Information on Schedule Changes Due to COVID-19 Concerns

Sunday services may be attended at 10:30 am. online or in-person. We ask that you check your symptoms before arrival and attend online if you are not feeling well.

Masks are recommended. Our posture is to be encouraging to those wearing masks and non-judgmental of one another. 


June 22, 2021

Dear Covenant Family,

At the Session meeting yesterday evening, we again discussed the current COVID-19 state guidelines. You can read the most recent update here. We are fully following our state’s guidelines.

Although masks at church are now optional, let us continue to be mindful of the law of love. In Galatians 5:13 – 14, Paul reminds us we are “called to freedom; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””

While many of us will decide to no longer wear a mask, some may still need or desire to wear a mask. Either way, let us be kind to one another!

PLEASE NOTE that our VBS has already prescribed a different set of guidelines in order to love our children, volunteers, and staff well that week. VBS guidelines will not change.

In love,

Pastor Jeff


May 19, 2021

Dear Covenant Family,

After much prayer and discussion about the new CDC guidelines and our governor’s updated mask mandate, your Session has decided that Covenant will continue to strongly encourage the wearing of masks on Sunday mornings for one more month. 

In smaller groups, it will be up to the discretion of the group to decide if enough participants are fully vaccinated for the removal of masks. 

Hopefully this will allow people to process where we are and to allow time for parents with children aged 12 and up to get vaccinated if they wish.

Please understand that our hearts are to show kindness and respect to those among us who may be health compromised, unvaccinated, or have other unknown circumstances. We also want to model loving others for our children. As Paul reminded the church in Rome, “be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”  (Romans 12:10)

Be assured we will re-evaluate after a month.

Thank you for your understanding, patience and continued cooperation.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jeff

Session Elders


February 17, 2021

We invite you to join us during our live service on Sundays at 10:30 am. We have currently raised our seating capacity to 100 patrons.  There is no online registration required, we ask that you sign in upon arrival, listing each individual in attendance.


We are also offering in-person Children's Service in the family room, during the 10:30 am service time. Live streaming is still available on our website, through Facebook, and YouTube, and if you are not ready to join us in person, we love that you join us virtually.


Small groups have reconvened and are discussing one of two books for Lent: A Forty Day Journey with Maya Angelou by Henry F. Finch or A Way Other Than Our Own by Walter Brueggemann. A third small group is also meeting during the weeks of February 14-March 28: Learning the Enneagram Together: The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, please click here to sign up for any of the groups.


We have also begun the Visioning Process for Covenant. Please fill out the survey,  and stop in the office to receive your Listening/Prayer Workbook between the hours of 9:00 am-4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.


December 9, 2020

Dear Covenant Family,

For our planned Indoor Christmas Eve service at 3:30 p.m. the guidelines will be very similar to our current in person service.

  • Sign up at the entrance.
  • Masks must be worn at all times; while entering, leaving, and in the building.
  • Households will be seated at the same table, while keeping a minimum 6 foot distance from those in other households. 

For our planned Christmas Eve Service at 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot, here are some things you need to know.

  • We will have several ushers assist in parking cars in order to maximize space.
  • We will give you the channel to tune into to hear the service from your vehicle.
  • Following the service, we plan to drive through the neighborhood, blessing people with a light parade!

Here are some ideas for lighting up your cars; our parking lot; our neighborhood for Christmas Eve, (click pictures to follow links):

  • Use battery powered lights or reflective magnets (click here)
  • Use lights that plug into the 12v power outlet (click here)
  • Use a portable power inverter like this (click here)
  • Check on YouTube for inspiration and help. (click here or here)         

Hope this helps!

Blessings,

Pastor Jeff


November 12, 2020

Dear Ones,

     We want to reassure you that we are constantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation and its impact on Colorado Springs and our community.
     The protocol Covenant has in place is aligned with the expected state guidelines. Nothing is changing in our Sunday morning services at this time. We will continue to allow for distancing in our seating and ask that masks be worn throughout the entirety of the service.
     Planning for every contingency is beyond us, but we do have plans to help us move forward if we are once again placed at level three or higher. We are also continuously working on ways to keep in touch with and support you, our Covenant family.
     Thank you for your support and patience as we all navigate this difficult and uncertain time together.


