YOUTH NEWS | MINISTRIES AT COVENANT
NEW! COVENANT CONNECTION DISCUSSION
Want to know more about Covenant activities, community news, missions and outreach? Come to the Covenant Connection meeting held twice at 10:30 and 12:00 on the last Sunday of the month downstairs in the library. We will discuss the church, the latest news and resources available to today's Christian.
OFFERING ENVELOPES & CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS
Offering envelopes and contribution statements are available in the Narthex. If a box of envelopes was not prepared for you and if you would like envelopes, you can enter your family name on the sign-up sheet and take the box with the corresponding number. You may contact Ed Quinn with any questions.
MEN'S BREAKFAST AND BIBLE STUDY
Men of all ages have been blessed to be part of Covenant's Men Breakfast and Bible Study for twelve years now. We have covered many books of the Bible and other books that deal with topics relevant to 21st century Christian men. We have been discussing John Ortberg's book, "If You Want to Walk on Water You've Got to Get Out of the Boat". We meet on every second Saturday of the month, September through March, from 8:00 to 9:30. There are two more gatherings; if you haven't caught the first four, come anyway. I promise you will get a lot out of it. Our next breakfast and study will be on February 11th at 8:00 AM, in the Fellowship Hall downstairs. Contact Knox Swayze.
LENTEN DINNER AND MOVIE NIGHT
Our Covenant's Lenten Dinner and Movie nights, held every Wednesday night during Lent. This year, the dates will be February 22 and 29th, and March 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th. We gather for a meal from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM and then watch a movie and have a short discussion about it from 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM. It is a wonderful fellowship opportunity for us as well as a chance to invite friends. Contact Dave Fitzgerald with any questions. Hope to see you there.
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN'S LADIES RETREAT
Save the date of Saturday, March 10, from 8:30 AM to 1;30 PM. The theme will be "Better Than A Fairy Tale, Building Relationships in a Real World." Bev Swayze will be our speaker. If you are interested in helping plan the retreat there will be 2 meetings a Brenda Rarick's house on January 30 and February 23 from 6:30 to 8:30PM. All women are welcome. Contact Brenda Rarick for more information.
WINTER READING
Join Past Bev at her home on Sunday evening, February 12th, at 7:00 PM, as we discuss Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. All are welcome for discussion and dessert!
YOUTH NEWS ....
SUPER BOWL PARTY
Sunday, Feb. 5 at 4298 Newbold Ct. Woodbridge, VA from 6-11 PM or the end of the game. Please bring a drink or snack if you plan on attending.
CONFIRMATION CLASSES
If you are in high school and are interested in learning more about your faith, or becoming a full fledged member of Covenant Presbyterian Church then you should come to these classes. The classes will start Sunday Feb. 5th and will continue every Sunday for 8 weeks. The classes last from 12-1pm every Sunday and it is a good chance to learn more about being a Christian and what it means to be Presbyterian. Let me know if you are interested in these classes.
CHILI COOK-OFF & CAKE AUCTION
The Youth Group is hosting a Chili Cook-Off & Cake Auction on Sunday, February 19th at noon. Sign-up in the Narthex to enter you favorite chili or to bake a cake! All proceeds will benefit CPC Youth Group Programs and Summer Camp.
30 HOUR FAMINE
We join with 5 other churches to participate in a 30 hour fast from food to raise money and awareness for starving people around the world. The youth spend meet Fri. at 6pm and do stations service projects and games till 6pm on Saturday to work together and also see the effects of going without food. The youth will be drinking lots of water and juice to help them through this. It is a great experience for them. In addition to the fund raising packets that each youth gets to raise money on their own we do a fund raiser for the entire month of Feb. It is called the purple potty and has raised over $10,000 for this event in the past four years at our church. We hope you will be willing to help out or donate when this starts in February.
PURPLE POTTY FUND
We are starting this fun raiser again for the 30 hour Famine! This even is where you can pay to send a purple painted toilet in someone else's yard. This is all for fun and a great way to play a little joke on your friends in the congregation. There are 4 differnt ways to sponsor the potty:
$10-Sends a potty to a person's front yard
$20-Removes potty from your own yard (or it will sit for approximately 3 days)
$30-Buys insurance to keep it off you property
$50-Overrides someone's insurance
Sign up sheets are in the narthex at the Famine Table. We also realize that not everyone finds this as comical as we do, so if you do not want to participate, please stop by the table in the narthex and we will make sure you do not get this potty. Contact Josh Fowler for more information.
