By David Mayinja

God moves all around the globe to care for His people, to save lost souls and to provide mercy to those in need.  And He is using Covenant Mercies to play a small but integral part in His work.  One of those places He is using Covenant Mercies is in caring for orphans in Ndola, Zambia.  The work in Ndola began three years ago in collaboration with Pastor Wilbroad Chanda of Ndola Baptist Church and his wife, Zicky.

Wilbroad and Zicky established a Christian school – Light House Christian School – in 2005 specifically to offer a quality education and hope for a better future to the children on the streets and in the slums of Ndola. Eighty-nine of the 142 children enrolled in the Covenant Mercies Zambia sponsorship program currently attend this school.

For a number of years, the school has operated from a rented building.  Even though the facility is barely sufficient for their needs, rent costs continue to increase toward becoming prohibitive with each succeeding year. For that reason, Light House Christian School has purchased land and is embarking on constructing a school campus.

To aid in this effort, Covenant Mercies is collaborating with Providence Church in Bethel Park (Pittsburgh area) to send to Ndola a mission team of twenty members led by Wayne Harvey of Providence Church and David Bard of Covenant Fellowship Church on a 12-day trip in July to assist with the beginning of construction of the school.

A Pittsburgh newspaper, The Almanac, highlights this trip in a recent article. A seventeen-year-old student who is planning to be part of the trip was interviewed for the article. He enthusiastically stated: “Being a part of a project of this nature changes you; dedicating yourself to help complete strangers on a different continent strengthens your sense of community at home. It expands how much mercy, generosity and kindness you show toward others in daily life. The needs of these people are real.”

The team from Providence Church will be the first team Covenant Mercies has coordinated for a mission to Ndola, Zambia. For many in the team, it will be the first time on an international mission. They plan to take with them school supplies and clothes for the children. They are also looking forward to sharing the Gospel of grace with many that do not know Christ.

Covenant Mercies is also coordinating another mission team to its flagship program in Nagongera, Uganda in mid August to continue the construction of New Life School initiated last September. The team plans to finish off work on two dormitories and begin work on the planned science laboratories buildings. Do you have a desire for international missions? Do you sense a call to affect the quality of life and future of orphans in Nagongera? Go to the Covenant Mercies web page here and fill in the application form.

By Jacob Young

 

No, it’s not the school yard bully who beat me up today…it was a 3mm kidney stone.  And boy, it whooped me.  It took me to the doctor’s office, the ER, and my home but not before taking me through various pain medications that requires an IV.  Like I said, that 3mm bully whooped me good.

 

As I look back, though, there were some lessons that God taught me that you might find helpful, too.  So, here are a few thoughts on my experience:

 

1. There’s Grace in Kidney Stones: God has been so good to give me these kidney stones. No doubt, they’re painful. Through it, I’ve seen so many vast caverns of grace he has put in my life. I’ve seen His glory radiating in my heart and life – and my wife’s as well in ways that are only seen when the heat of pain is intensified.
   
   
2. Praying God’s Word Helps Kidney Stones: Through the pain, I found my life being conformed around God more than I had expected. Though it was extremely painful, I found myself praying God’s Word to Him, praying His character to Him. It wasn’t like I was suddenly filled with joy at that moment but I was preaching a universe-changing message to myself in a moment of dire pain; I was preaching the Gospel.
   
   
3. God’s Timing is Perfect with Kidney Stones: God was good to prevent this stone from coming earlier. I had my first kidney stone two weeks ago to the day, just two days before we were about to leave on (essentially) two weeks of vacation. Thankfully it passed the morning we were leaving, and while I had a few bouts with the second during those two weeks, it never was debilitating. I remember feeling the second one coming on about half way through the trip when we’d come home for a couple days before our second leg of the vacation. I bent down, and I quietly asked my Father to take it away. I felt his nearness, and went to bed knowing that he’d heard me either way. He didn’t take it away, but he did push it aside until the best time for me. What grace!
   
   
4. God Works in My Weakness through Kidney Stones:  As the pain increased, I became increasingly aware of my physical and emotional weakness. And, in my weakness,  His strength is revealed. How often do I actually glory in my weakness? I’m a prideful man, so I like being strong. But I’m seeing how my weakness actually is God’s preferred instrument to display His might.  This body is under a curse as with the rest of creation.  We see this in Romans 8:19-23.  But the end of Romans 8 is also true: nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ for us (v. 35), and that all things work for our good (v.28).
   
   
5. This Pain is Nothing Compared to Eternal Torment: It also gave me a taste for what Christ saved me from: Hell and God’s wrath. The pain was bad, but not damnation.  However, I caught a faint glimpse of the horrors of Hell through the temporary anguish of body that only faintly can reflect the wrath of God pressing in on a soul.  Knowing the pain I felt, how grateful I am to know that the greatest physical torment was suffered on my behalf.

I pray that God presses all these things on my mind to remember.  And even though you may not be sent to the school of kidney stones, I pray He presses them into your mind as well.  I love God more now – I find myself loving the things of the world less. Oh God, make it last and make it spread.  And if a 3mm bully ever visits your world, know that it is also a little but powerful messenger from your loving heavenly Father. 

By Rob Flood

Have you ever noticed that marital conflict never ends where it began?  When a conflict starts, it may be about something careless word or thoughtless deed.  But when it ends, it somehow seems bigger…like more is at stake.  Why is that?  Let me suggest that more is at stake, and that is why it feels that way.

Whenever a couple enters conflict, suddenly “one flesh” feels at risk.  We are not meant to contend with one another...to be at war with ourselves.  So, when we are, it’s about far more than the subject matter…it’s about “us.”  It’s about “what we are.”  It’s about “who we are.”

And when this uncertainty, when this awkwardness is allowed to continue, it defines our relationship and infiltrates the rest of our lives.  Nothing really seems right when marital conflict is allowed to fester and unresolved marital tension is allowed to remain.

Enter: God’s Word!

Ephesians gives us such clear instruction here…non-compliance is nothing but naked sin.  God lovingly instructs us through Paul when he writes:

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)

If we allow the sun to go down on our anger, it does far more than prolong a conflict…it gives an opportunity to the devil.  And once that opportunity is offered, it is most often accepted.  I hear you…I hear you.  “What if my spouse doesn’t want to resolve it before going to sleep?”

