Dear Covenant Family:
Today was a great day at Covenant, as we celebrated Communion. We had a slightly lower count of attendees (22) then usual due to some illness (but no COVID!) and likely the cold weather. Both Tina and Rose had to miss today due to illness but thanks to Shirley for filling in on the piano! So we did not have bulletins today which is why it is not attached.
We finished the month with more cleaning donations to Pine Grove and toiletries to Newberry High School students, so thank you to all who made those contributions. Our ministry for February is the Gainesville Community Ministry. Their mission is with God’s help, seeks to provide compassionate emergency care for those persons who cannot help themselves. We further seek to provide, through education and support, the kind of assistance that will encourage those who can be helped to end a cycle of poverty and despair. They specifically offer support with food, clothing, medical care, some financial support, and education.
Also remember that the next YAH meeting will be at Covenant on Tuesday, February 8 at 10:30 AM. The group will continue to identify its leadership and plan its activities for 2022.
Pastor Don’s sermon set the stage for our Communion service. His scripture was
1 Corinthians 11:20-22 – Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21 for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.
Pastor Don reminded us that Communion offers an opportunity for church members to come together to honor Christ, and we have to be careful to not let it become a routine habit. Also remember that the original Communion was a full meal, although Jesus used the bread and the wine for the symbolism for how the followers were to remember Him. Don reminded us that our Covenant dinners are also meals with lots of good food, but it is important that the get together is more about the fellowship than the food. Paul made the point that the church had moved from legalism to Grace, and that we were worshiping Christ for the Grace He shared with us. We need to welcome people who cannot contribute to the meal, and make them feel comfortable to be with us whether or not they can contribute to the meal.
I wish all of you and your families a very blessed week!
Ron