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Covenant Chronicle
January 2019
Pastor’s Note
Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.
–Jeremiah 6:16
As the New Year starts, Covenant has much to “look” forward to in 2019 and much to give thanks for as we look back. This passage always calls my heart to recommit to my own personal
quest to discern how God is calling me to grow in my faith this year. What directions to take!
Our new “Manse Team” or the “Residential Vocational Discernment Team” has a huge undertaking during 2019 to research and design a program for young adults, and they have asked for everyone’s help. Please check out books about discernment, justice, community, etc. which are on display in the Fellowship Hall, read them and respond back with a book report or even just offer some favorite quotes. This will help our Team sort through a vast number of relevant books and choose the best to be part of the design for a proposed curriculum.
It is also a good way for you and me to question and discern our own “calling” or “vocation” which does not stop even when you retire. How might God continue to use your gifts, influence, time, talent, resources, for the restorative work of Christ in the world today? That’s the journey each of us must continue to seek, and I guess you realize the “Manse Project” is not only for young adults it is a catalyst for all of us.
One of the suggested books is The Sacred Journey by Frederick Buechner who writes:
It was the phrase great laughter that did it, did whatever it was that I believe must have been hiddenly in the doing all the years of my journey up till then. It was not so much that a door opened as that I suddenly found that a door had been open all along which I had only just then stumbled upon.
What is a door that is open at the crossroads of this new year that you will enter? A door of opportunity to experience a renewed sense of life and offer others a sense of relief or hope or joy as well. I urge you to explore with us. Here’s to an uplifting journey together in 2019,
COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
www.covpresatlanta.org
2461 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30305
(404) 237-0363
Worship: 11:00 a.m.
Adult & Children’s Sunday School and Nursery: 9:30 a.m.
STAFF
Rev. Dr. Richard G. Hill Rev. Katie Aumann (Maternity Leave) Pastor Associate Pastor for Family Ministries [email protected] [email protected]
Jeffrey McIntyre, CAGO Magalie Nonez Nemorin Otis Godfrey
Music Director Financial Administrator Office Administrator Facilities Manager
[email protected] [email protected] (temporary) [email protected]
Sailing into God’s Vision
Vision #1: Celebrate and continue the basic ministries of Covenant that are highly valued and enhance our current efforts. Vision #2: Equip our members to discern their vocational calling from God and offer steps to live out a deeper commitment to Christ. Vision #3: Research the potential design of a major initiative for young adults—a Residential Vocational Discernment Program housed in our manse. Two teams are underway and you will receive regular updates:
1. The Administrative Team (Keene Miller, Chair, Pinckney Straughn, Lee Wilder, Alison Caughman, David Beale, John Greeley and Richard Hill) is preparing a Financial Feasibility Study to be conducted in Winter 2. A new Residential Vocational Discernment Project Team has been formed to research and design this new potential ministry (Peggy Fillio, Wright Caughman, Luanne Miller, Claude Cox, John Price, Justin Colussy-Estes, and Katie Owen-Aumann)
Disaster Response—tsunami, wildfires, hurricanes, shootings. Do keep all the victims in your prayers and you may help all these relief efforts through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance at www.pcusa.org/pda.
ATTENTION, ATTENTION! MISSION WORK DAY,
JANUARY 21, 2019
MLK, JR. HOLIDAY
We have secured MED SHARE from 1-4 pm with space for 15 workers.
Please let me or the church office know if you’re interested in serving.
We have reached out to HANDS ON ATLANTA, however, won’t know
until January 4th; they open up volunteer opportunities to their corporate
sponsors first. I am also awaiting word on a project in CLARKSTON as well. Will keep you posted on
both. -Rena
Feasibility Study to be Conducted
The Session has contracted with Denis Greene and Church Development, Inc. to conduct a feasibility study of our congregation. Rev. Marthame Sanders is the local representative who will work with us. This study will include face-to-face confidential surveys with about 40% of our congregation and paper survey of all members. The goal is to assess our members’ anticipation of their pledged giving over the next five years, and to hear feedback about the possibility of a planned giving campaign as well as a potential capital campaign for impending major capital repairs and other mission possibilities.
Before we can undertake the “Manse Project” which requires replacing the rental revenue and other program expenses, we must discern our financial picture for the near future. It will take a concerted effort by everyone to make this dream a reality and become a destination for young adults. Denis Greene is one of the most gifted leaders for church stewardship in the country to help us look creatively at our financial forecast.
