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King Jehoshaphat, a godly king of Judah, tucked fairly anonymously away in 2 Chronicles, is rushed for a decision. Advisors come running to the king: the Moabites and the Ammonites, with some of the Meunites thrown in for extra measure, are aligned against you. They are coming to make war against you. “It is a vast army,” he is told. They are already at Hazazon Tamar (if you don’t know where that is, scripture helps us by noting it’s also called En Gedi. Oh, of course, En Gedi, that is close). Jehoshaphat is alarmed. A vast army already at Hazazon Tamar, royal advisors pushing for a decision, and an alarmed king leads to:

“Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he pro-claimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him”. 2 Chronicles 20:3-4

King Jehoshaphat leads the gathered nation in a corporate prayer that ends, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” This was the pattern of Jehoshaphat’s life. He installed judges and told them to seek God for their decisions. He insisted other kings seek God before he would take action with them. Now, faced with a decision others might want him to rush, he calls the nation together for prayer and fasting, trusting God will reveal the answer. God honors the fasting and prayer, providing direction by his Spirit upon someone in the crowd. Lori Swindon shared these verses with the Associate Pastor Search Committee last week, suggesting a church-wide fast and prayer as we move into interviews of candidates. We do not know who God has chosen for our church, but our eyes are upon him to reveal it to us. It is a decision for the body, so we all seek God together. We ask that you join us in fast-ing and prayer on Ash Wednes-day, March 5th. We ask that you pray for dis-cernment for the Search Committee (Brenda Adriani, Pat Croasmun, Krista Do-lan, David Gibbs, Jim Meyers, Carl Otten, Lori Swindon, Kyla Trinklein and my-self). We ask that you pray we are reliant on God’s wisdom, not our wisdom. Pray that God guides our discussions and decisions. We ask that you pray for the person that God desires in this position, that they are open to God’s leading and preparation. I also ask that you pray for the Church Council (Marc Goyette, John Heitz, Tim Herrmann, Jim Meyers, Bobbie Morgan, Bob Rieger, and Darian Veerman).

(Continued on page 5)

Fasting & Prayer

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Volume 2014, Issue 3

MARCH

Ash Wednesday, March 5

Winter retreat season has come and gone, and it’s

been a blast! We took 28 of our high school students

up to Glen Spey in New York for WinterFest. Pastor

Efrem Smith delivered powerful sermons and the

weekend was full of great conversations, worship

and tons of fun activities.

We also took 14 Junior Highers up to Pilgrim Pines

for our Annual WinterBlast retreat. The weather was

great and the speakers challenged us to be part of

God’s story. The students once again defended their broomball record by winning the tournament

against all the other church teams.

The retreats are not only a great time but also a way

for students to develop greater bonds with one an-

other and to grow in their faith. These trips are a lot

of work and couldn’t happen without the help of all

our adult volunteers. Thanks to all of you who give

up you’re weekend to spend time with students.

You’re very much appreciated!

OASIS (Senior High)

meets each Wednesday at 7 pm

JHAMS (Junior High)

meets each Thursday at 7 pm

Youth Spotlight

Th e Sal t S ha ke r

V ol u m e 201 4, Is s ue 3

2014 WINTERFEST SENIOR HIGH RETREAT

Glen Spey, New York

2014 WINTERBLAST JUNIOR HIGH RETREAT

Pilgrim Pines, New Hampshire

“Give unto the Lord the

glory due unto His name;

worship the Lord in the

beauty of His holiness.”

Psalm 29:2

You may have noticed

that our worship space is

in flux, particularly from

a technological stand-

point. Step by step we

are employing elements

that will contribute to

vast improvements in

the audio and visual sys-

tems that facilitate our worship

services, thanks to the contin-

ued efforts of Richard Chilvers,

Jimi Meyer, Bob Forstrom and

Strathmoor Electric.

We have come a long way

since beginning the process,

but there is still much to be

done. I have a few thoughts

and requests in this time of

transition that I hope will help

to keep our hearts centered on

worshipping the King!

First and foremost, I ask that

you please join with us in

prayer throughout this process,

praying that all of the improve-

ments we make will be for the

purpose of bringing glory

to God. Also, know that

your support of this pro-

ject in word, deed, and

dollar is greatly appreci-

ated, but we ask for your

patience and grace a little

longer. Many of the peo-

ple working on this task

are volunteers who have

jobs, families and other

commitments, but in the

end it will be well worth

the wait!

