The church hosts the event rather than have an annual church picnic, says Pastor Jeff Schirle. Although there initially were concerns about financing the event, donations more than covered expenses.
Hundreds of people attended, dining on traditional carnival food, listening to four live bands, and enjoying various games. The Crystal Lake Fire and Police Departments also brought over a squad car and fire truck for display.
“Even if none of these people ever come a church service, this was the right thing to do,” Schirle says.
Some people have returned, however, with several visitors showing up for the first time. One woman joined a Bible study, and new children signed up for a mid-week Adventure Club.
Valley Covenant Hosts Authors at Church and Culture Weekend
EUGENE, OR (September 22, 2009) – Authors Kay Marshall Strom and Linda Clare will be featured at the Church and Culture Weekend sponsored by Valley Covenant Church October 9-11. The event is free.
Kay Marshall Strom
Strom’s recent fiction release, The Call of Zulina, focuses on the horrors of human trafficking and slavery. Her previous writing includes the non-fiction books, Daughters of Hope: Stories of Witness and Courage in the Face of Persecution and in the Presence of the Poor.
Linda Clare
Clare’s debut-novel, The Fence My Father Built, focuses on poverty and Native Americans. It releases in October. She has co-authored several non-fiction books including, Make Peace with a Dangerous God.
Strom will speak at 7 p.m. on opening night, and Clare will speak at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. Both authors will share readings from their books at 1 p.m. Saturday. Strom also will speak at the church’s Sunday morning 10:30 a.m. service.
A book table will be set up with resources available for purchase. Twenty percent of sales from The Call of Zulina will be donated to Partners International, a missions ministry organization reaching the least Christian countries of the world. Twenty percent of sales from The Fence My Father Built will benefit the Lillian Valley School in Blackfoot, Idaho.
For more information, click here.
Bible Study Gets New Visibility at Burger King
CHICAGO, IL (September 22, 2009) – Jocelyn Thornton, pastor of Emmanuel Covenant Church, says the new Bible study of about 20 people she is leading will be able to grow much larger due to its new location – Burger King.
The Bible study is meeting in a room that once held play equipment for children. The space is separated from the rest of the restaurant by a glass wall and door, thus giving the participants privacy and great visibility at the same time. The study also is easily visible from the street.
“Never did I imagine having a Bible study there,” says Thornton.
Church member Francine Knox was eating at the restaurant when she came up with the idea for holding the study there. Management allowed the church a trial run last week.
“Everybody thought it was just phenomenal,” says Thornton. “I’m just so excited about what God is doing.”
