A. We are located on the top, or 3rd floor of the Ben Burr Building, just south of the intersection of 57th and Regal (behind Albertson’s).
Our address is 5915 S. Regal, Ste. 302, Spokane WA 99223.
Our phone number is (509) 448-1311.
Q. When is your worship service, adult discussion and office hours?
A. Our worship service begins at 11:00 a.m. and is approximately one hour.
Our adult discussion is from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings.
Our office is open Monday through Friday 9:00 - 12:30.
Q. What are Covenant Christian Church’s Core Values?
A. Our core values are…
Love – the universal gift, given freely by our Lord to share with the world
Community – the way to experience sharing the love and grace of God with each other in daily living
Faith Journey – Our own unique path to travel through this life
Creativity – how we honor and emulate God using the gifts given each one of us
Justice – creating God’s Kingdom on earth, honoring the least among us
Q. What can I expect to see at your Worship Service?
A. The worship experience will engage you from the welcome through the end, beginning with a multi-sensory experience designed to complement the theme for the service. The opening songs culminate with a “centering song,” preparing us to hear our Creator more clearly during the service.
The Call to Worship and the Opening Prayer/Lord’s Prayer guides the worshipper deeper into the shared experience with God. The Children’s Conversation, led by the Pastor, brings the scripture message and theme to the children’s level, so they feel a part of the worship experience. We all have the opportunity to learn from their perspective!
A very important part of the service is the Joys and Concerns, a time when we share the prayers of the church. Individual written prayer requests are collectively sent to God, woven together beautifully by Pastor Redhawk.
Reading of the scripture is followed by the Pastor’s message on the Word of God, made relevant to our lives today as we wrestle with how best to do God’s will. Sermons provoke thought and keep participants discussing the message during the week. Each Sunday we return a portion of our abundance to God’s work through our offerings, dedicated with prayer.
Central to the experience of worship is the weekly celebration of Communion. This is an important Disciples of Christ tradition. This sacred time is shared together while we gather in a circle, remembering the amazing love of God for us all, as evidenced in the life and death of Jesus. We observe Communion by tearing off a piece of bread from the loaf and dipping it into the chalice.
We end our service with song, true to the scriptural theme. The final song and benediction sends the congregation out to the world to embrace the week with renewed faith , grace and inspiration.
Our worship service is informal, because we believe Jesus would welcome everyone into this sacred living room just as they are. The Holy Spirit touches our hearts in new ways through sharing our worship as a dedicated people of God.
Q. Does Covenant Christian Church have “themes,” or regular messages that I will hear?
A. There are several primary points we are centered on. These start with the concept that spirituality is a sensibility, not an obligation. We have many members who had given up on being part of an organized faith or did not expect to look forward to attending, say, an adult Sunday school discussion. This enthusiasm for being a part of a spiritual community may be because congregants seek to find relevance in the Bible as it relates to where we are in our spiritual journey. We recognize that this relevance is different for each of us; some are touched by the genuineness in our worship, others by the intellectual search for what is real in our 2,000 year history of religion as we know it. Thus, we don’t subscribe to a one-size-fits-all perspective. In fact, it is the differences that make the beauty and the sameness which allows us to share it. A common theme at Covenant Christian Church is inclusiveness. All are welcome and all are respected.
We also focus on justice issues within our community, seeking to find ways to create a Kingdom here on earth. This theme of justice-making impacts all aspects of the community, whether within the youth group or during Sunday school. How can we make God’s love real in the world? is a constantly asked question.
Lastly, but equally as important, is the message that God loves all of us and our hope is to share that love with all. We don’t focus on our weaknesses, but on our strengths, and know that all have gifts which may be as yet undiscovered. We’ll help uncover those!
Q. How does music fit into your worship services?
A. We have a Praise Group led by stellar singers and instrumentalists. They put out a wall of harmonic sound with several guitars, keyboards, and a full electronic drum-set. These lyrics frequently run through one’s head the rest of the week. From contemporary songs to traditional hymns, our music elevates our prayers and introspection.
Please sing along with us. And, those with strong musical interests are welcome to find ways of becoming involved in our workship, or merely join those who come to the dais to lead the congregation in singing the traditional hymns.
Q. Do you have an Adult Sunday Discussion?
A. Yes. The Adult Discussion meets during the school year and begins at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday morning, covering a wide range of topics. Sometimes we have a multi-week session, discussing chapters from a selected book. Other times we are led in discussion by our Minister, or a member who has a special interest, on a specific topic. These are informal discussions ranging from 7-20 participants. We explore the history of religion and religious thought. Recent studies have included a 12 week session on Marcus Borg’s The Heart of Christianity, a four-week study of Paul, and a 10 week reading/discussion of the Book of Revelation.
