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From our pastor — Rev. Dan Turis The Covenant Courier Covenant-First Presbyterian Church September 2024, Vol. 29, Issue 9 Sharing the heart of the Gospel in the heart of the city As the crisp air of autumn begins to sweep across the landscape, the arrival of fall heralds a season rich with events, traditions, and community gatherings. This time of year is marked by a vibrant tapestry of activities that bring people together, celebrate the harvest, and prepare for the upcoming winter months. I have been here a year and realize that Oktoberfest is a significant event in this city. Well, there is much to anticipate at Covenant-First this coming season. One of the new events that will occur not only in the fall but will continue until spring is the 150th anniversary of the dedication of our building. There will be events and additions to the bulletin and Courier. The 150th cele-brates our place in this community. God has called us to witness to the Kingdom of God to this physical com-munity for 150 years. Jesus has used this parcel of land to be his outpost in the kingdom and we want to recog-nize that. In addition to the 150th celebration, the church has set its sights on showcasing the musical talent in our con-gregation and city. We will be working to have more frequent, musical events throughout the year. These events will target the neighborhood and focus on attracting folks who may be interested in a free concert. We have members in our church whose first interaction with the church was their attendance at a musical event. A new sermon series on Jesus' parables will start in late September. The sermon series aims to be image-rich, illustrating aspects of the parables that are not known upon reading the story. The series will explain the ele-ments of the story that should be new to the listener. It is geared towards anyone who walks off the street, from the least knowledgeable to the greatest. Parables are timeless. It is hard to imagine telling a story that would be as relevant today as much as it was when it was told. I want to illustrate new parts of those timeless stories lost to time and cultural differences. The fall is my favorite time of the year. As a child, it meant football (it still does for me). As a college student, it meant seeing friends again. As a campus minister, I got to gear up to minister to a whole new group of people. As a pastor in Cincinnati, it means a fresh start and rearranging your summer schedule around an entirely new set of events. It used to be called “Rally Sunday” in the church. It is to rally the members again to be in commu-nity with one another. It is also a strategic time when people start looking for a church to attend. So we want to lean into that. There will be a lot of ways for you to get involved. We will have the usual events and opportunities you are used to seeing. However, I wanted to illustrate the new things happening at the church. So stay tuned to the events section of the bulletin and newsletter because you don’t want to miss a thing. Rev. Dan Turis

Page 2 The Covenant Courier Session Notes Your Session did not meet in August, but is set to next meet on Monday, September 9. The Session will continue discussion of the newly created Worship & Sanctuary Committee, and will also continue planning various future neighborhood events. Through my recent involvement with a Presbytery Committee, I noted a quote shared by a pastor of one of our Presbytery’s congregations; the original source is unknown, but at least for me, it was a thought-provoking quotation. “My church is composed of people like me. We make it what it is. It will be friendly, if I am. Its pews will be filled, if I help fill them. It will do great work, if I work. It will make generous gifts to many causes, if I am a generous giver. It will bring many people into its worship and fellowship, if I bring them. It will be a church of loyalty and love, of fearlessness and faith, a church with a noble spirit, if I, who make it what it is, am filled with these traits. Therefore, with the help of God, I shall dedicate myself to the task of being all the things I want my church to be.” Onward! Rob Heidenreich Clerk of Session Senior Singles Thursday, September 19 at 6 PM The Senior Singles will be meeting at Mama’s on Main, 621 S. Main St, Covington, KY. RSVP is due by noon on Wednesday, September 18, Questions and to RSVP, contact Pat Beckman. Church Picnic Sunday, September 15 at 4 PM Mark your calendar and sign-up for our annual church picnic. We will be having fried chicken as an entrée; we’ll ask people to bring sides and desserts. This year the picnic will be at Eden Park, at the Tom Jones Commons. Questions? Contact Leslie Turis. A sign-up board is located in Metzger Hall. If you are unable to sign-up in person, please call the church office and we will sign you up. Driving Directions to Tom Jones Commons From downtown: Follow Columbia Parkway to Martin Dr. and continues on Martin Dr. to Tom Jones Commons. From the East: Follow Madison Rd. to Victory Parkway, take Eden Park Dr. to Martin Dr. continue on Martin Dr. to Tom Jones Commons. From the West: Follow 75 S to 50 W Columbia Parkway, exit on Martin Dr. to Tom Jones Com-mons. Bengals Tailgate — Monday, September 23 — 5:30 to 7:30 PM We will once again be hosting a Bengals Tailgate outside of the courtyard. We are looking for volunteers to help with this fun event. We will be grilling mettwurst just outside the courtyard and offering free mettwurst to people passing by for the Monday night football game. This is an opportunity to offer hospitality to our neighbors and those passing by. Last year we had visitors who then joined us several times for worship after being welcomed at one of these tail-gates. So put on your Bengal’s gear and join us for a mettwurst and to greet those passing by. It’s fun! Questions? See Pastor Dan.

