From The Desk Of Pastor J. R.205-599-3363 Ext. 13

JUNE 2011

From The Desk Of Pastor J. R.205-599-3363 Ext. 13

NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR JUNE 5, 2011

June 1st was the beginning of Pride Month here

in Central AL. The theme for the Pride Celebrations this

year is "Embrace Equality ... Inspire Diversity." As a

Christian Pastor, I wish that was the theme of the

Christian Church all the time. It seems that the one

thing Christians do so well is causing "disunity" when the

call of Christ could easily be summed up by the

theme "Embrace Equality - Inspire Diversity." When

Jesus prayed "that they may be one," He was NOT

praying for a monolithic intolerant and judgmental group

of followers. But rather He was praying for a diverse

group bringing a very diverse group, gifts and talents to

the faith table, yet united in their love for God, and

allowing that love for God to cause them to reach out to

love and service to others.

Unfortunately disunity and intolerance, not love, has been

the prevalent history of the Christian church. And this is

bothersome to more than just us Christians. The very

people Christians should be reaching out to with a

message of hope and God's unconditional love, are often

the very people the Church shun, ostracize and

condemn. Look no further than the way in which the

Christian church responds overwhelmingly to our g/l/b/t/q

community. It makes people in our community who profess

no faith look at feuding, intolerant Christians and

wonder "why would I want to be a Christian if it makes

no good difference in their lives?" When it comes to

being nice or even being charitable, one can find many

non-Christians that far surpass many self-identified

Christians. So they rightly ask the question, "What's the

point of being a Christian if it doesn't make you a

better person ... especially if it doesn't cause you to

'Embrace Equality' and 'Inspire Diversity' that God created among the one human family?"

Some pastors and theologians like to

say: "We are united at the altar and the

baptismal font despite our profound

differences." That's great sloganeering, but

their actions too often do little, if anything, to

help their people demonstrate the love of

God and to "Embrace Equality-Inspire

Diversity." So I thank Central Alabama Pride

for seeking to lead the way. As the pastor of

Covenant I want you to know that we need

to help and have a strong presence aiding in

these efforts. I encourage you to become a

part of and supportive of Central Alabama

Pride's efforts this year to "Embrace Equality

- Inspire Diversity." I remind you that each

of us have individual skills that can be used

to enhance these efforts. I understand that

many can only participate behind the

scenes, while others can be on the front line,

but whatever you can do to make this theme

become a reality in Central AL, I employ you to do so with all your might.

There is the old story about the conversation between a

pig and a cow. The pig is complaining to the cow that

nobody ever has a kind word for him. The pig says,"Look

at the way I give of myself. I produce bacon, ham and

pork chops. The bristles of my skin are used for

brushes, my hide for luggage. Why, some people even

pickle my feet and consider them a delicacy. Why is it

then that everyone speaks more kindly of you, the cow,

than of me?' To which the cow replied, "My friend,

perhaps it is that I give of myself while I am still

alive." My friends, once again I employ you to do all you

can, while you can, to "Embrace Equality" and "Inspire

Diversity" by giving of yourself while you are alive and

able to do so.

Join us for worship this Sunday, at Covenant as I

begin a new sermon series adopting the theme of Central

Alabama Pride for 2011, "Embrace Equality - Inspire

Diversity." The point of this week's sermon is that it's hard

to truly "Embrace Equality" and "Inspire Diversity" if one

is not confident in one's own being. So this week in Part

1 the sermon is "You are Somebody!"

The scriptures used for this sermon is Galatians

3:26-28 and John 17: 1-2, 6-11.

From The Desk Of Pastor J. R.205-599-3363 Ext. 13

PENTECOST AND PRIDE

SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2011

This Sunday is Pride Sunday in Central AL. The theme is "Embrace Diversity - Inspire Equality." This Sunday is also Pentecost Sunday, known as the birthday of the Christian Church. It is important to note that the birth of the Christian Church started with the two elements of our 2011 Pride Theme."EMBRACE DIVERSITY" As the dramatic story of the birth of the Christian Church was unfolded on that Pentecost Sunday, God ensured that it embraced diversity. In the Acts 2 account of this event, when the Holy Spirit begins its work of starting the church, a key component from the very outset was that of reaching out and embracing the diversity of people from various other nations. People had gathered in Jerusalem from every region of the known world at that time for "The Feast of Pentecost." God saw to it that despite the diversity of language among them, each of them was able to experience the event of Pentecost as they each heard in their own language about the wonderful things God had done!

