“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life…nor any other created thing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) Despite my hard, hard questions all of the time?

Why do people commit suicide? Why does God allow bad things to happen to people? If the Bible says God has a plan for everyone, I don’t think that murder or suicide are a part of that plan, so why do these things still happen? What does it mean to give your whole life to Christ? How am I supposed to stop smoking pot when all my friends do it and ask me every day? My parents are mean and drink half of the week – how am I supposed to honor them? What should I do if my parents argue all of the time? I don’t what my parents to keep drinking—what should I do?

These are a few of the questions asked by campers at Covenant Bible Camp in Unalakleet. It is a special time when God does serious business. Among many other things, we testify to the work that God has done in our lives. One graduating senior shared his story of losing his father as a young boy and growing up in a home where it was consistently his responsibility to care for his older brothers and mom who drank themselves into a stupor. Even though he hated what alcohol and pot did to his home, they offered a quick escape and were pushed on him daily by his peers. He stood before 140 of his peers and camp staff and shared how seeing God work at Bible Camp each summer kept him alive because he could see that a different life was possible. Each year he lasted a few weeks after camp clean, before falling back in. This year, he stood up and asked for help. Please remember him in prayer.

Another student stood before camp and shared her great anger at her father leaving her family when she was thirteen. She shared how she tried to fill the deep hurt behind the anger with seeking male attention that would make her feel beautiful and loved. Her story was a familiar one. She wept as she shared the great love of God and the grace and love she felt wash over her as she sought comfort, healing and peace in the arms of her Heavenly father and repented of her sin. She has been able to set healthy boundaries and pursue healthy ways to address the pain from her past. God’s people have supported her in this. God took the worst things in her life and used them for good. From death to life. The many other students struggling with similar situations heard her story and her challenge to see God and the support of people in the Church to deal with the pain in their lives instead of trying to cover it with other things that will only create more problems.

This summer I stepped into the role of Program Director for the first time. Exhausting fun! It was a great privilege to see God’s hand at work yet again in that holy place. A highlight for me was to see three of the college students I worked with in Anchorage for the last year on staff. Bible Camp is a place where campers and staff alike find hope and grow. Even thought the questions don’t have simple answers, we come away from camp encouraged that our work is not in vain. “Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

– Nick Bruckner

Update from the Constitution Revision Committee

The Constitution Revision Committee (CRC) has been meeting to review our current church constitution to see if it still fits our needs – it was last updated nearly a decade ago. The committee has also been reviewing two other model church constitutions recommended by the Evangelical Covenant Church’s Department of Church Growth and Evangelism - the Council model and the Leadership Team model. Our current church constitution reflects the Board model. We’ve been comparing similarities between the models (there are many) and working with the Central Conference’s Associate Superintendent Jolene Bergstrom Carlson to understand the differences between them and in what situations each model works best.

What we’ve learned is that it is important for our church’s mission statement and ministry areas to shape the type of constitution we use to govern our church. CRC meetings have been scheduled for October and November, and will focus on reviewing in depth our church's mission and ministry statement and how these should shape our church government.

Questions & comments can be shared with the CRC members at any time. They are:  Nancy Senatore (Executive Board), Steve Velez Luce (Christian Education Board), Luke Bruckner (Trustee Board), Candi Tepke (Deacon Board), and Chris Pokorny and Jeff Carlson (members at large).

If you are interested in reviewing Edgebrook's current constitution, please speak with Nancy Senatore, chair of the CRC. You can also download PDF files of both the Council and Leadership Team model constitutions at the Evangelical Covenant Church’s website, in the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism’s resources section. Just follow this link: http://www.covchurch.org/resource/model-constitutions-for-local-churches.

The CRC will continue to keep you informed as we progress through this exploration process.

Fall Celebration Luncheon a Success!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Fall Celebration Luncheon on Sunday, September 7. Over 70 people participated. Our time was one of good food, lively fellowship and fun entertainment – thanks to Gino Garza and Parker Luttrell. Gino serenaded us while we enjoyed Italian beef sandwiches and salads, and Parker Luttrell took us down memory lane by taking a look at toys from the ‘60s. He also helped introduce our Christmas Project — toys for the children who reside at Leland House.

We also collected money for Christmas gifts for the missionary women we support: Karen Groot (Thailand), Vicky Love (Mexico), Barbara Boca Swanson (Mosaic Project in Belgium), Erika Clausen (Mexico), and Pia Restrepo (Spain). At Christmas time, Women Ministries sends $100.00 to each of our missionary women. Our goal was $500.00, and we collected $460.00 from our free-will offering. Thank you for your generosity, it was greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate to this cause and did not attend the event, you may do so by notating your check “WM” and place it in the offering plate or give it to Mary Doucette, Women Ministries Treasurer.

