Cornerstone April 2016

CORNERSTONE COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | APRIL 2016

All-Church Picnic May 1

|

4pm –Dusk

t

skaggs’ ranch | More info at covenant.org

ABOUT CORNERS CORNERSTONE CONTRIBUTORS SENIOR PASTOR THOMAS DANIEL

Cornerstone is the bimonthly publication of Covenant Presbyterian Church. Cornerstone provides in-depth articles on the events that take place on and off campus, and the people who make them happen.

CLERK OF SESSION CLARK WEATHERBY BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR DUANE DUBE EDITOR STEPHANIE SCHULTZ DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Content includes the pastor’s letter, Session news, member and staff spotlights, and a calendar of upcoming events. Find more information on the events online and in Covenant Matters.

Download the paper version of Cornerstone online at covenant.org/cornerstone. We will update the Cornerstone blog as we receive content at covenant.org/blog.

HILARY PITTMAN

We need you!

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS RHONDA BRINK, TERRY COLE, ELIZABETH MCBRIDE, PAUL MOWRY, HILARY PITTMAN, CINDY YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHY DAPHNE CORDER, EVANGELINE HERRING, ELIZABETH MCBRIDE, STEPHANIE SCHULTZ, CINDY YOUNG SPECIAL THANKS TO PAUL MOWRY, BRIAN SPARKS

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To make Cornerstone better, we need your help!

The content will be more interesting and more fun with more writers. If you have something you want to write about or want us to write, let us know. While we can’t promise that every submitted article will appear in the printed version of Cornerstone, we will publish all appropriate stories on the blog. We also need photos of events.

If you have suggestions for Cornerstone, email us at publications@covenant.org or stop by the office in Covenant Hall.

STONE 2

OUR BOLD FUTURE

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Opening doors to changing Christian landscape 3

BANJO BET PAYS OFF

How up to date is your will?

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GraceNotes, Barnes and band to perform 4

CALLING THE PLAYS

14

A JOYFUL MINISTRY

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BREATHING NEW LIFE

16

IS CUBA CALLING?

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FINANCE UPDATE

For the period ended February 29, 2016 17

First-time Cuba traveler finds purpose

CLERK’S CORNER

Session explores many exciting initiatives

Covenant welcomes 40 new members 9

BE KIND TO YOU!

Learning mindfulness and self-compassion

Special buddies make church fun for all 7

CELEBRATING PAUL

Covenant group travels west for Paul’s party

Upward benefits from youth coaches 6

COMMITMENT OF FAITH

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Get ready for fun times in April and May

STORIES THAT MATTER

How non-profits communicate best

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

OUR BOLD FUTURE As we move into April, you will hear a great deal about the future direction of Covenant. To begin, the Session has authorized a major capital campaign seeking to erase the remaining debt of $6 million on the Fellowship and Education Building. This debt greatly impacts our annual budget and we think it is time to aggressively work to rid ourselves of this burden. We have already received more than $1.75 million in pledges for this campaign, called “Opening Doors.” In addition to these initial gifts, the first $1 million given by the congregation will be matched. Thus, your gift to the Opening Doors campaign will be doubled and have an enormous impact on our efforts.

The Session has also made two visionary decisions about how we will spend the money saved by reducing our payments on the building. First, we will continue to give more money to missions, and thus to the City of Austin and the world. We believe God is calling us to be an extravagantly generous community. By giving to this campaign, you will help open doors for Covenant to impact our neighbors. How exciting that

this campaign’s beneficiaries will include those outside our walls!

Second, the Session has determined that we need to redefine our sense of mission. Our country is changing, and Austin is at the forefront of that change. As Christians, we are now the minority population. The mission field is also changing: it is no longer just found in another country or on the Drag. It is our neighborhoods, our schools and our workplaces. Our goal is to form disciples equipped to be God’s missionaries seven days a week.

How do we do that? Christians have not often asked this question because in our country’s history, there was an assumption that people went to church.

Covenant’s answer is to start an Institute for Missional Leadership.

This institute will partner with seminaries and other congregations around the country to investigate how we form lay leaders for the purpose of being a “love letter from God” to their daily lives. We believe this institute will open doors for Covenant to be a national leader in missional formation, which will become

critical to every congregation in the decades ahead!

