A Gracious Notion Of a Gracious Nation

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Gathered from various faiths, We give thanks for our common dream: Homes and schools where children thrive, Neighborhoods that are safe and clean, Societies rich in colors and cultures, A beloved community where no one is expendable.

As we leave this place, we pledge: To realize this dream in our daily living, Turning our thoughts toward charity, Our hearts toward justice, and our hands toward the work of peace.

Shanti, shalom, salaam, amen. (Rev. Cynthia Rigali-Lund)

The New Trier Multifaith Alliance Interfaith Gratitude Service this past November 26 ended with us reading this response together. It moved me to tears, because it felt so good, so right. Thanksgiving seems to be the one time when we put down our spiritual weapons and come together and recognize each other as neighbors and friends. Suddenly, for just a moment, we are the same more than we are different, as evidenced by the dreams we speak about…learning, safety, diversity, inclusion, charity, justice, and peace. The whole gathering was wonderful. All are invited to read their sacred scriptures and share their sacred prayers. This year there was a Native American Blessing, a Jewish prayer cantored in Hebrew, a Buddhist reflection on Gratitude, reading and reflection from the Koran, and also the Baha i scripture, hymns and a combine choir, and we ended by speaking the common benediction you see above.

Did you know that what was originally called the Winnetka Interfaith Council was formed in 1967 at the impetus of our own beloved pastor Art Nelson? Nowadays there are 13 faith communities — Baha i, latter-day saints, Christians and Muslims “united in encouraging interfaith dialogue and communication, and joint participation in programs and service to the wider community.”

It seems to me that this kind of effort at living together in religious diversity is the American experiment’s core hope and idea. The first amendment…”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” It’s something we need to remember as the Christian community which is the strong majority from our nation’s founding, that the forming idea was not to be a Christian nation, but a nation, predominantly Christian, that would protect the rights of others coming from other parts of the world with other religious traditions. And the most beautiful idea of this is the possibility of living together in religiously diverse neighborhoods as friends, in peace.

It’s a beautiful idea that preaches to the religious fanatics in all our traditions that their hatred and violence is the opposite of the Divine’s will, which in all of the great world’s religion’s peace. Blessed peace. Neighborliness.

Over the last span of years some of us in our own Christian community have been working against this idea of the separation of church and state and religious freedom in our country. I speak here for the importance of holding onto the idea our forbearers had, and how important it is for us as the strong majority to respect and protect the safety of our neighbors who have found their way to God through a different narrative.

Yes, yes! We should have an open marketplace of ideas. Yes! Of course, we all understand our own tradition to be the way to God. Yes, it’s great to witness to the hope of our faith, and the Good News as we come to it. But as we do so, it must be with respect for our sisters and brothers who are convinced as we are, but from another stream. And yes, I deeply believe it is God’s hope for us to live as neighbors and in peace.

We need with humility to keep at this good work, because when we live this way with others, together we preach a good sermon about the spiritual possibilities of neighbor love.

Think and pray about it! And happy new year!

Peter Hawkinson

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

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Today’s blog post is written by Pastor Jen.

On January 24th, WCC will welcome a very special pair of guests for a weekend full of events at our church.

It’s hard to explain to you just how long this visit has been in the works, but it goes back more than five years, to when I joined a Sankofa trip for Covenant clergy at the end of August 2019. These trips are run several times each year, and are an amazing 72-hour experience packed full of learning, conversation, and visits to major sites in the Civil Rights movement in the American south.

Each trip features individuals matched with partners of the same gender but another racial or ethnic background. They sit together on a coach bus for hours of travel, filled with movie screenings and times for sharing with the group or in pairs, and in-between drives, stops at museums, historic sites, monuments, memorials, and for meals. They also share lodging together at hotels. As you might imagine, through the course of those hours, and all that information, and all those experiences, some real deep connections are made, and some emotional conversations are had.

I had an incredible partner, Rev. Nilwona Nowlin (who is part of the ministry team at our partner Kingdom Covenant Church), and in front of us sat Andy Larsen and his partner for the trip.

Throughout those few days, I heard Andy and his partner converse, and more than a few times Nilwona and I also talked with Andy. I was struck by his thoughtfulness, his non-anxious presence, his ability to remain centered and focused in some challenging conversations, and his commitment to this work of justice and mercy.

