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The Messenger
Newsletter o f The Church o f the Covenant
January 2014
The Church
of the Covenant
267 East Beau St.
Washington, PA 15301
724.222.0190
www.churchofthecov.org
Worship Services
Sundays: 8:30, 9:43 & 11:00
Adult Sunday School
8:45, 9:30 & 11 am
Children’s Sunday School 11 am
Church Office Hours
Mon.-Fri. 9:00a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
STAFF
Dr. Stuart D. Broberg
Pastor, Head of Staff
724-222-0190 x 117
Rev. Emily Miller
Associate Pastor
724-222-0190 x113
Stacy Phillips
Designated Director of Christian Ed.
724-222-0190 x 115
Don Nixon
Director of Spiritual Development
724-222-0190 x111
Debi Nicolella
Church Administrator
724-222-0190 x 112
Anthony J. Nicolella, CPA
Financial Administrator
Darla Pepper-Miller
Director of Music Ministry
724-222-0190 x 118
Ralph Farabee
Maintenance Supervisor
724-222-0190 x 119
Cyndi Barney
Church Sexton
724-222-0190 x 119
Camille Braun
Pre-School Director
724-222-0190 x 121
Debbie Miles
9:43 Music Coordinator
Peg Flynn
Administrative Assistant
724-222-0190 x 112
January 2014
Dearly beloved:
We are so grateful to Janet Nevin for serving as our Christian Educator over the past 5+ years. When she was hired and called by God 5 years ago The Church of the Covenant was in a financial pickle. I remem-ber folks saying, “We might even run a $200,000 deficit!”. Of course, God was far more faithful than that and the people of the church were far more generous than that. But in that atmosphere of concern and belt-tightening the Session nevertheless took a step of faith and hired Janet when they could not see where the money was going to come from. I believe that is called “walking by faith and not by sight”! They felt led by God to take a step of faith, trusting in God and trusting in the people. Their step of faith was not taken in vain.
Today, we have many young families coming to The Church of the Covenant. We have new programs and many new children, the life-blood of any church. We are blessed by God today because of the step of faith the spiritual leaders of the church took 5 years ago. We are growing as a church for many reasons but cer-tainly one of the most significant reasons is because we have an effective Christian Ed program, Adult Education program and Children’s Ministry Program. We are fulfilling our Mission Statement “TO KNOW CHRIST AND MAKE HIM KNOWN TO THE NEXT GENERATION”. Thank you, Janet, for being part of God’s plan for blessing us as a church. Thank you, God, for calling Janet to come and be part of Your plan to bless our children and people through her.
Going forward, we are blessed by God that our friend, Stacy Phillips, has agreed to serve as our Designated Director of Christian Education, beginning January 1, 2014. We are blessed because of her willingness to step forward, with all her many gifts of a background in education, serving in Interim capacities in the past (Interim Youth Coordinator) and her service to the church in the past (Director of the Summer Day Camp). She and Janet are great friends and we are assured that we will not “miss a beat” where Christian Ed is concerned. We believe that the Lord has provided and will provide in CE just as HE has in the past.
The next steps in our process include that the Christian Education Committee and the Personnel Committee will take time to do strategic planning where CE is concerned; they will work together in drafting a job description, based upon this strategic plan. The Session will review and approve the process, the plan and its implementation. When the way be clear, a search committee will be established consisting of Christian Education people with a Personnel Committee representative. As approved by the Session, Stacy Phillips is permitted to apply for the permanent position, should she so desire. The search committee will make a recommendation to the Personnel Committee and the Session will vote and approve the final candidate for the position of Director of Christian Education. We believe there will be ample opportunity for people to express their opinions as part of the strategic planning process.
As we begin this New Year may we begin with faith and trust in the God who provides, who HAS provided and who WILL provide...let the little children come unto HIM!
Faithfully, Dr. Stu Broberg
Janet's Retirement Celebration – Tuesday, January 21st
Come join us to celebrate Janet's "Good Works" and enjoy an evening of fellowship and entertainment!
