Covenant United Methodist Church 300 East Martial Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70508 Church 981-2088, , Preschool 988-3962 C N OVENANT EWSLETTER Sunday Worship Services 9:00am - Traditional Worship NOVEMBER 2014 10:10am - Sunday School 11:10am - Contemporary Worship Rev. Chris Blanchard, Pastor Church Office: 981-2088 Preschool Office: 988-3962 Richard Avery and Donald Marsh wrote a hymn: “We Are the Church.” I love the hymn and its message. I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we’re the church together! The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people. We’re many kinds of people, with many kinds of faces, all colors and all ages, from all times and places. Sometimes the church is marching, sometimes it’s bravely burning, sometimes it’s riding, sometimes hiding, always learning. And when the people gather, there’s singing and praying, there’s laughing and there’s crying sometimes, all of it saying: I am the church! You are the church! We are the church together! All who follow Jesus, all around the world! Yes, we’re the church together! So my question is, do you feel like you are a part of the church? Have you slipped away, because maybe you had differences with someone or just didn’t feel like you “fit in”? This is your church, and my church, and our church, when we make it the church of Jesus Christ. Hope to see you marching, riding, sometimes hiding, always learning……. And of course, pumpkining……we have had another banner year, and can’t wait for the mission group to be able to share our blessings on with others this year. Thank you for your part in making it another successful year. See you in your place each and every Sunday. Chris Blanchard What a FANTASTIC October and Pumpkin Patch God has blessed us with! This has been the best year ever for the youth concessions. We couldn’t have done it without all the help, love, and support of the youth, their parents, and our church family. THANK YOU! It is always such a blessing to get to serve our community during this time. In the upcoming month, we will have the opportunity to serve others in the community again as we participate in the Thanksgiving Dinner for the homeless downtown on Sunday, November 16th. This is a humbling, rewarding and enjoyable experience for the youth and their families. On Saturday, November 15th, 5:00pm, the youth will have a formal Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate the holiday. This dinner will be the wrap up of our Godly Character series. There will be a lesson on dining etiquette, along with parents serving youth their dinner. Please sign your youth up (6th-12th grade) for this experience. When planning your busy schedules, don’t forget to include youth activities: Sunday school 10:10, Hwy 4:12 Youth 3:30-5:30, and Wednesday night dinner & study at 5:30-7:15. And as always, BRING A FRIEND! For questions, please see Craig or Melissa Hartwell. ([email protected]) CHILDREN’S MINISTRY Mission Kids will be meeting Sunday, November 9th from 3:30-5:00 pm in the Children’s Room. We will be working on a Christmas project. All children in 1st-5th grade are welcomed to join in on the fun. Bring a friend and help make Christmas a little brighter for a child in need! For more info, contact Leigh Nugent at [email protected]. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to all of the people who came out to help make Family Fun Day such a wonderful day for our church and community. Thanks to every smile, every helping hand, and every willing body, it was by far the best yet! Serving together as a family is one of the best ways to teach your child about the importance of the act of service. Join other United Methodist families as they serve Thanksgiving Dinner to those less fortunate. Meet at First UMC on Sunday, November 16 from 3-5 pm and you will be amazed at what a blessing it is to serve others. Well-Versed Kids—we are already on month four of our Well-Versed Kids Program. We have several kids who have learned ALL of their verses! It is important for our children to learn scripture so they can always have God’s Word available to them. Please help them learn their verses! As Thanksgiving draws nearer, we will be asking the kids to