Covenant Matters The All-Church Picnic is Today! Covenant's Annual All-Church Picnic is today, May 3, at the Skaggs ranch (13600 FM 1826). The fun starts at 4 p.m. and goes until about 8. Drinks are provided. Bring your own food for your family, and cookies to share. We will have a cookie bar! Come prepared for softball, kickball, running around and more. The Sons of the Saltfork will entertain us with their music! Find directions on the web at covenant.org/annual-church-picnic. Raising a Modern Day Knight Every man wants to succeed with his son and be a great dad, but we can't do that alone. This May, the men of Covenant will dive into the Raising A Modern Day Knight class. This is an incredible opportunity to learn what God designed fatherhood to look like, and to hear from others who are on that journey. The class will run from 6:30-7:30 a.m. from May 7 through June 11 in FE 200. For more information and to register, contact Skip Crowe at [email protected]. Folk-Celtic Concert is May 13 Covenant’s Folk-Celtic Band is having a special concert and hymn sing — “How Can I Keep from Singing” — on Wednesday, May 13, at 6:15 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Enjoy a musical evening with this unique ensemble that takes advantage of fiddles, cello, other acoustic strings and hand percussion. Paul Glasse, a former national mandolin champion, will join on mandolin. The group has been enthusiastically received in Sunday worship and looks forward to presenting some of its favorite songs in an evening concert and hymn sing. Volunteer for Upward 2015-2016 Upward Basketball brings nearly 200 kids and their families onto our campus for games and practices every week in January and February. Upward needs volunteers for the leadership team for next year. If you are interested or want to learn more, contact Stephanie Schultz at [email protected]. May 3, 2015 covenant.org covenant.austin Wednesday Nights in May Teacher Appreciation Breakfast Covenant will serve its last supper of the 2014-2015 academic year on Wednesday, May 20. That night, Covenant youth leaders, Nathan Richards and Whitney Bell, and others will talk about the youth and family mission trip to Belize over spring break. On Wednesday, May 6, the children's choir will give an encore presentation of the Sailor's Bible and on May 13, the Covenant folk group will perform and invite the congregation to join in on several hymns. All May programming will start at 6:15 p.m. Let's show the teachers at Webb Middle School, Covenant's adopted school, how much we appreciate all they do for their students. We'd like for them to start their day with a special breakfast on May 5. Please contact Kathy Willis at [email protected] or at (512) 826-6309 if you'd like to make a contribution, help set up or serve. Vacation Bible School This year's VBS, Everest: Conquering Challenges with God’s Mighty Power, is June 15 – 19 from 9 a.m. to noon. Get ready for a week of faith, fun and friends. Kids learn about God and the Bible through song, taste, smell, touch and sight. It’s a glorious week of activities that center around God. Each family must provide an adult volunteer for at least two days. We welcome and encourage all parents and caregivers to show up at 11:45 and worship with us. Camp Everest is for kids Ages 2-4; Everest is for Pre-K to incoming 5th grade; youth volunteers are incoming 6th graders and up. To register and get more information, visit covenant.org/vbs. To volunteer behind the scenes, contact Ashley Ellison at [email protected]. Register Now for Youth Summer Trips May 3 is the deadline for early registration for the trips that our middle and high school students will take this summer. The 7th and 8th graders will travel to Oklahoma City for a mission trip from June 20-26. Our kids will help in soup kitchens, and with vacation Bible school, tornado relief and more. Our high school students will return to Fun in the Son in South Padre Island. This weeklong conference, which runs from July 12-17, is filled with worship, amazing speakers, encounters with Jesus, playing in the ocean and more. More information is available at covenant.org/student or from Nathan Richards at [email protected]. Preschool and Summer Camp Now Enrolling Come, be a part of our wonderful school! Covenant Presbyterian Preschool and Child’s Day Out is a part-time program created and supported by a community of parents, teachers and children working together to provide high-quality experiential learning in a Christian environment for ages nine months through five