6:00 pm – Potluck Dinner starts Chicken and drinks will be provided Last names starting A – J bring a side dish Last names starting K – T bring a salad Last names starting S – Z bring dessert 7:00 pm - Program starts
Please sign up at the Welcome Center in the Commons
GRATITUDE AND GREAT EXPECTATIONS!
The Messenger 2 January 2014
NEWS FROM THE FAMILY OF FAITH
Robert “Skip” Hornickel Door Refinishing Mary Ann Johnson
Thelma D. Johnson Memorial Fund Bernadette M. Danko Church Building Fund Don and Linda Grimm Church Building Fund Jim and Edna Grimm Memorial Fund Gary and Wendy Recktenwald Memorial Fund Terry Rudolph W. Frank Pryor
Church Building Fund Jack Keisling
USHER TEAM 2 IS ON FOR JANUARY
Adam Demead Harrell Demead Eugene Foster
Terri Grantz Gary Hamilton
Andrew McClellan David McClellan Richard Piatt
Honorarium
To honor: Cadence Salsbury By Reita D. Melvin
WE’RE ON THE WEB!! The address is www.churchofthecov.org.
You can download the Messenger by going to the Newsletter
tab and then clicking on download the Messenger.
BAPTISM Baptized December 24, 2013, Cadance Juliet Salsbury,
born October 19, 2013, infant daughter of Sean and Rebecca Seliga Salsbury. Dr. Stuart Broberg officiated.
THANK YOU Dear Dr. Broberg and members of the church, Thank you, so much, for the lovely poinsettia, the plate of cookies and the printed sermon. I am enjoying them so much! Again, thank you for thinking of me. Sincerely, Lois Shoup Thank you for the loving and caring visits of Pastor Stu and Pastor Emily when I was hospitalized those 20 some days and quite sick after my hip surgery. They helped me to keep my positive attitude and faith in God (he’s always in charge). For all the loving and touching cards I received from my Church Family; I’ve read and re-read them since I’ve been recuperating at my new home (Southminster Assisted Living); I am so blessed to have the best of two worlds, a loving Church family plus my loving family… Thank you for FOC prayers of concern and for the teddy bear to hug when I felt blue. I like my new home very much; there are so many activities I enjoy. Yours in Jesus - the reason for the season, Ruth Sharpnack.
EVENING CIRCLE INVITATION Hey Covenant Women! Ever thought of joining a small group for Bible Study and fellowship? Presbyterian Women invite you to join The Evening Circle on the second Thursday of the month at 6:15pm in the Parlor. We are exploring a Bible Study on Exodus and copies are available and will be given to you prior to the class. We invite first-time participants; you can join us at any-time! Bring a friend! Please call Linda at 724-228-5828 if you are interested or have any questions. We meet for one hour and refreshments are served.
FUNERALS Thelma Dunning Johnson died on Thursday, November 21, 2013. Her funeral service was held on Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at William G. Neal Funeral Home with Dr. Stuart Broberg officiating. William Frank Pryor died on Sunday, November 24, 2013. His funeral service was held on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at William G. Neal Funeral Home with Dr. Stuart Broberg officiating.
FELLOWSHIP OF CONCERN For prayer support or to join this ministry, call the
church office. Please contact the Fellowship of
Concern to give the names of those who are in need of prayer for health or other reasons. The names will then be called or emailed to the church members who pray daily for others. Prayer request forms are available in each pew. Completed forms may be placed in the of-
fering basket on Sunday.
