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Malcolm Gladwell, the author of The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers is
always an interesting read because of his approach: he mines the dry, dif-
ficult-to-read journal findings in the fields of sociology and psychology and
makes interesting conclusions in everyday life. His strength is in telling
people’s story to back his conclusions.
His latest book is David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants — the struggle of underdogs versus favorites. He set about
writing the book to examine how our perception of advantages and disad-
vantages in some cases turn out to be flipped upside down. He titled the
book David and Goliath because in that story we learn that our
“preconceptions about where power and strength reside are false”.
Ultimately Gladwell’s research led him to Le Chambon, France. Le Cham-
bon is a remote community of Huguenots (French Protestants), who have
had their share of persecution over the centuries. There is a not famous
enough WWII story of the courage and conviction of this community.
The Huguenots of Le Chambon took in Jews in open resistance to their
Nazi occupiers. “The responsibility of Christians,” their pastor, André
Trocmé, had reminded them the day after France surrendered to Nazi Ger-
many, “is to resist the violence that will be brought to bear on their con-
sciences through the weapons of the spirit.” Huguenots sheltered, forged
documents and helped Jews cross the border to Switzerland. It’s esti-
mated Le Chambon saved 3000-5000 lives, sometimes at the cost of their
own. They “could do nothing contrary to the Gospel,” as turning Jews over
would have been.
Of this, Gladwell writes: “What I understand now is that I was one of those people who did
not appreciate the weapons of the spirit. I have always been some-
one attracted to the quantifiable and the physical. I hate to admit
it. But I don’t think I would have been able to do what the Hugue-
nots did in Le Chambon. I would have counted up the number of sol-
diers and guns on each side and concluded it was too dangerous. I
have always believed in God. I have grasped the logic of Christian
faith. What I have had a hard time seeing is God’s power.”
We believe in what we can do under our own strength and resources as
Christians. Because God has made my heart tender, I can love others. But
can we love that bitter neighbor of ours enough to share our faith? Can
you have a long-overdue conversation with that family member, trusting
God for the timing, the words to say, and the response? Can you give, at a
cost to yourself, in which you have to trust in God’s provision? Can you for-
(Continued on page 2)
Seeing God’s Power
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Volume 2014, Issue 6
June 2014
KYLIE FORSTROM Kylie Forstrom is 12 years old, and goes to Madison Middle School in Trum-
bull. She is the daughter of Crista and Chuck Forstrom. She is the oldest in
the family, her younger brother being Tyler Forstrom. In her spare time,
Kylie enjoys drawing, singing, and Rainbow Loom. She is in her school chorus
and was in the school production and even had a solo! After school, Kylie en-
joys Karate and piano. She is currently a Junior Black Belt in Kempo Karate,
and will be performing her 3rd piano recital today. She has had a wonderful
time in her Foundations class this year, and would like to thank her teachers and parents for helping
her achieve her goals.
NOAH SLATER
Noah is a 7th grader at Shelton Intermediate School where he likes English
and History. He is a blue belt in Karate class and a tenderfoot in Boy
Scouts. Noah also likes to write fantasy novels, train his dog, Trigg, and
wants to learn German. He wants to be a writer and/or a lawyer.
A BIG THANK YOU to this year’s Foundations teachers — Bill Austin,
John Drummond and Kyle Lent.
give the unforgiveable?
When we chose and act according to our own finite resources, we are missing out on bringing
Christ to others in a way that only He can do, to His own praise and glory. Do we follow the same
God that took down Goliath through a yielded shepherd boy? Then let us live like it. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know…his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and author-ity, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked.” Ephesians 1:18-21
Pastor Cary
(Continued from page 1)
Page 2
2014 Foundations Graduates
Seeing God’s Power
The Sa lt Shaker
Volume 2014, Issue 6 Page 3
The Evangelical Covenant Church national annual meeting is June 26-28. The Gathering is a mix
of worship, celebration of ministry, welcoming new churches, ordaining and commissioning ministers
and missionaries, and together making decisions about our mission and ministry.
This year the Commission on Christian Action is bringing forward a resolution on immigration.
The role of the Commission is to write resolutions on public issues that challenge the church to
think, dialogue and respond biblically to societal issues.