years. There is space still available for 2015-2016 in our three's and five’s classes. We are also currently registering for summer camp for kids ages two (2) - six (6). To find more information and downloadable applications that we accept year-round, visit covenant.org/preschool or call (512) 454-8370. Reason # 3 you may be called to Cuba During this time of transition in Cuba, explore with our sister church its 2015 Biblical theme: The people of God celebrate hope and practice justice (Joel 2:-26-29). Continue building bridges between our churches with Jesus Christ at the base of our partnership. Engage in activities together that always serve to improve the bonds between our churches as we together enjoy fellowship that reflects our faith in God and the experience of the love of Jesus in our lives. Five spaces remain to join Jill Williams and a mix of 14 returning veterans and first-time visitors. Contact Jack Kern at [email protected]. VISIONS LUNCHEON Is MAY 19 Join the Covenant VISIONS (Very Interested Seniors Investigating Our New Seasons) group for lunch and a great program at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19, in FE 200. Dr. Dixie Stanforth, a lecturer at UT's Department of Kinesiology, will talk about the small changes we can make in our lives that will reap big rewards in our health and mobility. As a lecturer, teacher, author and editor of many fitness publications, she is eminently qualified to teach us how to remain fit as we age. To make a reservation, call (512) 454-5231. Lunch is $6 at the door or whatever you care to donate. MAY ARMCHAIR TRAVELERS HAS BEEN CANCELED Armchair Travelers scheduled for Thursday, May 7, has been CANCELED due to the presenter being unable to attend. Call Fred Hartmann at (512) 345-4181 if you have any questions or comments. What's for Dinner? Wednesday Night Dinner Menus May 6 Chicken Tchoupitoulas Blackened Chicken Breast Dirty Rice Vegetable May 13 Chicken Lo Mein Egg Rolls Dessert Every Wednesday night, Covenant's Chef Mark Toussaint prepares meals for the congregation in the Fellowship Hall. Enjoy a tasty dinner at 5 p.m., then head over to one of @cpcaustin Covenant's many Wednesday night activities! Cost is $6 per person or $20 per family. Stewardship Update Manos de Cristo Manos de Cristo, a mission of Covenant Presbyterian Church, works to empower low-income individuals in our community with food and clothing, low-cost essential dental care and educational opportunities for adults to learn English, basic computer skills or prepare for the citizenship process. Covenant’s mission committee has made a three-year investment in the Manos adult education program through a bequest by the Freeman Estate. This investment will help Manos de Cristo’s education program to expand its staff and provide childcare while parents attend class. One goal of our partnership is to recruit 10 new volunteer teachers to begin teaching classes at Covenant or at Manos de Cristo in the fall. Visit with Manos de Cristo staff and current volunteers on the patio Sundays through May 24. Covenant members are also invited to join us in celebrating our students’ successes at our end-of-semester celebration in Eaton Hall on May 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. To RSVP for the celebration to get more information, contact Karen Green at [email protected] or (512) 628-4196. submitted by Mary Alice Carnes VISIONS Activities Day Covenant seniors and friends are invited to the May 5 VISIONS Activities Day to experience the nail-biting race against time during WWII as Alan Turing and his team of code-breakers attempt to crack the code utilized by the Nazis' communications machine. Our movie, "The Imitation Game" (2014), is based on the real-life story of this legendary cryptanalyst played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Meet in FE 200 for games, bingo and puzzles at 10 a.m. and lunch at noon. The movie starts at 1 p.m. Donations accepted for lunch and reservations are not required. Contact Martha Bombaugh at (512) 345-5916. Learn Lightning Safety Tips Covenant Scout leaders invite all interested, especially those who take groups outside, to hear a presentation on lightning safety in FE 200 on May 14 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The Austin-Travis County EMS will deliver a presentation titled "The Shocking Truth," which was developed in response to the tragic incident involving a nine-year-old boy hit by lightning last August in the Lake Travis area. For more information, contact Tom McClure at [email