ECC-Evangelical Covenant Church
The Kingdom Takes Shape: To Boldly Go
The Kingdom of God took root in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom of God began to take shape in the world, as well. The book of Acts is a story of action, faith, courage, and boldness in uncertain times. Then, it was persecution that deployed the Church; today, it is a virus. Tomorrow, it may be something else. How might the Kingdom take shape in our world, as it did then? Join us Sundays at 10:30am (ecclife.net/stream or facebook.com/ecclife) as we rediscover the passion and power of the early Church and what they have to teach us in our uncertain and anxious times today.
Locations & Times
Evangelical Covenant Church
3600 S 9th St, Lafayette, IN 47909, USA
Sunday 10:10 AM
Downloadable Bulletin
Please check out our virtual bulletin.
https://www.ecclife.net/uploads/2/7/2/8/27288883/5.17.20_bulletin.pdfCommunication Card
Please visit the Communication Card to mark that you attended our online service. If you need prayer, care from a Stephen Minister, added to the E-letter mailing list, or other concerns, visit the Communication Card link below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E054BAAA923A2FC1-20200517Giving online
To give online, please click the link below.
https://www.covchurchgiving.com/p-71.aspx?searchEngineName=give-to-the-evanglical-covenant-church-of-lafayetteMay 17, 2020
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Stacey Littlefield, Lead Pastor
1. Name those we’d normally rather avoid or criticize or attack than love and pray for. Make a list and pray for them. Pray for God’s blessing on them. Pray for God’s provision. And pray you will have the love and power and self-discipline necessary to cross whatever dividing lines get in your way and hinder God’s mission. Pray for them, rather than judge them.
2. Spend time this week prayerfully reading over 2 Peter 1.3-11. Make some time, some quiet, read that passage out loud, prayerfully, and ask God to show you where you have yet to experience transformation. There are some very clear instructions there on things we need to “make every effort” to add to our faith, to cooperate with God’s Spirit in our own transformation. (see the link in the section below this one for an audio recording of lectio divina on this passage)
3. Sign up for a half-hour slot in our 24-hour Ascension Day Prayer Vigil, (midnight Wednesday, May 20-midnight Thursday, May 21). Scroll UP in this app to click on the Communication Card link. Let us know you're interested by clicking the button that says "I'm interested in participating in the 24-hour prayer vigil" and hit "Submit and Sign Up" at the bottom of that page. We will send you some instructions to help you in your prayer in a couple of days.
Lectio Divina
Follow the link below for several audio recordings of scripture for meditation. In particular, we invite you to listen to the newest recording of the passage mentioned above,2 Peter 1.3-11. Make time (about 10 minutes) to prayerfully listen to the passage and what God has to say to you through it.
https://www.ecclife.net/soul-training.htmlRead Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10.25-37. Now, recast the parts in the parable. Who are the two who passed by the wounded man on the road, today? Why did they pass him by? Who will replace the "Samaritan" in the parable for you? Whom do you think your community, family, or our society as a whole would be shocked to discover as "the hero" of the story? Why?
Seen on a t-shirt recently: "God loves the people you hate." Who are those people for you (seriously)? Is this statement true? If not, why not? If so, how does that statement impact you and the way you interact with (or talk about) others in the world--the people you struggle to truly love?
Questions to Ponder
Read the passage linked below from the Message translation (Romans 12.1-3). In what ways do you think you might be "fitting into the culture" instead of allow God to develop "well-formed maturity" in you?
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+12.1-3&version=MSGInstruments of Peace
Listen to and reflect on the song linked below, <i>Instruments of Peace, </i>by Leslie Jordan (formerly of <i>All Sons and Daughters</i>). How do the lyrics comfort you? How do they challenge you? How can you better "love your neighbor's life as you own"?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_oribsTyEEDo you know someone in your neighborhood who is not well-liked by others? How would your friends feel if you became friends with this person? How can you be kind to him or her?
O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Book of Acts, Part 1
Follow the link below to view part 1 of The Bible Project video on the <i>Book of Acts. </i>Part 2 of the overview is below.
https://youtu.be/CGbNw855kswThe Book of Acts, Part 2
Follow the link below to view part 2 of the Bible Project video on the <i>Book of Acts</i>. Part 1 is above.
https://youtu.be/Z-17KxpjL0QPrayers for this Season
Follow the link below to view or download some helpful prayers to pray as we walk through the current pandemic.
https://www.ecclife.net/uploads/2/7/2/8/27288883/favorite_prayers_-_coronavirus.pdf24-Hour Ascension Day Prayer Vigil
On Ascension Day (May 21) we invite you to join us in a 24-hour Prayer Vigil. Just as those first followers of Jesus waited on the coming of the Holy Spirit after Jesus' ascension, so we will. If you are interested in signing up, please click the link below to let us know of your interest. We'll send you an email with instructions on how to sign up. The vigil will take place in half-hour time slots, from midnight on Wednesday, May 20-midnight, Thursday, May 21. The week of the vigil, we will email you with suggestions of how to spend your time in prayer. Thanks for joining us in prayer!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E054BAAA923A2FC1-24hourOpportunities for Women
Women, we need to be connected to God and each other more than ever. Social distancing doesn't have to equal social isolation... the ways we connect just need to look differently right now. NETam and NETpm, First Fridays, and Mugs & Muffins are meeting on Zoom. Register now for the Women of Joy conference in Indianapolis coming late summer for discounted rate. Check out our ECC's Women's page for dates and details!
https://www.ecclife.net/women.htmlConnection Groups
For the month of May, we will be offering Connection Groups: small -group style, virtual gatherings to connect with God, His word, and each other. Each meeting we will re-visit Sunday's scripture passage to continue learning and growing together, followed by a time to simply be in community together and tell stories of where we see God at work. We would love to have you join us on Sundays, 3:00pm (May 17, 31), or Thursdays, 7:00pm (May 14, 28). Links to Connection Groups can be found at ecclife.net/zoom.
https://www.ecclife.net/zoom.htmlRecognizing Our Seniors
Today is the last day to recognize our 2020 seniors ! Take a minute to look through the pictures of our seniors at ecclife.net/youth and help us celebrate and honor them by sending them notes of encouragement, your favorite verse, and/or life advice.
https://www.ecclife.net/youth.htmlSummer XP 2020
Summer XP is just around the corner, and we’re re-designing our week so that we can share Jesus’ love with kids…online! From June 1-4 (Monday-Thursday), we’ll combine paper mailings, video elements, and secure online technology so that children entering grades K-5 can have both a large group and small group experience. We’re also exploring how we can continue to offer drive-thru meals as part of the program. We will still need a loving and dedicated crew of volunteers to invest in our children and families during this week, and we invite all of you to look for unique ways that you can be involved in serving. Volunteer and child registration can be found online at ecclife.net/xp.
https://www.ecclife.net/xp.htmlHow to Connect at ECC
Click below to explore many opportunities get connected even--or especially--in this time of "social distancing".
https://www.ecclife.net/connect.html