Ministries
"Ministries" is our term for the groups within our church that allow us to reach out to the world through works that reflect the special interests, talents, and concerns of the individual members. Each ministry has a special focus for its efforts.
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"Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly." - Romans 12:6
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Covenant's Educational Ministries
Nursery Care is provided for Sunday morning worship, Sunday school time, special worship times as well as for certain other groups. If you are interested in a group but need childcare, ask the group leader if Nursery Care can be provided.
VBS - Vacation Bible School is a week long theme-oriented adventure in the Bible through music, crafts, stories, games, snacks, and a lot of fun exploring and learning in the name of Jesus Christ! It takes over 75 volunteers, decorations, supplies, and planning to make this a week full of knock your socks off activities for children of all ages enjoy! Won’t you join us this year for a week you will want to last all summer?
5-6 Youth Group meets twice a month for community service projects and fellowship time. This is a special time for our youth that are in grades 5 and 6. Come join us celebrate our desire to serve the Lord.
Twinlow Camp is a ministry of the United Methodist churches of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. It exists to promote the missions of the church and encourage commitment to Christ through worship, education, recreation and community for children, youth and adults. Twinlow offers opportunities for communion with God’s creation to individuals and groups of diverse abilities, racial and cultural backgrounds. Come learn more of Covenant’s ties to this wonderful Camp and Center.
Youth Ministry at Covenant includes Jr. High and Sr. High Youth Groups, Bible Studies, Sunday School, Mission Trips, and other special event gatherings and celebrations. Wondering how many ways there are for our Youth to be connected? Come see the current schedule and learn so much more!
Junior High Interns and Senior High Interns are available to prayerfully lead, guide, teach and organize our youth.
Adult Education - The church is more than a weekly worship service. It is a fellowship of peoples whom "relate our lives to God and to one another, equip each other as Christian disciples through small group ministry." In order to fully live out that mandate, Covenant provides an Adult Education program that addresses issues of faith, service, and Christian living in a thought-provoking and challenging way. Come pick up a current schedule and learn of the ways you can grow spiritually through Adult Sunday School opportunities.
Disciple Bible Study are 32-week in-depth study of the Bible typically done with a group of 12 people. Disciple I is a thematic overview of Scripture, Genesis to Revelation. It is designed to be a great course for beginner Bible students and yet still hold the interest of those with considerable Bible study. This course is a prerequisite for II, III and IV. Disciple II is an in-depth look at 4 books: Genesis/Exodus and Luke/Acts. Disciple III focuses on the Old Testament prophets and the letters of Paul. Disciple IV is a study of Psalms, Proverbs, John and Revelation. If you are seeking to gain wisdom, discipline and fellowship in a consistent group, then Disciple Bible Study is for you. Contact the church office for the current sessions.
Men’s Bible Study meets every Saturday at 7:45 AM for one hour at the church. Anyone is welcomed to join as we study the bible.
Covenant’s Small Group Nurture Ministries
Annual Church Campout Each year in the middle of August Covenant families join together to enjoy a three or four day weekend of camping at one of the areas beautiful lakes. Many Covenant families look forward each year to the beautiful setting, the fellowship, and the vast amount of activities available for all family members. Swimming, boating, water skiing and water boarding, hiking, biking, Frisbee golf, bocci ball, horseshoes, campfires (s'mores & sing along at the youth site), potluck dinner and an outdoor church service are some highlights enjoyed every year. Campsites go quickly for this Covenant favorite event!
Book Review Group meets in member's homes on the Second Tuesday of each month at 9:30 am. Anyone is welcomed to participate monthly or occasionally. A vast variety of books is chosen by recommendation of its membership.
Coffee Hour Host/Hostess have one Sunday a month when they take a shift either for 8:30 service or the 11 o’clock service. The 8:30 host makes coffee and juice and sets everything out in the narthex. The 11 o'clock crew cleans up and does the dishes. Would you be willing to serve God by serving coffee?Compass Class is for you if you are becoming serious about your relationship with Covenant and are considering membership. As a participant, you will experience in-depth discussions about Christian Faith, Methodism, Grace, the Sacraments, and the Body of Christ. You will have the opportunity to learn more about our local church and share time with new Covenant friends. Ask the church office about the next series of Compass Classes.
