Worship Service Information | | |
Rev. Zoë Garry will offer her sermon "Anxiety and Sabotage" during the service. The scriptures this week are Philippians 4:4-7 and Exodus 32:1-14.
Our liturgist is Miriam Harley.
I was born in Cleveland and spent much of my childhood in Southeastern Ohio before returning for law school. I earned a BA in History from the College of Wooster and am now a third-year law student at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. I am grateful to be part of Church of the Covenant and the Prayer Shawl Ministry. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my friends and my cat, and explore Cleveland.
Ushering this week are Dorothy Conrad and Janet Takeyama. Our custodians on duty are Guillermo (Will) Chacon and Adnan Gill. A/V technicians are Will Emmanuel and Brent Chamberlin.
Photo: Heart of Stone. Dennis Matz
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As we gather for worship, you are warmly invited to enter the sanctuary in a spirit of quiet preparation, allowing the music of the prelude to draw us together in prayer.
Prayer candles are located in All Saints Chapel and Christ Chapel, to either side of the chancel. Please feel free to light one for personal intentions, loved ones, or in gratitude.
| | Child care is provided in our Crèche located on the second floor of the Education Wing. Children pre-school through 2nd grade may leave after A Time for Young Disciples to go to the Crèche in the Dotson Room. | | We welcome everyone who is joining us for worship online on Sundays and throughout the week. We're thankful that our congregation is expanded through digital ministry! | | Dedicate Pew Bibles and Hymnals for Covenant Worship | | |
The Ministry of Faith Formation (MoFF) invites the Covenant community to enrich our worship experience by dedicating new sanctuary Bibles and hymnals.
We are replacing older sanctuary Bibles with the Common English Bible (CEB), an inclusive translation featured in larger, easy-to-read font. For detailed information on this translation, our upcoming dedication Sunday, or personal Bible access, see our Pew Bible Announcement. Additionally, we are adding the Glory to God hymnal, which features 853 hymns spanning traditional, spiritual, jazz, and global music styles. To learn more about this diverse collection, digital app downloads, or online options, review our Glory to God Hymnal Announcement.
Members can dedicate a pew Bible or hymnal in honor or memory of a loved one for a suggested donation of $25 each. Customized plaques will be placed inside the front cover of each dedicated Bible and hymnal.
How do I tell you about my dedication?
Click on the specific Bible or hymnal announcement above. You’ll find a link to a simple online form in both of those documents. You can also fill out a paper form in the church office.
How do I pay for my dedications?
Donations can be submitted online through Realm or via check payable to "The Church of the Covenant," with “Pew Bible” or “Pew Hymnal” in the memo line. See the specific Bible or hymnal announcement above for more details.
Have questions? Contact the Ministry of Faith Formation at faithformation@covenantweb.org or call the church office at (216) 421-0482.
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Why Do Presbyterians Worship the Way We Do?
Reformation Sunday • October 25 • 11:30 am
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What makes a space sacred? Why do Scripture, baptism, and the Communion table hold such an important place in Presbyterian worship? And how did a tradition known for plain churches come to include a sanctuary as richly adorned as Covenant’s?
Join Rev. Jessie MacMillan for a Sunday Seminar exploring how the Protestant Reformation continues to shape the ways we worship. Together, we’ll consider the connections between faith and sacred space, and what it communicates about God and the gathered community. Whether you’re new to Presbyterian worship or have spent a lifetime in the pews, bring your curiosity and questions!
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Our Crèche and Sunday School are places where little hearts grow in God’s love, faith, and wonder. We warmly invite members of our congregation to share in this beautiful ministry by volunteering with our tiny worshippers.
Whether you enjoy reading Bible stories, creating meaningful crafts, sharing God’s love, or simply building nurturing relationships with our children, there is a place for you!
🌼No special skills or experience are required—just a willing heart and a desire to serve God. Together, we can create a welcoming, Christ-centered environment where every child feels loved, valued, and connected to our church family.
Sometimes, the smallest moments leave the biggest impressions. Your presence may help a child experience God’s love in a way they will carry with them for years to come.
