• Your life matters to God and Me

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, SPETEMBER 8, 2024           Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of Kingdomtide, & which we at Covenant will observe as Back-To-Church Sunday. Back-To-Church started as a time annually when local churches invite family, friends and neighbors to join them in worship. Often because many...

  • DRESS FOR SUCCESS

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2024 This Sunday is the “First Sunday of Kingdomtide.” It is the newest of the liturgical seasons & the assigned color, green, indicates a time of growth for us and the church spiritually and emotionally. During Kingdomtide, the assigned scriptures tend...

  • “LIVING OUR FAITH MADE SIMPLE. PUT AWAY EVIL. LIVE IN LOVE!”

              This Sunday is the “Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost.”   The assigned Epistle text is instructions for living out our faith.  Looking at how so many well-meaning folks have been seduced by the theology of Christian Nationalism, I cringe when I read the text from Ephesians.  That’s because the difference between what...

  • “KNOW WHAT YOU ARE HUNGRY FOR …”

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 4, 2024           This Sunday will be the Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost and the first Sunday in August. It is also the second Sunday in which the assigned Gospel text coming from the lectionary features some aspect of Jesus’ “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE,” sermon....

  • HELPFUL HINTS FROM SOMEONE TURNING 70

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2024          This Sunday will be the “Ninth Sunday After Pentecost.”  It is also the Sunday before my 70th Birthday, which will be Friday, July 26.           The assigned Psalm reading for this Sunday is...

  • “FRESH EYES PERSPECTIVE ON THE GREATNESS OF GOD’S LOVE”

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2024           This Sunday is the “Eighth Sunday after Pentecost.”  The summer season’s heat has been sweltering.  It’s been too hot to spend any length of time outdoors enjoying God’s beautiful creation around us.  A good pool party sounds like just...

  • “FRESH EYES PERSPECTIVE ON A THORN IN THE FLESH”

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, JULY 7TH, 2024           This Sunday is the Seventh of July, Seventh Sunday after Pentecost and three days after America’s observance of Independence Day.           The assigned text is from II Corinthians 12 and is...

  • “A TIMELY MESSAGE ON INCLUSION” … AND … “ANOTHER LESSON ON LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR”

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 30th 2024           This Sunday is the 6th Sunday After Pentecost. It is also the last Sunday of Pride Month for us in Central Alabama. This past week was the last Week of the current Supreme Court term. John Archibald said recently, “A...

  • “YOU KNOW IT’S A BAD DAY WHEN …” OR “WISDOM WHEN FACING YOUR PEROSNAL GIANTS!”

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 23, 2024           This Sunday will be the 5th Sunday after Pentecost and the 4th Sunday of Pride Month for Central Alabama.  This past Wednesday was Juneteenth, the newest of the 11 U S recognized federal holidays.           All of us are familiar with “You know it’s going...

  • A FATHER’S DAY LESSON ON INCLUSION

    NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2024            This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost.  The 3rd Sunday of June is also celebrated as “Father’s Day” in America.  Therefore, I want to give a shout out to all the fathers AND those serving in paternal roles...