Covenant Update

Dear Covenant Family:

In spite of the cold and very wet morning, Covenant was pleased to have 20 folks attend this morning’s church service.  Attached is today’s bulletin, be sure to read the message Tina included today titled Love, as it is an appropriate follow-up to this past week celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Due to the smaller attendance count today, we had fewer prayer requests raised.  Sam Parker asked for prayers for a good friend who was hospitalized with heart issues, and Nancy Parke asked for prayers for an unspoken request.  There was also a prayer praise from Bill Mercado for a new grandchild born to their family this past week.

Pastor Don’s sermon today was based on scripture from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-9.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-9 – For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our reception among you was not in vain, ² but after we had already suffered and been treated abusively in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. ³ For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; ⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not intending to please people, but to please God, who examines our hearts. ⁵ For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is our witness— ⁶ nor did we seek honor from people, either from you or from others, though we could have asserted our authority as apostles of Christ. ⁷ But we proved to be gentle among you. As a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children, ⁸ in the same way we had a fond affection for you and were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.  ⁹ For you recall, brothers and sisters, our labor and hardship: it was by working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, that we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

This scripture and Don’s message discussed how God’s Word can be opposed by people, yet His message is given because we all need it.  Frequent reference is made to the Gospel, which is the Good News we need to hear about Jesus Christ our Savior.  Unfortunately, we were unable to tape today’s sermon, so for those of you who cannot attend church but like to listen to Don’s sermons, today’s message will not be available online  Hopefully, we will be able to tape messages again beginning next week.

I wish you all a very blessed week!

Ron