This week we will be collecting an for the Birthday Offering of Presbyterian Women!

Read or watch below to learn about the impact the PW makes with the annual Birthday Offering!

2023 Birthday Offering Recipients

Making Miracles Group Home

Phase II Group Home, Tallahassee, Florida

Making Miracles Group Home (MMGH) helps young mothers break the cycle of abusive relationships, addiction, incarceration and early motherhood—a repeating pattern that is difficult to break and overcome. Since its inception in 2010, MMGH has served over 100 women and their children by providing a one-year, live-in program designed to support young mothers and help them develop skills to live independently and care for their children.

Current eligibility criteria require residents to be pregnant and/or have a single child up to age three, but mothers who have a single child older than age three or multiple children often seek help. With the Birthday Offering grant, MMGH will purchase a second group home to serve an additional five families who are at risk of experiencing homelessness. With loving support and tools to establish stable, permanent housing, these families can look forward to a hopeful and successful future.

Berhane Yesus Elementary School

Kindergarten School Construction

Berhane Yesus Elementary School, located in the western highlands of Ethiopia, seeks to change lives by sharing the “Light of Jesus” and by providing the best possible educational experience for the children of Dembi Dollo. Berhane Yesus provides children with the possibility of a better future by preparing them for a rigorous high school education and a life of Christian service. The school is the first entry point to education for children of subsistence farmers, migrant workers and displaced groups of people.

This K-8th grade school has been serving the community and been a part of the Presbyterian Church in this rural community since 1921. A kindergarten was added to the school in 2012, but with no available space for class, the children met in the chapel. Over the years the number of kindergarten students has increased and now space of their own is not only needed but is required by the government to remain open. Western Wollega Bethel Synod provided land for the classroom and the Birthday Offering grant will provide all necessary funding for its construction.

THIS SUNDAY!

Lenten Book Study:

Were You There?

Join Neeley and Erin on Zoom,

Mondays in March at 6:00pm

to study Were You There?: Lenten Reflections on the Spirituals by Luke A. Powery.

Contact the office if you would like to order your book through the church.

For the class link click below or visit fpccov.org/zoom-links

FINAL CLASS TONIGHT!

Have you been thinking about officially joining the church family of FPC?

On Suday, March 12 immediately following worship we will meet in the Gathering Room to receive new members! This will be a time of celebration as you say YES to becoming an official member of FPC! Our church elders are excited to get to know you and greet you on March 12 from 12:00pm-12:30pm in the Gathering Room!

If you plan to join on please let Neeley know! 

Our Soul Feast Class for March and April:

Lament and Hope in the Psalms

Join us in the Gathering Room following Soul Feast on March 8th at 6:00pm to learn about and discuss the Psalms.

PW Circles meet next Tuesday, March 6th to discuss Lesson 7: Sabbath and Self-Care.



Elizabeth Ann: Zoom and in the Fellowship Hall at 10:00am

Martha: Contact a member for location. 10:30am

Did you know we now have a page on our website where you can find all of our recurring zoom links? Visit fpccov.org/zoom-links or look under the resources tab on our website so you can join in without having to find a week old email.

Lenten Prayer Stations are back!

Starting today we have nine prayer stations around the FPC grounds to guide you on your Lenten journey with a focus, reflection, and response.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO

REGISTER FOR THE RETREAT!

Devotionals are in the Narthex!

We've got options galore for devotionals this Lent!

Try the modern Seeking Devotional from Sanctified Art which matches our Lenten theme and should pair well with worship! You can also click HERE for a full-color online version.

If that's not for you, there is also the more traditional Drawn to the Cross devotional!

And as always we have the quarterly Our Daily Bread devotionals. Currently, the smaller size covers March through May and the large text covers January through March.

Save the Date for

Vacation Bible School!

Monday-Thursday | June 5-8

More details to follow!

Want to volunteer? 

Let Erin know at erin@fpccov.org

Montreat Worship & Music Conference - Week 1

Dates - Sunday, June 18 - Friday, June 23

(returning back to Covington on Saturday, June 24th after lunch)

Conference cost per ADULT Conferee 

February 1 - April 30 - $555

After April 30 - $605

Conference cost PER CHILD / YOUTH Conferee

February 1 - April 30 - $340

After April 30 - $390

Limited scholarships are available.

The Worship & Music Conference is open to all ages (Montreat Clubs available for children of all ages younger than rising 4th graders). We are hoping to partner with FPC of Tuscaloosa

Housing for the Week - Reynolds Lodge

Double Room - $200 per person

Single Room - $400 per person

Food for the Week

$50 per person (plus evening meal at Red Rocker Inn on Monday and My Father's Pizza on Saturday).