The Messenger 3 January 2014
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD 2013
OCC has had another successful year here at The Church of the Covenant. We were blessed to have packed 1,061 shoeboxes! Now the true work of this ministry begins. Through out the year our 1,061 “gospel oppor-tunities” will be delivered to children all over the world! But remember, the goal of this ministry isn’t getting the shoe boxes to the children. Getting the shoe boxes to the children is a HUGE part of the process – but the goal is to bring the children to Jesus! Yes, their little faces will light up and their smiles will be huge when they see all of the goodies in their boxes. But our hopes & prayers are that they will also have smiles in their hearts when they receive the greatest gift that was packed in their box – and that is the love of Jesus Christ! You see, the shoeboxes are just a tool – a way of introducing the children to Christ. The material things in the shoebox won’t last long. The candy will be eaten, the toys will eventually break, the kids will out grow the clothes, the soap will slowly disappear, and the toothpaste will run dry. But the love of Jesus Christ will never disappear and never run dry. And if these children choose to accept Him as their Lord and Savior, they will FOREVER have the guarantee of eternal life with our Heavenly Father. That’s what OCC is all about!! Below is a recap of the OCC ministry for 2013 which gives a break down of how many boxes were packed in each age group.
Age Group Boys Girls Total
10 - 14 256 252 508 5 - 9 92 138 230
2 - 4 80 218 298 428 608 1,036
The above numbers reflect the total boxes packed from the items donated and the financial contributions that were made. An additional 25 boxes were packed and brought in by members of the congregation which made our total 1,061. The Operation Christmas Child Team thanks all of you for your wonderful support. And as always…….
THANK YOU FOR GIVING TO THE LORD!!!
IT’S PHASE TWO FOR THE GOD IN ACTION GROUPS!
Happy New Year to all! I truly hope that you all had a blessed Christmas and are ready to move forward into serv-ing God in the New Year!
Last fall, we embarked upon a God-given initiative called “Mission is Possible.” Through this plan, we were all urged to fulfill Jesus’ directive to love our neighbor by reaching outside of the walls of the church and into the com-munity at large. Through sermons and adult education classes, we learned about the needs of the community and the Biblical and theological reasons to share God’s love with those in need. Through the orange involvement cards, many of you responded by signing up for God in Action study groups and God in Action mission groups to become more involved. To date, we have received over 150 orange cards, indicating that more than 150 active members of the COTC desire to love and help our neighbors. Now, the next step, “Phase Two,” is getting organized and taking action!
Starting in January, church members will be organized into groups of like minded folks who want to be involved in similar missions. Those of you who filled out a card, but did not specify which mission you would like to work with, will receive a letter from me asking you to kindly choose a mission group. Any mission group to which you feel called by the Holy Spirit is the right one for you! We hope to have everyone contacted by the beginning of February, and then each group can set its own schedule and guidelines. Throughout the year, we plan to celebrate each and every mission effort done by the good people of the COTC, so that we can all rejoice in the difference we can make in Washington in Christ’s name. And don’t worry – if you haven’t yet signed an orange card to join a God in Action mission group yet, there is still time to do so. Remember, with God, all things are possible! Mission Is Possible!
Serving Christ with you, Pastor Emily
CHURCH OF THE COVENANT TRAVEL GROUP CHURCH OF THE COVENANT TRAVEL GROUP
VINCE GILL SHOW PALACE THEATER, GREENSBURG
THURSDAY MAY 15 2014
LEAVE PARKING LOT 4:00 PM RETURN 11:00 PM PRICE $135 RESERVATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 1 WITH A DEPOSIT OF $50. BALANCE OF $85 DUE MARCH 1 2014.
THE TRIP INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION, VINCE GILL SHOW AND DINNER AT NINO’S.
NINO’S IS LOCATED IN MT PLEASANT.
WE HAVE 50 ORCHESTRA SEATS RESERVED FOR THIS SHOW WHICH IS A ONE DAY ONLY EVENT.
ANY QUESTIONS, CALL MARGE MCWREATH AT 724 225 3226 OR EMAIL AT [email protected].
