The More the Merrier

What a blessing it is for any family to welcome new members into it. Whether it is infants or new spouses or someone who is adopted, new lives to share in the family bring joy. So it is for the Covenant Brethren Church family.

Over the last few months, five new churches and two new pastors have been added to the CBC family, and we are not done yet. Other churches continue to call, wanting to know what the Covenant Brethren Church is all about. Let me introduce you to your new family members.

The first new family members are the wonderful folks at the Mt. Pleasant Church located in Northeast Ohio. They came into the family on March 19, 2023 with CBC Executive Board chair Grover Duling presenting the church’s covenant agreement and the ordination certificates to pastors Bruce Jacobsen and David Bell.

Church board chair Kenneth Rummell and Pastor Bruce signed the new covenant agreement and Grover led in a prayer of blessing for the church and for those receiving their ordination. There was a sweet spirit of excitement and anticipation in the service as God’s presence was felt. David Bell, though not presently pastoring a church, desired to have his ordination held in a denomination which holds to the authority of God’s Word and a salvation that rests on God’s grace, through faith in His Son, Jesus.

But the joy didn’t stop there. The next church to join the family was Moutaindale, located near Hazelton, MD. They signed their Covenant Agreement on April 23, 2023.

Board Chair Alan Miller and Pastor Rob Fraley representing the Mountaindale congregation.

Board Chair Alan Miller and interim pastor Rob Fraley, signed the Covenant Agreement on behalf of the church then Grover Laid hands on them and prayed over them that God would bless their work and ministry to His Glory.

Are you excited yet? You should be! God is doing a great work in the CBC in calling churches to faithfully trust in His Word. and, if you are CBC, you are a part of that calling. That is exciting!

Zion Hill became the next congregation to join the family. On April 30, 2023 Grover traveled to Columbiana, OH to present their Covenant Agreement and a pastoral license to the pastor. Curt Jacobsen represented the church as their board chair along with pastor Scott McPeek. Again, enthusiasm was high at this new beginning for the church. We look forward to them being the possible anchor of another potentially new region within the next few years as other churches are considering becoming part of the Covenant Brethren Church family.

As God adds these congregations and pastors to our denomination, He also adds opportunity to expand our ministry and our fellowship. Please pray that each church finds its own important niche within the Covenant Brethren Church. That not only adds to its own ministry, but it brings encouragement to all the others.

From there we moved to Center Church located near New Centerville, PA. At this service Pastor Homer Painter was ordained and he and Vicky Hackwelder represented the church in the signing of the Covenant Agreement. This is a healthy church with a good cross section of ages represented in the service. The expectation is high in the Center Church that God is going to use them and CBC to do great things.

Lastly, on May 7, Executive Board member Larry Dentler traveled to Blain, PA to welcome the Three Springs Covenant Brethren Church into the family. Brother Larry preached the morning message from Ephesians 4:1-7 on “The Seven Graces of Biblical Unity”. He then led them in their Covenant Agreement ceremony for the church and an ordination ceremony for Pastor Ed. The men pictured here are L to R, Pastor Ed Weaver, Larry Dentler Jed Zerance from the church board. It was an exciting day for this church and for the Covenant Brethren Church denomination. So are you excited yet? I hope so, and I hope that you will pray that God will continue to bring to CBC those churches and pastors that will work together with all of us to bring glory to His name and people into His kingdom.

Submitted by Craig Howard, Publications Committee