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Remember to move your clocks AHEAD
one hour this weekend!
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Worship for Sunday, March 12
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In our second week in the sermon series on the Lord's Prayer, we ponder what it means to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." When have you experienced God's kingdom and how did you recognize it? Have you ever felt yourself completely aligned with what you understood to be God's will, God's desire for your life and those around you? Following the sermon, all will be invited to a prayer station focused on justice -- a vital characteristic of God's kingdom and God's will.
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A New Look in the Sanctuary during Lent
In February, the Session approved a recommendation from the Ministry of Faith Formation to take out the first three pews in the sanctuary to create space that can be used creatively during the season of Lent. You will see the space filled with a communion table, prayer stations, special seating for children, and more. We hope this provides a meaningful opportunity for you to experience worship in a new way.
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Music Notes:
Our services throughout the season of Lent will feature some different musical elements that reflect the themes of the season. Rather than singing the customary Gloria following the Assurance of Pardon, we sing a hymn of confession ("Forgive Our Sins") which is based on an early Amercian tune (Kentucky Harmony). In place of the middle hymn each week, we will elongate a portion of meditation and singing at the conclusion of the Prayer of Intercession and Thanksgiving. This time of reflection will include a Taizé refrain that will feature a phrase from the Lord's Prayer that is being focused on for that specific Sunday. Our normal doxology (Old Hundredth) is replaced by another Taizé refrain which features Jesus' words from his sermon on the mount, "How blessed are you who are poor; the kingdom of God is yours." Each week, the organ prelude and the carillon postlude will feature a different setting of the German chorale, Vater unser im Himmelreich, which is the Lutheran musical setting of the Lord's Prayer. Martin Luther created the nine-stanza paraphrase of the text in 1538 and set it to an anonymous tune. Our service will conclude each week with a choral postlude featuring a simple prayer from the Native-American Navajo tradition, "Now I walk in beauty."
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And How Are We To Pray?
Exploring Prayer
Sundays, March 12 through April 9,
Beckwith Hall, 11:30 am
Following worship on Sundays, March 12 through April 2, join us for a discussion about the Lord's Prayer and prayer in general. Through scripture and discussion, we will explore how this prayer Jesus taught the disciples offers us guidance on a life of faith and a life of prayer. We will also experience creative forms of prayer and explore their affect on our experience of prayer. All are welcome to any class during this series!
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Sunday Schedule for Covenant Youth
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It was wonderful having the children and youth in worship on Sunday,
and seeing their creativity through coloring and pipe cleaner creations! Check out their artwork on the "Sacred Scribbles" board next to the Library in the reception room.
Here's this Sundays happenings!
8:50 - Youth Choir members arrive in Yost Chapel for rehearsal
10:00 - 10:15 - Youth Choir singing the anthem in service
10:20 - 11:15 - Bible lesson & Snack for Youth in grades K-7th
11:20 - 12:00 - Youth Choir
12:00 - 1:30 - DWELLERS (4th-7th graders) meet in The Living Room
The Children and Youth will continuing learning about "The Lord's Prayer." Stacey Booker will be teaching the K-3rd graders with
Susan Klein helping, and
Marie Jones will be leading the 4th-7th graders. If you'd like to be a volunteer teacher or helper with the Sunday school, please let Melanie or Mindy know. The youth would love to get to know you!
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While all children are more than welcome to remain in the service, we have a nursery for infants through pre-kindergarten age children.
Activities packets are available from the ushers.
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The Youth Choir will sing the anthem this Sunday. Here are some of the youth studying their music!
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Thank you to Kaori Hongo, our Director of Music for Children and Youth, for these pictures.
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At the end of September
we were blessed
with twelve new members who joined the Covenant community. We asked each to tell us a bit about themselves. Over the next few weeks, we will share their pictures and brief biographies so that we might better know one another.
Sam Senyo
Sam Senyo recently moved from Cambridge, MA to the Cleveland area to fulfill passions in teaching and research as a faculty member at Case Western Reserve University. As a recent transplant, he joined the congregation in 2016 and has enjoyed getting to know Cleveland over the past few months.
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We keep in our prayers
David Browne, Akeya Clark (Marie Jones' niece), Rich Day (friend of Bill Braun and Cathy Luck), Stephanie Johnson, and Timothy Moyer (Jonathan Moyer's brother). We pray for Covenant members and friends who are struggling with illness, convalescing, or are homebound; the patients, family, and staff in our surrounding hospitals; and those who have placed prayer requests in our Carpenter's Box.
A memorial service for Carmela Marrapodi will be this Saturday, March 11, at 2:00 pm in the Covenant Sanctuary.
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Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
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Session, the Covenant's governing body, is the spiritual and visionary leader of the church. Members elected to Session serve three-year terms as ruling elders. In their monthly meetings moderated by the pastor, Session members engage in Bible study and visioning and perform necessary business of the church.
Click here to meet our Session members.
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Here are highlights from the January and February Session meetings.