Enter: God’s Word!

Again, God instructs us through Paul when he writes 

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:18)

Our obedience is not contingent upon someone else’s obedience.  If you are angry…in conflict…so far as it depends on you, live at peace.  If your spouse is not open to it, you can then release the conflict to God and plead with Him on your spouse’s behalf.  I hear you…I hear you.  “What does that even look like?”

Enter: Sara Groves!

Sara Groves has a song about marital conflict on her album, “The Other Side of Something.”  I personally recommend the album if you like her music.  The song is below, but here’s the bottom line:  you take the initiative to resolve the conflict.  There are no guarantees of how it will turn out…but that’s not the point anyway.  The point is that your contribution is audibly owned, that you express your desire for peace, and that you release everything else to God.  Her song paints this so well.

Roll to the Middle

by Sara Groves

We just had a World War III here in our kitchen
We both thought the meanest things
And then we both said them
We shot at each other till we lost ammunition

This is how I know our love
This is when I feel it’s power
Here in the absence of it
This is my darkest hour
When both of us are hunkered down
And waiting for the truce

All the complicated wars
They end pretty simple
Here when the lights go down
We roll to the middle

No matter how my pride resists
No matter how this wall feels true
No matter how I can’t be sure
That you’re gonna roll in too
No matter what, no matter what
I’m going to reach for you

 

By Deb Demi

Are you looking to deepen your friendships, experience more biblical fellowship and at the same time be encouraged in your walk with the Lord?  I have found that all of these things and more can happen through praying together with other women.  Here are two specific ways of praying together that have blessed me.

A Weekly Prayer Group: The first way is by being involved in a weekly prayer group.  A little over two years ago, I began to feel a desire to pray regularly with some other women for our husbands and children. After sharing this with one of my friends, she too thought that it was a good idea.  We sent out some e-mails, found a home to meet in, and set a day and time.  So for over 2 years now, a group of about 5 – 10 women (16 of us in all) have been meeting at Lolly DiMaio’s house every Friday morning from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  We try to start the meeting promptly after grabbing a cup of coffee, of course. 

Instead of sharing prayer requests, we jump right in by praying our requests.  Once a request is prayed, usually others join in by continuing to pray for that request.  We try to keep our prayers short and allow them to bounce around like popcorn.  Often someone will have a prophetic word or Scripture to share, there are usually tears, and we always leave deeply encouraged as we lift our needs up before our Heavenly Father recounting His faithfulness, His power in our weaknesses, and His goodness.  Even though some of us barely knew each other two years ago, through prayer, we have formed very special bonds.

Extended Prayer Times:  Not only is a weekly prayer meeting a good tool in building friendships, extended prayer times can strengthen our relationships in our community groups.  The first time that I mentioned to our CG women, that we were going to try to pray together for an hour, they looked at me a little skeptically.  If praying together for an hour seems daunting to you, try the following:  Come up with six categories such as praise and thanksgiving, confession of sin, husbands, children, church/leaders, and the lost.  Pray aloud according to the subject bouncing back and forth in no particular order. When 10 minutes pass, someone can move you on to the next category.  Before we knew it, we prayed for over an hour.  We learned about each other’s burdens, we cried together, and we confessed our sins before one another.  And, after praying our requests and burdens of our hearts, the context for our conversation flowed into deep and meaningful biblical fellowship.

How about you?  Who is it that the Lord is calling you to pray with?  Not only is prayer an effective means through the Gospel to bring your requests before the throne of God, it is a tool that the Lord will use to deepen your relationships and encourage your soul.

By Jared Mellinger

How are we as believers changed from one degree of glory to another?  Take any area you desire to grow in becoming more like Christ: contentment, patience, love, joy, humility, purity, or anything else.  The question is, “How do we change?” 

There are many ways Scripture answers that question.  One essential answer comes at the end of 2 Corinthians 3.  The veil that once covered our eyes, blinding us to the beauty of Christ, has been removed by the power of God, and we now see Christ for who He is.  Because of this, 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”  

The way the Spirit is changing us to become more like Christ, increasingly transformed into the image of Christ, is by enabling us to behold the glory of Christ in the Gospel.  As a result of seeing Him for who He is, we are being changed. 

I’ve realized that the way I approach change too often looks identical to how the world around us seeks to change.  But our approach should be entirely different, because we have come to understand this revolutionary truth: we are transformed into the image of Christ as we behold the glory of Christ.       

Richard Sibbes, a great Puritan pastor, penned one of my favorite quotes in the 17^th century.  Reflecting on 2 Corinthians 3:18, he asks “How are we changed to the image of Christ?”  The answer:

“It is by beholding the glory of Christ in the Gospel. There is a transforming power in beholding the glory of God’s mercy in Christ. It is not a delighting object only, to see the mercy of God in Christ, but it is a powerful object that has an influence upon the soul .” (Works, Volume IV, p.256)

In other words, the Gospel is not just something that makes us happy; it is something that changes us and makes a difference in the details of our lives.  It is “a powerful object that has an influence upon the soul,” making us more like Christ as we behold His glory.

This truth has informed and transformed the way I seek to grow as a Christian.  If we want to be changed, we must spend time beholding the manifold glories of Christ in the Gospel: the glory of His love, the glory of His power, the glory of His wisdom, the glory of His humility, the glory of His patience.  And as we do this, with unveiled face, we will discover that we truly are becoming more and more like the one whose glory has captivated the eyes of our heart.

By Rob Flood

Prayer.  Faith.  Godly ambition.  Worship.  These are just some of the things that make our faith vibrant…that are “vital” for our walk with Christ.  And that is why we’ve covered them as primary topics in recent Vital Life classes. 

Mark Prater taught on prayer.  Andy  Farmer taught about how to face our anxieties with faith.  He then taught about how to face our laziness with godly ambition.  Marty Machowski taught about worship Christ as we behold His power.

As a church, we all seek growth in our knowledge, in our character, in the strength of our spiritual lives.  This is why we do Vital Life classes…and this is why we are doing two more.

Beginning this Sunday, the two final classes of the Spring will be offered.  And, like the others, they are intended to equip you, to educate you, and to lift your eyes in wonder at our great God.  Here’s a bit about each.

