Covenant Update

Dear Covenant Family:

Today was a great day at Covenant, with 31 folks in attendance.  The ministry for January is Family Promise, whose purpose is since 1998, to provide families experiencing homelessness with compassionate care that includes shelter, case management, education, housing, meals and transportation until they can transition to a home of their own.  If you would like more information on this ministry, please check out its website at https://www.familypromisegvl.org/.  Note that January has 5 Sundays so we will also support the Pine Grove ministry with cleaning and paper goods and Newberry High School with toiletries for their students in need.  Attached is the church bulletin for today’s service, please note Tina’s additions for humor and 10 Positive Things to Say to Make a Difference.  Also note that the last Sunday in this month, January 29, will be Communion Sunday.

Continued prayers were requested for Carl and Shirley Romey that Carl will not get COVID as Shirley tested positive a week ago and is still positive, for Mack Vlacos, and for Cindy and Ron Marks’ friend recently diagnosed with lung cancer.  Patsy Sutton asked for prayers for herself for a health issue.   Helen Ann Noegel asked for prayers for a friend of hers from childhood who recently died in a car crash and Larry Noegel asked for prayers for a friend just diagnosed with cancer.  Carol Parker also asked for prayers for her sister in Nashville who just suffered a stroke, and Becky Alexander asked for prayers for a flight attendant friend in his 50s who was just diagnosed with dementia.  Please keep all these Covenant family and friends in your prayers.

Pastor Don’s sermon was titled Being Chosen and his scripture was

Romans 8:14-17 – For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God. ¹⁵ For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

Not all people feel chosen, but this scripture shows what it means to be chosen.  Verse 15 tells us we have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters.   Pastor Don told the story of how a young family told their adopted daughter when she was ready to understand how she had been adopted from a Chinese orphanage years earlier.  They told her how special she appeared to them in that crowded orphanage, and that they realized how special she was and that they immediately loved her.  So she knew that she was loved and very special to that family.  The same is true for us as chosen people of God.  That same verse then shouts Abba meaning thank you God for choosing me!

As one of God’s chosen people, we receive his love, protection, and provision, just as His Son received from Him.  In addition, as heirs of God, we also receive His inheritance.  That inheritance may not include any money, but it is the important everlasting qualities of His love and faith in us, and opportunity to work in His Service.  We need to be appreciative of all God has done for us and left to us, and to not waste the opportunity or lose it.

I wish each of you a most blessed week in this start to 2023!

Ron