So when I learned that Andy also worked extensively in the realm of the Middle East, encouraging interfaith partnerships and connections, and creating dialogues around peacemaking, I knew that we needed him to visit us at WCC.

And indeed we did plan a visit, a wonderful weekend of events including a movie screening, Andy leading us in worship and more…for March 15, 2020. Just as we were settling into stay-at-home orders and COVID lockdowns.

Andy made it to Chicago and his hotel that week, only to receive a phone call from Covenant headquarters informing him that, as he had traveled from a COVID hotspot, he had to turn right around and go home.

It was the right choice at the time, and that was that. But early in 2024, Andy saw a Facebook memory pop up about his would-have-been trip to WCC, and reached out to me.

Should we try again? he asked.

The truth is, conversations about peace and interfaith partnerships in the Middle East are always difficult, but perhaps even more difficult right now. And so they are especially necessary right now.

I am thrilled to tell you that Andy is coming from January 24-26 for a full weekend of events with us, slightly different than what we planned five years ago but just as important and impactful. And even better, he is bringing his wife Cari with him, who also has many years of experience in this region of the world and an important perspective to share.

The full schedule is below, but even before their visit, we will start the conversation.

This coming Sunday, January 5th, and the following week, the Adult Sunday School class will view a documentary film about Andy’s work, called “Blessed Are the Peacemakers.”

We will learn more about this region of the world and Andy’s heart for it, for its people, and for the difficult work of peacemaking there. We will discuss some of our own perspectives and opinions. My hope is that we will prepare ourselves well for diving in with Andy and Cari when they come a couple of weeks later.

If you can’t join us, please consider watching the video on your own time. Even if you can join us, you might also check out “Make Hummus Not Walls,” also available on Andy’s Vimeo acount. And take a look at this blog post which Andy wrote recently, encapsulating some more important ideas that will be part of our Saturday evening dinner program.

I hope you’ll join us, with an open mind and a curious heart. I hope you’ll bring a friend. And I hope we might all come out of this time with a renewed commitment to doing justice, loving mercy, walking humbly, and seeking peace.

yours,

Pastor Jen

Rev. Dr. Andrew and Cari Larsen visit! January 24-26, 2025

Andrew Larsen and Cari Conklin-Larsen of Peace Catalyst International will be coming to WCC for a special weekend of programming. Rescheduled from 2020, their visit is a long-anticipated opportunity for dialogue about Christian peacemaking with a focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and interfaith engagement. Andy is an ordained Covenant pastor with over 25 years of ministry in the Covenant including work with Serve Globally, while Cari has worked extensively with the Syrian refugee community and in Israel-Palestine in addition to her day job in IT. You can learn more about them at https://www.peacecatalyst.org/larsens

Please mark your calendars and join us!

Friday morning – visit to a local Islamic worship center for prayer service

Friday evening – movie screening and discussion (dinner will be provided)

Saturday evening – peace feast at a local restaurant (a family-friendly event) 

Sunday morning – Andrew leads our adult Sunday School class and preaches in worship

This program is made possible by use of memorial funds. Donations will be accepted for our dinner programming, if you feel so inclined. 

Christmas World

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Howard Thurman, the twentieth century author, theologian and civil rights activist, wrote a little poem that hits and sticks with you. It’s a reminder that the coming of Christ might be, could be, is supposed to be the coming of a whole new world, shaped by the Kingdom of God. Enjoy, be inspired and challenged:

THE WORK OF CHRISTMAS

When the song of the angel is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among the people, to make music in the heart.

Love For the Church

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Finishing with a Flourish! With two weeks to go until year’s end, our giving goal is 107,000. TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT! Please give as you can, with a flourish. Thank you!

As we contemplate and pray about how we can come together to meet this goal, here is a word my father, James Hawkinson wrote for The California Covenanter November 25, 1965, 59 years ago. Though a bit archaic in some of its imagery and language, it speaks eloquently to the challenges and opportunities before us in these our days:

I Stand By My Church

We are hearing a lot these days about the failure of the church. Some say it is doomed to die, because God is dead. Others predict its demise because of its lack of “relevance” to the modern day, whatever that means. Still others see the church as a great waste of time, energy, and money, the type of thing an “intelligent” person no longer has need for in our kind of world. Such people are not so much against the church. They are simply ignoring it. It is no longer important to them one way or the other, no longer a thing to be reckoned with.

