CHICAGO, IL (August 12, 2013) – The video of the Richard Carlson Memorial Service is available for viewing at CovChurch.tv.

The service was conducted at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Anderson Chapel on the North Park University campus. Carlson, 73, died July 27 after a long battle with esophageal cancer. To read previous stories about Carlson, click obituary and tributes.

 

Upsala Congregation Celebrates 125 Years of Ministry

UPSALA, MN (August 12, 2013) – Community Covenant Church recently celebrated its 125^th anniversary June 20-21. The church was formed in 1888 by a large group of local residents with ties to the Swedish Evangelical Mission Church.

During a variety show, senior pastor Craig Johnson and Camp Lebanon executive director Bill Abeler used old items for telling the church’s history. “It was truly a celebration of all God has done in 125 years and what he is going to do,” said youth pastor Nathan Hillman. “The weekend was just fun, as people connected with old friends.”

Former pastor Rudy King issued a challenge to the congregation using the illustration of a carob tree. “The carob tree takes generations to bear fruit. Someone has to plant it, knowing they will not see the fruits of their labor. As our forefathers started this mission and realized that they would not see much of the fruit, so we too must continue to plant with a vision for the future.”

That future still is in its early stages according to a history of the church written for the centennial celebration 25 years ago. One hundred years is just enough to get started, to know we are on the right track,” wrote Ralph Holman.

For more information on the event, click here.

 

Ishpeming Church Changes Name to Reflect Mission

ISHPEMING, MI (August 12, 2013) – The United Evangelical Covenant Church of Ishpeming voted unanimously to switch its name to Mission Covenant Church.

The 134-year-old church shares the name with previous Covenant churches in Negaunee and Ishpeming. The name was first used more than 100 years ago when the churches were started by Swedish immigrants. The two churches “united” in 1976.

“You always want to stay fresh with what you’re doing, and I think there was a feeling that our name was kind of long and cumbersome. And as we began to talk about what would look forward to the future, we really wanted to focus on what God’s doing in the area, and so we started talking about the word ‘mission,’” said Pastor Karen Hinz.