Here are some stories from former CPC youth.  First up:

David Palmer

January 2009

I have so many fond memories of Covenant Presbyterian Church.  It’s hard to know where to begin, so I’ll just jot some remembrances down as they come into my stream of consciousness:
– Sunday School lessons taught by Paul Moser (what a wonderful teacher)

– Pot luck dinners (and hoping to get a piece of KFC before it all went away)

– Playing basketball with Carter Haun and David Rollins in the Fellowship Hall

– Falling in love for the first time with Keelin Travis

– Being ordained as an elder the morning after I had chewed some Beechnut chewing tobacco (I thought I was going to throw up all over Sam’s shoes as he laid hands on me)

– Going to Montreat Youth Conferences and Gulftreat with the Covenant youth group (I met some of my best friends at those events)

– Recording the worship service and dubbing additional tapes to take to Covenant’s shut-ins

– Doing the above after dark and thinking how spooky the church was when no one was there

– Feeling God’s presence at CPC when it was dark and no one else was there!

– Looking at the beautiful architecture of the sanctuary when I was young and thinking how it reminded me of Noah’s ark

– Hanging out with neat folks, like Dewin Tibbs, Dusty Moser, Jack Knox, and others

– Going with the Knox family to New Mexico to do mission work with the rest of the youth group

– Seeing Carter Haun get into trouble when he shouted, “Hey look … nuns!”

– Cringing every time my father stood up during worship to “sing” a hymn

– Passing notes with other youth during worship

– Wondering what Ralph Milligan was going to pull out of his “Charlie Brown” bag during each Children’s Sermon

– Looking forward to Dusty Moser’s hugs

– Going to camp for the first time at Covenant Mountain

– Lighting the Advent candles with my family one Christmas season

– Being in Sunday School and hearing that Whitten Watson’s favorite color was “dark black”

– Hearing Juanita Watson’s laugh

– Having my own key to the church when I was serving as an elder

– Feeling the presence of God every time I entered Covenant’s doors

Well … those are just a few of my favorite memories of CPC.  There are a thousand more that I keep in my heart.  Blessings to you CPC on your 60th anniversary, and thanks for all that you did to raise me up in the faith … I am forever grateful.

Grace and peace –

David Palmer

Child of the Covenant

Allison Evans

Covenant Memories

by

Allison Palmer Evans

January 2009

Some memories come back to me and it’s like I was there yesterday…

Like the mornings that I was a greeter.  I can easily remember the different handshakes I would experience and sometimes endure.  Some people would offer just their cold fingertips.  Some people would grab my hand and pump my arm up and down like they were hoping to fetch some water.  Some handshakes were clammy and painful.  And some handshakes were just right, like Little Bears bed and porridge in Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  I enjoyed being a greeter with my Mom, Dad, and my brother, David.  We stood together as a family, shared a common purpose, and learned a little about life as we served.

Some memories come back to me after much thought and effort…

Like the moment I realized that what I wanted to remember is what I couldn’t remember at all.  I struggled to remember who came early to open the doors of the church, and who turned on the lights and  air-conditioner?  Who filled the Communion trays and who made sure there was enough toilet paper?  Who watered the plants and dusted the furniture?  Who picked up the trash and counted the money?  Who replaced worn out hymnals and choir robes?  Who was in charge of the nursery and who fed the hungry?  (This does not include us kids first in line at Family Night Supper!)  Who were the unseen – the servants of the church?  I don’t remember.  But I do remember one Sunday at my own church when someone had obviously forgotten to turn the air back on, there was no reserve of toilet paper, and the plants were gasping for water.  It was then that I remembered that a special Covenant memory was that everything seemed to be done.  Several “someones” showed up and did their part.

I wanted to say thank you to those who showed up and did their part.  Thanks to Dusty Moser, a kind soul who wore butterflies on her shoulder and took the time to drive us to Gulftreat, and gave a “Tap! Tap! Tap!” on her tea glass to get the church’s attention.  Thank you to Juanita Watson with her infectious laugh and luscious homemade cinnamon rolls.  Thanks to Sam Haun whose presence at the hospital the morning my brother got wheeled away for brain surgery was both a blessing and a comfort.  And thanks to Mac, the custodian, who made the floors at Covenant shine until you could almost see your reflection.  And thanks to my parents who made it a priority to take me and my brother to church and tell us about God.  And, now, as David and I are adults, with children of our own, take the time to show up at our churches and tell our kids about God.  (During the hard times in our churches, Mom and Dad have again reminded us of God’s love and plans for our lives.)

