Covenant Church

One of the promises I make to our new pastoral employees is "You will never be bored!" Not one has complained of boredom.

When a local congregation decides that team action is biblical the excitement never stops. Ministry driven by passion is a thousand times more dynamic than "paid staff" duty. I walk through Covenant Church at times and jokingly say: "I am going home. You folks make me tired." One night Laila and I drove by the church. The parking lot was full. Laila asked what was happening. I replied: "I don't know, but it looks like things are going well. Let's go home." Truth is, we allow generous use of our facilities by other churches and friendly groups.

In June we will have two morning services on site with translation in Swahili, Nepalese, Burundi, and French. A third service is held in an elderly care facility during our Sunday Bible study time. We have received a request to provide a chaplain for a Roman Catholic facility. At 3 PM there will be two worship services, one in Swahili and another in Spanish. At 5 PM there will be a Hindi language service. At 7:30 PM a Burmese service in native language includes 4 different tribes.

Last Saturday the children's ministry of Covenant Church sponsored a Spring Fest at Hope Community Center. Approximately 8000 items of clothing were given away along with trailer loads of furniture. Free food, face painting and games for children drew hundreds of people. Both of the larger television networks featured the event in multiple newscast.

Out on the horizon we have former staff members on the move. Robert McCready is joining the forming of a Christian school in Tennessee. Chris & May May Chappell will pastor a church in Maine. Bill Woodruff is hitting stride as Youth Director of the New England Region. Chris Underwood and Mike White are completing training as chaplains for the military. Chris has already received orders for Afghanistan. Dr. Paul Metler, a pastor in Tennessee, is on a mission trip to Russia with Dr. Tom Rosson, Educational Director for Eastern Europe (both former staff). Rob Fultz and Dana (our daughter) are within weeks of moving back into their remodeled sanctuary. Ejected by the County from their building through no fault of their own, their congregation has worshiped in 4 different buildings in a year---and grown!

Adam Frye and Todd Asbury are pastors in Southwest Virginia. Jerry and Kathy Steele continue to serve as pastors to a Pennsylvania community where I say he is "King of the Mountain". Phyllys and Wayne Wozniak are educational missionaries to Colombia.

Covenant teenagers grown up and serving God in various fields of endeavor: Matt and Tessie Temple are youth pastors. Suzie Brumbaugh graduated from a Christian college and has been hired by same. Robert Southall has been hired as a youth pastor in Pennsylvania. Danny Bare is the music minister and a valued staff member of a Northern VA church. Nicole Innskeep has completed training as a youth minister. The list goes on....

Our congregation in Batangas, Philippines, founded and sponsored by Ernie and Ellie Deomampo and Covenant Church, continues to plant new churches and Bible studies---even to the suburbs of Manila. Our congregation in Juba, Sudan is trying to finish their building and the number of people is growing. Just received word of a revival...and training of leaders.

Cliff Yeger is launching a new ministry for men recovering from addictions. He will be traveling to Alabama in June to meet with national leaders and receive expert and experienced guidance.

Our pastoral team is unified and strong. Our prayer team is diligent. No judgment of others. No complaining. Just sincere and uplifting prayer. And the power of their prayers is being felt.

We must keep our hearts humble, pray and allow the Lord to go before us. Our mandate is to share the gospel, make disciples, and go until there is no where else to go telling others of the saving grace of Jesus.

Together we are so much stronger. Together we stand. Together we work. Together we pray. Together we share the rewards of the harvest. When we provide funds to get the teenage daughter of a missionary couple out of an intended terrorist kidnapping, we labor together. When we pay for that young lady's first year of school in the United States, we invest together. When she graduates from college as an aeronautical engineer, we rejoice together. She will join us in helping to give to send more

missionaries.

When we teach Bible classes that develop sound Christian marriages and homes, we sow. When we produce excellent and mature laborers into Our Lord's Harvest, we reap.

Thank you for allowing me to be part of your life. Laila and I and our family are humbled to be your servants. I cannot remember one dull moment in 28 years. We believe...

The Best Is Yet To Come!

Pastor Bare

Ephesians 4:11, 12