Covenant Presbyterian Church Augusta

This Sunday, Pastor Andy Cook, shares the story of the Transfiguration, which is one of the last things that Jesus does in Galilee before he "set his face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51). This story is mysterious and powerful. Jesus goes up a mountain to pray and his disciples are perplexed by all that they hear and see. Join us  as we explore this story of clouds and light together.

Last Sunday, we heard the first several verses of Jesus' Sermon on the Plain in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus proclaimed blessings to those who are usually considered less fortunate (the poor, the hungry, the persecuted) and woes to those who are usually considered successful and admirable (the rich, the full, the well-regarded). It is the opposite of what we expect and experience in our own lives.Jesus doesn't ease up in the rest of his sermon, as we hear from Pastor Katelyn Gordon Cooke, "Love your enemies," Jesus commands his disciples. "Do good to those who hate you, bless those that curse you, pray for those who abuse you." Again, it is the opposite of what we expect and experience in the world around us, but perhaps that is why Jesus is so adamant about it.

In today's sermon, Pastor Andy Cooke brings a powerful message for all of the church.  He preaches on the pivot in America away from Christ's teachings in the Sermon on the Plain, about Christian hospitality, compassion and inclusiveness.

This Sunday in worship, we'll ordain and install our new church officers, and you're invited to wear red (the color of the Holy Spirit) to mark the occasion with us.  And as pastor Katelyn Gordon Cooke tells us, there are many different ways of being called to serve God.  And today we celebrate that in addition to the calling of our new church officers, each of us has our own calling in doing and proclaiming the word of God.

If you've ever been to a wedding, then you've probably heard this Sunday's Scripture passage. 1 Corinthians 13 is a favorite reading for weddings, and that's understandable given its focus on love. But, as the youth of the church have learned during their preparations for Youth Sunday, these verses aren't really about romantic love. They're about God's love and the kind of love God calls us to show each other.In this Sunday's worship service, Covenant's middle and high school youth will lead us and help us to explore what love really means for us as people of faith and why it's so important.

Our Scripture readings for this Sunday show us two different worshiping communities that are facing big moments in their lives together. In Nehemiah, the people are reestablishing temple worship following the Babylonian exile. In Luke, the people in Nazareth are coming to terms with the fact that Joseph's son is not going to be an average kid from Nazareth. Both stories show readings and interpretations of Scripture that elicit big emotional responses.As Pastor Andy Cooke tells us there is power in what we do every week in worship. Sometimes, it can overwhelm us. Join us this Sunday as we contemplate the ways that God moves through our sanctuary and the ways that we might be called to respond.

First things are important. First impressions are important. We've learned this lesson through our own personal experiences, and in this Sunday's gospel reading, as Pastor Katelyn Gordon Cooke tells us, we'll get to see Jesus' first miracle (or "sign" as the Gospel of John calls it) that marks the beginning of his ministry.

On this second Sunday in January, we have finished our annual journey of remembering and celebrating the birth of Jesus. This Sunday, we will mark his baptism and the beginning of his adult ministry. Baptism is one of the oldest and most meaningful traditions in the Christian Church, and as Pastor Andy Cooke says,  it is important for us to consider what it meant for Jesus and what it means for us.

There is comfort in what is familiar especially when we are on the threshold of something new - like a new year with all of its possibilities and unknowns stretching before us. Certainly, God was doing something new in the person of Jesus Christ, and the magi and the gospel writer looked to familiar things to help them recognize God's presence and discern God's guidance for them.  This week's sermon is from Rev. Katelyn Gordon Cooke

During Advent we anticipate, meditate, and prepare for the arrival of God’s Incarnation but then after Christmas we can quickly move on.  Have you slowed down enough to consider God’s willingness to be so vulnerable? What is more exposing than the process of a human birth?  The uncertainty of food, shelter, and safety of an immigrant family?  This Sunday Rev. Karla Conditt Daniels explores the story of Jesus as a twelve year old. Talk about a sensitive human time - no longer a child but not yet an adult. 
What does it mean, in these days after Christmas, that God comes to us in human form? 
The incredible and remarkable nature of God’s Incarnational love is not just something to consider during Advent, but throughout the year.