Our Mission: Following Jesus. Loving God. Loving our Neighbors.
Why We Exist
Covenant Church exists because God loves the world and wants to invite everyone to share in God’s life. The reason there are all kinds and forms of “church” is because there are all kinds of people. While Christian churches have many things in common, each also has its own distinct personality.
Covenant Church exists to help people get to know God better. Not “know about” God, but get to know God personally, deeply, authentically. Although we’re not big or flashy, we have some genuine spiritual depth to share. Whether you’re simply interested in exploring the Christian faith, or reconnecting to a faith you once had, or have a hunger to grow in wisdom and love, the community of Covenant Church welcomes you.
We exist to help people know and follow Jesus, because Jesus is the way into the life of God.
Following Jesus
Jesus is the way into the life of God. We didn’t say that; Jesus did.
We seek to follow Jesus because of who Jesus is: God with human skin on. God loves us all and, in and through Jesus, welcomes us into God’s life. The Bible uses all kinds of terms and titles in referring to Jesus: Master, Friend, Savior, King, Lamb of God, Redeemer and many others. All are pointing us to this reality: Jesus is the door into the life of God and the way of that life in God.
So we seek to “follow Jesus”: we want to learn to live according to who Jesus is and all that Jesus says to us. He said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly.” We seek to take him up on that promise and are discovering all the ways he is as good as his word!
Loving God
To love God means giving Him first place in your heart, mind and life. Life is a journey best traveled with God as True North. We seek to love God because we are already loved by God: Love is inviting us into a lifetime characterized by love.
When someone asked Jesus what was the most important thing, Jesus replied, “Love God and love your neighbor. Everything in life hangs on these two things.” Jesus was quoting the core confession of his Jewish people: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all you soul, with all your strength and with all your mind.” If your heart has a throne, you don’t belong on it, and neither do your career, the expectations and demands of others, your ambition and agenda, your culture and nationality, or anything else. That seat belongs to God alone.
To love God isn’t about being “religious.” It’s about what happens, what we do, how we live in and with our hearts and our minds, our souls and our strengths. That’s what Jesus said, and we seek to follow him.
Love Our Neighbors
To love our neighbors reminds us that we are fundamentally created for relationships: people need people. Love is not a feeling and it doesn’t always “come naturally.” Love is a habit of mind, of heart and of life.
Who you are and will become can’t be measured by your wealth, status, job description, or awards; who you are and what you will become is measured by your capacity to love God first, then your neighbors (who are already loved by God). To live in love, towards God and each other, is absolutely the best way to live.
Our Motto: Real God/Real People
Our lives are a complicated combination of the mundane, the messy and the mysterious. Jesus, God-for-real, willingly stepped into the muck and mire of real human life. Following Jesus by learning to live in love towards God and neighbor is messy. It involves all kind of mundane-but-vital attitudes and actions: patience; courtesy; kindness; sacrifice; listening; courage; integrity, along with many others.
And this life of love in Jesus is mysterious. It’s not something we master, but something that masters us. We are not in control of it—and the life of love does not attempt to control us. But it does transform us. The best “laboratory of love” is your real life in the middle of the real lives of the real people you interact with, day in and day out. God’s already there, inviting you to enter into what God is already doing.
What We Believe
While there are many ways to characterize the beliefs we hold in common, we’d like to begin with what we hold in common with all of Christ’s people, at all times, in all places:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
A creedal statement (like the Apostle’s Creed, above) is a shorthand version of the faith. It’s a summary of the central things, not a list of everything. It is a statement that transcends denominational boundaries, uniting us all in the basics of the faith that is shared by so many.
We also believe that beliefs are best shared and discussed in the context of welcoming hospitality, open-hearted conversation, and deep listening. We would welcome having such conversations with you.
What We Value
Beliefs need to be translated into attitudes and especially into behaviors. In a very real way, every single person does what she believes and believes what she does. Below are some of the things we do to follow Jesus into loving God and neighbor. If you choose to pay us a visit, you should see some real evidence of these things going on.
Church is a learning-and-doing community of love: Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another even as I have loved you.” “Church” is a primary place where we seek to learn and practice this command.
“One anothers”: The New Testament contains more than thirty “one another” commands: forgive one another, pray for one another, serve one another, and so on.
The Bible: we read it, listen to it, and study it. The Bible is like seed, or food; we want to sow it liberally and digest it thoroughly.
Weekly worship together: Jesus said, “Worship the LORD your God and serve him only.” We serve the world best when we worship God first.
God’s Holy Spirit is not only present and active “around” Christ’s people; the Spirit actually takes up residence inside each one, empowering, giving gifts, and moving us into mission and service
Being faithful in our “Frontlines”: the life of faith is a spiritual battle, and God wants us to be ambassadors in our workplaces, in our families, in our friendships.
Being honest with ourselves, with each other, and with God: real people / real God.
Modeling a contagious and enthusiastic faith in Jesus throughout all the aspects of life.
Doing justly, loving mercy, walking humbly with God.
Discovering and using the gifts the Holy Spirit distributes.
Being generous and open-handed with our time, talents, energy, and resources.