Advent is a cherished tradition with many festive gatherings at Covenant Church: Advent workshop, Christmas Dinner, Pageant, Choral Cantata Sunday, mid-week services, Christmas Eve services of carols and lights. Some of these events will be unavailable to us during this time of Covid19 and the need for social separation. The Christian Education Committee has devised a way to ‘be together’ virtually to continue the best of our Advent celebrations together.
Virtual Advent
Covenant church would like to get the whole congregation into the celebration of Advent—in a virtual way! We want to solicit 27 participants (one for each day in Advent) who would be willing to share one of your favorite family traditions that can be ‘posted’ in our Members-Only Facebook Group. These videos will bring us together and help us learn more about one another, even at a distance! It can be a single person reading a favorite story, poem, or hymn text on video and let us know why it is significant for you. It can be sharing a favorite Christmas tree ornament, telling us its story, or showing a creche scene and describing how it came to be in your family. You might take a video of your family making that favorite Christmas brunch or cinnamon buns (recipes included and welcomed!). Whatever you decide, we look forward to your creativity and ingenuity.
Covenant will also provide a Prince of Peace family devotions and activities booklet to spur your imagination. The book includes a scripture, prayer, and family/community activity such as gathering a sharing box of hats, scarves, socks that may be contributed to our outreach programs, or a box of food gathered during the week and given to Safety Net, or simply a card of encouragement for many in our congregation who are ‘shut in’ by the need to stay home and not risk infection—to let them know they are not forgotten (Patti in the office has our Deacon list with addresses for this). Call the church office to sign up for a day, 570-346-6400, or Pastor Carol’s cell, 570-578-9425—from November 29 through December 25. To participate we need you to sign-up for a date, record your video, then email it to Patti Ollendyke and she’ll take it from there!
Advent Crafts
Covenant church will assemble packets of Advent crafts that families can do at home—one for each of the four weeks of Advent. As we did with VBS earlier this year, we will provide you with materials and directions to complete each craft along with a booklet of Jesus’ Family tree that will guide your devotion and increase families understanding of Jesus’ heritage, and some of the important symbols for our Savior that can be added to the tree each day (like an Advent calendar!) These will be available for pick-up at the church beginning November 20th, and/or at worship on November 22nd and November 29th. If you aren’t able to come to us but would like a packet, please let us know and we will get it to you. Tis the season- to be faithful, and filled with Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love!
Christmas Services
Many worshippers have enjoyed coming back to church and joining us inperson on Sunday mornings—while many are watching our recorded services online. With the holidays approaching, Covenant church hopes to bring the joy of the season to everyone, in one form or another.
Wednesday Advent Services
5:30 P.M. in the Sanctuary
December 2nd: Ed Wargo, flute
December 9th: Andrea Wittchen, harp
December 16th: TBD
The Wednesday services will be videotaped, so ‘at home’ folks can watch virtually when they are posted on the following Sunday mornings (December 6th, 13th, and 20th).
Sunday Worship
Sunday worship will continue each week in the sanctuary at 10:30 A.M. Advent begins on November 29th. Face masks are required at all times.
Christmas Eve
A Family Service will be held at 4:30 P.M. with a ‘walkon’ pageant (you must let Pastor Carol know if your child wishes to participate). Our traditional Candlelight Service will be held at 10:00 P.M.
Reservations are Required.
O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Hilda Muller Memorial Mitten Tree – Sunday, December 6, 2020
Even though our children may not be able to decorate the tree, needs still exist. Covenant church welcomes you donations of hats, gloves, scarves, mittens! Bring your donations to worship or the church office during the week. All donations will be forwarded to the Thomas B. Hargrave Daycare Center in Portsmouth, Virginia.
Poinsettia Memorials
Poinsettia plants will adorn our sanctuary on Sunday, December 20th. Memorials will be due to the church office no later than Sunday, December 13th. The cost of a plant is $10.00, but any donation is most appreciated. Due to the Deacons being unable to distribute plants due to current pandemic restrictions, we invite those donating to take a plant, or two (leaving enough for Christmas Eve) after worship on December 20th.