You will hear a great deal in April and May about the Opening Doors campaign and its impact on Covenant’s future. I want to express my gratitude to Charlie Betts, chair for the Opening Doors Committee, and to the men and women who have been working tirelessly on the committee. We are grateful to each of you!

Friends, I hope that each of you will exhibit extravagant generosity in giving toward this noble effort. Every dollar will make a difference as we envision an exciting future here at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

JOYFULLY,

THOMAS DANIEL SENIOR PASTOR

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BANJO BET PAYS OFF Covenant Music Director Tom Brown was on a quest to find an “authentic bluegrass banjo player” who could read music when some of his Austin musician friends suggested he ask Danny Barnes.

“This may be a long shot,” said Gene Elders, fiddle player for George Strait, “because he’s a pretty big deal. He just won the Steve Martin Banjo award and lives somewhere in the Northwest.”

Officially the 2015 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, the award recognizes an individual or group for accomplishment in the field of fivestring banjo or bluegrass music and comes with a $50,000 prize.

Undeterred, Tom contacted Barnes’ agent. He got a quick and positive reply. Barnes is now set to join Covenant’s GraceNotes Ensemble and Bluegrass Band at 7:30 p.m. on May 9 and 10 at Covenant Presbyterian Church when they perform “The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass.” Composer Carol Barnett wrote the music “to bring the solemnity of the classical-based Mass together with the downhome sparkle of bluegrass.”

The GraceNotes Ensemble was one of the first Texas choirs to perform the music in 2011, and Tom said the group has been eager to do it again.

“The group loved the music and appreciated the challenge it offered,” he said. Now, with the one hole filled by Barnes, the group will perform the mass at Covenant for the two-night free concert.

(A goodwill offering will be collected.) While in

town, Barnes will also play at the Cactus Cafe and is arranging to play at other venues as well.

Barnes is no stranger to Austin. A native Texan, he was a member of the Austin band, Bad Livers, in the ’90s. He’s also had stints with Tim O’Brien, Bill Frisell, Jeff Austin and alternative string bands of every kind as well as solo projects. In the write-up for the Steve Martin award, Barnes was described as “demonstrating a vision for the banjo unencumbered by preconceptions about how the instrument should be used in contemporary music.” He was also described as “one of a kind” and “one of the best banjo players in America.”

The rest of the band is made up of similarly talented musicians, and includes Austinites Gene Elders (fiddle), John Fremgen (bass), Mitch Watkins (guitar) and Joel Hobbs (mandolin).

Elders has played with George Danny Barnes Strait and Lyle Lovett’s Large Band, as well as Joan Baez. Fremgen has appeared on many commercial jingles and national broadcasts. Watkins recently toured Europe with famed singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, and played with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band for 11 years. Hobbs founded the Austin Mandolin Orchestra.

Tom, himself, is somewhat of a pioneer among church choir directors. In addition to the ever-popular Jazz Sunday, Tom plans an annual Gospel Night (this year “The Bluegrass Mass”), a Christmas concert with a choir and orchestra, and special music

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with a string quartet for Good Friday. Capping off the 2015-2016 Covenant concerts, the Covenant Sanctuary Choir will team with First Baptist Church’s choir to perform Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living.” This concert, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 5, will be at First Baptist Church (901 Trinity

e sb t Pr nan ve o C

St). A full orchestra will join the 120-voice combined choir.

Before then, Covenant will welcome the awardwinning Danny Barnes and perform “The Bluegrass Mass” in the Sanctuary: Save the date: May 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m.

C rian hurch Pre s ents yte

Featuring GraceNotes Ensemble

The

Worlded v o l e B s Mass s a r g e lu B A

Monday May 9

7:30 p.m.

&

Tuesday May 1 0

Guest Artists Danny Barnes, Banjo Gene Elders, Fiddle

in the Sanctuary

Mitch Watkins, Guitar John Fremgen, Bass Joel Hobbs, Mandolin

Reserve a seat at covenant.org/bluegrass

CALLING THE PLAYS Two Covenant high school students stepped up this season to coach in the church’s Upward Basketball League. David Ruwwe returned for his second year as coach while Emily Goulet had her rookie coaching season. For both, the experience proved rewarding.