think of things they are thankful for each week. We encourage you to do the same in your own home. You can have your own “Thankful Tree” that can serve as a daily reminder of all of the blessings that God has given your family. GREAT PUMPKIN RIDE Saturday, November 1 All proceeds benefits St. Jude’s Hospital. Early Registration Forms available in Narthex and CCC Foyer . Contact Carlena Clause and Lesley Nutter for Registration Sponsorship & Margo Harkreader for Food Donations. FALL IS IN THE AIR as another exciting Covenant Pumpkin Patch comes to a close. The P/P raises funds for many worthy missions - but did you know the Fellowship Class Pecan sale also reaches many small missions that may have been overlooked, including unbudgeted Covenant needs. Just get a whiff of those Thanksgiving PECAN pies, cookies and cakes baking, as you snack on candied pecans! Check out the list below of mission gifts your pecan purchases gave a helping hand to in 2012 and 2013! Christmas shop early with the gift everyone likes to receive: PECANS – halves, pieces, beautiful foil-wrapped candied pecans – the perfect gift for friends, neighbors, teachers, co-workers, employers, stocking stuffers and guaranteed fresh from this year’s crop. Still just $10/bag, so place your order today and be a part of many missions - sign-up notebooks are available in both the Narthex and CCC. Pecan Sale Mission Gifts – Jan. 1, 2012 – Dec. 31, 2013 Angel Tree (2012, 2013) $ 400.00 Building Fund (2013) 415.00 Children’s Easter Egg Hunt (2013) 100.00 Council on Aging – Heaters (2013) 200.00 Families in need (1–2012; 3-2013) 1,030.00 Flood Buckets (2013) 200.00 Homeless Thanksgiving (2012, 2013) 419.15 Kairos – delegates & cookie dough (2012) 550.00 MP Kids (2012) 50.00 Maison de’Espri (challenged adults – 2012) 60.00 Memorials – Bldg. Fund, Children’s Ministry, UCO, Music Ministry, Mallalieu Scholarship (2012, 2013) 600.00 Methodist Summer Camp (2013) 200.00 Missionaries Wycliffe Bible Translators (2012, 2013) 500.00 Nursing Home Yarn (2012) 130.00 Pastor’s Discretionary Fund (2013) 100.00 Salvation Army School Supplies/Uniforms (2012,2013) 300.00 Stained Glass Windows (2013) 200.00 St. Joseph Diner (2012) 200.00 St. Jude’s Bike-A-Thon (2012, 2013) 175.00 Tools for Schools (2012, 2013) 203.97 UCO Extra Canned Meats (2012) 87.94 UMCOR (2012) 200.00 Vacation Bible School (2012) 100.00 Young Life Camp (2012, 2013) 200.00 Missions from Pecan Sales $6,621.06 The Pumpkin Patch has passed and we have a little time to take a deep breath before the holiday season kicks in. And then, before we know it, the new year is here. In as much as I love the holidays, this year I find myself wishing time would slow down. So, this November is going to be an entire month of Thanksgiving. One easy way to do that is through music. Whether your worship style is traditional or contemporary, there are plenty of songs and hymns to focus on. And do more than just sing them. Use their lyrics as part of your prayer time. Join me in striving to see all of His blessings no matter how small. And then, join us Sunday morning, December 7th, for our annual Chancel Choir Christmas Cantata, Images of Adoration. I'll see you in worship, Ken Haiti Mission Team On Friday, November 7th, our Haiti Mission Team takes off to serve for ten days in Gressier, Haiti at Respire Haiti. Please keep those team members covered in prayer while they work to spread the love and the knowledge of Jesus Christ to God’s people in Haiti. Thank you for your support! Haiti Mission Team,—November 2014 Melissa Brockmann Wally Manuel Stephanie Brockmann Lindsay Perry Greg Fox Nathan Perry Sherrie Goudeau Ali Roberts Kent Roberts Melissa Hardin SUNDAY SCHOOL F.U.E.L.- Jennifer Blanchard, Preschool, #9 Serendipity–Les Stratton, Holley, #7 Daily Living–John Hines, Holley, #4 Fellowship– Marie Smith, Holley, #5 Searchers Women – Women of all ages, Kay Chadick, Holley, #2 Seekers– Annette & Strand Martin, Preschool #3 Wesleyan– Gene Blevins, Holley, #9 GIFT—Jennifer Manuel, Sanctuary SMALL GROUP Men’s Bull Session– 1st Thursday of month, 8:30am, Holley #5 United Methodist Men–3rd Saturday of month, 8am breakfast/work Sudie Lewis Women’s Circle –2nd Tuesday of month, 6:30pm Doris Branton Women’s Circle–3rd Tuesday of month, 1:30pm F.U.E.L.