My hope is that you will join

with us in mind, spirit, and atti-

tude so that our gatherings will

be solely devoted to meeting

with Him together and giving

Him the glory due unto His

Name!

Kristian Otten

Acting Director of Worship Arts

Simply pick up a Soup

Can Label and Lid (in

the Welcome Center)

– affix them to an or-

dinary soup can – and

during the month of March collect your spare

change. You can also give by using the enve-

lopes found in the pews.

Your “Can for Change” Offering will then be

received on Sunday, March 23rd during the offer-

ing.

Contact: Wiley Mullins (203.445.1319).

For the month of

March you have an

opportunity to part-

ner with Covenant

W o r l d R e l i e f

(CWR) in the transformation of the lives of the

most vulnerable.

CWR is the Evangelical Covenant Church at

work in the world through disaster response,

education, agriculture, health & nutrition, clean

water, women’s empowerment, micro-

enterprise, advocacy, and refugee care.

We’re Not Done Yet!

Covenant World Relief The Can for Change


PJ & Movie Night


Friends Night Out (FNO)

PJ & Movie Night Tuesday, March 11th

6:30-7:45 The League of Incredible Vegetables

REGISTER NOW for

CAMP SQUANTO SUMMER 2014! http://pilgrimpines.org/campsquanto

Scholarships are available. Please see Roseann

Slater or Aaron Ruiz by Thursday, May 1st.

Pray for the Council mini-retreat on March 15th as we continue to seek God’s desire for our church in vision and mission. As Richard Foster describes it, “Fasting is feasting”. Fasting is recognizing that it is God who sustains us, it is God who feeds us; we feast on His presence during fasting. In fasting, the focus is upon God, not our-selves and our discipline. The fast is for the length of time that you decide: a meal, 2 meals or the day; make it just outside your comfort zone. May it unite us together, like the people of Judah, as we all stand before the Lord, trusting His Spirit to make His will known to those who faithfully seek Him.

Pastor Cary

(Continued from page 1)

Children’s Ministry — What’s Up?

Fasting & Prayer on Ash Wednesday

FAMILY EASTER EVENT Sunday, April 13

Walk through Jesus’ final week and experience

Easter like never before!

Our Easter events have had a good response

from the community these past few years, and

we need lots of help in all areas! This year’s

Family Easter Event will take place Sunday after-

noon (Palm Sunday), with 6 rooms, each a

“station” with decorations and activities to pre-

sent the Good News. We need help setting up

after church, welcoming families at each station,

characters in costume and more. For more in-

formation, please contact Roseann Slater

([email protected]).


Birthdays & Anniversaries

3/2 Coleen Herrmann

3/3 Zachary Wirth

3/4 Jessica Estrada

3/7 Phylis Linder

Cat Heitz

Bob & Ruth Lewis

3/8 Crista Forstrom

Nick DelBuono

3/9 Mark Spisto

3/10 Chuck Forstrom

3/11 James Anderson

3/12 Greg Cobaugh

3/13 Zach Stetson

3/15 Ron Koenig

3/17 Rebecca Zager

3/18 Nicole Pittera

3/19 Ashley Austin

3/21 Dylan Lindeberg

3/23 Kristina Meyers

3/24 Ann Boyle

Logan Meyer

3/27 Dom Mastrianno

3/28 Terry Morgan

Jim Norkawich

Eden Ruiz

Bob & Linda Fiscus

3/30 Bob Lewis, 3rd

Treasurer’s Report The financial results of the Unified Operating Fund for the

one month ended January 31, 2014 were as follows:

INCOME

Unified Receipts $40,936

Investment & Other Income 0

Total Income $40,936

EXPENSES $44,242

Excess of Expenses over Income ($3,306)

Although we (i.e., the Church) experienced a deficit for

the first month of this year, we are off to a good start for

2014.

This may seem like a contradictory statement, but it is

not. Let me explain. This year's Financial Plan requires

Unified Receipts averaging $9,942 per week in order to

cover expenses. The January average was

$10,234. Thank you for your generosity! On the other

hand, January expenses were higher than the average

month because there were three staff payroll payments (in

contrast to the usual two), plus the Senior Pastor's quar-

terly health insurance and pension payments.