The Messenger 4 January 2014
Wednesday, January 1 Morning: Pss. 98; 147:1–11 Evening: Pss. 99; 8 Thursday, January 2 Morning: Pss. 48; 147:12–20 Evening: Pss. 9; 29 Friday, January 3 Morning: Pss. 111; 148 Evening: Pss. 107; 15 Saturday, January 4 Morning: Pss. 20; 149 Evening: Pss. 93; 97 Sunday, January 5 2nd Sunday after Christmas Day Morning: Pss. 99; 150 Evening: Pss. 96; 110 Monday, January 6 Epiphany of the Lord Morning: Pss. 72; 145 Evening: Pss. 100; 67 Tuesday, January 7 Morning: Pss. 46 or 97; 146 Evening: Pss. 27; 93; or 114 Wednesday, January 8 Morning: Pss. 46 or 47; 147:1–11 Evening: Pss. 27; 93; or 114 Thursday, January 9 Morning: Pss. 46 or 47; 147:12–20 Evening: Pss. 27; 93; or 114 Friday, January 10 Morning: Pss. 46 or 47; 148 Evening: Pss. 27; 93; or 114
Saturday, January 11 Morning: Pss. 46 or 47; 149 Evening: Pss. 27; 93; or 114 Sunday, January 12 Baptism of the Lord Morning: Pss. 104; 150 Evening: Ps. 29 Monday, January 13 Morning: Pss. 5; 145 Evening: Pss. 82; 29 Tuesday, January 14 Morning: Pss. 42; 146 Evening: Pss. 102; 133 Wednesday, January 15 Morning: Pss. 89:1–18; 147:1–11 Evening: Pss. 1; 33 Thursday, January 16 Morning: Pss. 97; 147:12–20 Evening: Pss. 16; 62 Friday, January 17 Morning: Pss. 51: 148 Evening: Pss. 142: 65 Saturday, January 18 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins Morning: Pss. 104; 149 Evening: Pss. 138, 98 Sunday, January 19 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Morning: Pss. 19; 150 Monday, January 20 Morning: Pss. 135; 145 Evening: Pss. 97; 112
Tuesday, January 21 Morning: Pss. 123; 146 Evening: Pss. 30; 86 Wednesday, January 22 Morning: Pss. 15; 147:1–11 Evening: Pss. 48; 4 Thursday, January 23 Morning: Pss. 36; 147:12–20 Evening: Pss. 80; 27 Friday, January 24 Morning: Pss. 130; 148 Evening: Pss. 32; 139 Saturday, January 25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity ends
Morning: Pss. 56; 149 Evening: Pss. 118; 111 Sunday, January 26 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Morning: Pss. 67; 150 Evening: Pss. 46; 93 Monday, January 27 Morning: Pss. 57; 145 Evening: Pss. 85; 47 Tuesday, January 28 Morning: Pss. 54; 146 Evening: Pss. 28; 99 Wednesday, January 29 Morning: Pss. 65; 147:1–11 Evening: Pss. 125; 91 Thursday, January 30 Morning: Pss. 143; 147:12– 20 Evening: Pss. 81; 116 Friday, January 31 Morning: Pss. 88; 148 Evening: Pss. 6; 20
DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR JANUARY
JANUARY PREACHING AND WORSHIP SCHEDULE
January 5, 2014 THE GREATEST SERMON EVER Commentary sermon on the
Communion II Timothy 4: 6-22 SERMON by Clarence Macartney,
Dr. Broberg preaches “Do your best to come before winter.” “Come before Winter”. The nature
v. 21 of regret for things not done.
Ministry Team Member Prays
January 12, 2014 A PLAYER'S COACH
Pastor Emily Preaches Matthew 3:13-17
"Jesus came from Galilee to John at the
Jordan to be baptized by him." v. 13.
Stu Broberg Prays
January 12, 2014 SERVICE OF CHRISTIAN UNITY Washington Ministerium hosts 1st
5:00 p.m. Wash High Auditorium all city service of Christian Unity.
Rev. Karen Stevenson, preaching.
Massed traditional choir under the direction of Darla Pepper-Miller/ Praise Team with our members par-
ticipating./ Dr. Broberg leading. 25+ churches participating. Join together and worship God and create
COMMUNITY through our love for God and one another!
January 19, 2014 A GAME OF THRONES Are we half hearted, no hearted or
Installation/ I Samuel 13: 8-14 whole-hearted for God? From our
Ordination “The Lord has sought out a man after heart springs the reality around us.
