What is Happening This Week 6/15-6/18/23

          Beloved Community!   We have returned from a hopeful Annual Conference!   Jeff and I are thrilled to be appointed to continue our ministry with this beloved community! Holy Covenant had an entire row attending the Annual Conference this year! It was wonderful to be sitting beside: Pastor Debbie Riggsby & Pastor Debbie Chapman. The laity representing all of you was: Preston Hunt, Mary Mitchell Trimble, Helma Gentry, Elise Webb Odell and Laulie Eckeberger. We worshipped, we praised God, we passed important legislation, and we learned about ways to embrace the emerging Gen Z in our midst. Over the next few weeks, we will share the stories and witness.   Please join us on Sunday for worship at 10:30 in the sanctuary and livestreaming. We will celebrate the gift of love in covenant relationships! Jeff Murphy will be with me to share in this witness. We will have Sunday School beginning at … Read More

What is Happening This Week 6/8-6/11/23

          Beloved Family!   What a week it has been!  Tonight, you are invited to join VBS at 7:00 PM for a celebration & video! At 7:30 we will be in the back playground for a dinner from Noonie’s BBQ Food Truck (a preschool family’s), s’mores and a “foam” party. All are welcome!   Sunday, you will have an opportunity to have your heart filled with compassion as our VBS children, youth and adults will share a witness of their week of compassion. Hope you will be a part of this fun worship!   The NTC Annual Conference begins Sunday evening. Please hold the Holy Covenant team in your prayers: Preston Hunt, Mary Mitchell Trimble, Elise Webb Odell, Laulie Eckeberger, Helma Gentry & myself. If you would like to join the worship services Sunday and Monday evenings at 7:00 PM, you are welcome in-person at Christ UMC in Plano or by … Read More

What is Happening this Week 6/2-6/4/23

Beloved Community,   The first week of summer has been a busy one at Holy Covenant! We have had lots of volunteers decorating for Vacation Bible School that begins on Sunday evening! The Food Pantry has been very busy with neighbors arriving for food both in larger numbers and more frequently. Please pick up some donations to help fill our shelves this week! We will begin our Sack Summer Hunger deliveries this Saturday.   Sunday we will kick off the week with a Holy Communion Worship service that calls us all, not just the children, to compassion and lovingkindness.    I look forward to greeting you there!   Shalom Blessings, Pastor Cheryl   10:30 am Sunday Morning Worship In-person and Livestreamed We hope you are joining us either in-person, or for online worship on Facebook Live. We will be on Facebook again this Sunday at 10:30 am. If you have missed any … Read More

What is Happening This Week 5/25-5/28/23

              Beloved Community, Sunday is Pentecost!   A celebration of the Holy Spirit arriving with the disciples!  The arrival does not gently flutter in, but comes in a wild wind and dancing flames.  We hope you  will join us for worship! Be sure to wear RED! As we end the school year and May, there are many things to do at Holy Covenant beginning next weekend. Please sign up to deliver Sack Summer Hunger boxes to our neighborhood kids beginning Saturday morning, June 3. And plan on being a part of VBS beginning the evening of Sunday June 4. I am looking forward to greeting you on Sunday!   Blessings, Pastor Cheryl   10:30 am Sunday Morning Worship In-person and Livestreamed We hope you are joining us either in-person, or for online worship on Facebook Live. We will be on Facebook again this Sunday at 10:30 am. If you have … Read More

What is Happening This Week 5/18-5/21/23

Subject: What is Happening at Holy Covenant This Week               Happy Thursday, Holy Covenant!   I hope you all have had a great week! I am excited about so many things coming up at our church this summer, but I am really, really excited about this Sunday’s BE the Church Sunday. I have done things like this in other churches I have worked at or attended, and they were called things like “Go! Sunday” or “Service Sunday”. When I heard that Holy Covenant calls it “BE the Church Sunday” I thought it sounded like the perfect name for it. I keep thinking about Matthew 5 when Jesus is teaching on top of the mountain and he says that we are the light of the world. Matthew 5, verses 14-16 read: “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot … Read More

