program. The program, which will be narrated by Meryl Streep, will be re-broadcast on Mother s Day and Father s day if you miss on May 7. Check your local listings for time. 20

23 Looking Ahead GRADUATION SUNDAY Sunday, June 7 10:30am Worship service 11:30am Reception for graduates HERO TRAINING CAMP (HTC) (incoming 1st-8th graders) June 15-18, 2:00-5:00pm Phalen Rec Center, 1000 E. Wheelock Parkway Calling all heroes for another GREAT year of HTC! Discover the hero within and the Greatest Hero of All, Jesus Christ, this summer at Hero Training Camp! Our 8th annual sports-and-arts based day camp at Phalen Rec Center returns for another summer of friends, fun and discovery. We can t wait to see you there! HTC CAMP CELEBRATION Thursday, June 18th, at 5:00pm, back at First Covenant Church. This evening includes dinner and a camper showcase as we celebrate an amazing week. HTC VOLUNTEER TRAINING Wednesday, June 10th, 5:30-7:00pm First Covenant Church Join the HTC team to work with kids, assisting in leading clinics and/or helping behind the scenes. This training is key for you to get the big pictures of HTC plans and your role in this exciting week. For more information contact Dan Makosky at herotrainingcamp@first-covenant.org. CLYDE TURNER BASKETBALL CAMPS June and July Arlington Hills Community Center (1200 Payne Ave St Paul, MN 55106) Our incredibly successful summer basketball & education camps are back! Taught by professional coaches and speakers, these camps teach the fundamentals of basketball and the importance of education. Open to boys and girls ages 8-17 and free for low-income families from St. Paul s East Side. SUMMER OUTDOOR WORSHIP AND POTLUCK DATES June 14, July 5, August 16 SUMMER GOSPEL CHOIR June 28, July 26 and August 30 21

24 Looking Ahead COVENANT PINES 2015 SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE Pathfinders (entering grades 3-4): June Kids Kamp (entering grades 2-3): June 29-July 1 *Trailblazer 2 (entering grades 4-6): July *Junior High 2 (entering grades 7-9): July 27-August 1 *Senior High 2 (enter grades 9-12): August 3-8 *these camps have an official bus stop at FCC 2015 EVANGELICAL COVENANT ANNUAL MEETING June Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center, Kansas City, MO The ECC invites the entire Covenant family to worship, celebrate, challenge one another in active learning experiences, and be encouraged. New churches are welcomed and new ministers and missionaries are ordain, commission and consecrated. FCC s delegates are Joan & Dave Brand, and Mike & Rachel Verdoorn. Pray for discernment and safety as they go to represent our church and take part in important decisions about our shared mission and ministry. 22

25 The Mission of First Covenant Church of Saint Paul Our Strategic Map experience Generous Living by investing our resources experience genuine relationships through formal and informal Gathering experience Spiritual Growth experience Vibrant Worship discover spiritual and financial gifts, talents, passions Many voices celebrating our new life in Christ, living out our mission through intergenerational and intercultural values: Authentic Discipleship Connecting God's people to God's Word, one another, and the world, so that, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we further the kinship of God. Commitment to Children, Youth and Families Inspiring children, youth and families to belong, believe and become lifelong followers of Christ. Community Transformation Building bridges with key partners and cultures to bring about spiritual, physical, emotional and economic well-being. Genuine Reconciling Relationships Loving each other as God loves us, living into the truth that in Christ all are reconciled. Missional Outlook Continuing our legacy as mission friends and mobilizing people to serve locally and globally. Vibrant Worship Rich in many traditions and creativity, gathering for life-giving worship that brings glory to God. 23

26 CHURCH STAFF LISTING The church has recently installed a new digital phone system to replace the old analogue system dating back to As a result, we have adopted three-digit extension numbers. All the new extensions will be the old numbers with a 2 added in front. Jon Hugger x208 jon@first-covenant.org Alicia Zepeda x209 alicia@first-covenant.org Judy Kline x210 judy@first-covenant.org Tricia LaMotte x211 trish@first-covenant.org Audra Field x212 audra@first-covenant.org Erik Carlson x214 erik@first-covenant.org Leslie Sanders x215 leslie@first-covenant.org Anne Vining x216 anne@first-covenant.org Richard Voth x217 richard@first-covenant.org Kate Makosky x218 kate@first-covenant.org Tom Cameron x219 tom@first-covenant.org Donovan DeGaetano x220 donovan@first-covenant.org Ted Nordlund x227 ted@first-covenant.org Roger Quant x228 rquant@hotmail.com Keyla Spahr x229 keyla@first-covenant.org Brandi Sanders x233 brandi@first-covenant.org Building Partners Tim Herman (EST) x221 tim@eastsidethrive.org Alfreda Flowers (FVFL) familyvaluesforlife@gmail.com Lois Steward (FVFL) Connect with us online as well! Like us on Facebook!