David, at first, was reluctant to sign on to coach, but as he thought about it, he recognized all that playing sports has meant to him. “Youth sports taught me 4

how to work and play alongside others my age. In sports, you face issues involving the game like losing and you need to know how to resolve it. Sports taught me how to efficiently solve a problem working with other people.”

coach teams made up of elementary-school kids. It’s hard to get kids to listen sometimes. I have learned that kids learn in a variety of ways. I try to explain things visually and verbally, and other ways too.”

Coaching can be challenging, said David, who led a team of second and third-grade boys. “I have truly learned to appreciate my past coaches. I didn’t realize how hard they had it. It can be frustrating to

Emily coached a team of firstgrade boys with Covenant member Brandon McBride. “Since this is my first time coaching, I have definitely learned a lot,” Emily said. “It’s easier for me

because Brandon does so much, but I have learned that all kids learn and develop differently so it’s important to cater to that the best I can. I’ve learned how to be strict in the nicest way possible.”

David came into his own as a coach this second year. “My first year I somewhat stood back and let Coach Pat Womack show me the ropes on how to be a coach.

This season I started taking head coaching responsibilities. Taking charge of the team reinforced my belief that I am a born leader.”

Coaching helped David appreciate his days in youth sports, which came to end his sophomore year when he injured his knee. “Coaching these kids has

made me realize we should cherish and take care of our bodies.

We need to continue to become stronger to try to avoid injury.

Seeing these kids take some nasty falls and hits to the face, and watching them get up and start playing again encourages me that they love basketball. It is truly heart-warming.”

Emily sees herself in some of her players. “It has been cool to see and coach to my little guys because I see a little fire in some of them who really want to improve. I love how that competition comes at such an early age and I definitely see a younger version of myself out on the court during games. I love watching

kids celebrate after they score and seeing how happy their teammates are for them.”

Both say that coaching has been fun and a great experience. “I always look forward to coming to practices and games,” Emily said. “It is a fun environment with really positive energy. The little guys have an amazing amount of energy and are super funny. It has been cool seeing how much my team has improved over such a short season. I’ve loved it!”

David concurred. “Upward basketball has been an unforgettable experience. It was so much fun and I would not trade it for the world!”

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All it took was a whistle and Rehm Maham was hooked on refereeing.

“My D*Group leader Rob Bishop gave us all a whistle one Sunday and then he gave us some training. He told us this was a great way to volunteer and to feel what it is like to be the man in charge,” said Rehm, who just finished his second year of refereeing for Upward Basketball.

Rehm loves seeing players improve over the season, and thinks it’s made him a better person. He explained, “Upward encourages its refs to teach the kids. That has allowed me to become a better teacher.”

Rehm said he refereeing can be challenging. “It can be overwhelming at first to have know all the rules and to be able to make the call. Now though, it’s almost second nature for me to see a violation.”

Rehm, who reffed four games every week this season, likes getting to know the players, coaches and parents. He would “absolutely” recommend refereeing to other youth—”if you enjoy sports, want a way to help others, like to be in charge or love rules.” (Rehm loves rules!)

However, Rehm warned, “You have to be dedicated to it; it requires a lot of you.”

A JOYFUL MINISTRY Early in my life, God placed a passion on my heart for children and more specifically, children with special needs. I followed that passion and became a pediatric physical therapist. Several years ago, I felt another heart tug from God to begin a ministry at Covenant. Together with the Children’s Program, we created the JOY Ministry.

The JOY Ministry matches a volunteer “buddy” with a special needs child, making it possible for the child to attend and participate more fully in Sunday school. It also enables the parents to attend worship together. Many families with special needs 6

children struggle to attend church as a family.

Without this assistance in the Sunday school setting, these kids miss out on the chance to learn about God’s love and develop friendships within the church community.

Since the program began five years ago, I have been Lauren’s buddy. Initially, she was hesitant to leave her parents and unsure of this strange new person.

