Pastoral Letter - April 28, 2020
What an absolute blessing it is to serve you as your pastor and to serve on a session full of godly men. Thank you for your prayers and many words of encouragement. As you are very much aware of, our country is starting to move around again, and we are beginning to see parts reopen. Your session was deliberate when we suspended worship and our desire is to be deliberate to how and when we reopen. We know there are many many opinions out there some we strongly agree with and some we strongly disagree and a few we are neutral. Our desire is to bring God the most glory and to love and serve you and our neighbors well.
In good Presbyterian form, the Session established a Reopening Committee to collect information and best practices from other churches and organizations to advise the Session how to reopen and when to reopen. The Session has asked the committee to report back by May 18, 2020 and to consider if public worship could resume June 7, 2020. Please pray for this committee. If you have questions reach out to Pastor John, your shepherd, or me.
Thank you for being so faithful in giving of your tithes and offerings during this season. Your generosity has allowed us not to worry about our finances during this time. As a reminder please send your checks to P.O. Box 143985, Fayetteville, GA 30214. The deacons have been and continues to work on the best option for us as a church to be able to give online. Once that is made available we will let you know.
I want to close this letter with acknowledging that I know we all are longing to be back together again soon. I know we are all longing to take the Lord’s Supper again. And ultimately, we are all longing for the wedding supper of the Lamb. So, as we all continue to shelter in place and await the appointed time for us to meet again, may we take heed to the words of Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”
May We Fix Our Eyes On Jesus,
Jamie
In good Presbyterian form, the Session established a Reopening Committee to collect information and best practices from other churches and organizations to advise the Session how to reopen and when to reopen. The Session has asked the committee to report back by May 18, 2020 and to consider if public worship could resume June 7, 2020. Please pray for this committee. If you have questions reach out to Pastor John, your shepherd, or me.
Thank you for being so faithful in giving of your tithes and offerings during this season. Your generosity has allowed us not to worry about our finances during this time. As a reminder please send your checks to P.O. Box 143985, Fayetteville, GA 30214. The deacons have been and continues to work on the best option for us as a church to be able to give online. Once that is made available we will let you know.
I want to close this letter with acknowledging that I know we all are longing to be back together again soon. I know we are all longing to take the Lord’s Supper again. And ultimately, we are all longing for the wedding supper of the Lamb. So, as we all continue to shelter in place and await the appointed time for us to meet again, may we take heed to the words of Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”
May We Fix Our Eyes On Jesus,
Jamie
Session Letter - March 17, 2020 - 10:00 AM
Dear Family and Friends,
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling…
Psalm 46:10-11 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; that God of Jacob is our fortress.
As you are very much aware, we are in some uncharted territory. COVID-19 can be scary because of the unknown. We belong to the Sovereign Lord who holds all things in His mighty hands. We know that while we may be surprised by events in our life and the world we live in, nothing comes as a surprise to the Lord Jesus. He is on His throne. He is ruling and reigning and we must rejoice. There is no such thing as the unknown to Him. He is our refuge and our strength.
Thank you for praying for our called Session meeting last night.
After discussion and prayer, and following recommendations by the CDC, the Session has decided that it would be best for our congregation and our community to suspend all worship services until April 12. We will stay up to date on this situation and we are willing and ready to change our decision. Please know that we did not make this decision lightly.
The Session decided to close our church building to all but paid staff during this time. All others who have necessary business in the church building, please call the office to set up a time so arrangements can be made for you to enter the building.
In the midst of all that is going on, we determined that the roof over the education wing needs immediate repair. Providentially, while the building sees little use, we will be able to have our leaking roof replaced with a metal roof, Lord willing.
Covenant is known as a generous and a praying church. The Session would like to remind you that while we are not meeting you can and are encouraged to mail your tithe and offering checks to the church. We are exploring other options for you to be able to give but, currently, the best way is for you to mail your check to 819 Highway 314, Fayetteville, GA 30214.
During this season, we very much want to stay in communication with you. Please contact Pastor Jamie, Pastor John, your shepherd, or the church office and let us know how we can pray for you and your family.
