Covenant-First Presbyterian Church Mission Study : simplebooklet.com

2 COVENANT-FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MISSION STUDY REPORT Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Our Mission .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Our Hallmarks ............................................................................................................................................... 6 A Time of Self Reflection: The Living Churches Initiative ........................................................................ 6 Our Values .................................................................................................................................................... 8 Our Goals ...................................................................................................................................................... 8 MISSION STUDY SUMMARY of “Who Are We?” .................................................................................. 9 Our Rich History ......................................................................................................................................... 10 A. In the Context of the Founding of the City of Cincinnati ............................................................... 10 B. Our Historic Houses of Worship ....................................................................................................... 10 C. Congregational History ...................................................................................................................... 11 Church Attendance, Membership, and Demographics ............................................................................... 12 Worship Attendance ................................................................................................................................ 12 Membership Numbers and a Snapshot of our Congregation .................................................................. 13 Relevant Demographics for Our Church Neighborhood ............................................................................ 14 Worship at Covenant-First .......................................................................................................................... 16 Our Worship Services ............................................................................................................................. 16 Fellowship Time ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Music Scholar Program ........................................................................................................................... 16 Pastoral Leadership ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Elders .......................................................................................................................................................... 19 Structure of Session ................................................................................................................................ 19 Elder Committee Ministries ........................................................................................................................ 20 Ministries of the Worship Committee ..................................................................................................... 20 Ministries of the Witness Committee ...................................................................................................... 20 Ministries of the Serve Committee ......................................................................................................... 21 Ministries of the Share Committee ......................................................................................................... 21 Ministries of the Study Committee ......................................................................................................... 22 Ministries of the Stewardship and Administration Committee ............................................................... 22

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3 Deacons ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 Staff and Lay Leaders ................................................................................................................................. 24 Our Involvement with the Presbytery of Cincinnati ................................................................................... 25 Local and International Ministries and Missionary Outreach ..................................................................... 26 Financial Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 27 Covenant-First’s Future: Where Is God Calling Us to Go? ........................................................................ 28 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 30

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4 Introduction Covenant-First Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati, Ohio, is pleased to present this Mission Study Report as an introduction to our church for candidates who are interested in learning more about us and who may be interested in being considered for the position of our next Pastor and Head of Staff. It is our hope that by engaging in this process, both our church and interested candidates will gain valuable information and insight to allow them to determine their interest in moving forward together. A group of members worked together to write and create this Mission Study. This process has provided us with the opportunity to engage, reflect, and make some intentional decisions about the future of our church and how best to move forward. This process has also enabled us to better understand and appreciate who we are as a congregation. As we peer into the future, we are hopeful, optimistic, and confident that God will bring our congregation and the right candidate together.

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5 Executive Summary We believe Covenant-First Presbyterian Church is ready for expanded ministry and engagement in the community around us. The congregation has been a part of downtown Cincinnati since the city’s founding, and today sits in the midst of a rapidly growing residential district within the urban core. God has blessed our congregation with an iconic landmark facility, well maintained and with space for expanded ministry. God has blessed our congregation with faithful members who are deeply committed to their Christian walk, who are eager to work to grow God’s kingdom, and who are generous stewards. And God has surrounded our congregation with a growing population of people — young professionals who live and work in the urban core; empty nesters moving into the city to engage in the arts, sporting events and urban vibrancy; and longer-term residents representing the whole span of demographics. Together we sense God’s call to renewed ministry, throughout the greater Cincinnati region, but particularly right in our own neighborhood. We know that our shared call is to be faithful in ministries that work to transform lives for Christ. To do so, we need to take the necessary steps to maintain and grow our congregation and our outreach, in Cincinnati and in the world. We must reach beyond our walls to welcome new members. We are looking for a visionary pastor to join us on this important journey.

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6 Our Mission The Mission of Covenant-First is profound in its simplicity: We are proud to “Share the Heart of the Gospel in the Heart of the City”! Our Hallmarks The primary Hallmarks of our Church are: ➢ Bible-centered sermons and teaching ➢ Traditional, God-centered worship services ➢ A commitment to stewardship, outreach, and service to those in need ➢ A central downtown location This provides a unique opportunity for us to be a comfortable and singular source of the Word in a transitional time during which young, single neighborhood residents mature and begin to shift their focus in life. In addition, we are accessible to people throughout the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky community. (We are blessed with direct access to a large parking garage adjacent to the church, and we provide validated parking for all church services.) A Time of Self Reflection: The Living Churches Initiative In 2021, the Presbytery of Cincinnati, with which our church is actively involved, initiated a pilot program called the Living Churches Initiative. Along with five other congregations in the Presbytery, Covenant-First participated actively in that program and found it to be excellent. Over the course of six months, 10 members of the congregation, including elders, deacons, and staff, held a series of day-long sessions to take a critical look at where Covenant-First is today and what we envision for its future. The Living Churches Initiative evaluates four elements: Covenant-First’s mission is to praise the Father, proclaim the Son, and submit to the perfecting power of the Holy Spirit.

