Covenant to Care

Helping Connecticut’s Children in Need
Covenant to Care is a statewide organization that acts as a bridge between State and private child protective service providers and organizations that want to make a difference in the lives of children. The Mission Committee of the Church Board has met with a representative of Covenant to Care and look forward to connecting with the
“Adopt A Social Worker” program. We would be linked with a social worker who will let us know how we can help children at risk by providing the material needs that help stabilize their living situations.

Opportunities To Serve
Want to get involved at church but don’t know how or where to start?
Consider this: Join the church clean-up crew.
It requires no special skills and people of all ages may participate! It’s a good way to meet others from church too! A group of four meet once a month from 9 a.m. to around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday’s. Please see Pat Ragsdale if interested in helping.
 

Exterior of the Church Building
We have made out standing progress this past year or so improving our church facility. Our next phase will focus on the exterior of the building and our property. We need financial help to get major projects done this summer. Please consider making a contribution to:
    - New stain for the outside of the church building
    - An attractive new fence to replace our hedges
    - Landscaping
 

Pastor's Corner
(February) Valentine’s Day – A Saint’s Day
Most of us don’t realize the origins of Valentine’s Day, a day when we give gifts and cards to our spouse, fiancée or someone we are dating.
You might be surprised to learn that February 14 was originally a Saint’s day in the Catholic church, celebrating a martyr, someone put to death for his faith.
Valentine was a priest and then a bishop during the third century when the Christian church was increasingly under persecution. Sometimes the authorities did not allow marriages to be blessed by the church. The story goes that Valentine continued to bless marriages and for that was arrested and brought before the Emperor Claudius. Claudius took a liking to Valentine and was prepared to spare him, until Valentine started sharing the gospel with the Emperor. That sealed his fate and he was put to death.
Valentine’s saint day began to be associated with romance because he died, in part, for his boldness in continuing to publicly bless marriages in Jesus’ name. In the middle ages it was commonly believed that birds chose their mates on February 14. That belief was turned by the poets of the time into a celebration of romantic love. That was when people began to write and give gifts to their beloved on Valentine’s Day.
Today people increasingly separate romantic love from the goal of a committed marriage relationship. As a result even romance itself is dying out in our “hook up” culture. But we as Christians can celebrate God’s gift of romance, given to us to lead to marriage. Faithful, committed love is what God rejoices over and blesses. That’s the truth Valentine died for.
                                                                                                                                                                                                -Pastor Joe Delahunt