We dare no longer pretend that such voices are few and far between. One can hear them everywhere, even when there is no speech. The silent turning away of the multitudes from real and specific commitment is its own eloquent witness to their feelings about the church and its worth.

We are near enough to the roots of our own heritage as Protestants to realize, almost instinctively, the danger of closing our ears to all this. We cannot afford to be caught napping, nor do we want to be found defending something which God himself may have rejected. There is always a danger in being oblivious to constructive criticism. God may well be speaking to us now!

Yet, because of the pressure– and perhaps at least in measure because of our own sense of inferiority — we are much too prone to lie down before it all and cry, rather hopelessly, “Well, maybe they are right; we had best be careful; maybe we’ve been too sure; after all, who are we?”

Thus the corrosion grows, fed by fear–like heat shed from a fire already begun. Our mouths are stopped by the roaring flames, and we retreat to wait and hope against hope for better days. Perhaps God himself will intervene. Soon it is no longer the Church in general that is questioned–that we could stand without too much strain–but our church and our faith and our ways.

Everyone has a word to add–more fuel for the fire– and each new spokesperson is sure beyond doubt that his or her word will settle the issue. Has not God himself sent them? The old church staggers, but surely not only from crumbling mortar. We kick it and beat it and salt its wounds while the skeptics laugh in derision and unnerved friends chip away at the foundations.

Will no one stand to defend my church? Will all her friends be silent? Is criticism all we shall hear? Is none being redeemed? Are none being nurtured? Is there death only at the heart, and not life? Where are the patriot’s voices? Where are the friends?

I will be a fool! I love her, the Church. I love my church. I love her institutions, though I am not unaware of their faults. I love her worship. I am revived daily by her quiet, yet constant fellowship. I love her hymns, and the Word she proclaims. I treasure her celebrations of the sacraments. I honor her teachers. I salute her servants. I stand behind her leaders. I laud her achievements and I love her aspirins.

She shall be judged, of course, and in many things found wanting. I know that, and I reserve the right o judge her. She needs to be judged, and so do I! But we have been promised that not even the gates of hell will prevail against her, because she belongs to Christ and was built from the very beginning on that foundation. She cannot be destroyed–from without or within–by us. We do not have the power to destroy her. Her parentage is divine and her foundations are secure. If the Lord tears her down it will only be to build something greater. We must be ready for that.

Yet for now, in this climate of unrest, when she suffers so much from friend and foe a like, let me raise her a song from the heart. I stand gladly in her battlements. I participate joyfully in her wider ministry, and in the seeking with her of that renewal we all so sorely need.

While many cry out the news of her death, let me hail; her life. For I believe in her and love her, and will stay by her with joy until the end.

Locating God’s Presence in The Bitter Cold

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“…Winter warmth and light, and a shady place in summer, he’s ever over me.” (Covenant Hymnal, #428)

I just love that contemporary Bob Stromberg hymn, which I found myself singing on the way to the dentist on this bitterly cold Thursday morning. It’s based on Psalm 121 and sings about the presence and nearness of God. It is definitely the right day to find Winter warmth somewhere…winter warmth and shade in summer heat speak of comfort and safety, of an awareness of God’s presence in the best moments of life.

But what about in the bitter cold or the seething heat, both of which we know so well in the American Midwest? And what about days, weeks, seasons and even years of our lives that we would locate weather-wise in bitter, brutal cold, the kind that’s completely devoid of any warmth? Is there a verse for that that says God is nearby? Maybe this:

“…Bitter cold and dark, when the warmth is gone from comfort, He’s ever over me.” Is it true?

Today I want to ponder this, and celebrate God’s near presence and comfort, even when (and maybe especially when) life is tumbling in. Psalm 121 in fact begins by asking for God’s comfort and help, indicating that the day has its troubles and sorrows, that the writer is feeling isolated and alone: “I lift up my eyes to the hills–from where will my help come?” and the writer’s answer is that the Living God, the One who made heaven and earth guides my feet (keeps them from slipping), never sleeps so that I can rest. The Lord is with me, as close as the shade my body causes in the sun, keeping me, holding me, traveling with me through life in all the comings and goings of this lifetime and forevermore, after my life is over.

