The Edgebrook Messenger
Edgebrook Evangelical Covenant Church
6355 N. Spokane Avenue
Chicago, IL  60646
Phone:  773-763-4230
Fax:  763-2306
Website:  www.edgebrookcovenantchurch.org

United In Mission In A Holy Covenant
Pastor Greg’s Message for April, 2008
This month (April 25 & 26) representatives from Evangelical Covenant Churches located in Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and the upper peninsula of Michigan will gather for our Annual Business Meeting at Grace Covenant Church in Iron River, MI.

It’s important to remember that our Central Conference, like the other 10 conferences of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Canada and the U.S., were founded and continue to exist for the purpose of enabling individual churches to do mission together more effectively and Biblically, than we could do individually.  

This is a wonderful blessing and challenge.  We are challenged to remember that it is not just our local church body that matters.  Especially when it comes to doing Christ’s Kingdom work, we are linked with other Covenant churches in shared ministry and mission.  

Within each Conference, Covenant churches are grouped in local districts as a means of encouraging fellowship and ministry together.  Recently, the district to which Edgebrook belongs was reorganized to better represent the partnership of Chicago’s north side Covenant Churches.  We are part of the Chicago North district of Covenant Churches in the Central Conference and we have 15 member congregations:  They are:  (in Chicago):  Albany Park Covenant, Assyrian Covenant, Christian Vision Covenant, Community Covenant, Edgebrook Covenant, Grace Covenant, Iglesia Belen, Iglesia Grace, Immanuel Covenant, Jesus People Covenant, New Community Covenant, North Park Covenant, Ravenswood Covenant, Resurrection Covenant and our only non-Chicago member, Sojourner Covenant Church in Evanston.

With this new reorganization, there has come a renewed emphasize in getting our congregations together for fellowship, worship & mission.  The Covenant Softball League has been one vehicle for that (though it includes other Covenant churches and Covenant organizations outside the North District).  The Alaskan Salmon Dinner for Covenant Youth of Alaska, hosted by Edgebrook in November, 2007 was a Chicago North District event.  The North Side Youth Collision, which is an effort by the young people of our North District churches to have quarterly youth events for Hi-Leaguers, is another example of partnering to do ministry together.  

There are plans being made by the clergy of the North District churches to have a pulpit exchange, where pastors would exchange pulpits on one designated Sunday within the Chicago North District.  We are also hoping to couple that with a combined afternoon of celebration, worship and fellowship with a meal sometime early in this summer.   Be watching for details of this in a future edition of the Messenger!

“United in a Holy Mission.”  It is a part of the Covenant Church’s spiritual “DNA”.  I am looking forward to increased opportunities within our district, our conference and our denomination to make that historical reality and a more living, active and vitally growing part of Edgebrook’s present and future life.  To the Glory of God and for the good of our neighbor… all of them!

Spring Work Day Scheduled
It’s that time again!  An all-church work day has been scheduled for Saturday, April 26th, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The trustees have compiled a long list of projects that need to be cared for on this day and there may be one that’s custom-made for you!  For example, do you enjoy digging in the dirt?  Then come!  This is when we do our spring gardening outside (pray for a beautiful day!).  We also have several painting projects that need to be cared for this day.  

In advance of the work day, the list of projects will be posted in the chapel during coffee hour. Look for a project that you might enjoy and put your name beside it.  
Please mark your calendars and commit to spending some time sweating and bonding with your church family.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided.  
If you are a board chairperson or lead a small group, please encourage your members to come and work as a team.  Even if you can only come for a few hours, PLEASE COME!  We hope to see you there!

Greetings from Alaska!
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! We are enjoying the light here in Alaska not only from the increased sunlight, but the light that can be seen in those who follow Christ. The college retreat was an exciting time for us to witness the faithfulness of God’s commitment to the native peoples of Alaska. Through testimony we have heard how young leaders have turned away from a life of drinking. We have heard how they struggle to live in Christian community and deal with the hard issues of life, but are continuing to stay in that community and allow God to work through them. Praises be to God for His life-changing love.