Come be part of our village. We would love to welcome you! I can be reached at delliott@covenantweb.org with any questions. Please consider volunteering to help with the Creche or Sunday School. We are especially looking for assistance over academic breaks, during the summer, and for special events, such as the pageant. Sign up to assist with our young ones by clicking on this Volunteer Form.
| | You can make online donations and pledges from your phone or computer. | |
Covenant Pledges and Offerings | Thank you for your generosity! September 30th Giving Statements have been sent by e-mail or U.S. mail. Please review your statements closely to ensure that your gifts have been recorded as you designated. For example, a gift allocated to the General Fund instead of being recorded as your Pledge. If your gift has not been recorded properly please notify the Stewardship Committee. | | The Ministry of Service will collect your donations to our food pantry during worship today. You can donate any time by placing nonperishables in baskets in the Narthex or office. We continue to need: corn muffin mix, chili, tuna, canned chicken, Spam, stew, jelly, peanut butter, cereal, pasta, and pasta sauce. Monetary gifts are also needed and welcome. | | Sunday Seminar • Everyday Antiracism as an Action Guide • 11:30 | Mark L. Joseph Ph D. Mark will share his Everyday Antiracism framework to help advance racial equity and racial justice. He'll talk about ways we can make meaningful progress through a shift of mindset and through daily actions, small and large. His talk will have implications for each of us individually, in small groups, and as a congregation. He will also bring copies of his book Changing The Narrative: Short Stories To Advance Everyday Antiracism for purchase. | | Christianity 201: What’s Faith Got to Do With it? | Rev. Dr. John Lentz | October 11 through November 8 – 2:00 to 3:30 pm. | Gard Meeting Room | Join Parish Associate Rev. Dr. John Lentz in exploring some of Christianity’s biggest questions: Who was Jesus, and what was his message? What is the Bible, and how should we read it? What is faith, really? And what do you have to believe to call yourself a Christian? Based on Dr. Lentz’s new book, What’s Faith Got to Do With It? Learning to Love and Live the Questions. | | SUNDAY EVENING! Dinner Church for College Students | UPCaM (United Protestant Campus Ministry) is hosting their Dinner Church tonight (October 18th) at 6:30 pm in Dowd Commons. This is a great opportunity for college students (both undergrad and graduate) to share a home cooked meal and worship every Sunday! | | Celebrate Lives with Flowers | The flowers in the chancel urn are given to the glory of God, and in grateful thanksgiving for the precious blessing of pregnancy, by Annie Matz. | Sanctuary flowers are donated by generous members. Donations may be given for specific Sundays, and an announcement will be printed in the bulletin. The Deacons arrange and deliver flowers to 2-3 members who are homebound, grieving, in recovery, or celebrating. A sign-up sheet is in the Office, or you can call the Church Office. The cost for one Sunday’s flowers is $100, but any amount can be donated to honor someone on a particular Sunday. | | Music Notes for this Sunday | |
Organ music this week offers two selections from the early 17th century. The Dutch organist, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck composed numerous variations on sacred and secular melodies. His setting of Psalm 36 features a tune from the Genevan Psalter.
The popular melody for Psalm 36 is first attributed to the German monk Mattäus Greiter and was sung in Lutheran practice to the text O Mensch bewein dein Sünde gross. The tune was adopted by John Calvin for use in Psalm 36 and later in Psalm 68, becoming a rallying cry for the Calvinists. English reformers adopted the tune as Old 113th, which we sing today as the opening hymn. The postlude features a keyboard intabulation of a vocal motet on Psalm 34 (Benedicam Domino) by the Hamburg organist and pupil of Sweelinck, Heinrich Scheidemann.
The anthem features “How Beautiful Are the Feet” from Part II of Handel’s Messiah. The aria draws on Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15 to celebrate the global dissemination of Christ’s message before the climax of the “Hallelujah” chorus.