Q. Does Covenant Christian have a Youth group?
A. Yes. Covenant has a youth group that meets regularly during the school year on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 at the church, overseen by adult sponsorship. The group is open to junior high and high school youth. Each week, a meal is made and/or shared and an activity is scheduled. Activities may include Bible Study, sporting events, attendance at other worship services, service projects or just “fun” nights. All youth of the church from 7th to 12th grade are welcome. Youth are also encouraged to attend summer camp at the Disciples of Christ Zephyr Christian Conference Grounds at Liberty Lake, and winter youth retreats in March.
We believe that our youth are at a place of significant spiritual development. Our job is to help them ask questions and find answers, not to coerce creeds.
Q. When is the Children’s Sunday School?
A. The Children’s Sunday School is held each Sunday during the worship hour; this is an opportunity for young people from 1st to 6th grades to engage in Bible study and lessons generally tied to the worship theme and scripture. Children leave Sunday school and return to worship in time for communion and social hour.
Q. Do you have other children’s activities?
A. Yes. During the worship the youth of our church participate in the “Children’s Message.” This is an important part of our weekly worship. It is a moment centered on all our children, tying the worship theme to their lives. This is a humorous, genuine time, supported by the congregation and led by our pastor, Redhawk.
Q. Tell me about volunteering and church participation?
A. What gifts do you have? Is it service, leadership, speaking, singing, visiting the elderly, working with youth, graphic design or organizing paperwork?! There is a place for you in any of these efforts. As the body of Christ is made up of many gifts, all are welcome. However, there is no place for guilt! We want and need you, but don’t want you to be stretched too far.
Q. What type of denomination is Disciples of Christ?
A. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) was founded during the pioneer days in Kentucky. The hope of our founders was that this church would return us to a time when theological differences were embraced, not denied. So, we like diversity! And although that diversity may be challenging at times, we hold it dear. The philosophy. “No creed but Christ” is the only credo you will hear here.
Spokane embraces several other Disciples of Christ churches and the ministers meet monthly for support and study. Area youth also gather together for fellowship. Our national office is located in Indianapolis Indiana, and our local regional office, serving Northern Idaho, Alaska and Washington is located in Seattle.
Q. What role does the Bible play in your congregation?
A. “We are centered in God, Led by Jesus Christ and based in the Bible.” The bible is the central and compelling source of God’s Word… and the Word is Love. The Bible is seen as “the Dream of God” and the call of God for us human beings to be joined to this Holy Presence that we might become co-conspirators in this growing “dream.” Throughout Scripture we see over and over how God is calling the earth to be His people… a people living in Love and Community. For us, the Bible points to the “Promise” that finds its highest expression in Jesus Christ, where the Promise, the Dream and the human expression all come together and offer us a way to access God and be a part of this movement toward the Kingdom of Heaven that is called to be “on earth as it is in heaven.”
Q. What are the ministries of Covenant Christian Church?
A. Covenant Christian Church is growing a number of fresh ministries through P.o.P. Ministries (People of the Promise). We began P.o.P. Ministries for “creative outreach” into the community. This is an attempt to put the performing arts into the hands, feet and voices of those who are living on the fringes of the world. Through P.o.P Ministries, we have created a homeless choir called “The Voiceless”. This was accomplished in partnership with Spokane Neighborhood Action Program (SNAP), a local not for profit service organization. This ministry has led to the development of a CD of original songs written from the homeless’ stories, the stories of “the least among us”. The CD is available for a $10 donation. The Voiceless has performed all over the State of Washington.
Our creative outreach has grown into a new spiritual sensibility and mission calling us to “give voice to the voiceless, power to the powerless and sight to the blind”. Entitled “HeartSongs”, we have extended this creative aspect of ministry to musicians, composers and songwriters around the Spokane area. We have paired these creative persons with homeless families and people living on the edge to develop relationships and writes songs from the stories of these folks’ lives. HeartSongs is a city wide event which showcases these artistic expressions. This concert allows these powerful stories to be told, to put a face on homelessness (one out of three homeless is 12 years old or younger in Washington State), to raise consciousness and to help us all realize the deepest imperative of living inside the Love of Jesus Christ: that we are all a part of each other. We are preparing for our second annual “HeartSongs…” concert in the summer of 2007.
As well, there are many ways to become a part of our other ministries by participating in Worship, attending our Adult Bible Study and helping with social events. In addition, CCC participates in Meals on Wheels, a feeding program for homebound seniors, CropWalk, an annual event which raises funds to combat hunger and poverty locally and glocally, Second Harvest Food Bank donations and numerous other ministries throughout the greater North West, United States and the World.