Straight Talk – Exploring the Purpose and Practice of Communication

Life is full of relationships…and relationships are full of communication.  Whether you're relating to your spouse, your roommate, your boss, your children, or your friends, there is no escaping the importance of communication.  So, if it’s so important, why aren’t we better at it? 

This class will get to the center of why communication is often difficult for us and then cover a number of ways to grow in our skill with it.  The promise held out for all who attend is that the information will be biblical, the help will be practical, and the applied benefit tangible.

Rob Flood will be helping us through the class as he teaches in the Edwards Room (right next to the auditorium across from the stairs.)  Walk-ins are more than welcome.

The God Who Saves – A Closer Look at How God Delivers Us from Sin  

The doctrine of salvation rests at the center of Christ purpose in coming and, therefore, at the center of Christianity itself.  Far from a stoic, dry, and boring topic, how God saves sinners is at the core of the joy we are called to experience as Christians.  This class will walk through how God saves sinners, and how these glorious truths might impact our faith and our lives.

Who needs to know more about this topic?  Who needs to consider attending this class?  You do…I do…we all need to grow in our understanding of salvation, since through God’s salvation we stand to learn so much about God.  The promise held out to all who attend is that you will leave with more than knowing…you will leave with deep wonder at how such things could be.

Jim Donohue will be helping us through the class as he teaches in the Owen Room (upstairs where ECF is normally held.)  Walk-ins are more than welcome.

If you haven’t ever attended a Vital Life class, now is the time.  If you have, then you know that these classes help you on your mission.  And, as a result, they help the church on her mission.

By Chris Radano

March 1996 my bag was packed, the minivan loaded up, and the luggage secured against the bitter cold wind of the Pennsylvania winter.  The only motivation to drag me out of a warm college dormitory was the anticipation of beaches, parties, and a scorching Florida sun.  Yep, I was one of many college students off to Florida looking forward to the “traditional” college spring break experience.  Now thirteen years removed from college, I found myself looking forward to a completely different spring break experience: a week spent in New Orleans with the college age ministry students of Covenant Fellowship Church to serve another Sovereign Grace Church, Lakeview Christian Center.  For a week we would be doing servant outreach projects to the community in New Orleans, through yard work, distribution of Alpha fliers, and evangelism to the homeless.  This is the kind of spring break that doesn’t make for highly rated television episodes.  The reflection of my college years led me to ponder a few things on a deeper, spiritual level. 

First, it was a reminder of the change in my life orchestrated by the Holy Spirit in bringing repentance and transforming grace, and the sacrifice of Christ making this possible.  This is no small reflection, and I don’t intend to downplay its significance.  In fact, I am happily reminded of this change often.  Where would I be if God had not interrupted the life on display in college spring breaks?!

However, another interesting but less intuitive benefit of my reflection was how it provoked me to ponder the role of families in telling the gospel to the next generation.  

Being aware that many of the students with whom I spent the week in New Orleans in service spent their years growing up in church, thirteen years ago would probably place them in the first or second grade.  I thought of how these students as children were introduced to the gospel, Bible stories in Sunday school and home, talking about Jesus, and (maybe!) even recipients of godly discipline.  Regardless of whether or not they received Christ as savior in those years, parents were faithful to their call and role in training their children in the ways of the Lord.  Proverbs 22:6 reads “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Now, those same children are men and women leading worship, sharing words of encouragement, praying with passion for one another, and telling homeless people about Jesus.  They are grown up, serving the Lord in ways perhaps their parents could only have hoped to imagine.  To me, (and I hope to parents) this was another one of those living, breathing reminders of how God uniquely uses parents’ labor in teaching their children the gospel, to produce the fruit of selfless, God-glorifying service for the Kingdom of God.

The exercise of reminiscing on my college years started as a whimsical reminder of my comparative age, but ended giving me a new appreciation of the fruit of telling the gospel to the next generation and the role of parents in accomplishing this.

By Andy Farmer

Editor’s Note:  Below is the content that Andy Farmer shared at our Cross Culture meeting on Saturday night.  Using  the three main points from the message Rob Flood preached to the whole group (found here), Andy applied them directly to parents.

LIFE IS SHORT

When you’re parenting young kids, you find yourself saying ‘how long?’ a lot.  How long till they learn to sleep through the night?  How long till she’s potty trained?  How long will it take you to do this one page of math problems?  How long is it till dad gets home to deal with this?! 

With teens, life seems much shorter.  Didn’t I just buy you a new pair of shoes?  Didn’t we just fill this fridge?  Didn’t you just have a game yesterday?  Family events blur as we try to find time to get everyone actually together without anyplace somebody needs to be heading.  When kids are young, being ahead of their age group is a good thing – ‘no kids his age can do that’.  With teens it’s a thing we dread – ‘no kid his age should ever do that’!

With younger kids we look forward to our children passing on to the next stage of development so we can see who they are becoming.  But with teens we realize that with each new stage we are not the sun, moon and stars to them anymore, just another planet in their orbit.  And we are becoming increasingly aware that there will come a stage of development that will end, if not our parental relationship, certainly our parental vocation. 

The Psalmist calls us to measure all of our parenting days – to know the extent and purpose of each season.  These days may be short, but they also should be sweet. 

GOD IS ACTIVE 

Parents expect a certain amount of trouble with little kids.  We expect misbehavior, mistakes, crying, even temper tantrums.  We may not like it, but we deal with it as part of the process of raising kids.  But somewhere in the process between preschool and pre-teen we assume that we’ve passed the test.  We’ve put in the time and now we expect to see results.  Though you may tell me that raising teens can be a challenge, well, that’s for folks who didn’t do the job right early on.  In very subtle ways we can look to the teen years as a validation of what we’ve done right as parents. 

But that doesn’t happen.  Is it because we failed early on?  Probably not.  It’s because God is active.  He’s active in our teens to show them that good parenting doesn’t mean that they don’t need the Good Shepherd.  And He’s active in our lives in good old fashioned sanctification.  He won’t let us take credit for our children’s salvation, and He won’t let us take our ease in this life.  The messiness of the teen years is designed so that middle-aging parents don’t get soft in self-sufficiency.  We’re still called to pick up the cross, die to self and live for Christ.  God is active so that we who have become wise through experience might stay wise through perseverance.