—Faith Used in Everyday Life, Young Adults –Every Monday, 7pm, Holley Women’s Bible Study–(Fall-Spring) Thursday, 10am, Holley Men’s Bible Study–Every Monday, 5:30pm, Library Explorer’s Bible Study for Women – (Fall-Spring) Wednesday, 9:30am, Fellowship Hall Your Church Cares For YOU Being an engaged member of a church family can bring a lot of light and support into your life on a daily basis. Sometimes, we will go through times where we have more need, and here is how Covenant can continue to be a support to you, and bring God’s love to you in tangible ways. Prayer Teams. Covenant has two prayers teams, connected via email, made up of devoted prayer warriors, who are committed to lifting up our concerns and requests to God. When you fill out a prayer card located in the attendance pad or near the wooden church prayer boxes, or even when you simply send an email to anyone on the administration team, this prayer is sent to the teams and you can be sure that your needs and praises are being held close and lifted up to God on a regular basis. Let us know how we can pray for you. And of course, we appreciate the updates too! Visitation Team. This team is comprised of approximately 18 compassionate individuals who visit the members of Covenant, when they are going through trying times outside of church. This includes those who are in the hospital, home-bound for whatever reason or time, and those members in nursing homes. We also visit those who are regular guests Covenant to let them know we welcome them as a part of the family. Please contact Mary Fontenot if you would like to be a part of this caring outreach ministry. Stephen Ministry. Covenant now has trained and commissioned Care Givers. Our Christ-centered goal is to help someone going through a crisis (serious illness, job loss, death of a family member or friend, divorce, difficulty adjusting to a recent moved to our community, etc.) by matching her/him up with a Stephen Minister (of the same gender) who will meet with that person one hour a week to listen and encourage as they work through the crisis to a position of wholeness. Please contact Shari Mirgon (337-371-1014) if you (or a friend ) is in need of a Stephen Minister. Melissa “NOVEMBER“ ACOLYTE SCHEDULE 2 9 16 23 30 9:00 Service Destini & Javien Thibodeaux Celeste & Lillian Blanchard Ashlyn & Ava LeFevre Reid Romero & Blake Perry Presley Nutter & Sophia Barbier “NOVEMBER” CHILDREN’S MESSAGE 9:00 2 Sherri Ferg 9 Tracy Richardson 16 Ardella Richeson 23 Ken Cheshire 30 Stephanie Brockmann 11:00 Sherri Ferg Tracy Richardson Ardella Richeson Ken Cheshire Stephanie Brockmann Covenant Crafters Disbanded October 1, 2014 The original purpose of the Crafters was to raise money to cover costs for items not included in the budget. The first 10% of all money is given to local ministries, both within and around the community: Conference Center, U.C.O.(x3) Faith House, Naomi House, “Dear to our Hearts” (x2 for members in need), U.C.O. Building Fund, Salvation Army (x2), UMCOR, 2 students and 2 families, Pastor’s Discretionary Fund (x4) Bridge Ministry, Miles Perret Cancer Center and Memorials. Of course we have had to pay for supplies, advertising and custodian gratuities each year. Because we believe you are the vital source of our revenue, we are listing below the ways the money derived has been used. Prior to 1998 we provided the Sanctuary with roof and carpet which is well worn. Also, an air conditioner unit was replaced. 1998 Room divider (Youth Room) $ 400.00 Table clothes and sewing supplies 284.00 1999 Parsonage repair 2,000.00 2000 Tables, (Fellowship Room) 1,912.96 Lumber (Storage Room) 38.64 Carpet repair 75.00 Piano mat 52.62 Grace Holley picture restoration 86.00 Piano bench 361.75 Termite damage repair 2,353.64 2001 United Methodist Foundation debt 6,000.00 2003 Bell Choir 1,200.00 Organ repair 1,800.00 Rx aid for family 150.00 Speakers (Sanctuary) 3,192.00 2004 Wheelchair 162.00 Acolyte robes 500.00 Medical help 3,000.00 Acolyte fund 500.00 2005 Roof preparation for steeple 1,500.00 2006 Fiberglass Specialties (steeple) 5,000.00 Balance on Steeple 2,032.00 Steeple lighting 270.00 2007 Grand piano (Sanctuary) 8,350.00 