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Upcoming Meetings
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Missions May 14 6:30
Advocates May 12 7:00
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Consider this:
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44% of our neighborhood has no more than a High School education.
28% of the families in our neighborhood are below the poverty level. For a family of 4, that’s $23,850.
Our neighbors have a higher employment rate than the rest of Carrollton. It’s 75% compared to 73% for the city.
Average income in our neighborhood is $42,718.
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Holy Covenant has a rich history of serving and advocating for the needs of others. With widespread interest in these topics, and the recent awareness of the plight of our neighbors, we decided a newsletter was in order to keep you informed about the activities and opportunities in these areas. This Service Check-Up will be sent monthly, covering the activities of Missions, Advocates for Peace and Justice, and Elijah Connection.
As a new information source, we’re anxious to hear what you think. Simply Reply to this newsletter to provide your feedback. We strive to make this valuable for you.
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Sack Summer Hunger 
Missions
The time is near! As the summer nears, many children in our community lose their access to free and reduced lunches. To ensure these children don’t go hungry, Holy Covenant has become a part of the Sack Summer Hunger program. You’ve been funding this with your spare change, but now we’re asking for your time as well as your funds.
You may sign up for a single shift, or to support this program weekly. There are 4 primary jobs to be filled each week.
Pick Up: these volunteers will go to Metrocrest to pick up the food for our families. A truck or van is required, and volunteers will need to lift heavy bulk items.
Sorting: these volunteers will separate the bulk foods into individual containers for the families. This is a great family task!
Distribution: these volunteers will be at the church to greet families as they come to pick up their food. Names are checked and calls are made to anyone who didn’t pick up.
Delivery: these volunteers will deliver food to the families who are unable to pick up from the church.
Sign-up sheets are available at the Service Center.
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Computer Classes
Missions
In May we begin both an educational and a missional opportunity! The Missions Committee is sponsoring a series of computer classes to be held in our very own computer lab. We are hoping to fill the 8 seats with a mix of our neighbors and HCUMC members. There is no cost to these classes. To register, please see the Service Center for a sign-up sheet, or call the church office.
If the demand is high, additional classes will be offered. Additional instructors are welcome! Curriculum and instruction will be provided to all teachers.
Introduction to computers
May 12 or 13
Basic Word and Excel
June 2 and June 9
Intermediate Excel
June 16 and June 23
Resume writing (instruction on Word and resume advice)
June 18
Intermediate Word
June 30 and July 7
Powerpoint
July 14 and July 21
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Book Club
Missions
With summer comes our children’s boredom! But this summer, we have an answer. Summer Book Club!
During the summer months, HCUMC will sponsor a book club for our children. Smaller children will gather weekly for story hour, young elementary will gather to read together, and the older elementary will discuss the assigned reading from a book they’re provided.
Adults are needed to facilitate these small groups. Sign up at the Service Center to indicate your interest. An informational meeting will be held soon to provide details.
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Additional Need
Missions – Food Pantry
What: Food Pantry pick up from Metrocrest
When: Tuesday – choose to help once, once a month, or every week!
How: contact Colleen Evans ([email protected]) to find out more or volunteer
Who: YOU!!!
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Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (TCADP)
Advocates
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Join us 6:30-7:00 on execution dates
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The Advocates for Justice and Peace are seeking to raise awareness using TCADP resources with the state legislature, and to actively conduct vigils on scheduled Texas execution dates. Please consider joining with us for upcoming vigils from 6:30-7:00 at the church.
Dates of upcoming executions
May 12: Derrick Charles
June 3: Lester Bower
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Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN)
Advocates
The Advocates for Justice and Peace have been studying the Reconciling Ministries Network to understand the movement more fully and to decide if Holy Covenant should consider joining it. As a part of that study, the team has scheduled one-on-one visits with HCUMC committee chairs in May.
Advocates will also sponsor two individuals with scholarships to the RMN Convocation, slated for August 6-9 in San Antonio.
For more information, please contact Bob Michael at 972-533-4882 or Kathy Amos at 469-867-7167.
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Questioning Capital Punishment 
Advocates
“The death penalty is one of the great moral issues facing our country, yet most people rarely think about it and very few of us take the time to delve deeply enough into this issue to be able to make an informed decision about it.”
These words come from Sister Helen Prejean, a Catholic nun and social justice giant.
Beginning on Wednesday May 6th at 6:30 pm, Jason Redick and Jim Guest will lead a 5-week class based on Sister Prejean’s study “Questioning Capital Punishment” where we delve deeper into the issue of capital punishment. Whatever you believe or don’t believe about the death penalty, you are invited to join in this journey. This class is intended to spur conversations and allow for Christian reflections on America’s use of the death penalty.
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Telling Your Story
Elijah Connection
For the next few newsletters, Elijah Connection will be sharing their stories with the congregation to help others begin thinking about their own story. Reviewing our experiences helps us understand where and how God is calling us to serve.
Andrea Allen
Shortly after I joined HCUMC the SALT program really spoke to me. While I was growing up in Carrollton, I was involved in a lot of activities, A+ student and socially well-versed. The one thing that was lacking was my reading. I was passing classes and getting by, but I had the hardest time with comprehension. This became apparent to my mom when I was tested for reading in my 8th grade year; I was on a 3rd grade reading level. My mom freaked out because she thought I was doing fine. My mom enrolled me in Sylvan Learning Center and that summer I went from a 3rd grade reading level to a 10th grade reading level. It was AMAZING! But it came at a very high cost, my mom had to work an additional job to pay for it and it was a lot of work getting me to and from the facility. I know that my experience is not feasible for many students, especially the one on one attention I received.
Since a lot of people do not have the means to pay for this type of help, it is awesome that the SALT program allows students to have the time that they need to grow into better readers. This was the first calling that I had to help the community. I now coordinate the SALT program and we are always looking for ways to better serve Davis and Furneaux elementary schools. What experiences have you had that can help in our community? Are you willing to step up, get out there, and work together to help our community grow?
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