In this week's One Takes, Bob reflects on July as hallowed time. Bob speaks of July as a month that we can all use to prioritize inward richness, rest, play and intellectual growth as we recover from the year prior and look toward the fall and year ahead. Watch to learn how Bob and his family are using this month to nourish their spirits and how they encourage you to do the same. 

Covenant's Re-Opening Task Force met earlier this month to assess Covenant's guidelines in light of current COVID-19 conditions.

Please click below to read about ways we're opening our campus further thanks to improvements in local case trends and vaccination rates. New guidelines, which include changes in Recreation Wing policies and seating for in-person worship, will remain in effect at least until the Task Force meets again in August. 

"Thank you for your consideration, participation and support as we continue to love each other and our neighbors as Jesus taught us to do," says Deana Cooper, Re-Opening Task Force Chair. 

Click here to read the latest guidelines.

This Sunday, July 18, we will host regular 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. worship services in person in the Sanctuary and live online.

Sunday School and childcare will be available. Adult Sunday School will be held at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.

Infant Soothing Room:

Children of all ages are always welcome in worship at Covenant. We also have two soothing rooms for parents who would feel more comfortable caring for babies and/or young children during the service. One is located in the balcony and the other in the Parlor downstairs. Both offer a live video stream of the services and can be accessed at any time. If you need assistance finding these areas before or during a service, please see a member of the Usher Team.

Unclaimed Church Directories:

If you ordered a church directory and haven't picked it up, they are available in the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings and weekdays. Can't make it to campus? Contact Kathy Pickard.

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy Adult Sunday School with Pastoral Resident, Molly Smerko, who will teach about "Everyday Theologians," The Avett Brothers. Adult Sunday School is hosted in the Fellowship Hall on Sundays from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

July 17, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Join Covenant Young Adults and others for fellowship and service in support of Promising Pages. This event will be hosted at The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints (5815 Carmel Road).

Sign up here.

Join friends for Open Picnic Table, a weekly informal Wednesday evening family gathering under Covenant's Magnolia tree. Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy time together every Wednesday between 5:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. through the summer. Sweet treats are provided. This is a rain-or-shine event. In the case of inclement weather, we'll meet in the Fellowship Hall.

It’s that time of year where we begin focusing on the changing seasons, including the changing season of our youth!

On August 15, all rising 6th graders and rising 9th graders are invited to a formal celebration of their transition into middle and high school. The middle school celebration will be hosted at 2:00 p.m. (youth and parents) and the high school celebration will be hosted at 4:00 p.m.(youth only).

For questions about your youth’s transition or on joining Covenant's middle/high school youth, please email:

• Alyssa Pacheco (middle school)
• Martin Pruitt (high school)

We all experience challenges in life –times when we could benefit from the support of a caring Christian friend.

Assisting our pastors on the front lines of congregational care, Covenant's Stephen Ministers are trained, listening friends who can bring the caring presence of the church to those experiencing difficult life situations, large or small. First and foremost, Stephen Ministers offer a confidential, faith-based, caring one-on-one relationship. This ministry is designed to offer help in the midst of a challenging time such as death, loss of a job, life transition, illness, divorce, empty nest, isolation, and more.

Read more about Stephen Ministry here.

Should you or someone you know be interested in being paired with a Stephen Minister, please contact Katherine Kerr.

Congregational Life is excited to expand Covenant’s Outdoor Ministry to include more practical opportunities for participants to deepen relationships with the church, each other and our natural surroundings and grow in faithful stewardship of the environment. We're looking for leaders and people interested in getting involved. An informational kick-off meeting will be held Wednesday, August 11 from 6:00 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Covenant. Learn more here.

Interested or have questions? Contact Lauren Sawyers.

Our ongoing partnerships with Highland Renaissance Academy and The Mezzanine provide critical support for students and families in some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Charlotte. Each fall, thanks to the generosity of Covenant members and friends, we fill 200 backpacks for Highland Renaissance students and children living at The Mezzanine with supplies and materials for the year ahead. 

We are collecting supplies from now through August 13, and will bless these backpacks during worship on Sunday, August 22. You can view the Amazon Wishlist and supply needs via the link below.

Learn more about how you can help to fill backpacks here.

We are currently looking for volunteers to teach Early Childhood Sunday School (Ages 2-K) and lead Small Groups for Elementary Sunday School (Grades 1-5). Leaders rotate weekly and participating is a great way to meet other families at Covenant!

For more information, please reach out to Anne Lowrance or Sarah Askins.

Our Worship Ministry is seeking new volunteers to join our usher team. This is a wonderful opportunity to help serve as an extension of our hospitality, extending a warm welcome to both Covenant members and guests alike.

Interested in helping? Please contact Ashley Roehrig.

Make plans to join us for our first adult mission trip since the pandemic began. We will visit Avery County from September 26 - October 2 to work on Habitat houses and to partner with other organizations in the area such as the Crossnore School and Children's Home. There will be many opportunities for bonding and fellowship with attendees, helping the group to create memories that will last well beyond the trip.

Learn more and apply here.



Questions? Contact Lucy Crain.

There are still opportunities to help support the Freedom School summer literacy program this summer.

Click here to see how you can help and to sign up.

Reservations are no longer required for the Rec Wing. 50 participants are welcome in the building at any given time, with 25 allowed per class on the gym floor. Masks will not be required as long as proof of vaccination is on record at the front desk.

Rec Wing hours through the summer months will continue to be:

• Mondays - Thursdays: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

• Fridays: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Contact Kevin Harper with questions.

July 18 at 5:00 p.m.

Join Covenant Young Adults as we watch our hometown Charlotte Knights take on the Gwinnett Stripers! 

We have reserved a section in the left field covered picnic area which offers amazing views of the game and also includes an all-you-can-eat dinner.

Tickets cost $25.00 (retail price is $38.00). Approximately 10 tickets remain on a first come, first served basis.

Sign up today and invite a friend!

Join Covenant friends for a day outing to Linville Falls, featuring fresh air and fellowship. Gather mid-morning to take one of several hiking options around the Linville waterfalls, then meet for barbeque and social time at Bob and Suzanne Henderson’s mountain home.

Sign up today.

August 29 from 1:00-3:00 p.m.

The next opportunity to engage in our Summer Racial Justice Series, “See. Grow. Act.” will be a tour of The Brooklyn Collective (229 Brevard Street).

The Brooklyn Collective is a diverse community that includes local individuals and organizations that strive toward our collective mission of inclusivity and upward mobility, every day. Located in the historic Brooklyn neighborhood, once a booming neighborhood of black businesses, residences, churches, and entrepreneurship, the Brooklyn neighborhood was unjustly destroyed in the name of "urban renewal." The Brooklyn Collective seeks to take the Spirit of the Brooklyn neighborhood into today by supporting small businesses, local artists, cultural opportunities, and community engagement.

This event will begin with a tour hosted by Executive Director, Monique Douglas. During the tour we will see business, learn about the history of the Brooklyn neighborhood, and visit the newly installed art exhibit. Following the tour, we will enjoy refreshments together at Studio 229. 

Sign up and learn about transportation options to the event here.

Questions? Email Grace Lindvall.