WE BELONG TO GOD

When we are raising small children we struggle with fear when we leave our kids.  But with teens you struggle with the fear of when they leave you.  What are they doing out there?  Who are they with?  Does anybody have a watch?  How can a child who texts people eighty times a day forget to make one call and say he’ll be late coming home?

One thing that parents know whatever season they’re in is fear.  Fear of failure.  Fear of calamity.  Fear that our children will reject us, or reject the God we serve.  Parents of teens deal with fear juiced with an awareness of the passage of time and opportunities lost.  We’ve had years building an identity as parents, but it begins to dawn on us that parenting does, one day out there, end. 

Who are we if we’re not parents?  What else can we do if not raise kids?  But we need to remember that the God who made provision for us to be parents has made provision for us to become something else after that.  Maybe grandparents.  But certainly more than that.  Why?  Because we belong to Him and He has purposes for us in every season of life.  So let me put to you the questions Rob put to the teens:

Will you be defined by your earthly successes?  …your earthly failures?  …your earthly possessions or relationships?  Will you be defined by the trials you face?  …the blessings you enjoy?  When you ask yourself the question, “Who Am I?” how do you answer?

I am a mere breath?  I am a shadow?  I am nothing before you?  I am spent?

Or, do you answer, “I am a sojourner…a child of the living God…an heir with Christ… A follower of Jesus Christ… a disciple… I am part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation…a citizen of heaven…a saint…I am raised with Christ…I am redeemed…I am bought with a price…a slave…a bondservant of Christ…I am a brother or sister of Christ… a temple of the Holy Spirit…a member of the Body of Christ…an eternal being created and redeemed for fellowship with my heavenly Father.”  THAT is an identity that is sure…that is secure…and that is forever.

By Trish Donohue

“Warm, yummy, potato chips right off the conveyor belt, we’re coming!” we cried as we jumped into the van on a recent rainy Monday.  We were headed to the Herr’s Snack Factory tour (free and fat-filled—what could be better?)  We took the tour, clogged up our arteries with the free samples, and were dumped out into the gift shop where my generous husband told the kids to pick out something small.

The girls were gaga over the 25 cent plastic rings and a coloring book, one of my sons picked a plastic popcorn ball probably to aim at his brother’s noggin, and my other son got caught in the tractor beam of a stress potato.  He was enamored, charmed, captivated by it.  For the stress-free among us, an explanation may be in order.  A stress potato is a soft, but not too soft, rubbery potato that you can squeeze the daylights out of, presumably to alleviate stress.  I’m not sure who concocted the idea that you could channel stress into another object by squeezing it, but apparently it sells.  Anyway, my son was all giggles. 

I figured it was a worthy investment.  It could be by the piano for one boy during lessons, or on the other boy’s math book.  Jim could squeeze it while doing the budget and I could have it while rushing out the door and realizing that someone’s flip-flop had vanished again!  (The girls don’t have any stress, they only provide it, so they don’t get a turn.)    

The funny thing is that we all have our stress potatoes, whether it’s a bag of chips, the TV, sleep or shopping.  “This is just what I need,” we tell ourselves again, even though experience has taught us that these things don’t really relieve us, they just temporarily distract. 

Although the “Stress Spud” as we affectionately call it, still resides in our home, I’m so glad that there is real relief for stress, or more accurately, the sin of anxiety. 

“Do not be anxious about anything,” the Bible urges us, “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Aaaah.  God’s truth and grace for anxious sinners.  No gimmicks, Herr’s logo, or carpal tunnel syndrome involved.  Just help from Almighty God and a promised peace.  Thank you, Lord, for providing real help in time of need.

But now what do I do with the stress potato?  Stress potato salad

By Jared Mellinger

Father,

What an incredible gift we have in 1 Thessalonians.  Thank you for writing this book, and thank you for preserving your word for me and for Covenant Fellowship.  As I sit and read these pages, my heart is riveted by the example of Paul and the church in Thessalonica.  I continue to ask, as I have asked these past few months, that you would use this book and this sermon series first and foremost to do a work in my own heart.  I want my relationships to be increasingly transformed by the gospel.  I want to live a life of thankfulness.  I want to be faithful to the gospel.  I want to lead your people with humility, gentleness, and love.

You know how I always thank you for Covenant Fellowship.  I’ll never stop thanking you for bringing me to this church.  Thank you for all the men and women who have labored tirelessly over the years to make the church what it is today.  What a humbling experience to serve along side them.  Thank you for saving hundreds of lost sinners through Christ, and bringing us together to live for you.  Thank you for continuing to save people through the witness of the church.  Thank you for the fellowship and community we enjoy with one another.  Thank you for placing in our hearts a love for Christ and a love for one another.  Thank you for all the Community Group Leaders, ministry team workers, and children’s ministry helpers who joyfully pour their lives into the church year after year.  You have given me so much to be grateful for!       

Now, I ask that the message of 1 Thessalonians would leave its mark on our lives throughout this sermon series.  I ask that this short, powerful letter would capture our hearts and motivate us to be a church full of people who live to please you more and more.  You have given us 1 Thessalonians, a part of your sacred word, that we might be taught, reproved, corrected, and trained in righteousness, that we may be equipped for good works through the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

Father, please do this in our lives.  We dread the thought of being the same people on the other side of this series.  Take the things you are already doing in the church and increase them even more.  Give us real love in how we relate to one another.  Produce in us real thanksgiving for your grace at work in those around us.  Help us to carry out real ministry as we care for one another, and as the pastors lead the church.  Empower us to carry out a real witness in the world, that others might come to know you.  Anchor our souls in the real hope we have in Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. 

We lean on the promise of 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

Amen.

By Stefan Bomberger

When it comes to outreach are you feeling a little rusty? Or just looking for another outlet to let your light shine? Then look no further than Second Saturday.

What is Second Saturday?

Second Saturday is a monthly morning of service, mercy, and evangelism. Think of it like an outreach fair. You show up at 9:30am in the lobby and there are many outreach stations to choose from. Anything from doing visits at a nursing home, delivering Bibles to homes in Chester, sharing the gospel downtown, cleaning up 202, and much more. As summer approaches we're going to re-launch our annual car washes as well! Our goal is to provide various opportunities to reach out to our community with the love of Jesus through both word and deed.

