From the Pastor’s Desk . . .

 

Last Monday I attended the SACRA (Staunton Augusta Church Relief Association) benefit concert. It was a joyous event with a variety of musical groups, a large audience, and over $17,700 raised to assist folks in need in our community! That same day, I saw someone ringing the bell for the Salvation Army outside Food Lion with a kettle full of donations. All this as a crew from Covenant delivered coats to the Middle River Regional Jail so that those being released would have something warm to wear as they head out into the cold. It is a time of year when folks across the community step up to help neighbors in need with gifts of toys, food, warm clothing, and financial support. It is a sign of the Christmas spirit among us!

That Christmas spirit is faithful to Christ’s call to us to minister to those in need. Here at Covenant, we try to carry that giving spirit with us throughout the year. Last evening the Session adopted a budget for 2025 that includes $90,000 in Outreach spending. With additional gifts through Glorious Gifts, Four Cents Per Meal, and special offerings, our total support of mission work locally, nationally, and internationally tops $120,000! But it is not only dollars that we share; we also give time and talents by serving meals at Trinity Soup Kitchen, delivering food for Hispanic families, reading to children at Community Child Care, helping out at the Verona Food Pantry, repairing homes with Renewing Homes of Greater Augusta, assisting our refugee family, providing baby showers for women at Gemeinschaft, and more.

As we journey toward Bethlehem this Advent season, take note of the Christmas spirit among us and in you. Then carry that same spirit into the new year so that giving of yourself becomes, not just a seasonal practice, but a daily way of life. In the words of the Christmas carol, we sang yesterday:

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

Merry Christmas! — December 16, 2024 (John Peterson)
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With Advent we begin a new church year as we prepare once again to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is fitting that we move from a season of giving thanks (as a nation) for all our blessings to a season of hope-filled expectation (as Christians) in the coming of God’s greatest blessing! In these tumultuous times with so much anxiety in our nation and world about the present and future, it is all too easy to take those blessings for granted and dwell on the problems and perils. Both Thanksgiving and Advent encourage us to pause and count our blessings, and in so doing to express our gratitude to God from whom all our blessings flow. Some counselors encourage those dealing with sleepless nights or anxious days to pause at the end of the day and write down five blessings of that day. It is a discipline intended to attune us to the good in our midst that can too often be forgotten or crowded out by the din of disasters and disappointments.
This Advent season, consider taking time each day to count your blessings; you don’t have to write them down, but you could. Some of them may bring a smile to your face and some may offer joy to your heart. Some may be exceptional and some exceptionally ordinary; blessings come in all shapes and sizes! Some may spur you to action – write a note to a friend whose face crossed your mind, or allow yourself a few minutes to savor the cup of cocoa that offers you comfort and joy, or pay forward the kindness someone showed you unexpectedly, or declutter your calendar to make room for those joys of the season that are too easily squeezed
out by the Christmas rush. Take note of the daily blessings that you too often take for granted, and perhaps you will appreciate them a little more and find them adding a little more joy to your life. Along the way, remember to thank God for the loves and joys and peace in your life, for the story of Christmas is full of those gifts as proclaimed by the angels: tidings of great joy and hope for all people in all times – including you and me in this time! Blessings to you and yours! — December 2, 2024 (John Peterson)

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This year’s presidential election elicited a host of emotions across the political and theological spectrum. Trump’s rhetoric of violent retribution, misogynistic and xenophobic name-calling, and apocalyptic consequences, and Harris’ warnings about threats to democracy and the mental instability of her opponent inspired anger and fear among the faithful on both sides of the political spectrum and exhaustion among the bulk of Americans nationwide. As a result, some were elated at the results of the election while others were despondent. Some see a bright future while others anticipate dark days ahead for our nation and world.
The psalmist seems well acquainted with the angst of such times and offers a couple of helpful songs to offer perspective and hope for the people of his day and ours. In Psalm 146 he sings:

Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

Do not put your trust in princes,

       in mortals, in whom there is no help.

When their breath departs, they return to the earth;

       on that very day their plans perish.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

       whose hope is in the LORD their God! (Ps. 146:1-5)

 

The psalmist reminds us that no mortal – no prince or president – is the one who will save us. It is God alone who reigns, God alone who endures across the generations, God alone who is the source of our help and our hope. God can work in, through, and despite whatever leaders are chosen, for the Lord is God of all! In the 46th Psalm, he offers this encouragement:

     God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.        

Therefore, we will not fear,  though the earth should change,

     though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

     though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult …

“Be still and know that I am God!  I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth.”

The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  (Ps.46:1-3,10-11)

Any new president will bring about change – some more than others. As I have said many times: in the Valley CHANGE is a four-letter word – and that word isn’t HOPE! People are anxious around change. The psalmist reminds us that in the midst of all change, God is a constant – there to support us, there to calm our fears, there to reassure us that God still reigns and offers to us a refuge from the disruptions of whatever changes may come. As you look to the coming years, be it with great anxiety or great expectation, do not lose sight of God’s promises for us and God’s expectations of us:
to be faithful where we are by loving  the Lord with all that we are and loving our neighbors as ourselves,
to do justice, love kindness, and walk  humbly with our God.

