GLC’s Annual Celebration’s Friday Evening Worship Service

The GLC Annual Celebration truly radiated warmth and connection during our beautiful Friday Evening Worship. Led by an inspiring music worship team, composed of leaders from Zion Covenant Church (Jay Baehr, lead pastor at Zion Covenant) and other gifted musicians (thank you to: Aaron Reinard, Trever Wilkins, Wendy Carrington, Larry VanCise, Mattie Spitzer, Reiley Kolstee, Eli Wright, Nancy Johnson, Joey Gerace, and Erik Kane) from our Conference, the atmosphere was infused with uplifting melodies that filled our hearts with joy. The presence of J.T. Madison (lead pastor for the Covenant Church in Port Allegany, PA), a talented saxophonist, added a unique touch that lifted our spirits and helped unite us in worship.

As Garth McGrath, our GLC Superintendent, took the stage to share his message on “Together in Mission,” he invited us to reflect on the significance of the white roses we held—symbols of every life transformed through God’s grace within our churches. His words reminded us of the importance of supporting one another through initiatives like the “Pastor in Crisis Fund.” Seeing so many white roses being placed in vases alongside generous contributions was a poignant reminder that we are part of something far greater than ourselves.

Mary Hendrickson

Missional Vitality Director at the ECC, delivered a thought-provoking message about trusting and obeying God based on Psalm 3:5-6. Her words challenged us to examine how deeply we invest in God’s promises – we were encouraged to not just say we trust God but to live out that trust boldly.

The service culminated beautifully with Communion led by Harvey Cozart (lead pastor at Lighthouse Church in Richmond, KY and GLC Executive Board Member) and Liz Whitney (lead pastor at First Covenant Church in Jamestown, NY), reinforcing our unity as we partook in this sacred tradition together. We ended with a joyful rendition of “What Mercy Did For Me,” everyone joined in exuberantly—truly embodying the spirit of celebration and gratitude for what God has accomplished in our lives and the lives of those in our Conference churches.

This extraordinary evening exemplified what it means to be part of the body of Christ; it was a powerful reminder of our mission together as a community anchored in faith—a night where every rose placed represented not just lives changed over the last year, but future possibilities as we trust God for what lies ahead.