In May the results of this survey will be combined with the efforts of the “Manse Team” to determine if the church moves forward on the vision.
$5000 Still Needed to build a Kitchen for
Nan Mango To date, over $10,250 has been raised to build a kitchen for Nan Mango! Based on Jim Ingvoldstad’s conversation with Pere Vil last week in Haiti, the kitchen and dining pavilion are indeed estimated to cost approximately $15,000. This plan will provide a covered cook space with a storage area for food that will insure the students are fed—rain or shine! We are over 2/3 of the way toward meeting our goal, allowing this urgent request for a kitchen to be met. Please help as you are able! - Lee Wilder, Haiti Committee
Come to Haiti!
The next Covenant trip to Haiti is March 2 - 9, 2019. We are beginning the planning phase and invite anyone
interested in joining this trip to contact Lee Wilder (404-218-2242 or [email protected])
Why visit ?
We visit to develop relationships, relationships based on listening and earning the trust of those we hope
to help.
We visit in order to understand how to provide access to that the communities need to achieve their
dreams.
We visit in order to learn and understand a different culture.
More Contributions, Conversation, Context from November Trip to Haiti
By Lee WIlder
We had so many examples of the importance of taking healthcare to the people. Unlike in Atlanta where you
can generally find medical assistance within a 10-minute drive, healthcare is often miles and hours away. The
monthly prenatal clinics have been critical to improved prenatal care. The prenatal clinic we observed
provided essential examinations and prenatal vitamins. Mothers and babies were lined up for vaccinations.
The community health worker was screening children for malnutrition.
Sending money is not enough. I learned through my conversations that certain supplies are not easily
available, or sometimes not available at all on LaGonave or in Port-au-Prince. I learned that the clinic needed
some STD tests for the prenatal program. The role of the partnership, then, is to make sure that needed
supplies are always available at the clinic.
The partnership has funded adult literacy programs for over five years. Surely everyone in these rural
communities who wants to become literate has had the chance. But in our conversations, we understood that
even in a small and isolated village, the thirst for knowledge is never quenched. Now some of the literacy
program graduates want to learn French so that they can sign the songs in their hymnals. And so the
commitment to the adult literacy program is renewed and intensified.
There is still room in the Covenant Bible Study Restarting January 13th—anyone desiring a Bible study
with homework, but yielding a great “return on investment”, contact Richard for this new 8-week series from
January 13-March 3. This study can only accommodate 12 students at a time. About an hour of homework is
required five days per week. This will be unit two of the Covenantbiblestudy.com series, “Living” the
Covenant. Newcomers are welcome. No prior experience required. If interested, you might also check with
Condit, Claude, or Justin for reference.
Adult Education Offerings in the
Chapel
January 13, 20 and Feb.3 We begin with a
return to David Beale and his series on
American Religion and Law.
January 27: Bill Smith will join us to discuss
Responding to the Homeless with Grace and
Love. Bill is well known to Richard and Katie
from his work at the Druid Hill shelter.
Options for Children and Youth
7th-9th grade Confirmation begins on January 13 with a kick-off lunch. Leaders are Kelley Day and John
Greeley. There will be no Sunday School that Morning, 1/13, or on January 20 for the MLK Holiday. Classes
resume from January 27 through February 10. There will be no class on February 17 due to Presidents Day.
5th-6th grade: The Curriculum is “Grit and Grace, Heroic Women of the Bible”. Teacher TBA Each week we
will read a short story about a woman in the Bible and then talk about the issues and questions that arise from
the story. There will be no class on 1/13, 1/20 or 2/17
4-6 year olds: More fun and stories with Ashley and Justin.
Gramma Gang: Wonderful volunteers from the church meet their charges , ages 3-6 , after class to take them
to worship and then to activities after the children’s message.
January 6
Epiphany party.
Join us at 10 a.m.
for a cup of coffee
or hot chocolate and
a good post-
Christmas visit
around a fire in the
Westminster room.
If you have sweets to get out of your house in
preparation for the New Year’s diet, feel free to
bring and share. There is no Sunday School This
Morning.
Covenant Youth Group
CYG will resume meeting after worship on Sunday, January 13th. Covenant Youth Group (CYG) is open to
all 5th-12th graders and typically gathers weekly after worship from 12:00-2:00pm for lunch and a time of
reflection and play!
New ‘Closed’ Facebook Group
A closed, invitation only facebook group has been created, giving us a forum for
communication with members only. Please email Peggy at [email protected] if you are on
Facebook and would like to receive an invitation to join the group.