2008 Balance on piano 2,650.00 2009 Barbeque grill 518.00 After this date, C.D.’s were purchased and money invested knowing that Covenant had plans for another building, and to update the Sanctuary. With the C.D.’s ($34,059.98) and Bake Sales ($380.38) totaling $34,440.36, in 2014 the crafters were able to purchase the new pews for the renovated Sanctuary! This has all been possible because you have, through the years, donated your “treasures” and added to our “treasury”. Thanks be to God for your generosity. Thankfully and Sincerely, The Crafters Happy Fall! It is amazing to us that it is already time to practice for our Thanksgiving Feast! November is very busy—we have a train ride for the letter T, an Indian Pow-Wow, and our Thanksgiving Feast. The Preschool/MDO will have ½ a day November 21st and will be off the following week. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Amy Rizzuto Join us Sunday, November 16th, 3-5pm, at First Methodist Church, in the parking lot. Come, bring a side dish and volunteer as needed. The Newsletter is now on the Web: www.covenantum.org Check it out and check out everything else going on at Covenant! (limited copies are available in the Narthex and CCC foyer.) NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS 1 Thad Montgomery Terry Blanchard 2 Frank Fasone Mark McGowan Hannah Mattke Christopher Angel 3 Charles Purgahn Susan LeBlanc Craig Hartwell Daniel Ferg Devin Pelletier Presley Goudeau 4 Ruth Evans Julia Rose Barbier 5 Peggy Guilbeau Caleb Hester Kyle Bowen Will Tidwell 6 Eric Pelletier 7 Jeanne Boniol Cody Carter 8 Pete Juneau Donn Chadick Bonnie R. Will 11 Jack Lafaye 12 Mike Garcille Kate Manuel Charles Shamp 13 Richard Sudduth McKenzie Landry 14 Herman Clause Jacob Hotrton 15 Stephanie Weaver Keith Hargrave Josh Vanhaverbeke Madison Begnaud Lyndsey Landry 17 Jason Vanhaverbeke 18 Jim Worley 19 Carol Amo William Perry 20 Jean Hardy 22 Margaret Worley Cecile Diaz 23 Barbara Brooks 1 2 Dan Desormeaux Emily Smith Steven Desormeaux 6 9 11 15 16 18 27 28 28 Rudy Timm Blaine Lainier Chris Calvitt Tyler Redd 29 Vernon Malone Betsy Corley Julie Schrader Alex Carter 30 Jessica McGowan Naomi Roberts Covenant Attendance Destini Thibodeaux Celeste Blanchard Lillian Blanchard 24 Kelly Croall Wyatt Leonards 25 Kyle Wade Carey Hotard Kara Leonards 27 September 28 Worship 318 Sunday School 115 October 19 Worship 342 Sunday School 140 October 5 Worship .353 Sunday School 143 October 26 Worship 373 Sunday School 144 October 12 Worship 359 Sunday School 135 If you were here, thank you! If you were not here, we missed you! Christopher Boudreaux Covenant Staff Rev. Chris Blanchard, Pastor; Ken Cheshire, Director of Music & Worship; Melissa Bowen, Pastoral Assistant; Pat Battaglia, Organist; Jennifer Tassin, Pianist; Lindsay Perry, Director of Children’s Ministries; Craig and Melissa Hartwell, Youth; Amy Rizzuto, Preschool/MDO Director; Jeanne Boniol, Financial Secretary; Jean Hunter, Bookkeeper ACADIANA PEST CONTROL SERVICE 307 N.W. Evangeline Thruway 232-5361 ARSEMENT REDD & MORELLA LLC 701 Robley DrIve Suite 200 984-7010 www.cpa-arm.com Flowers By Rodney 4510 Ambassador Caffery Lafayette, LA 70508 337-406-2610 LAUREN AUCOIN 337-501-6449 Over 15 years experience. Specializing in massage Therapy, Reflexology, Hot Stone, Pregnancy, Raindrop Therapy, Reiki, Lymphatic Drainage, Light Therapy License # LA1560 St. Jude “Great Pumpkin Ride” “I Can” Sunday (bring canned goods) Charles Nolan “Bull” Session Mission Kids, 3:30-5:00 Sudie Lewis Circle, 6:30pm Youth Thanksgiving Dinner, 5pm Thanksgiving for the Homeless at FUMC Doris Branton Circle, 1pm in library Happy Thanksgiving Office Closed Advertise Your Business Here! Contact Rev. Chris, [email protected] MARTIN & CASTILLE FUNERAL HOME 330 St. Landry, Lafayette 802 Alfred, Scott 600 E. Farrel, Lafayette 234-2311 Ross TIRE & SERVICE,INC. 2214 K. Saloom Road 984-0099 “Good Old Fashioned Service” Shari Mirgon—Massage 337-371-1014 322 B Heymann Blvd., Suite 10 Lafayette Oil Center License # LA2034 lonestar Expediters Shorebase Dispatchers Ken Fogle, owner (Phone/fax) 337-456-4742 (Cell) 504-628-4978 Please Support Our Advertisers! www.covenantum.org
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