- Supported offering the Financial Peace University to the congregation and community
- Heard a report from the Personnel Committee on the recently completed senior pastor's review
- Approved holding an interfaith prayer service on President's Day (February 20)
- Approved the formation of three task forces to review:
- The Long-Range Financial Strategy
- The Self-Study
- The Manual of Operations (interested in being a part of these groups? Please contact Amy Starr Redwine!)
- Set the date of this year's Annual Meeting for Sunday, May 21 after worship
- Approved the formation of a Covenant Student Community Center to welcome college and graduate students into designated space in the lower level education wing when staff is present. The office for the Chaplain for Students will be relocated into that space.
- Approved the renewal of The Rev. Nancy Lynch as Parish Associate for one year.
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Praying for those impacted by gun violence
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Since a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012, killing 26 people, 20 of them children, 733 people in Cuyahoga County have been killed by guns. Since last month, 13 more individuals have died by gun violence in Cuyahoga County. Four of those who died were by suicide, and one victim was under eighteen.
Believing God calls us to be peacemakers, one Sunday each month we pray for people affected by gun violence, marked by the tolling of the tower bell. Join us, in this time of increased concern over deadly gun violence in our county, our country, and the world, in remembering and praying that God will show us the way to a new commitment to Peace on Earth.
The Church of the Covenant partners with God Before Guns, a multi-faith coalition of individuals and faith communities created in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, to reduce gun violence. Go to GodBeforeGuns.org to see how to become engaged.
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Tutors needed for the Saturday Tutoring Program March 11 & 18
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 Tutors needed Saturdays March 11 and 18 during CWRU's spring break!
Call 216.421.0482, ext. 281, or email
2nd Semester Tutoring Sessions: March 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8
Here is an update from the most recent Saturday Tutoring e-news:
- During the 15th session of our 27th year, 86 students were nurtured by 53 tutors!
- Of the 86 students, 46 were in grades 1-6; 40 in grades 7-12.
- 24 students have attended all 5 tutoring sessions, as have 12 tutors!
- Thanks for helping students to arrive at the same conclusion as 4th-grader, Kamarie: "I come to Saturday school to learn more and get better at things I don't know."
- There's room on the calendar for your organization, co-workers, friends, family. Thanks to these groups who scheduled a date: February 11--CSU's Graduate Student Association of School Psychologists (GASP); Hathaway Brown School; CIA's Community Service Club! March 18--McKinsey & Company; JCU's women's club volleyball team! March 25--CSU's National Society of Leadership and Success! April 1--CWRU's Saturday of Service!
Linda Wilson announces retirement after 2018 Spring Semester.
During her 27th year Linda has advised us that she will be retiring from her position after the spring semester of 2018. Does the mission of the Saturday Tutoring Program compel you? The Saturday Tutoring Program Steering Committee is seeking participants who feel called to help plan to sustain this vital ministry.
READ MORE.
Learn more about the Saturday Tutoring Program.
Contact John Marsh
to learn more or call the Church office, 216.421.0482.
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Certain times
of the church year offer us opportunities to start anew and recommit to a regular spiritual discipline of reflection and prayer. To help facilitate this during Lent, we have put together a devotional, a compilation of the 2016 evotionals.
Click here for a pdf of these devotionals
or request a printed copy in the Church Office.
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Orders for Easter Flowers due Sunday, March 26 .
You may order lilies and flowers to remember or honor loved ones. The names of the donors and those being remembered or honored will be in the Easter bulletin on April 16. Call Mildred Russin at 216.421.0482 to place an order or click here to download a form.
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Cleveland School of the Arts Festival of New Works
2064 Stearns Road, Cleveland
Featuring the creative works of CSA, the four-day Festival of New Works is one of the only events of its kind in the United States.
Click here to see more.
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Cole Seaton
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Concert at Westminster Presbyterian Church
John W. W. Sherer joined by Cole Seaton
Sunday, March 12, 5:00 pm
John W. W. Sherer, Fourth Presbyterian Church Organist and Director of Music, Chicago, will perform a recital at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Akron. He will be joined by Cole Seaton, Fourth Presbyterian tenor soloist and former Covenant Choir member, for certain selections. This free concert is funded by Roger and Martha Nelson in celebration of their sixtieth wedding anniversary.
Read more here.
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Abraham Ross
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Abraham Ross Masters Organ Recital
Wednesday, March 15, 8:00 pm
Fairchild Chapel, Bosworth Hall
Abe Ross, Covenant's Department of Music Intern, is playing his master of music recital entitled "Conceptions of Feminity in Renaissance Keyboard Music." This event will be streamed live. We congratulate Abe as he completes his degree.
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NeosonicFest Recital
Friday, March 17, 7:30 pm
Church of the Covenant
Special guest Roy Poper, Trumpet
Dr. Jonathan Moyer, Covenant's Organist and Director of Music, will be playing both the Newberry and Chancel organs for this NeosonicFest Recital.
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11205 Euclid Avenue
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Cleveland, OH 44106
Wheelchair accessible
Have items for the e-news?
Something fun to share with the Covenant community?
Centered in the Circle - Open to the World
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