Coloring Contest - Nice Job Kids!

Member Spotlight - Frances Pierce

Frances Pierce

Frances Pierce has lived in Spokane almost all of her life. She has gone to FCC for the majority of her life, the first time as a teen.

Family: Frances and Liddell have two children who are both now in their 40s. Lisa lives in South Dakota while Scott is in Puyallup, Washington. Frances also has a brother, Norman Scott who now lives in Arizona.

FCC: As a teen, Frances’ family attended FCC for two years but then they found a church closer to their home. When Frances returned to Spokane she remembered the love and care of the adults at FCC so she decided to return. She found the same loving and caring family atmosphere and decided to stay!

The farm: Frances grew up on a huge farm here in Spokane and is now blessed to still live on it! It has been in her family since her father bought it in 1891. Side note: their driveway is a mile long.

Her favorite things in the Bible: Frances enjoys the Psalms. She loves
that David takes his problems to the Lord and asks God to forgive him. That communication between David and God reassures her. She also likes that God has given us the Holy Spirit which strengthens us and helps us when we don’t understand.

Life and learning lately: Frances has been learning to have patience for those who refuse God. She is learning to minister to her cousins through the way she lives because she knows that ‘preaching at them’ will only push them away.

Job: Frances used to supervise a federal government office.

Passions: Frances now enjoys teaching Sunday school here. She likes being with the children and teaching them to trust in Christ.

Sports: “I’m a sport nut!” -Gonzaga basketball, Cougar football.

Hobbies: Gardening.

Note: We have a library full of great books if you’d like to read some.

Prayer requests and praises: Pray for the people of FCC and her family. Praise for Frances good recovery from surgery.

Spotlight- Julie Sullivan

Julie Sullivan working hard in our kitchen

Please remember to pray for Julie she is currently 
at the University of Ghana in Africa to study abroad 
from January to May of 2011.


Julie Sullivan is a junior at Whitworth University, originally from Portland, Oregon. She began attending FCC at the beginning of this school year and says she is inspired by seeing a church that is truly living out God’s mission for us -in loving the least of these.

Family: Julie has a mom, dad and two older brothers who all went to the University of Oregon, she decided to switched things up.

Hobbies: Juggling and unicycling (yes, she could be in the circus!). She also loves just spending time with her friends and family laughing and enjoying one another’s company.

Her favorite thing about God: That he will always love me no matter what I do, and that whenever I need to talk he is right there waiting. He brings me joy and energy every day!

A blessed time: This summer Julie had the opportunity to work with the least of these. “It was so amazing to have the opportunity to reach out to those less fortunate that I, and to be doing what God has
called me to.”

A misconception people have about her: People think that she is always crazy, happy and full of energy. She feels there are many people who do not see the side of her that struggles, has breakdowns and takes time to slow down and relax.

Favorite lyrics: “We live, we love, we forgive and never give up cuz the days we are given are gifts from above and today we remember to live and to love.” & “Give me your eyes for just one second, give me your eyes so I can see, everything that I keep missing, give me you love for humanity.”

Favorite family tradition: Thanksgiving. –They take a white tablecloth and each person paints their hands and places it on the tablecloth, then they each make a turkey design! Then they can look back over the years and see who was there and how everyone has grown.

Biggest challenge: Trying to figure out where God is leading her. “I feel I am passionate about a lot of different social justice issues right
now, and I don’t want to spread myself too thin.”

Prayer requests: Julie is heading to the University of Ghana to study abroad from January to May. Her hope is that God will use her there.

Congratulations Tim and Kat

Saturday March 26th was a beautiful day.
Tim and Kat Boit were married. Many people from our church and others from far away helped to make it a special day for Tim and Kat.

There are many photos posted on the Church Facebook page.  Here's the link if you are not already there. https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Covenant-Church/240687894366?sk=wall
You can also find a link on our web site at http://www.fccspokane.org

Member Spotlight - Emily Linquist

Emily Lindquist

In an effort to help create community Emily Linquist wrote a handful of these Member Spotlights that were featured in our bulletins.  We wanted to add them to the Covenant-Community pages. If anyone would like to create more of these let me know and I will be happy to post them.
~ Margot

Emily Lindquist
Emily Linquist is a junior (3yr) at Whitworth University as a Theology major. She’s been attending FCC for about a year and a half. She’s originally from Minnesota.

Her favorite thing about God: I’m not sure if I can pick my favorite but one thing that makes me so in love with God is that he created us to be in relationships. It makes me so happy, that when I’m hanging out with my friends and having a blast and the atmosphere full of pure love and joy, that’s exactly what God desires and wants of us!

Blessed times: This past summer I worked at a ‘wilderness ministry outfitter’ near Leavenworth. It was exactly what I needed after a stressful school year. It was so cool to know that I did nothing to get to where I was but that God planned the summer for me so that I might learn about his abundant life.

Life and learning lately: This past school year was hard for me. I’m used to being independent. I’ve always been the one who friends came to when they were having a hard time. I’ve never really needed anyone before this last year. God taught me to be dependent on him and to ask for help.

What makes her alive: So many things make me feel alive! I love being with people, developing deep friendships. Being active in nature makes me feel so alive and in the presence of Christ. It inspires me. I also love to sing!