By doing so, we may find that what unites us in Christ is greater than anyone or anything that might divide us, and we may find hope and peace, trusting the God of the psalmist who is our God too! — November 18, 2024 (John Peterson)

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Last week we had the annual meeting of SACRA (Staunton-Augusta Church Relief Association). Over 50 churches and organizations contribute to the work of SACRA in meeting the needs of neighbors in our area. Over the last year, $239,884 in assistance was distributed to meet utility, rent, fuel, food, and medical needs for folks in our community. Through the generosity of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and many volunteers, overhead expenses were just over 2% which means that most of the monies contributed went to assist neighbors in crisis. Churches across the theological spectrum and individuals with widely divergent political views join in helping struggling neighbors. On the eve of election day (or perhaps in its aftermath if you are reading this later in the week) when the fractures in our nation and politics are on full display, SACRA reminds us that we should be able to do better. As Christians we are called to love all our neighbors, regardless of their political affiliation, immigration status, race, gender, nationality, or life circumstance. We love them because God loves them, and like us, they are all created in God’s image. That is something that we should be able to do – and through SACRA, we are doing it! There are areas in our lives in which we will disagree with Christian siblings, including politics, but we should do without being disagreeable! As Christians who happen to be Americans, we have a responsibility to participate in our democratic process – to make our voices heard and vote – and we know that we will not all agree on who deserves our votes. But we should agree on the values that underlie our choices. We should support those candidates and policies that reflect our values as disciples of Jesus, and our values should reflect those that Jesus proclaims: love of neighbor, servanthood, welcome of strangers, concern for the poor and marginalized, pursuit of peace, good stewardship of the earth, humility, and self-sacrifice. We should ask what policies of the candidates best put those values into action in our public life. We should be willing to stand for justice and to oppose injustice in whatever form it takes. Faith should inform our politics, but never seek to dominate it or oppress others in faith’s name. The claims of Christian Nationalists in this regard are unfaithful both to our Christian faith and to our democracy. As I have said many times, what binds us together is greater than what divides us. I still believe that is true despite the rancor in our current political spheres. Our task going forward after this election is to work together where we can, disagree respectfully when we disagree, and in all things seek to be faithful to Christ’s call to us as disciples. For before we are Americans or Virginians, we are Christians, followers of the risen Christ with good news to share with the world. In that good work, may God bless us – every one!! — November 4, 2024 (John Peterson)

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This past Sunday three of our folks shared their stories of those who have been shining examples of faith and faithfulness for them; perhaps their comments stimulated reflection on your part about those who have been such examples for you. We do not come to faith alone, and we do not understand faithfulness in a vacuum. We learn from others! Have you considered whether you might be such an example for someone else – in your family, among your friends, or for acquaintances who have observed you from afar? In you, do they see a great example of faith and faithfulness to God or do they see a hypocrite who professes faith on Sunday morning and then betrays that faith the rest of the week? Does your life reflect the faith you hold and the faithfulness to which God calls you each and every day? Across the world there are a host of challenges and existential threats – conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, political rancor in this year’s presidential election, horrific destruction wreaked by recent hurricanes, and the rapid pace of technological change. Our faith does not offer a safe harbor away from those realities, but a resource to draw on in facing them. As a community of Christ, we seek to spark and nurture faith to sustain us, support one another through whatever challenges arise, and share the Gospel in faithful ways within our walls and far beyond. Together we wrestle with hard questions of faith and go wherever God sends us as heralds of the gospel and instruments of God’s love, justice, and peace. Are you joining in that good work, or are you just along for the ride? All that good work is supported by your contributions to our General Fund and the sharing of your time and talents. It is holy work that is supported by staff who lead worship, offer pastoral care, teach classes, and care for children in our preschool, but also by volunteers who do that work too. These church facilities in which so much of that ministry is carried out require maintenance and care throughout the year, including payment for increasing utility and insurance costs. And as good stewards of the financial gifts entrusted to our care, Session has approved hiring a financial secretary to aid in managing the increasingly complex finances of our church and preschool. So often we take the church for granted. But we shouldn’t! We have been blessed by the generous support and vision of saints who have gone before us, and we should not only appreciate their faithfulness, but continue their legacy into the future. In the coming days you will receive a letter from the Stewardship & Finance Team with a pledge card asking you to make commitments for 2025. Give those commitments prayerful consideration, not as an obligation, but as an opportunity to share in ministry and to respond gratefully to God for all the blessings you enjoy. These are commitments that enable us to do God’s holy work in this place and beyond, as a Covenant family, together! — October 21, 2024 (John Peterson)

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Ten days after the arrival of Hurricane Helene, we are only beginning to comprehend the scope of the devastation. Bridges, roads, homes, businesses, and whole towns have been washed away by raging rivers. The number of deaths is rising with many folks still unaccounted for. Many places in western North Carolina are inaccessible due to washed out roads and downed trees. Power is slowly returning but still out in many areas and cell service is spotty. Ironically, clean water is a desperate need in these flooded areas. Montreat, home to the Montreat Conference Center and untold numbers of Presbyterians, has been badly damaged. We think of hurricanes hitting the coasts – and Helene did her damage on the coast of Florida – but her devastation moved well inland, as did some of the memorable hurricanes that hit our mountains and valley in years past. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is one of the organizations working to meet the needs of people in these communities. PDA coordinates with FEMA, national relief organizations, and local agencies to offer aid and assistance in these crises, wherever the disasters may strike. (Information about giving to PDA to help hurricane victims can be found on an insert in this newsletter) Some of you will recall that under Allen Hensley’s leadership we built a shower trailer to be used onsite in such damaged areas. Our support of PDA through our individual gifts and Outreach budget is just one of the ways in which we serve our neighbors in need. Through special offerings, Glorious Gifts, Four Cents Per Meal, and the $88,000 of Outreach monies in our General Fund budget, we reach out to neighbors near and far. As a Matthew 25 congregation, some of those funds support work to eradicate systemic poverty and address issues of structural racism. Other monies meet emergency needs of folks in our community and provide scholarships for children in our preschool. From Nigeria to Ethiopia to the Philippines to neighbors across these United States and down the street, Covenant is at work to fulfill our calling to love our neighbors in tangible ways. Our efforts are not limited to monies. Through hands-on work providing lunches at Trinity Soup Kitchen, food boxes to Hispanic neighbors, home repairs with Renewing Homes Augusta, projects with Boys &Girls Clubs, food collections for Verona Food Pantry and Shelburne Middle School, knitting prayer shawls, making applesauce for Valley Mission, and pulling weeds at the Jones Garden we share our gifts with our community. By opening our building to community groups for meetings, play practices, prayer breakfasts, concerts, mission groups, and soccer practices, we serve our community. Our General Fund provides the means by which we do all these things and more, for each and every one of them is ministry. In sharing these resources, we serve our brothers and sisters all, and in serving them, we serve Christ. That is what we do, because that is what we are called to do – generously, joyfully, lovingly – serve! — October 7, 2024 (John Peterson)