Things have changed! We have developed a special bond. Our Sunday mornings typically start with taking a selfie of the two of us together, followed by movement and fun in the gym. We then sit down

to pray, and read a Bible verse and related practical story. I substitute her name into the story and try to make it something she might experience in her week. She loves to dance to praise music so I have Pandora Children’s Praise and Worship on my phone and we end with music and dance. I feel very blessed to have Lauren in my life.

Each child in the program has specific needs. We work closely with the parents and the volunteer to make sure we have a good match. Volunteers are needed for both the 9:30 and 11 a.m. worship hours. Support and training will be provided specific to each child. Is God calling you to be part of our

team? For more information, contact Cindy Young at (512) 809-9786 or cl1rpt@aol.com SUBMITTED BY CINDY YOUNG

BREATHING NEW LIFE Covenant welcomed 40 new members after its winter session of Explore Membership. This new group of members is a reminder of our vibrant church community. “We have continued to see growing numbers in the areas of membership, worship attendance and financial generosity. In North

Mike and Shannon Aycock

America today, such trends are an aberration and I am grateful to be a part of a community where the Holy Spirit is breathing new life,” Thomas Daniel said.

Covenant will offer a condensed version of Explore Membership

Julie and Mike Baselice

this spring. This class will meet two Wednesday evenings, May 11 and May 18, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Childcare and/or activities for children will be available, as well as dinner in FE 200. To learn more, contact Amy Skaggs at askaggs@covenant.org.

Melissa and Rob Breunig

Tricia Bruck and Steve Hoyt

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Megan Clark

Ardis and Eli Cox

Judy and Christopher Daniel

Orfa Davis

Keli and Nick Elkins

Eledith and Mike Falk

Jennifer Glover

Danielle and Brent Gudgel

Andrea Guidry

Jill Jacobs and Eric Tunks

Lance Jones

Erica and Burke Kennedy

Aeri and Jaeweon Kim

Paige and Toby Lasley

Emily and Steve Schottman

Laura and Bruce Scott

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Melissa “Missy” Strittmatter

Lorraine and Chuck Volk

Donna Wilder

Martha Wynn

IS CUBA CALLING? Last spring Evangeline Herring, one of Covenant’s Cuba mission team leaders, kept nudging me. “Is Cuba calling you?” she would periodically ask in her Puerto Rican accent. “I need to know in two months; one month; ... tomorrow.”

about them. The interviews turned out to be the best way for a reserved person to get to know the Luyanó people on a deep level very quickly despite a language barrier. (Thanks to my trusty translators, Daphne Corder and Evangeline.)

The idea of going to Cuba made me nervous. It meant leaving my husband and three kids for 10 days, something I had never done. It meant stepping into the unfamiliar when it was so much safer to stick with what I knew. Yet, I felt God had placed this opportunity in my life for a reason. Finally, I told Evangeline, “Yes, Cuba is calling me.”

That second night in Cuba, I lie awake, asking God, “Why did you send me here? What is my purpose?”

I learned Cubans are completely different from us and very much the same. They can’t email or use the Internet freely. They can’t travel to different countries to see their children who have defected.

They are stuck in jobs that pay a salary that leaves them always wanting. They wait in line for potatoes and are told how much chicken they can eat per month. They rely on God and their church in a way that we can only hope to mimic. Their sense of community and the way they put others’ needs before their own translates into a form of “doing life together” that is inspiring to witness. They fiercely love their children and their parents. They laugh easily and love to dance. They work hard and worry about the future. We are the same and we are different.

God’s answer woke me later that night. I didn’t hear His voice, but I believe He gave me an idea: to interview the people I was meeting and write

Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my friends in Cuba and wonder what they are doing.

How many stray cats are coming to the church

My first day in Havana, I felt maybe God had been calling someone else. I struggled to understand my purpose. My Spanish was rusty. I could only communicate the basics—”I am hungry.” “Where is the bathroom?” “It is very hot.” What could I offer?

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because Alejandra won’t stop feeding them? Does Silvia like her new stove? (Imagine cooking for a crowd on a daily basis with a tiny, rickety old stove and no dishwasher!) I wonder if Yaimi is doing okay.

