This week at Covenant

Dear SS classes,

As you know, not much has been happening at Covenant this past week, just another ordinary week…and if you believe that, you obviously haven't been paying attention.

Big news of the week is obviously that Rev. Bill Boyd is the new Sr. Pastor elect of Covenant Presbyterian.  His wife Martha, and children (William, August, Betsy & Richard) are all excited to be a part of our church family.  Pray for the transition this summer. If you haven't seen this already, here is a link to a sermon Rev. Boyd gave on renewing worship.  TJ Wolters attended this conference: http://preachingtomyself.wordpress.com/2008/10/04/bill-boyd-on-renewing-worship/ 

1.  Covenant Cares – We recognize many are traveling this week due to the holiday weekend, but we have many opportunities next week.  A team from Austin, TX (Northwest Fellowship) is coming in to work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  I'm sure they'd love it if anyone from our church could join them.  They will be working in our kitchen on Tuesday from 2-5 pm making meals to deliver the following day.  Also, T-shirts are available to represent Covenant as we serve our community.  Come pick yours up this Sunday!

2.  Sunday School Shuffle – This coming Sunday is the last Sunday of the quarter.  The month of June finds us all in larger classes with some great teaching.  Larry Taunton will be leading The Grace Effect, Dr. Mark Gigniliat will be teaching on Hearing God's Voice --  A Walk Through Jeremiah, Dr. Gordon Bals is speaking on relationships and Brian Oaks will be teaching on the 4 colors of Prayer.  Plug in and sit next to new people as we further build community among God's people.

3.  Pray for Summer Ministries – We have three mission trips this summer (Ukraine which leaves Sunday, Romania and Maine).  Children have VBS, Bonus Day, Wonderful Wednesdays; Youth have Edge, Palmer Home, weekly activities; College has retreats, weekly discipleship; Adults have studies, Covenant Cares work crews, etc.  We have lots to pray over.

4.  Theology 101 

A Challenging read for me as I processed this past weekend: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2011/05/25/another-day-without-the-return-of-the-king/ 

Another Day Without the Return of the King by Justin Taylor

A good word in season from Mike Wittmer:

Even those who interviewed him didn’t take him seriously. One anchor closed her segment on Camping with a knowing smirk, “Let’s hope he’s wrong.”

That’s where all who love Jesus must disagree. We are the first to say that Camping’s aim and method were wrong. No one can predict when Jesus will return, and Camping’s convoluted and implausible argument for May 21, 2011, was not particularly promising. We were right to declare that Camping was wrong, but we also should have wished that he wasn’t.

Christians should feel a twinge of sadness every night when we turn in to bed, for we have lived another day without the return of our King. The Lord’s Prayer includes the line, “May your Kingdom come soon” (Luke 11:2). As far-fetched as Camping’s prediction was, his spectacular miss should prompt us to reassess our deepest longings. Will we only scoff at his delusion, or will we also remember that we should want our Lord to return?

Perhaps we aren’t excited for Jesus’ return because we’re too easily pleased with the present. As one preacher said, “It’s hard to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ when your kingdom has had a good year.” Thank God for the good life you presently enjoy, but don’t allow his current blessings to distract you from the Christian’s prayer: “Our Lord, come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22).

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