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7 Earth: Institutional Integrity — the systems that unify all the parts of any successful church • Do we have a vision that can be clearly understood? • Are the processes in place to ensure that our mission is achieved? • Do all processes and people should work together? Fire: Passion — a strong desire to see things happen with, in, and through people • Do we harness the passion that God has placed within us all to advance the Kingdom of God? • Do we generate passion within our membership? • Do we celebrate our success in a way that honors God while encouraging people? Water: Servanthood — outward focus express, putting other needs before our own. • Do we fulfill our biblical calling to model God’s grace in tangible ways? • Do we fulfill our social responsibility by adding value to our community? • Do we give individual believers the opportunity to imitate Christ by serving others? Air: Imagination — the ability to creatively adopt to a changing world • Are we maintaining a clear commitment to core values? • Do we encourage and reward creative thinking? For each session, we asked God to lead us to the path He would have us take, beginning with 30-minutes of individual prayer and reflection on scripture: Father, what should we ask for on behalf of our church? The various steps in the process included: • Inventory — a critical look at CFPC: who we are, and where God is guiding us. • EnVision — what is our mission? Who are we trying to reach? How can we share the gift of Jesus Christ in our own community? • Values — what do we want Covenant-First to be known for? The output from this process included clear values and goals for the future of Covenant-First.

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8 Our Values ➢ Biblical Authority: We uphold and proclaim the truth of Scripture, which serves as the foundation for our worship and our life as a Christian community. ➢ Worship: We celebrate God both individually and together as a part of our traditional, reformed theology. ➢ Discipleship: We help people of all ages grow in their faith through our worship and through participation in our Christian community. ➢ Applicability: We strive to communicate our values in a way that enables people to hear, understand, and relate to those values. ➢ Outward focus: We look, think, and act with a Christian purpose that goes beyond our membership. Our Goals ➢ Build a congregation of disciples fully committed to their spiritual walk with Jesus Christ. ➢ Develop a sustainable outreach ministry within the local downtown community (within a 20-minute walk of the church) to provide a spiritual home that is safe and nurturing and to help them find the point where God opens the window to get them engaged. We want to foster a sense of belonging and continued spiritual growth. ➢ Communicate the passion and possibility of Jesus Christ with more people to encourage and support both new Christians and mature believers as they grow in their faith. ➢ Expand our already exceptional music ministry to reach new people.

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9 MISSION STUDY SUMMARY of Who Are We? ● We are a multi-community church, located in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. We draw members from multiple communities up to a 25-mile radius. These communities are largely middle class/upper middle class, as is our congregation. We were founded over 230 years ago as a small Presbyterian Church on the then American frontier, and have been in our current location since 1875; our long history is embraced and celebrated. ● We are a church that prefers traditional worship. We follow Presbyterian traditions in worship and organization and anticipate that newcomers will be comfortable with these traditions. We offer faith, friendship and opportunities to serve according to one’s gifts and interests. We do not seek to become like some newer churches that try to attract those who may be resistant to traditional worship and organizational structure. We see ourselves as another “flavor” of the church and of the body of Christ, one that draws on the richness of tradition for our church culture. ● We are an active, serving church. We thrive on community and fellowship. ● We are a peaceful church. We recognize that we all come from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives which could divide us, if we choose to focus on differences. We find common ground in focusing on relationships in the midst of serving and worship. ● We are a caring church. Members experience support and help from others, and the Deacons work to ensure that all who need care and support are connected to the church, so no one “falls through the cracks.” ● We are an educated and generous church. CFPC members are highly educated relative to the general population. This advanced education level has provided us with many professional gifts and talents. Our congregation is generously supported by our members, many of whom are also active in, and financially supporting, other civic and cultural organizations ● We are an older congregation. Our members recognize a demographic shift within the last decade toward being older. We are eager to become a “whole family” again, for our health as a church and for our mission as the body of Christ in this community. As we have begun to draw new members from the community, we have seen a modest shift to younger members, but these numbers are not yet sufficiently significant to change the overall mix of ages. (In 2021, new members included two 22-year-olds, a 25-year-old, other middle-aged individuals, and a 102-year-old lifelong Presbyterian, who transferred membership from a congregation that closed.) ● We are not an ethnically diverse church. CFPC is not as ethnically diverse as our surrounding community. Some of our members recognize this lack of ethnic diversity and believe we would be a healthier church if we were more reflective of our external community. As we work to expand our ministry, we hope to ultimately reflect the rich cultural tapestry of downtown Cincinnati.