Covenant Neighborhood Groups are geographically established to simplify our lifestyles in such a way that we concentrate more energy into a circle of relationships that produce a sense of genuine belonging. If you would like to join a group of Covenant members in your neighborhood call the church office.
Empty Nesters consists of 30 or so couples plus several singles in the 55 and up age range. Empty Nesters take part in many diverse activities on a random schedule. Some activities have included: attending plays or musical events, progressive dinners, eagle watching, dinner cruises, Twinlow cleanup, painting an out of town church, trail clean up and yard work at the church. Do you fall into this age range and are seeking fellowship with other Empty Nesters? Come discover how you can become informed about upcoming events.
Friendship Dinner Groups are small groups of eight adults that meet once for dinner at each participant's house and then dissolve until new groups are formed. These groups have been a favorite in the life of Covenant's members. Ask the church office when the next groups will be forming.
Men's Breakfast meetings are on the second Saturday of the month from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM at the church. Each meeting features an inspiring speaker, breakfast and fellowship. All men are welcome.
Prayer Chain is a church wide connection by email and/or phone chain to address concerns that arise. Call the church office if you wish to be added to one of these chains.
Quilts 'n Moore meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. Our ministry is making baby quilts for the newly baptized children of the congregation. We also provide camaraderie and support on individual projects. Everyone shares their knowledge and has input on future projects. This is a warm and welcoming group of approximately a dozen women and we are anxious to welcome new members. Won't you come join us?
Stephen Ministry is grounded in Jesus' command to love one another. Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one, confidential caring relationship by a trained lay person, commissioned by our church to help anyone who is experiencing difficult times in life. Do you a concern and wish to speak with a Stephen Minister? Are you considering signing up for training to become a new Stephen Minister?
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UMW - United Methodist Women is an organization for all women to be a part of where we join together to support each other in Christian fellowship as we grow in our spiritual lives. This can be an enriching and educating experience as we fulfill our commitment to local and global mission ministries of the church.
Sporting Events
Annual Mariners Trip the church gets a block of seats for a game on a Friday night and many carpool to the event. Some make a weekend out of it in Seattle too
Chiefs Game Opportunity is a new idea for a discount block of ticket to see a Chief’s game in Spokane.
Golf Tournament is an opportunity to fellowship with others from Covenant while playing your favorite sport. This event occurs at the Deer Park Golf Course. Men and women play scramble golf for prizes and continue the fellowship with a potluck dinner afterwards.
Covenant's Outreach Ministries
Boy Scouts Troops regularly meet in our church to hold their weekly meetings. Come check out their latest achievements and learn how you can help the Boy Scouts in our congregation.
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Membership Campaign Committee is a group dedicated to oversee and manage a vision of growth for Covenant. This growth would include opportunities to both grow our church family and expand its commitment to the faith and spiritual growth if its members. This committee is still in its formation phase and is seeking individuals who are excited about the future and potential opportunities that can come from growing together in the Lord here at Covenant UMC!Missions a committee that provides mission opportunities and hosts a variety of service projects including Harvest Food Drive, Christmas Families and Christmas Tree of Sharing, Interfaith Hospitality Network, supporting and coordinating missionary opportunities, Crop Walk, and many more. If you are looking for an opportunity to do hands on work or feel God calling you to step out of your comfort zone, come to discover new ways you can become involved.
Crop Walk is an annual walk fundraiser to help fight hunger in the world. Participants from Covenant obtain pledges and walk together 3-6 miles. It is a fun family event the last week in April sponsored by Church World Service.
Interfaith Hospitality Network is a non-denominational program that provides housing at rotating churches for one week at a time. Responsibilities during that week include dinner, and overnight stay, breakfast the next morning and transportation to the Day center. There are many ways to help with this worthy project and it is a short-term once every three month commitment. Are you considering helping with in this ministry? We can explain ways you can get involved to your level of commitment.