God's blessings and peace be with you,
Covenant Staff


September 28, 2020

Dear Covenant Family,

     We are currently offering two opportunities for you to worship with us in person. At 9:00 a.m. an Interactive Outdoor Service is being lead by Youth and Children's Ministries, the first three Sundays of the month. This service is great for kids of all ages, it incorporates songs, games, discussion topics, deeper exploration of self, and the Bible. This service is designed to stretch you spiritually, cognitively and sometimes even physically - so come join us. Sign up is necessary, but offered when you arrive. Secondly, we offer a more traditional worship service, lead by Pastor Jeff Kintner, indoors at 10:30 a.m. We ask that you register online via the link that is emailed each week. However, we understand this may be difficult on occasion, so also offer in-person sign-up upon arrival to the Atrium. We are still following state and federal guidelines, so bring your mask please and be aware if you have been around anyone or are yourself exhibiting signs of COVID-19. Currently, only our 10:30 service is being live-streamed.

     On the fourth Sunday of each month (or fifth, if there happens to be five), the two services are combined and meet at 10:30 a.m.


August 11, 2020

Dear Covenant Family,

We are so very blessed with and from you. It brightens our hearts to see your smiling eyes on Sunday's during worship. A weekly email is sent encouraging you to sign up online to attend, which we prefer, but we have also made accommodations, so that if it is difficult for you to sign up online, you may do so when you arrive Sunday mornings, in the Atrium - just be sure to bring your mask! Backyard Bible Express and Sunday Morning Worship was an amazing adventure, due in large part to your continued participation and support. We have new things in the works, and appreciate your enthusiasm and grace as we prepare to serve you the best we can each week. Don't forget Youth group meets every other Sunday in Rampart Park, near the playground and baseball fields at 4:00 p.m. The included Sundays are August 9 and 23, September 6 and 20, as well as October 4 and 18 (weather permitting). The interest in Covenant Small Groups was fantastic, and while these are coming to an end, we plan to engage in the next six week small groups soon. Thank you for being with us through this, your encouragement, love, and support keep us in good spirits and wanting to do more!



July 1, 2020

Dear Covenant Family,

We have successfully transitioned into Phase two, with the addition of our outdoor Family Service in conjunction with our Backyard Bible Express, we are still taking registrations. Emails are sent at the beginning of each week with a link allowing you to sign up to attend the Sunday service at 10:15 a.m. We have missed being able to worship in-person with you and are feeling blessed and grateful to be able to extend these opportunities. We have also launched Covenant Small Groups, which will take place for six weeks, beginning July 5, and then "re-group" after the initial launch. These groups meet using a combination of in-person and virtual opportunities, if interested, please sign up here. (you can sign up at any time)



May 28, 2020

Dear Covenant Family,

The Session and I want to keep you informed of our tentative plans for gathering again in the weeks ahead. We expect to do so with a graduated approach in three phases. Be assured that the live stream of the service will continue through all the phases to allow for continued participation in that way. Multiple resources, including the list of questions you received on Friday have been used to help consider the safety of everyone as well as potential legalities. Many of you have emailed suggestions, website links and good information, for which we are grateful.

Phase one will begin on June 7 with fewer than 50 people present in the Sanctuary, by invitation only. Possible attendees will include folks who could help with logistics of the service in weeks to follow.

Beginning on June 14, we plan to have a service with 50 people in the Sanctuary. Attendance will be by signup and we will follow best practice guidance for safety and prevention of the spread of COVID-19. This will include measures like distancing by household around tables in the room, masks, sanitization, proper ventilation, and so on. These guidelines will be spelled out in detail in future communication and families will be asked to follow them if they sign up to attend the service.    

