O Church, What Does the Lord Require of You
A sermon on Micah 6:6-8 by Randy Bush: "Once the evangelical commotion of the modern church is turned down for a moment, the wisdom of other people of faith can be heard again. Mahatma Gandhi once said: I told the missionaries to refrain from telling India about Christ and merely live the life set before them by the Sermon on the Mount. India then, instead of suspecting them, would have appreciated and directly profited from their presence. Malcolm X once said: Don’t condemn a person who has a dirty glass of water. Just show them the clean glass of water that you have. When they inspect it, you won’t have to say that yours is better."
Scott Anderson's Keynote - CovNet GA Luncheon
"I speak of imagination because I believe there is a movement afoot in our world. A movement for civil rights? Well yes, that’s a big part of the story. A justice movement to address ancient prejudices and right ancient wrongs? Well, of course. But there is a deeper, wider, larger movement that permeates these smaller ones. The movement of God, the One who has gone way out in front of us in the church on a mission to heal, and to reconcile, and to restore all of creation, the One whose gracious hand is visibly evident, I believe, in all of these unimaginables we are now experiencing, signs of the nearness of God’s reign."
Covenant Network Goals for the 220th General Assembly
Remarks by National Organizer Tricia Dykers Koenig to the Covenant Network Luncheon, Monday, July 2, 2012: No turning back!
Knowing We Are All the Image of God
A reflection by Laurie Kraus: "...Our families are not all the same: the children we treasure have come to us from birth, surrogacy, national and international adoption, or foster care; and we connect with friend or partner or spouse in a variety of ways. One thing I believe is common among us: that we all are formed in our relationships by Love, which comes from God; and that we all of us, are made truly in God’s image and living a life of faith intended to let that God-image shine forth more clearly. We listen to one another, share our stories and practice community together because it is the way Christ has taught us to see the face of God..."
On Churches Disaffiliating from the PCUSA
A Sermon on Acts 10:9-16, 15:1-11, by Thomas C. Willadsen: "Peter had to give up his concept of what God wanted from him. He gave that up when he saw what the Holy Spirit was doing among different people. I do not think this was easy for Peter to do. The Holy Spirit pushed Peter to broaden his understanding of religion, faith and tradition, the very things that had told him who he was and who God was. I don’t think it was easy for Peter to do this."
The Threat of Literalism
An essay by Kenneth E. Kovacs: "...reality is infinitely more complicated and complex than fundamentalists will acknowledge, actually more than they are free to admit. Fundamentalism, especially the religious variety, is the very opposite of freedom. It’s a form of bondage..."
Build Up the Body of Christ in Love
A sermon by the Rev. Sara Hayden: "So, they recalled his way of life. How Jesus went to the margins and borders of the cities, lakes and called to people who were hungry, outcast, forgotten, and otherwise lost. His ears and eyes were attentive as people called to him. Sometimes for healing, sometimes for money, sometimes for attention. Jesus went to them. He learned their needs. He developed their gifts. He recognized the spiritual gifts of exceptional people – many, like Martha and Mary – who had never been encouraged before to use them. Not merely for themselves, but for the world."
Radical Hospitality
A reflection by Vicki Carmichael, Minister of Music--Choir Director at Trinity Presbyterian Church in University City, MO, shared as part of the communion service on Trinity Sunday, June 3, 2012: "Radical hospitality doesn’t just welcome, it transforms."
The Church is for Blessing
A reflection on ministry, church, relationship, love, holiness, and the PCUSA General Assembly, by Marci Auld Glass:Because these two young men LOVE Jesus. They LOVE the church. They LOVE each other. And the place they most wanted to be to celebrate their relationship is in a church.What, exactly, is our problem with this?
Brian Ellison welcomed as Executive Director
The Covenant Network Board of Directors is pleased to welcome the Rev. Brian Ellison as the new Executive Director.
The Language of Love
Reflections by Randy Bush East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, PA: "To move from the cultural language about love to the spiritual language of love, it is important to remember that love is primarily directed away from us."
Rethinking Morality
A sermon on Mark 7:1-23 by the Rev. Dr. Dan Anderson-Little: "Yes, actually I do think we have Jesus to blame for this ongoing rethinking of morality—for that is exactly what he is doing in this story."
The Trouble with the Church
A Sermon by Dr. Mark Achtemeier: "The trouble with inviting Jesus into your home is you don’t just get Jesus, you get the friends who show up with him."
Absolutely Everyone
A sermon by Baron Mullis to Morningside Church, Atlanta: "... I love standing up here and telling our visitors that when we say welcome, we mean it. And what I want you to know, and to be able to share is this: we don’t say it in spite of scripture, we say it because of Scripture!..."