Dear Covenant Kin
What a thing to celebrate! We have one of our Covenant Pilgrim’s returning home this Sunday. David and Shelly Campbell will be here with us, and David will be preaching and using the Beattitudes to reflect on his experience as a diplomat. It promises to be a wonderful Sunday.

BEFORE SUNDAY
Swing into Spring
Time to get your dancing shoes out again and come to the annual Swing Dance on April 13th! This year all donations will go to support Habitat for Humanity. We will start the evening by grilling hotdogs and hamburgers out on the patio at 5:30pm, followed by some basic dance lessons at 6:00 and then we'll get dancing to the music of Jeff and Russ Jolly's band at around 6:30. We hope that you can all make it, and invite some friends to join us in the fun and celebration!

ABOUT SUNDAY
Worship
The scripture will be Matthew 5:1-12. David Campbell's sermon is entitled, "Your Tax Dollars at Work--For Peace."

OTHER NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES
PW Salad Luncheon - Celebrating PW’s Birthday Saturday, April 27 11:30am in the large classroom Program by Barbara Hussey “Spring Birds of New Mexico.” Please bring a salad to share. Bread dessert and beverage will be provided. The national PW Birthday Offering will be taken. All ladies of the church are invited. Please sign up in Narthex.

NAMI Walk
NAMI - the National Alliance on Mental Illness - will be having its annual fundraising walk on Saturday, May 4. Please consider joining the Covenant team or sponsoring the team members by making a donation. Talk to Bert Dugan or Nicole Stansifer if you have any questions.
Visit http://www.nami.org/covenantpresbyterian for more information!

Adult Sunday School
The Adult Sunday school class continues at 8:45 in the CE wing with Feasting on the Word. This excellent curriculum takes one of the Lectionary texts for Sunday and looks at it from four different aspects.

Ushers and Greeters: An Opportunity to Serve! Learn more at a luncheon 11:30 immediately following the worship service on April 28th. Thinking of getting more involved with your church? Want to play a role that is central to the maintenance and growth of Covenant’s community? To learn more about the critical role that Greeters and Ushers play in the life of Covenant, join us for lunch and discussion on the 28th.

Brown Bag Bible Study
The weekly Lectionary Bible Study for women will continue to meet on Wednesday at noon. The Men's Brown Bag Bible Study has changed. In order to offer this opportunity to more people, a Bible study will be held at 6:00pm on Wednesdays and is open to all. We hope you can attend. Come ready to learn about the scriptures for the following Sunday.

Habitat for Humanity Workday- Saturday, April 27th
Due to a last-minute need, it is time once again to build a Presbyterian/Catholic Coalition house for Habitat for Humanity. Covenant is scheduled to provide workers for Saturday, April 27th. Work begins at 7:45 and ends around 3:00 but you can leave early if necessary. We will be framing the house since it is the first day of work and anyone who can swing a hammer is helpful. Please contact Tiffany at tlofinch@gmail.com or 688-5182 if you would like to volunteer.

MEDITATION
This Sunday, David will be preaching on the Beattitudes. Though the NRSV version that will be in your bulletin is great, I absolutely love The Message version by Eugene Peterson. Enjoy!

1 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down 2 and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said: 3 "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. 4 "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. 5 "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are - no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. 6 "You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat. 7 "You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'carefull,' you find yourselves cared for. 8 "You're blessed when you get your inside world - your mind and heart - put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. 9 "You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family. 10 "You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom. 11 "Not only that - count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. 12 You can be glad when that happens - give a cheer, even! - for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

Grace and Peace,
Seth