Phase two we hope will begin in July with the possible addition of a family service at a different time to allow for more attendance and be specifically for families and kids. This service could be outside or in the Family Room depending on what health guidelines we need to follow.  And, it will complement our “Backyard Bible Express” summer children’s program.  

Phase three we hope will begin in August and it would add more capacity to the worship service, as well as the possibility of Sunday learning communities resuming in person.

All these plans are contingent upon the ongoing and possibly changing guidelines from our city, county, and state.

We are as eager as you are to be able to gather together again, yet we are tasked with doing so with caution and carefully thought out measures.

We deeply covet your continuing prayers for wisdom and guidance as we move through this unprecedented time.

 

God’s Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jeff Kintner

On behalf of Session



May 21, 2020

Dear Covenant Family,

The Session and I want to keep you informed of our tentative plans for gathering again in the weeks ahead. We expect to do so with a graduated approach in several phases throughout the summer. The state’s “Safer at Home” phase expires on May 26th. At that time, Governor Polis should either extend or modify the guidance for houses of worship. Once we have that information we will provide you with more details about our plans for regathering. Be assured that the live stream of the worship service will continue throughout all the phases to allow for continued participation in that way. Also, we have attached a list of questions we are using to help us consider the safety of everyone as well as potential legalities. This will give you a sense of all that is involved behind the scenes as we move forward. 

All of our plans are contingent upon the ongoing and possibly changing guidelines from our city, county and state.

We know some of you are eager to be able to gather together and, some are not yet ready or able to do so. We want to proceed with as much grace and safety for everyone as possible. 

We deeply covet your continuing prayers for wisdom and guidance as we move through this challenging time. As your pastor I have greatly missed seeing you in person. Preaching to a mostly empty worship room is much different and I miss the energy of the community that we share.

God’s Grace and Peace to You All,

Pastor Jeff Kintner




March 27, 2020

Watch Sunday's worship service here or on Facebook or YouTube.


March 26, 2020

3:00 p.m.


Dear Covenant Family,

 

In response to the governor’s stay home order your Session has voted to do the following: 

  • Close the church office until the order is lifted.
  • Continue our live stream of the worship service at 10:15 a.m. with a minimal crew to do so.
  • Discourage meeting in groups other than families to view the service together.

Your amazing staff has been adapting as things change and figuring out ways to connect us and serve our community, please be looking for these new opportunities in the days ahead. 


As Christians we are called to love our neighbor; staying home is a very real way we can all do that right now. 

 

Please also be praying for those whose work requires them to be out in the community—our first responders, medical professionals, and other essential service providers.

 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 

2 Corinthians 13:14

 

Pastor Jeff and Session


March 21, 2020

5:00 p.m.


Dear Covenant Family,


In worship we encounter God’s presence in a way that stills our fears, unmasks our idolatries, and imparts to us deep peace. Worship, by God’s Spirit, makes us more who we were intended to be. It renews and transforms us. This is why our elders and staff decided that even in the midst of canceling other activities due to the spread of the coronavirus, it was essential to continue some form of gathering for worship. Here are some things to help you gather for worship this Sunday at 10:15 a.m. (our usual service time) via our livestream on Facebook.  

  1. Download the order of worship here so you can follow along.
  2. Do your best to participate as you normally would if we were gathered in the Sanctuary. When we sing, join us; when we pass the peace, text or message someone who is on your heart. It may seem a bit awkward or uncomfortable, but hey, everyone is doing it. 
  3. When we take Communion I would encourage you to be ready ahead of time with some bread or other grain and, any kind if juice or wine you have available. And, take Communion. 
  4. To create a worship space where you are, you may want to cover a table with a cloth and place a cross, and your Communion elements on it, along with your computer or other viewing device. You may even want to fill a bowl with water to remind you of the baptismal font. 
  5. If you choose to gather in groups of ten or less to worship, we suggest you stringently follow these guidelines, and please don’t gather unless everyone is able to follow them. 