Here is the introduction to their resolution on immigration:
In remembrance of our denomination’s history, at the 125th anniversary celebration of the Evan-
gelical Covenant Church in 2010 we affirmed that we began as an immigrant church and cele-
brated that today we continue to be an immigrant church. The early immigrants of the Covenant
Church faced profound challenges as they entered a new nation. These Covenant ancestors were
strengthened in their journey through faith in Jesus Christ, who
was no stranger to the experiences of immigrants.
We want to consider how both our history as an immigrant
church in an immigrant nation and our biblically rooted faith in
Jesus Christ may speak prophetically to our present context.
How does our history and common faith inform how we under-
stand the difficult and complex issues surrounding immigration?
How do we in the church engage the immigration conversation
distinctly as Christians? How do we resist the political ideolo-
gies, fear, and stereotypes that keep us from engaging in
thoughtful, informed dialogue?
This resolution is about reframing the conversation about immi-
gration, both within our churches and in our communities. It is
about helping us address issues of immigration from a Christian perspective as biblically in-
formed people. As the Covenant Resource Paper on Compassion, Mercy, and Justice reminds us,
the church must pursue God’s justice by asking, “How do we join God in making things right in our
broken world?”
After laying out the Biblical Foundation and the Immigration Reality, the document begins the call to respond thus:
As Christians we are called to be salt and light in the national discourse by imitating Christ’s
spirit of compassion and hospitality alongside an appropriate respect for the law. Our dialogue
on immigration should reflect that we are talking about human beings and families loved by God
and for whom Christ died. At its core, the immigration debate is about real people, many of
whom are members of our Covenant family—mothers, fathers, children, grandmothers, and
grandfathers, each with their own walk of faith and story to share.
The full resolution can be read here:
http://coveaston.org/#/about-us/evangelical-covenant
May we be salt and light together.
Resolution on Immigration
Page 4 The Sa lt Shaker
Treasurer’s Report
The financial results of the Unified Operating Fund for
the three months ended April 30, 2014 were as follows:
INCOME
Unified Receipts $162,872
Investment & Other Income 826
Total Income $163,698
EXPENSES $157,931
Excess of Income over Expenses $5,767
The four-months surplus is practically the same as the
three-months surplus reported last month; moreover, the
change was positive by $173. So far this year, Unified
Receipts have been running behind last year. But the gap
was narrowed by about $2,000 in April, to the point
where it is now only about $500. More importantly, the
weekly average Unified Receipts are behind the amount
required to fund the congregation-approved Financial
Plan by $6,137 at the end of April. At this stage of the
year, this is not a startling deficit; but as you all know
from managing your own personal finances, it is better to
keep up than fall behind. And particularly, it is impor-
tant to avoid falling too far behind. The Church needs
the support of everyone who benefits from its ministries
because it is the Unified Receipts that aid those minis-
tries to serve the congregation. So, please make sure
you are contributing regularly and substantially to keep
those ministries vital and prospering.
Finally, a word about expenses. The Financial Plan was
based on the assumption that we would have an Associate
Pastor on board for the entire year, which of course will
not be the case. Therein lies the major reason we are
showing a surplus. We will at some point engage an Asso-
ciate Pastor. This will in all probability require funding
equal to or greater than that called for in this year's Fi-
nancial Plan. Meeting this year's Plan will not only pre-
pare all of us for the future, but will also allow further
debt reduction if there is a surplus this year.
Bob Fiscus, Treasurer
Birthdays & Anniversaries
6/1 Judy Goyette
6/2 Christopher Sheridan
Trish & Jim Meyers
6/3 Phuong Heitz
6/5 Margo Cobaugh
6/6 Arne Gustavson
Dylan Meyer
6/7 Bill Croasmun
6/8 JoAnn & Dave Gibbs
6/10 Craig Carlson
John Drummond
Barbara Drummond
6/11 Joy & John Mulhall
6/12 Doug Pittera
Anthony Delfino
6/14 Jennifer Anderson
Gregory Fiscus
Lucas Delfino
6/15 Jesse Sharp
6/17 Dan Kellerman
Joe Sharp
Joseph Valente
6/19 Tim Herrmann
6/22 Madison Roman
Carolyn & Craig Carlson
6/23 Tom Wilber
Peter McDonald
Sharon Testa
6/24 Karen Rosa
Kelsey Otten
Ryan Mulhall
Antoinette & Frank DaCruz
6/26 Nancy & Steve Domyan
6/29 Bob Fiscus
Gail Lent
Elise Domyan
6/30 Robert Lingl
Ethan Lingl
Volume 2014, Issue 6
Be a part of the best week of
summer!