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10 Our Rich History A. In the Context of the Founding of the City of Cincinnati The history of Covenant-First Presbyterian Church is woven into the fabric of the history of Cincinnati itself. It is a rich history; numerous streets, parks, and public schools are named for individuals who were once members of predecessor congregations. Civic and business leaders and their families were active members of the church. Multiple other Presbyterian congregations and other Christian ministries —including, most recently, the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity — were birthed out of our congregation or its predecessors. In 1922, the then Church of Covenant was named a “Top 10 Presbyterian Church” in the United States, known for “doors always open” to the city in mission and ministry. Our history teaches us, informs us, and challenges us — but our focus for mission and ministry is on the present, and looks to the future to which God is calling us, and we are committed to returning to that vibrancy of “doors open” and mission to our neighbors as we grow and move forward. Today, Cincinnati is among the leading commercial cities in the country. Seven Fortune 500 companies and twelve Fortune 1000 companies have headquarters in the Cincinnati area, including Procter & Gamble and Kroger, ranking it in the Top 10 markets for number of Fortune 500 headquarters per million residents, higher than New York, Boston, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Cincinnati is the third-largest city in Ohio and the 65th-largest city in the United States, with just over 300,000 people living within the city limits. The Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area population, however, is over 2.1 million, the 29th-largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States and the largest in Ohio. B. Our Historic Houses of Worship In what was considered the western wilderness, settlers built Fort Washington, a fortified settlement of blockhouses, to defend against attacks from Native Americans. Such attacks caused widespread panic, but early settlers formed strong bonds, including religious ones, which gave them the strength to endure. On October 16, 1790, the Reverend James Kemper established the First Presbyterian Church. Through a series of mergers and consolidations over the course of two centuries, Covenant-First Presbyterian Church is the surviving direct descendant of that early church. One witness stated that the Reverend Kemper and his fledgling Presbyterian church were all that prevented the settlers from abandoning the settlement for the safer south shore of the Ohio River. When surveyor Israel Ludlow laid out plans for the community that was to become Cincinnati in 1789, a public area between Fourth, Fifth, Walnut, and Main Streets was to include a Presbyterian church. On October 16, 1790, the Reverend James Kemper established the First Presbyterian Church by seeking subscriptions from every male resident. Reverend Kemper himself committed five dollars, five days’ of his work, five days’ of work by his oxen team, and five boat planks. The floor of the 30' x 40' frame building was made of boat-plank, laid loosely on sleepers. The seats were constructed of the same material, supported by blocks of wood. There was no pulpit; Reverend Kemper often delivered sermons while standing on a barrel. While its formal name was First Presbyterian Church, it became known

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11 simply as “First Church” because of its status as the first church organized in the settlement. Furthermore, it was the first Presbyterian church in the Northwest Territory. Within a few years, the congregation had grown and challenged the capacity of the original building. To accommodate such growth, the church conducted a building campaign, raising over $16,000 (a sum equal to over $250,000 today). The new structure, completed in 1815, featured two square towers with conical turrets, as a result of which it was informally called “the two-horned church.” As the congregation continued to grow, an independent group branched off and, in 1830, built the Second Presbyterian Church, a Grecian-styled church on the south side of Fourth Street between Vine and Race Streets. In 1851, First Presbyterian built an elegant new church on Fourth Street near the location of Kemper’s first church and the subsequent two-horned church. The Gothic-styled church had a 285-foot neo-Gothic spire topped with a golden hand pointing heavenward and was declared “the finest west of the Alleghenies.” In the 1870s, Second Presbyterian selected a serene rustic location at Eighth and Elm Streets — outside the hustle and bustle of the financial district — for the site of its new church. The land was purchased and the present structure erected at a cost of $250,000 (over $5.3 million today). The magnificent building was dedicated on April 11, 1875, and, through a series of mergers, it eventually became the home of Covenant-First Presbyterian Church. C. Congregational History Over the decades, downtown churches in the United States have both flourished and floundered from time to time as downtown living fell into and out of favor for a variety of reasons. Such was certainly true in Cincinnati. Numerous churches called downtown home and many of those were offshoots of other established churches. First Presbyterian “planted” a number of such churches. The difficulties eventually faced by such downtown churches, however, ultimately led to their reconsolidation, through a series of mergers. Today’s Covenant-First Presbyterian Church is an amalgamation representing the unification of the following churches over the course of two centuries: • First Presbyterian Church • First Reformed Presbyterian Church • West Liberty Presbyterian Church/Second German Presbyterian Church • Second Presbyterian Church • Church of the Covenant • Fifth Presbyterian Church/The Scots Church • Central Presbyterian Church An alloy or amalgam is a mixture of different component parts that retains the characteristics of those constituent elements but is much stronger than those components standing alone. We believe that Covenant-First Presbyterian Church is stronger because of its rich and diverse history and is well positioned to do God’s work for years, decades, and — yes — centuries to come.