A final thanks to the many who helped prepare, serve and cleaned up — your work was greatly appreciated. Many hands made light the work!

Deacon Care Group Luncheon is Coming!

Hello Edgebrook! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, you are all invited to attend our annual Deacon Care group luncheon, which will take place on October 19th after worship that morning. Please join us for a time of fellowship and food.

We deacons will be honored to visit with all of you. I ask you all to please keep all of the soldiers and families of 1st Battalion 178th Div. — as well as all of our men and women in our armed forces — in your prayers.

Please feel free to contact me at 773-545-5284, by email at gophermarty@yahoo.com, or contact your care group leader if you have any questions or special needs. I will make an announcement at an upcoming service with more details and instructions on how to let us know if you are planning to attend this event.

Thank you and may God bless you all! -- Marty Chagdes, Deacon Chair

Come to a Post-Wedding Shower!

All ladies are cordially invited to a "post-wedding" bridal shower for Sarah Henry, our new youth intern, on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 10:00 AM in the Chapel. Sarah and Brad are still registered at Target. Hostesses are Anita Hohenstein and Margo Jarosz. If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Anita Hohenstein by October 8, 2008 at 773-763-6888 or ahohen@sbcglobal.net. We hope to see you there!

Thanks to Volunteers Making "Church" Possible

Lots goes on “behind the scenes” when it comes to making our Sunday worship service possible — and volunteers are an essential part of that work. We give a big thanks to our greeter who will be making our worship experience wonderful in October:
    October 5 — Keith and Laurie Bakken and family
    October 12 — Ann-Helen Anderson and Tim Anderson
    October 19 — Wayne and Gail Schimpff
    October 26 — Tony and Sandy Rice

And we need coffee hour hosts! To sign up, please use the sheet posted on the bulletin board outside the church office. This is a wonderful way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or special occasions with your church family. Thank you for your willingness to help!

Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Here we are, with the Christmas season approaching, and Women Ministries is asking you once again for your kindness in donating gifts to the Leland House. At Leland House, there are 42 minor residents (18 boys and 14 girls) ages 2 months to 12 years and 10 teenagers (13 years old and above). We would like to recommend the gift amount be $20.00 per child. Gifts may be brought to church on or before November 16, 2008, if you would like to purchase something, or you can donate $20.00 for gift cards for the teenagers, which would be greatly appreciated.

A sign-up sheet will be available for the younger children, so you can pick a name and the child’s age. Once again the board of Women Ministries of Edgebrook is most grateful to you for your kind participation in this event.

God’s blessing upon you all -- Barbara Agnello

The Nominating Committee Needs YOU!

Don’t you love going out to eat – particularly if you have a great server, one who is attentive, informed and pleasant to you and your guests? At Edgebrook Covenant Church we have been blessed by so many people who have been phenomenal servants to our church family and visiting guests. Time and again, volunteers who serve as elected board members have given long hours and made thoughtful decisions for the good of our church. We are the church, a collective body that needs one another.

The Nominating Committee seeks volunteers who can serve on one of our three boards, Trustees, Christian Education and Deacons, and the Committee will begin their work in early November. Our church Constitution highlights the broad responsibilities of the boards.

Don’t feel it’s your thing to make decisions about Christian Education, spend someone else’s money, or be part of a ministry team? Have you considered it might be God’s thing for you?

Please pray for leading in your life as a possible board member and also for those whom God will touch to say “yes” to be a servant to His church. Remember, the highest title in the kingdom of God is not chairman, or pastor, or president – it is servant.

Servers Needed at Good News Community Kitchen

Interested in serving? Edgebrook Covenant Church is looking for volunteers to help serve supper and clean-up at the Good News Community Kitchen in Rogers Park on Saturday, November 1 from 4:00 to 6:30pm. Anyone over the age of 14 years is welcome to volunteer.

Please contact Tony Senatore by Thursday October 30th at 847-673-3329 or anthony.senatore@yahoo.com if you are interested in participating.

If you are not able to serve, but would like to contribute to help offset the cost of the food that will be provided that night, donations can be made out to Edgebrook Covenant Church. Mark in the memo section of your check Good News Community Kitchen (GNCK). Thank you and please pray for the GNCK and Edgebrook’s involvement in this outreach ministry.

