Grier Christenbury, four-year-old son of Covenant members Jeff and Amy Christenbury and grandson of Janet Vitolo, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at age two-and-a-half. If you would like to offer a volunteer service in support of the Christenbury family, click here   To read updates on Grier's condition, and to express your love and concern, click here.  Instructions for leaving a comment are located at the bottom of the blog page.

Pastoral Care at Covenant Church

Hospitalizations:  If you, a member of your family, or a church friend are hospitalized, please contact the church office to let us know!  Include the hospital, the room number, and the nature of the hospitalization if possible.

Because of health care privacy laws, hospitals no longer inform the church if a member is admitted. To inform us of a hospitalization, call the church office (704-333-9071). If after hours, please leave a message in the general mail box, or follow the prompts on the recording to reach a minister on call.  Should it be an emergency situation (and after office hours), call the home phone number of our Associate Minister for Pastoral Care Mark Diehl or our Parish Nurse Judy White (listed in the church directory).

The church staff wants to know about and minister to our members who are hospitalized.  Help us do that by informing the church of any hospitalizations!

Home Visits: The pastoral staff, the parish nurse, and lay members of our visitation teams call upon members of our congregation who are known to be chronically ill or otherwise unable to attend church. Home communion can be arranged, and telephone calls and visits are regularly scheduled for homebound members and those in nursing homes.

Contact the Associate Minister for Pastoral Care Mark Diehl, the Parish Nurse Judy White, or the church office to include a church member in our visitation or to arrange home communion.

Stephen Ministries: Covenant Presbyterian Church is a Stephen Ministry Congregation. Stephen Ministry provides trained caring listeners to those who are going through crises or life transitions. Contact the Associate Minister for Pastoral Care Mark Diehl (704-804-7572) or Parish Nurse Judy White (704-804-7561) to arrange a Stephen Minister or to inquire further.

Senior Connections: This senior adult ministry provides educational and social gatherings through day trips, luncheons, parties, computer and knitting classes, speakers and special times in the new "Meeting Place" in the Education Wing, 2^nd floor (EW 212). More info here.
 

PLANNING FOR LIFE AND BEYOND:  A Guide for Seniors, Families and Single Adults: This is a printed resource available to every member of Covenant.  It provides guidance and communication tools to help convey important information in times of crisis, illness, accident, or death.  Included in this resource are:  Check List for Important Documents; Emergency Information Form; Medical Information Form; At Death, Burial, and Service Instructions; as well as a funeral/memorial service guide and options in planned giving. Click here to download a copy of this 20-page booklet (pdf format).

Funerals/Memorial Services: As the church embraces us in our baptism and throughout our Christian life, so it stands ready to embrace us in our death and in our hope of resurrection to eternal life. The resource A Witness to the Resurrection: Memorial and Funeral Services at Covenant Presbyterian Church is available to explain the nature of our ministry to those at time of death. Members are encouraged to plan for life’s eventualities as an act of responsible stewardship and as a gift to those who will bear the burdens in such times of crisis.  Contact any of our pastors for further information or guidance regarding plans for a memorial/funeral service.