“WIMIGISI is the theme for Covenant’s 30th anniversary celebration,” said the Rev. Chip Vining, senior pastor at the church. “The eight words represent the future emphasis of our church, expressed through the giving of our time, talent and treasure.”

The meaning of WIMIGISI will be revealed Sunday at the 30th anniversary celebration service for Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2101 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville. The service is at 10:30 a.m., with a special time of remembrance beginning at 9:30. A luncheon will immediately follow the morning celebration. Everyone is invited to stay for the fellowship meal.

Covenant held its first worship service on April 22, 1979, in the auditorium of the Rosa Edwards School on Fourth Avenue, now the administration building for the Henderson County Board of Public Education. Three hundred and sixty worshippers gathered for prayer, the reading of Scripture and the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. A congregational meeting followed for those interested in being part of a new church, according to historian Joyce L. Sweet in her 1999 book, “Celebrating 20 Years.” The Reverends John C. Neville Jr. and Don Munson were soon called as the senior and assistant pastors.

Neville served as the senior pastor at the Hendersonville First Presbyterian Church from 1966 to 1979. Prior to the formation of Covenant, Neville and many in his congregation were concerned about the direction their denomination was taking as members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUSA). They sought to realign with the more conservative Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), which is an evangelical and reformed denomination adhering to orthodox Christian doctrines.

When the recommendation to affiliate with the PCA was defeated in a congregational vote, Elder William McKay announced a week later that some of the members and leadership at First Presbyterian wanted to form a PCA church in Hendersonville. George Stowell became the chairman of the steering committee that guided the establishment of Covenant, and McKay was the vice-chairman.

A service of organization was held on May 27, when the young church was formally admitted to the PCA, and Neville and Munson were recognized as the ministers.

“The key component of our church history is that we were called out of liberalism to be a light and a beacon to the community,” said Vining. “We proclaim the Word of God here, not Chip’s words. We believe the Bible is inspired, inerrant and infallible. It teaches us God’s truth.”

The celebration service will feature a look at the past and a focus on the future. The text for the sermon comes from Exodus 15, the chapter in the Bible known as “The Song of Moses and Miriam,” sung by Moses, his sister Miriam, and the Israelites following the crossing of the Red Sea.

The main passage is Exodus 15:13, “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”

“Our founding pastor, the Rev. John Neville, will preach the first half of the sermon based on the first sentence in this text,” Vining said. “He will draw a parallel between the Israelites being removed from pharaoh’s oppression, and Covenant being drawn out of liberalism.

“I’ll be preaching the second half of the sermon, using the second sentence in verse 13, which has a future tense and is our assurance for God’s guidance as we go forward from this anniversary celebration,” said Vining.

Covenant Presbyterian was established as a missions-minded church, according to Sweet’s book on the church’s history. From the beginning, 25 percent of all offering monies have been dedicated to world-wide and local missions and to the support of benevolent causes. The anniversary theme, with its past and future commitment, reflects the continuance of this devotion.

Knowing that God dwells beyond the walls of the churches, Covenant’s future emphasis is found in Vining’s new sermon series, “A Love Worth Sharing,” which begins on May 3. Following the scripture in 1 Corinthians 13, the church will reach out to the community by becoming more involved in the organizations already supported by the congregation. These include the Blue Ridge Jail and Prison Ministry, the local health care and needs-based programs and facilities, Habitat for Humanity, and the various educational organizations in Henderson County.

This fresh commitment will be implemented through the time, talent and treasure that comprise the thought behind WIMIGISI.

“I heard the pastor say the words that make up WIMIGISI over a year ago in a sermon series on the Ten Commandments, and those words stuck with me and are now being turned into action,” said Lee Goldman, deacon at Covenant. “This anniversary is not just a celebration of the past, but a looking forward to where the Lord is leading this church.”

“Our culture has changed, and the techniques for evangelism that were effective 30 years ago are not as effective today in reaching people with the gospel message,” Vining said. “We want Covenant to serve where there’s a need and to be a witness for the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.”