None of these wonderful promises are constrained by sickness, anxiety, addictions, loneliness, tragedy, grief, or any of the other common life struggles that sooner or later come to us all. When there’s no sun to cause shade leaving you trusting and feeling God’s close presence, when you feel pretty much completely alone or forgotten, just read Psalm 121 and see if you aren’t greatly comforted to sink into God’s presence. Even on a bitter cold day, with a little imagination, we can find a new image….The Lord is as close as the breath I can see in this cold…this helps those of us who live far from the equator and the middle east, here where extreme weather controls the landscape of the land, and gives us a real picture of real life God is near — present and active to bless and keep us whether its a moment of soothing warmth in the cold, or calming cool in the heat, or a moment more like a polar vortex or a heat dome.

…”Bitter cold and dark, when the warmth is gone from comfort, He’s ever over me…” This is our faith, which sustains us.

Thanks be to God!

Peter Hawkinson

The Often “I’m Sorry!”

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The other day I found out I had hurt a good friend. The truth is that despite best attempts these days come often. Well do I know that my sin is ever before me, if and when I’m willing to be honest.

It was not an intentional wounding — but the more common “I thought one thing and my friend the other.” My assumptions about how they were feeling and what they were thinking were wrong. Communication, or lack of it, was a central culprit. It leaves me aware of the poignancy of the words we often pray, “Forgive us for what we have done, and for what we have left undone…” and these good words not only to say to the Almighty but to each other.

I am so grateful for the honest expression of hurt and disappointment that came my way. As hard as it is to hear, if not expressed I would have never known how they were feeling. The honest feelings shared were an act of caring, because they invited and made space for me to share regret, and apologize with a hope for healing, and of course to hopefully reflect and learn how to be and do better.

My most recent experience reminds me of the incredibly complex nature of our human relationships, both so beautiful and also sometimes filled with pain, and how valuable it can be to understand how normative apologies need to come and regrets be shared. These strains with those we love are not rare, but common, and a normal part of life’s journey. When I have premarital conversations with couples, I often talk about the need to say “I love you” often to each other and just as much and important is “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you” because any long term relationship depends on such tender words shared, meant, and received. This would be “The Often ‘I’m Sorry!'”

I’m left with two thoughts. The first is how critically important it is to value our relationships enough to share with honesty our hurt when we are feeling and experiencing this. This is the trigger for renewal and healing. It’s risky, yes, also carries the potential for more distance if it’s unable to be received with humility — but we need to trust that in loving relationships, there will be a response of sorrow, regret and desire to renew relationship. I say thanks again to my dear friend who risked sharing honest hurt rather than just holding onto it.

The second thought is that honesty and regret are spiritual practices of the highest kind, in and through which we act out the love of Jesus for one another. Jesus, who said, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 14:34). In this season of advent, as we are trying to figure out what it means to prepare for the coming of Christ, what it means to be actively waiting for the One who once came to come again, it seems our central spiritual practice which acts out the gospel is working on the reconciliation of our relationships. And maybe this work is more constant than it is rare.

Hence, the often, “I’m sorry!”. When these words are shared and received, Christ in fact makes an appearance in our world after all.

Love From Here

Peter Hawkinson

Advent Time

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And so a new church year begins with the first of advent, as the lighting of a single candle speaks even in the gathering winter darkness of God’s new, creative intervention into our human reality:

“The days are surely coming”, says the Lord, “when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah…” (Jeremiah 33:14)

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, bids the people to get ready, to watch and wait with longing for the coming of something, no someone new who will spring up like a shoot from a stump, unexpectedly and all of a sudden.

We are always reminded on the first Sunday of advent that WE are in deed advent people, actively waiting, hopefully with a growing longing, for Christ Jesus, who once came, to come again from heaven to earth. The early church had a simple, three part creed: Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. We are living between the second and third proclamation, in an advent time, a pregnant time. This is easy for us to lose sight of because it’s been so long, even easy for us to lose hope in, because it’s been so long.