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In chapel with the preschool kids this week, I asked if they knew any birds. At first, I was pleasantly surprised at their responses: “A blackbird. A bluebird.” But then reality set in as they continued: “A red bird. A green bird. A yellow bird.” And I realized that for them, birds were simply identified by their colors – the blackbird was really a black bird, and the bluebird was a blue bird. It took awhile before someone volunteered, “pigeon,” and then another suggested, “bluejay,” and then another, “hummingbird.” And finally, I was able to steer the conversation toward where I had hoped to go in the beginning – to the dove as a symbol of peace. I suppose had we made it to “white bird” I might have segued to “dove” but then again, I may have ended up with an egret or snowy owl! In our Christian tradition, the dove is a symbol of peace and of the Holy Spirit. The image of a dove graces the green pulpit cloth that the fabric artists in our congregation made for this season of Ordinary Time. The figure of a dove alights on our baptismal font as a reminder of the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at his baptism, the same Spirit present in our baptisms at that font. Thus, doves are front and center in our worship space – literally and figuratively – and peace should be front and center as well. Last week we had Peter Egwudah, an international peacemaker from Nigeria, speak to us at the 8:30 service about his work in that corner of the world; on World Communion Sunday in October, we will receive the Peacemaking Offering that supports peacemaking efforts locally, nationally, and internationally. Peacemaking is at the heart of our calling as disciples of the risen Christ. “Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you,” says Jesus. It is that peace we are called to share with the world – in word and action. Our world is in desperate need of peace these days as violence surges in Ukraine, Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, Lebanon, and Sudan. Closer to home, political rhetoric has become increasingly volatile and divisive; in some political corners, working with the other party or seeking compromise is anathema. Peace is increasingly elusive! Are you a peacemaker who promotes peace among your friends, family, strangers, and enemies, or are you one who stirs the conflict? There seem to be far more voices calling for conflict, war, retribution, and violence than there are voices calling for peace and understanding. Might we be the voices that offer a peaceful alternative? As followers of Jesus, we are called to counter that narrative of conflict – to “seek peace and pursue it,” to quote the psalm, to be channels of God’s peace to paraphrase the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. In your work, your neighborhood, and home – among your family, friends, and colleagues – in person and online – seek peace! Be peacemakers! For in doing so, we faithfully follow Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace! — September 23, 2024 (John Peterson)

