Printed copies of this letter, which is intended to be read during local congregational annual meetings, have been mailed to all Covenant churches. You may download a copy of the letter below.
Greetings Covenant Family,
I pray this finds you in a spirit of anticipation in this Advent season. As the year draws to a close, it is important to pause and reflect on the many things that God has done and is doing, and this annual letter helps me to be intentional about that pause. There is so much to rejoice over this year.
First and foremost, thank you for your prayers! When I visit your church or you send me a note, it really does mean the world to me that you are praying. I could not do the work of the church without these sustaining prayers.
Second, thank you for inviting me to be part of your church services and celebrations. I love connecting with you and am so inspired by how you are responding to God’s call in your local context. Your creativity as you care for your communities is encouraging and fills me with hope. Over the last year, I have had the opportunity to participate in 17 local worship services and anniversary celebrations, attend four regional conference gatherings, and attend three international events. I have seen firsthand the movement of the Holy Spirit around the Covenant’s multiethnic mosaic!
Additionally, I was grateful for the opportunity to engage with our students and student leaders this summer at Unite East and Unite West. What a beautiful experience to see the commitment of students and to enjoy worshiping with them. I left with a sense of great hopefulness for this generation. Thank you for sending your students to this impactful experience.
Looking forward, I am excited to invite you to Orlando, Florida, for Gather 2025. We will be celebrating 140 years of ministry as the Covenant Church, and I have invited Covenant presidents from around the world to celebrate with us. What a joyful event this will be to celebrate all that God has been doing in, around, and through our collective mission. I hope that you will consider attending this celebration in June, either as a delegate from your church or as a general conference attendee. This is a unique opportunity to bear witness to the global kingdom of God and to learn from leaders around the world in person. For the latest details and updates, visit covchurch.org/gather.
For God’s glory and neighbor’s good,
TAMMY SWANSON-DRAHEIM
President, Evangelical Covenant Church