Yaimi was a special friend, a brilliant woman who speaks perfect English. She works full time and runs the children’s programs at the church. Recently she taught herself how to play handbells because the church needed a handbell director.

It was a gift to meet these people, witness their faith, hear their stories and live in their world for a little while. I don’t know if my presence helped them in the way I originally thought. In the end, I think maybe I was the mission project. I’ve included a few snippets of my interviews. Hopefully this will provide a snapshot of a few of our brothers and sisters at Luyanó Presbyterian Church. If you think God might be calling you to Cuba and you want to know more, contact me (ehaileymcbride@gmail.com) or Jack Kern at jackckern@sbcglobal.net.

SUBMITTED BY ELIZABETH MCBRIDE

BEGONA

When asked what a typical day is like: “I wake up, make breakfast (bread and coffee), get dressed, do a devotional. I pray for health for my family and thank God for everything. I pray for my son who left for the U.S. through Ecuador. Cubans go through Ecuador because they don’t require a visa. They pay people to smuggle them across borders until they get to the U.S. border where they can get in without a visa. My son went with four other guys. It took him 29 days. I was a mess. Everyone here was praying for him. Now he lives in Miami with distant cousins. He works at Home Depot at night and also does gardening at a condominium.”

YAIMI

When asked how she sees God working in her life:

“I have seen God in my life even before I started coming to church. I think I was angry with God when I was a girl because I had to suffer things other kids didn’t have to suffer. Then one day I began to understand that everyone suffers because of something. I began to reconcile with God in the same way you do with a mother or a father. I still feel as close to God as when I was a girl—whether I am angry or whether I am happy with Him.”

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ALEJANDRA

When asked how God is working in her life:

“God is working on my patience. I think people who don’t believe in God have an emptiness. The world is so well made, there is obviously a hand in it. The only problem is all the cats in it. I have been feeding the strays, but Pastor Daniel has been asking me to stop because now there are 14 cats coming to the church for food.”

YANELY

When asked what her biggest dream is:

“To visit another country. Everything here is prohibited. My daughter lives in Italy now and is getting married to a Cuban who lives there. We write each other letters, but I am not permitted to visit my daughter in Italy or go to the wedding because it is likely I wouldn’t return.”

STORIES THAT MATTER Covenant member Terry Cole is founder, missionary and president of Street Youth Ministries (SYM) of Austin. His essay on story-telling below will serve as an introduction to a series of upcoming stories about SYM clients and the important contributions volunteers and donors make to the ministry.

SUBMITTED BY TERRY COLE

A missionary’s work is all about spreading the Gospel, right?

That’s always what I thought. But now I have a joke that goes something like this, “The original root word for missionary means ‘he who moves stuff around.’”

While it’s a joke, it belies the multiple hats a missionary must wear. Another is that of story teller. It’s core to who we must

be. We tell stories to our clients about Jesus and the value of faith.

We tell stories to our volunteers about their impact. We tell stories to our donors to invite them into Jesus’ ministry with us. And we tell stories to the public to help them see—often for the first time—our young homeless clients right here in Austin.

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I once was invited to a University of Texas communications class as a guest lecturer. There I proclaimed that our nonprofit is, at its core, a communications company. We don’t have any real product or tangible service. What we have are stories to share that change and impact lives.

So we’d better be good at communicating. Whether it’s

face-to-face, in a group setting, through a newsletter or by social media, we need lots of tools in our belt to facilitate storytelling.

During a retreat late last year, I worked to gather descriptions of the many tools we were using in an ad hoc sort of way. It stood out that we needed something we eventually called a “story card,” a photo and headline coupled

with a flip-over, one-page story in its personal form. It can change into a tabletop invitation to learn more, a winsome photo on a poster or an engaging one-liner for a Facebook post.

See an example here and look for our first story inspired by these story cards in the June issue of Cornerstone.

COMMITMENT OF FAITH Part of an estate planner’s job is to get you a bit worried about the status of your will. I hope you will have no cause to worry—that your will and all the gifts you want to make are perfectly stated and up to date. However, many of us either have no will or have one that is 10 to 20 years old. Whether your plan is up to date or needs to be re-tooled, there are gracious ways to remember the church in your plans. By doing so, you can let your “inheritors” know of your faith commitment to the church.