Best of all, you get to pick whatever you want to do. No pressure. Find whatever you’re most comfortable with and sign up. You will receive on-the-site training, so no experience for any of the outreaches is necessary.  Just bring yourself and dress accordingly if you plan on doing an outreach outside. We also have at least one outreach that stays back at the building with the children to do a craft or assemble something outreach-related.

For example, we might make gift bags to give out, or put invite-cards on candy canes to give out during the holidays. Children age three and older are welcome to come and help on the craft. Older children and youth can also go out on almost any of the outreaches, based on your comfort level and supervision.

When does Second Saturday Meet?

Second Saturday meets every second Saturday of the month, rain or shine. So for example, the next three are June 13, July 11, and August 8. It starts at 9:30 am with a light continental breakfast and ends at 1:00 pm with a brief pizza lunch and a chance to share highlights from the various outreaches. Both meals are free.

Who Should Attend Second Saturday?

If you have a passion for outreach and evangelism, or would simply like to grow in your heart for reaching out to others, this context is perfect for you. There are people who are out regularly who love walking the campuses and the shopping malls sharing the gospel, starting spiritual conversations.  There are also people who come out regularly who just want to share the love of Christ with others through service or generosity with the hope that the mercy will provide opportunities for the Gospel.

Since evangelism, in one form or another, is a call we all have, then Second Saturday’s are a wonderful context for you…regardless of your preferences.  So is you’re interested in a morning of service, mercy, and evangelism, join us for the next Second Saturday.

 

By Jason Russell

As we’ve pondered the cross over the last few months, the Lord has refreshed us and given renewed appreciation for all that Christ has done for us.  One of the things I’ve taken away from the recent preaching series In My Place is Jim’s charge to come and meditate on “the Gospel spot” each morning in my quiet time.  Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:24 stuck out to me one morning as I was doing this:

“but we preach Christ crucified….the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

Of all the mighty works of God it is the cross of Christ that stands as the crown of His wisdom.  By His sovereign plan the Creator has wisely solved the human dilemma (man’s sinfulness and incapability to be reconciled to God) and the divine dilemma (God’s holiness and righteous requirement to punish sin).  He formulated the plan before the foundations of the earth were laid as the means by which he would glorify the Son and save those elected to know his love.  Since he has, we will forever praise him.   

God’s wisdom in the cross not only propels me to praise, it functions as practical encouragement for living each day.  How often am I faced with my need for wisdom?  In my marriage, parenting, at my work place, offering counsel to friends…the list goes on.  In all of these areas I am assured by the wisdom of God in crushing His own Son to redeem sinners like me.  He has proven his wisdom at the cross; surely He has wisdom enough for my problems which are far less weighty.  So, as I stare at various decisions throughout the course of a day this one thing I know: God’s abundant wisdom is more than sufficient to guide me. 

Are you facing decisions to buy or sell a home?  God has wisdom.  Trying to live on a tighter budget in light of hard economic times?  God has wisdom.  Considering a business venture?  God has wisdom.  Caring for a family member or friend in need?  God has abundant wisdom.  James tells us that all we need to do to get it is ask:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  James 1:5

By Rob Flood

Sometimes opportunity knocks so loudly that you just have to answer the door. 

For many of us, there’s been a constant awareness of a chronic need and we’ve been asking for God to deliver a “can’t miss” solution.  Knock…knock…knock.

As a married couple or as a family, purposeful and meaningful time spent in the Word and in prayer can be a serious challenge.  We want to do it…we know we ought to do it…but how can we do it?  Knock…knock…knock.

The pastors have provided a study guide for the upcoming Sunday sermon series, Real Church.  In addition to the many helpful articles and summary sections, there are studies that have been crafted for each message that will be preached.  At just a few questions each, the studies provide an opportunity to interact with the text and the message on a deeper level. 

How can you use this beyond your personal time with God?  Here are just a few suggestions:

-         As a couple:  This study guide can provide structure for both husband and wife to join arms and both come under the Word of God.  By doing so, you will be able to process the message you’ve heard, discuss the passage in light of your personal circumstances, and open doorways to further spiritual conversation.  A jump start like this can be just what a marriage needs to begin to develop the dimension of spiritual conversation that God would have for a Christian marriage.

-         As a family:  If your children are older…in Junior High or High School…they, too, will have heard the Sunday message.  This guide provides a great opportunity to hear them speak of their own faith in their own words.  It also opens up a greater likelihood to hear their thinking in areas where they might not yet believe.  If your children are younger and in Children’s Ministry during the message, this serves as a great opportunity to fold them into what Mom and Dad are learning and share the truths you’ve heard and learned.

-         As a prototype:  After 15 weeks of practice, you’ll be better prepared to ask purposeful questions of each other in the future.  You’ll have an understanding of how to process teaching and preaching.  Using this study guide can literally transform every drive home from church you have from this day forward.  Rather than your conversation being consumed with where to do lunch, or even on how you “liked” the sermon, you can ask purposeful questions that will help you sow the message more deeply into your hearts.

As a pastoral team, we anticipate with great excitement how God will use Real Church to speak to us as a church.  That, in itself, is a wonderful thing.  Additionally, though, if you’ve been waiting for a “can’t miss” opportunity to come right up to your front door, then wait no longer.  Knock…knock…knock.

By Andy Farmer

The following is the text of our pastoral encouragement to the moms in our church on Mothers Day.

Happy Mothers Day.  In past years we’ve done a lot of different things to celebrate Mothers day.  We’ve preached from God’s word on the purpose and value of motherhood.  We’ve done drama sketches and special songs to celebrate the day.  We’ve honored specific moms in our midst.  And we’ve given things away – always a popular gesture. 

But today we just want to speak to you from our hearts as pastors.    As the old Spanish proverb says, an ounce of motherhood is worth a pound of clergy.  Mom’s, its important for you to know how much we value your role in the building of this local church.

Why the broom?  At first glance a man carrying a broom might be a great thing for a mother to see on Mothers Day.  And dads and sons, you could do far worse today than to pick up a broom, or a rambunctious two year old while mom puts up her feet in your favorite chair. 