We plan, Lord willing, to record our Lord’s Day worship and post it by 9 AM each Sunday morning on our webpage. We were encouraged by the positive response we received from many of you and we were surprised by the reach of this audio recording. Will you pray that, during this time, the Lord might show people their need and draw them to himself.
We plan to communicate clearly and often, and we will keep you informed of any changes. Please pray for the work and worship of the church.
We are still your pastors, your elders, and your deacons—we love you and we are praying for you.
On behalf of the Session and a debtor to mercy alone,
Jamie
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling…
Psalm 46:10-11 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; that God of Jacob is our fortress.
As you are very much aware, we are in some uncharted territory. COVID-19 can be scary because of the unknown. We belong to the Sovereign Lord who holds all things in His mighty hands. We know that while we may be surprised by events in our life and the world we live in, nothing comes as a surprise to the Lord Jesus. He is on His throne. He is ruling and reigning and we must rejoice. There is no such thing as the unknown to Him. He is our refuge and our strength.
Thank you for praying for our called Session meeting last night.
After discussion and prayer, and following recommendations by the CDC, the Session has decided that it would be best for our congregation and our community to suspend all worship services until April 12. We will stay up to date on this situation and we are willing and ready to change our decision. Please know that we did not make this decision lightly.
The Session decided to close our church building to all but paid staff during this time. All others who have necessary business in the church building, please call the office to set up a time so arrangements can be made for you to enter the building.
In the midst of all that is going on, we determined that the roof over the education wing needs immediate repair. Providentially, while the building sees little use, we will be able to have our leaking roof replaced with a metal roof, Lord willing.
Covenant is known as a generous and a praying church. The Session would like to remind you that while we are not meeting you can and are encouraged to mail your tithe and offering checks to the church. We are exploring other options for you to be able to give but, currently, the best way is for you to mail your check to 819 Highway 314, Fayetteville, GA 30214.
During this season, we very much want to stay in communication with you. Please contact Pastor Jamie, Pastor John, your shepherd, or the church office and let us know how we can pray for you and your family.
We plan, Lord willing, to record our Lord’s Day worship and post it by 9 AM each Sunday morning on our webpage. We were encouraged by the positive response we received from many of you and we were surprised by the reach of this audio recording. Will you pray that, during this time, the Lord might show people their need and draw them to himself.
We plan to communicate clearly and often, and we will keep you informed of any changes. Please pray for the work and worship of the church.
We are still your pastors, your elders, and your deacons—we love you and we are praying for you.
On behalf of the Session and a debtor to mercy alone,
Jamie
Pastor's Letter - March 13, 2020 - 10:00 PM
What is your only comfort in life and in death?
That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to Him, Christ, by His Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me whole-heartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him.
The Session has made a late-night decision to suspend morning and evening worship service for this coming Lord’s Day, March 15, 2020. The Session has a called meeting on Monday, March 16, 2020 to discuss our plan moving forward.
As you can imagine we did not come to this decision lightly. Saturday afternoon we will send some helpful suggestions for Lord’s Day worship for you and your family.
We ask you to pray. Pray for those who have lost loved ones to the virus. Pray for those who are currently infected by the virus. Pray for protection for people the world over. Pray for medical, political, educational, and business leaders who have been and will be called upon to make very difficult decisions in the days to come.
Also, pray that we, as God’s people, would trust him more and more. Pray that we would recognize and rest in God’s all-powerful, all wise, all good rule over the entire universe. May we understand that we are not our own but belong body and soul to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He loves us more then we love ourselves. This is an opportunity for us to walk out our faith in reliance of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
If there is anything specific that you or your family needs, please email Pastor Jamie or Pastor John or contact your shepherd. One last request: please help us get the word out to church members and friends who may not use email.
May we fix our eyes on Jesus,
Jamie
That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to Him, Christ, by His Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me whole-heartedly willing and ready from now on to live for Him.
The Session has made a late-night decision to suspend morning and evening worship service for this coming Lord’s Day, March 15, 2020. The Session has a called meeting on Monday, March 16, 2020 to discuss our plan moving forward.