This combination of expenses occurs in only one other

month (July) this year. Because the Church's accounting is

on a cash basis, the timing of expense payments can cause

month-to-month fluctuations. These fluctuations are man-

ageable as long as there is a steady stream of Unified Re-

ceipts, which is entirely dependent on everyone maintain-

ing a consistent and generous spirit of giving.

Bob Fiscus, Treasurer

July 28-August 1 July 28-August 1


Sundays March 23 and 30

in the Welcome Center

Bring your Christian books that are on your shelf that you’ve read; but

chances are, will never read again. Leave them on one of the tables in

the Welcome Center and pick up others that look interesting enough

for you to read. Take them home and enjoy! There is no charge or

cover fee.

During that week of March 23–30 the tables will remain in the Wel-

come Center for you to browse and pick up or drop off books.

On Sunday, March 30 after the 2nd Worship Service the remaining

books will be boxed and donated to Glad Tidings India

(www.gladtidingsindia.org).

There is a huge demand for used Bibles and Christian Books in India.

India has the second largest English speaking and reading population

in the world. These Bibles and books are sold for an affordable

amount and the proceeds are reinvested to print Bibles in Indian lan-

guages, which are sold and the proceeds are again reinvested for

CBS, Literacy Courses, or training Church Planters. Don't let your Bi-

bles and Christian Books collect dust on shelves when they can be

transforming lives in India.

The Associate Pastor Search Committee will be conducting several phone interviews throughout Feb-

ruary and early March. Please pray for discernment, wisdom and peace in our conversations and de-

liberations. Please also pray that the Holy Spirit continue to lead us and that we yield entirely to His

voice and promptings as we consider persons of interest. Dave Gibbs, Chair

Christian Book Swap

Associate Pastor Search Update

Easter Baskets for Covenant to Care Look for the poster in the Welcome Center on Sunday,

March 23rd where you can choose some “bunny” to bless

for Easter. Baskets need to be at the church on Palm Sun-

day, April 13. For more information, contact Charlene Skok

(203.373.0547).

http://www.gladtidingsindia.org


SundaySunday

March 16March 16


Since October 1, 2012, Covenant congre-

gations across the United States and Can-

ada have been participating in Hope

Events. These events present the great

need in Congo along with providing an

invitation for individuals and families to

sponsor children through Covenant Kids

Congo powered by World Vision. Cur-

rently, more than 300 churches have ei-

ther had a Hope

Event or have ex-

pressed interest in

doing so, but we

still need 100

more to reach our

4 0 0 c h u r c h

marker. Together,

we have spon-

sored more than

5,000 children!

Covenant Church

of Easton has

agreed to join this

u n p re c ed e n t ed

partnership and will host a Hope Sunday

on March 16th!

What can you do to help?

PRAY We can support Covenant Kids Congo

now through prayer for our brothers and

sisters in Congo.

HOPE We can show hope by hosting a Hope

Event at Covenant Church of Easton and

preparing for our Hope Sunday on March

16th.

ACT Finally, we can act by sponsoring a child

and encourage others to become child

sponsors as well.

You can sponsor a child by visiting the

table that will be set up in the Welcome

Center. We have received the names and photographs

of 35 young children that need your support. Or, you

can sponsor a child today by going online to Covenant

kidsCongo.org. Child sponsorships for Equateur Prov-

ince, where the ECC (Evangelical Covenant Church)

will be partnering with World Vision and the CEUM, are

available. You can begin to sponsor a child at $40/

month or $480/year, as we fuse our efforts to obliterate

extreme poverty in the poorest country in the world.

PRAY. HOPE. ACT.PRAY. HOPE. ACT.

Hope Sunday– March 16

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the third largest

country in Africa. It is about the size of Western

Europe, or in the U.S. east of the Mississippi River. The

above map of the D.R. Congo shows the capital of Kin-

shasa to the southwest and Paul Carlson Partnership

sites in the Ubangi region to the northwest.

Of the 187 countries listed in the United Nations

index of Human Development, Congo ranks 187.

3 out of 4 people have no access to clean water.

Congo rates in the bottom eight countries for

acute malnutrition.