"INSPIRE EQUALITY" While many were confused by the events of Pentecost, and wondered what it all meant; Peter stood up in their midst and preached a sermon that inspired equality among them so that all would know that they were equally welcomed into their midst (and this new church) by faith in Christ. And sure enough, 3,000 new converts were added to the church on its first day. The Apostle Paul would later leave no doubt that the job of the Christian Church is to"inspire equality." He wrote to the Christians in the city of Galatia and said, "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, (and I would add,) nor is there straight and gay), for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

So welcome to Pentecost and Pride Sunday 2011. As we at Covenant"Embrace Diversity - Inspire Equality" for these events; it is time to open up to the mind-blowing, heart-warming, life-changing power of God. The power of God can invade the body, inflate the mind, swell the soul, lift the Spirit and make us more than we ever imagined.

It'll make you young when you're old, and it'll make you live even when you die. The power and presence of the Spirit will disturb, delight, deliver and lift. When God sends forth the Spirit, "the whole face of the earth gets renewed." When God sends forth the Spirit chaos is changed into creation as the Red Sea opened up to a highway of freedom.

When God sends forth the Spirit: A young woman named, Mary, says "Yes," and Jesus is born and life is never the same. When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen:

barriers are broken,communities are formed,opposites are reconciled,

unity is established,disease is cured,

addiction is broken,cities are renewed,

races are reconciled,hope is established,people are blessed,

and church happens.

As we celebrate this coming Sunday, Pentecost (the birth of the Christian Church), and Pridefest (the birth of civil rights in the G/L/B/T/Q community;) as an inclusive community of faith, it is important that we embrace the diversity and inspire the equality of both of those tremendous events of importance in our lives. Therefore with the Spirit of God present, we're gonna' have church and we gonna' celebrate Pride. So be ready, get ready...

God is up to something...discouraged folks cheer up,

sour folks sweeten up,closed minded folks, open up,

gossipers, shut up,conflicted folks, make up,sleeping folks, wake up,lukewarm folks, fire up,

dry bones folks, shake up,and pew potatoes folks, stand up!

But most of all join us worship at Covenant this Sunday, as Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up! I will continue my "Embrace Diversity - Inspire Equality" Sermon Series with the sermon, "We are A Peculiar People."The scriptures used for this sermon is I Peter 2:4-5, 9-10; and John 20:19-23

From The Desk Of Pastor J. R.205-599-3363 Ext. 13

FATHER'S DAY, SUNDAY, JUNE

19, 2011

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Really? Sometimes those of us having been blessed with wonderful fathers or those serving in paternal role in our lives, assume that was true for most others as it was for us. As a pastor, I have too often been painfully reminded that my relationship with my father was quite special. On several occasions, my best friend, who never had a relationship with his father, has reminded me of this fact. Likewise, too often overbearing, domineering and/or homophobic fathers offered only conditional love IF their children lived up to their expectations. Living up to such subjective standards are nearly impossible as we all know. Even attempting to do so created almost insurmountable stress in one's life. Failure to live up to a father's expectations has left many with {at best} strain relationships their father, and {at worse} abusive relationships with their fathers. This has resulted in horrible emotional scars that often still linger to this day. So the idea of a "Happy Father's Day" is really an alien concept to many.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Really? Sometimes those of us The tragic result of such unhealthy interactions with our fathers or those in parental roles in our lives has also made it very difficult for many in our community to envision God as someone who loves us unconditionally. I pray that this little story can help you get a glimpse of a father's unconditional love.

In his book, Disappointment with God, writer Philip Yancey relates a touching story from his own life. One time on a visit to his mother--who had been widowed years earlier, during the month of Philip's birthday--they spent the afternoon together looking through a box of old photos. A certain picture of him as an eight-month-old baby caught his eye. Tattered and bent, it looked too banged up to be worth keeping, so he asked her why, with so many other better pictures of him at the same age, she had kept this one.

Yancey writes, "My mother explained to me that she had kept the photo as a memento, because during my father's illness it had been fastened to his iron lung." During the last four months of his life, Yancey's father lay on his back, completely paralyzed by polio at the age of twenty-four, encased from the neck down in a huge, cylindrical breathing unit. With his two young sons banned from the hospital due to the severity of his illness, he had asked his wife for pictures of her and their two boys. Because he was unable to move even his head, the photos had to be jammed between metal knobs so that they hung within view above him--the only thing he could see. The last four months of his life were spent looking at the faces he loved.

Philip Yancey writes, "I have often thought of that crumpled photo, for it is one of the few links connecting me to the stranger who was my father. Someone I have no memory of, no sensory knowledge of, spent all day, every day thinking of me, devoting himself to me, loving me . . . The emotions I felt when my mother showed me the crumpled photo were the very same emotions I felt that February night in a college dorm room when I first believed in a God of love. Someone is there, I realized. Someone is there who loves me. It was a startling feeling of wild hope, a feeling so new and overwhelming that it seemed fully worth risking my life on."

