Latest News from the Session
Session-Appointed Task Force Will Draft Mission Study
Session is currently working to create a seven-member Mission Study Task Force to draft the mission study. This document will spell out the mission of the church, where it intends to go to fulfill that mission and therefore, what kind of pastor is needed to lead the congregation.
Pastor Paul has recommended that Covenant’s mission study include, at least, the following categories: Covenant’s vision and identity, the history of the congregation, the city’s culture and demographics, and Covenant’s strengths, weaknesses and challenges. It should also address the kind of pastor that Covenant needs. Covenant hopes to have the task force in place and mission study completed by June 1. The study must be approved by Session and the Committee on Ministry of the Mission Presbytery, and then given to the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) to use as a resource for the Church Information Form (CIF).
Tammy Brown to Visit Covenant on April 16
Rev. Dr. Tammy Gregory Brown, Covenant associate pastor (1996-2000), will give an educational presentation at Covenant on Monday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in FE 200. She will offer her perspectives on the state of the Presbyterian Church (USA), as may be contrasted with those presented by former senior pastor Dr. Jim Singleton in a similar forum on March 19. Tammy is senior pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charleston, S.C., executive director of Hands of Christ, and former moderator of the Charleston Atlantic Presbytery.
Town Hall Recap
We have had excellent attendance at our three rounds of Town Hall Meetings. More than 200 people were at our second round of meetings, where we focused on recalling “markers” – places where Covenant could see God’s hand at work in the life of our church. We told how a “marker” was our founding pastor Carl Eaton setting the tone for the future development of Covenant with an emphasis on community and strong lay leadership. We also shared struggles, where we as a church may have missed some opportunities to do better. During this portion of the meeting, we talked about the advantages and challenges of our diverse congregation, the impact of rapid growth and the emotional impact of departing pastors.
In a third round of Town Hall Meetings held in mid-November, we looked for answers to the question: What do you believe the identity of our church is? We received good feedback and heard some wonderful stories about what the church means to so many of you.
Session is working with the information you have provided through these meetings to adopt a statement about who Covenant is and create a vision to guide us in the near future. Early in 2012, we expect to respond to Amendment 10-A, elect a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC), and complete Mission Study and a Church Information Form, which are needed to begin the senior pastor search.
This page will be updated as new information becomes available