82,000 children under the age of five die every

year due to malaria.

And yet, there is hope.And yet, there is hope.

Ne ws l et t er Ti t l e

Can We Help With Your Small

Repair Needs Around Your Home?

Covenant’s Service Ministry has put together a Handyman Ministry (of skilled & unskilled people) to

assist church members with small repair needs around the house; such as: easy plumbing/leaks, in-

stalling safety grab bars, home safety walkthrough checklist (to make your home safer against

falls), etc.

If you need help with a small project or repair, complete the form below & return to Carl Otten

(203.858.6692).

NAME ________________________________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________________________________

PHONE _______________________________________________________________________________________

REPAIR/WORK NEEEDED ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Handyman Ministry


SALT SHAKER DEADLINE

MARCH 18

6 am Men’s Prayer 10 am Band Rehearsal Annual Floor Hockey Tournament

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

6 am Men’s Prayer 8 am Men’s Breakfast 10 am Band Rehearsal

2

9 am Sunday School - all ages 9 & 10:45 am Worship 10 am Boy Scouts 10:30 am 2 Adult Life Groups

3

7:30 pm Associate Pastor Search 7:30 pm AA

4

9:30 am CBS Leaders 5:30 pm King’s Kids 6:30 pm Friends Night Out 7 pm Band Rehearsal

5

6

6:30 am Journey 7:30 am Women’s Group 8:30 am Outside Group 7 pm JHAMS 7 pm Women’s Life Group 7 pm Men’s Life Group

7

10 am Joyful Sisters Life Group 7:30 pm AA

8

9

9 am Sunday School - all ages 9 & 10:45 am Worship 10:30 am 2 Adult Life Groups

10

6:30 pm Outside Group 7 pm Church Council 7:30 pm AA

11

9:30 am CBS Leaders 5:30 pm King’s Kids 6:30 pm Friends Night Out (PJ & Movie Night) 7 pm Band Rehearsal

12

9 am Outside Group 7 pm OASIS 7:30 pm Choir

13


14


15

6 am Men’s Prayer 8:30 am Women’s Breakfast 10 am Band Rehearsal

16

HOPE SUNDAY 9 am Sunday School 9 & 10:45 am Worship 10:30 am 2 Adult Life Groups 12:15 pm Theatre Arts


18

9:30 am CBS Leaders 5:30 pm King’s Kids 6:30 pm Friends Night Out 7 pm Band Rehearsal

19

9 am Outside Group 3 pm Outside Group 7 pm OASIS 7:30 pm Choir

20


21


22

6 am Men’s Prayer 10 am Band Rehearsal 7:30 am Outside Group

23

Christian Book Swap 9 am Sunday School - all ages 9 & 10:45 am Worship 10:30 am 2 Adult Life Groups

24

7:30 pm AA 25

9:30 am CBS Leaders 5:30 pm King’s Kids NO Friends Night Out 7 pm Band Rehearsal

26

9 am Outside Group 7 pm OASIS 7:30 pm Choir

27

6:30 am Journey 7:30 am Women’s Group NO Outside Group 7 pm JHAMS 7 pm Women’s Life Group 7 pm Men’s Life Group

28


29

6 am Men’s Prayer 10 am Band Rehearsal

30

Christian Book Swap 9 am Sunday School - all ages 9 & 10:45 am Worship 10:30 am 2 Adult Life Groups

31


Fasting & Prayer Day

9 am Outside Group 7 pm OASIS 7:30 pm Choir 7:30 pm Outside Group

Rooted in Christ - Reaching Out to the World

www.coveaston.org

Phone: 203.371.8335

Fax: 203.373.9025

Covenant Children's Center:

Coven an t Ch u r c h of Eas ton

Rooted in Christ - Reaching Out to the World

1 Sport Hill Road

Easton, CT 06612

FEBRUARY

March Worship TWO SERVICES EACH SUNDAY – 9:00 am and 10:45 am

March 2 A Story to Tell Pastor Cary

Matthew 16:13-18; 18:19-20; John 1:35-46; Holy Communion


John 3:16-17

March 16 HOPE SUNDAY Pastor Cary


2 Kings 6:23-7:17; 1 John 4:9-10

March 30 Last Words Pastor Cary

Matthew 27:45-47

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