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Have you considered that your annual pledge to Covenant might be thwarted by an unexpecteddeath? After a loved one’s death, the survivors or the executor often ask about paying an outstanding church pledge. Simple language in the will authorizing the payment of your outstanding written pledge can avoid issues about it being honored and paid.

Have you considered that your prayerful continuous support of the church might be thwarted by lack of

planning? Most Covenant members do not hesitate to pledge and fulfill their stewardship promises to the church each year. Such annual giving plays a vital role in the church’s mission. Yet that vital support can end with your death. A simple update to your will can ensure continued support.

Gifts to churches and charitable organizations are often referred to as “planned giving,” yet one of the simplest and most beneficial gifts to the church does not involve much planning at all. Rather, a simple codicil (amendment) to your last will can easily make an outright, specific bequest of a sum of money or an investment asset to the church.

More complex gifts through tax-planned trusts and transfers are possible, but the simple act of making a bequest is encouraged. What if your annual support continued for 20 years after your death? If your annual gift is $1,000, a simple bequest of $20,000 is all that is needed to continue your stewardship.

Another way to support the church is to recognize a member’s passing, honor a loved one or simply give praise for the blessings in your life with a financial gift to Covenant. This is a thoughtful and enduring way to acknowledge a loss or blessing in your life.

You may have considered a permanent gift to the church and wondered if you want to keep it

anonymous or have it acknowledged. While the Lord taught us not to sound the trumpet, members— when learning of planned giving— may be encouraged to consider gifts to the church.

These might range from small gifts to remember, honor or praise a person or event to supporting the church and its mission through planned gifts in your will and estate plan. The church’s public expression of appreciation for your gift is not a trumpet; it is a thank you!

Your thoughtful gift or bequest can be made directly to the church or through the Covenant Presbyterian Church Foundation, the tax-exempt fund entity created to support the church. For information about the Foundation or to see the type of language that might be used to make a gift in your will, call Covenant Administrator Duane Dube at (512) 3343049. For more information about the foundation, visit covenant.org/foundation, contact Duane or any Trustee: Elizabeth Christian, Everard Davenport, Dianne Erlewine, Larry Faulkner, JoAnne McIntosh, Megan Poore and Tana Taylor.

SUBMITTED BY PAMELA BRINK

CELEBRATING PAUL On Jan. 31, Paul Parsons gave his final sermon after 40 years of dedicated service to the Lord.

Eight Covenant members flew

to Ft. Collins, Colo., to be with Paul, where he has been serving as interim pastor at First

Presbyterian Church since leaving Covenant in September 2013.

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On Saturday, Paul and Nicole hosted the out-of-town guests for dinner and an evening of reflecting and sharing. The dinner was made complete with pies made

by Paul and Nicole.

For each of us, memories of the impact Paul has had on our lives were fresh. Paul led us as a congregation and individually, down the path of healing, transformation and restored relationships.

In the beautiful tapestry of life that God weaves, it was amazing to see His hand on so many churches and lives over the past 40 years. But, Paul reminded us,

“Remember and focus on one true hero, Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

Paul and Nicole will now make their home in Westcliff, Colo., but

I am certain they will share many more hiking trips and life stories.

SUBMITTED BY CINDY YOUNG

BE KIND TO YOU! It was a morning not unlike most mornings. I was attempting to get my 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Avery, ready for school. Every morning I say, “Okay, it’s time to get dressed, wash your face and brush your hair.” Her immediate answer is, “No! I don’t want to.” So begins my daily struggle to get us out the door. Some days are better than others, but on this day I became increasingly frustrated. At the same time, I was criticizing myself for not staying calm and making the situation better for all of us— including my husband. Later that day I attended “Mindfulness and Self-Compassion,” a parenting luncheon hosted by the Covenant Preschool.

Mindfulness and self-compassion are words we’ve heard before. They are contemporary society’s buzz

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words, representing something we strive to do, but rarely make the time and exert the effort to do it.

Beth Block presented about how to be mindful and have self-compassion. She is a psychotherapist and holds a certificate in mindfulness and self-compassion. We started with a meditation exercise to clear our minds and focus on the present. We sat back and relaxed—noticed the sounds and smells of the room and became more in tune with our bodies.