Montreat offers a peaceful and beautiful setting for guests to commune with their Creator, rest their souls, and shed the burdens of everyday life. Personal Sabbath can provide time and space for prayer, study, or rest, as well as daily worship at 11:00 AM and the glorious conference concert on Friday evening, featuring a choir with hundreds of voices. You are more than welcome to attend as a non-conferee for a relaxing week at Montreat, covering the cost of lodging and meals. Come and enjoy the Monday evening dinner out and organ concert, have an ice cream cone at The Huckleberry on the rocking chair porch overlooking the waterfall from Lake Susan, paddle boat or canoe, swim in the outdoor Olympic size pool, play a game of tennis, or simply relax on the front porch of Reynolds Lodge. Please email Alicia Taylor if you are interested in attending.

Children 3 years old through 1st grade are invited to Joyful Noise at 4:30pm to ring bells, sing praise, and participate in a rhythm band.

Hallelujah Kids! meets at 5:00pm for 2nd through 8th graders who will focus on the puppetry arts this season!

Childcare will be available from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM each Wednesday at the church for parents who are involved in the church music ministry.

Please contact Alicia Taylor at 770-656-6848 or at alicia@fpccov.org with any questions

"Grace Notes & Gospel Gab" is a new email offering from our Director of Music and Worship Arts, Alicia Taylor. Subscribe to learn about FPC’s music ministry and the history behind special worship services. Click below to subscribe!

Even though our stewardship drive is over and our Finance Team is working to finalize our 2023 budget, you are always welcome to make a pledge or to volunteer your time and talents to serve!

Sunday School

Sunday School classes are at 9:45am on Sunday mornings.

Children's Class (PreK-4th)

Youth Class (5th and up)

Lectionary Adult Class

The Wired WORD Class

Interested in teaching?

Email erin@fpccov.org

Neeley’s Notions is an email offering that gives Neeley the chance to start a conversation about the inspirations and influences she thinks about while writing her weekly sermon. The email will be sent on Friday mornings when the Spirit leads, and you can reply to the email with your thoughts and stories for Neeley to read.

Click below to subscribe if you haven't already!

Greetings in the name of the Lord! What a joy it is to serve in ministry with you! As we walk on this journey of faith together, we will send out a monthly newsletter with ministry opportunities for Children and Families. Be on the lookout for ways to connect with one another! 

With joy,

Rev. Erin Morgan

Associate Pastor for Faith Formation

Service and Visitation for Dr. James Stillerman

A memorial service will be held at 11 o’clock Thursday, March 2, 2023 at Covington First Presbyterian Church with Reverend Neely Rentz Lane, and Reverend Erin Morgan officiating. The service will be live streamed on the Covington First Presbyterian Church Facebook page. 

The family will receive friends in the First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to First Presbyterian Church or Willing Helpers.

Please keep the following people and their families in your prayers this week:

Prayers:

• Brenda Buckelew, mother of Jennifer Buckelew
• Benson Dial, friend of Judy and Dennis Hooten - cancer
• Patsy Freeman, sister of Judy Davis - dementia
• Dionne Lane, friend of Alice Walker - recovering from concussion
• Richard, friend of Miriam and Jack Wheeler - Emory Hope House
• E.W. Sims, great uncle of Robert Lane
• Beverly Beasley, friend of Jean Elder - caring for husband who has leukemia
• Patrick Carmichael
• Ellen Clary, ex-wife of Bill Clary - ovarian cancer
• Larry Cox, brother-in-law of Randy Layton - cancer
• Bob Darby, friend of Jeff Mackenzie - leg amputated, kidney problems
• Karen Lein Kaasa, sister-in-law of Julie MacKenzie - home health care
• Linea Lott, niece of Tricia Hinton - leukemia
• Donald Vining, brother of Danny Vining - vision loss
• Blair Weaver - health issues
• Joyce Williams, sister of Danny Vining - Alzheimer’s

Condolences

• Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of Jim Stillerman as they mourn his passing on February 25th.
• Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones of Julia Brubaker as they mourn her passing on February 22nd. A service will be scheduled at a later date.

Independent and Assisted Living

• Penny Blakeney - The Oaks Assisted Living
• Jean Elder - Florida with her daughter
• Dot Fincher - Merryvale
• Travis Moss - Westbury, Conyers
• Jean Carol Mundy - Merryvale
• Gene Wallace - Merryvale
• Louise White - Merryvale

Military Service

• Billy Scarborough - Marines
• Koen Ardis - Navy

Please click HERE to update your prayer requests or send new prayer requests.

You will be sent a check-in after three weeks.

In your email please indicate if you would like your request to be confidential or added to our prayer list.