Last Sunday, Bradfield Hall was buzzing with lots of people eating pie and chatting together. | | |
|
We celebrated “Pi Day” (which is Mar 14, aka 3.14, get it?) a couple days early, and it was fun - and delicious (click on the pic to see more)! I stayed long enough to get a slice of pecan pie, my fave. As I left, the room was filled with conversation. I headed to the Inquirers Class, where there was more good conversation (and pie). | |
|
Over the three years since Covid began, we’ve gotten disconnected from each other, and I think we’ve lost some of our conversational skills. We have a hard time with small talk and even more so deep topics. We’re more isolated - working at home and staying at home more - and we’re just out of the habit of really connecting with other people.
We’re trying to provide ways for people to reconnect - for fun and for learning. So we go from eating pie one week to talking about death the next week.
During Lent, our theme is “In life and death, We Belong to God.”
| |
|
With the hope of helping people connect and of discussing issues related to death, we’re hosting three gatherings: one at church, one online, and one at a coffee shop in Hilldale. (Details below.) We have some questions to spur the conversation, but we’ll be open to wherever the conversation goes: first experiences with death of a loved one, stages of grief, cremation or burial, Christian hope, or whatever.
If you’re not available or not ready to talk about death with others, that’s OK. But I do encourage you to make the effort to connect and converse with each other. It’s good for you, and it’s good for them. Maybe you can reach out to someone today and talk. Possible topics include:
- The weather
- Your favorite pie/dessert
- Ted Lasso season 3
- How good will the New York Jets be with Aaron Rodgers
(As a life long Jets fan, I’ll be happy to chat about that last one.)
God created us to be in community with each other. So let’s talk - at church or wherever.
| |
|
On the journey together,
Charlie
| |
-
In-Person and Livestream worship: 9:00am & 11:00am
- Fourth Sunday in Lent | "Pixie Dust"
- Music at 9:00: Ben Welch, New Day Ensemble
-
Music at 11:00: Covenant Chancel Choir, Doug McNeel, Jenn Sauer, and Derek Handley
-
Guest Preacher: Rev. Chelsea Cornelius | Sermon: "Pixie Dust" | Text: John 4:46-54
- Children's Time with Nick Von Bergen
- Kaleidoscope Kids class (9:00am only)
- Nursery Care (8:45am-12:15pm)
- Sunday School 10:00-10:55am
-
Visit our Worship HQ for everything you need to worship with us online!
| If you missed a service or would like to watch a service again, all livestreamed services are saved to our YouTube channel. Or you can give the sermons another listen on our sermon podcast! | |
|
Longtime Covenant friend, guest preacher, and former Ministry Associate at Covenant Rev. Chelsea Cornelius joins us for the first time since she was ordained here at Covenant on December 18th! She is pictured above (in red, holding a folder) with her ordination commission.
Chelsea is the Pediatric Chaplain at UW Health American Family Children's Hospital. She is a UW-Madison alum (BA, 2015) and earned her Master of Divinity degree at the University of Chicago Divinity School (MDiv, 2019). Chelsea and her fiancé, Sarah, live on the east side of Madison and they are getting married in May!
| |
Join us Sunday at 10:00am for the class “The Atonement,” led by Covenant member Doug Poland. The beginning of Lent offers the perfect time to study and reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ life and death. Why did God allow Jesus to die? Did Jesus have to die? What does Jesus’ death signify? Why is his death important, and what does it mean for us today? This 2nd of a 3-part class examines specific examples of atonement theory that pervade our religious and popular music/literature, explore the main historical theological bases for atonement theories, consider contemporary Christian criticisms of classic atonement theories, and allow time for discussion. | All Adult Ed classes meet in Bradfield Hall and are available via Zoom at us02web.zoom.us/j/89540028471. Please visit covenantmadison.org/adult for more info. | |
Come join Pastor Clara and Covenant friends as we kick off these conversation sessions. Snacks will be provided, but bring a lunch if you like! As part of our “We Belong to God” Lenten series, take some time to reflect on the challenging reality of death, and share stories with each other. You are welcome to join us for as many of these sessions as you like to share your story or just listen. | |
|
Loving God, in your mercy hear our prayers for. . .
We commemorate the life of Gayle, cousin of Fern Kanitz.
New this week: Don Peterson; Ruth, aunt of Fern Kanitz; Micah, nephew of Dave Athas.
We pray for healing, for courage, and for peace, in the name of Jesus. Amen.
(click on the image header for full prayer list on Worship HQ)
| |
Join us for a service of scripture, music and prayer @ Westminster this Wednesday! These 30-minute services have been alternating between Covenant Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian since March 1st. Remaining services: March 22 (Westminster), and March 29 (Covenant). | |
Would you like to help feed hungry people in Madison? Join us on Monday, April 3 to provide dinner for the residents of the Triangle Community. There are multiple ways to become involved: grocery shopping, baking desserts, meal prepping the sides, and serving and eating with the residents. Sign-up on the bulletin board by the lounge or online HERE. Contact Frances Parker at frances@xlk9online.com or (608) 620-3378 for more information. | |
On Easter Sunday, the chancel is beautifully adorned with lilies in celebration of the Risen Lord! Those are always graciously donated by members and friends of Covenant. Each lily is a $15 donation. Contact the office to let us know if there is someone you would like to dedicate your lily to ("in honor of, in memory of, in celebration of...")! Then you get to take a lily home after Easter worship! | |
SPIRITUAL STROLL: Our next spiritual stroll is Sunday, March 26 at 2pm and we will meet at the Chocolate Shoppe on Monroe Street. The walk will be an out-and-back from that location, behind Edgewood and towards the zoo. | | | | |
