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From our pastor — Rev. Dan Turis The Covenant Courier Covenant-First Presbyterian Church December 2025, Vol. 30, Issue 12 Advent is Mission: The Sending God and the Sent Church As Advent returns to us, so too does the story of God’s movement toward the world. At Covenant‑First, nestled in the heart of Cincinnati, this season isn’t simply a liturgical rhythm—it’s a reorientation of our life together around the astonishing truth that the eternal Son was sent. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. And because he came, we go. Our Advent sermon series traces this divine initiative. Long before we ever imagined mission strategies or outreach plans, the Father had already begun his work—sending his Son into the darkness of our world, full of grace and truth. Each week of this season, we will explore what it means to live as people shaped by that sending. Not in theory, but in practice. Not in distance, but in nearness. Just as Christ entered time and space, we are called to enter our neighbor-hoods, our city, and our relationships with his light. This isn’t just a theological idea—it is a calling on our church. Evangelism, outreach, and mission are not programs to manage or tasks to complete, but the very shape of a life gripped by the gospel. At Covenant‑First, we are learning to see our location downtown not as an accident but as an assignment. Every block, every soul, every stranger is some-one among whom Christ desires to dwell. Advent reminds us that hope doesn’t float above real life; it takes on flesh. When we light candles in the dark sanctu-ary, we echo the light that has come into the world—and we remember that the world still longs for that light. There are those in our city who feel forgotten, those wrestling with cynicism or despair, and those simply waiting to be seen. This is where mission begins: in seeing. The God who sees us has called us to see others—and to go. So let this season reframe how we think about evangelism—not as pressure, but as invitation. Let us speak good news, not as an obligation, but as an overflow. And let us serve not to impress, but to embody the Incarnate Christ, who came not to be served but to serve. We invite you to walk this Advent path with us—not just through worship on Sundays, but in the daily choices to be a presence of grace in Cincinnati. Use the daily devotional found in the sanctuary and on the website and the app. Proclaim that Christ’s kingdom has come. And pray—not only for our church, but for God’s kingdom to come in full, on Elm Street as it is in heaven. Advent is not passive waiting. It is missional living. Christ was sent—and now, so are we. Blessings, Rev. Dr. Dan Turis Advent/Christmas Devotional We have begun a sermon series Evangelism, Outreach, Mission and Witness and how these are important for us and the ministry of the church. An Advent devotional is available in print form in the sanctuary or online through the app or website. Make sure to join us daily for a brief study that coordinates with Sunday’s sermon.

Page 2 The Covenant Courier Session Notes Your Session met for the final business meeting of the year in November. The elders completed the required "Boundaries Training", led by Rev. Dr. Turis, and covered lots of routine year-end business: A review of the member-ship rolls, re-election of Ruth Ross as Treasurer and Rob Heidenreich as Clerk, and approval of the planned obser-vances of the Lord's Supper in 2026. The elders also discussed a proposal for a new ministry partnership with the Coalition of Christian Outreach (CCO) whereby a full-time campus minister would work with Covenant-First and students at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Currently there are 11 recognized cam-pus ministry groups at the University, but none focused on ministry among the CCM students. This new partnership would build on the existing relationships our congregation already has with CCM. The Session agreed that Rev. Dr. Turis, Elder Heidenreich and Music Director Yolanda Parker will continue exploratory conversations with the leader-ship of CCO and report back to Session in January. Rev. Dr. Turis served with CCO and local churches in both Co-lumbus and Pittsburgh before he attended seminary and was ordained for parish ministry, and believes CCO and Covenant-First would be a strong ministry partnership. The Session also heard a report from Elders Meatchem and Bradley sharing insights as a sort of six-month check-in after the merger of West Cincinnati and Covenant-First. The Session will meet for a Christmas dinner in December, and will hold its next regular meeting in January. Your elders are praying for you. Please see Rev. Dr. Turis, me, or any elder with any questions or concerns. Merry Christmas! Rob Heidenreich Clerk of Session This year, our annual Christmas Mission offering is designated for our part-ners at City Gospel Mission. City Gospel Mission provides critical ser-vices for individuals struggling with homelessness, including meals and short-term housing, and a whole a range of other services including sub-stance abuse rehab programs, tutoring programs for children, and more. Covenant-First has partnered with City Gospel for decades. We’ll collect this offering on Sundays in Advent and on Christmas Eve and then forward the total collected to City Gospel. You may use a pew envelope marked “Christmas” or the special envelope in your boxed set of enve-lopes. Thank you! A note from Randy Page Greetings everyone and Happy December! Rev. Dr. Turis will be away on Sunday, December 28 celebrating Christ-mas with family. I will have the responsibility and privilege of leading worship and speaking. In anticipation of the new year, we will be looking at some scriptures for why and how we should read our Bibles. In preparation for the service that Sunday morning, I would like you to review/read all of Psalm 119, II Timothy 3:14-17 and 2 Peter 1:19-21. May God bless you and give you peace throughout the Advent season! Randy Page