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In my reading lately three words have recurred repeatedly: retribution, reconciliation, and reparations. Perhaps these are not the 3 Rs you remember from elementary school, but they are worthy of consideration as we seek to be faithful disciples in a fractured and fractious world. Retribution has to do with getting even for a wrong done; its roots are in that Old Testament verse that sanctions “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” It is the source of much pain and suffering! In the Middle East, retribution continues to perpetuate conflict and violence across generations. Most recently, the terrorist attack by Hamas on innocent Israelis gave rise to retribution by the Israeli government that far exceeded the scope of the original attack, with over 40,000 Palestinian deaths including thousands of children. Homes and neighborhoods have been leveled; hospitals have been bombed, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced. Just as Hamas should be distinguished from the Palestinians (most are not Hamas), so the Israeli government should be distinguished from all Israelis as there are significant voices in Israel condemning the government’s actions. The Israeli government has justified this violent retribution on the basis of Hamas’ attack and a need to exterminate Hamas. Lost on them is that in seeking retribution, they are sowing the seeds of future violence among yet another generation of Palestinians who have been violently displaced and bombed and may seek their own violent retribution in the future. Jesus offers an alternative to retribution – reconciliation. He rejects the “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” mentality in favor of forgiveness and turning the other cheek. In our modern world, many reject that approach as overly idealistic and unrealistic, but Jesus seems to think it is faithful to who God calls us to be. Reconciliation seeks to break the cycles of violence and hate that are so much a part of retribution. It begins with recognizing our common humanity and seeks common ground upon which to build relationships. God calls us to that reconciling work, but it is hard work! Reparations acknowledge that sometimes it is not enough to simply say, “I’m sorry.” Sometimes more is needed to right the wrongs of the past. We are much better at recognizing that need when we are the ones wronged than when we are those who have done the wrong. And determining what reparations are appropriate is often difficult. Currently there is debate about what reparations might be appropriate for the wrongs done to Black and indigenous peoples in our nation across the years. The stain of slavery, discrimination, and racism are not only sins of our past, but have placed subsequent generations at an economic and social disadvantage as compared to those who benefited from racist structures. What was done was wrong! But figuring out what should be done to right the wrong is hard! Where then does that leave us? Hope-fully with a rejection of retribution, an embrace of reconciliation, and a willingness to consider what reparations might be appropriate to take a step to righting the wrongs done. All of this is hard work, but Jesus never said following would be easy. He told us it would be hard. Are you up for that hard work as a disciple of the One who did the hard work of reconciling us to God – even when it led him to the cross? — September 9, 2024 (John Peterson)
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With the start of school and with Labor Day and football season fast approaching, Rally Day and the beginning of our Christian Formation programs for the Fall are just around the corner. There are opportunities for everyone – Bible studies, Sunday School classes, discussion groups, book studies, choirs, and more. While Christian formation takes place year-round, Rally Day marks a new season of options and possibilities to grow in faith and to wrestle with questions of faith and faithfulness. We hope that you will join in exploring and nurturing your faith through some of these opportunities, for to paraphrase Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Our faith is forged in the crucible of doubt. Faith does not grow by sitting back and not engaging with the doubts and questions. It grows through daring to wonder and to question and to learn from and with one another. This summer Rae and I have preached from the Confessions of the Church that span almost 1800 years. Each of those confessions took shape through reflection and thought, through debate and discussion, through assessment of the changing world and how faith might speak relevantly to it. In the midst of this Fall’s presidential campaigns (and endless political ads ad nauseum), it is a fitting time to consider how our Christian faith speaks to the issues that we hope the candidates will address and to the values expressed. Such reflection starts though with our assessment of those Christian values that we hold dear, that lens of faith through which we view the world. What values do you hold sacred? Are they the same values Jesus urges upon us – love of God and neighbor, humble service to others, self-sacrifice, forgiveness? Or are they values that the world says you should cherish – power, accumulation of wealth, retribution for wrongs done to you? To be a Christian is to continually wrestle with those questions and concerns in order to determine what a faithful response might require of you now. And in that regard, perhaps the prophet Micah says it best: What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God. That walk continues this Fall. Come walk with us! – August 26, 2024 (John Peterson)
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Over the past two weeks, the eyes of our nation and neighborhoods have been glued to the Olympic competitions in Paris. The Games offer a respite from more serious and sobering events – war in Gaza, Israel, and Ukraine; tropical storm Debby plodding her way up the East Coast; wildfires in the West; regime change in Bangladesh; the rancor of political campaigns. While competitors are representing their nations, it is heartening to see the mutual respect, support, and good sportsmanship that has prevailed across national, racial, and religious lines. That has not always been the case, but one might hope that the example of these athletes could carry over into other realms in the relationships among nations, neighbors, tribes, and political parties. Throughout the Games, there have been individual stories of triumph and tragedy, sheer dominance and surprising upsets, redemption from past losses, and prospects for future excellence. The work and discipline necessary to achieve the level of performance that these athletes demonstrate is remarkable. All had to be fully committed to their sport and the training demanded to excel in it; it took a lifetime of practice and a village of supporters to enable them to rise to an Olympic level. Not everyone can be an Olympic athlete, but no Olympic athlete can get there alone! Are you as committed to anything as the Olympic athletes are to their sport? Where does commitment to your faith fall in the list of those things that you pour the most time and effort into? Paul uses athletic imagery to speak of his faith journey: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Could you say the same? If we are to excel as disciples, then we must do the hard work of discipleship. We cannot sit passively by and expect faith to blossom in us any more than athletes can expect to become Olympians while sitting on the couch watching others compete! Are you a disciple or are you just a spectator? Just as athletes train and commit their time and energies to their sport, so we are called to commit, train, and work to be faithful disciples. Faith is formed day to day through the commitment of time and energies directed toward nurturing faith and practicing faithfulness in things like Bible study, worship, prayer, and service to others. May you be inspired by this year’s Olympians to be the best disciples you can be, so that one day you too can say with Paul: “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!” – August 12, 2024 (John Peterson)

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Speculation following the attempted assassination of former President Trump at the rally in Butler, PA, just 18 miles from Slippery Rock where I grew up, has given voice to a lot of bad theology. On one hand, there are folks who are claiming that the shooter missed his target because a guardian angel was watching over Mr. Trump – “The Lord was looking out for him!” some have said. Others have suggested that God had no role in it, but rather “the Devil protects his own.” Such comments share space with those who contend that a child being hit by a bus or a tree falling on someone’s house is “just God’s will.” Such theologies suggest that anything that happens – for good or bad – is controlled and caused by God. There are some inherent problems with attributing such disasters or rescues to God’s intervention and will. Most notably the concern is what such theologies suggest about the nature of God. What kind of loving God goes around hitting a child with a bus or causing the firefighter who was shot at the rally to die? Was God protecting Mr. Trump while killing the young firefighter and wounding the others around him? Adolph Hitler survived an assassination attempt; was God protecting him in order to perpetuate the slaughter in World War II? How can God be loving, merciful, and just while arbitrarily inflicting suffering on some while sparing others? It may rain “on the just and the unjust alike” but is God really choosing whose homes get washed away in the ensuing flood and whose are saved? Theologies that suggest a tug-of-war between God and Satan are no less helpful. Does God win the battle to save the child in the near disaster but lose it to the devil when the child is killed? Is all good attributable to God and all bad the work of Satan, and in whose eyes is the good and the bad to be judged? Some of the same folks who claimed that Trump was elected by the will of God in 2016 denied that Biden was elected by God’s will in 2020 – and vice versa. Who is wise enough to discern the will of God in those instances? In his book Lincoln: A Life of Purpose and Power, Richard Carwardine quotes that great president as writing: “’In great contests, each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time.’ There followed, however, not a statement of Unionist certainty, but a startling hypothesis: ‘In the present civil war it is quite possible that God’s purpose is something different from the purpose of either party…’” What Lincoln identifies is a caution to all of us about pretending to know the will of God. While we may not know God’s will with certainty, we do know that the Lord is a loving God, a God of mercy, grace, and justice, who does not go around arbitrarily inflicting suffering on God’s people. For some strange reason, God gave us free will which means sometimes people make bad decisions that cause others to suffer. Sometimes, as the story of Job points out, suffering is undeserved – “bad things happen to good people.” God does not promise that there will not be disasters or troubles, floods or fires, shootings or valiant rescues. But God does promise to be with us through it all – through thick and thin, good and bad, triumph and tragedy. So be cautious of attributing to God or the devil the outcome of any event. It may or may not be God’s will. But strive instead to live as God calls you to live – to bend your will to the will of God which is perhaps summed up best by the prophet Micah: What does the Lord require of you? Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God. – July 29, 2024 (John Peterson)