New Hope Resource Center is a faith-based ecumenical organization providing basic needs assistance in North Spokane County including the communities of Mead, Colbert, Chattaroy, Riverside, and Elk. The Center provides quality of life assistance for seniors including transportation and chore services. Assistance to low-income families includes emergency financial vouchers and household necessities bank.
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Sister Church Covenant UMC, through the Sister Church Ministry Group in 1989 established a sister parish relationship with the Buenas Nuevas Lutheran Church of El Paisnal, El Salvador. Come meet some individuals who are currently answering God’s call to the Sister Church Ministry and learn how you might become a supporter and/or a participant.
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Spokane Alliance is a collection of 36 local institutions representing the faith-based community, the labor community and the civic sector. Its purpose is to build relationships between these groups and then develop plans and strategies to address issues they can agree are important to their membership and the larger community.
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Strength for the Journey is a four-day spiritual retreat for persons living with HIV/AIDS. The retreat provides a tranquil, safe place with a caring supportive community. It is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Methodist Church with a broad base of support from other denominations, churches and individuals. For further information call Sue Shaw at 466-6296.Covenant's Adminstrative Committees
Administrative Board is the primary decision-making body for Covenant. It conducts all official church business, including the oversight of budgeting, staffing, facilities and program development through its administrative committees. Members of the Admin. Board are appointed by the Nominating Committee. For a full list of members or for ideas of how you can get involved, contact the church office.
Board of Trustees oversees the physical property of the church, the building, the grounds and all equipment. Come and sign up for a seasonal project to help out in the property department.
Finance Committee handles income (gifts and pledges) and expenses for the church, manages and invests savings and reserve accounts, and provides counsel to the Administrative Board to balance the budget each year.
Memorial Fund - Give a gift in memory, in honor of, or just a cash gift toward something you would like to see purchased for our place of worship to the Glory of God. Come find out how our church has been blessed with the generosity of those gifts given to the Memorial Fund.
Maintenance - Our church is regularly cleaned, supplies replenished, items repaired, garbage removed and all around well cared for by our maintenance individuals. There are many ways you can help with maintaining our beautiful space. By contacting the church office, you can volunteer to participate in keeping our space a beautiful one!
Ministry Council consists of coordinators that oversee the connections of our ministry teams and represent these teams to the Administrative Board. An Education Coordinator, Outreach Coordinator and a Small Group Nuture Coordinator confer with one another to determine the needs of our church, problem-solve, and oversee the lay ministry life at Covenant. They will also be planning an Orientation/Evaluation time for new committee members and chairpersons. They are also responsible for the Ministry Fair.
Office Staff and Volunteers Looking for a great devotional? Want an updated directory of church members? Need to update your information to be added or corrected in the directory? Have some extra time you would be willing to help out in the church office? The office staff is always in need for help with newsletter folding, bulletin stuffing and much more.
Staff Parish is a committee responsible for coordinating the personnel issues of the staff here at Covenant. We meet monthly from Sept. to June and help support the staff. We review salaries, evaluate health insurance coverage and costs, help with interviewing and hiring, provide a sounding board for Pastor Mark regarding program development, and in general try to help Covenant run smoothly.Stewardship Committee serves to coordinate and conduct the annual pledge giving campaign in support of the Church. Emphasis is on the particular need of all to be good stewards of what God has provided for us and to share generously our time, talents, and treasures.
Wedding Coordinator Available for members and non-members to schedule your wedding and reception in Covenant’s beautiful sanctuary and multi-purpose room. Are you energized by hosting a gathering or are blessed by other people's joy that you would consider volunteering your time to make someone's day memorable?
Worship Committee consists of a group of 7 to 10 people who gather once a month to plan and discuss all aspects of worship at Covenant. This includes Sunday morning worship services, special services and all liturgical seasons of worship (i.e. Advent, Lent, Pentecost) We address worship styles, music blends, service length and flow, guest speakers, and many other issues, while always seeking first God’s guidance and will.
Covenant
United Methodist Church
15515 N. Gleneden Drive
Spokane, WA 99208-9743
509-466-1768