As you can imagine we did not come to this decision lightly. Saturday afternoon we will send some helpful suggestions for Lord’s Day worship for you and your family.
We ask you to pray. Pray for those who have lost loved ones to the virus. Pray for those who are currently infected by the virus. Pray for protection for people the world over. Pray for medical, political, educational, and business leaders who have been and will be called upon to make very difficult decisions in the days to come.
Also, pray that we, as God’s people, would trust him more and more. Pray that we would recognize and rest in God’s all-powerful, all wise, all good rule over the entire universe. May we understand that we are not our own but belong body and soul to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He loves us more then we love ourselves. This is an opportunity for us to walk out our faith in reliance of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
If there is anything specific that you or your family needs, please email Pastor Jamie or Pastor John or contact your shepherd. One last request: please help us get the word out to church members and friends who may not use email.
May we fix our eyes on Jesus,
Jamie
Pastor's Letter - March 13, 2020 - 4:30 PM
Dear Covenant Family and Friends,
In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Covenant is taking the following precautions:
AM and PM Worship, Only
To err on the side of great caution, the Session has decided to cancel all church activity except our morning and evening worship services.
We will not have 9:15 AM prayer, adult Sunday School, or youth and children’s Sunday School.
We will not be providing a nursery this Sunday and the training room (AKA, the cry room) will be closed.
FLC, Lower Level, and Classrooms Closed
This Sunday, the Family Life Center will be closed even after worship. The Lower Level of the building will be closed to limit the areas of the church that may need cleaning. Parents, please prepare your children ahead of time for this.
The coffee station will not be operational.
The Session encourages you to stay home from church if you have a cold or flu-like symptoms. At church, we ask that you practice loving social distance. Please avoid shaking hands and hugging. Please wash your hands often using warm water and soap and while you wash your hands, sing the Doxology.
You may not be personally concerned about the virus, but slowing it’s spread is a way to care for those among us for whom the virus could be serious.
The Session will meet Monday night to continue to discuss best practices during this time. We will keep you updated by emails, the church website, and shepherd groups.
If you are in a situation where you or someone you know is quarantining themselves, remember your wonderful opportunity to pray for them and consider sharing resources with them. Consider sharing a Covenant sermon (http://www.covenantpres.net/2020-sermons-jan-apr) or a great resources like RefNet from Ligonier, which offers 24/7 solid, biblical teaching: https://listen.refnet.fm/#start.
This is not a time to panic. We may be surprised, but our Lord is not surprised. We continue to trust in his Sovereign Rule.
May we fix our eyes on Jesus,
Jamie
In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Covenant is taking the following precautions:
AM and PM Worship, Only
To err on the side of great caution, the Session has decided to cancel all church activity except our morning and evening worship services.
We will not have 9:15 AM prayer, adult Sunday School, or youth and children’s Sunday School.
We will not be providing a nursery this Sunday and the training room (AKA, the cry room) will be closed.
FLC, Lower Level, and Classrooms Closed
This Sunday, the Family Life Center will be closed even after worship. The Lower Level of the building will be closed to limit the areas of the church that may need cleaning. Parents, please prepare your children ahead of time for this.
The coffee station will not be operational.
The Session encourages you to stay home from church if you have a cold or flu-like symptoms. At church, we ask that you practice loving social distance. Please avoid shaking hands and hugging. Please wash your hands often using warm water and soap and while you wash your hands, sing the Doxology.
You may not be personally concerned about the virus, but slowing it’s spread is a way to care for those among us for whom the virus could be serious.
The Session will meet Monday night to continue to discuss best practices during this time. We will keep you updated by emails, the church website, and shepherd groups.
If you are in a situation where you or someone you know is quarantining themselves, remember your wonderful opportunity to pray for them and consider sharing resources with them. Consider sharing a Covenant sermon (http://www.covenantpres.net/2020-sermons-jan-apr) or a great resources like RefNet from Ligonier, which offers 24/7 solid, biblical teaching: https://listen.refnet.fm/#start.
This is not a time to panic. We may be surprised, but our Lord is not surprised. We continue to trust in his Sovereign Rule.
May we fix our eyes on Jesus,
Jamie