Covenant Presbyterian Church Augusta

Here we are! It is the last Sunday before our sabbatical begins. Pastor Andy Cooke wants to say again how grateful we are to you for allowing us this opportunity for sabbath rest after seven and a half years at Covenant. We are looking forward to the opportunity to clear away many of the things in our lives during this time so that we can return refreshed and renewed for the next season of ministry at Covenant. We'll have a brief sabbatical litany at the end of worship on Sunday to mark this transition into sabbatical.During worship, we'll hear the words of Jesus as he describes the work of the Holy Spirit during a time of transition. He promises that the Holy Spirit will be with the disciples even though tough days are ahead, and that God will never abandon them. Jesus gives his disciples--and us--the opportunity to consider how fully we believe that the Holy Spirit is at work within us. I hope that you'll join us on Sunday as we explore this important question together.

Pastor Katelyn Gordon Cooke said, "I'm excited that we'll be celebrating our high school graduating seniors in worship this Sunday. These youth were fifth graders when Andy and I came to Covenant, and it's been a joy to watch them grow up and grow in their faith. I'm proud of these youth and all they've accomplished, and I'm eager to see what's next for them. I also know that there's something a little unsettling about the in-between transition time and the uncertainty that comes with it."
Jesus' disciples know this unsettled feeling too, and it's where we meet them in our Gospel reading on Sunday morning. Jesus is with them now, but Jesus tells them it will not always be that way. The disciples are understandably anxious, and they ask Jesus a question that many of us may have asked him too, "How can we know the way?"

As pastor Andy Cooke explains this week, in John's gospel, Jesus calls on God's people to do the work of discernment as they look for their shepherd (spoiler: Jesus is the good shepherd). This Sunday, we'll focus on discerning the voice of our Shepherd in the midst of so many competing voices in this world. I hope that you'll join us and consider how we can do that work of discernment together.

This Sunday, we are celebrating Creation Care in worship, and pastor Katelyn Gordon Cooke tells the creation story from Genesis alongside Psalm 8, which has been called "a psalm for stargazers." It's a good thing, friends, to be reminded of our place in creation and the great privilege we have of being its caregivers. I'll look forward to seeing you in worship on Sunday and giving thanks to God for this beautiful world that is our home.

As pastor Andy Cooke tells us this week, John's gospel tells the story of Jesus appearing to the disciples (minus Thomas) on the evening of his resurrection, and then the story of Thomas needing to wait another week to see what the other disciples saw. It is a rich story of faith, doubt, and belief, and I always enjoy exploring it after Easter.

As pastor Andy Cooke tells us this week, after hearing the angel's message about Jesus' resurrection, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary feel both fear and great joy. They are a good reminder to us that we are capable of experiencing more than one emotion at the same time - even seemingly contradictory emotions. When have you had this experience yourself? 

After long weeks of our penitential journey through Lent, we are ready to celebrate the arrival of our King, Jesus of Nazareth. As pastor Karla Conditt Daniels explains, his arrival into Jerusalem is not the end of the story. As the week unfolds Jesus’ sovereignty is challenged as he is betrayed, arrested, tried, and sentenced to die by all who are threatened by his teachings.Friends, the redemptive power of Easter morning is more fully recognized when we “follow” in Jesus’ steps through all of Holy Week —  the Upper Room, the garden of Gethsemane, and then to Golgotha — rather than ending our journey at the city gate.

Why would he preach a sermon called "Radical Resurrection" two weeks before Easter? If you're not already asking that question, then perhaps you should. Pastor Andy Cooke says it does feel odd to deal with resurrection before Easter, but there is a reason that these resurrection texts are in the lectionary at this point in Lent. The idea is that we would consider resurrection in other places in Scripture in preparation for hearing about the resurrection of Jesus. The most famous of these stories is the resurrection of Lazarus, which you can find in John 11:1-45. It's a great story that I have previously preached on during Lent. This year, we're reading about an Old Testament resurrection story instead--the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel. It is a story that sounds like it was pulled out of a zombie movie and placed in the Bible, and I can't wait to read it to you!

Psalm 23 is easily one of the most well-known and well-loved passages of Scripture. Its images of green pastures and still waters offer peace to our often anxious spirits. We'll get to hear this passage in worship this Sunday morning as we welcome The Reverend Rosy Robson McCreary as our guest preacher. 
 

This Sunday, we'll hear the story of the Samaritan woman whom Jesus meets at a well one day. As pastor Katelyn Gordon Cooke explains, It is public knowledge that she has been married five times, which is scandalous to her community. Jesus doesn't respond with the same disdain and judgment that the woman is used to experiencing. Instead, he offers her living water and grace.
What does it look like to live with radical humanity? That's our question for this third week in Lent, and we'll have two good guides in Jesus and the Samaritan woman. I hope you'll join us on Sunday as consider what it means to be human together.