But we shall together find strength to keep waiting with hope, and eager anticipation of Jesus’ coming again in great power and glory. Whether that will take place before we travel on or not, the promise is that we shall in one way or another see Jesus face to face. As the old gospel hymn says it, “What a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus, we’ll single and shout the victory!” (Hymnal, 755).

I was reminded about an hour ago of what it means to live with an eager longing for that moment to come. Visiting with Reuben and Marji Hanson in difficult days, excruciating days really of Reuben’s diminishing health, we got to talking about the future, which is therapeutically rich for those abiding in God’s promises. Marji asked Reuben what he thought heaven would be like, and after a brief time he found his words and said, “Well, better than Chicago!” and we laughed together, and then I asked him what he will say to Jesus when he sees him, finally. Reuben sat for a minute, emerged from his fog, and with tender emotion said, as if he was already seeing Him, “How I love you!” A holy moment for us all as Reuben grounded us in our faith as he has done so many times before.

The Invitations

This coming Sunday, December 1, at 10:30 you are invited to come with this kind of passion and longing to worship God and share in the Lord’s supper. We will sing the familiar O Come, O Come Emmanuel (120) and the not too familiar but equally powerful Hide Not Your Face (769) hymn gives us this haunting, repeated refrain in questioning form: Blessed Redeemer, my Savior and Comforter, are you coming soon? Are you coming soon?

And in our hoping, in the meantime, we’ll come and commune with Christ at the table.

Before this, join us at 9:30 for an Advent Hymn Study, led by our own Royce Eckhardt and Tom Tropp. Together we will learn about the history of Advent’s short, special season, and the theology that informs it’s hymnody. We will read the holy stories of scripture and sing the hymns that the Church through history has created for Advent’s unfolding. As the season goes on, Christmas carols will find their way in too!

Advent is upon us. How blessed we are!

Peter

Thanks! and Join Us!

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The Thanks!

To our Church Community,

I wish to say a heartfelt “thank you” for your continuing care for our family. A cancer diagnosis and treatment is frightening and mysterious. I now understand what it is like to be on the receiving end of so many prayers, cards, calls, and visits. All of you lifted us up during this time. God was with us, and I felt Jesus’ presence with me each day. My wonderful husband, Dan was a rock and never failed to help. (Caregivers suffer, too.)

I hoped to come up with something more profound, as “thank you all” doesn’t seem sufficient. We have had difficult years lately in our family and you all have been there for us every day. You have given us hope and support. I am not completely back to my former energy, but am heading in the right direction. I have appreciated the service streaming very much, but It is wonderful to come back to church and worship together.

We feel so blessed to be a part of Winnetka Covenant Church.

We love you all!
The Gingrich family — Mary, Dan, and Dawn

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The “Join Us!“

WCC Centennial Committee Forming!

Winnetka Covenant Church will be celebrating its 100th year of ministry in 2027! We are excited to plan a number of events throughout the year to remember, celebrate, and look to a hopeful future.

We’re excited about youth group and choir reunions, former pastors returning, maybe a summer picnic or a fall banquet, the creation of historical displays that tell our story, and many other ideas.

Would you consider joining this committee? We will begin our planning work in the winter and spring of 2025. Simply indicate your interest by contacting one of us, or consider a “yes” when we reach out to you!

God has blessed us richly. Let’s get ready to celebrate!

Val Hausman – vhausman@glenview34.org
Peter Hawkinson – petehawk@winnetkacovenant.org
Denise Johnson – nise.a.johnson@gmail.com
Kim Steiner – krsteiner1@gmail.com

Joyful Living, Generous Giving

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(our guest blogger this week is John Wallgren)

This Sunday, November 17th, is commitment Sunday when we as a congregation will come together to express our gratitude for all God is doing in our midst and present our pledge cards and gifts to God as an act of worship. Celebrating God’s abundance and grace is a defining quality of our church identity. Thank you for your generous and consistent giving as well as using your talents for service on boards and committees and ministries of the church. 

Our stewardship theme for this year is Joyful Living, Generous Giving with a focus on this scripture passage:

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Stewardship—A Way of Life

While our pledging and the giving of money is important to the mission of the church, it is just one element of Stewardship. Real and complete Stewardship is a “way of life” and is based on the fact that all that we have and all that we are comes from God. We commit ourselves to stewardship as a way of thanking God for all His blessings, returning to Him a portion of the time, talent, and treasure he has given to us.