YOUTH GROUP MEETING
Middle School Youth Group meets Wednesdays, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, at the church. High School Youth Group meets Wednesdays, 8:00 - 9:00 PM at the church. For more information contact our Youth Director, Josh Fowler
HELP NEEDED
We are looking for volunteers to help do a lot of things with the youth this year. We would like to have volunteers bring snacks for the youth every Wednesday throughout the year. We are also looking for people interested in helping by volunteering their time for future events, or by just praying for the youth by name. If you would like to help in any way, please contact Josh.
ADOPTING A CHILD
through World Vision costs about $30 a month. They are in extra need with the downturn in the economy, and are looking for people to adopt a child. Youth Director Josh Fowler suggests several youth (or adults) partnering to sponsor a child. If you would like to participate, contact Josh.
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES AT COVENANT ....
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEEDS YOU!
We need volunteer teachers for Sunday school classes at both 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. Your help once a month, at either or both services, would be a wonderful gift to our students, though we will gladly work with any schedule. Curriculum is provided. If you are willing to help in this vital ministry, please contact Jenny Haszard or Debbie Decker.
YOUNG MUSICIANS- Music Opportunities
Our Choir Director would like to give our youth an opportunity to play on an occasional Sunday. If you play an instrument, please contact Sue Whittle and let her know.
OTHER MUSICIANS
You don't have to be young to play! Sue Whittle is looking for ALL types of musicians to bring praise to God through music at the traditional service (11:00 AM).
CHILDREN'S CHOIR
Would your child like to join our new Cherub Choir? If you're interested, please contact Sue Whittle.
MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE
Have you considered joining the choir? We are an enthusiastic group of amateurs who love to make music to worship the Lord. No auditions are required – just the desire to praise God in music and have a good time. We sing at most Sunday services during the school year, and rehearse on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 PM. Even if you can’t commit to every Sunday and Wednesday, we’d love to have you come give it a try! If you have questions, talk to choir director Sue Whittle. If you don’t have questions, just show up!
SECRET SISTERS
You are invited to become a Secret Sister and get to know other women in our church family! More information is posted in the Narthex.
TODDLER/NURSERY VOLUNTEERS
The Toddler/Nursery area is looking for more volunteers. You can choose which service time you are available, and we would love to have your help! Please let Ann Bristow know if you are interested
DO YOU KNIT OR CROCHET?
Covenant's Prayer Shawl Ministry creates hand-knitted or crocheted shawls and lap blankets to give to those we know who are suffering, to let them know that there are people who care about them and pray for them. Thus we have an ongoing need for those who can knit or crochet. New participants are always welcome, and especially now when our supply of finished pieces is low. We have yarn and patterns available. To those who have contributed to this ministry in the past, a hearty Thank You! Please - anyone who is interested and able, join us in the joyful experience of creating and giving these tangible signs of love and support. If you're interested, please contact Jeanette Kissinger or Norma Newbold.
GREEN TEAM NEEDS RESUSCITATION!
Would anyone like to head up the church’s environmental initiatives, a/k/a the Green Team? The Green Team has been responsible for promoting recycling at Covenant, purchasing the mugs used during our fellowship times in order to halt our use of Styrofoam, and assisting with the construction of the prayer trail. At the moment, there’s no regular meeting schedule or set agenda; participants can choose to pursue the issues of most concern to them. You need not be a long-term member to help in this way.
And speaking of the prayer trail – the basic trail has been laid out, but it needs maintenance. We would also like to add benches and/or prayer stations in the future. Perhaps another scout project?
All this falls under the auspices of the session’s Building and Grounds Committee. The current point of contact is Helen Baker
PLANT PEOPLE
Many thanks to everyone for their support of the Daffodil Hill project. We also appreciate your efforts bringing grass clipping and chopped leaves. We are continuing the expansion of the plant bed within the storm-water management area. We currently only need glass clippings. Please make the extra effort to bag those leftover grass clippings, bring them to the church, and leave them by the fence. Thank you for your support!
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL
At 9:30, Sue Whittle will be teaching an adult class studying Amos and Hosea: Boundaries, Tough Love, Amazing Grace. If you like to read and think during the week, and then discuss in class on Sunday morning, this class may well be for you. Books need to be ordered shortly, so if you’re interested or have questions, please contact Sue as soon as you can. On the other hand, if you want to give it a try before ordering, we can always order another book if you decide you like it.
