CHICAGO, IL (January 5, 2018) — The COV Sparks downloadable discussion guide is now available for the January/February issue of The Covenant Companion. Based on articles from the current issue of the magazine, COV Sparks provides stimulating questions for Sunday-school classes, small-group discussions, and personal reflection.
Articles highlighted in this latest edition include:
“Tali’s Song,” by Linda Sladkey
From an abusive marriage in Iran to seeking refuge first in Turkey and then the United States, Tali Johnson never lost faith that God would deliver her. Learn more about Tali’s journey and how God is using her in Kansas to help refugees find housing, jobs, and community.
“Torn from Home,” a conversation with Chitra Hanstad and Cindy M. Wu
We asked two Covenanters who work and volunteer with refugee resettlement to help us understand the growing refugee crisis and how churches and individuals can respond. Chitra Hanstad is the executive director at World Relief Seattle, and Cindy M. Wu is a freelance writer and ECC Executive Board member based in Houston, Texas.
“Whatever Happened to Pietism?” by John E. Phelan Jr.
John E. Phelan Jr. dives into misconceptions about the Pietists and how pietism relates to the mission of the church to society. Taking us through a brief early history of the movement, Phelan tells how pietism lost its focus on advocating for the poor and oppressed and began looking to ways to protect its own position and power. All of this raises a sobering question: what kind of Pietists are we?
While the scope of the global refugee crisis may seem incomprehensible and the solutions beyond our reach, at the heart of it are individuals and families trying to survive. We’ve collected five stories of those who have sought refuge and those who have entered into their lives to offer help and support. Read on to better understand the trauma, tenacity, and hope in these stories.