Central Night Shelter - Overnight Volunteer Spots Available
We have the opportunity to serve our
neighbors without stable housing through the
Central Night Shelter downtown. No
experience is needed. Thanks to those who
have volunteered! Sat, Feb 16th needs 1 more
volunteer. If interested, please email
[email protected] or the church office.
All volunteer opportunities will be at The
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
Communion Bread Bakers Needed
A new volunteer opportunity is available! For the past 15 years,
Marilyn Roberts has faithfully baked communion bread! We cannot
thank her enough for these years of service!
Would you be willing to bake communion bread for our monthly
service? If so, please email Lisa Taylor at [email protected] or
call her at 404-932-9333 A training session will be scheduled . Thank
you in advance for your willingness to help. Many hands make less
work!
Mitchell Series Preacher and Luncheon
Known for its author series in the past, the Mitchell Fund has decided to try something a bit different this
year. On January 27, we will offer a day of conversation about women in light of #metoo and #churchtoo.
Our preacher at the 11 a.m. service will be the new Executive of Greater Atlanta Presbytery, The Rev. Aisha
Brookes-Lytle.
After worship we will offer lunch ($5) and then Rev. Brooks Lytle will moderate a panel of career women at
various stages of life. The Rev. Jane Fahey recently retired as interim executive of Greater Atlanta
Presbytery and has served several Atlanta area churches. Jane ‘s first career as an attorney included
clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Also on our panel is Betsy Holland, recently elected by our Buckhead neighbor to the north, Garden Hills’
district 54, as their representative in the Georgia House. She is also Director of Culture and Engagement for
Turner and serves on numerous boards and committees. She is an active member at Morningside Pres.
where she leads a women’s program on community issues and social justice. Our third panelist will be
named soon. SAVE THE DATE !
Invitation to Review Books!
On Vocation
Wayne Muller, A Life of Being,
Having,
Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak
David Bornstein, How to Change
the World
David Lamotte, World Changing
101
Cron and Stable, The Road Back to
You:
Brene Brown, Daring Greatly
Brene Brown, Braving the Wilder-
ness
Frederick Buechner, Listening to
Your Life
Richard Rohr, Immortal Diamond
Henri Nouwen, Discernment
On Community
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
Ed. Charles Moore, Called to Com-
munity
Kelly Bryson, Don’t Be Nice, Be
Real:
Memoirs
Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies
Gregory Boyle, Tattoos on the
Heart
Lauren Winner, Girl Meets God
Rachel Held Evans, Evolving in
Monkeytown
Nadia Bolz-Weber, Pastrix
Frederick Beuchner, The Sacred
Journey
On Social Justice
Mark Lamont Hill, Nobody: Casu-
alties of America
Samuel Wells and Marcia Owen,
Living Without
Rebecca Todd Peters, To Do Jus-
tice
Bryan Stevenson, Just Mercy
Jim Wallis, God’s Politics: Why
The Right Gets it
Robert Lupton, Toxic Charity
On Church
Nadia Bolz Weber, Accidental
Saints
Rachel Held Evans, Searching for
Sunday
Shane Claiborne, Irresistible Revo-
lution
Soong Chang Rah, Many Colors:
Cultural Intelligence
On Race
Debby Irving, Waking up White
Drew G.I. Hart, Trouble I've Seen
Cristena Cleveland, Disunity in
Christ
James Cone, The Cross and the
Lynching Tree
James Baldwin, "Nobody Knows My
Name”
TaNehisi Coates, Between the
World and Me
Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove, Re-
constructing
On Gender
Edited, Talking Taboo: American
Christian Women
Phil Snyder, Justice Calls: Sermons
of
Jeff Chu, Does Jesus Really Love
Me?
Mihee Kim Kort, Outside the Lines
Congratulations to the Aumanns!
The Aumann family continues welcoming their newest member,
Jackson “Jack” Kurt Aumann.
If you are interested in providing a meal please go to the following
link: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/rndkk2.
Katie’s maternity leave continues until Feb 18. Until that time, she
isn’t available via email or phone for church business. Richard and
the office can assist you with any questions you have. Katie also left
a detailed maternity leave document is in the church office.
Women’s Spirituality Groups
The Women’s Spirituality Groups resume this month. We give
deep thanks to Nancy Cox, Condit Lotz, Mary Allen and Jennifer
Manning for continuing to lead these groups. While many of these
groups are at capacity, if you have interest in joining a group,
please talk to Richard Hill.