Dr. Broberg preaches his own heart.” V. 14
Ministry Team Member prays.
January 26, 2014 TEACHER FACE Gratitude for the ministry of Janet
Annual Cong Meeting Philippians 1: 3-11 Nevin to our children; our commitment
Dr. Broberg preaches “I thank my God in all my to children in our next chapter. Making
remembrance of you… Jesus known to the next generation.
that your love may abound
more and more...” vs. 3, 9
Pastor Emily prays.
Our gratitude to Janet Nevin as our DCE and our re-commitment as a congregation to our mission state-
ment --“To know Christ and make Him known to the next generation”.
The Messenger 5 January 2014
The Messenger 6 January 2014
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION INFORMATION
PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION
Registration for the 2014/2015 school year is just around the corner. If you would like to enroll your child for the 3 year old or 4 and 5 year old program please do so on February 3rd. Registration times are 9:00 till 1:00 . This day is set aside for congregational fami-lies and returning families. Registration for the community is February 4th. from 8:30-
1:00. If you have any questions or would like to receive a form before hand, please call Camille at the church or at home after 4:00 at 724-225-2947 or on the website churchofthecov.org.
What a blessing Festival Sunday was as we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior! The Covenant Kids Choir, under the able direction of Darla Pepper-Miller, shared "The Christmas Story" by Marie Pooler. The wonderful children who sang choruses and solos and rang hand bells were: Meghan Artuso, Abigail Bell, Katelyn Bell, Natalie Bell, Emily Ewbank, Emelia Hickman, Allison Ewbank, Megan Kelley, Makenna Frazee, Adeline Hickman, Makayla Bell, Bethany Koman, Julianna Koman, and Ellen McIlvaine. Thank you also to Jackie Koman who helped with hand bell instruction and "apprentice to the director". Such a joy to watch these enthusiastic and "sparkly" children share the Christmas story with us! After worship, we were able to visit the "live" Nativity in the side yard. Once again, earnest prayers parted the clouds and stopped the rain and wind, so that we
could share this special Covenant tradition! The young people who participated in the Nativity were Noah Martinson, Sarina Jones, Makayla Bell, Katelyn Nassar, Lindsay Smith, Todd Bright, Travis Nassar, Devin Reese, John Day, Sam Day, and Garrett Nassar. Samuel William Hickman played the part of baby Jesus--a second generation baby Jesus, as his mother played the part "several" years ago! The animals for the petting zoo and to provide the "atmosphere" were from the Barnyard Petting Zoo in Eighty-four. Ethel, the camel, seemed to enjoy her time with us! Thank you also to Jean Piatt and Peg Caesber for providing the hot chocolate in the Commons after worship! Our church family is indeed blessed with wonderful children and youth who are willing to share their talents and time!
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEWS Happy New Year Everyone! Sometimes people make a resolution to lose weight or to exercise more, what about a resolution to spend more time studying God’s word? We have adult small groups that gather on Sunday to fellowship with one another and to see how the Bible relates to their lives today. Please check the schedule below and make time to visit a small group that might interest you. You’ll be glad you did!
9:15-10:00 AM- Faith and the Silver Screen, meets in the dining room. STARTS JANUARY 19th. “Chariots of Fire” is the movie, with Jonathan Pachter leading discussion.
The following groups are meeting starting January 5th. Stop in any time. 9:30-10:30 AM- Characters of the Old Testament, meets in the Parlor. Andy Kluczan leads discussion.
11:00 AM - Noon- The book of Ephesians meets in room 303. Donna Carlisle leads this dynamic women’s group.
11:00 AM- Noon- The book of Isaiah, meets in the Parlor. George Jones and Sue Denmead lead discussion.
Sunday School classes for children age 3 and older have started up again after our Christmas break. Classes are 11:00 AM-Noon. Our exciting Bible stories are different each week, so children can begin to attend classes anytime!
