Holy Covenant United Church of Christ
A progressive Christian church
Weekly News & Announcements through
Week ending August 21 , 2016

In This Issue
Reflections
Charlotte Pride Events
HC Happenings
Article Headline
Prayer Concerns
Participant Reminders
Church Information
(Staff details below)

   Office Hours: 8AM-4PM
Monday through Friday
Phone: 704-599-9810

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Welcome Sunday, new members
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
We are delighted to welcome there new folk into our community of faith.  Please welcome them and introduce yourself if you have not been able to do that earlier.
Back Row:  Cheryl Midkiff, Diane Rogers, Sarah Wilds, Steve Turner  Front Row:  Scotty Foster, Christy Jarrett, Marion & Jerry Rhyne
Not pictured: Rich Midkiff, Eileen Howe, Janette Turner, Gussy and Lloyd Spencer
Reflections
Nancy Ellett Allison
School is starting all around us - whether preschoolers who only go twice a week or college kids (who also sometimes only attend class twice a week!) moms and dads and students are in the thick of it. 
 
I vividly remember the first time we stepped on the grounds of College of Charleston and I knew Laura would choose to attend there. I equally well remember the hordes of volunteers who surrounded us in Elon's parking lot and made dropping Carole off a much quicker affair.  (Yes, I was crying as we drove away from both campuses with empty cars.) School matters deeply in the lives of our children and consequently in parent's lives as well.

School also matters in the formation of our society's values. I have been startlingly reminded of this in the last two weeks. On August 9 I attended the CMS Board of Directors public meeting and signed up to speak along with 60 other citizens. Most of those speaking were there to harass the school board for false information disseminated by conservative Christian groups around the school's anti-bullying policies which includes protecting the LGBTQ kids in the school system. (There was an abundance of homophobia on display.) On behalf of Holy Covenant, I thanked the board for their good work.
 
Later that week the Charlotte Observer ran  an  excellent article featuring a transgender student and his teacher, Jenny McCarthy, a HC member. The next day a vitriolic letter to the editor was printed accusing the teacher of pushing her agenda on students. I wrote a response

All efforts to undermine the success of public schools is an effort to degrade our society and inevitably harms those most vulnerable and consequently becomes something we "Jesus people" need to take seriously. I thank every educator in our congregation for your hard work. You are shaping life anew for those in your classroom. 

~ thankful for kids & parents & teachers & learning , Nancy
Charlotte Pride Events, August 19-21
JOIN 2016 PRIDE FESTIVAL AUGUST 19, 20 & 21
Holy Covenant, along with 3 other UCC churches, will be present throughout the weekend to be a show of community support from Charlotte Area UCC churches. Thank you to all who have volunteered. If you head downtown, find the booth between Trade and 4th Streets (832-834) and stay awhile and visit! 
HCUCC Pride logo 2012


If you're volunteering on Sunday morning or marching in the parade, they are planning a worship service at 11:30AM in front of our booths, (832-834), organized by our own Terry Parish.   Come! Worship on the streets!
A Day Away:  Honoring Your Spirit, Your Story
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2016, 9:30 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.
Strengthen your spirit through contemplation, journaling, sharing, silence, and creativity. Led by Nancy Allison and Dana Endsley this will be an opportunity to create a circle of trust and encourage one another to live lives of integrity through honoring our roots, journaling our truth and celebrating our stories. Nancy will lead us in reflection and journaling, Dana will lead us in the creation of "Story Bowls™"  which will provide us with a tangible reminder of the blessings of the day.  
Sign up with Dawn by September 7 at office@holycovenantucc.org .  (Minimum 5 - maximum 12) The cost for lunch and supplies is $15. 
Holy Covenant Happenings
AUGUST 21 CENTENNIAL GUEST PREACHER, REV. DR. LEE JESSUP, JR
The Rev. Dr. D. Lee Jessup, Jr.'s first full time pastorate was with our congregation from 1976-1980. He went on to serve First Reformed UCC in Lexington and then became the VP of Development for United Church Retirement Homes in 1993. He has recently retired as the President/CEO of The United Way of Davidson County, serving there from 2001-2015. Lee and his wife, Mary Jo, remained "favorites" of our long-time congregants and we are delighted to "re-introduce" his wit and wisdom to our congregation.

UPPER ROOM MINISTRY AT UMC, AUGUST 22-26
Holy Covenant continues to participating in the Upper Room Ministry at Urban Ministries Center in uptown Charlotte on August 22nd through 26th from 12-12:30. If you are interested in participating or would like to find out more about this area of ministry, contact Phil Kaveler at pwkaveler@yahoo.com

MAKING A DIFFERENCE ONE COOKIE AT A TIME
Kairos, a weekend transformational program at the Southern Correctional Institute in Troy, where inmates are loved on and taught about Christ is hosting an event on September 11, 2016. Part of this includes giving the ladies homemade cookies. The goal is to provide 50 dozen.  Can you help? Please deliver your home baked cookies to the church freezer, by Sunday, September 4th. Please email Joy Johnson at joy.johnson1977@gmail.com or call 704-701-7665 for detailed instructions. The prison has very strict requirements so make sure you get the specifics before baking!   Click here for guidelines.