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The General Assembly (GA) of the PCUSA met last week in Salt Lake City, Utah after a week’s worth of committee work online. The GA meets every other year as commissioners from presbyteries all over the USA gather to debate, take action, and provide guidance on a wide variety of issues (Shenandoah Presbytery had four commissioners present). It is amazing to see the diversity of the larger church at work in these gatherings! Among the actions of the GA this year are:
  • Election of Rev. CeCe Armstrong and Rev. Tony Larson, both from South Carolina, as co-moderators. They will serve a two-year term until the next GA meets in   Louisville, KY in 2026.
  • Election of Rev. Jihyun Oh, born in South Korea and reared in Kansas, as stated clerk, the highest ecclesial office in the PCUSA (Bronwen Boswell, Shenandoah  Presbytery’s General Presbyter, has been serving as       Interim Stated Clerk for the PCUSA for the past year).   Rev. Oh will serve a four-year term.
  • Adoption of a budget for 2025 of $94.9 million and for 2026, $95 million.
  • Approval of changes to the Book of Order to add gender identity and sexual orientation to the list of the “rich diversity” reflected in the church’s membership,  and to include the commitment to fulfill all requirements in the principles of participation, representation, and non-discrimination to the examination of candidates for ordination and installation. (These changes, like all changes to the Book of Order, must be approved by a majority of the       presbyteries to become effective.)
  • Directed further engagement with greenhouse gas emitters and the fossil fuel industry to address concerns around climate change.
  • Unanimously approved a resolution encouraging ratification of a U.S.  Constitutional amendment abolishing the exception clause in the 13th Amendment that allows a person convicted of any crime to be enslaved.
  •  Unanimously approved an overture calling for action so that children can live free from gun violence.
  •  Reduced the number of PCUSA  special offerings from four to three (One Great Hour of Sharing, Peacemaking, and Christmas Joy offerings).
  • Adopted a resolution updating and expanding a 2004 resolution to reject Christian Zionism in all its forms.
The work of the assembly is a combination of necessary administrative actions, work for social justice, and biblical/theological reflection. As is our heritage, not all these actions were unanimous (though some were), but all were the result of prayerful consideration, respectful debate, and democratic action that sought to follow God’s will for us as Christ’s church. We are grateful for the work of the Assembly and trust that the same Spirit who guided their work will continue to work in and through us as Presbyterians committed to follow faithfully our risen Lord! (If you have questions on these actions, please speak with me or Rachel.)
– July 15, 2024 (John Peterson)
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Earlier this month our dear friend Jim Simpson died at age 90. Jim was a minister in the Church of Scotland, and our families have been like one large family since my dad and Jim did a pulpit exchange for three months in the summer of 1971. We saw Jim just last summer when we were in Scotland. In January of 1996, Jim was here to preach at Covenant when the Blizzard of ’96 derailed those plans; after a week of being snowbound by 30+ inches of snow, Jim commented, “I will never again dream of a white Christmas!” For many years Jim was pastor of the Dornoch Cathedral in the far north of Scotland – a historic church that is over 750 years old! He was moderator of the Church of Scotland, chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, a regular contributor to The Presbyterian Outlook and to Life and Work (the Church of Scotland’s monthly magazine), and authored several books. He was an avid golfer and offered the blessing at the dinner for the Ryder Cup teams a few years back. In his life, his sermons, and his writing, Jim was a gifted storyteller. Many of his stories related to congregational life, some from his own experience and some that he collected from others over time, often with an eye for the humor in it all. Minnie Pearl once said that “laughter is the hand of God on the shoulder of a troubled world.” With his stories, Jim offered God’s loving hand to a great many troubled shoulders on both sides of the Atlantic across the years! Stories are at the heart of our traditions and our lives. Last weekend some folks chalked pictures of favorite Bible stories onto the pavement in the front parking lot here. Many of those stories were first heard by the chalkers when they were young tots. Stories like Noah and the Ark, Jonah and the whale, David and Goliath, Jesus walking on water, and the empty tomb at Easter have been told again and again across generations. Are there some of those Bible stories that you treasure? What stories might you tell from your own life that further illustrate God’s hand at work in our midst? For as Jim Simpson’s legacy, the Biblical witness, and the testimony of a host of Covenant folks attests: God is still at work among us, in us, through us, and around us in surprising, creative, and sometimes amusing ways. You don’t have to write a book or preach a sermon to share such stories; you can tell them to a child or grandchild, a friend, a pewmate, or even a pastor, for in so doing we share the Good News, and live into our calling to be heralds of the Gospel which is still good news for all generations! – July 1, 2024
(John Peterson)
 
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This past Sunday (June 2) we gathered in the Great Hall to hear the annual “State of the Church” report from the Session teams. It has been a busy year since we gathered last June for that report, and there is more on the agenda for 2024. Some of the highlights include:

  • Christian Formation changed its name from Christian Education to reflect more accurately their mission to nurture faith and faithfulness across lifetimes. Six youth attended the Montreat  Youth Conference last summer and six will go there this summer. Five confirmands were welcomed into membership of the church. Rachel was welcomed on board with new ideas and resources.
  • Congregational Care provided meals, visits,    transportation, prayer shawls, cards, and support across the year. Support groups for those who are grieving and those serving as caregivers for family members have continued. Presbyterian Women offers study, fellowship, and good fun to women of the church.
  •  Facilities have been busy with the painting of the sanctuary, repair of the flat roof over the choir room, routine maintenance, and a battle with a pesky woodpecker.
  • Fellowship continues to provide diverse opportunities throughout the year including Together on Wednesday dinners, a car show,  receptions, potlucks, hymn sing, ice skating, kickball, and the annual Chili Cookoff and Dessert Extravaganza.  
  • Outreach distributed over $80,000 of budgeted funds in mission in addition to special offerings. The budget for 2024 is $88,000. Opportunities for hands-on work included serving meals at Trinity Soup Kitchen, refugee resettlement assistance, Hispanic food deliveries, Rebuilding Augusta projects, and ongoing collections of food, paper projects, clothing, and plastic. Fairtrade coffee, tea, and chocolate continue to be popular, and Glorious Gifts was again successful in providing alternatives for Christmas gifts.
  • Personnel welcomed Rachel on board as Associate Pastor, offered pay increases to staff, and celebrated Lou Dolive’s 15 years as bell choir director.
  • Preschool had a busy year with a host of new children arriving and several staffing changes. Enrollment for next year is already ahead of previous years! A new train is planned to replace the much-loved but aging train on the playground.
  • Stewardship & Finance reported an unprecedented budget surplus of $106,000 in 2023, substantially due to savings from the associate pastor position being vacant for ten months last year. The surplus was allocated among various projects submitted by the teams and approved by Session. The Endowment has grown to over $290,000, and the Memorial Fund is supporting the purchase of music shelving for the choir room.
  • Technology is the newest Session team, formed to coordinate and care for the wide range of techno-logical services that Covenant now needs and utilizes including WIFI,     the website platform, staff computers, and a new tech cart to facilitate virtual programming.
  • Worship planned around the sanctuary painting and organ repairs, and has purchased a new piano and music shelving for the choir room. Taizé services in Lent and live streaming of Sunday worship services continue to be highly valued.
  • The Ad hoc Signage Team has worked diligently through the last year in the design and location of signs for the exterior and interior of the church facilities. It is a much bigger project than first imagined!  Look for the signs to be installed this summer.
As a Matthew 25 congregation, we are exploring new options to address congregational vitality, systemic poverty, and structural racism. We are grateful for all those who have played a part in the growth and work of this past year and look forward to the opportunities and challenges of the year to come. Please join us, for we are the church together – and only together! – June 3, 2024 (John Peterson)
 
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This past weekend across the country and within our church family there were a host of graduation ceremonies and celebrations – some high school, some college, some grad school – recognizing years of hard academic work and preparing for new beginnings. Congratulations to all of them! This past weekend we also recognized our confirmands who, having completed the confirmation class, offered professions of faith and joined the church. For them, this is a time to recognize the thoughtful, prayerful reflection that has led them to profess faith in Jesus Christ and commit to continue their journey together with this Covenant family. It does not mean they have it all figured out – none of us do; faith is a lifelong journey in which we wrestle with hard questions, significant doubts, and challenging circumstances across a lifetime. The church is not a haven for the saints who have all the answers; it is a hospital for sinners and a community of believers committed to wrestling with the questions and supporting one another as we travel this journey together, trusting God to lead us along the way. Have you given any thought lately to what you believe and where you are on your journey of faith? Like our confirmands, elders present statements of their faith to Session; for some who have been previously ordained, this requires reflection on how their faith has changed in the intervening years – and it does change! Faith grows; doubts arise; and perspectives are altered. What is important to you at one point in life may seem less so at another as new priorities and questions arise. What then do you believe now about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the Church, forgiveness, salvation, and vocation – to name just a few aspects of our faith? If a child asked what you believe, what might you say? Christian formation is about wrestling with those questions and more across a lifetime. It happens in classes and Bible studies, but also in outreach projects and worship, and day-to-day living. We are shaped by saints of all ages who show us what living the faith looks like and by news reports that raise troubling questions for us about how God is at work in an often messy world. Faith is a journey, not a destination, and we have committed to travel that road together. We don’t graduate; we are lifelong learners, but we are also teachers and exemplars for others along the way. Don’t shirk that responsibility and opportunity! Embrace it, and in so doing, may you find your faith growing day to day, side by side with all of us on this journey together! – May 20, 2024 (John Peterson)
 