God Bless You All in this Season of New Beginnings~ Miss StacyGod Bless You All in this Season of New Beginnings~ Miss StacyGod Bless You All in this Season of New Beginnings~ Miss StacyGod Bless You All in this Season of New Beginnings~ Miss Stacy For more information on classes or small groups please call Stacy Phillips, Designated Director of Christian Education 724-222-0190 x115 or email [email protected]
Recap - FESTIVAL SUNDAY--December
Dr. George Jones Jan 1 Dolores Hardy Jan 1 Sarah Core Jan 1 Richard Thompson Jan 1 Vickie Wilson Jan 2 Jason Dille Jan 2 Bryan Dickson Jan 2 Melissa Hodinko Jan 3 Mitchel Groszkiewicz Jan 3 Christina Bowers Jan 4 Natalie Groszkiewicz Jan 4 Kylie Talerico Jan 4 Nancy McCreight Jan 6 Stephen Warren Jan 6 Austin Armstrong Jan 6 Robert Wichterman Jan 8 Bea Bebout Jan 8 Albert White Jan 9 David Warne Jan 9 Warren Briceland Jan 9 Karen Simonini Jan 10 Kathryn Lee Jan 11
Tammara Luchovick Jan 11 Edwin Moyer Jan 13 Thomas Hickman Jan 14 Charles Bowers Jan 15 Kara Antionette Jan 15 Linda Naeser Jan 16 Susan McDaniel Jan 16 Richard Nevin Jan 17 Joseph Losko Jr. Jan 17 Ellen Wilson Jan 18 Andrew McIlvaine Jan 18 Alicia Wilson Jan 18 Paul Phillips Jan 18 Donald Faust Jan 19 Nicole Emily Day Jan 19 Vincent Garlisi Jan 19 Lois Laird Jan 20 Ronald Cochran Jan 20 Cortney Capo Jan 20 Sally Corwin Jan 21 Joycelyn Dean Jan 21
Jean Stout Jan 22 Gerald Davison Jan 22 Dorothy Bowers Jan 22 James Bedillion Jan 22 Kimberly Carnahan Jan 22 Katelyn Nassar Jan 22 Jean Phelan Jan 23 Jean Day Jan 24 Judith DiGiovanni Jan 24 Keith Johnson Jan 24 Erin Georgalas Jan 24 Carol Hissom Jan 25 Ed Breedlove Jan 25 Jeremy Zajdel Jan 25 Milton Grantz Jan 25 Anna Locy Jan 26 Michael Hritz Jan 27 Crystal Barr Jan 27 Eric Saffell Jan 27 Ryan Densmore Jan 27 Susan Key Jan 28 Erin Locy Jan 31
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
The Messenger 7 December 2013
YOUTH GROUP NEWS
THE GUYS ARE GATHERING - Men’s Ministry Invitation The men of The Church of the Covenant will meet at the home of Pastor Stu on Wednesday, Jan 29 at 6:00pm. Join us for food, fellowship and some general guy-bonding. There will also be a time of iron sharp-ening iron as we share our lives and hear a challenging message that will inspire and motivate. We will wrap things up about 9:00pm. In addition, remember that a good many men of the church meet every Tuesday morning at 7:00am at Tower Restaurant on W Chestnut St. You are welcome to join us.
Youth Ministry Schedule
Sunday Jan 12: Youth leader meeting (Panera) at 12:30-2:00pm
Sunday Jan 12: All youth will participate in the Service of Christian Unity at Washington High School at 5:00pm (Show up at 4pm to help)
Sunday Jan 19: Regular youth meetings...6pm middle school, 6:45pm high school.
Sunday Jan 26: Glow Night...6pm in the Covenant Center
Looking ahead to some special events:
Saturday Feb 8: Swim Party at Artusos...5pm to 10pm
Fri-Sat Mar 7-8: 30Hour Famine
Sunday March 23: Dodgeball Tournament...3pm to 6pm in the Covenant Center
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm and Sunday 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
THE CARNAHAN LIBRARY Dedicated on 11/1/09 to the memory of Thomas Dorrington Carnahan II,
Thomas Dorrington Carnahan III, George Kirk Carnahan and to the glory of God.