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12 Church Attendance, Membership, and Demographics Worship Attendance After the unique challenges of COVID-19, our worship service attendance has rebounded and, as of this writing, we are almost back to our pre-pandemic attendance. We were online through May 2020; after that, we resumed in-person services in addition to livestreaming. We encourage on-line participants to greet each other via Facebook, and we therefore know that many members and friends faithfully join us each Sunday. Full membership and attendance numbers averaged 80 in person at the end of 2020; this estimate does not include those who worship online. Full numbers are available and posted online through the PCUSA website; see PC(USA) Research Services - Church Trends (pcusa.org). These numbers clearly show the impact of COVID-19. In most years, our highest attended services are Palm Sunday and Easter, but in 2020, those services were only online. Christmas Eve attendance in 2020 was 129. In 2021, although official statistics are not yet posted, our attendance continued to rebound, albeit with a dip in the last part of the year, tied to the surge of COVID-19 cases. In 2021, Easter Sunday attendance rebounded to 111, and Christmas Eve to 170. For the full year, average Sunday attendance was 84. Attendance continues to rebound in 2022, with most Sundays approaching 100 in total attendance.

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13 Membership Numbers and a Snapshot of our Congregation From 2013 to today our membership and attendance started at an average of 140, with a gradual decline over that time. As of 2021, there were 100 members; average attendance was about the same. We attract a large number of visitors, in part due to our downtown location — conventioneers, tourists, business travelers — which helps to keep our attendance higher-than-average for congregations of similar size. Our congregation is largely made up of people who drive in from surrounding suburbs in Ohio and Northern Kentucky, from a radius up to 25 miles. We are 95% Caucasian, with the remaining 5% a mix of African-American, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic. The mean age is approximately 64, with a range of youth to above 70; we have a growing group of youth as well. Most members are professionals, either retired or currently working, and families. Approximately 60% of the congregation is female. We also have a small but dedicated adult Sunday School, which averages 15 per class, and a small Youth Sunday School. We hold a Children’s Church during part of the normal worship time, as well. Membership has fluctuated over the past several years, although we do bring in new members every year. 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Gains 8 0 15 9 5 7 20 0 Losses 15 32 16 11 31 7 15 13 7%14%15%35%29%Age Range of the Congregation <25 26-40 41-55 56-70 >70

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14 Relevant Demographics for Our Church Neighborhood Although Covenant-First’s current congregation largely drives to the church from the suburbs, the church sits in the middle of a rapidly growing residential neighborhood, and we believe we are uniquely situated to engage with this growing population. The demographic trends and known preferences of the church’s neighbors align nicely with the strengths and characteristics of our congregation. Our congregation and, we believe, our neighbors, are ready to engage with our next pastor in ways that will build Christ’s kingdom in this neighborhood. Presented below is current data for the “neighborhood” in which our church is located. We are officially located in the defined neighborhood of downtown Cincinnati, adjacent to the Central Business District and the southern portion of the Over-the-Rhine area, which is immediately to the north of downtown. For purposes of this document, we have initially defined our neighborhood as the area in which people could walk to our church in 20 minutes or less. The demographics of that area are based on the 2021 Ministry Area Profile provided by Percept Group, Inc. ➢ There are 8,900 people currently residing in the church neighborhood. ➢ The residents or our neighborhood are mostly young (58% more millennials than the national average), urban, well-educated, and single (84% higher than the US average). ➢ The population of the neighborhood is growing rapidly — the urban core residential population is the fastest growing residential population, by percentage, of any neighborhood anywhere in greater Cincinnati! Since the last census, the population of the area increased by 47.8%. According to the Ministry Area Profile, the population is expected to continue to grow by 5% over the next five years. ➢ The following statistics relate to the religious preferences of neighborhood residents in comparison to U.S. national averages: • 17% of the residents are more likely to consider themselves Presbyterian. And most are more familiar and more comfortable with a mainline Christian denomination than any other type of Christian community. • 19% are more likely to have decreased their involvement in their faith in the last 10 years. • They slightly prefer traditional music style; 20% are less likely to prefer contemporary music. • 30% of the residents prefer somber/serious church architecture, and 20% are less likely to prefer “light and airy” church architecture. We believe this demographic information indicates that the church has a unique evangelical opportunity.

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15 Downtown residents have chosen to live downtown for many reasons. Although some neighborhood residents have decreased their church involvement in recent years, this is not uncommon in young adults, and it is likewise common for them to return to their religious roots as they mature and reflect more on the direction and meaning of their lives. The area profile suggests that nearby young residents are familiar and comfortable with our style of church, both in terms of physical architecture and music and worship style. Our church provides strong traditional theology and Bible-based services in an atmosphere that is familiar. We therefore believe we can be a comfortable and singular source of the Word for such residents in this transitional time. As those residents mature and begin to shift their focus in life, we believe we can be a beacon of evangelism to members of the community who otherwise might not be reached. Our casual observations of visitors and discussions with recent members support our conclusions. Thus, we believe we are well-positioned to maintain new members, even those young people who move to the suburbs to start a family. Our current congregation includes members from throughout the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area, and we see that continuing as downtown members migrate to the suburbs. The availability to “attend” worship via online streaming also permits visitors and members to maintain relationships with our church even if they are unable to drive downtown to worship on certain Sundays.

