Features
From Here to There to Everywhere
How we understand mission forms how we learn to listen to one another. Drawing on lived experience and Scripture, Grace Shim reframes mission as a shared movement from everywhere to everywhere—inviting humility, openness, and a willingness to be changed as we join God’s work together.
When the Rubber Meets the Road
When loving others comes at a real cost, what does faith require? Rev. Dominique Gilliard reflects on discipleship, parenting, and the hard work of practicing Christ’s countercultural love when the rubber meets the road.
Honoring Black Covenant Authors
In honor of Black History Month, The Companion presents the following list of published Covenant authors of African American descent, highlighting both their localized ministry impact and their literary influence on the Covenant church as a whole.
Nothing Is Wasted in the Kingdom of God
Serving as global personnel in northern Germany, Stephanie Voland shares a testimony of healing after a lymphoma diagnosis in early 2024. With winter as her backdrop, she reflects on God’s sustaining presence, the gift of rest, and the promise that nothing is wasted in God’s kingdom.
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Cheryl Lynn Alexander-Bermúdez examines how power shapes Christian mission—from how it forms us internally to how it operates in relationships and institutions—and invites deeper discernment so mission moves toward shared flourishing rather than harm.
Choosing a Lane: Education and Justice in the Covenant
After touring Capital Preparatory Charter School in the Bronx during the Covenant Justice Conference, Jelani Greenidge explores education through the lens of justice, gathering reflections from Covenant educators on the many “lanes” families navigate in pursuit of thriving students.
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Midwinter 2026: Showing Up for One Another
News
Biking for Congo Reaches $50,000 Goal for Healthcare
The Paul Carlson Partnership celebrates reaching its $50,000 goal through the 2025 Biking for Congo Challenge. Riders and supporters across the country helped expand access to healthcare, clean water, and essential medicine for families in DR Congo.
Midwinter 2026: Showing Up for One Another
Last week Covenant leaders gathered in Chicago for the Midwinter Conference, focused on the theme “One Another” to explore biblical teachings on loving, encouraging, and serving one another in times of uncertainty.
Let the Children Come
For more than twenty-five years, Steve Burger helped the Covenant welcome children and families, reminding the church that children are not just the future—but full participants in the life of the Spirit today.
Moving Toward Jesus Together
In Manhattan, Kansas, a new church community is taking shape around worship, prayer, and neighborhood connection, learning together what it means to move toward Jesus in everyday life.
Cov Doings: Milestones and Movements
“Cov Doings” highlights snapshots of life across the Covenant—stories of ministry, creativity, and connection that show how God is at work among us. Each update offers a glimpse of the many ways Covenant people live out their faith in the world.
Refugee Crisis Deepens Across East Africa Amid Aid Cuts
Covenant partners report reduced rations and services in refugee camps as international aid declines, even as people continue to arrive from the DRC and South Sudan. Learn what partners are doing to support resilience and advocate for policy change.
Announcements
Swanson-Draheim Nominated for Second Term
Tammy Swanson-Draheim has been nominated to a second term as president of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
President’s Letter to Church Annual Meetings
Local Covenant churches may download the Congregational Annual Meeting Letter from President Tammy Swanson-Draheim.
Pat Stark Joins Serve Locally as Director of Church Planting
Rev. Pat Stark joined the denominational team of the Evangelical Covenant Church in the role of director of church planting.
Fil Nesta Joins Serve Locally as Director of Bilingual Churches
Serve Locally announced that Rev. Fil Nesta will join the denominational team as director of bilingual churches.
David Boggs Named New President of Covenant Initiatives for Care
Covenant Ministries of Benevolence announced that David Boggs has been named the new president of Covenant Initiatives for Care.
Carlos Ortiz Called as New President of CHET
The CHET Board of Directors announced that Rev. Carlos Ortiz has been called to serve as the next president of the Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos (CHET).
Commentary
Basement Therapy
Dana Bowman brings us into the cluttered basement of a difficult season, where job loss, anxiety, and overwhelm collide. Through dust, spiders, and a rediscovered telescope, she traces how small acts of courage can open space for hope when answers are still unfolding.
