Adult Open Gym
Mondays
8:15–9:30 p.m.
Pick-up basketball
Bring gym shoes, a friend and your spirit of play

For more information, contact Beth Bishop at bbishop@covenant.org or 334-3011.

During this Lent season we encourage everyone to participate in one of the following Lenton Studies. All the studies are designed so that you may attend any individual session or the entire series, whatever fits your schedule and spiritual needs.

Weekday Lenten Devotional Series

• Thursday, Feb. 18–Wednesday, March 31
• 8:30–9 a.m.
• CO 108

Sunday Lenten Study

• Sundays, Feb. 21–March 21
• 9:30–10:30 a.m.
• FE 104

Monday Lenten Study

• Mondays, Feb. 22–March 22
• 6:30–7:30 p.m.
• FE 105

Wednesday Lenten Study

• Wednesdays, Feb. 24–March 24
• 6:15–7:30 p.m.
• Sanctuary

For more information, call Tom Mitchell at 334-3047 or Mary Jo North at 334-3003.

Covenant is launching its winter program of Career Transitions. The six-week curriculum takes participants through a new stand-alone topic during each class. You can attend one or all of the sessions. We anticipate each week to be a working session to help you build your skills and create a plan of action. The program is Christ-centered, so you also gain confidence and strength from the foundation of faith. Topics for this winter program include Interviewing for Results, Smart Networking, Personal Assessment, The Psychology of Change, Personal Brand and Resumes that Work.

Membership at Covenant is not required. The class is FREE and open to all. We invite our neighbors to come and learn how to fine tune their career options in this challenging economy.

For more information or to register, call Covenant Hall at 454-5231.

Saturday, March 6
8 a.m.–12 p.m.

Clean out your desk, your drawers, your closets, your offices, your houses, and your garages. It’s time to have a rummage sale and raise money for Haiti. Let’s go Covenant!

Bring your items to Covenant Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 6, between 6–7 a.m. We do NOT want your items ahead of time. Please help us and tell all your friends about this great event! Want to help the day of? Contact Gayla Zachry at gzachry@covenant.org.

Mark your calendar now for the 2010 Austin CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, March 7, at Walter E. Long Park at Decker Lake. Registration begins at 1:45 p.m. and walkers step off at 2:30 p.m. for the one to two mile walk. There will be a bus from the church to transport Covenant participants.

Among the sponsors are Austin Area Interreligious Ministries and Church World Service, who help make CROP Walk the largest interfaith event in Austin. Over $130,000 was raised last year by people from six major world religions and over 50 Protestant denominations. One quarter of the money raised stays in Austin, and the rest goes to national and international hunger relief programs.

Stop by the CROP Walk table on the patio Sundays during February, and pick up a walker’s packet or donate to support one of Covenant’s participants. This is a fun and simple mission activity for a small group or walking buddies. For more information, contact Bretna Hackert, Presbyterian Women Coordinating Team, at 284-9010 or bretna@mail.utexas.edu.

Local Orthopedic Surgeon Scott Smith will speak at the March 7 Oasis Class on his five days in Haiti when he performed surgery on earthquake victims. Dr. Smith will provide personal stories of faith in God that he witnessed from the Haitian people he met.

On March 14, Oasis resident astronomer Ken VanLew will speak on “In the Beginning: When Did It Start?” Various methods have yielded various dates for the earliest beginnings of the earth, the stars, and the universe. Some early scientists actually hid or adjusted their results to conform with “biblical dating.”

Oasis Class meets in FE 100 at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays. For more information, contact Joe Skraba at 431-6071 or jsskraba@gmail.com.

The monthly study of Joshua: A Journey of Faith continues in March with “God’s Concern for Justice: The Cities of Refuge.” This story encourages us to examine options for revenge and promotion of just for all, then and now.

The women’s circles meet monthly during the school year for Bible study, prayer, fellowship and mission opportunities. Times vary so choose a group that fits your schedule. Visitors are welcome, and the lessons are designed to be accessible for first-timers.

For more information, contact Paulette Kern, Circle Coordinator, at 454-9166 or paulettekern@sbcglobal.net, or one of the chairs listed below.

Tuesday, March 9

• Dorcas meets at 9:30 a.m. in the Parlor
  Chairs: Dorothy Elliott (345-0367) and Helen Fletcher (280-4124)
• Esther meets at 9:30 a.m. at Jeanne Pritchett’s home (836-2361)
  Chairs: Sue Breuer (892-5633) and Hester White (371-3542)

Thursday, March 11

• Deborah meets at 12 p.m. in SA 103
  Chair: Clare Hawkins (346-4030)
• Lydia meets at 6:30 p.m. at Linda Southwick’s Home
  Chair: Fran Langfitt (231-8503)
• Sarah-Elizabeth meets at 9:15 a.m. in CO 208
  Chair: Bonnie Harmann (345-4181)

Ruth Circle, established for young mothers but open to all ages, meets Monday, March 29, at 10 a.m. in the Parlor. For more information, contact Julie Pitner at 258-5483 or jaherz@yahoo.com. To make childcare reservations, contact childcare@covenant.org.

