Covenant Update
Dear Covenant Family:
It was a great day today at Covenant Church. We had 39 people attend today’s service, a nice increase after weeks of frigid weather and also some rainy days that kept our attendance down a bit. It was great to have Mack and Carolyn Vlacos back in church after many weeks at home due to illness, and they really looked good as well!
We had a number of prayer requests and also praise reports made in church today. Pastor Don asked for prayers for Tina Floyd and her daughter who is in a hospital in Orlando, and the doctors are concerned that she may have had a stroke. Pastor Don also asked for prayers for his daughter Missy as she is at home sick today. Diane Mauldin also asked for prayers for her aunt and uncle who were hospitalized in Alabama with pneumonia. Sam Parker asked for continued prayers for Barbara whose pain has been reduced but she is still hospitalized. Nancy Parke had an unspoken prayer request. Patty Sanders asked for prayers for her grandson-in-law who fell and hurt his back badly. Becky Alexander asked for continued prayers for her as she prepares now for her kidney cancer surgery. Patsy Baker asked for prayers for her two grandsons. Tina Pinkoson asked for traveling mercies and safety for her husband Lee who will be traveling to Panama for a week with a friend.
Frank Dolwick had a praise report for his friend Josh who attends Covenant for his very successful basketball game yesterday for Santa Fe College. Craig Alexander had a praise for his mother who has been told she does not need continued insulin treatments going forward anymore, although she still needs continued prayers as she still has breast cancer requiring treatment.
Pastor Don described his sermon for today as How Far Does Your Light Shine? He described our light as our good deeds. He based his sermon on the following scripture:
Isaiah 60:1-4 – “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 “Raise your eyes all around and see; they all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried on the hip.
Pastor Don then asked two important questions – (1) how far out are your good deeds reaching and (2) what are your good deeds? He then commented that your deeds need to be such that they will influence people to move closer to God. He concluded his sermon with the following scripture:
Matthew 5:16 – Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
I wish all of you a most blessed week, and hope to see you all in church next Sunday!
Ron