But as I was thinking about motherhood, what came to mind was, well, a broom.  Let me explain.  Sweeping, like so much of a mother’s life, is never ending.  No matter how much you sweep, you’ll never get every speck.  And even if you could, by tomorrow you’ll need to sweep again.  Here’s the funny thing.  Moms never cause crumbs.  Moms never track dirt in on soccer cleats.  Moms never spill sugar on the floor.  Others do that.  Moms deal with the environmental impact of everybody else just living life. 

I know every mom has at one time at least had this thought.  “What if I didn’t clean this up?”  Would anyone even notice? 

But you know what happens, don’t you.  The fear that maybe nobody else would notice.  And then the nightmares.  What new life form would grow up on that tile?  What creatures would crawl in looking for food?  That knock on the door is  the health inspector – and I’m still in my pajamas! 

So moms make peace with the repetitive task.  Mothers have to remove words like ‘pristine’ and ‘finished’ from their vocabulary.  Moms we want to honor you because, in dying to the ideal of perfection you find a million small ways to be truly great.

There’s a more significant reason why I think the broom is an appropriate symbol for Mothers Day.  Allow me to turn the corner a bit and point your gaze upward.  Did you ever think about a broom this way?  A broom is an instrument of separating that which is of no value from that which is of true value.  You’re here today because the Lord Jesus Christ wants to make sure you know what he sees.  And what he sees is great value. 

If your vision of motherhood is infused by the confidence that God has not swept you away in judgment, but has swept you into his eternal purposes in the Gospel, then the ordinary and repetitive tasks of motherhood will never define you as a person.  In Christ you are redeemed; you are a saint, you are a daughter of God.  And you are called to be a mom. 

Abraham Lincoln once said, “I regard no man as poor who has a godly mother.”  Your pastors want you to know that we see this church as exceedingly rich in godly mothers.  We hope you feel our love and gratefulness to the Savior for you today, and every day. 

by Jared Mellinger

This coming Sunday we begin our next preaching series, called Real Church.  We’ll be spending 15 weeks walking through the book of 1 Thessalonians.  There are many books of the Bible that have been shouting at me to preach them, but none has been shouting more loudly and seems timelier than 1 Thessalonians. 

In the sermon next week, I’ll be explaining our goals for the series and why we are preaching through this book.  The pastoral team is convinced that this book contains a timely message from God for Covenant Fellowship in this season.

One of the things we are excited about (and I hope you are excited about!) is the Study Guide for 1 Thessalonians we created for this series.  If you were here on Sunday we handed them out.  If you didn’t get one we will have copies available at our info center.  We also will be making it available on line in PDF format on the “Resources” page of our web site (www.covfel.org).  We are hoping that this guide will help us get the most out of the preaching series.

Our goal is to provide a tool that would promote the serious study of the Scriptures in our devotions at home and among friends.  So there are 15 studies in the booklet, one for each sermon in the series.  You can use each section to help you prepare for the sermon (jump into the first study this week!) or as a helpful follow-up after hearing the message.  You’ll also find an outline of 1 Thessalonians, goals for the series (derived from the major themes of the letter), articles by men like Paul Tripp and Jerry Bridges, and recommended resources for further study.

Let’s get ready to immerse ourselves in 1 Thessalonians.  Let’s read and re-read this book.  Let’s be praying that God meets us in this sermon series.  Let’s enjoy much fellowship with one another around this book.  Let’s anticipate how God is going to meet us, remembering this is “the word of God, which is at work in your believers” (1 Thess. 2:13).         

By Doug Hayes

 

A few months back, I met with violinist John Blake and others who were preparing to perform at Covenant Mercies’ benefit concert, A Note of Hope.  As we discussed musical ideas for the show, John mentioned the song “Hold On,” a traditional Negro Spiritual he was recording in a new jazz arrangement.  The song – actually the title alone – immediately struck me as powerfully relevant to the orphaned children we are serving in Uganda, Zambia, and Ethiopia.  On my next trip to Africa, I wrote a poem around that theme, and read it last Saturday at the concert as an introduction to the song.      

 

Since then, numerous people have requested it.  So here it is as I read it at the concert, a poem and a prayer for our children and their guardians:  Hold On.

 

Hold On

 

When you’ve lost all faith in the Father above

And your dreams disappeared with the ones that you loved

When a broken down shanty’s the only home you’ve ever known

And you lay down at night to the growl and the groan

Of a stomach so empty with a hunger so fierce

Getting up in the morning seems a price too dear

To give for the sweat and toil of the day

Is this your reward?  Is this your pay?

But the babies are crying with a noise so grim

You get up with the dawn, you get up for them

You can’t read and learn, but maybe they will

'f you can just push them up to the crest of that hill

When your sole motivation is the need to survive

To reach another day is the fuel for your drive

When there’s no higher purpose than remaining alive

Hold on

There is hope

 

When you’ve lost all feeling in the soles of your feet

‘cause you walked all day in the sun-baked heat

No job, no work, the familiar refrain

So you dig in your garden and you pray for the rain

When you want a drink of water, but none can be found

‘cept the parasitic mixture with the mud on the ground

When the curable kills and the treatable maims

And there ain’t no remedy to relieve your pains

When you’re thinking of doing what you know to be wrong

To put food on your table, to compose a new song

To make a new life, to write a new chapter

But there’s snares on that road to the good thing you’re after

When you think that road’s the only one left

You’d defile yourself for that child on your breast

When every known path leads to misery and death

Hold on

There is hope

 

When the roof overhead fails to keep out the rain

And the rags on your shoulders whisper ridicule and shame

When the porridge doesn’t reach to the brim of your bowl

And the ache gives way t’ coldness in the depths of your soul

When your body’s wasting and your spirit’s numb

Hold on with one hand, one finger, one thumb

‘cause poverty’s a liar and despondency’s a thief

Indignity gone walkin’ on Dignity Street

You must push back; that ground do not surrender

There’s no one who can take from you what God put at your center

When you’re tempted to believe your lifelong lamentation

Proves beyond a doubt your lesser valuation 

Remember you’re the image of the Ruler of Creation

Hold on

There is hope

 

But where will you look for this hope you seek?

To turn mourning into dancing, to bring joy from grief

Does your hope consist in material things?

In houses and cars, in diamonds and rings?

In pleasures designed to comfort the creature?