As spring break vacation begins please keep in prayer college students in our ministry. Some will be on mission trips to Mexico, Hooper Bay Alaska, and Nicaraugua. For those going home it can be a stumbling block in their journey. Many students come from broken homes where alcohol and drugs are present. Pray for protection from temptation and continued hope that they can change their family legacy.

Praises be to God for His justice. A student called to thank us for reporting an abuse case. She is grateful and hopeful for the change taking place in her life and that this abuse has stopped. As the case was investigated the abuser admitted to all that was done. Please pray for continued justice in the remote villages of Alaska.

In just eleven more days the Unalakleet Youth Rally for senior high students will take place for students in the Norton Sound region of Alaska. Pray for the staff, that this can be a time of connection and encouragement. Pray for open hearts for students as they hear the message of hope.
“I thank my God every time I remember you.” (Philippians 1:3)
Thank you for your prayers.  – Nick Bruckner

A Warm Welcome
Greeters for the month of April are:
4.6.08 : Chris and Andrea Baer and family
4.13.08 : Jon and Jill Lind and family
4.20.08 : Tom and Anita Hohenstein and family
4.27.08 : Parker and Donna Roberts-Luttrell and family

North Park Friendship Center Update
2007 was a hallmark year for the North Park Friendship Center. We distributed over 216,000 pounds of food during the year to over 400 households each month and enlisted our largest number of volunteers ever. The response to our March challenge grant and other appeals provided record funds to allow our mission to be fulfilled. We cannot overstate how grateful we are for the support of our community in this and so many other ways.

Once again, the Friendship Center begins 2008 faced with a challenging set of financial needs, all of which must be raised through charitable donations this year. We will look to individuals, foundations, and area churches to commit $110,000 in 2008 to allow our work to continue.

The ominous economic outlook for 2008 means that not only will our income from these sources potentially be affected, but more importantly, the increasing number of hungry families in the Albany Park/North Park neighborhood will need our services now more than ever.

In an effort to meet this obstacle head-on and start 2008 off on the right foot, an anonymous donor has stepped forward yet again to provide additional incentive to Friendship Center donors: each gift given between now and June 1, 2008 will be matched, one-to-one, up to $30,000. Last year’s challenge grant provided over $22,000 in gifts for the Friendship Center’s work,  so our 2008 goal is to exceed that amount and reach $30,000 to account for increasing costs in food, rent, and other needs.

2008 promises new opportunities and new challenges for the Friendship Center. Would you consider a new and increased commitment as a part of this year’s increased challenge?

Thank you once again for your faithfulness to the Friendship Center in 2007 and past years. We look forward to partnering with you in 2008 as part of another unique matching grant that will not only increase the value of your personal donation, but increase the impact your giving will have in the lives of those in need in our community.
---Joey Ekberg, Executive Director

Thank You!
Dear Edgebrook Covenant Church,
We just wanted to say “Thank You” for all of the help Pastor Greg, Charlotte and the church gave us during the passing of our father, Jerry Heyden. The church service couldn’t have been more perfect and was just what our Dad would have wanted. Thank you to those who attended the wake and services and for your support through everything. We are so glad to have found this church and all of you.
Love,
Jeff, Lisa, Jenny & Shelly
Heyden

Dear Edgebrook Family,
What fun to see a familiar couple from church at the start of the Iditarod. To receive notes and gifts and greetings from 4,000 miles away on a frozen lake in the thick of vast crowds clad in furs and Gore-Tex was a treat indeed. I felt a bit as Paul must have in his correspondence with brothers and sisters in Christ from the other side of the ancient world. It warmed my week. Your continued prayers and encouragement are the motor of my boat—thanks for keeping me carving the surface of the river at a steady clip. May our Lord bless you richly as you continue to do the work of His kingdom in and around Edgebrook.
Grace and Peace,
Nick Bruckner

