Covenant Church

Our intent in the early 1980s was simply to be generous with mission giving. We were an all-white congregation, loving God, loving each other, and loving our community. We believed in the Great Commission to go or send the gospel to every kindred and nation.

Our challenges at home were tremendous. A building program had left our congregation with a monthly mortgage half of what had been the total annual income of the church. However, as we gave to missions our tithing and offerings increased 150% in one year.

Averaging about 100 people we set out to build a new church building in the Dominican Republic. Wayne and Phyllys Wozniak were planting a new church. We told them we would provide funds for the sanctuary. In my imagination the amount would be about $2,000. When they told me the cost would be $20,000 I was shocked.

However, a promise is a promise. Every Bible class and group of our congregation participated in a six-week campaign. To our great joy the offering was over $20,000, with $6,000 more being given at a later date. A beautiful church building exists today.

In our ambition to reach the world we welcomed to our congregation a young African American lady soldier. Such a fine person. So dedicated to Jesus. History was set aside with a warm welcome. Not long afterward a dear African American brother joined us and became a deacon. Then Filipinos came…and came…and came. Oh the wondrous stories our new friends brought to us.

The more God added to us the more we were determined to give generously to mission outreach. The more we gave the more God added to us. And God sent our way some of the finest and most bold missionaries in the world. Great and powerful leaders.

Mission trips by the pastor’s family and many others were to distant lands to teach, do carpentry, and other tasks that strengthened the Kingdom. Those returning from short-term mission trips brought back stories that infused life and encouraged prayer and continued financial support.

More than 20 years have passed in this pleasant journey, with God continuing to add to our congregation people from different cultures. Then one Sunday a most unusual event happened.

A new family arrived from Burma. I was stunned. How could people from Burma get to Charlottesville? How could they be at Covenant Church? I asked them.

They explained that David Yone Mo, a missionary whom Covenant Church had supported, had been their pastor. “We know you,” they said to me. “Your picture hangs in our church!”

Pastor Yone Mo had informed them that if they made it to America to find Covenant Church and they would find love and care. God did a 360 turnaround gift for all our praying and generosity.

Then we planted a church in the Philippines. It has grown to multiple churches with a powerful outreach.

We reached out to the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, an accredited Church of God institution that has produced leaders in more than 60 countries and territories of the world. Each year the missions department of the Church of God cooperates with the seminary to sponsor a limited number of missionaries to come to the U.S. and be resident scholars for M.A., M.Div., and D. Min. degrees.

In the fall of each year we travel to Cleveland, TN, join with partners, and sponsor a banquet for all the international students at the seminary. In the Spring we bring them and their families to Charlottesville for our mission conference.

A Congolese family left their homeland because of civil war. Three refugee camps later in Tanzania they were asked where they would like to go in America. Their answer: “We will express no choice. God will send us where he wants us to serve.” They have come to Charlottesville and to Covenant Church. A family of eight, musically talented, Pastor Joseph had a congregation of 500 people in the Congo!

Which leads me to the point of this musing---our “Unto the Least of These” annual missions conference is NEXT WEEK! On Wednesday, March 17, our own Captain Jim Perkins of the world-famous Fairfax search and rescue team [the first one to arrive in Haiti after the earthquake] will be our guest speaker. March 20, 5 PM is our mission banquet. Dr. Lovell Cary, veteran missionary who was on site with his wife in Haiti when the earthquake happened, will be our keynote speaker. Sunday AM missionaries will teach all Bible classes---including children---and preach in both morning services.

On Saturday night we will bring food representing our own culture [no desserts, please. They will be provided by the church]. We invite people to dress according to their culture, or wear favorite clothing of another culture. It will be a colorful event. The Hindi choir will sing. It will be a beautiful time of fellowship! One not to be missed, because what happens there is better felt than told. Words cannot communicate it adequately.

There is no cost to attend, but we need you to please sign up so that we may have adequate seating. Call Krista Darcus at 973-5536 if you have not yet signed up.

I hope to see you there! We are on a journey with wonderful people of many kindreds, tongues, colors and cultures. An exciting journey. We feel the favor of the Lord. Thank you for being part of the Family.

Much love—

Pastor Bare