Looking at each of these three elements of Stewardship:

TIME. Regarding time, each week, we choose what will be done with the 168 hours we have available to us. Good stewardship of time means we will share some of that time with God in prayer, praise and thanksgiving, and some time caring for the needs of others. There are many opportunities here at Winnetka Covenant to share the gift of time: being present on Sundays and Wednesday nights, and at bible and book groups as well as special events and many other opportunities to just be present. Spending more of our time in these ways not only will we be blessed, but we will BE a blessing to others!

TALENT. Every person has a flair for something. Good stewardship of talent means we identify our talents and use them to glorify God and to help other people. Opportunities for using the gifts of talent at Winnetka Covenant include: boards & committees; (be open and prayerful when someone from the Nominating Committee contacts you about an opportunity to serve); teaching and working with kids; Choir, bells and other music ministries. (You don’t even have to read music. I have been faking it for over 40 years!); also, special ministries such as Family Promise and our support of immigrant families—check the bulletin for many other opportunities.

TREASURE. Regarding our giving of treasure, throughout scripture, we are taught to give God our “first fruits” or the “choicest portion”.  We might say in modern speech that the first “line item” in the family budget should be returning a portion of our income to God. Both symbolically and this is a powerful expression of God’s place in our life.

With the understanding that each of us are in different places in our lives and in our spiritual journeys, we ask you to take some time to think boldly about how you want to respond to God’s call in your life and in advancing our marvelous ministry. 

We look forward to coming together this Sunday to celebrate and present our pledges and gifts to God.

Joyful Living, Generous Giving

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(our guest blogger this week is John Wallgren)

November is the time when we as a congregation express our gratitude for all God is doing in our midst and prayerfully discern our commitment as we look ahead to 2025. Celebrating God’s abundance and grace is a defining quality of our church identity. We thank each of you for supporting Winnetka Covenant with your financial gifts. Every contribution serves to sustain the breadth, health, and future of this ministry.

Our stewardship theme for this year is Joyful Living, Generous Giving with a focus on this scripture passage:

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Each one of us is an important part of the body as we work together to provide life-changing ministry. Supporting the church’s ministries through prayers, presence, gifts, and service is integral to our growth as disciples of Jesus Christ. God accepts each of us where we are, then challenges us to grow. As we continue to grow in our faith, we can experience joyful living, then generous giving becomes a joy rather than an obligation. Each of us is at a different point in our spiritual journey. We ask you to examine where you are in response to God’s call to be part of this exciting ministry!

Giving and pledging. Like prayer, scripture reading, fasting, and dedication to service, the practice of giving regularly and intentionally helps us grow in faith and mature spiritually. It serves as a continual reminder of God’s claim on our lives. It requires us to put our own needs and wants into proper perspective, to set aside our own interests for the sake of God and others. Generosity is a tool God uses to shape our hearts. And through the spiritual discipline of giving, our hearts become one with God’s heart and our faith grows. Pledging helps us embrace the spiritual discipline of regular, faithful giving.

Pledging helps us grow in generosity. In their major study of the giving habits of American Christians, sociologists Christian Smith and Michael Emerson found that in every denomination studied those who filled out pledge cards contributed significantly more money that those who did not. Their evidence led them to conclude that the process of annual planning, deciding, and pledging as a structured means of regular, deliberate, and consistent financial giving itself influences giving to higher levels.

A pledge is a promise between us and God. Some people are afraid of making pledges because they fear being unable to fulfill them. But it’s important to remember that neither a pledge nor an estimate of giving is a legally binding contract. A pledge is a promise between the giver and God shared with the church for the purpose of being more faithful, accountable, and generous. A pledge can be modified if someone’s circumstances change.


November 17th is Stewardship Commitment Sunday, and we ask that you prayerfully consider what your financial giving to Winnetka Covenant Church will be for the coming year (January 1 to December 31) – a decision God alone guides you to make. You will be receiving a letter and pledge card and we hope it will help you to develop a specific plan for giving to God and that you will join your fellow members and friends by presenting your pledge card to God as an act of worship on November 17th.