Feb 29, 2012

Dear friends at CBC,

We look forward to have Dan Judge with us this Sunday. Dan was interim pastor in 2000 when Covenant Bible Church first started, and currently resides in Wyoming, where he serves as a counselor. Dan and his wife Diane have three grown kids.

Follow up on ‘Together’ – our time of corporate prayer and fasting:
This email contains some important updates that came out of this time:

I. Knowing God - Growing Deeper into God’s Word

In order to facilitate more time for study of the word, time for fellowship/greeting visitors in between services, and the opportunity to get out a little earlier on Sunday, a proposal has been made to change our service times to: 9.30 – 10.30 for Sunday School and 10.45 – 12.00 for the service. This proposal is not set in stone, so give us your input! Please see any of the elders or pastor with your ideas. We’d like to initiate this March 11th.

Upcoming Sermon Series and Small Group Involvement

Starting March 11: Experiencing God; a sermon series and small group curriculum based on the familiar series by Henry Blackaby.
Summer: The 10 Commandments – a ‘backstage’ look at the heart of each commandment and how it affects our lives. ‘his commandments are not burdensome’
Upon everyone’s return from summer, we’d like to have a church wide ‘walk through the Bible’ – a chronological walk through the Bible for all ages starting in the fall of 2012.

II. Grow Together

a. Small Group
We grow in Christ together. Don’t miss this chance to sign up for small group! You signing up for small group will help us determine how to organize our small groups in size, number and location. A sign up sheet is available in the back of the church sanctuary. We’d like to start Sunday, March 11th.

b. Children and Families:
A meeting will be held this Sunday immediately following the service for all interested in children ministry at Covenant. We will be looking at how to expand and improve current children’s church and Sunday School as well as incorporating youth and children in our services. All are welcome to attend.

c. Men’s Ministry
Men: Mark your calendars – Men’s Weekend at the 3 Hill Motel: May 18 @ 6.00 pm; until May 19 @ 2.00 pm. Guest Speaker: Kevin Hughes from First Evangelical Free in St. Louis. Additional (optional) recreational activities for Saturday may be included.

III. Show the World
You may have noticed that we added an extra row of chairs in the back. Did you know that it is very welcoming to first time visitors when they don’t have to look for a seat – and especially don’t have to resort to that ‘scary’ front row as the other seats are taken? We would ask our CBC family to keep the last two rows free for visitors. Let’s make it easy for people to make CBC their home!

Prayer & Praise Requests:
Jesse Pierce – son of John and Rebekka Pierce, health
Lewis Wimberly, Norm Smith.
Women’s Bible Study, Alpha Course, Manor Bible Study

Vision building trip: Al Gainer, Marco and possibly some other(s) will visit Little Rock, AR this Tuesday and Wednesday to observe a men’s ministry there that serves 800 men on a weekly basis. They will also spend time with leaders exploring community transformation and city wide unity that has been at the core of what God has been doing in this community. Your prayers for traveling mercy and insight and relationship building during this time would be much appreciated. We are praying for a regular, weekly men’s ministry to start here in the fall of 2012.

Calendar

Wednesday, February 29
5.15 Prayer Time at SF Manor
6.00 Alpha at the St. Francois Manor – “Why and how do I pray?”

Thursday, March 1
6.30-7.00 a.m. Prayer with Allyson at Library Farm. Middle School
8.15 a.m. Moms in Touch prayer, Dawn’s salon

Friday, March 2
Bible Study St. Francois Manor – 1.30 p.m.

Sunday, March 4
10.00 Sunday School – 1 Thessalonians
11.00 Service – Guest Speaker Dan Judge
12.15 – Children Ministry Meeting – immediately following service.

Monday, March 5
Women’s Bible Study – Beth Moore: 6–8.30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 6
Women’s Bible Study - Beth Moore: 9–11.30 a.m.

Wednesday, March 7
5.15 Prayer Time at SF Manor
6.00 Alpha at the St. Francois Manor – “How do I read the Bible?”

Thursday, March 8
6.30-7.00 a.m. Prayer with Allyson at Library Farm. Middle School
8.15 a.m. Moms in Touch prayer

Friday, March 9
Bible Study St. Francois Manor – 1 p.m.