To my dear church family,                
After a grueling two and a half days in the hospital, I was greeted on my homecoming by a beautiful floral bouquet from my wonderful church family.  What a lovely gift!  Every time I looked at all the beautiful flowers, I was reminded of all the beautiful people that make up Edgebrook Covenant.  Just as there are so many flowers in the world that are each lovely in their own way, so are all of you.
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers that carried me through to my subsequent surgery and recovery.  Words cannot adequately express how touched I have been to receive such wonderful love and care.  I feel healed both in mind and body.
Thank you so much, Linda Fusek

Serving God in Thailand
Our church partnered with Kristin Englund and Steve and Rebecca Hoden to participate in mission trips to Thailand in January.  We helped them raise support for the trips through the 2007 Christmas card fund.  Both the Hodens and Kristin traveled on North Park University trips, but they were in different places in different ministries.  Steve and Rebecca wrote about their experiences in a March 12 e-mail.  Kristin presented a trip reflection in our church on February 17.  Both the Hodens’ e-mail message and Kristin’s colorful, polka-dot studded thank you letter are posted on the bulletin board outside Pastor Greg’s office.

For those who choose not to read the tiny print of the letters, here is a brief digest of how God used these students in Thailand.  Kristin was continually awed by the generosity of people in Thailand: “…we met with many different missions, all who were welcoming and excited to have us.  They showed their generosity through the meals they provided, the accommodations…and the fact that they let us be ourselves while loving us without strings attached.  The ministries we worked with were New Song Church, a United Nations’ Refugee Center, two schools, and the Well red light district ministry.”  She further states, “God’s faithfulness was apparent in our trip because we were able to see that through each decision on our trip, God was in control and His plan was the best…I can’t wait for another opportunity to learn about God’s faithfulness and His creation’s generosity in an unfamiliar place.”

The Hodens write, “Our group of 12 from North Park Seminary…spent a week in Bangkok living in the slums.  We lived with a Buddhist host family who spoke no English.  It was a wonderful time…we did lots of charades, learned much more Thai than we thought we could and laughed a lot.  We felt welcomed by our host parents and their three teenage daughters, who immediately felt like sisters to us.”  Then “during our second week, we traveled to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand to attend an annual gathering of Christians from all over Asia, who meet to support each other as Christians living in a predominantly Buddhist world…we were reminded how blessed we are to have Christian families, freedom and education to think, speak, and move around…we were humbled as we learned from these ‘Leaders in Obscurity’ who spread God’s love with limited resources, encouragement and support.”

In their letters, both Steve and Rebecca and Kristin express thanks for God’s faithfulness and people’s generosity to allow them to have these mission trips.  Kristin says “…through your support and encouragement, I saw generosity in practice.  Kop Koon Ka!  Thank you!”  The Hodens, reflecting on the mission trip as a time of waiting on God for direction in ministry, write “Thank you for your continued prayers during this exciting time of discernment and openness.  Thank you again for your role in our incredible learning experience in Thailand!”

(Thank you, Kristin and Steve and Rebecca, for allowing us to travel vicariously with you to Thailand and for sharing your experiences with us.  It is our privilege to support you in this way.)

Church Birthdays
1 – Charlie Mesimore
2 – Kilea McCants
3 – Mary Ellen Serritella
5 – Betty Billington
6 – Tom Whipple
8 – Jennifer Reed
9 – Steve Kruse, Hanna Lind
13 – Vivian Nelson
15 – Ashley Doucette
17 – John Jarosz
18 – Jeannine Patt, Eric Nelson
20 – Marjorie C. Carlson
21 – Rebecca Crimaldi, Patty Shepherd
22 – Kathy Waldsmith, Evelyn Hughes
23 – Charlotte Mesimore
24 – Lori Chagdes
27 – Lisa Kowar, Emily Nelson, David Nystrom, Fridolf Pearson, Frank Pokorny
28 – Michael Senatore
29 – Evin Billington

Church Anniversaries
18 – Joan and Jim Gustafson
29 – Melissa and Steve Velez Luce