Dear Faith Covenant Family,

This Sunday, we invite you to bring forward your stewardship planning card as an offering of worship. We are so grateful for the many ways you already give of your time, talents, and treasure to further the Lord’s work among us and through us. In many cases, what you write on your card may reaffirm a commitment you’ve already made and allow you to offer that as a beautiful act of worship.

Each summer and fall, we give special attention to stewarding our time and talents as we prepare for a new ministry year. So this moment is not only about new commitments, but also about engaging in a practice that shapes us to see our whole lives through the lens of worshipful stewardship.

As we've been challenged recently by Jesus’ teachings in the Gospel of Luke, we’ve also been reminded of the role that financial stewardship plays in our discipleship and in our shared life together. Some of you may sense the Lord leading you to give financially for the first time or to take a step forward in your generosity. For others, this may be a season of need or uncertainty. Please know we are here to support one another on the journey. If financial help or coaching would be a blessing to you, we hope you’ll reach out.

As you consider your response, we simply ask that you prayerfully discern how God would have you give. As Scripture reminds us: “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.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

If you are unable to join us in worship this Sunday, you are welcome to bring your card to the church office during the week or mail it in at your convenience. Every response, given freely and cheerfully, is a gift to God and an encouragement to the body.

Our prayer is that this offering will be a joyful expression of worship to the God who has given us all things. On this Palm Sunday, may we sing His praises with glad hearts and bring our tangible gifts to our good and gracious King.

For His glory,
Pastor Nate

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. (From Immerse, Matthew, 318)

What do you do for a living? Can you imagine sitting at work one day, minding your own business—when a man walks by and recruits you so effectively that you leave your laptop or toolbox and go work for him on the spot?

That’s more or less how it went for Peter and Andrew. They were putting in a day’s work, attempting to support themselves and their families when Jesus walked by. Jesus called to them, suggesting they leave their nets, boats, and fish behind to join him.

And they did.

It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around this. Who will put food on the table? Who will pay the bills and care for their loved ones? Shouldn’t they run a decision like this by family and friends, maybe create a cost-benefit-analysis spreadsheet?

Maybe they did. Maybe this is the fifth time Jesus asked, and they were ready. But all we know is that they left their nets at once.

Soon James and John will do the same, and then still more. Soon a “great multitude” will be following Jesus—including you and me. But these one-time fishermen are the first.

May their trust in Jesus inspire our trust in God’s call, too.

-Catherine McNiel

Join us for an easter egg hunt, face painting, a magic show, crafts, bounce house, balloon creations, snacks, and more. Fun for the whole family!

The egg hunt will start at 10:15 am. 

Please help us welcome guests by parking outside our parking lot. You can park on the street (on the same side as the parsonage), and we have permission to park at the Northwestern Medical building. See the diagram!

We expect our parking lot to be full the next few weeks, especially on Easter Sunday, so please park away if you can.

Our denomination's annual meetings are coming up, and we need to send delegates from our church to represent us at these meetings. If you're a member of our church, you're eligible to be our delegate!

Central Conference Celebration: May 2-3 at Libertyville Covenant Church in Libertyville, IL.
Gather 2025 (ECC annual meeting): June 25-28 in Orlando, FL (can be an in-person or a virtual delegate; celebrating our denomination's 140th anniversary!)

If you're interested in being a delegate, contact Peter Smith.

Psalm Sunday: April 13 (Procession at 10:00 am)
Maundy Thursday: April 17, 6:30 pm (dinner at 5:30 pm)
Good Friday: April 18, 6:30 pm
Easter Sunday: April 20

*childcare provided on Thursday and Friday during worship

Don't you love the sight of kids running around with whole loaves of bread after church? We need your help to continue providing Panera bread each week!

Sign up to help pick up the bread donations HERE.
Sign up to help wrap/package the bread on Sundays HERE.

Our new key system is now live. Exterior doors and the nursery now use an electronic key system. All other interior doors have updated physical keys.

Access will be provided based on ministry roles, but don’t worry—our doors will still be open during services and events, and if you ever need special access, the office is happy to help. Our goal is to make church access simple, safe, and welcoming for everyone. If you need access the building, please plan ahead to request access; digital access does take a few steps to set up.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we make this transition! If you have any questions, please reach out—we’re here to help.

We invite you to journey together through Lent in the following ways:

1. Weekly Communion- Every Sunday in Lent, we will practice confession and observe Holy Communion together.
2. Fasting + Prayer- We are joining with other Covenant churches in our area in a corporate fast on Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. We will be praying especially for refugees and immigrants in DuPage County, as well as other prayer topics we will send to you each week. 
3. Wednesdays: Praise & Prayer + Soup Supper- light soup supper from 5:30-6:30 pm; service of praise and prayer from 6:30-7:15 pm in the sanctuary.
4. Almsgiving- We encourage you to adopt a charity or missionary to give an extra love offering to during each week in Lent.

We are looking for a regular, paid childcare worker for Sunday mornings during worship and could include helping with childcare during ESL classes on Wednesday nights. Maybe you know a neighbor who would be a good fit or have a friend who attends another church with a different worship time! Click on the job description below to learn more. Email questions and inquiries to Pastor Eliza, discipleship@faithecc.org.

Support World Relief as they navigate changes in their funding due to recent executive orders issued by our new administration. These changes impact both the critical services World Relief provides and those helping to provide these services.

Continue to keep their staff and clients in your prayers.

Current Class: Women Leaders of the Bible
Teacher: Jessica Johnson

4/13: Palm Sunday (no Sunday School)
4/20: Easter Sunday (no Sunday School)
4/27: Mary, Apostle to the Apostles

Let us know how we can be praying for you or how God has been answering prayers in your life by clicking on the link below!