I remember Covenant fondly and appreciate the memories that I have of this place.  And Dad, just so you know, I still remember the qualities of a good hand shake. Look each person in the eye, don’t squeeze too hard, and try to remember each person’s name.

David Rollins

January 2009

I am honored to walk down memory lane and share some of my remembrances from Covenant.

Christmas Eve worship and singing outside following the service…

Delivering Worship tapes with David P. to some of the Covenant shut-ins…

Going to Covenant Mountain for the first time…actually my first church camp experience and commenting, “I can’t wait to get there, and Patrick Travis telling me we did not have any choice we had to wait.” As we waited we listened to John Cougar, and I began to bond with people that later became great friends…

Gulftreat trips…

Montreat, and Covenant Mountain all provided great fun and growth…

Painting the cabins at Gulftreat…

Singing camp songs around the bonfire on the beach…

I remember being close to the Shoemakers and being shadowed by David whom people referred to as “little David,” and being shocked and saddened by David’s tragic death…

I remember how Covenant reached out to the Shoemakers, and learned personally about grief for the 1st time…

Traveling to Atlanta with Linda Steber and the youth group on a mission trip, we served food at the Open Door, and we painted at Oak Hurst Presbyterian where we also slept on the floor in sleeping bags, we showered at Columbia Theological Seminary. During the trip Linda let me drive the van (I think I was 19), and I felt so affirmed because of her confidence in me…

later I drove younger youth to their retreats at Covenant Mountain (Gretchen Bruchey, Amy Coulter…?)

I remember worshiping in the “youth pew” and singing hymns like Johnny Cash…

Peanut Mizel’s handshakes that could literally crush diamonds…

Most of all I remember feeling welcomed and a strong sense of the presence of God…

David Rollins

Sam Gambrell

Wow – Where to begin?

There are so many fond ones that come to mind…

Lock-ins where I could learn the finer points of being a DJ from John Garner and get to stay up all night

Playing basketball with Dave Rollins & Co.

Having band rehearsals in the fellowship hall which would ultimately lead me to Nashville where I still am today (Thanks so much for your tolerance, patience and endurance – Mr. Haun!)

The fellowship at Covenant Mountain & Gulf Treat where I learned many life lessons (Also the bonfires at Covenant Mountain! & Football Games!)

Mostly – the feeling of being part of such a wonderful group of people that God has blessed in so many ways

Love to all you guys. I miss you & hope you are all doing well

Peace,

Sam Gambrell

Lisa Lee Mancini Harden

Although charged with the task of recounting youth memories of Covenant, I have to start with the first thing I think of when I think of Covenant: my wedding thirteen years ago. The sanctuary; all of the people, Sam Haun and Helen Stein particularly, who helped with our ceremony; and all of the Covenant folks who attended, too numerous to name, will always be special to me. (And I like the new, blue carpet, but the carpet will always be red in my mind).
Working backwards chronologically from that, I think of playing in the bell choir and standing between my mom and Helen Stein playing the “little bells,” being directed by Dewin Tibbs and Madeleine Hill.
Memories which fall under the category of youth events include the one and only lock-in I ever attended in my life, the one and only trip my sister and I ever took to Six Flags, and helping to narrate a Christmas production. I also fondly recall Sunday school class with Juanita Watson. My biggest involvement with youth of the church, though, was at Gultreat in the summer. Many adults gave of their time to be sure we could attend, only some of whom I remember, including Gil Allen who lent us his car which Ralph Milligan drove to get us there one year. I still reflect from time to time on the weeks spent at Gulftreat. I even went to college in Memphis and now go to church in Montgomery with people I met going to Gulftreat.

I went to Covenant from the time I was approximately six years old, so my memories go back many years. I recall helping at Summer Experience and getting to know Sue Charles. I remember as if it were yesterday the Sunday when Jim and Beverly Kellen, who together taught Sunday school for our age group in junior high, introduced me to the Police through the Synchronicity album. The Police are still my all-time favorite.

Reading or seeing a Dickens production to this day reminds me of a church musical Christmas production starring Patrick Travis and Ralph Milligan and others whose faces have become grainy in my memory. It may have been my first non-school play, and it was as good as Broadway to me.

Finally, I am reminded every time I serve as liturgist at Immanuel of being confirmed at Covenant because I always use the Bible that Covenant gave me at confirmation, even though there’s one at the pulpit.