Since 2006, Saint Andrew Christian Church has had a “covenant group” system, which essentially is a mechanism to facilitate communication and foster closer ties among church members. It also functions as a way to insure that key internal tasks get accomplished, while reaching out, to a limited degree, to the Olathe and Kansas City area communities.

2013 Covenant Group Leaders
Brad & Kimi Henry and Jackie Henry
Eugenio & Jane Gonzalez and Cathy Thomas
Laura & Bruce Lucier
Jim & Pam Bramlett
Pat Neubauer & Shannon Mullican
Rich & Suzi Bumgarner and Lougene & Gary Marsh
Dave Winans & Kim Miles
Kathy Doyle
Jeff & Katie Searl
Darin & Brandy Seidel
Buck & Sherri Arnhold

2013 Pot Luck Schedule:

February 24:
• Gonzalez/Thomas, Room 202/203, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
• Henry/Henry, Friends Hall, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
• Bramlett, Friends Hall, 12:15-1:45 pm

March 3:
• Lucier, Room 202/203, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
• Doyle, Friends Hall, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
• Neubauer/Mullican, Friends Hall, 12:15-1:45 pm

March 10:
• Arnhold, Room 202/203, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
• Searl, Friends Hall, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
• Seidel, Room 202/203, 12:15-1:45 pm

March 17:
• Bumgarner/Marsh, Room 202/203, 10:45 am-12:15 pm
• Winans/Miles, Friends Hall, 10:45 am-12:15 pm


A closer look at some of the covenant group duties:

Sunday services — Each covenant group has responsibility for five or six Sunday or special occasion services, such as Good Friday and the three Christmas Eve services. this opportunity for ministry involves, among other things, carrying the elements to the front of church at the start of services, collecting the offering and distributing communion.

Uplift — Uplift is an all-volunteer, social service organization based in Kansas City, Mo. Founded in 1990, Uplift reaches out to homeless people by taking dinner to them wherever they are staying. Various organizations volunteer to provide meals. On the third Saturday of each month, Saint Andrew provides an adequate amount of a main dish to serve about 60 people. Two or three covenant group volunteers prepare two roaster ovens of food at the church kitchen, and someone then takes it to Uplift headquarters, 15th and Prospect, between 3:30 and 4:15 p.m. After the food has been transferred from our containers to theirs, Uplift volunteers take the food out to the homeless, including in parks and under bridges and overpasses. Saint Andrew volunteers do not go out with the Uplift volunteers, although Uplift certainly welcomes new volunteers to its program.

Center of Grace — On the second Wednesday of each month, covenant group volunteers help serve a “community meal” at the Center of Grace building, 520 S. Harrison, Olathe. Any and all who walk through the doors are served at no charge. Jeff Searl, a Saint Andrew member, has coordinated Saint Andrew's participation the last several years; he arranges most of the cooking.

The covenant group system has worked very well for Saint Andrew and has contributed to the dynamic spirit that pervades the church. One of the covenant groups’ most valuable contributions is cultivating a spirit of volunteerism and extending to all members opportunities to engage in internal and external ministries.

For more information contact:
Debbi Adams, Church Administrator, (913) 764-5888 or debbi@sacchome.org,
or Debra Johnson. 2013 Covenant Group Coordinator, 913-768-4429, dfjohnsondfj@sbcglobal.net.