Covenant Update

Dear Covenant Family:

We had a great service at Covenant yesterday, but our attendance was somewhat lower than usual due to a flu bug going around and expected bad weather about the time church would end.  So we had 25 folks in church yesterday, and attached is the bulletin for our service.  Please note Tina’s food-for-thought comments and the recipe for survival she shares.  Thanks to Tina for her special and wonderful additions to the bulletin most weeks.

First, we had a prayer request for Pastor Don, who was sick with the flu, so was unable to be with us yesterday.  The service was led by Ron Marks in Pastor Don’s absence.  We also had an update on the health status of Carolyn and Mack Vlacos.  They both have continuing serious health concerns, so their daughters have decided that they both should be moved to live with their daughter in Augusta, GA.  However, Carolyn has been hospitalized for about the past week to have fluid drained from her knee due to an infection.  She also has COVID so it is still uncertain when she can be released.  I spoke with their granddaughter yesterday, and we are hoping we can find a time for anyone wishing to visit with Carolyn and Mack before they move to Augusta that we can find a time before they leave.  I will update you on this issue as soon as we can learn more about when Carolyn might be released from the hospital.  I will also provide their new address and phone number once it is confirmed by the family.  Also, Michelle Miller who recently had a friend’s 90-year-old mother be hospitalized for a broken hip has now had a mass detected in her intestines, so will remain hospitalized until more can be learned.  Brenda Dolwick also asked for prayers for her husband Frank who was also out with a bad flu bug.  Victoria McArthur had two prayer requests, one unspoken, and one for her nephew and friend who were expected a new baby boy, but the birth was a week late and they are concerned.  Sam Parker also asked for prayers for his cousin Jackie who recently passed away.  Missy Mauldin raised a praise for her students who asked for prayers to get them through some recent exams, and that the students appreciated having people pray for them during a difficult time. 

Ron Marks gave the sermon yesterday in Pastor Don’s absence.  His sermon title was It Takes a Village and his scripture was:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 – There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven.

Ron mentioned that a popular singing group named The Byrds produced a song titled Turn!  Turn! Turn! in 1965, based on this scripture.  Ron then gave his version of the four major time frames of our life are as children, young adults, middle-age adults, and older adults.  He focused on the older age time where parents now require some support from their children.  He praised Covenant Church for how our Pastor and church members support other church members in need.  He closed with how much we will miss Carolyn and Mack as they now will move to Augusta to be cared for by their daughter.

If you would like to listen to this sermon, all recorded sermons can be accessed at https://gainesvillecovenantchurch.org/ and then choose Sermons on the home page, and then choose today’s message.

I wish all of you a very blessed week, and hope you can avoid the nasty flu bug that is currently spreading through our community.               

Ron