The composer of the offertory, Albert Hay Malotte (1895-1964) is best known for his setting of the Lord’s Prayer. His setting of Psalm 23 equally elevates the text through evocative harmony and soring melodic lines. Malotte made his career as a film composer in Hollywood.
| | Singing and Ringing at Covenant this Fall | NOW is a great time to join our team of Covenant musicians. Chancel Choir and Beckwith Handbell Choir rehearsals have resumed and we welcome new folks to come make a joyful noise with us (handbells, 6:15 pm; choir, 7:30 pm). Contact a member of our music staff (music@covenantweb.org) to learn more. | | Tuesday Noon Organ Plus Concerts | October 20, 12:00 pm. Walker Whitehouse, organ | | Friday Lunchtime Carillon Concerts | |
A series of 30 minute mid-day carillon concerts presented live and streamed by The Friends of the McGaffin Carillon and The Church of the Covenant. The music is performed on the recently restored and renovated fifty-one bell McGaffin Carillon by carillonists George Leggiero, Keiran Cantilina, and Guests. Programs include an eclectic mix of music written for the bells as well as arrangements of classical works, folk tunes, pop, and show tunes. Programs and stream links are posted on the FMC website www.ucbells.org/events. We welcome requests by email at info@ucbells.org. We’ll let you know when we can program your request. All concerts begin at 12:15 pm
The best place to hear the bells live is away from the Euclid Avenue traffic noise in the campus areas behind the tower along Bellflower Road. The bells sound best some distance from the tower with a direct sight line. Bring a lawn chair, blanket, a picnic and a friend. There are some picnic tables and benches behind the church near Harkness Chapel.
Concerts are rain, snow, or shine. You can always listen from your car or from inside the church where the audio of the concert will be transmitted.
Greet the performer at the Euclid Avenue tower entrance following the concert.
| October 23, 12:15 pm. Keiran Cantilina | | |
Please Join Us This Week!
(October 18 – October 24)
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Sunday: Child Care, Dotson Room (Crèche), 9:30 am to 12:30 pm;
Worship, Sanctuary, 10:00 am;
Sunday School, Dotson Room (Crèche), 11:00 am;
Reception, Reception Room, 11:00 am;
Kanisa La Agano Kiswahili, Dowd Commons, Hammond Room, Singleton Hall, 11:30 am;
Membership Class, Jackson Library, 11:30 am;
Sunday Seminar, Beckwith Hall, 11:30 am;
Cleveland Classical Guitar Rehearsal, Van Horn Choir Room, 1:15 pm;
Christianity 201, Herrick Room, 4:00 pm;
UPCaM Dinner Church, Tanaka Room, 6:30 pm.
Monday: No Scheduled Church Activities.
Tuesday: Cache, Lower Level, 10:00 am;
Tuesday Noon Organ Plus Concert, Sanctuary, 12:00 pm;
Crafts & Chat, Tanaka Room, 4:00 pm;
Trustees Meeting, Gard Meeting Room, 4:30 pm.
Wednesday: Covenant Men’s Fellowship Bible Study/Breakfast, Gard Meeting Room, 8:00 am;
Stirring Up Hope, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm;
Library Team, Jackson Library, 4:00 pm;
Finance Committee Meeting, Gard Meeting Room, 4:30 pm;
12 Steps to Freedom, Beckwith Hall, 5:30 pm;
Ministry of Faith Formation Meeting, Zoom, 7:30 pm.
Thursday: UPCaM Bible Study, Tanaka Room, 5:00 pm;
Beckwith Handbell Choir Rehearsal, Beckwith Handbell Room, 6:15 pm.
Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary, 7:30 pm.
Friday: Co-working Space, Gard Meeting Room, 9:00 am;
Carillon Concert, Church Grounds, Sanctuary, 12:15 pm.
Saturday: Saturday Tutoring Program, Lower Level, 10:00 am;
Cleveland Community Guitar Orchestra Rehearsal, Van Horn Choir Room, 10:00 am;
Christian Education Meeting, Dotson Room, 2:00 pm.
| | Trunk or Treat: Come for the Fun, Lend a Hand!
Friday, October 30 | 5:30–8:00 p.m. | |
October is here, which can only mean that one of Covenant’s fondest traditions is just around the corner: Trunk or Treat. If you have not participated in an event like this in the past, Trunk or Treat is a safe Halloween event for neighborhood children and their families. Guests meander among cleverly decorated car trunks within the safety of our cordoned off parking lot, receiving treats at each stop. Following Trunk or Treating, they are directed to the lower patio to make s’mores around a well-staffed fire pit. A dinner of chili and cornbread in Dowd Commons is their next stop. We never know WHO may arrive to share some not-so-scary Halloween stories.