Fall All-Church Work Day Scheduled

There will be an all-church work day following Sunday School on Sunday, October 5th, from noon until 5 p.m., so come to church dressed to work. Even if you can only come for a portion of the allotted time, please come. Given the absence of a permanent custodian at this time, there’s much to be done and we need all the help we can get to spruce up our church home heading into the holiday season. Please mark your calendars for this important undertaking and commit to spending part of your day working and bonding with your church family. Lunch will be provided in Fellowship Hall after Sunday School and then we’ll get to work! A list of projects will be posted in the chapel in advance of the work day to help you decide how to be involved. Your trustee board thanks you in advance for your support and participation.

Sunday School Activities for ALL Ages

Edgebrook Covenant Church is offering a variety of Sunday School activities for ALL of our members — from young children through adults — and we’re sure there is something that will interest YOU! All our Sunday School classes begin at 11:20 AM, right after coffee hours.

Just check out what is available:

• Preschool through grade 1 will meet in the toddler nursery, and will be led by Linda Fusek, Jill Lind, and Andrea Baer.
• Grades 2 through 5 will meet in the youth room, and will be led by Kris Bruckner and Laurie Bakken.
• Grades 6 through 12 boys will meet in the back of the first floor of the annex, and will be led by Ben Bruckner, Brad Henry, and Ryan Janken. They will be using a study called “Friends with Sean McDowell.”.
• Grades 6 through 12 girls will meet in the front of the first floor of the annex, and will be led by Jennifer Reed. They will be using a special study called “Girl Talk.”
• Adults will meet in Fellowship hall, and Dr. Klyne Snodgrass will lead a 5-week discovery journey on “Women and the Bible.”

We look forward to seeing you and your children in Sunday School — come join us in fellowship and learning!

A Festival of Psalms

Winnetka Covenant Church is inviting all Covenant churches in the Chicago area to a special “Festival of Psalms” on Sunday, October 12 at 4:00 PM at Winnetka Covenant Church in Wilmette.

This special event will be a time of inspiring, festive congregational singing of hymns and songs, old and new, based on the Psalms. Royce Eckhardt, organist, will lead the event and will be joined by combined choirs from North Shore Covenant churches, a children’s chorus, and a brass and timpani ensemble.

Everyone is welcome, and there will be a time of fellowship and refreshments following the Festival. Bring your friends!

Address Changes

Ashley Doucette
#2310 Sigma Sigma Sigma
1030 Greek Street
Charleston, IL 61920
Phone: 773-319-0135
Email: angelicface89@yahoo.com
Email: amdoucette@eiu.edu

Jim and Joan Gustafson
1083 E. Lombardy Dr.
Deltona, FL 32725
Phone: 386-259-4516
Email: jjgus68@yahoo.com

Emily Hohenstein
Gamma Phi Beta
935 16th Street
Boulder, CO 80302
Phone: 303-786-3807

Sarah (Cochran) and Brad Henry
6343 N. Spokane Ave.
Chicago, IL 60646
Cell (S): 330-607-4507
Cell (B): 440-212-3791
Email: breakcycle14@yahoo.com

Tom and Nancy Patterson
David, Katie and Caroline
125 S. Clifton Ave.
Park Ridge, IL 60068
Phone: 847-823-2479
Email: TRPatterson@att.net

Natalie Senatore
3700 Capital Grove S.E. #1113
Tallahassee, FL 32311
Cell: 847-567-6642
Email: nataliesenatore@gmail.com

Thank You!

From Jerry & Vicky Love:
We could have stayed with you forever (come to think of it, we will!), but the memories of our Edgebrook Sunday will last a lifetime. How we appreciated the Mexican Fiesta following the morning service! We didn't know before that Keith and Laurie were Mexican chefs, but now we know the truth! The "taquiza" was "terrífca"! We also wished to convey to you our stunned gratitude upon receiving such an affirmation from you in the form of that handsome retirement plaque. Now, you must visit us next year in Portland for the Annual Meeting to see it hanging in Love Inn!

From Joanne & Jerome Nelson:
We just wanted to thank you and the good folks at Edgebrook Covenant Church for your prayers and thinking about us.

From Jennifer Hanson:
I am so honored to be the recipient of one of your beautiful blankets. I can't even begin to express how much I love it. My sister-in-law received one last year when she got married and I thought, “she is so lucky!” Now I have my own. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I really love it! Not only do all of you have a wonderful talent. but you also have the ability to make a person feel totally cared for. Every time I wrap up in the blanket, I will think of the “crafty angels”.

Special Dates in October