Handshakes and Shovels
A brief exchange in 118°F Yuma highlights the value of labor. Mike Guerrero, retired Covenant pastor, reminds us that dignity can begin when we learn someone’s name.
Confession as Formation and Proclamation
Could authentic confession be the key to effective evangelism? Discover how embracing vulnerability and truth-telling can transform the church’s witness to the world.
This Little Light of Mine
A small act of kindness, like greeting a stranger, can shine Christ’s light and transform ordinary encounters into moments of grace.
I’m Pretty Sure the Church Isn’t Allergic to Turkey
A childhood belief about being allergic to turkey leads to a deeper reflection on healing within the church.
Do What You Can
Preach the gospel by doing what you can and trust God to make it sufficient and maybe even extraordinary.
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From Here to There to Everywhere
Arts & Culture
Film as Formation
Winnetka Covenant church hosted a screening of All We Carry, sparking conversation and action. After a Q&A with director Cady Voge, attendees supported Exodus World Service and IPE Albany Park, walking alongside neighbors seeking asylum.
The State of Christian Music: Where Do We Go from Here?
In this final installment, Jelani Greenidge names the tensions in Christian music and offers practical steps for listeners, worship leaders, artists, pastors, and students to engage with curiosity, widen their musical diet, and worship beyond Sunday.
What Makes a Church Safe for Women?
Eliza Stiles reviews Safe Church, by Dr. Andrew J. Bauman, a research-driven guide that centers women’s voices, calls men to responsibility, and offers practical steps for churches pursuing safety, accountability, and healing.
The State of Christian Music: Are We Asking Too Much of Our Musicians?
Music has always shaped church culture. Jelani Greenidge considers how music shapes our faith communities and how we might move toward worship that is Spirit-led and life-giving.
Sad Dad Music
This reflection on Psalm 13 and Bon Iver’s latest album explores how sorrow, cried out to God, can become one of faith’s most honest forms—and the ground where hope begins to grow.
The State of Christian Music: Is It a Real Thing?
What makes any music “Christian”? This piece questions the label itself, exploring how faith, culture, and commerce shape what we hear—and why it may be time to rethink our understanding of the genre.
In Memoriam
Stephen Staurseth
Retired Covenant pastor Stephen Staurseth passed away in Chicago, Illinois, on December 8, 2025. He was 91.
Bernard L. Windmiller
Retired Covenant chaplain Bernard L. Windmiller died December 17, 2025, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was 93.
John Weborg
Rev. Dr. C. John Weborg, emeritus professor of theology at North Park Theological Seminary and a formative voice in Covenant theology, passed away on Saturday, December 13, 2025, in Walnut, Illinois. He was 88.
Marion Sustad
Marion Sustad, spouse of the late Covenant minister Orville Sustad, passed away in Westminster, Colorado, on November 16, 2025. She was 99.
Robert Dvorak
Retired Covenant pastor Robert Dvorak, former superintendent of the East Coast Conference, died November 16, 2025, at Covenant Living of Keene, New Hampshire. He was 86.
Lois Palmquist
Lois Palmquist, spouse of the late Rev. Roger Palmquist, passed away in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on November 5, 2025. She was 96.
Reynold Samundsen
Retired Covenant pastor Reynold Samundsen passed away in Batavia, Illinois, on October 26, 2025. He was 88.
Paul R Swanson
Retired Covenant pastor Paul R. Swanson passed away in Golden Valley, Minnesota, on October 23, 2025. He was 91.
Love the Cov
Podcast
Sitting Down with Dany Flores and Metzli Doles
In this episode of Love the Cov, Dany Flores and her daughter Metzli share their intergenerational partnership in ministry, reflecting on how their shared commitment to faith, family, and justice shapes their lives and work.
Sitting Down with Harold Spooner and Peter Sjoblom
In episode 4, Harold Spooner and Peter Sjoblom share their journeys in urban ministry and racial reconciliation within the Covenant, reflecting on leadership, justice, and the legacy they hope to leave for future generations.
Sitting Down with Henry and Jelani Greenidge
In episode 3, Jim Sequeira speaks with Henry and Jelani Greenidge about Henry’s pioneering work in planting a truly multiethnic church back in 1988, Jelani’s experiences growing up in that diverse congregation, and their reflections on the state of the multiethnic church today.