Next, she had us do an exercise: We made up a situation where a friend confessed an action or feeling she had that she didn’t like. We wrote our response to her. We then thought of a situation in which we responded in a way we were not happy about and recorded how we talked to ourselves about it. We

found that the critical voice comes much easier for ourselves than our friends. Beth said how we treat our friends is how we should treat ourselves.

This made me think of the Bible verse and recent sermon of Jon Wasson (This is the One Where Jesus Tells Us to Love Ourselves), Matthew 22:39: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Most of us in the room got the first part, but not the second part of this verse. We are compassionate, encouraging and understanding of a friend’s difficult situation.

We talked to friends with kind voices, understanding and acceptance. When it came to talking to ourselves, we had an angry, harsh and blaming tone.

Research shows that practicing self-compassion leads to fewer negative emotions, more positive

states and better physical responses. Beth said, “We can teach our children self-compassion by modeling it to them.” For example, in moments of stress and chaos you can put your hand on your heart, take a deep breath and say, “We are okay.

You are okay.” Teaching our children self-compassion leads to more resilience and less fear of failure.

I’ve been practicing this in the morning with Avery and it seems to be helping. There is a lighter mood in the air and we are having more fun.

If you would like more information about self-compassion and mindfulness, visit self-compassion.org.

A workshop is being held in Austin on May 21.

SUBMITTED BY HILARY PITTMAN

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CLERK’S CORNER He is risen indeed! Your Session joins you in celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

Lent, Holy Week and Easter are always very busy times around the church. Hopefully you have found time over the last 40 days to be reflective and have truly felt the spirit of the risen Christ this Easter. I also hope that you have been participating in one of the 50-plus Covenant Groups that have been writing a rule of life and that you have found the process as fulfilling as I have!

In my last Clerk’s Corner, I mentioned that we ended 2015 more than $200,000 in the black. In our February meeting, we had the enjoyable task of deciding what

to do with this extra blessing!

Following the recommendation of the Finance Committee, we will use it to eliminate $218,000 more debt on the Fellowship and Education Building.

We met early in March due to Spring Break and Holy Week, but still had a full agenda. In addition to our usual reports and approvals, we adopted a new Campus Safety Policy for children and began the process of adopting a new vision statement—something that will be short, memorable, and both reflect and inform folks about Covenant happenings during this exciting time. It is a joy to look around Covenant and see all the activity and people, and to think about where we are

FINANCE UPDATE Financial Update

For Year Ended February 29, 2016

GENERAL FUND Revenues* Expenses BUILDING FUND Total Loan Balance Principal Reduction YTD

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Actual

Budget

$654,460 488,595 165,865

667,593 531,591 136,002 $6,048,160 10,489

headed. It will be a challenge to get it all into one sentence, but we are already well on our way.

Stay tuned for this!

As we look forward to April, Session is excited for the allchurch event on April 3 that will introduce all to an exciting new initiative we’ve been working on over the last year. We will also lay out the roadmap to get us there.

Please make time to join us for this exciting day!

GRACE AND PEACE,

CLARK WEATHERBY

CALENDAR OF EVENTS CAREER TRANSITIONS

ALL-CHURCH PICNIC

Thursdays, March 31 – April 28, 7 p.m. in FE 100

Sunday, May 1, 4 p.m. at the Skaggs Ranch

PW SPRING GATHERING

VISIONS ACTIVITIES DAY

April 1 - 3, Mo Ranch

Tuesday, May 3, 10 a.m. in FE 200

OPENING DOORS EVENT

MOTHER’S DAY RETREAT

Sunday, April 3, Noon on the Patio

May 6-8, Mo Ranch

VISIONS ACTIVITIES DAY

GRACENOTES BLUEGRASS MASS

Tuesday, April 5, 10 a.m. in FE 200

Monday, May 9 and Tuesday, May 10 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary

