CHRISTMAS DAY

NOTE FROM PASTOR JR FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25TH 2022           Sunday is Christmas Day.  We at Covenant will not be having in-person worship, but I invite you to tune in by social media for a brief homily by me and special music sung by Paul Odom, should your schedule allow.            I haven’t really...

Continue reading

LOVE: “EMMANUEL – GOD IS WITH US!

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022            This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent.  The theme is LOVE.  In Matthew 1:23, from the assigned gospel text, the angel Gabriel repeats to Joseph in a dream the promise of God found from Isaiah 7:14, “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a...

Continue reading

ADVENT 3 – “JOY; BUT NOT HAPPY”

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2022            This Sunday is “The Third Sunday of Advent.” The theme is “Joy.”  It’s also known as “Gaudete Sunday” and the liturgical color is “Pink” or “Rose.”  “Gaudete” in Latin means “Rejoice.”    During the four weeks of Advent as we await the celebration of Christ’s birth and Christ’s coming again; we are...

Continue reading

ADVENT 2 – PREPARING BY MAKING PEACE

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2022           We will observe this Sunday as the Second Sunday of Advent.  We will light the Second candle on the Advent wreath to represent the theme of “PEACE.”  The assigned gospel text from Matthew 3 for this “Peace Sunday,” is John the Baptist...

Continue reading

ADVENT 1 – KEEP HOPE ALIVE

NOTE FOR PASTOR JR FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2022           This Sunday we begin a new liturgical year in Western Christianity with the First Sunday of Advent.  It has become commonplace to mold the seasons of Advent and Christmas into one; but they are two different seasons.  The Season of Advent begins on...

Continue reading

PREPARING THE WAY FOR REAL LOVE

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2021 This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent, and the theme is “LOVE.”  The assigned passage from Luke 1, shares the response of Mary as she was “Preparing the Way for Real Love” to be born into her life and our world. I’m...

Continue reading

PREPARING THE WAY FOR JOY

NOTE FROM PASTOR JR FOR GAUDETE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2021  Sunday will be the Third Sunday in Advent: also “Gaudete” or “Pink” Sunday.  It is one of 2 liturgical Sundays in which the liturgical color is Pink or “Rose.”  The theme is joy as “Gaudete” in Latin means “rejoice.”           Advent is intended as a season of preparing for a...

Continue reading

PREPARING FOR PEACE

NOTE FROM PASTOR JR FOR SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2021  This Sunday will be the Second Sunday of Advent. The theme is “Peace.”  In our Litany of the Advent Candles, we will light the 2nd Advent Wreath Candle representing “Peace.”    In pondering the theme of peace, I wondered, “Why does peace seem to be so elusive...

Continue reading

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT – PREPARING FOR HOPE

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2021  This Sunday we began a new season and the new liturgical church year.  Advent is the period marking the four Sundays before Christmas. This Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent in which theme is HOPE.  Advent comes from the Latin word “Adventus” which means “coming or...

Continue reading

Preparing for the Greatest Gift of Love

This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent and its theme is “LOVE.” The four Advent Sundays are meant to be the focal points of a season of spiritual reflection and preparing one’s self to experience new ways each year the hope, peace, joy and love God offers to us....

Continue reading