It has been an amazing start for the Covenant Brethren denomination. We are now 5 years old, and God has added at least one new church every month since our inception. That is an amazing truth that brings great excitement to all who work to share CBC at home and around the world. Even now, plans are being made for some of our leaders to travel to Spain, where churches are asking for an opportunity to learn more about the Covenant Brethren Church. Can you believe it!?
Recently, Grover Duling traveled to the Antioch Covenant Brethren Church to credential three people. He extended ordination credentials to Dale Bennett, the associate pastor at Antioch, and Phill Noel, a deacon from Antioch currently serving as an interim pastor at another local church. Diane Pence, a deaconess who leads a grief support group and is chair of the pastoral and worship commissions, was licensed to the ministry at the same time. Pastor George Bowers then led the congregation in a prayer of consecration and blessing over these newly credentialed servants.
Grover then left the Antioch church and traveled to the Community Mission Church in Woodstock, Virginia, to receive their Covenant Commitment and extend to them their Covenant Agreement. Pastor Dale Bowers and Board Chair Shelton Funk took the lead in signing the agreement on behalf of the church. Then Grover prayed over the church, its ministry, and its future within the CBC family. You would think by now that doing this would be old news for Grover, who has been present for so many such services, but in truth, he continues to feel joy and excitement at each such service, and so should we.
This further affirms that God has a lot planned for the Covenant Brethren Church. Let’s fervently pray that we will be found faithful to the call.
Respectively Submitted by Craig Howard – Publications Committee
