Friends
Hopefully you will understand why I would begin this PH with mention of Laila. She came into my life 44 years ago. I was captured by the very sight of her dressed in an olive skirt with coordinate blouse and a sassy scarf. Modest, yet bold. Discreet, yet present.
"I am going to get to know that lady better," I said to myself from about 60 feet across the college cafeteria.
I took her young and beautiful. She tells friends she took one look at my six foot 118 pounds and said: "Anything I can do will help him to look better!"
She is still my best friend. We never finish talking. We never get tired of each other. I leave home for the office. She sees me out the door. Waves "bye". Like as not within five minutes my phone rings, or I call her. Sometimes I answer the phone by saying: "It has only been three minutes since I left home!"
It took me awhile to learn that she likes calls throughout the day. There are other things I am learning.
Oh, did I mention that this week on the 18th we will be married 41 years? Good years. I cannot imagine otherwise.
But this letter is not all about the romance of Pastor Bare and Laila. This letter is about how much two can get done instead of one. People working together.
While I am writing you more people than I can count are working on the Angel Tree gifts for needy children (maybe 200). Delighted to share with you that Pastor Rob and Dana (our daughter) Fultz of CenterPoint Church of God in Northern Virginia helped with more than 30 Angel Tree gifts.
Amanda Woodruff teaches at Covenant School, a local private prep school. All unclaimed clothes are being processed through Amanda / Covenant Church for homeless and needy.
Various staff at Covenant Church are working on issues about architecture, site work, signage, roads, and variables that will have significant impact upon the future ministries of Covenant Church.
Letters with a gift are being sent to about 150 retired and disabled ministers to assure them of our love and caring.
Seniors and friends of Covenant Church are leaving this PM for Richmond for a Christmas evening of wonderful Gaither Family music.
Lori-Ann and Hope Community Center are preparing for a huge party tonight for neighborhood children in the inner-city. Food. Prizes. New clothes. ...and the event is being reported on by a local TV station.
Tomorrow AM a breakfast for the homeless at Hope Community Center is being sponsored by three local churches. Tablecloths, decorations, balloons! Plans include a Christmas Eve banquet dinner for homeless at Hope.
Caring for missionaries is a weekly part of our heart. We cherish brothers and sisters from distant lands who have come to Covenant Church. A great number of missionary friends are dear to our hearts because teams from Covenant have traveled to distant mission shores.
Laila and I continue to host open door welcomes to our home—seven in two weeks and two this coming weekend. We so cherish these intimate times together to deepen bonds of friendship and include new persons into our hearts.
Kitty Baker and other dear ones are determined to try and prepare some healthy meals for the homeless staying at Hope Community Center. Ministry is in their hearts.
Martin and team continue to distribute clothes and reach out to refugees who have come from many different countries. Many of these dear people are dedicated Christians, accustomed to going to church in their native land.
We are looking for drivers with CDL license to help with outreach ministry. If driving a vehicle for more than 15 persons speaks to your heart contact Mike at Covenant.
This week scores of persons with the Fine Arts Department will be preparing for the wonderful presentation of the gospel in drama this coming Sunday morning. There will be two services, 8:30 and 10:30. Bring your whole family and friends!
My brother Jim is helping us to obtain 50 NFL winter coats in $10.00 each to give to Needy persons.
As your lead pastor, I promise you that Laila and I will give ourselves totally to lead you into the harvest. We are more excited about new opportunities than any time in the past 26 years of being at Covenant. The Holy Spirit is prompting us to work together to go through new doors.
Celebrating Christ is best done when we work together and bring precious persons to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ!
Much love,
Pastor Bare
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2).