Family traditions: Every Christmas my family makes chocolate covered pretzels together, and while we make them we listen to ‘A Veggie Tales Christmas.’ My sister and I love it and sing along while the rest of my family rolls their eyes and tries to shut it off. :)

Stress: Homework, I’m a perfectionist and like to be on top of work.

Books (other than the Bible!): A Voice in the Wind and Redeeming Love both by Francine Rivers.

Quotes: If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world. -C. S. Lewis

Prayer Requests: I have tendonitis in my Achilles and fingers. This past week I saw a physical therapist for the first time and am hoping to heal and strengthen them so I’ll be able to run and climb mountains again! Also, I always need prayer that I would continually trust in Christ and not be shaken my circumstances in my life or homework.

New Members Class

It is always exciting when folks who have been checking out the church decide they want to attend a New Members class. They are under no obligation as a result of attending but it gives them a chance to find out more about us. The class covers things like what we believe, our history, the things we as a church feel called to and are passionate about.  It is a relaxed atmosphere where there is time for sharing and questions and a chance to get to know more about each other.

In the class the membership process is explained. After attending the class each person is given short form to fill out about themselves if they want to go further in the membership process.  While church membership is not the same as the decision to give your heart and life to the Lord it is a important decision. Just going to church does not make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds will make you a hamburger.  Our membership is made up of believers who make up the living stones of this spiritual house, or chruch family or community of faith. The decision to align ones self with a church is an important decision because it is the community of believers that you will work arm in arm with to acomplish Gods plans and purposes. It is also a huge channel of blessing and growth that will shape and affect the course of ones life.  It is not a decision that one should make lightly and the New Members class is a great opportunity to discover more about First Covenant Church and allows folks to make a much more informed decision.
 We offer the New Members class when ever there is a handful of interested people.

Rachael Reaches Out

My Spokane Christian Friends, please read and pass on...

Rachael stamping hands at our Homeless Feed

 

by Rachael Grafmiller Swanson on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 7:48am

About a year ago, my husband and I had just finished the book, A Hole in the Gospel by Richard Sterns who is the president of World Vision. For a long time now I have always wanted to be a part of Gods kingdom in a big way I just need to get off my butt and do something! Reading this book is just what we needed! Anyway for those of you who don't know World Vision is an organization that helps orphans mostly in other countries. I have felt that there's a big mission opportunity in our own country and it's in our streets and neighborhoods.



We thought we'd start by trying a little church downtown on the corner of Division and second (First Covenant) and we have been there ever since. Our humble little church is doing big things for the Kingdom through the downtown poor. We have witnessed restoration and healing first hand amongst the poorest and forgotten on Spokane’s streets. On Sundays about 3:00 pm the church feeds somewhere between 100 to 200 homeless. When I am in the gym eating with the homeless and listening to their stories with compassion, I feel closer to Jesus than at any time in my walk.



We have also witnessed not only emotional healing, but physical as well. The pastor’s wife had felt that the Lord was telling her, for about a year that she had a kidney for a lady in our congregation that had been suffering badly. She really did not want to do it and the chance that they would even be a match is very marginal since one is Hawaiian and the other is European. It got to the point where finally the pastor’s wife had to obey, she knew God wanted her to donate her kidney, so she went for all the tests and there is quite a procedure just make sure that they were a match and they were.

She is now short one Kidney and the recipient has a normal healthy life back. Praise God!



We don’t have a full band and worship team to offer, our pastor has an amazing voice and sings with soul while strumming his acoustic guitar accompanied by bongo drums, reminiscent of Bible camp….

Sometimes the sanctuary is cold because we lack the funds to repair our heating system so we worship in winter jackets and see our breath as we sing.

Homeless people have been known to wander in looking for shelter and someone to care. The occasional repentant prostitute sits in our pews.

We are raw, we are real, and I will say that this is one of the most authentic churches I have attended, but few visitors stay for we lack a stage show or a fancy children’s program.



Our church has a rich history with 120 years of ministry, "thank you Lord." Over the years times have changed, what once was a thriving church is now struggling. Our members are mostly downtown poor with little to tithe. But Lord is working on the corner of 2nd and Division, because in the last year I have seen it myself, healing from drugs and alcohol to physical diseases, the homeless getting jobs and back into homes. There are few workers and thin finances but we truly feel that the Lord is working in this ministry.



If you have been seeking more than just doing church service and Bible study, and you feel the Lord is speaking to you the way he was us about moving on and seeking a smaller close knit church that is also working hard to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a broken world and ministering and loving the poor and forgotten. If you feel this message is speaking to you for a reason, we welcome you to join us on a Sunday and see what we are about. Service is at 10:30 am on Sundays I hope to see you there sometime. We just need more help, if the spirit leads you, please come and shine the light of Jesus in a place that needs all the love it can get, time is running out for us and I would hate to see such an amazing ministry come to an end.



Mostly we are requesting that you please pray for our church and direction for us in these uncertain times.

Also pass this along to your Christian friends, who knows who the Lord has in mind for our church…



Yours in Christ,



Dusty & Rachael Swanson