Men’s Bible Study
Wednesday Men’s Bible Study 7:00 am
each week. All men are invited to attend
as Richard explores the passage that he
will preach on that next Sunday.
Confirmation Kickoff Luncheon—January 13th
After worship the Confirmands, Parents, Mentors, and the Confirmation teachers will meet for lunch to begin
a time of faith exploration for the youth who have signed up. This will kick off an exploration throughout the
winter and spring led by Kelley Day, John Greeley, occasionally by Rev. Richard Hill, and by Rev. Katie
Owen Aumann when she returns. Please be in prayer for the faith discovery of our confirmands.
Stewardship Pledges—if you have not made a pledge for 2019, please do so asap. Richard will be contacting
those who pledged last year but have not pledged yet in order to check on them pastorally. Be in prayer as the
2019 budget will be set by Session on January 15th.
Join Mission Trip for Hurricane Relief in Florida
President’s Weekend or anytime from February 15-22. Being from North
Florida, our pastor, Richard, is partnering with Decatur Presbyterian Church to
lead a work crew to stay at the Presbytery camp, Dogwood Acres near
Marianna, FL that was devastated with ½ it’s buildings damaged and 300-600
trees down. This effort will increase capacity for future work crews to bring relief to the area. Chainsaws,
tractors, light carpentry, cooks, cleaners and many other skills needed. Anyone and families with kids are
welcome. Contact Richard if interested in going or donating toward the efforts.
Karen Turney 1
Kelley Day 2
Charles Moore 5
Mary Short 5
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS Keelin Roper 15
Payton Jaynes 15
Audrey Ono 19
Ryan Chang Liu 20
Janet Hart 21
Angie Hoffman 24
Beth Hogan 22
Bob Bender 28
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 Office Closed
Happy New Year
2 3
9:00 a.m.
Knitters
4 5
6
9:30 a.m.
NO Sunday School
10 am Epiphany Party
10:30 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
11:00 a.m. Worship
7
10:00 a.m.
Women’s Spirituality Group
1:00 p.m. Tai Ji
6:30 p.m. Yoga
8
10:00 a.m.
Staff Meeting
6:15 p.m.
Women’s Spirituality Group
9
7:00 a.m.
Men’s Bible Study
7:30 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
10
9:00 a.m.
Knitters
10:00 a.m.
Women’s
Spirituality
Group
11 12
13
8:30 a.m.
Bell Choir Rehearsal
9:30 a.m.
Adult Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
11:00 a.m. Worship 12:00 p.m. Confirmation Kickoff Luncheon
12:00 p.m. CYG
14
1:00 p.m. Tai Ji
6:30 p.m. Yoga
15
10:00 a.m.
Staff Meeting
16
7:00 a.m.
Men’s Bible Study
7:30 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
17
9:00 a.m.
Knitters
10:00 a.m.
Women’s
Spirituality
Group
18 19
20
8:30 a.m.
Bell Choir Rehearsal
9:30 a.m.
Adult Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
11:00 a.m. Worship
12:00 p.m. CYG
21
10:00 a.m.
Women’s Spirituality Group
1-4 MLK Work Day
1:00 p.m. Tai Ji
22
10:00 a.m.
Staff Meeting
6:15 p.m.
Women’s Spirituality Group
23
7:00 a.m.
Men’s Bible Study
7:30 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
24
10:00 a.m.
Women’s
Spirituality
Group
25
26
8-2
New South Festival Singers Workshop
28 1:00 p.m. Tai Ji 6:30 p.m. Yoga
29
30 7:00 a.m. Men’s Bible Study 7:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
31 9:00 a.m. Knitters 10:00 a.m.
Women’s
Spirituality
Group
1
2
AA:
Sunday: 8:00 p.m.
Friday: 9:00 p.m.
Al-Anon:
Monday:
9:30 a.m. &
10:30 a.m.
Thursday:
8:00 p.m.
Narcotics Anony-mous:
Monday: 7:30 p.m.
Friday: 7:00 p.m.
Scouts:
(subject to change):
Sunday: 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday: 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 6:00 p.m.
Thursday: 6:00 p.m.
Covenant Presbyterian |January 2019
Corrections and/or
submissions?
Please submit to Church
Office at:
(404) 237-0363
27
8:30 a.m. Bell Choir Rehearsal 9:30 a.m. Adult and Children’s Sunday School 10:30 a.m. Choir Rehearsal 11:00 a.m. Mitchell Series guest preacher and luncheon
12:00 p.m. CYG