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16 Worship at Covenant-First Our Worship Services Our weekly Sunday morning worship service follows a traditional Presbyterian format, with choral music (traditional sacred anthems, classical music, and occasional Gospel or contemporary compositions), congregational hymns, and Bible-based sermons. Professional childcare is provided for infants and toddlers on Sunday morning, and a Children’s Church program for elementary school children is held during the second half of the worship service. Our traditional worship services are consistently viewed as one of our greatest strengths. While we do have an active on-line presence, which, as noted previously, enabled members, friends, and guests to livestream our services during the pandemic (and thereafter), our traditional worship services are one of the main reasons people cite for their decision to visit our church and for continuing to attend. Our sanctuary holds up to 616 people (per the fire code; a more “comfortable” number would be about 450), which easily accommodates our congregation, and we provide a single Sunday morning service at 10:30 AM. One of the benefits of having a single worship service is that members see each other every week, thereby building a sense of community among our multigenerational and dispersed congregation. Bible-centered sermons are at the heart of our traditional worship services; the church has been known for strong, expository preaching for decades. Fellowship Time We have a fellowship time immediately following the worship service. Members enjoy food and desserts made by fellow members. This social setting enables members and guests to get to know each other better and to feel more connected. While our congregation increasingly draws members from the immediate neighborhood — and as noted above, we are working intentionally to deepen our connections with nearby residents — the Sunday morning fellowship time is also a critical time for members who come from throughout the greater Cincinnati region to conveniently connect in a casual, social way. Music Scholar Program Music is an essential element of our traditional Sunday morning worship services. Another hallmark of our church is a robust music program featuring musicians and singers from the University of Cincinnati’s renowned College-Conservatory of Music (CCM ). We initiated the Covenant-First Music Scholar program in 2015 with tandem goals — to provide practical, “on-the-job” training for music students and to strengthen the church’s music program. We intended that hiring students for music scholar positions would not only strengthen our music program, but simultaneously develop and mentor a future generation of church musicians, which include an annual organ scholar and several choir scholars. Our Organ and Choral Scholars are paid a modest stipend for each service.

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17 Session approved the Music Scholar program with the understanding that it would be financially self-sustaining; funding for the students’ stipends would not come from the church’s general budget. To achieve that result, a separate, restricted endowment fund was established with the Presbyterian Foundation. Today, the endowment has grown to the level that it provides sufficient annual income to cover four of the five positions, and the congregation continues to work to grow the endowment so that long-term funding for all positions is secured. Our Music Scholar program is designed to fully incorporate the students into the life of the church, rather than simply “performing” on Sunday mornings. The students are affirmed and supported by the congregation, and, as a result they, view the church as their church family. The pastor and a dedicated group of church members are committed to attending student recitals/concerts, acting as a church fan club for the students. This is particularly important for students whose homes are around the country and even around the world and whose families are unable to attend their performances. The church has increasingly become the venue of choice for the students’ required degree recitals, with congregation members also providing light receptions after the recitals. Others provide practical support for the students — transportation for those without cars, invitations to join members for meals in their homes and at restaurants, and more. We have been delighted by the fact that, as students graduate and move on, their relationships with our church often continue. Members frequently stay in touch with former scholars, and the students return whenever possible for visits and even perform an occasional recital. Covenant-First is renowned as a congregation with an outstanding and growing reputation for traditional music, drawing visitors, outside financial support — and even new members.

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18 Pastoral Leadership Covenant-First Presbyterian Church has been served by a long succession of ministers who were fully committed to our church and its ministries. As noted previously, James Kemper was the pastor of Cincinnati’s First Presbyterian Church, founded in 1790. Other noteworthy ministers include Lyman Beecher, the first president of Lane Seminary and the father of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. G. Campbell Morgan, the noted Scottish theologian, writer, and preacher, briefly served as pastor in 1926 Our most recent Pastor and Head of Staff was Reverend Russell Smith, who served our church for 19 years before leaving in 2020. He left on good terms and remains a friend of many in the congregation. We are currently served by Reverend Dr. Robert Anderson, our interim pastor. Although Covenant-First has had associate pastors on staff in addition to the primary Pastor and Head of Staff, we have had only a single pastor since 2014. Needless to say, having a single Pastor and Head of Staff means that he or she is required to wear multiple hats and fill multiple roles, primary among which are providing excellent preaching, being a steward of our mission, and being a visible leader within the church and in the larger community.

