I know for some of you, the announcement of new churches being added to the Covenant Brethren Church seems to be old news. It appears to be happening quite regularly. And there are several more churches in the pipeline considering the possibility of making the leap to our new denomination.
But if you are beginning to think this is rather routine, consider this: within two years, the Covenant Brethren denomination has grown from zero churches to seventy-six churches and with 6,750 members. There is another church that has just voted to join CBC, and we will be reporting on that congregation once they have received their Covenant Agreement.
The two most recent churches added to the CBC family are Moscow Covenant Brethren Church, just south of Bridgewater VA, and the Memorial Covenant Brethren Church in Petersburg, West Virginia. Grover Duling recently traveled to these churches to present them with their Covenant Agreement, and at Moscow CBC, to ordain their pastor.
At Moscow, pictured below, there was a true air of excitement present in the service. The church truly felt they were entering a new and exciting chapter in the life of their congregation and that excitement was felt and expressed by all present. The pastor preached on “Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing”. Grover said it was truly a service that was a blessing to be a part of.
The second church to join the denomination on October 9th was the Petersburg Memorial Covenant Brethren Church in Petersburg, West Virginia. This church has a long history in Petersburg with a faithful and dedicated congregation.
Though the church is currently without a pastor, Shawn Champ, a young, licensed CBC minister, has been providing pulpit supply. He was present that day and may possibly become the pastor of the church in the near future. Again, there was a wonderful spirit in the church as they embarked on this new chapter in the long life of this wonderful and
committed group of Christians. They will be added to the Central Allegheny Region, further expanding the scope of that region. We look forward to their active participation in the life of the region and the larger church, just as they have done in the past.
Sarah Goldizen, the board chair, was present to sign the Covenant Agreement which was presented by Grover Duling (left). Shawn Champ preached on “Remaining True to the Word” and the service was concluded with a spirit of joy.
These new churches add a spirit of excitement as we see the denomination continue to expand. So, if you are beginning to feel like these reports are just routine, shake that idea off. It is exciting to see what God continues to do in drawing churches to the Covenant Brethren Church family as we strive to hold the Word of God as our ultimate authority.
Craig Howard – CBC Publications Committee
