Sunday, April 22, 2018
The Fourth Sunday of Easter
Earth Sunday
Rev. Julie Avis Rogers & Megan Berkowitz, preaching
This Sunday at Covenant
10:30 Sunday Worship in the Sanctuary
  
Worship Participants: 
Preachers - Rev. Julie Avis Rogers & Megan Berkowitz
Liturgists - Barbara Darling & Nancy Stockford (Members of Covenant's 
Consumption and Justice Group)
Minister of Music - Tom Handel
Lector - Mark Huston
Ushers - Denice Thornhill & Anne Crane
Sexton - Fred Lopes

Readings: 
First Reading: Genesis 9:8-11
Second Reading: Job 12:7-10

This Upcoming Week at Covenant

This SUNDAY, APRIL 22: CELEBRATING EARTH SUNDAY: This Sunday, April 22 will be one of our many opportunities to celebrate our commitment to our Mother Earth and in particular, to bless the work of those resisting the local proposed Back Bay Pipeline here in our neighborhood. Student Minister Megan Berkowitz, Rev. Julie Avis Rogers and our Consumption and Justice Group are organizing and leading the morning's service.
 
RALLY TO RESIST THE BACK BAY BILLIONAIRE'S PIPELINE: Saturday, April 21, 2:30- 4 pm, Corner of Belvidere Street and Huntington Avenue. From the organizers: Through the music and message of Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir , we will communicate to National Grid, Mayor Marty Walsh and other elected officials why business as usual/expanding fracked gas infrastructure is NOT the way we need to go. We want to accelerate the transition to a clean, green, renewable energy system. We want to construct 21st century buildings that meet passive house/state of the art standards. We need to build a more equitable society, not one that primarily serves the billionaire class. Join us! To learn more about this and other actions: https://www.facebook.com/ResistBackBayPipeline/

COVENANT'S GOT TALENT CABARET: The annual Covenant's Got Talent variety show is coming up on Saturday, April 21st at 7pm.  We are now looking for volunteers interested in sharing their talent to sign up for the show. All kinds of talent are needed: singing, music, reading, sketches, comedy, magic, etc. If you have a talent, we would like to see it. Please email Joe Waters at waterman1023@hotmail.com to sign up or contact any of the NICA companions for more information.

NAMETAGS:  As we move into our time of sabbatical here at COTC, just a friendly reminder to wear your nametags for worship! Nametags are an easy way to help people get to know each other, especially in this season with a Sabbatical Supply Pastor and an influx of new members and regular visitors. If you do not see your nametag in the nametag holder but would like one, please email me at ben.crosby@cotcbos.org and I will make you one. We'll also have blank nametag stickers and markers available in the back of the church.
 
20&30s OUTING TO THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM THIS SUNDAY: We'll be visiting the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum this Sunday April 22 after church. (by way of Panera for lunch!). We'll particularly focus on the new exhibit "Fra Angelico: Heaven on Earth." Please email Kathryn (kmbarry44@gmail.com) or Melissa M (mlmtarget@aol.com) to let them know you are coming!

WEEKLY PUBLIC WORSHIP VIGILS against the Back Bay Fracked Gas Billionaire's Pipeline: Every Wednesday at Noon (stay for 5 min or an hour - whatever time you have) at the intersection of Huntington Ave. and Belvidere St.

A SABBATICAL SEASON AT COVENANT: Rev. Rob Mark is away until August 13 on Extended Reflection/Study Leave. Rob has shaped his leave around the theme A Celtic Family Way: Finding Abundant Life in a Frenetic World. We hope and pray that this short "season" in the life of COTC is not a time of reduced ministry, but is rather a time of refreshed ministry. During this time, our half-time Sabbatical Supply Pastor Ashley Anderson will share pastoral responsibilities with Associate Pastor Rev. Julie Avis Rogers. Ashley can be contacted at: ashley.anderson@cotcbos.org and Julie can be contacted at julie.avisrogers@cotcbos.org. Please click here to read more about pastoral staffing and the Sabbatical period.