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19 Elders Covenant-First’s Session is comprised of nine Ruling Elders, each serving a three-year term, with the possibility of serving an additional term. Structure of Session The Session is structured into six sub-committees: • Worship: We commit to praising and exalting our triune God in our personal, family, and corporate worship. We hold a high respect for the traditional forms of worship and we strive for excellence in our worship efforts. • Witness: We commit to proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ through sharing our stories and living changed lives. Every area of our lives is impacted by the gospel and everything we do points to Christ as Lord. • Serve: We commit to following Christ’s example of service to glorify Him and keep His commands. Our service reaches out not only to the people of God but to the entire world as an expression of love. • Share: We commit to sharing our lives with one another. As we walk the Christian life, we encourage and challenge one another, we care for one another, and we share in the joy of the Lord. We recognize and develop in our members the gifts of the Holy Spirit through education and training. • Study: We commit to the study of Scripture as a lifelong pursuit. The Holy Bible is the authoritative and infallible Word of God, and it is our guide and rule for life. We also respect and study the theological heritage that has been handed down to use by the church, particularly in our confessional documents. • Stewardship and Administration: We commit to the wise use of our personal and shared resources for building the Kingdom of God. This includes our time, our gifts, our talents, our relationships, and our goods.

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20 Elder Committee Ministries Ministries of the Worship Committee The responsibilities of the Worship Committee are largely self-explanatory, but the work of the committee in 2020 and beyond was anything but ordinary. The committee coordinate worship planning with the pastor, music director, and church administrator. The committee is also responsible for the monthly preparation for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The Worship Committee has taken numerous steps to provide a high-quality digital service, including upgrading the camera and linking it directly to our existing soundboard, which resulted in significant improvements in sound quality. A team was formed to learn how to broadcast such services, and they are intent on growing their knowledge and capabilities as we move forward. The technological advances have also allowed us to broadcast certain weddings and other events at the church. Going forward, the Worship Committee hopes to continue to provide these technological solutions while maintaining the focus on in-person traditional services. Ministries of the Witness Committee Scripture calls for Christians to be witnesses to the good news of the Gospel. Such biblical imperatives guide the goals and activities of our Witness Committee. It was previously called the Outreach Committee, and that name is helpful in understanding the work of this group. Broadly, the Witness Ministries of Covenant-First can be placed into three categories: ➢ Sharing information about our congregation and our ministries ➢ Sponsoring special concerts and events that create opportunities to invite others and introduce them to our church ➢ Providing ongoing prayer and financial support for our mission partners, who minister locally, around the U.S., and around the world. 100% of member donations to our Mission Budget are used to support our mission partners. Our overarching goal is to use every available opportunity to bear witness to our Lord Jesus Christ. The goal is not so much to advertise our congregation, ministries, and events but instead, through such events and activities to point to Jesus. Over the years, we have engaged in numerous outreach efforts designed to create opportunities to welcome others into our church. They have included various musical events, church tours, participation in civic programs and activities, and much more. We also host New Members Classes twice each year. The Witness Committee is responsible for updating and maintaining the church website. We consider the website to be a work in progress, with frequent updates, such as including online copies of our bulletins and our monthly newsletter, the Covenant Courier

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21 Our “Live Music at a Safe Distance” program, following COVID-19 safety protocols and keeping audience members safely distanced in our spacious sanctuary, was re-initiated once we had resumed in-person worship. Attendance was less than would be typical, but we nonetheless attracted first-time visitors, downtown residents, and, of course, our own members. We were able to make casual but personal introductions, which often later lead to return visits for worship services, active participation, and membership. An important part of our Witness Ministry is providing financial support for 11 different mission partners, local, regional, and international. Our international mission partners introduce others to Jesus in places most of us will never even visit be. We share reports from our mission partners in our weekly Sunday bulletins, and all of our mission partners continually share their thanks for our critical prayer and financial support. The most critical Witness Ministry activity of our congregation is how we all bear witness to Christ through our words and our actions. Our prayer is that, through our organized activities, partnership with mission coworkers, and in our daily lives, we bear faithful witness to the love and grace of our Lord. Ministries of the Serve Committee Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our ability to fulfill some of the following ministries has been adversely impacted. Nevertheless, we’ve continued to find ways to support local ministries, even if in a more “hands off” way during COVID; most recently the congregation contributed non-perishables that filled a minivan, for “Souper Bowl Sunday”. The donated items were all sent to restock the shelves of a food pantry hosted by another congregation in the Presbytery. Similarly, during Advent 2021, the congregation collected items for an established ministry working with children and families in a nearby urban neighborhood. These special collections are popular with our congregation and generally very generously supported. Recognizing that we are a downtown church, we also have care packages and training on how to manage local visitors in need. Almost daily, visitors to church include tourists, curious local residents, and also homeless and impoverished neighbors in need of assistance. Ministries of the Share Committee ➢ Elder-in-Touch List Each Elder is assigned a list of congregational members with whom to stay in touch, ensuring that all members feel supported, loved, prayed for, and a part of the congregation of Covenant-First Presbyterian Church. This may include: • Praying for the members • Encouraging members to join in CFPC activities or otherwise serving in some capacity • Hosting a dinner at the Elder’s home, bringing members together for food and fellowship • Meeting members for coffee or lunch