Page 3 The Covenant Courier September 6 Dustin Ellington 7 Mary Kay DeBruler 16 Roxie Higgins 21 Phil Cameron 27 Claire Crousey October 2 Susan Ford 5 Mary Dillon 9 Darlene Page 19 Jack Weis 21 Nid Balz 24 Bob Anderson 30 Mike Millhaem 30 Isla Crousey 31 Liam York Deacon’s Corner Fall is coming even though the temperatures during the last week of August would suggest otherwise. Children of all ages are back in school, fall sports ac-tivities are underway, Bengals’ fans are preparing for a lively season of football, and the CFPC deacons held their monthly meeting on Sunday, August 25. Those in attendance were Jennifer Maxwell, Joan McAlonan, and Nancy Smith. Jenny Adams, Brian Calfano and Charlotte Goering were unavailable. As we head into the remaining quarter of 2024, the deacons are looking to plan for the activities that natu-rally align with this time of the year. On Saturday, October 12, we will be sponsoring another Volunteer Saturday at Matthew 25:Ministries, with sign-up details to follow. In November we are looking to do a food/ supplies drive for Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen and Social Center in Over-the-Rhine, consistent with what we did last year at Thanksgiving time— more details to follow. Early though it may seem, options for a Christmas project were also discussed, including working with the Adopt-a-Family through Salvation Army, which would be a repeat of last year. As an alternative, we are also exploring the idea of partner-ing with Prison Fellowship Angel Tree for our Christ-mas-giving project. Such a partnership could poten-tially allow for more relationship between the church and the family/families that we would be helping at Christmas. Discussions and planning are on-going, but anyone who has thoughts for a Christmas project is invited to share ideas with the deacons. During each of our meetings, care and support needs within the congregation are always an area of concern and is a routine topic of discussion. While we are aware of some of the needs within the church body, and attempt to be responsive to those needs, it is real-ly our church members who support and care for one another. We are also mindful that there are those among us who are in varying states of recuperation and healing, while others are dealing with serious chronic conditions that require our on-going prayers, support and connection. We are ever so grateful for the ministry that is provided by members of the con-gregation, at large. So, as we bring to a close one month, and greet another, remember some special person who needs our prayers and words of kindness. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Smith Courtyard Café Our Final Courtyard Café will be on September 29. Thank you to all who help in so many ways to make these events fun and successful. Thank you to our faithful helpers who each month to carry out the tables and chairs and get them set-up. This time of fellow-ship on the front sidewalk is a good opportunity to encourage those who pass by to join us as we offer hospitality. Questions? Want to help? Contact Jamie Jewell, (513) 885-2282, jamiej531@gmail.com.

Livestream Technicians Needed We are looking for a few additional peo-ple to add to the rotation for Livestream-ing the Sunday Service. Training will be provided and the learning curve is low. If you are interested in helping out with Livestreaming the Sunday Service, con-tact Mike Millhaem. Page 4 The Covenant Courier Save-the-Date! Saturday, September 28 9:30 AM to 12 Noon We’re planning to partner with 3CDC again on Saturday morning, September 28, for some work in Piatt Park — painting park benches, weeding, and some clean-up in the surrounding area. Don’t miss out on this fun opportunity to beautify our neighborhood. Questions? Please contact Rob Heidenreich to sign-up. Pet Blessing Friday, October 4 5:30 to 7:30 PM Pastor Dan will be outside of the church offer-ing blessings to neighbors’ pets. If you are a pet lover this is a perfect opportunity to volunteer and show some love to the pets of the neighbor-hood and more importantly to their owners. Questions? See Pastor Dan. Dinners for Eight Sunday, September 29 at 6 PM Mark your calendars for the next Dinners for Eight. These fun events hosted by different church members are a great opportunity to get to know other members of the congregation. Cou-ples and singles are welcome in sign-up. You may sign-up using the inserts in the Sunday bulletins or call the church office. Questions? See Genita Heidenreich. Senior Singles Lobster Feast Team CFPC Aruna Run