protected]. May VISIONS Trip Save the Date: Gospel Concert is May 13 On Thursday, May 7, Covenant VISIONS (Very Interesting Seniors in their New Season) will travel to Fort Hood to watch the 1st Calvary Division Horse Detachment practice their ceremonial routines. Following lunch at the Fort Hood Commissary, the group will visit Texas Central College to see two shows in the Mayborn Planetarium. The price for this trip is $21 per person, which does not include lunch. The bus will leave the church at 8 a.m. and return about 5 p.m. Contact Jim Abbott at [email protected] or (512) 795-0063. Covenant’s Sanctuary Choir and GraceNotes Vocal Ensemble will present “Rock my Soul,” an evening of anthems, spiritual and gospel songs, on Wednesday, June 3, at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Both groups will perform some of their favorite anthems from throughout the year, lively spiritual gospel arrangements and songs from early Americana. A Time to Celebrate Covenant worship times are shifting! On June 28, we will start a summer schedule. For nine Sundays during the summer, Covenant will have two traditional worship services — at 8:15 and 9:30 — and a contemporary service at 11 a.m. Starting Aug. 30, Covenant will again resume its winter schedule with a slight modification. We will have traditional services at 8:15, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Our contemporary service will begin at 11:10 a.m. The Worship Task force met with many people, groups and staff members over the year, and conducted a survey, concluding the delayed start time of the contemporary service offers more flexibility to the preacher. Party on the Patio will also be on Aug. 30. The Presbyterian Women’s Spring Luncheon is Tuesday, May 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in FE 200. This will be a joyful time of celebration and fellowship, and a look at the year ahead. Beth Daniel will be the guest speaker and the new officers for the Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team 2015-2016 will be installed, followed by a delicious lunch. All women — members and visitors — are invited. No reservation required. We hope to see you there! If you need childcare, please email [email protected]. For more information, contact Cheryl Banks at (512) 789-2696 or [email protected]. Calling all High School Seniors On May 17 in the 9:30 and 11 a.m. worship services, we will honor all our high school seniors! We want to be sure to include everyone. If you are a high school senior or if you have a child who is a senior in high school and would like to be honored, please email Stephanie Kurio at [email protected]. Career Transitions continues Covenant Career Transitions meets Thursdays at 7 p.m. in FE 100. This class, is for those facing employment uncertainty or change. On May 7, David Hughen, principal at Austin HR, will present “Adventures in Job Interviewing." On May 14, Tommy Chiodo, licensed counselor and career coach, will present “Managing the Emotional Impact of Career Transitions.” Each acts as a standalone workshop. Contact Kay Austin at [email protected]. Financial Update For Period Ended March 31, 2015 GENERAL FUND Revenues Expenses BUILDING FUND Total Loan Balance Principal Reduction YTD YTD Actual YTD Budget $ 882,177 732,482 149,695 $ 936,991 817,239 119,752 $ 6,458,733 53,085 Worship Times Update Pledged Income Lagging after Q1 Michael Knisely, Covenant stewardship committee chair, spoke to the congregation last Sunday, pointing out that we are strong in stewardship — both our time and talents, and our giving. He said we have three new members to Covenant who are giving their time and talents as new members of the Stewardship Committee. We are also nearly $38K ahead in unpledged giving at the end of the first quarter. However, we are $90K short in pledged funds. This money is part of our 2015 dream budget and has been directed toward our missions and building debt. Update pledges online at covenant.org by clicking on “My Covenant” in the left-hand corner of the homepage. If you have questions, contact Duane Dube at [email protected]. Moms Group meets May 4 Covenant's MoMs Group will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 4, in the Sanctuary Parlor. Member Carrie Cothran-Williams will discuss Love and Logic, a parenting method that emphasizes setting love limits. Contact Rachel Gossen at [email protected] or Becky Butterworth at [email protected]. For childcare, make reservations 48 hours in advance: [email protected].
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