Archive for July, 2009

Faith in God’s Voice
Holy Covenant UMC, July 5, 2009
Rev. Kate Hurst Floyd

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Mark 6:1-6

Imagine with me that you’re alone in a quiet, low-lit room.  Sitting on comfy pillows, comforted by the sounds of trickling water and chirping birds.  You admire the beautiful fabric lining the walls and your eyes rest on a colorful handmade cross.  You feel at peace.  You wait quietly and confidently, becoming one with the divine.  You clear your mind and wait. (more…)

Brought to you by the Community Life and Mandatory Recreation Enforcement Squad

Attending a summer event that you wouldn’t mind having a few friends join you at? Let us know.

MILLENNIUM PARK – GRANT PARK ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS – Friday, July 10, 6pm
Join us as the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus perform selections from Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirate of Penzance” and “The Mikado” Comedic Musicals. Bring a picnic and/or a blanket and enjoy summer in the city in all its glory.  Meet at the Bean at 6pm! RSVP to Audrey Krumbach.

BAD BOWLERS NIGHT – Friday, July 17, 7pm
Join us at Seven Ten Lounge, 2747 N Lincoln Ave (between Diversey Pkwy and Kenmore Ave) for a night of bad bowling.  Cost: $35 per lane per hour, plus $3 shoe rental – divided evenly among all who attend. 6 to a lane max. From there: Planning to head to Paddy Long’s for additional hanging out. RSVP to groups@holycovenantumc.org or sign up on our Facebook event.

PANCAKES WITH CORY AND LAURA DEAN FRIEDRICH – Saturday, August 1, 9:15am or 10:30am
Cory and Laura Dean Friedrich eat a pancake breakfast in their backyard almost every Saturday of the summer, and they are inviting Holy Covenanters to join them for breakfast on August 1st (yes, there will be pancakes!).  They will have two servings – 9:15 or 9:30 for early risers with lots of plans for the day and 10:30 for those who prefer a more leisurely start to the day.  Come early for coffee or juice, and stay as long as you like.  Cory may even let you help cook pancakes!  Breakfast will be served indoors if the weather is uncooperative.  The address is 3806 N Leavitt (directions: Lincoln north to Addison, west on Addison to Leavitt, north on Leavitt to red brick two-flat just north of Grace on the west side of the street).  RSVP to Cory or 773.832.9549 so they know how much batter to make!

WHITE SOX! – Friday, September 4, 6pm
Do you like Hebrew National Hotdogs?  Fireworks?  The “OTHER” baseball team in Chicago?  How about one of the most celebrated sports teams in American history, or the suspense of early fall baseball?  Well, join us for an evening of fun, Friday September 4th as the Boston Red Sox take on the Chicago White Sox.  The game starts at 7:11, we’ll meet at HCUMC at 6:00 and take the Red Line to US Cellular.  Tickets are $40. RSVP to Matt Piechocinski or Jen Banas or sign up on our Facebook event by July 15!

You may have noticed the very bare photo board in the gallery. Well, it’s getting overhauled by Katie Cook, who would really love for you to email her an updated photo of yourself or family. If you don’t have a digital photo, that’s OK. Katie will be scheduling “photo days” over the next several months to get our board looking pristine again. Were you perfectly happy with the photo you had up there? Not to worry, they still exist. All photos and photo requests should be mailed to Katie Cook.

Dear Holy Covenant Community,

What a joy it is to be your new pastor! As I prepare for our life together, I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:

If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. All this is from God who reconciled us to God through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to God and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

As a reconciling congregation, you are living the message of the Gospel. Your ministries of welcome, administration, education, formation, worship, and mission embody the spirit of this text. The fruits of your ministry are a testament of God’s creation and Christ’s love. I’ve known about your church for years and I’ve admired from a distance the wonderful work you do. I’m grateful for the ways you are reconciling the world to God through Christ, and for the leadership Trey has provided for the last five years. I know his presence will be missed, and we can all give thanks for the gifts he has brought this congregation.

As we live into this period of transition, know that I want to continue the ministry of reconciliation that you are already doing. I’m also excited about the new ways God creates each and every day, and for the ministry possibilities we can’t yet predict. It’s clear that the Spirit is alive and working at Holy Covenant. I’m ready to join in the Spirit’s sacred work in this place.

I’m grateful for the ways I’ve already been welcomed from afar, and I look forward to meeting each of you in person. I hope you will join us in worship for the opening sermon series: Leap of Faith. Please feel free to contact me with your suggestions/comments/needs. Look for opportunities in the near future for informal small group gatherings where we can get to know one another.

I’m eager to participate in what God is already doing in your midst, as together we seek God, love all people, and change the world.

Grace and Peace,
Kate