HELPING FRED ON SUNDAY MORNINGS: We would love your help in assisting our sexton Fred on Sunday mornings in ministering on our steps and helping clean them in preparation for worship. Please arrive at 9:30 am on any Sunday if you would like to help. For more information, please be in touch with Christine James (cj.chrisjames@gmail.com) or Rev. Rob (revrobmark@gmail.com). 

The April issue of Covenant News can be read online here. 
 
Every Sunday at Covenant
click on the links to learn more:  
  • NURSERY CARE FOR CHILDREN:  Nursery Care is provided by our wonderful caregivers each Sunday from 9:15 am onward. Please ask an usher for directions if you need help finding it. 
Upcoming Events

MAKING GIVING EASY: Thanks to our COTC Generosity Generators, we can all now give fully online and set up automatic, recurring giving to the life and ministry of our beloved church. Simply click on the "Give" tab on our website to do some generous clicking! http://www.cotcbos.org/give.html 
THANK YOU!!

SHARING ABOUT OUR NICARAGUAN FAMILY NEXT SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH, APRIL 29: On Sunday, April 29 we will be welcoming a scholar (and former student of Linda Pursley!) Nancy Winfrey who will lead us in a conversation about the impact and gifts of our sister-relationship with Dulce Nombre. Nancy is very interested in learning more about this unique and deep relationship and is using it as the focus of an upcoming article! Please join her for conversation from 12-1 on Sunday, April 29th after church. 
 
PLANNING A PROGRAM FOR OUR OLDER CHILDREN AT CHURCH OF THE COVENANT: On Sunday, May 6, our Children and Youth Christian Education Committee (CYCE) will hold a session after church for all to explore and dream together on how we want to serve and plan a program for our older children within the church (ages 10-13 and beyond).  This will be the first step in our ongoing conversations and brainstorming on this important work! Please contact Kathy Bull at kaxianna@yahoo.com to learn more and to share ideas. ALL are invited!

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR OUR 20s-30s GROUP: We have an active group that meets regularly to share food together, build community, and discuss how our faith motivates and guides us to live through this unique life stage. Mark your calendar for our upcoming events:
  • House Meeting with the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO), May 12 from 3-5:30 at Julie and Alyssa's house in Somerville (near Davis Square). We'll gather at Julie and Alyssa's house with members of our GBIO team to share our experiences and stories with some of GBIO's key issues: health care, housing costs, the criminal justice system or a topic that you wish GBIO was involved with. Thanks to Tom Reid and Faith Perry for their help in coordinating this gathering!
  • Cape Cod Retreat on Saturday, August 25! We will embark on our third-annual "Cape Escape" on Saturday, August 25. Save the date and join us for a day of delicious food, a beautiful beach, prayerful reflection, and a lot of fun.
If you'd like to be added to the email listserv, please simply email Parish Administrator Ben Crosby at ben.crosby@cotcbos.org. To RSVP for any of the events, email our Leadership Team at youngadults@cotcbos.org.

THE KINDLING COLLECTIVE: AN INVITATION TO STUDENTS AND YOUNG CREATIVES: Church of the Covenant is home to the Kindling Collective, a new multi-faith initiative for Boston's talented body of students and young creatives. The Kindling Collective hosts retreats for artists, publishes a periodic zine that reflects diverse understanding of spirituality, gathers for contemplative creative dinners, and does spirituality workshops on campuses for artistic communities. Please join us for our next event: Kindling the Creative Spirit, a retreat for artists on Sunday, April 15 from 2-5 pm. You can learn more at www.thekindlingcollective.org or www.facebook.com/thekindlingcollective.

ALL CHURCH RETREAT - SAVE THE DATE! Friday September 28 to Saturday September 29, 2018. Miramar Retreat Center, Duxbury MA. Options for overnight or just the day on Saturday will be available.