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This year’s event will be held on Friday, October 30th from 5:30 – 8 pm.
How can you get involved? We are looking for 15-20 decorated trunks to welcome our visitors, so clean out your trunk and allow the Halloween muses to inspire you. Don’t have the time or energy to decorate your car trunk but would like to help in another way? We need indoor crew to accept chili and cornbread donations, reheat the chili, slice the cornbread, decorate the dining room, and serve guests when they arrive. And since your car will already be here, our able college volunteers would be more than happy to decorate and staff your trunk! All told, we are looking for 8-10 cornbread bakers, 10-12 chili makers, and a dozen or so candy donors. A sign-up sheet detailing the volunteer opportunities will be in the Reception Room on the next two Sundays and in the church office in between.
On behalf of the Ministry of Service, thanks so much for considering this opportunity!
Dave Gressley, Moderator
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Habitat Faith Build 2026 - Saturday - October 31 (Build Day), from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, our LAST Habitat Day this year! We will be working to help build a new home, and spruce up the neighborhood in the Mt. Pleasant area on the east side of Cleveland. Contact Jim Prince.
Join us again this year (our 12th!) to help build houses through the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity's Faith Build. Founded in 2015, the Faith Build brings people of faith together to sponsor a home. Each congregation gives a portion of prayer, volunteer power, and funding to build a home for a family. Since 2015, this program has built 17 homes for 17 wonderful families. Our work not only serves a family but also revitalizes a neighborhood.
| | George Leggiero, Keiran Cantilina, and Dennis Matz at the Friends of the McGaffin Carillon display | | Donations are needed for NEOCH | The Ministry of Service (MOS) is asking for Donations for NEOCH which exists to identify and eliminate the root causes of homelessness while loving our diverse community. The Donations most needed are as follows: Socks and underwear, deodorant, razors and shaving cream, RTA Bus Passes, towels and hand washcloths, hand sanitizer, bug spray, tennis shoes and boots and AA and AAA batteries. These donations can be placed in the two boxes in the church office for the next two weeks. Bob Ault will deliver our donations to NEOCH on Perkins Ave. in Cleveland. | | A Few More Moments of Fellowship | | Photo credit: Jean Ganger | | Mission in Common is an ongoing conversation and learning community for people who care about local mission. On November 7th from 9am to Noon, Mission in Common will host a discussion and workshop at North Church. The address is 4515 Superior Ave, Cleveland 44113. For more information, please contact Pastor Katherine Chilcote or Rev. Matthew J. Skolnik. | | Saturday Morning Tutors DESPERATELY Needed! | | |
We have students ready to learn—we need tutors ready to help!
Our Saturday Morning Tutoring Program is underway, but we urgently need more volunteer tutors. Last Saturday, we had to turn students away because there were not enough tutors available. Help us make sure that doesn’t happen again!! Volunteer at: saturdaytutoring.org
| | Covenant Men's Fellowship Bible Study/Breakfast | |
Wednesdays | 8:00 to 9:00 am | Gard Meeting Room
Led by Willie Howard and Rev. John Lentz
"Come for the breakfast, grow in faith through fellowship."
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"The truth shall make you free" John 8:32
A Pilgrimage of Remembrance and Truth Telling
A 5-Day / 4-Nights Civil Rights Journey to Atlanta, Montgomery, & Selma | April 25 to 29, 2027
| This is not a vacation; it is a sacred journey. We travel together to face the hard truths of our nation's history, honor the foot soldiers of justice, and return transformed to do the work of reconciliation today. Contact: jlentz@covenantweb.org if you’d like to be added to a waiting list. | | Upcoming New Members Class | |
Attention Discerners and Friends of Covenant. Pastor Jessie and Pastor Zoë will be hosting a new members class October 18th from 11:30-12:30. If you are not yet a member of the Church of the Covenant, we would love to invite you to join us to learn about our wonderful church, denomination, and the many ways to have meaningful membership at the church.