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Protests on college campuses in our nation and beyond concerning the war in Gaza have sparked a multitude of reactions and some uncomfortable memories of protests on college campuses in the 1960s. What are we as Christians to say about these events that center on a conflict between Palestinians and Israelis half a world away? Perhaps the first thing to be said is that this is not at heart a religious conflict. The state of Israel does not speak or act for Judaism or the Israel of the Bible; it is a modern state that has its own political and national interests. Neither does Hamas speak for any one religion or for all Palestinians; many are Muslim, but not all. They reflect political and national interests related to eviction from their homes with the creation of the state of Israel and their aspirations for a nation of their own. Jews are joining in the protests against the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza, and there are Palestinians appalled at the actions of Hamas who are calling for the release of the hostages. Secondly, while the majority of the protests are peaceful, those garnering the headlines are the protestors who have crossed the line from peaceful dissent to violence, destruction, and anti-Semitic rhetoric and actions. We should support those who are calling for an end to war, the release of the hostages, the delivery of food to the hungry to alleviate suffering, and a plan forward for peace that respects the lives of all. We should be a voice calling for justice for those who have suffered losses, those who have been driven from their homes by the brutal attacks by Hamas, the indiscriminate bombing by Israel, and the denial of access to food, water, and medicines for displaced Palestinians. As so often is the case, it is the innocent who suffer, and we should be righteously angry at the callous disregard for human life on both sides of this conflict. Thirdly, we should support those who make their voices heard through peaceful protest and hold accountable those who cross the line into intimidation, racist rhetoric, violence, and destructive behavior. At times, peaceful protests have been coopted by outside agitators with their own agendas, but it is also the case that some protestors have been carried away by anger to act unjustly or illegally, and they should face consequences for their actions. Finally, we should be praying for a resolution, and not simply ignoring the conflict as if it were of no consequence to us. These are our brothers and sisters who are suffering, and we should seek to alleviate the suffering where we can. Sometimes, the best that we can do is simply to pray, and so we should pray! It can be tempting in this conflict, as in so many others, to make this a black-and-white issue without recognizing the nuances of the problems and the varied interests of those involved. Hamas’s attack was unconscionable as is Israel’s response that has killed so many Innocent people, including thousands of children. We should demand better from all sides, including ourselves, and pray for a just peace that will bring an end to the violence and allow all the people to live in peace, for that is the dream of most of the folks involved in this conflict.  – May 6, 2024 (John Peterson)

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What does it mean to be a member of the church? First and foremost, it means to be a disciple of Jesus who seeks to follow the risen Christ by loving God and one another, forgiving and praying for others, serving as Jesus showed us and taught us, and proclaiming the good news of his resurrection and God’s love for the world. The basic affirmation of faith in the early church was simply, “Jesus is Lord!” To be a church member is to make that same affirmation personal – to affirm that Jesus is Lord in your life by how you live day-to-day. Our Book of Order offers a vision for what those commitments look like in practice:

A faithful member bears witness to God’s love and grace and promises to be involved responsibly in the ministry of Christ’s Church. Such involvement includes:

  • Proclaiming the good news in word and deed,
  • Taking part in the common life and worship of a congregation,
  • Lifting one another up in prayer, mutual concern, and active support,
  • Studying Scripture and the issues of Christian faith and life,
  • Supporting the ministry of the church through the giving of money, time, and talents,
  • Demonstrating a new quality of life within and through the church,
  • Responding to God’s activity in the world through service to others,
  • Participating in the governing responsibilities of the church, and
  • Reviewing and evaluating regularly the integrity of one’s membership, and considering ways in which one’s participation in the worship and service of the church may be increased and made more meaningful. (G-1.0304) 
In different seasons of our lives, the shape of our responses may vary, but we can hardly call ourselves members of the church if we are not actively participating in the life of the church in some way, shape, or form.  The advent of live streaming of worship and virtual participation has expanded opportunities for such committed involvement. How then are you doing as a member of Christ’s Church in this Covenant community? Are those marks of membership reflected in your life?  If not, then might this be an opportune time to consider how you might commit to be a more faithful member, not in order to impress your neighbors, but in order to respond to Christ’s call? For, the church is not a club you join without any responsibilities that go with it.  It is call to discipleship – and whether it is here or elsewhere, it is a call to which we respond by our actions and by our inaction. Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ is a joy and a privilege, suggests that same provision in the  Book of Order. Embrace the joy!!  — April 22, 2024 (John Peterson)
 
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Last month I received a phone call from a young Mennonite couple looking for a location for their wedding. They live over an hour away but had been unable to find a church large enough to accommodate their guests that would also allow their pastor to officiate at the service. We could meet their needs. About that same time, we were hosting for a week a group from the University of Maryland who were working with Renewing Homes Augusta for their spring break. When we decided to expand our facilities significantly in 2000, we emphasized that this expansion was not just for our use, but also to share with the community. Our facilities have been wonderful for our worship, Christian Formation programs, preschool, choir practices, Together on Wednesday meals, spring egg hunts, and various other church meetings and gatherings. But we built it all to be shared with our neighbors. Who are some of the neighbors with whom we share this space?
    This list is not intended to be exhaustive (or exhausting) but is intended to illustrate how we share our space with the community. Most of the organizations have Covenant connections. All are non-profits. In sharing our space, we seek to be good stewards of our facilities, good neighbors to our community, and faithful disciples in God’s service! We who have been so blessed, seek to bless others. That is why we built it! That is why we share it – to the glory of God! – April 8, 2024 (John Peterson)

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    As one of my Lenten disciplines this year I have been fasting on Wednesdays until our TOW dinner of soup and bread together in the evening. It is remarkable how that simple act brings to mind the Lenten season and compassion for our neighbors and needs throughout the day. We are used to eating when we want to eat without concern about whether we will have enough or anything at all to eat. Most of us do not have to battle hunger each day, if ever. This act of fasting on Wednesdays has offered me a glimpse, nothing more, of what so much of the world experiences day to day and hour by hour.

    In Gaza right now the United Nations is concerned about mass starvation as people displaced from their homes by the war have access to little or no food. In many other parts of the world, climate change has destroyed crops through drought, floods, or storms that have left whole populations food insecure. Within some of our cities, there are food deserts where no healthy food is available. Significant numbers of children in our community receive free lunches that are their best, or perhaps only, meal of the day. All of which is to say that we take for granted our daily bread while so many other folks go hungry. Fasting one day a week has brought that reality to my consciousness in a very visceral way!