July 28 — August 1st!
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Join us in bringing the Gospel to the
community children & their fami-
lies. VBS has a place for teachers,
helpers, snack prep, games, crafts,
actors, set design/painting, deco-
rating, and registration.
If you and/or your children are in-
terested in more information or in
helping this year, please contact Ro-
seann Slater; especially Junior
Helpers (entering 7th grade & up).
We do have a limit to how many we
can take, and there will be a brief
“Junior Helper” training.
There will be a field trip to the Egyptian wing
of the Brooklyn Museum on Sunday, June 8th at
3 pm. Dr. Ron Choong will be our guide as we
explore our deep connections between ancient
Egypt and the Old Testament. There is limited
space, so sign up ASAP.
To register for the event, follow this
link: http://events.constantcontact.com/
r e g i s t e r / e v e n t ?
llr=8k8olmcab&oeidk=a07e9bf75tsb2356791
General admission into the museum is $12 for
adults and $8 for seniors and students. Dr.
Choong’s guided tour is free.
Page 5
Children’s Ministry
Discipleship Enrichment Opportunities
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2014 July 28—August 4 9 am to 12:15 pm Ages 4 thru entering 6th grade
We’re having our
Vacation Bible School
Staff Luncheon after
worship on Sunday,
June 22nd, 12:00 pm.
You’ll get a great lunch,
meet other volunteers, pick
up materials, and review epi-pen training. We’ll also go over
helpful information and tips for kids with special needs (such
as ADHD) to make VBS a more meaningful and positive ex-
perience for everyone. And there will be a craft project!
For more information contact Roseann Slater.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar with The
Global Leadership Summit which is Thursday
and Friday, August 14-15 at the new Black Rock
Congregational Church (3685 Black Rock Turn-
pike in Fairfield). Please contact Paul Veerman,
if you are interested. Here is a link to the
Global Leadership Summit website: https://
www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership/
This is one of the most outstanding confer-
ences for laymen and clergy in church leader-
ship in the country. It is so close to us; don’t
miss out on this special opportunity.
to have met so many wonderful people like the members of this church in the process of coordinating this program statewide. I could not have kept going for so many years without these incredible con-nections with you and others like you who care about the chil-dren as much as I do. I always re-ferred to you as angels and that is what you are. “We are proud that together we helped families cope with poverty where they felt stuck
in bondage and were living a life of despair, we gave the children hope, and together we were able to send a message to thousands of children that there are people who care about them. You lifted these
chi ldren and families’ hearts and, therefore, you lifted mine too.
“Thank you for your commit-ment to me for all the hours you gave to expand children’s horizons. I appreciate the re-lationship we formed .”
Charlene Skok received a
lovely note from Meral Prewit
who chose to retire from
Covenant To Care for Children
and the Adopt A Social
Worker Program after spend-
ing 20 years developing a suc-
cessful program to help thou-
sands of Connecticut children
increase their self-esteem and
improve their outlook on life.
In her note she said, “I could not have done this without connecting with a kindred spirit like yours who also wants to help children acquire their full potential and accomplish their dreams. I feel blessed
Last month Bob Merritt, our custodian for the past seven years, an-
nounced his retirement. Effective June 28, 2014, the position of
Church Custodian will become available.
If anyone is interested in the staff position of Church Custodian,
p l e as e con ta c t B ob F or s trom v i a h i s ema i l
([email protected]) or put a written note in his church
mailbox. Qualifications should be included.
Page 6
Covenant To Care for
Church Custodial Position Available
Thank you for your
commitment to me for all
the hours you gave to
expand children’s horizons.