Page 3 The Covenant Courier December 7 Friedhelm Greulich 11 Dan Nather 18 Gad Uwizeye 19 Rob Heidenreich 20 Michael York 21 Susan Anderson 21 Andy Wesley 23 Carol Carhartt 24 Sophia Colclasure 27 Greg Richards 28 Joan VanEpps January 3 Andrew Dechter 5 Margaret Weis 5 Madeline York 11 Ruth Ross 18 Rebecca Bell 21 Kit Crousey 23 Kimberly Dickerson 29 Andrew Hackett TubaChristmas at CFPC December 6 at 12 Noon Covenant-First will be once again hosting the festive TubaChristmas. This fun event will include tuba players from all around the area. The Tuba players will come together for a short rehearsal at 9:30 AM and then at 12 Noon we will open the doors and invite the public to join in this fun celebration of Christmas carols. TubaChristmas takes place all around the country during the month of December and is a fun tradition among Tubists. Mark your calendars and plan to attend. This could be a new family tradition. Questions? Contact Mike Millhaem. A note from the Householders Dear Friends at Cov-First: Thank you for your recent financial gift. It came at a perfect time just when we need-ed it! We appreciate you. Your Gospel witness is so needed in the heart of our city! — With gratitude, Mark & Marianne Wednesday Advent Bible Studies During the month of December Pastor Dan will be leading a Bible study which explores more the topics from Sunday’s sermon. Please plan to attend. There are studies convenient for every-one’s schedule at 12 noon or 8 PM each Wednesday. Christmas Caroling at the new Elm Street Plaza — Sunday, December 7 at 6:30 PM Join us for Christmas Caroling at the newly opened Elm Street Plaza. We will gather at the church at 6:30 PM and walk together the two blocks to the plaza. We will be caroling begin-ning at 7 PM. Wear a colorful hat and scarf and help us bring Christmas Cheer to those at the plaza and the ice skating rink. We will be singing Christmas Carols and encouraging those on the plaza to join in the festivities. Plan to attend and lift your voices in song as we sing the music of Christmas.

Page 4 The Covenant Courier Saturday, December 6 12 Noon — TubaChristmas Sunday, December 7 10:30 AM Worship Outreach in Advent Matthew 25:45 – As you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. 7 PM Caroling at the Elm Street Plaza (Meet at church at 6:30 PM) Sunday, December 14 10:30 AM Worship Mission in Advent John 1:14, 16–18 – The Word became flesh and dwelt among us… From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Last Sunday to bring warm socks and coats for City Gospel Mission. Sunday, December 21 10:30 AM Worship Witness in Advent Luke 1:76–80 – You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go be-fore the Lord to prepare his ways… Wednesday, December 24 6:30 PM Music Begins for Candlelight Service 7 PM Candlelight Service Sunday, December 28 Pastor Dan will be on vacation. Randy Page will be preaching. See note on pg. 2. Note: There will be no Wednesday Bible Studies on December 24 and December 31. The studies will resume on January 7. Poinsettia Order Form It is that time of year when we begin thinking about decorating the sanctuary and one way we make our sanctuary look beautiful for Christmas Eve is with poinsettias. We have poinsettia order forms in the bulletin. If you would like to purchase a poinsettia to honor or remember someone special please complete the bulletin insert and place it in the offering plate. The order deadline is Sunday, December 21. Each poinsettia plant is $15. Payment can be made to Covenant-First Presbyterian Church. Plants may be taken home after the Christmas Eve worship service.

