In this sermon, Pastor Dave considers Jesus’ difficult command for us to love our enemies. By considering Fred Roger’s reputation as someone who was the same person on and off camera, we begin with the idea that loving our enemies simply means being the same person in all circumstances. In Fred Roger’s case, this meant treating everyone as the child of God that they are. In our case, this might mean that each one of us is challenged to be the same person in the pews as we are in Walmart! Covenant’s ministry depends on our willingness to be loving in all circumstances, not just the ones that suit us.

Our local neighborhood outreach project this sermon series focuses on the work of Second Mile Preschool, which serves the families in the Terry Heights and Hillendale Neighborhoods. We are putting together bags of children’s books and crafts to support at-home learning for these families. If you would like to purchase a book – simply visit the amazon shopping list by clicking the button below and then make a purchase. If you have an idea of a craft to put in the bags, contact Mary McDowell at marymcdowell@secondmile.net

As part of this new series we are going to be offering neighborhood prayer groups that meet in a front lawn near you. Check out the map below to see the neighborhood shepherds we currently have available. These shepherds are hosting the prayer groups in their front lawns one day a week. Even when you’re not able to meet in person, it is nice to know there is someone near you who cares. Now, more than ever, it’s good to know that when we can’t carry on, God’s family carries us.

If you look at the map below and you’re not sure which group you might fit in or you see that your neighborhood is currently marked as TBD please contact our Associate Pastor, Dave Hunsicker at david.hunsicker@covhsv.org. We are finalizing these groups and he would be delighted to assist you.

Neighborhood Group Discussion Guide

Set-Up:

Invite everyone to stand (or sit) in a circle in your front lawn with 6-ft distance between each family grouping. Families do not need to social distance but should remain socially distant from other family units. These meetings are intentionally designed to be brief—so you do not need to provide chairs or refreshments for the group.

Instructions

1. “Welcome to the __________ neighborhood group. We are so excited to have you here with us. If you are joining us for the first time, let me describe the format to you:
   1. “We will ask some questions each we to get to know each other better and to talk about the sermon series at church.”
   1. “Then we will close by praying for each other and for our neighborhood”.
2. “Let’s start with an ice breaker question. Let’s go around the circle and each say:
   1. our name,
   1. how long we’ve been in the neighborhood, and
   1. Name a place that you would to go on vacation that you’ve never been.
3. 15 seconds of silence
   1. Think about your neighborhood. Who are the people that have lived in your neighborhood the whole time you’ve been there that you don’t know much about? Is there anyone that God is bringing to your mind that you should try to meet?
   1. After 15 seconds, go around the circle and listen to examples from participants. It might be helpful if you’ve thought about your answer before this exercise so you can begin to give people more time.
4. “Pastor Hunsicker’s sermon this Sunday was about Jesus’ command to love our enemies. His main point was that loving our enemies begins with being the same person to those we care about as we are with strangers or even enemies. Why is this hard for us to do? What are some small steps we can take toward becoming good neighbors to people we find difficult?
   1. Allow free conversation at this point.
5. Closing Prayer:
   1. “Let’s take another 15 seconds to listen to God. Ask God what you need to request prayer from the group for this week”
   1. “Then, we’ll go around the circle and share our prayer requests.”
   1. “Each of us will pray for the person/group on our left, so pay attention to their requests as they are shared.”
6. Close
   1. “Thanks for being here. Please feel free to bring your friends and neighbors next time.”
   1. Offer for folks to stick around a few minutes and chit-chat in accordance with what you are able/comfortable accommodating.

Worship Relaunch Information

We offer a small worship service at 10AM. Based on a congregational survey, we anticipate most folks to continue worshipping online – so we will continue to provide excellent worship resources and videos each Sunday for those at home. Together we are united in our commitment to one another and our commitment to Christ, whether worshipping in-person or online!

No reservation or permission is required to attend worship in the sanctuary. However, all participants must wear a mask (we will have some available for you!) and we request that you take your temperature and use the restroom before leaving your home.

The elders request that you make a careful and informed decision about the best way for you to worship in June. For those who intend to attend worship in person, please read the following guidelines carefully when making your decision.

Key Links

For your convenience, here are all the links you need to participate in today’s service!