This will be our last New Members class for 2026, but if you can’t make it- do not worry- we will host another one in Spring 2027. Hope to see you in the class!
| | Attention College Students! | Every Tuesday from 4 to 6 in the Tanaka Room, UPCaM and Pastor Zoë host Craft and Chat. A wonderful group of students who come and craft together. If you are an experienced crafter or are interested in learning – Come! Supplies provided or you can bring your own project. Food provided, because crafting is hard work. | | Gently Used Clothing Needed | The Congolese congregation is growing. They are looking for gently used clothing for their children, new born - High School. If you would like to offer clothing for them, please drop them off in the box in the office. Questions, ask Willie Howard or Mary Anne Bromelmeier. | | Nail polish, any color, any size, wanted for a massive art project. Drop off in the Church Office. Questions? Contact: Artist Dale Goode. | | Saturday Tutoring Program | The Saturday Tutoring Program is a community-wide tutoring program that provides free academic help for students in grades 1-12 on Saturday mornings during the school year, at the Church. Tutors are asked to arrive at 9am on the 12th for orientation. Tutoring lasts from 10 am to 12 pm and runs through November 21. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please talk with Mary Anne Bromelmeier or check out the website. saturdaytutoring.org | | Young Professional Co-Working Space! | Every Friday from 9 am – 12 pm we are inviting young professionals to meet in the Gard room for coffee/matcha, third space and fellowship! If you have any questions email zgarry@covenantweb.org. | | Cache Is Now Ready For Donations! | The Cache wants to thank everyone for their understanding and patience while we went through the donations. We are now ready for your donations!! Thank you again. | | The Covenant Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet in the Church Library from 4:30–6:00 pm. We will meet on November 9, no meeting in December. Whether you are new to knitting or crocheting or are an experienced crafter, all are welcome! Mate rials needed: 3 skeins of Lion Brand Homespun yarn, or comparable-weight yarn, OR 18 oz. of #4 or #5 weight yarn. Size 11 or 13 knitting needles, or a size M crochet hook. Materials will be provided if needed. For more information, please email Patty Fowler. | | Get Out the Vote with GCC Member Congregations – | |
Sunday, October 18, 2026, Forest Hill Church (3031 Monticello Blvd.), 1:00-5:00 pm.
Join members from Covenant and three other east-side congregations that are members of Greater Cleveland Congregations after church on Sunday, October 18, to call and canvass voters in Cleveland Heights to urge them to vote in the November 3 General Election. With two state-wide and many local races, including those for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Please, it is vital that all citizens participate.
| | Contact Amanda Powell, Campus Minister for United Protestant Campus Ministries (UPCaM) at: www.upcam.org. | | |
Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill
the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2
We Keep in our Prayers:
Marlene Dirksen (O’Neill Health Care, North Olmsted) recovering from a broken hip), Ken Boykin (Clinic recovering from surgery) nephew of Renee Boykin, Dwight Fleming, Music Director at North Presbyterian Church, Frank Repasi (the death of his sister Joanne), Tom Denbow (the death of his mother), Nadine Williams, Timothy Dorsey, Solveig Anderson (granddaughter of Greta Anderson), Stephen Brewer Smith (brother of Anne Wombwell de Coningh), Shawn Skudrin (friend of Sarah Andexler), Marlene Dirksen, Dalia Baker, Charles Wynn, Luther Moss, Deanne Lentz (recovering from shoulder surgery), Patty Chase (undergoing cancer treatment at the Cleveland Clinic), Elijah Grimes (undergoing pneumonia treatment at Rainbow), Karin Garland, Debra Johnson (friend of Jean Ganger), Ken Kalen (friend of Tracy Blake and Julie Mailey), Chris Allegra (friend of Jessie MacMillan), Shelley Wheeler, Trudi Klug (sister of Deni Horstman), Mary Louise Starett (mother of Susan Warner Taylor), Joan Harlan (mother of Ann Harlan), Kitty Jarjisian.
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We pray for those struggling with illness, convalescing, or homebound;
patients, family, and staff in our surrounding hospitals.
Names are generally removed from the bulletin after four weeks unless there is a continuing need. Please let the church know if you or a loved one is in the hospital; HIPAA privacy regulations prevent hospitals from sharing this information.
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