Q. Tell me about your radio show.
A. The Deep End is a new concept in talk radio. We are seeking to create conversation and community around those deeper aspects of life that Life cannot do without. Our focus is on Spirituality and Meta-Physics, Religion and Science… those places where the full breadth of the human condition and the conditions that allow for life might be addressed and discussed.
The Deep End movement began through a series of discussions among a number of “free Christians” at Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The discussion led us to the desire to broaden the range of our community so that others, even those who shun church, are of other faiths, are doubters, are non-believers or are seekers might put our heads and hearts together to develop a conversation around “the REAL.” Welcome to this conversation!
Our dream is to create a community of people with differing spiritual and religious sensibilities to get together over coffee, through the radio airwaves, on Saturday mornings and join our conversation. We are convinced that we, as a community, need to somehow address the deeper issues of Life in a positive and open way so that the promise and dream inherent in every religion might become a reality.
“The Deep End” is broadcast Saturday mornings at 10:00 A.M. on Air America KPTQ 1280 A.M. Spokane. Podcasts of previous shows are available at www.1280KPTQ.com by going to the On Air designation and “The Deep End with Redhawk”.
Q. What is the structure of the church? How is it set up?
A. We are in a time of restructuring for a new millennium. However, there is a general image that runs our “Disciple-Ship”. There is a Board of Directors, which is comparable to the command of the ship. The Board has the helm under their control. We have a Council of Ministries, which is analogous to the navigators of the ship. Where do we need to go? Why? How do we set the course? The Council of Ministries is also the switchboard for the church where Worship, Outreach, Education, Evangelism, Stewardship and Resources come together, connecting all the facets of ministry. There is also a circle of Elders, who are the spiritual guides of the ship. They provide spiritual care for all of us, but especially those experiences challenges in their lives. The Elders are the “gardeners” of the souls of the church. They visit, pray and take communion to the sick and frail, pray and officiate at our weekly Communion meal and help discern what constitutes spiritual wholeness and health in the congregation.
So we have the helm, the navigators, the care takers and gardeners… then we have the most important part of this “Disciple - Ship”: the congregation. From this “body of Christ” we grow our leaders to run the helm, to be the navigators and to be the active spiritual ingredients of our people.
A. Rev. Michael J. (Redhawk) Rice-Sauer received his Masters of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School and was ordained by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Most commonly known by the name he received on a vision quest - Redhawk - he comes originally from Alexandria, Virginia; a suburb of Washington D.C.. Redhawk received his undergraduate degree “Summa Cum Laude” from Virginia Commonwealth University. His wife, Edie, is also an ordained minister and graduate from Vanderbilt Divinity School. Edie and Redhawk have two children: Josh (21) & Sophie (16).
Redhawk is a student of World Religions, a mystic, mythopoet, songwriter and troubadour. He is a prolific writer of songs for “the least among us”, for worship celebration and for the sheer joy of being able to do it. Redhawk has a recording studio and has created another studio in the church for use by local artists involved in our ministries.
- Resume:
- Graduated: Hammond High School, 1969, Alexandria, VA.
Northern Virginia Community College, 1977, Summa Cum Laude’, Alexandria, VA.. Associate of Science Degree
Virginia Commonwealth University, 1977, High Honors, Richmond, VA.. Bachelors of Science Degree (Psychology)
Vanderbilt University Divinity School, (Academic Scholarship); 1982, Nashville, TN. Masters of Divinity Degree, (Theology)
Honors: Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, 1976
Full Scholastic Scholarship at Vanderbilt Divinity School, 1979-1982
President of Student Body at Vanderbilt Divinity School, 1980-1981 President of Spokane South Rotary, Spokane, Washington, 2004
Creative Director of The Voiceless: art for homeless people
Community Artist, 2003-present
Q. What message would your minister want to share with me?
A. I have been a theologian for 20 years. I am more excited now than ever. Let me tell you why. We have been between a painful labor and a difficult birth… the birth of a new world, a new way of looking at the world. That new world view is now coming into focus and it shows us that all people of this planet belong to each other; that all of us are inexplicitly inter-connected and inter-dependent. This is extremely good news and gives all of us an empirical backdrop for a Theology of Christ. The Theology of Christ is one of singular laser like focus on “JUSTICE.” This is the real work of the Church… to create justice and grow the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. We are finally getting to the point where we are beginning to recognize the need for this focus again. We are a global people now. All life is part of all life and we are our brother’s keeper. Welcome to the Kingdom of God!