Someone said to me this week, “We have all given up more for lent this year than anyone planned on.” We have even given up, for a season, our usual way of gathering for worship. We may be physically apart but we are not separated. God is with us, in us, and so, by his Spirit we are together. My prayer for this challenging time is that God would bring forth new life, new and deeper ways of being the church. I am humbled and amazed by the way you have already been caring for one another and your neighbors. I am honored to be your pastor.   


I am so looking forward to gathering with you for worship this Sunday at 10:15 a.m.! 


May God’s great grace and deep peace be with you all!

Pastor Jeff Kintner


Join us on Facebook for the livestream.


March 19, 2020

1:00 p.m.


Please take a moment to read the latest news, information, and prayer needs in the March 19 edition of the Weekly Update here


March 17, 2020

2:00 p.m.


Dear Covenant Family,

 

We want you to know that your Leadership has been working to figure out life in the age of coronavirus. 

In light of the most current information, we have made the difficult decision to suspend gathering for our usual Sunday worship service for the next four weeks. We are working diligently this week to be able to live stream the worship service this Sunday. Additionally, all activities are suspended for the next four weeks. 

 

We are aware that many families and individuals have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus and we want to help one another in whatever way we can. For instance, are you in the high-risk population (older, serious chronic medical condition) and concerned about being in public for things like grocery shopping or other errands? Or are you at low-risk for the virus and willing to run some errands or help in other ways? 


Please feel free to email staff with questions, requests for help, or if you would like to volunteer: 719.598.0800 or office@covenant-pres.org.

 

God grant us his peace during these difficult days.


Jeff Kintner


Here are some ways to stay in touch with others at Covenant. 


If you need prayer, send your request here. Your request will be forwarded to our staff and prayer team. 


If you would like to give, you may do so here.


If you are on Facebook, we have a private group where you can share with others from Covenant. Ask to join the group here.


Let's pull together and share as we can.


March 14, 2020

10:30 a.m.


Dear Covenant Family,


In response to the spread of the corona virus and out of an abundance of caution, many churches nationwide have decided to cancel their services this Sunday. Our Session has decided we should join them. Both 9:00 am classes and the worship service at 10:15 am are canceled for tomorrow March 15. 


In addition, our women’s ministry Spring Event scheduled for today has been postponed until a later date. And, mid-week activities for this week are canceled as follows: Youth Group on both Sunday and Wednesday; Awana and Community Night on Wednesday as well. 


Your Session is meeting on Monday evening to determine other steps in the weeks ahead. Please pray for us. For wisdom and the Spirit’s guidance. 


If anyone needs spiritual care during this time please contact me or anyone else on staff. Or, if we can help with physical needs, like delivering groceries, we will find ways to support and care for one another. Please ask for help if you need it. 


In the midst of all this we are reminded by Paul’s words in Romans 8:39, that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! 

 

In Christ, 

Pastor Jeff Kintner


March 12, 2020

4:30 p.m.


Dear Covenant Family,

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress

                              Psalm 46

 

 

As the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to evolve, we want to assure you that we are monitoring the situation. However, we do so from a position of faith and belief and not of fear. Our concern is for the health and safety of our Covenant family.

We want to remain calm yet be wise. Hence, here are a few changes for this coming week:

 

  1. No Round Tables the next two Sundays, March 15 and 22
  2. No Community Night on Wednesday, March 18
  3. No Grilled Cheese on Thursday, March 19 (the following week is Spring Break)
    (See below for additional cancellations as they are known.)

Beyond that, we will keep you informed as it happens. 

 

We pray for health and peace during this challenging time.

 

Peace to each of you,

 

Jeff Kintner, Pastor

Rebecca Dillon, Director of Operations


March 13, 2020

9:00 a.m.


The Ski Retreat scheduled for March 13-15 has been canceled. 


March 13, 2020

1:00 p.m.


Dear Friends,

In light of the COVID-19 situation, it is with an abundance of caution that the Women’s Ministry event scheduled for Saturday, March 14, Going Beneath the Surface, will be rescheduled when we can celebrate being back together again at another time.  

Thank you for your understanding. 

Women’s Ministry Team