Who we are
First Presbyterian Church Covington is a Christian community existing to glorify God by welcoming all of God’s children. We celebrate through serving, teaching, praying, eating, crying, singing, and dancing with the Holy Spirit. As works in progress, we seek to respond to God’s presence in our church, lives, and community.
Reaching Out: We believe the work of the church is to “act justly,” “love mercy,” and “walk humbly” with God. As servants, we care for strangers, heal the sick, feed the hungry, help the oppressed, and share the Gospel.
Engaging: We believe in the engagement of all of God’s children, both inside and outside the church, through their own spiritual gifts as we continue to grow.
Belonging: We believe in celebrating everyone’s journey as we share compassion, acceptance, and love for one another.
Connecting: We believe that we are part of the church universal that rejoices in all of God’s children and celebrates the differences among us
As part of the Body of Christ, First Presbyterian Church of Covington is:
called by the grace of God into a caring community of believers,
nurtured by the love of Christ through worship, study and fellowship, and
sent forth by the power of the Holy Spirit to reach out in compassion to a world in need of Jesus Christ.
We are a member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)!
Visit pcusa.org to learn more or read this excerpt from the “Wo we are” portion of PCUSA’s website:
Reformed Theology
Presbyterians belong to widening circles of theological identity and relationship: Reformed, Protestant, and Christian. Presbyterian is a way of being Reformed, which is one way of being Protestant, which is itself a way of being Christian.
Representational Leadership
Presbyterians have a distinctive form of church government, or polity, in which the authority to make decisions is lodged not in individuals but in groups, known as councils, made up of both ministers and elected members of congregations known as ruling elders. The word “Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word for “elder.”
Presbyterian History
Presbyterianism grew out of the theology and teachings of Protestant reformers such as John Calvin. His writings in 16th-century Geneva crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him, including an emphasis on the grace of God in Jesus Christ and church government by representative assemblies called presbyteries.
Social Witness
Presbyterians believe that Jesus Christ made it clear in his teachings we have an ethical responsibility to engage in issues of social justice. Our social witness stance is affirmed by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Initiatives and Cohorts we are members of:
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Presbytery of Greater Atlanta
The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta is a ministry that supports and connects a network of 85 congregations, 35 new worshiping communities, 400 ministers serving in various capacities, and 29,000 constituents. We are one of 16 presbyteries that make up the Synod of South Atlantic and the largest (by population) of 166 presbyteries — a regional governing body or mid council — of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
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Presbyterians for a Better Georgia
We are a voluntary partnership of Presbyterian congregations, groups and individuals in the state of Georgia. We work together to affect legislation at the Georgia state house, especially in affordable housing and access to healthcare. We equip members of congregations with the skills to be effective advocates with their elected representatives and in their communities.
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The Sacred Arts Collective
The Sacred Arts Collective is a new initiative at Candler School of Theology focused on deeply engaging congregations in the Atlanta area to imagine how to nurture and grow the faith of children through the integration of the arts in worship. Through this effort the hope is to fashion creative learning environments that inspire leaders and families to fully embrace the arts to engage in sensory-rich worship across generations.
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Thriving Congregations
Churches engaging in this process leave with a deeper understanding of the systems at work in their community, a vision for where the church can impact those systems for good, and a roadmap for thriving as they become even more integral to and rooted in the place where they are. Over the two years, the hope and action are extended to the church and community. The skills the individuals and then churches use are relational, organic, and become aspects of opening the church and its role in the community and world. Presbyterians are about being reformed and reforming. This process is that! Examining who we are, who our churches are in the community and all the time listening to each other and God, listening for who God wants us to be, where and to what God is calling us.
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Matthew 25
This transformative movement calls on mid councils, congregations, and groups to live out the church’s mission through bold and compassionate discipleship. Rooted in Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 25:31-46, this movement invites you to engage in three core pillars: building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism, and eradicating systemic poverty.
The Matthew 25 vision builds from the theme of wholeness or peace – shalom in the Hebrew text and Eirene in the Greek - and orients us toward what we are building, cultivating, and creating with God in lives and communities. We build beloved communities in part by dismantling the harm caused by racist structures. We cultivate economic wholeness when we act to eliminate the destructive influence of poverty on people and communities. These actions can welcome abundant life equity, and hope in our shared journey.
At its core, Matthew 25 is about the healing and restoration of relationships, systems, and societies that reflect God’s justice and love. Jesus was often referred to as the Prince of Peace. Like Christ, Matthew 25 seeks to embody wholeness in action.
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Newton County Chamber of Commerce
The Newton Chamber of Commerce has been the voice for business in Covington-Newton County County since 1951, and we are committed to providing members with a measurable return on their chamber investment and while making Newton County a great place to live, work, and play.
The Newton Chamber of Commerce is a private, membership-driven organization comprised of more than 550 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions, and individuals. Its mission is to provide leadership that facilitates the creation of a prosperous local economy and effective advocacy for its members.