What is Happening This Week 5/11-5/14/23

              Beloved Community,   “No one escapes pain, fear, and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage, from suffering can come strength – if we have the virtue of resilience.” Eric Greitens   This week has brought us all heartbreaking pain, fear for our family’s safety and personal anguish. We are all moving through the stages of grief for the tragedy in Allen. The reality of loss is weaving into our own lives of celebrations that arrive at the end of a school year. This week is one that takes each of us on a rollercoaster of emotions.   So often God surprises us by bringing great blessings during a season of great grief. One of the blessings is the gathering of a beloved community. Hope you will plan to join us for the next two Sundays. This Sunday we will have the awesome gift … Read More

What is Happening This Week 5/4-5/7/23

            Beloved Community,   Today is the National Day of Prayer, the first Thursday in May. I attended the 42nd annual Dallas National Day of Prayer Luncheon at the Meyerson today. The theme from the hosts, The Thanks-Giving Foundation, was “Love People.” They focused on the importance of a community that requires all of us to be connectional, engaged, inclusive, diverse, equal & faithful. They encouraged us each day to focus on three simple ideas:              -Choose love over hate            -Get involved & make a difference            -Practice gratitude   Let’s all find time today to pray for our community, our neighbors, and our peaceful coexistence. Let’s pray for Shalom living in our neighborhoods. Let’s be the ones that lead our community to the Kingdom living we are all called to everyday!   On Sunday, we will gather for Holy Communion (our communion offering will be for ECDP) as we reflect … Read More

What is Happening This Week 4/27-4/30/23

This Sunday is Youth Led Sunday! I am so excited for the youth to lead their church in worship and for this church to get to know them better. These kids feel so connected to each and every one of y’all, through seeing you on Sunday mornings to your support as prayer partners and your generosity through stock sales. They really feel loved by their church family. This is something that I am so, so grateful for. Sophomore Jonathan Mundell will be delivering the sermon on Sunday and I think his scripture and message choice is so profound and insightful. He’s preaching on Matthew 22, the greatest commandment. Jesus tells us in the scripture that “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You … Read More

What is Happening This Week 4/20-4/23/23

Beloved Community,   We have some wonderful celebrations over the next few days.   Thursday evening, the ECDP Preschool is having their Spring Fling dinner, raffles and entertainment. All are welcome! Dinner and raffles begin at 5:30 pm. The show is precious, and we would love you to join us at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary!   Saturday, a shredding truck will be in the parking lot from 8:30 to noon for Secure Document Shredding. Spring Forth Celebration of Earth Day 2023 – fun activities, crafts and plant-based treats for children of all ages! Saturday 4-6 PM in Holy Covenant playground.   Sunday, Celebration of our beautiful creation! Join us for worship at 10:30 AM!   Wonderful ways to connect with the world God has given us to enjoy and your beloved church community!   I will look forward to greeting you all weekend long!   Shalom Blessings, Pastor Cheryl    All Church Meeting … Read More

What is Happening This Week 4/13-4/16/23

Beloved Community,   What a Holy Week we had!!!!   It took a village to create such a meaningful week of worship. The staff was amazing! The choir, bells, orchestra, praise team, readers, tech team, all outstanding. There were the many helping hands that created holy space–from the work day team, to the decorators of the church, to the furniture movers, to the egg hiders, and bakers of yummy food.    And then all of you here worshipping with us!    Thank you one and all for all that you did!   Hope you will join us for fishing with Christ at the Sea of Galilee this week!   Next Sunday, April 23 at 11:30 am, we will have a churchwide meeting to discuss the first quarter and the many upcoming events including the celebration of Holy Covenant’s 50th anniversary in April 2024! Please join us in the sanctuary following worship.   Shalom … Read More