November 2018

November 1st is the Holy Day in the church known as All Saints Day. It is a day that we remember with thanksgiving those who have served God faithfully here on earth, who inspired our faith and witness, who strengthened our church family, and who now rest with God in heaven.

When thinking of saints, and what makes one a saint, I am grateful to Frederick Buechner and his description. He writes:

In his holy flirtation with the world, God occasionally drops a pocket handkerchief. These handkerchiefs are called saints.

Many people think of saints as plaster saints, men and women of such paralyzing virtue that they never thought a nasty thought or did an evil deed their whole lives long. As far as I know, real saints never even come close to characterizing themselves that way. On the contrary, no less a saint than Saint Paul wrote to Timothy, “I am foremost among sinners” (I Timothy 1:15), and Jesus himself prayed God to forgive him his trespasses, and when the rich young man addressed him as “good Teacher,” answered, “No one is good but God alone” (Mark 10:18).

In other words, the feet of saints are as much of clay as everybody else’s, and their sainthood consists less of what they have done than of what God has for some reason chosen to do through them. When you consider that Saint Mary Magdalene was possessed by seven devils, that Saint Augustine prayed, “Give me chastity and continence, but not now,” that Saint Francis started out as a high-living young dude in downtown Assisi, and that Saint Simeon Stylites spent years on top of a sixty-foot pillar, you figure that maybe there’s nobody God can’t use as a means of grace, including even ourselves.

The Holy Spirit has been called “the Lord, the giver of life” and, drawing their power from that source, saints are essentially life-givers. To be with them is to become more alive.

As we move into Thanksgiving, let us give thanks to God for the saints – living and those passed – who have gone before us and inspired our faith.

Session Update and Financials

October Session Update

There was no session meeting in October.

Financial Update as of September 30, 2018

September Income

$7,352
YTD $100,270

September Expense

$7,128
YTD $96,241

Net Totals

$224
YTD $4,029

November Usher Duty

November 4: Bob McMichael, Carole Sanders, and Jim Bleiler
November 11: Russ Sanders and Nancy Biggerstaff
November 18: Callaway Alford, Henry Polston, Terry Terawaki
November 25: Cynthia Bridges and Jim Fraley

Prayer Requests

Covenant Presbyterian Church
Shelly Akers
Alexis Bezilla (friend of the Bleilers)
Kathryn Clark
David and Catherine Dedmon
June Garren (Cathy Baldwin’s Mom)
Zeverly Glenn
Taylor Goode (M) (Bleilers’ Son)
Maria Greco (Friend of Louise Waldrop)
Rev. Charles Hall (Eddie Hall’s Dad)
Turner Hammett (Gena Hammett’s Son)
Mary Harris
Jay Jeter
Sandra McKinney
Thad Strickland
Charles and Miriam Turner
Remember our shut-ins
Families who have lost loved ones
Our President and officials in Washington
World Peace

(M) Indicated Military

Upcoming Events

Covenant’s Small Group will meet Sunday, November 11th at the home of Anne and Paul McChesney, 314 Holly Drive. Come ye thankful people, come! All are welcome to join us for food, fellowship, and thoughtful conversation. Remember to bring or email (the.mcchesneys@gmail.com) any photos that you would like to share for the church web site. We look forward to seeing you!
Andy will be out of town November 4-7 on vacation, then 8-9 for a Synod meeting in Jacksonville. Gene Lassiter will be filling the pulpit on November 4. Andy will also be out for vacation November 18-21. Sarah Bowers, Volunteer Coordinator at Thornwell and a Deacon in the Lutheran Church (ELCA), will be preaching.
A prayer group is meeting in the church Parlor on Wednesday evenings at 5:00. The group lifts up the needs of the congregation and commits to pray for our church and community. A prayer chain is also being organized by Connie Travaille. Anyone with a prayer request that you would like communicated to the church may email Connie at connie@travaille.email or 529-0463. You may also contact Connie to receive the prayer chain either through email or phone call.
Spartanburg Ukirk will be sponsoring a free concert for any that are interested in attending. This will be a thank you event for their stakeholders and students. It consists of Good Coffee, Good Pastries, Good Tunes and Good Times. It will be featuring Christopher Williams as the guest musician for the night. Christopher Williams is a songwriter, storyteller, and entertainer – offering songs that are honest and confessional, yet never over bearing; and performances that engage audiences with an appealing mix.