You know in your spirit there’s something much deeper

Your hope is anchored in the hands that made

Your frame in love and willingly paid

The debt to redeem a sin-wrecked world

Through perfection of suffering to yield a pearl

You will lay down all for this pearl of great price

You will rise from the depths and reach for the heights

You will walk and not faint; with the strong you will run

You will feast at the table though now you’ve but a crumb

Now look to the hills from whence your help comes

Hold on

There is hope

There is love

There is joy in the morning

Hold on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Andy Farmer

 

On Sunday Jared preached the last sermon in our series, In My Place.  For me it has been a tremendous journey through some of the most profound passages in the Bible.  In this series we’ve been fed by the word of God from:

 

·        1 Corinthians 15:1-5 (The Centrality of the Gospel)

·        Exodus 12:1-27 (The Passover)

·        Leviticus 16 (The Day of Atonement)

·        Mark 15:16-47 (The Crucifixion)

·        Romans 3:21-26 (Justified by Grace)

·        Galatians 3:10-14 (Redeemed from the Curse)

 

Why not take your devotions this week and read back through these passages to dig deeper in reflection on the substitutionary work of Christ for you.

 

In his message Jared exhorted us with this:  “If we ever find ourselves in a place where we are saying ‘I've got that, let's move on' when it comes to the substitutionary death of Christ for our sins, we need to wave a great big caution sign over our lives"

 

Let’s face it.  There are a lot of things going on in life where we want biblical answers.  And there are a lot of big issues we face where we’re tempted to say, ‘thanks a lot, that was great stuff, now can we talk about…..’  But I think what Jared is getting at in that statement, and what this series has resoundingly declared, is that any answers or direction that can’t find connection to what Christ has done for us will not lead us to what God wants for us.  So here’s my personal take home in two points: 

 

1. I want to regularly study and meditate on the cross so that it worms its way into all my thinking and feeling and therefore into all my doing. 

By giving consistent attention to this truth of truths I will build connecting bridges into every area of my life.

 

2. I want to regularly study the circumstances and happenstances of my life and trace them back to the work of the cross.      

Are things going well?  Am I grateful because I’m living in the blessings of God purchased by Christ’s blood?  Are things not going well?  Am I in faith for the promises of God that have become mine in Jesus? 

 

Am I living my life in light of what could have been, and where I could have gone, if Jesus hadn’t died in my place?  As J. C. Ryle writes,

 

The more I keep the cross in my mind's eye, the more fullness I seem to discern in it.  The longer I dwell on the cross in my thoughts, the more I am satisfied that there is more to be learned at the foot of the cross than anywhere else in the world.

By Rob Flood

 

Do you ever feel like you would be far godlier if you didn’t need to be a parent?  Do you ever feel like you are a mature, growing Christian until it comes to parenting?  At that point, your godliness goes on vacation and a person you hardly recognize takes over your body for a while?

 

What is it about parenting that seems to destroy, or at least challenge, godliness so consistently?  What is it about godliness that seems to flee when difficult parenting situations come knocking at our doors?

 

As moms and dads, we often have a refined pattern of dealing with our sin.  And we are in relationships with other adults who have refined patterns of dealing with their sin.  So, when we interact with others, we can enter into a dance…a type of sin-waltz…that makes room for our own refined systems and finds respect in others’ refined systems.

 

Our children don’t have these refined systems.  The have good…and they have sin.  And we can grow so accustomed to not having our system stepped on that, when that “allowance” is absent, it brings out the worst in us.

 

And yet, what a glorious thing!  It is often during these parenting situations, where our children refuse to “dance” with us, that we see ourselves for what we truly are.  We see the ugliness of sin…the anger, the selfishness, the idolatry, the impatience, the self-righteousness.  And, if you’re anything like me, you are often shocked and overwhelmed at it.  Honestly, it’s horrific…and it leaves us desperate.

 

We’re desperate for resolution.  We’re desperate for peace.  We’re desperate for love to rule the day.  But are we desperate for God?  Are we desperate for grace?  Do we see just how desperate our need is?

 

I wouldn’t want to be confronted with each and every sin I commit each day, so I’m thankful for the many men and women around me who will dance the “sin-waltz” with me.  But it doesn’t always serve.  As a result, we don’t always see ourselves accurately.  How kind of God to pull the covers back, allowing us to see what we’re really like when left to our own devices.

 

It’s kind because He doesn’t leave us there.  He doesn’t leave us to our own devices…in our own sin…to our own shame.  His grace triumphs when I fail as a parent.  His grace triumphs when I wade…no bathe…in my anger, my self-righteousness, my impatience.  And it comes in greater magnitude than I’ve sinned.  It comes to remind me that God wants to love my children through me.  It reminds me that I’m to lean on Christ, not my own abilities.  And it reminds me of one more thing.

 

That I’m to extend to my children the very grace I’m given by my heavenly Father.  They are sinners, but I am a greater one.  They are in need of grace, but not more in need than I am.  I’ve been given it…we need to give it too. 

 

So, when a parenting situation seems to be getting the best of you…when you feel yourself slipping into the ugliness of what you know is in your heart…when you want more than anything to have a partner that will “dance” with you but your children refuse…remember that God has provided grace more sufficient than your need when parenting and godliness collide.

By Deb Demi

Sometimes my life can feel like a roller coaster ride.  I find myself going up and down emotionally depending on my circumstances.  When things are going well, I'm happy and at peace.  When difficult circumstances enter the picture, I get depressed, discouraged and joyless. 

One day when I was feeling particularly down, the line of the hymn "The Solid Rock" came springing into my head  "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteous."  It was like the Holy Spirit turned a light bulb on in my mind.  No wonder I go up and down so much; my hope is so often built on my circumstances, not on Jesus' blood and His righteousness (the Gospel)!

For example, one desire that I have is that my kids would respond in a godly manner.  It's a good desire.  However, I know that my hope is built on that desire rather than on Christ when I get discouraged or fearful when they are not living up to my expectations.  On the other hand when my kids are doing well, I can be elated and even prideful because what I've hoped for happened.  In either case, my hope may be built on my circumstances rather than Christ.

It's one thing to know that your hope should be built on Christ alone, but actually transferring your hope from your circumstances to Christ is the challenge.  How do I hope in Christ, rather than in the outcome of my expectations?