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22 • Sending cards, letters, and notes of affirmation (especially when the member has participated in a ministry) ➢ Sunday Fellowship Time Our Fellowship Time immediately following the worship service is a critical part of our Serve Ministry. It is also one of our more important outreach tools, as we invite our visitors to enjoy coffee, food, and warm Christian friendships. Volunteers are assigned given weeks to bring in food for fellowship hour. The team leaders send a reminder email during the week. Other volunteers are assigned set-up and cleanup duty. In practice, many people who are not signed up pitch in to help out. Ministries of the Study Committee Our congregation is known as one that takes seriously the Biblical injunction to study and grow in our Christian faith from childhood and throughout our lives. While specific study groups change over time, the congregational life always includes various Sunday morning Bible studies, classes for children and youth, along with weekday study groups. Current studies include a Sunday morning adult class, led by an elder; a Wednesday noon study of the Psalms, led by the pastor; a Sunday morning youth class, led by a team of parents; and a Saturday morning Men’s study, mostly attended by non-members from the community. Many members also participate in Bible study groups outside of the church — informally organized, with other members or friends, or tied to other groups, including Bible Study Fellowship. In recent years, the pastor — working with various members — has also created and provided congregational devotional guides for Advent and Lent, as well as non-season devotionals focused on Bible study and prayer. Ministries of the Stewardship and Administration Committee Much of the day-to-day administrative work of the church is handled by the Church Administrator. The Elders work together with the Church Administrator to ensure proper financial management and stewardship of the building. Sub-committees include: • Finance Committee, including the Property Committee (Building Maintenance, Gardening) ➢ Personnel Committee ➢ Annual Stewardship Pledge Campaign ➢ Nominating Committee. Deacons The Board of Deacons is comprised of six deacons, each serving a three-year term, with the possibility of serving an additional term. The Deacons are an active group commissioned to compassionately meet the needs of our congregation in the following ways:

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23 ➢ Actively participate in the life of the church and the meetings of Deacons, as called by the Moderator. ➢ Consult with other ministry leaders, help them develop their vision and obtain needed resources, and encourage congregation members to become involved in the life and ministry of the church. ➢ Encourage ministry leaders, congregation members, and volunteers by affirming how they are a blessing to the church. ➢ Participate in the budgetary process as needed. ➢ Consult with people wanting to engage in the work of the church, with the goal of helping them succeed at what God has called them to. Here are some examples of important ways the deacons regularly serve the needs of our congregation: ➢ Writing cards and letters and making phone calls to check on members. ➢ Hosting baby showers and providing meals when members welcome new additions to their families ➢ Delivering Easter lilies and Christmas poinsettias to homebound members of the congregation. ➢ Provide needed support for families who suffer a loss, including coordinating the funeral service and having a luncheon. ➢ Providing assistance in the church office with administrative work as needed. The Deacons work closely with the Ruling Elder from the Share Committee, who serves as liaison to the Session.

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24 Staff and Lay Leaders Our staff includes: ➢ Church Administrator and Financial Secretary. This is a salaried position, with a salary based on 32 hours/week, although actual hours worked generally exceed this number. The Church Administrator oversees all church communications, works closely with the pastor for weekly worship planning, and coordinates all building maintenance and repair work. Additionally, the church custodian, sexton, and nursery staff (all part-time positions) report to the Church Administrator. The Church Administrator’s financial work is coordinated with the Treasurer, a Ruling Elder member (not on Session), who is a CPA; she completes monthly account reconciliations and also works, together with the Administrator, with the church’s independent CPAs who complete annual Reviewed Financial Statements. ➢ Music Director. The Music Director directs the church choir, coordinates with the pastor for worship music overall, and hires, supervises and mentors the Choral Scholars. ➢ Organist. The Organist is responsible for all service music (primarily played on the organ, but also piano accompaniment as needed for the choir and soloists). The Organist also hires and supervises the Organ Scholar, in coordination with the Music Director.

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25 Our Involvement with the Presbytery of Cincinnati The Presbytery of Cincinnati is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA), one of 11 Presbyteries in the Synod of the Covenant. It has approximately 9,500 members from 65 congregations in Greater Cincinnati, including Covenant-First. The Presbytery serves as a resource and provides valuable benefits to member churches throughout the year. Our congregation has an active an ongoing involvement with the Presbytery, including: ➢ Since 2020, Ruling Elder Lisa Allgood, a member of our congregation and a former Elder/Clerk of Session, has been the Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery after serving in that role in an interim capacity for almost two years. She was elected to a three-year term and will be eligible for additional terms in the future. ➢ Another Ruling Elder member of our congregation concluded service as President of the Presbytery Board of Trustees and a member of the Presbytery Council as the end of 2021. He is also a former Moderator of the Presbytery. ➢ One member, also a former Elder, is a member of the Presbytery Judicial Council. ➢ Another member of our congregation was accepted as an Inquirer by the Presbytery’s Committee on Preparation for Ministry, which is the first step toward eventual ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament. One of our Elders is serving as the liaison between our Session, the Inquirer, and the Presbytery Committee. ➢ Two of our Elders served as Commissioners to the Presbytery during 2019-2020. In 2020, the Presbytery assisted congregations in adapting to the challenges of COVID. It also focused time and resources on efforts to strengthen congregations in the Presbytery. Executive Presbyter Allgood’s leadership resulted in the receipt of a $1 million Lilly Foundation grant to support the new Center for Learning. The Living Churches Initiative pilot program is a part of that effort. Six congregations, including ours, successfully completed that program, and, based on that experience, the Presbytery continues to use a refined version of this program to assist all the congregations in the Presbytery. There are many ways for our members to be involved in the work and ministry of the Presbytery, and our church takes full advantage of those opportunities.