The following books were donated to the library. The
Library Committee thanks the donors. All have been
cataloged and are ready to be checked out. The library is in Room
308, the first room on the right as you enter the third floor hallway
from the elevator. The card catalog will help you to locate a book
by author, title or subject.
The following books are all new additions to the Carnahan Library.
The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson. The plot of the story follows a North Korean from an early age into manhood. Jun Do is the son of a man who runs a work camp for orphans. There the boy gets his first taste of power. Later he becomes a professional kid-napper for his country. The book is part thriller, a story of inno-cence lost and part romantic love. It also gives the reader a glimpse into the country of North Korea. This book won the Pulitzer Prize and is highly recommended by other well-known writers.
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis. In this book by the famous Christian writer, the main character finds himself in Hell boarding a bus bound for Heaven. The amazing opportunity is that anyone who wants to stay in Heaven, can. Lewis’s book is a meditation on good and evil, grace and judgment. (Recommended by Rev. Emily Miller)
Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife by Eben Alexander, M.D. NDE’s (Near Death Experiences) are con-troversial. Those in the scientific community have argued that they are impossible. Dr. Alexander had believed that such experiences are simply fantasies produced by brains under extreme stress. But when his own brain was attacked by an extremely rare illness and he lay in a coma for seven days, he came back with his own NDE that changed his whole perspective about heaven, God and the soul. Flunking Sainthood: A Year of Breaking the Sabbath, Forgetting to Pray, and Still Loving My Neighbor by Jana Riess. The author shares a year-long quest to become more saintly by taking on twelve spiritual practices, including fasting, fixed-hour prayer, gratitude, Sabbath-keeping, the Jesus Prayer, and generosity. Al-though she plans to be successful, she finds that she is failing at every one of the practices. This memoir turns out to be a story of the quest for perfection and the reality of failure which turns out to be a valuable spiritual practice in and of itself. (The author has a doctorate from Columbia University and works as an editor in the
publishing industry.)
Billy Graham and Me: 101 Inspiring Stories from Presidents, Pastors, Performers, and Other People Who Know Him Well by Steve Posner and Amy Newmark. All of the stories introduce the reader to the man behind the public figure. The contributors include all the living U.S. presidents, world leaders, well known men and women from the fields of relig-
ion, entertainment, sports, the media as well as his family and friends. It tells of his courage when he refused to speak to segre-gated audiences in the 1950’s and when he ventured to countries like Russia to spread the Word. This book will help anyone to un-derstand this world famous preacher and evangelist. Island of Saints: A Story of the One Principle That Frees the Hu-man Spirit by Andy Andrews. The author was digging up a dying wax myrtle tree in his yard about 10 years ago when he discovers a rusted metal container filled with Nazi artifacts. He then begins an investigation that results in his learning about an event that took place in his backyard during WWII. A recently widowed woman Helen Mason discovers the nearly lifeless body of a German sailor. The resulting story offers a tale of war, faith, and forgiveness. The following gently used books were donated anonymously. The
Library Committee thanks the donor(s).
White Christmas Pie by Wanda E. Brunstetter. The author has written several books about the Amish. She has made many trips to the Lancaster area of PA and other parts of the country to get to know members of the Amish communities and to learn more about their beliefs and lifestyle. In this novel, the main character is a 16 year old boy who was abandoned by his father and left in the care of an Amish family. All these years later, the father is searching for his son and wonders if there is any hope of a relationship. (The library has some of her Amish series.) The Three Mrs. Parkers by Joan Medlicott. This novel is about 3 generations of the Parker family. The elder Mrs. Parker (Winifred) has led a life of privilege but now she needs a caregiver. The sec-ond Mrs. Parker (Zoe) is the widow of Winifred’s son. Their rela-tionship has always been strained but because of circumstances, Zoe agrees to be the caregiver. The youngest of the three is Zoe’s daughter who returns home. Being together allows the three of them to learn more about each other. (The library has other books written by Medlicott.)