Page 5 The Covenant Courier Planning Ahead for the New Year. Journey Worth Taking: 200 Days in Acts Beginning in January, our church is embarking on a journey—one that reaches back through centuries, yet speaks urgently to our present. We’re calling it 200 Days in Acts, and it’s more than just a devotional. It’s a window into the birth of the Church, the boldness of the Gospel, and the unstoppable movement of God’s mission. We’ll begin journeying through the book of Acts in this January Sermon Series, along with our daily devotional read-ings that correspond to each sermon. These messages will not only unpack the rich theology and history of the early church but also help us see how the Gospel was—and still is—meant to cross every cultural boundary. Imagine being a Gentile in the first century, hearing these Scriptures for the first time. What did they learn? How did the apostles explain this new reality of faith? In this series, we’ll explore those very questions. We’ll see how the message of Jesus wasn’t confined to a single culture or tradition but designed to break out into cities, homes, and hearts across the world. Each Sunday, we’ll highlight an aspect of Mission—something practical and inspiring that our church can learn from the early believers because Acts isn’t just history. It’s a pattern. A call. A reminder that our faith was never meant to be static or limited to one place—it’s global, mission-driven, and alive. So, join us. Commit to the journey. Let this be a season where Scripture shapes us, Sundays refocus us, and the Spirit moves us. The world is watching. Let’s show them what Jesus is up to. There will be no Courier in the month of January, our regular monthly Courier will resume in February of 2026. Watch for a new and improved Courier in the new year. The deadline for the February issue is Friday, January 30, 2026. Upcoming Events • Game Night: We are planning a Game Night for mid-January. Watch the bulletin and web-site for more details. • Mission Partner Visits: Our partners Justin & Krista Clermont, who minister with AIM in Chad, are set to visit us on Sunday, February 1; exact details TBD but they’ll be with us in worship and more. David & Carleen Heath, our Wycliffe Bible Translator partners in Ni-geria, will also be back for a visit in January, exact details TBD. Watch the bulletin for in-formation—you’ll want to be sure to hear the updates!

COVENANT-FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 717 Elm Street * Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513-621-4144 * Email: office@covfirstchurch.org www.covfirstchurch.org Pastor: Rev. Dr. Dan Turis CHURCH STAFF Church Administrator: Genita Heidenreich Custodian: Christy Ware-Fields Sexton: Cory Linman Choir Director: Yolanda Ortiz-Parker Organist: Andrew Hackett Organ Scholar: Christie Lee Choral Scholars: Zach Burnham, Laz Clark, Andrew Hallam, Jarrett Hazelton, Madeline Jentsch, Lea Nayak, Kayla Sconiers, Natalie Sheppard Weekly Events Sundays 9:15 AM Adult Sunday School Sundays 10:30 AM Worship Sundays 11:30 PM Fellowship Time Wednesdays 12 Noon Brown Bag Bible Study Wednesdays 8 PM Evening Bible Study Saturdays 7:30 AM Men’s Bible Study The church office is open for regular hours Monday through Thursday 10 AM to 2 PM. Other hours are available by appointment by calling the church office at 513-621-4144. ELDERS Rob Heidenreich, Clerk Krissy Bradley Jamie Jewell Jennifer Maxwell Lashuna Meatchem Mike Millhaem Hugh Ralston Cindy Standen Randy Page DEACONS Jenny Adams Devon Bloom Maria Bloom Sophia Colclasure Joan McAlonan, Moderator If you are not receiving email up-dates from the church, send an email to office@covfirstchurch.org and request to be added to the email list. We can also mail the weekly bulletin and announcements, if you do not have email access. Call the office to request bulletins by mail. Upcoming Events Saturday, December 6 —- 12 Noon — TubaChristmas Sunday, December 7 — 7 PM — Caroling at the Elm Street Plaza, meet at the church at 6:30 PM Monday, December 8 — Session and Staff Dinner Wednesday, December 24 — Christmas Eve Service with music beginning at 6:30 PM. Sunday, December 28 — Pastor Dan on vacation, Randy Page preaching