Pray requests:

• Continue to pray for my friends, Aby and Hannah, and their financial and vocational worries. Pray they will know God is real. Also, pray as I discern whether God intends for me to pursue a PhD. While I wish to do research and be a professor, pursuing such a path would accept a life that could very likely be without financial or professional stability, as well as committing to a huge amount of stress and anxiety in the dissertation process (something I swore I would never pursue after the difficulty of my MA). - Jessica Johnson
• Please pray for my mother’s pancreatic cancer (Eleanor), and the physical and emotional stamina of my siblings as they provide care. - Marie Allison
• Thanks that I was accepted into the HNGR program. Prayers that I keep up the hard work of general school and don't fall behind or lose the little bit of motivation I have left. - Laelle Tuggy
• Please pray for my daughter-in-law, who is looking for a new job. The need is urgent. Thank you. - Pam Benda
• Praise that we got ENGAGED!!!  Also, that Jared and I would be patient with each other and family in wedding planning. - Elianna Tuggy
• Ease of wedding planning. - Jared Buechler
• Holy Week services! - Ray & Jane Hinsch
• I want to pray for Miss Ann and Angela. - Ashley Ryan

Continue to Pray for:

• Sally & Gary Hutchinson
• Ben Hayes & the Hayes Family (find updates on Ben's CARING BRIDGE page)
• John & Wendy Wilson

 Pray For Our BLESS people:
BLESS is the Covenant's approach to intentional prayer and evangelism. Listed below are names of people in your lives who you are praying would come to know Jesus this year. We are praying with you.

• Bruce
• John
• Spencer

Pray For Our Church Family:

• Kevin & Sarah Johnson; Alina, Lydia, & Naomi
• Sky & Virginia Johnston; Anderson & Elizabeth
• Brad & Lucy Kaspar; Adam, Becky, & Benji
• Kay Kerrins
• Carissa King
• Emily Langan
• John & Kerri Leff; Alicia

Pray For Our Missionaries/Ministries:

Robert Reed & Nancy Maldonado serve with Freedom in Christ to equip the church to transform the nations by providing discipleship training and resources to pastors and leaders in the local church. As Directors for Latin America they support country representatives, recruit and train people to open up new countries, promote connection between countries, provide ongoing training and spiritual formation for pastors and leaders in Latin America.

• Pray for travel to Colombia May 13-19 ( Leadership retreat in Medillin) then May 20-31 in Bogota (connecting with churches on Alpha) and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico June 24-30 (Setting Your Church Free).
• Pray for our daughter Sofia and fiancé Zeke as they anticipate their marriage in September.
• Pray for new family friends in Spain who are from Albania (nominal Muslim background).
• Pray for our need for additional support.

Send them a word of encouragement at roberto.reed@freedominchrist.org.

The Care and Prayer Ministry Team prays for all prayer requests submitted through the digital and paper Connect Cards.  If you have an urgent prayer need, you can email careteam@faithecc.org or call Team Leader Rita Christensen at 630-835-8737.

Week 12
Day 56 pp. 340-345 
Day 57 pp. 345-351 
Day 58 pp. 351-358 
Day 59 pp. 358-363 
Day 60 pp. 363-366 

Week 13
Day 61 pp. 367-371 
Day 62 pp. 371-377
Day 63 pp. 377-381 
Day 64 pp. 382-387 
Day 65 pp. 389-396 

Looking for the audiobook? Listen to this week's reading here: Immerse website, Spotify, or Apple Podcast.

April 9
Nate Luciano
Tracy Torgerson
April 11
Caleb Hayes
Sarah Johnson
Barb Olker

Wednesday (4/9)
Tiger Breakfast (7:00 am)
Lenten Fast & Prayer (11:00-1:00)
Soup Supper (5:30 pm)
Lenten Prayer Service (6:30 pm)
Choir Rehearsal (7:15 pm)

Sunday (4/13)
Morning Prayer (8:45 am)
Palm Sunday Processional (10:00 am)
Worship (10:30 am)
412 Youth (6:00 pm)

Wednesday (4/16)
Choir Rehearsal (7:15 pm)

Thursday (4/17)
Potluck (5:30 pm)
Maundy Thursday Service (6:30 pm)

Friday (4/18)
Good Friday Tenebrae Service (6:30 pm)

Sunday (4/20)
Morning Prayer (9:45 am)
Worship Service (10:30 am)

This week we continue our series Messiah with a sermon on Luke 19:28-40.

Sunday worship begins at 10:30 am. Join us in person or via live stream on Facebook or YouTube.

We have two assisted listening devices available at the sound booth every Sunday morning. Ask one of our sound booth volunteers if you would like to use one during worship!

The Community Board is a space for us to...

House Sitting: Hello Church family! We will be in Germany for the month of July, and we are looking for someone to stay in our home and take care of our cats while we are gone. Even if you have friends or family from out of town who would possibly want to come spend a beautiful month in Wheaton, they would be welcome! Our two cars will be available as well. Let me know if you are interested! Email Virginia Johnston, Virginiakeen@gmail.com.

-Selling or Donating a Car: My brother-in-law is currently studying at a seminary. Unfortunately, their family's minivan, which they relied on for daily transportation, has recently broken down beyond repair. They urgently need a vehicle to help manage everyday responsibilities, such as attending classes and running errands, but they have very limited funds. If you know anyone who has a vehicle they might be willing to sell or, even better, donate, please reach out to Pastor Zachs, outreach@faithecc.org or 331.236.0316. Your assistance would mean the world to them! Thank you! 

Ask to borrow items
Give stuff away that’s useful to someone else 
Announce an event 
Have something to contribute? Send it to the church office: office@faithecc.org