The Sa lt Shaker
FREE Devotional Resources: www.kidsofintegrity.com
Great Activities & Articles from Thriving Family Magazine: www.thrivingfamily.com
Listen to FREE Adventures in Odyssey “Radio Shows”: www.whitsend.com
Parent Resources
Volume 2014, Issue 6 Page 7
High School Graduates
As the school year comes to an end, we spent this
last week at Senior High Youth Group to honor our
11 high school seniors. The soon to be graduates
and our youth volunteers had a celebratory dinner
together followed by a night of youth group where
seniors shared testimonies and words of wisdom to
their younger peers.
Blessings and congratulations to the class of 2014!
Kayla Brito, Cassandra Condon, Brett Gibbs, Jonny Hunter, Thomas Meyers, Nate Nobile, Tina Pane,
Katie Schuessler, Cory Sharp, Alexandra Stewart, Michelle Valente
College Graduates
We also celebrate the hard work and perseverance of our college graduates.
Kelsey Otten Associate Degree in Animal Science with a concentration in Veterinary Technology from the Univer-
sity of New Hampshire
Erika Michaels Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Southern Connecticut University
Erinn Michaels Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Southern Connecticut University
Jessica Zager Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy from SUNY Upstate Medical University
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 FOUNDATIONS
SUNDAY
9 am Sunday
School (all ages)
9 & 10:45 am
Worship
2 7:30 pm
Associate Pastor
Search
Committee
7:30 pm AA
3 5:30 pm King’s
Kids
7 pm Prayer
4 9 am 2 Outside
Groups
7 pm OASIS
7 pm Outside
Group
7:30 pm Choir
5 7:30 am Women’s
Life Group
7 pm JHAMS
7 pm Women’s
Life Group
7:30 pm Men’s
Group
6 10 am Joyful
Sisters
7 pm AA
7 6 am Men’s
Prayer
8 am Men’s
Breakfast
8 9 am Sunday
School (all ages)
9 & 10:45 am
Worship
9 7:30 pm
Associate Pastor
Search
Committee
7:30 pm AA
10 10 am CBS
Prayer
7 pm Prayer
11 9 am Outside
Group
7:30 pm Choir
12 7:30 am Women’s
Life Group
13 10 am Joyful
Sisters
7 pm AA
14 6 am Men’s
Prayer
9 & 10:45 am
Worship
12:15 pm
Worship Theatre
Arts
16 7:30 pm
Associate Pastor
Search
Committee
7:30 pm AA
17 SALT SHAKER DEADLINE 7 pm Prayer
18 9 am Outside
Group
3:30 pm Outside
Group
7:30 pm Choir
19 7:30 am Women’s
Life Group
20 10 am Joyful
Sisters
7 pm AA
21 6 am Men’s
Prayer
8:30 am Women’s
Breakfast
22 9 & 10:45 am
Worship
12:15 pm VBS
Staff Lunch
23 7:30 pm
Associate Pastor
Search
Committee
7:30 pm AA
24 10 am CBS
Prayer
7 pm Prayer
25 9 am Outside
Group
7:30 pm Choir
26 7:30 am Women’s
Life Group
27 10 am Joyful
Sisters
7 pm AA
28 6 am Men’s
Prayer
29 9 & 10:45 am
Worship
30 7:30 pm
Associate Pastor
Search
Committee
7:30 pm AA
Mike & Diana Ambrose, Bob Lindquist, Wiley Mullins at Covenant Annual Meeting
www.coveaston.org
Phone: 203.371.8335
Fax: 203.373.9025
Covenant Church of Easton
Rooted in Christ — Reaching Out to the World
1 Sport Hill Road
Easton, CT 06612
JUNE
June Worship TWO SERVICES EACH SUNDAY – 9:00 am and 10:45 am
June 4 FOUNDATIONS GRADUATION
Wisdom’s Dinner Invitation Pastor Cary
Proverbs 9 Holy Communion
June 8 HIDDEN IN THE PEWS — Hiding in Cash Pastor Cary
Romans 1:25; Philippians 3:7-8 Infant Baptism
June 15 FATHER’S DAY
HIDDEN IN THE PEWS — Hiding Our Hurts Pastor Cary
2 Corinthians 1:3-4; Psalm 46:1; Isaiah 53:5
Infant Baptism King’s Kids
June 22 MISSION SUNDAY
June 29 FINGERPRINTS OF GOD: Mystery Pastor Cary
1 Corinthians 2:1-10