    Here at Covenant, we try to meet the needs of hungry folks in our community in various ways. Teams cook and serve meals at Trinity Soup Kitchen each month. We deliver food from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to Hispanic families. Each month we collect a Four Cents Per Meal offering and food for the Verona Food Pantry. In our annual budget, we support Meals on Wheels, Valley Mission, SCS Nutrition Program, Jones Garden, Verona Food Pantry, Project Grows, SACRA, and our Hispanic food distribution. We are trying to make a difference where we are with what we have, and while it may seem like just a drop in an ocean of hunger, to those we help it makes a huge difference!

    As you sit down to your next meal or grab a snack on the run, pause to consider two things: gratitude to God for what you have and a commitment to do what you can to feed someone else down the street, across the county, or around the world. For as Jesus reminds us: it is in serving them that we serve him! — March 11, 2024 (John Peterson)
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    This year Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day. On one hand, it seems an odd mix – ashes and valentines, repentance and love, ash gray and rose red (Ohio State fans find that a perfect match) – but there is perhaps something fitting in celebrating these two remembrances on the same day. For, Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday are both rooted in love – love for one another, our love for God, and God’s love for us.

    Valentine’s Day was originally a religious holiday, a feast day honoring the lives of various St. Valentines. Today, it is for us a secular holiday marked by expressions of love (sponsored by the Association of Florists, Hallmark, and the Chocolate Coalition of America). On Valentine’s Day we express our love for others through cards and flowers, chocolates, and those little candy hearts of my youth (Be Mine! I luv U!) which may have been the precursors to text messaging.

    Ash Wednesday begins our 40-day journey through Lent to Holy Week. It is a day marked by repentance, prayer, and self-reflection, a day to set out on a Lenten journey that will end at the cross and the empty tomb where God’s great love for us is expressed in profoundly tangible ways. As ashes are imposed on our foreheads, we commit to that journey; that commitment is itself an act of love for God. As ashes mark our foreheads, we are reminded that we are dust and to dust we shall return, but even as we recall that sobering truth, we are reminded of Paul’s words that nothing, not even death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Celebrating Ash Wednesday is an act of humble contrition, reminding us of our mortality, and it is an act of faith, bearing witness to our commitment to the God who loves us without end.

    This year, I encourage you to observe both days on February 14. Observe Valentine’s Day for the sake of those you love, and observe Ash Wednesday for the sake of the God who loves you. For in doing so, we live into the Great Commandment: Love God with all that you are, and love your neighbor as yourself! — February 12, 2024 (John Peterson)
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    On Saturday, January 20, Session held its annual retreat here at the church. A significant focus for us was implementation of the Matthew 25 initiative here at Covenant. I shared some data around health equities in our community and beyond, and Adam Campbell provided for us some information with regard to the work of the DEI commission in the city in order to help us understand some of the challenges that have been identified for us locally. Following review of our Long-Range Plan and our annual goals for 2023, Session adopted the following priorities for 2024:

    ¨ Identify a Matthew 25 project and resource it appropriately.

    ¨ Understand and implement Christian Formation across the life of the church.

    ¨ Develop a plan for lay leadership & enabling identification of spiritual gifts.

    ¨ Share the good news in tangible ways beyond our walls and welcome community participation in the life of the church.

    These priorities are in addition to our ongoing commitments to ministry and work in the life of the church (e.g. worship, outreach, etc.). In coming weeks and months there will be more information shared about these priorities, but as a way of beginning the conversation, you might think of these priorities as addressing the following questions:

    ¨ What does it mean for us to be a Matthew 25 congregation,    and how do we live in to that challenge?

    ¨ How is Christian Formation different from Christian Education, and what difference might it make for us to focus on “formation” instead of “education” in the life of the church?

    ¨ How do we help folks identify their spiritual gifts and provide opportunities for them to use those gifts in ministry?

    ¨ How might we be better evangelists for the good news we believe – as a church and as individuals – within the life of the church and reaching out to the community?

    We hope that you will reflect on these questions and on these goals and join us in the conversation as we seek to discern where God is leading us, and then dare to follow that path! — January 29, 2024 (John Peterson)
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    In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King, Jr., writes of his own disappointment in the white churches of the South in 1963:

    I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church. I do not say that as one of the negative critics who can always find something wrong with the church. I say it as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen…. I felt that the white ministers, priests, and rabbis of the South would be some of our strongest allies. Instead, some have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been more cautions than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of the stained-glass windows.

    Those words of Dr. King continue to challenge us 60 years later as we look to the challenges we face as the church in 2024. Are we more courageous than cautious? Are we listening to the voices of those who are suffering or in need? Do we seek to understand the problems and concerns of our community and world, or do we ignore them? We have no stained-glass windows (except in the chapel), but do we regard the church as a shelter from all that is chaotic and painful in the world, or do we see the church as a staging area from which to go and meet the real needs of our community and world?

    In choosing to be a Matthew 25 congregation, we have committed to working to make a difference on some of the toughest challenges that we face: congregational vitality, systemic poverty, and structural racism. But those are not the only challenges we are called to address. In a time of political polarization and demonization of others, can we offer a better way to address issues about which we disagree? At a time when wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza and a political candidate in our own nation refuses to repudiate violence around our elections, can we pursue a non-violent path to peace that embraces Jesus’ call to love all our neighbors? At a time when Christian Nationalism proclaims a Gospel corrupted by nationalistic fervor, can we speak a word of truth? At a time when people are suffering from hunger, homelessness, and the devastating effects of climate change, can we offer hope and healing in tangible ways that make a difference? As our southern border is flooded with desperate people seeking to make their home here, can we find a way to address their needs compassionately while preserving our national integrity and supporting border communities that have been overwhelmed?

    Those are just some of the challenges we face in this new year. May we be faithful in our response, rising to the occasion in proclaiming in word and in deed God’s love and justice – as God’s faithfully courageous church in this place! — January 15, 2024 (John Peterson)

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