One Perfect Day by Lauraine Snelling. The focus of this novel is on two mothers, each a stranger to the other, whose lives are changed forever in a single moment. Nora Peterson is the mother of twin teenagers, a boy and a girl who are seniors in high school. Nora wants Christmas to be perfect as the twins will be headed to college in the fall. Her son is seriously injured in a car accident caused by another driver and Nora is faced with making a heart-breaking decision. (Snelling is the author of the most read series in the library entitled Red River of the North.
It’s historical fiction telling about the settlement of North Dakota
by immigrants. Recommended by all who have read it.)
The Messenger 8 December 2013
1. Habitat for Humanity is trying to finish its 50th house on Addison Ave. in Washington by Jan. 31 to accommodate a new homeowner whose family has medical issues. They are asking for extra volunteers who would like to work to sign up. If you are interested in giving some time during the week or on a Saturday between now and the end of January, contact Sue McNally at Habitat (724-222-4340 x202) or Steve Johnson from the church (412-420-7253). Your time and work will mean a great deal to a local family.
2. The Church of the Covenant has signed up for four Saturday workdays in 2014. If you are a “regular,” or if you have wanted to participate but never have, now is the time to mark them on your calendar and commit to participation in this worth-while organization’s activities. The work is tailored your abilities and the hours are few - usually 9am – 1pm. No special skills are required, just a desire to help someone less fortunate than you. There is a sign-up sheet in the binder in the Welcome Center and you can contact Steve Johnson if you have questions. Let’s commit to providing 10 people for each of the following workdays in 2014. Saturday 1 Feb Saturday 3 May Saturday 2 Aug Saturday 4 Oct
HAITI HERE WE COME! Jan. 25th - Feb 1st
In just a few weeks The Church of the Covenant will send several hardy folks to Haiti for a one-week, life-changing mission trip. The team will live in the LaCroix New Testament Mission located 90 miles north of Port au Prince and work in three specific areas with a focus on hygiene and the prevention of diseases such as Cholera. The Medical Team will be doing “bush medicine” in the villages around LaCroix treating those who cannot afford medical care. Typically, they
will see between 300 and 500 patients each day. Many of whom will walk many miles to receive that care. The Construction Team will be building latrines, compost toilets and hand washing stations in each of the five schools that Pastor Pierre has taken under his wing. Using such facilities is new to the Haitians. How-ever, if successful, this program can help to eliminate the spread of deadly diseases such as Cholera. The Education Team will dovetail their teaching at the schools to help the 3,500 children understand the idea of germs and bacteria (which is a very foreign concept to them) and how the use of latrines and com-post toilets, along with regular washing of their hands can help to keep them and their families healthy. In addition, we will be giving out bars of soap to each child and YOU CAN HELP us by donating hotel-
sized bars of soap and bringing them to the church prior to our “packing day,” Sunday, January
19th.
*Do you sponsor a child at the Mission??? If you do, and would like to send something to your child, we would be happy to deliver it to them as long as it fits into a 1 gallon zip lock bag and is given to the church by “packing day.” Also, if you want to send a small child’s Creole Bible, they can be ordered for $10 by contacting Donna Carlisle (724-228-3616) immediately as she is placing an order for them the first week of January. Most importantly, please keep the team in your prayers both now and throughout the week of Jan 25 – Feb 1. The team consists of Donna Carlisle, Denise Douglas, Debbie Evans, Linda Grimm, Elsie Hall, Carolyn Holmes, George Jones, Emily Miller, Eric Meyers, Linda Reese, Annelise Thifault, Michael Almasy, Jane Evans, Laurie Adams and Tommy Tigar.
We are looking forward to this trip and keeping you informed about what God is doing in Haiti while we
are there. To HIM be the Glory!
The Messenger 9 December 2013
MISSION OPPORTUNITIES WITH HABITAT
The Messenger c/o The Church of the Covenant
267 East Beau Street
Washington, PA 15301
Return Service Requested
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
P A I D
Washington, PA Permit No. 29