For me to hope in Christ means that I have to look past my circumstances, almost as if they were transparent, and ground myself on what I know about God.  Sure, my circumstances may not look good, but I know that my God is faithful, sovereign, all-powerful and because of the Gospel I know that through Christ, God loves me more than I can imagine and will cause all things to work out for my good that He has a purpose for each circumstance that He's allowed in my life that He is actively at working accomplishing His perfect will even when things look dark, and that He answers prayer.  The truth about God from the Word of God has to become more real and tangible to me than even the circumstances that I'm walking through.

Our circumstances will constantly change and our expectations will sometimes be unmet.  But when our hope is fully grounded on who God is (by reading and meditating on the Word) and the riches of the Gospel, our emotions don't have to roller coaster up and down.  On Christ, the solid rock, we will stand!  For we know that all other ground is sinking sand.

 "Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed."  1 Peter 1:1

Pastor’s note:  I thought Deb’s insight on seeing our circumstances almost as if they were transparent was especially rich.  Eyes of faith see through circumstances to the loving and wise God behind them.  And he is always there.  

By Jared Mellinger

It is the heart of the pastors that though we have closed out this series In My Place, we never truly leave it as a church.  A quote from J. C. Ryle stirs me to see that every time I open my Bible I should remember Jesus In My Place.

Depend upon it, the cross of Christ,—the death of Christ on the cross to make atonement for sinners,—is the centre truth in the whole Bible.  This is the truth we begin with when we open Genesis.  The seed of the woman bruising the serpent's head is nothing else but a prophecy of Christ crucified.  This is the truth that shines out, though veiled, all through the Law of Moses, and the history of the Jews.  The daily sacrifice, the Passover lamb, the continual shedding of blood in the tabernacle and temple,—all these were emblems of Christ crucified.  This is the truth that we see honoured in the vision of heaven before we close the book of Revelation.  "In the midst of the throne and of the four beasts," we are told, "and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain.”  (Rev. v. 6.)  Even in the midst of heavenly glory we get a view of Christ crucified.  Take away the cross of Christ, and the Bible is a dark book.

One of the ways we’ve tried to make sure we as a church continue to experience the light of the cross in our Bibles and lives is by recommending some great study resources.  If you haven’t seen this list on the web site I’m including it below.  All of these are available through our Book Shoppe.  Why not choose one and make it your devotional reading for this summer. 

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross (ed. Guthrie)
An outstanding compilation of meditations on the cross.  The line-up includes Luther, Piper, Mahaney, Spurgeon, Ryle, Owen, Lloyd-Jones, Sproul, Calvin, Packer, Edwards, Augustine, Keller, and more.  Each chapter is very short and accessible, but deep and powerful as well.  Great for devotions.

Pierced for Our Transgressions (Jeffery, Ovey, and Sach)
A wonderful treatise on the penal substitution of Christ.  Be sure to read chapter 2.  It provides a sound biblical overview of this important doctrine and examines each of the texts preached in this sermon series.  The second half deals with common objections to penal substitution. 

In My Place Condemned He Stood (Packer and Dever)
A compilation of theological essays that celebrate the glory of the atonement which all aim at one glorious purpose in our lives.  That purpose is captured in the conclusion of the book, “True Christ-centeredness is, and ever must be, cross-centeredness.”  To help us cultivate a “cross-centeredness” the book also contains an outstanding annotated bibliography and reading list written by Ligon Duncan.

The Great Exchange (Bridges and Bevington)
Drawn from George Smeaton’s work, “The Doctrine of the Atonement According To The Apostles,” this book is written in a way “to help believers think afresh and more deeply of the gospel.”  Surveys the key New Testament texts on the death of Christ.

The Cross of Christ (Stott)
A classic work on the cross that every believer should read.  Make sure you don’t bog down in the first few chapters, because chapters 5 and 6 are outstanding.  Stott shows that the heart of Christ’s work on the cross is the satisfaction for sin through the self-substitution of God.

Living The Cross Centered Life (Mahaney)
Written with pastoral skill, the short chapters in this book not only capture C.J.’s passion for the cross, but give practical ideas that help you to keep the gospel the “main thing” in your life.  This book is highly accessible – a great place to start – and is guaranteed to stir fresh love for the Savior. 

By Rob Flood

 

Something new is afoot at Covenant Fellowship Church.  And it is resulting in reaching people we previously couldn’t reach.  We have officially begun holding ESL (English as a Second Language) classes right here in the church.  On Wednesday, April 15^th, ESL classes began under the direction of Carlos and Maria Garcia.

 

On the morning of the first Wednesday, we only had 3 people registered.  With that number, the volunteers and teachers outnumbered the registrants.  However, when 7:30 rolled around, 20 students had shown up with the promise of 4 more in the weeks to come.  Praise God!  The students were diverse, too, with their primary languages ranging many nationalities.

 

Carlos was quick to turn his heart to gratitude: to others and to God.  Here are some of his thoughts:

 

“We want to specifically thank those of you who took the time to personally invite people to be part of the program. Many of the students who were there last night were there because of your invitations.”

 

“We acknowledge that none of this would have happened without the Lord’s provision of both volunteers as well as students. We trust that He has provided and that He will continue to do so in the future. May the Lord’s name be blessed!”

 

It is our hope as a church to provide care and education for all those who attend.  But it is much more than that.  We hope God will use these relationships to provide opportunities for His Gospel to be shared and His Kingdom to go forth. 

 

For those in attendance who are believers, we hope that their newfound aptitude with English will provide greater opportunity for their growth and edification, as well as their own sharing of the Gospel.

 

And for those in attendance who are not believers, we ask for your prayers.  Pray that they would experience the love of Christ through the service of our church.  Pray that they would be open to spiritual things and come to faith in Jesus Christ. 

 

And pray for our volunteers.  First, thank God for their service and their sacrifice.  Then ask that God would give them insight and patience in working with the students.  Pray that they would have eyes to see opportunities for eternal matters and then be filled with wisdom and faith for how to seize those opportunities.

 

We are indeed a church rich with a variety of gifts.  And, by God’s grace, we are growing in the diversity of people God draws here.  What a blessing to see God move in God’s way.  And what a blessing that we all get to be a part of it.