Westminster Presbyterian Church to the rescue!  Yesterday I spent the morning with a youth group from that Hot Springs Arkansas congregation as they sorted the remaining glass and cleaned up the remains of the concrete framework.   I’d like to thank our sisters and brothers for their hard work.  We are truly blessed.

Click on the pictures in the gallery for a better look.

Covenant and its programs have lost the use of a large chunk of our space.  The Wilds building, with its three rooms, is unusable due to mold and other issues.  Two of our children’s classrooms–the nursery and the preschool room–are out of commission for similar reasons.  In addition to the sanctuary itself, the choir room in back of the pulpit area is unusable because a wall fell on it and caved in the roof.

Our contractor has produced an estimate of the cost to repair the damage to our church; our insurance company, State Farm, has produced a second one.  We are in the process of reconciling the two so construction can begin. The process has been complicated by two factors: our historic stained glass (made with a process that is no longer in existence), and our exquisite Casavant organ.  Each of these items has required separate estimates, and that has slowed the process considerably.  In addition, because the insurance and the contractor’s estimates are so far apart, we are seeking the aid of an insurance-negotiation expert from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance program to help us resolve these issues.

Overall, we have been very fortunate.  This is brought home to me time and again when I hear about one of the many churches in Tuscaloosa and the South and Mid-West that were totally destroyed by this Spring’s tornado outbreak.

Please keep these churches, and their congregations, in your prayers, as well as all who were affected by these deadly storms.

Here at Covenant, we are in the process of negotiating with our insurance company the amount of the claim; the last I heard (Sunday), the contractor’s and insurer’s estimates were about $600,o00 apart.

The East end of the sanctuary

Our grounds look very different from the day after the tornado; see here for pictures from the first few days, and below for current images.  The sanctuary, as you can see, has a voluminous tarp covering the open East end, and on the West end, the blown-in, stained-glass window is now covered with wood.  An arborist advised that only two of the trees that remained after the tornado can be saved; most of them are now gone.

There are two areas in which we do not have estimates as of today.  Both of our large, faceted-glass windows must be totally rebuilt — there is not enough structural integrity left for a repair.  Several of us met with Andy Young, of Pearl River Glass Studio in Jackson MS, who is preparing an estimate of the repairs.

Earlier this week, Rush Watson, Gail Hasson and I met with representatives of Casavant, the maker of our pipe organ.  The West window was blown in by the tornado, exposing the organ to the elements.  The good news is that the damage seems remarkably light.  However, before construction can begin, the organ must be removed from where it is (a major operation that many take several weeks) and shipped for storage in a climate-controlled facility, where it can be cleaned and restored, and any damage repaired.

Though it will be some time before we can worship in our sanctuary, I thank God that we have made steady progress toward that goal.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, I am confident we will continue to do so.

As far as we can tell, all members were unhurt by the storm, although a few suffered severe loss of property.  We need to be diligent in our prayers for them, and for all who have been affected by this terrible event.

Our neighborhood has been ravaged, especially to the North; our brothers and sisters at the Church of Christ a couple of blocks North lost their building, and Forest Lake Baptist Church suffered severe damage as well.  Please be in prayer for them and for all our neighbors, many of whom lost their houses, and some of whom lost friends and relatives.

Stay tuned here for more news and information, and please see the pictures below.  I will post the safest way to get to the church here later today or tomorrow.

Pastor Rick

He Knows My Name

The Third Annual Autism Awareness Sunday was wonderful!  Our own Rev. Norm Hibbard provided an inspiring message, and Janice Drew a lovely song.  Arts ‘n Autism students participated in many parts of the service, including as greeters, ushers and scripture readers!   A high point of the service was He Knows My Name, where AnA students signed the names of their classmates, teachers, and themselves, accompanied by a video of each person.  Thanks to Rev. Hibbard, Ms. Drew, and all the AnA students who participated.  A special thanks to Jan Sikes and her staff, and to Covenant Presbyterian Church, for opening hearts and minds to obey Jesus’ admonition to “do unto the least of these.”

Come take a refreshing worship break at midweek.  Wednesday Night Worship is low key, casual and relaxed.  We sing songs, read and reflect upon Scripture, and offer up our prayers to God.

Wednesday evenings, 7 – 7:30 pm.

All are welcome!

We are happy to have them with us, and are convinced that God will use them in a special way in our congregation.  Here are some pictures!

Here are some photos … click to make ‘em bigger!

WWW is designed specifically so that families with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can come to church for worship, fellowship and Christian education without having to worry about the safety of their children.  Covenant is committed to providing a caring, inclusive worship environment for these families.

Details

Schedule

Signup

Pictures (new!)

Complete information packet:

www-packet.doc (Microsoft Word)

www-packet.pdf (requires Adobe Acrobat reader)

Questions?  Call the church at 205-758-1193 or email us at WorshipWithoutWorry@gmail.com.

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