By Bridget Barek

Covenant Presbyterian Church is a Christian community thriving under the leadership of its senior pastor, the Reverend Robby Holt. This Birmingham church was started by founding pastor Bill Hay in 1978. It held its first services in Reid Chapel on Samford University’s campus. Soon after its establishment, the church body was accepted into membership in Evangel Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America. After a few years, the church erected the first unit of its current complex on the corner of South Lakeshore Drive and Old Montgomery Highway, in 1981. Today the congregation contains a vast diversity of ages from young families to elderly couples who come together for worship and communion.

Each of the two services offered every Sunday focuses on communal worship and learning. Covenant’s mission statement, “We gather, grow, and go in Christ Jesus into all things,” articulates a focus on remaining united in the congregation’s goal of providing Christian community. When one arrives at a service, the room is filled with chatter from the congregation greeting one another. Even though I was a new observer of their church, an elderly person introduced themselves to me and encouraged me to ask them questions. Members actively participate in the goal of the church. The importance of gathering together for a purpose is emphasized and exemplified by this church body.

In the services I observed in spring 2023, after directing the crowd in a call to worship, Pastor Holt guided his church in a responsive reading before the worship team lead the congregation in two to three hymns. Following the hymns are Old Testament readings and prayers. This portion of the service included including the Apostles’ Creed and Isaiah 42. Lastly, the message was given, and the speaker closed with a benediction. The specifics of each service are laid out in a very detailed format within their pamphlet or worship guide available at each entrance to the sanctuary titled The Lord’s Day in Worship. For a newcomer, this information is greatly appreciated though I observed many congregants not referencing this document. Though the consistent structure can be intimidating for those unfamiliar with it, this aspect of Covenant Presbyterian helps to stress the unity of the church as a whole.

Spiritual Structure

When attending these services, I found myself beginning to understand the desire for a more structured, liturgical service. Words that describe my experience of the service include consistency, connection, and reverence. The consistent pattern of each of their worship services helped not only my mind but my spirit recognizes this moment as the time and place for worship. Instead of the physical building grounding me in my time of worship, the pattern identifies the moment. Because of the repetition between services, the congregation becomes an anchor for the moment of worship as they connect with one another through the communal scripture readings and prayers. The congregation, itself, becomes an element of both consistency and connection, because the body of Christ is called to be in unity with the Lord.

Finally, reverence and respect given to the Lord during this service surprised me. All ages from the young toddler with his mother to the elderly couples sitting towards the front, there is a focus of hearts and minds on what is happening in front of them. Whether or not these moments are truly indicative of the members’ mindsets does not matter, as their actions still created an environment where it is easy to worship and focus on the Lord. The nature of the more formal service establishes a specific setting where many believers can find comfort and connection with the Lord and among their fellow believers. My opinion of Covenant Presbyterian Church is one of respect and understanding for another body of believers that celebrates Christ as the savior of the world.

References

“The Lord’s Day in Worship.” Covenant Presbyterian Church. About. Accessed March 30th, 2023.https://covpres.com/dnld/pcd05c7df1019632c61ca67/CovPres%20Worship%20Guide_March%2019%20v2.pdf

“Church Directory.” The churches of Evangel Presbytery. Accessed April 21^st, 2023. http://www.evangelpresbytery.org/churches.php.

“Our Commitments.” Evangel Presbytery. Accessed April 19^th, 2023. https://evangelpresbytery.com/our-commitments/

Bridget Barek ’25 was a student in Christian Worship: History and Theology in Samford University’s Department of Department of Biblical and Religious Studies in spring 2023.

Published July 18, 2024