As I read this story, I thought of how blessed I was to have a father that loved me dearly and showed it in every way. Nonetheless, on this Father's Day, whether you had a father like mine or not, I pray you come to believe as Philip Yancey did, in a God of love. A Father ... who loves you ... unconditionally! I also want to take this opportunity to say "Happy Father's Day," to the Dads in our Covenant family as well to all those serving in paternal roles. I pray that your actions will show those lives entrusted to you, the light of God's unconditional love.

Join us in worship on this Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, 2011. I will be continuing my Pride Month sermon series on "Embrace Diversity - Inspire Equality" with a sermon titled "Who's Your Daddy?"

This scripture text used for this sermon comes from my favorite Psalm, Psalms 139:13-19.

From The Desk Of Pastor J. R.205-599-3363 Ext. 13

FATHER'S DAY, SUNDAY, JUNE

26, 2011

June, Pride Month, is almost over. The 10 days of Pride for Central AL has been over a couple weeks now. As a pastor, I think it is always good to take time to thank and encourage the wonderful volunteers responsible for making Covenant's presence at Pride 2011 a wonderful success. As I have been trying to do some of that one-on-one, I have been struck as to how often the reaction of many have been to seemingly to discount their efforts and the contribution to this effort. It's as if many of them think that their time, talents and gifts to the cause didn't really make a lot of difference or wasn't that significant.

I suppose it's an attempt of humility, and I understand that ... but, how often has it been the case that your or my little acts kindness, including the giving of resources, has made the difference, often in someone else's life. I dare say more than we think. In the gospel lesson this week, there is a wonderful line that I think speaks to the point. Jesus says, "Even a cup of cold water given to one of his little ones will be rewarded." [Matthew 10:42]

I thought of that this week as I was signing the first-time visitor letters. I came across the letters addressed to three young, late teens ... early twenty something folks from Oneonta who attended Covenant this past Sunday for the first time because of Covenant's presence and participation in Pride this year. Every Covenant volunteer who worked to make Covenant presence prominent in the 10 days of Pride, who gave of whatever time, talents and resources they could give - share in the reward of having helped those three young people discover the inclusive community of faith that is Covenant. I remember speaking to them as they left church last Sunday. Each of them gave an excited positive response as I inquired if they had enjoyed being in worship with us. Thinking of my brief face-to-face time with them as I was signing their visitor letters this week, it was once again brought home to me just how vital Covenant's presence and ministry is needed in our community during the 10 days of Pride and throughout each year.

It also reminded me of how even the smallest acts of kindness ... the giving of every bit of time, effort and money for the cause of making Covenant's presence happen at Pride is tremendously needed. I believe even the smallest effort given in this venture is seen by God as if it was a cup of cold refreshing water given to our community telling them "you are welcome to God's house" ... "there is a place for you here at Covenant in fellowship with us and as a part of God's family.“

And remember Jesus said, "Even a cup of cold water given to one of his little ones will be rewarded." Pride may be over for this year, but throughout the year, your help is needed to carry the message of God's unconditional love to our community. Whatever effort, time and resources that you can give, no matter how meager it may seem to you, please know that is vitally needed and graciously appreciated. So give generously.

Give for the cause. Remember those three young visitors and give with a glad heart; knowing and trusting that not even the smallest act of kindness will be missed by God, who is ever watching to reward those who do so.Join us in worship this week at Covenant on this last Sunday in Pride Month 2011. I will conclude my Pride Month sermon series, "Embrace Diversity - Inspire Equality" with the sermon "Giving for the Cause."This scripture text for this sermon will be II Corinthians 9:10-15 and Matthew 10: 40-42.

Greetings from Pastor J. R.

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the website of Covenant Community Church, Birmingham, AL. Our technology ministry has designed this website to make it easy for you to move about the various pages learning more about Covenant and it's ministries. I encourage you to do so by clicking on the links at the right.

If you are living in, or find yourself visiting the Birmingham metropolitan area, we invite you to visit our new worship center and ministry complex and enjoy the exciting and uplifting worship at Covenant. You will be warmly and graciously greeted. After all, Covenant is "an inclusive community of faith - Offering Hope + Showing Faithfulness + Sharing Joy." We hope to see you soon.

Again, welcome to our Covenant website.

Blessings In Abundance,

Covenant Community Church

2205 3rd Street NECenter Point, AL 35215.Phone: 205-599-3363

Fax: 205-453-1013

Sunday09:00am - Breakfast10:00am - Youth Bible Study (Grades 7-12)10:00am - The Lighthouse (Adult Class)11:00am - Morning Worship **Wednesday6:00 pm – Family Night Supper6:30 pm - Upper Room Prayer7:00 pm - Bible Study

For 30 Years, An Inclusive Community of Faith in the City of Birmingham, Alabama

Offering Hope + Showing Faithfulness + Sharing Joy