Sneaker drive

REUSE A SNEAKER - DONATE THOSE OLD STINKY THINGS!
The Earth Care team announces Reuse a Sneaker drive. The project, with collections of any brand sneakers that have reached the end of their useful life, recycles and transforms them into Nike Grind, a material used in creating athletic and playground surfaces, as well as select Nike products. As you prepare for the beginning of school and fall cleaning consider a new life for your old gym shoes. Drop off your old  tenniesAugust 7 to September 11, in the collection bin in the gathering room. (Regular shoes are not included in this project.)

BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS TIME FOR

The Backpack Ministry  supports hungry children at David Cox Elementary School feeding students and younger siblings. Each weekend the children receive backpacks complete with protein, vegetables, soup, starches, fruit, breakfast items and a snack. Don't have time to shop? Make a donation and a personal shopper will do the rest! 

SANDWICH MINISTRY
Harris Campus, Saturday August 20, at 10:00 AM, Sharon Campus, Wednesday, August 24 at 9:30. Help us make sandwiches for Urban Ministry to provide food for our neighbors who are homeless. DONATIONS WELCOME! We create 100 healthy sandwiches for about $70.00. Notate "Sandwich Ministry" in the memo of your check.

BOOK CLUB
Please join us at the Sharon Campus on August 22 for a discussion lead by Sue Pascucci of the book "Marriage of Opposites" by Alice Hoffman. For our September 19th meeting, we have tentatively selected William Kent Kruger's "Ordinary Grace"; discussion lead by Barbara Schneller.

YOGA WEDNESDAYS 7:30 PM
David Smith is leading yoga classes for all levels. For more information, contact David at  prizmsongs@gmail.com or 704-533-2142.

HCUCC NURSERY/PRESCHOOL REQUESTS
Many of our little ones are having their first birthdays! We need some items to keep them entertained and safe while playing.  
-Pool noodles- to use as toddler proof door stoppers---no smashed fingers! and no slammed doors :)
-Beach sand toys-shovels, rakes, molds, sifters, cars and trucks...things for our sand box.
-Outdoor toys- sturdy ones like Little Tyke or Step 2 brands, to ride on or climb...toddler age appropriate items.
Gently used contributions welcomed. See Caryn in the preschool or Dawn in the office.

CAN YOU HELP DELIVER FOOD TO LOCAL PANTRY?
A volunteer is needed to assist with delivery of grocery items to a local food pantry  AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. Please contact Dawn in the office if you are able to help with this important outreach to our neighbors.  
Gifts 

Carolina SeniorCare's Voices of Joy choir beautifully adorns the robes recently donated by HCUCC and the former Pilgrim Congregation!  Click here for full  Cover Story in the United Church Homes & Services Summer 2016 newsletter. 
Prayer Concerns
PLEASE REMEMBER IN PRAYER
Members
Jean Berg, Gail Bushman, Leanne Bushman, Charlotte Carbone,  Ginny & Bob Fisher, Marianne Gannon, Karen Griffin, Laura Hankins,  Chuck Johnson, Joy Johnson, Helen Lambert,  Irene Mikkelson,  Deb & Yvette Ross, Ed Sharp, Dave Stoimenoff & Jim Germann,  Mamie Stokes, Sheryl Stogner, Kathleen Wagner,  The family of Jean Washburn. The family of Paul Bomely.
 
Friends & Family Members
Amarless and family (Ben Hall);  McKenzie (Sue Godfrey), Rose Bouchonville (John Maze),  Charlotte Carbone, Matthew Christian, (Beth Sharp),  Bill Funderburk (Donna Collins), Charles Haag (Marylou Iantosca), Frances Helms (Lynn Helms),  CD & Alice Huskins (Jared Fischer),  John Jacobsen (Holly Middleton), Aaron Johnson (Joy Johnson), Ashely Jones (Annette Shoop),  Barbara Lees (Donna Collins), Urban Linn (Julie McLelland),  Pat & JoAnn Murphey (Laura Murphey),  Luz Soto (Aida Marcial), Milton & Jane Thompson (Kevin Decker), Janet Watson (Donna Collins), Charles Weaver (Susan Rettberg)
Participant Reminders For Sunday
Greeters: Laura Hankins, Judi Lord
Ushers: Barry Holcomb, Joy Johnson
Media: Brian Hankins, Joe Craig
Tabulators: Terry Raley-Dennis, Lori Cipot
ELDER FOR AUGUST: Tina Ettesen, cettesen@carolina.rr.com or 704-458-2511
Holy Covenant United Church of Christ
3501 West W.T. Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28269
 704 599-9810
 
Dawn Simmons, Executive Assistant:  office@holycovenantucc.org
Nancy Ellett Allison, Pastor: Pastor@holycovenantucc.org  704-621-0235
Steven Burleson, Youth Pastor: YouthMin@holycovenantucc.org  704-706-4170
Jared Fischer, Director of Music: music@holycovenantucc.org 423-443-1676

No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey,

you are welcome here.