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28 Covenant-First’s Future: Where Is God Calling Us to Go? We’ve referenced, above, our congregation’s work with the Living Churches Initiative, the good but challenging work done to reconfirm congregational values and set new goals. This process was reviewed with the congregation at the conclusion of the work, and in September 2021, the Session adopted new goals for the congregation. These goals came directly from this work, were improved with input from the Session, and were adopted. Since adoption, the Session intentionally reviews the goals each month, to consider initial progress toward the goals. Elders are working to involve other members of the congregation into the process of moving forward against these goals. Notable initial achievements include: • Doubled the number of Choral Music Scholars in the church choir, and hosting two concerts presented by outside groups during the 2021 Christmas season. • Began a now weekly Youth Sunday School class, averaging five youth — and bringing at least one family and their son back into much more active participation in the life of the congregation. • Launched new, intentional outreach to the nearby neighborhood, including two mailings to over 2,000 nearby households to invite these residents to Advent and Christmas services, and a very successful outdoors Christmas Caroling Party, open and visible to the neighborhood. • Purchased and implemented a new church communications software package that provides a secure online directory to members and will include a congregational app; the app is expected to be launched before Easter 2022. The new software and app are intended to facilitate better communication and connectivity within the congregation. The congregation was blessed to receive a $30,000 Implementation Grant through the Presbytery’s Living Churches Initiative which has funded some of these efforts and is earmarked for additional mailings to nearby residents during Lent and Easter, and additional musical programs during the first part of 2022. As background, included here is some of the rationale for the new goals, taken from the Session’s presentation to the congregation in summer 2021: • Build a congregation of disciples fully committed to their spiritual walk with Jesus Christ. We believe that each of the identified groups — primarily downtown residents — include people probably not currently engaged in church. We want to provide a spiritual home that is welcoming and nurturing to help them find the point where God opens the window to get them engaged. We want to help encourage and support both new Christians and mature believers as they grow in their faith. The Percept data show that there are thousands of people who live near the church (within a not more than 20-minute walk) that have a background in traditional worship but do not currently have or attend church. • Develop a Sustainable Local Outreach Ministry. We want to foster a sense of belonging and continued spiritual growth within our neighborhood, with a focus on apartments within a two-

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29 block radius of Piatt Park, along with the YMCA Senior housing. We have a vision of a robust Christian community that worships together at Covenant-First Presbyterian Church. We want visitors and members to feel so supported, nurtured, and inspired that they go home to family and friends and invite them to join us, too. • Communicate passion and possibility with more people. Share our story more broadly, survey others in the neighborhood to see how we can support them and declare boldly what we offer: A life-saving message based on Biblical study, outstanding music, and a strong community. • Expand Music Ministry to reach new people. We know that a strong, traditional music program is critical to our current members, and a draw for new members. We’ve gained new members, now active in the congregation, whose first encounter with the church was an organ recital, choir concerts, and other musical programs. As we’ve developed our Music Scholar program, we’ve enhanced our Sunday morning worship services but also developed effective outreach to the community. We are committed to continuing to develop, deepen and broaden our music ministry, and have committed funding to support this in the next two years.

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30 Conclusion For nearly 232 years, God has been working in and through the congregation now known as Covenant-First Presbyterian Church. Our congregation is committed to being a community of Christian believers, committed to sharing the heart of the Gospel in the heart of the City. This will not change. As we look to the future — the coming year, the next decade, the next century — we are convinced that God is still at work here and will continue to be. We are eager to connect in a new and deeper way with our neighbors. We know that we need to strengthen our outreach into this community. We see a rapidly growing neighborhood and long to partner in ministry in ways that impact our city and bring glory to God. We are thankful for the blessings of the past — our grand building, our strategic location, the spiritual and financial faithfulness of our congregational ancestors. We are eager to faithfully use these strengths and, relying on God’s grace, lean into a future that is true to the tenets of our faith and bears abundant fruit for our Lord Jesus. We look forward to partnering in this ministry with a pastor sensing God’s call to this congregation and neighborhood.