Page 5 The Covenant Courier Fellowship Time Revised As we approach Fall it feels like a time for new beginnings, so it's the perfect time to begin some new proce-dures for our Sunday Fellowship Time. We know and understand the importance of this time of fellowship for all who attend church, so we hope to make this an opportunity for all to work together to provide an awesome experience. I have been working with several of our key Fellowship Time volunteers to develop a new volunteer base and take some of the pressure off of a few of our dedicated volunteers who were work-ing so hard in the kitchen. As you see these faithful volunteers who have served regularly in the kitchen for years make sure to thank them and we look forward to seeing them occasionally helping in the kitchen. Our new Fellowship Time schedule will involve a rotation of kitchen hosts. The kitchen hosts who have gratefully volunteered to serve are: Pat Beckman, Becky Bell and Linda Meier, Nancy Smith and Dwight Poffenberger, and Cindy Standen. These hosts have been assigned and you will be seeing them on a rotation setting up and helping in the kitchen. However, we need your help to make this successful. We would like you to help make this a fun and easy time for everyone. As always, please bring your Fellowship food plated and ready to serve. Also, when it is your turn to bring food, provide a helping hand with cleaning up in the kitchen. Don't worry, our kitchen hosts will teach you everything you need to know about helping with the clean up. If these responsibilities seem too difficult for you to handle please talk to me and we can figure out a way for you to assist and lend a hand. Also, note, when you aren't on the schedule, you can relax and enjoy this time for fellowship without feeling the need to help out. As the old saying goes "many hands make light work," but I would like to add, "too many hands make a crowd." A new Fellowship schedule will be coming in January, so watch your email and mailbox for an updated schedule. We also thank you for supporting and attending our Courtyard Café. We are excited to see more of you joining us outside as we fellowship on the front sidewalk. We plan to continue that tradition next year on the last Sunday of the month and when the weather gets cooler we will be having what we are call-ing Simple Sundays inside Metzger Hall. This will be a simple and more relaxed time of fellowship and we encourage you to join us during this time and then perhaps invite friends or someone you don't know to join you for lunch somewhere downtown. If you have questions, please contact Genita Heidenreich. Thought: The contrast between world and church is stark: American culture is doing its level best with its celebrities, consumerism, and violence to keep us in a perpetually arrest-ed state of adolescence. Yet all the while the church is quietly and without false advertising immersing us in the conditions of becoming mature to the measure of the full stature of Christ. — Eugene Peterson in Practicing Resurrection: A Conversation on Growing up in Christ

COVENANT-FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 717 Elm Street * Cincinnati, OH 45202 Phone: 513-621-4144 * Email: office@covfirstchurch.org www.covfirstchurch.org Pastor: Rev. Dan Turis CHURCH STAFF Church Administrator: Genita Heidenreich Choir Director: Yolanda Ortiz-Parker Organist: Andrew Hackett Organ Scholar: Christie Lee Choral Scholars: Zach Burnham, Lucy Evans, Andrew Hallam, Jarrett Hazelton, Madeline Jentsch, Lea Nayak, Natalie Sheppard Weekly Events Sundays 8:45 AM Covenant Choir Rehearsal Sundays 9:15 AM Adult Sunday School Sundays 10:30 AM Worship Sundays 11:30 PM Fellowship Time Wednesdays 12 PM Brown Bag 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. Upcoming Events September 9 — 6:30 PM — Session Meeting September 15 — 4 PM — Church Picnic September 23 — Bengals Tailgate September 28 — 3CDC work day in Piatt Park September 29 — 6 PM — Dinners for Eight October 4 — Pet Blessing ELDERS Alex Balz Carol Carhartt Rod Crousey Rob Heidenreich, Clerk Rick Hopkins Jamie Jewell Mike Millhaem Hugh Ralston Cindy Standen DEACONS Jenny Adams Brian Calfano Charlotte Goering Jennifer Maxwell, Moderator Joan McAlonan Nancy Smith 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.