BELIZE MISSION REVIEW

Wednesday, April 6, 6:15 p.m. in FE 200

PW SPRING LUNCH

Tuesday, May 10, 10 a.m. in FE 200 WALKING THE MOURNER’S PATH

Thursday, April 7 – May 26, 6:30 p.m., parlor

EXPLORE MEMBERSHIP

Wednesday, May 11 and 18, 6:30 p.m. in CO 208 OPENING DOORS CONVERSATION

Wednesday, April 13, 6:15 p.m. in FE 200

YOUTH SUNDAY

COVENANT PHOTO DIRECTORY SESSIONS

May 15 at Sunday Worship services, 8:15, 9:30 and 11:05 a.m. Contemporary

April 13-23 Sign up online: covenant.org/photodirectory

VISIONS LUNCHEON

Tuesday, May 21, 11:45 a.m. in FE 200 PRESCHOOL BOOK FAIR

April 17 (9 a.m.-11 a.m.)

April 18-22 (8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

FE 300

LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNER

Wednesday, May 18 in FE 200 PRESCHOOL GRADUATION AND LAST DAY

VISIONS LUNCHEON

Wednesday, May 25 in FE 300

Tuesday, April 19, 11:45 a.m. in FE 200 SANCTUARY CHOIR CONCERT CHILDREN’S MUSICAL:

Saturday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary Encore Wednesday, April 27, at 6:15 p.m.

with First Baptist Church Choir Sunday, June. 5 at 3 p.m.

First Baptist Church (901 Trinity Street) 17

3003 Northland Drive Austin, TX 78757

OFFICERS AND STAFF OF COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEACONS

ELDERS

CLASS OF 2016

CLASS OF 2017

CLASS OF 2018

CLASS OF 2016

CLASS OF 2017

CLASS OF 2018

Mike Austin Jennifer Carsner Jane Crowe Kay Davenport Dustin Johnson Michael Knisely Bill McCaleb Andrea Moen Julie Moore Ken Moore Jennifer Palm Ryan Palm Bob Peterson Cherry Raley Jack Skaggs Allison Small Bridgette Stahlman Emily Taylor Gwyn Theodore Donna Thomas Steve Thomas Kristen Tritle Kathy Willis Shannon Windham

Pat Beckham Charlene Cole Daphne Corder Al DiCristofaro Marv Hackert Tom Hutchison Barbara Knisely Dorothy Layne Patsy Martin A.V. Ootsey Kathleen Reish Mike Rhoades Ruth Rhoades Will Schmidt Florita Sheppard Carol Sheppard Brent Stover Lee Terrell Lorrie Terrell Adele Trigg Greg Wilson Sandy Youman Wesley Young

Rhonda Brink-Green Diane Davis Sue DiCristofaro Judy Gunnels Laura Hargrave Christy Heimsath Margaret Hobgood Marsha LeGrand Lori Magruder Laura Marra Dave Maxwell Karen Maxwell Elizabeth McBride Susie McCaleb Emily McGinnis Marta Meyer Jim Palmer Alice Sessi Bill Short Richard Swallow Doug Vreeland Deon Wright Larry Zatopek

Paul Askenasy Jennifer Maham Deb Rieber John Ruwwe Frank Sheppard

Joe Denton Susan Holman Thais Kilday James Marroquin Clark Weatherby

Matt Dow Kelly Dwyer Jack Kern Regina Schlotter Sharyn Westmoreland

FOUNDATION TRUSTEES CLASS OF 2016

CLASS OF 2017

CLASS OF 2018

Larry Faulkner Tana Taylor

Dianne Erlewine Joanne McIntosh

Elizabeth Christian Everard Davenport Megan Poore

PROGRAM STAFF Thomas R. Daniel, Senior Pastor Thomas W. Brown, Director of Music Ministry Duane Dube, Director of Administration Jill Williams, Associate Pastor for Congregational Care Ministries Jon Wasson, Associate Pastor of Discipleship Christy Milam, Director of Preschool Stephanie Schultz, Director of Communications Stacey Grooms, Director of Children and Preteen Ministry Nathan Richards, Director of Student Ministries Jerry Wise, Contemporary Music Leader Derek Nafe, Creative Arts Producer

Sunday Worship Times: Traditional Services 8:15, 9:30, and 11 a.m.

Contemporary Service 11:05 a.m.