Our own Reverend Dr. Rick MacArthur will be our program speaker for the VISIONS Lunch on Tuesday, March 16. Dr. MacArthur’s program Lent topic, “Following Christ to the Cross,” will be visually enhanced with images from Renaissance and Baroque Art.

Join our March 22 trip to Schulenburg for a guided tour of four historic painted churches in the heart of an area of German-Czech heritage. Each of the churches reflects the heritage of the immigrants who established them. They speak to the dedication and faith that continues today as each building continues to be lovingly cared for.

We will leave the church at 8 a.m. and return by 5 p.m. The cost, including lunch at Frank’s Restaurant, is $35 per person. Please make checks payable to Jackie Etheredge. You can sign up for the trip on the patio beginning Feb. 28. If you miss the patio table, you can call Jackie at 459-5798.

The MoMs Group meets on the first and third Mondays of the month from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Parlor of the Sanctuary. Please join us for coffee and a snack and some fellowship with other moms.

On Monday, March 22 (after Spring Break), Carol Webb will present on how to “green” your home. Many of you know Carol as the mom of twins Amelia and Drew. She also was a journalist in her past life! She will have great advice for reducing our carbon footprints. Join us to get an education on this “hot” topic!

For more information, contact Monica Wells at texas@mwells.org or Rebecca Hendriks at texiwi@verizon.net.

Please make childcare reservations at least 48 hours in advance by contacting childcare@covenant.org or 334-3020.

As the monthly circles continue their Bible study of Joshua: Journey of Faith, Tom Mitchell will hold a preview class on Lesson 8, “The Place of Rest” on Friday, March 26, at 10 a.m. in the conference room. This is a great opportunity for the circle leaders and anyone interested in this topic to share ideas, get additional resources, and enjoy a lively discussion.

For more information, contact Paulette Kern, circle coordinator, at 454-9166 or paulettekern@sbcglobal.net.

Sweet Home Covenant

Mark your calendar for Covenant Presbyterian Preschool and Child’s Day Out annual fundraiser! Sweet Home Covenant will take place on Saturday, March 27, from 6–9 p.m. at the Cedar Door. Dust off your cowboy boots and join us for down home cooking, good times with friends, a stellar silent auction and raffle. Tickets cost $40 per person, and we also have sponsorship opportunities for the event. Be on the lookout for more details during February!

All proceeds from the fundraiser directly benefit the preschool. Please contact Jenny Burke White at jxburke@gmail.com if you would like to be a volunteer, help sponsor the event through a financial donation, or if you have an item you would like to donate for the silent auction.

Calling all parents and grandparents to show your southern hospitality! We need southern desserts for our annual fundraising party on March 27. Break out your favorite pecan pie and praline recipes. Dessert dropoff is Friday, March 26. If you are interested in helping, please contact Emily Taylor at 736-6244 or emilytaylor0708@gmail.com.

The MoMs Group added another aspect to our group for working moms or any moms with a busy schedule and who are unable to attend the morning meetings. The MoMs Lunch Bunch group meets over lunch to give mothers (especially those who work in jobs outside the home) time to meet other moms, get practical advice, and enjoy lunch and fellowship without taking significant time away from work and family obligations. Lunch and childcare are providied free of charge, with a reservation. The next meeting is Monday, March 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please contact Shannon Knisely at shan.knisely@gmail.com for more information.

Please make childcare reservations at least 48 hours in advance by contacting childcare@covenant.org or 334-3020.

Who: All women of Covenant
What: Presbyerian Women’s Retreat
When: April 9–11, 2010
Where: Mo-Ranch in Hunt, TX
Why: Fun and fellowship with friends old and new
Theme: Serving Our Lord with Love

Register on the patio Sunday mornings, Feb. 7 through March 14, from 9-9:30 a.m., 10:30-11 a.m., and 12-12:15 p.m. Fill out the form and attach your $115 check to pay for registration and meals. Lodging fees are paid separately, depending on where you decide to stay. Room prices range from $48–90 for the weekend.

We have reserved Westminster Lodge, the newest facility at Mo-Ranch, for our Covenant group. There are four rooms with baths and a common area with a kitchen. The first 12–16 ladies to register will get these rooms. There are other accommodations available throughout the Ranch.

For more information, contact Joy Durrant at 346-7435 or JoyD@austin.rr.com.

The April 20 VISIONS Lunch speaker is Lieutenant Jefferson Howell, Jr. Howell will speak on “Inspirational Leadership.” Howell was at the command of NASA when the space shuttle Columbia unexpectedly exploding, killing the crew aboard.

Howell’s leadership style and his will to accomplish the institution’s mission helped him lead NASA through the Columbia tragedy and into a new vision for the future.

Covenant Women of all ages and stages, mark your calendars for the annual spring luncheon on Tuesday, May 11 in the Fellowship Hall. This is always a fun way to wind up our year of Bible study and catch up with friends. We will welcome Eugene March, Old Testament scholar, currently at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and former member of Covenant, as our speaker. In addition to this short Bible lesson, we will install officers for the Presbyterian Women’s Coordinating Team and summarizing our mission projects for the year. For more information, contact Alice Weatherby at 345-2408 or alicew@austin.rr.com.