Deacon Nominations for the Class of 2029
DEACON NOMINATIONS ARE HAPPENING IN SEPTEMBER
It is time to kick off our Deacon nomination and selection process. All church members are encouraged to participate in this process and help nominate a new strong slate of people to help do the great work of our Church. These key people will lead the church in our efforts to remain true to our Covenant.
Deacons are nominated and elected through a process and on a timetable in accordance with Policies and Procedures that are established and amended from time to time by your Board of Deacons (BoD) and that take care to include:
- Soliciting from the Congregation deacon nominations of Members who meet the Deacon criteria adopted by the Congregation and printed in the Church’s Bylaws.
- Soliciting from the Church’s Ministries deacon nominations of Members who meet these same Deacon criteria.
- Consideration by the BoD for the top nominees (those who receive the most nominations) respecting these same deacon criteria.
- Consideration for (a) the Church’s leadership needs for the next three years in various areas of focus, examples being training, or engagement and community interests, talents or professional and public service; and (b) the extent to which nominees can contribute these characteristics and their time and talents to the Church; and (c) assuring that the BoD is both diverse and inclusive.
- The nominees’ willingness to serve and to commit the time necessary for service as expressed to the Nominating Committee.
A summary of the Deacon nomination process follows
- Deacon Nominations will be accepted from church members September 20 - October 4, 2026.
- Each household will receive a paper/mailed nomination form (will be mailed by September 17th).
- Deacon nomination Form available in e-Weekly, in the Church’s Order of Worship and in the Sanctuary Narthex (September 20).
- Each church member can nominate up to 4 candidates.
- Nomination forms to be submitted by October 4th.
- Nominating Committee examines nominations and recommends 4 persons to the BoD that, at its November meeting, it considers and approves as next year’s slate of Deacons.
- Slate of new Deacons presented to the congregation for a vote of affirmation at the end of worship on November 22nd.
Important Dates
October 4 | Deacon Nomination Forms must be submitted to MPCOV by 11:59pm
November 9 | Board of Deacon considers and votes to approve new deacon slate
November 22 | Congregation Affirmation Vote at the end of worship service
December 6 | Deacon Ordination and Installation
Life Deacon & Deacon Nomination Timeline*
September 20 | Distribution of Life Deacons ballots to Life Deacons.
September 29 | Deadline for return of Life Deacon Ballots (Only Life Deacons Vote)
*Note - The Life Deacon process timeline is included for informational purposes only as this process involves nominations by Life Deacons and voting by Life Deacons only.
Changes to the process this year
This year, we are working from a new governance structure in the form of new Bylaws that were approved by the Congregation earlier this year and several new governance policies and procedures approved by the BoD in 2025 – all with the goal of right sizing our governance process to better serve our smaller church. Changes include an ultimate BoD of 12 Deacons, made up of 3 classes of 4 Deacons approved by the Congregation plus 1-2 Life Deacons with one-year terms, to make up a maximum of 14 Deacons serving on the Board. In addition, the BoD revamped the Church’s ministries structure, which is now comprised of six ministries of both Deacon and Church Congregant Members:
- Faith Formation and Worship Ministry
- Community Life and Congregational Care Ministry
- Justice and Outreach Ministry
- Facilities Ministry
- Finance and Stewardship Ministry
- Human Resources and Leadership Development Ministry
Our new governance structure adopted by the 2025 BoD includes the creation each year of a new Deacon Nominating Committee (starting with this year) to examine all Deacon nominees from the Congregation and its Ministries and to recommend a slate of 4 Deacons to recommend to the BoD and then to the Congregation for approval. The Nominating Committee is comprised of 7 persons, one elected by each of the Church’s six Ministries plus the BoD Chair-Elect. From all the Congregation’s and Ministries’ nominees, the Nominating Committee recommends a slate of four (4) nominees to the BoD, and the BoD will consider and approve the slate of four nominees to the Congregation for its approval, using the following criteria:
- Number of nominations that the candidate has received
- Meets eligibility criteria stated in the Bylaws
- Past contributions to the church of time/talent and financial resources
- Talents or background matches the needs of the BoD
- An ability to work effectively with others and foster healthy church community
- Maintains or enhances BoD diversity
Supporting Our Muslim Neighbors
Letter by Rev. Dr. Tim Moore sent to The Islamic Center of Lake Norman September 14, 2026
To the Muslim community of Mooresville:
The members and ministers of Myers Park Covenant Church want you to know that we stand with you while you are facing bigoted prejudice with the building plans for your new house of worship. We were distressed to hear this on the news and from our interfaith partner—Mecklenburg Ministries (MeckMin).
Myers Park Covenant Church is strongly committed to religious liberty. We recognize your fundamental right to practice your faith and expand your facilities to serve your faith community within the broader life experience in Mooresville. We appreciate the tenets of Islam and what we share as Abrahamic religions. Everyone in this country is afforded the freedom of conscious and religion and deserves respect. We grieve that this has not been offered to you and that instead you have had to endure hostility and discrimination.
We will uplift your community in prayer and will share our concern with MeckMin and will be available to be advocates for you.
This fall our congregation will host MeckMin’s annual Thanksgiving event, called an Interfaith Friendsgiving, on Thursday, November 19, from 6:00—8:00 PM. Please know that any members of your community would be honored guests at our house of worship. If some from the Islamic Center can attend, in addition to events of the gathering I would love to show you Shalom Hall, which documents the religious expression of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian families.
I offer this note on behalf of the congregation at Myers Park Covenant Church, 1900 Queens Road, Charlotte, to your congregation. We are neighbors seeking peace in our world. You are not alone.
In solidarity with your community and in hope for brighter days ahead,
Reverend Dr. F. Timothy Moore
Interim Senior Minister
Myers Park Covenant Church
Undie Sunday A Success
Undie Sunday A Success: A Wonderful Outpouring of Love!
What an amazing response to this year's Undie Sunday collection for Pinewood! Thanks to the generosity of our church family and our partners at The Cornwell Center, we were able to deliver an incredible supply of essential clothing items to students in need.
Together, we collected:
577 pairs of underwear
47 pairs of socks
14 T-shirts
7 pairs of leggings
When the donations arrived, Pinewood staff were genuinely overwhelmed by the abundance of support. They expressed heartfelt gratitude and shared how much these items will mean to the students and families they serve.
We are also celebrating the many members of our congregation who have stepped forward to volunteer at Pinewood in response to teacher requests. Your willingness to share your time and talents is another powerful expression of care for our neighbors. There is still room for more volunteers, so if you've been thinking about getting involved, we'd love to have you join this meaningful ministry.
Thank you for helping make Undie Sunday such a joyful success. Your generosity is making a real difference, and together we are strengthening our partnership with Pinewood while sharing God's love in practical and life-giving ways.
Marketing Team Leads Church's Branding Efforts
MARKETING TEAM LEADS CHURCH’S BRANDING EFFORTS
by Cindy Clemens on September 13.
Hot off the press!
Many of you clapped and cheered today as we premiered a colorful and meaningful new look, or brand, for Myers Park Covenant Church. There were some “whoops,” a few high-fives and maybe a glistening eye or two as Ray Owens led the congregation in a toast to both our exciting future, as well as a tribute to our storied history.
The new look and logo are part of the Marketing Committee's exciting work. After the congregation selected our new name, the Committee began meeting regularly with the overarching goal of creating a brand to promote and market the church. Committee members are Cindy Clemens, Jon Bass, Tripp Caldwell, Jeo Fraga, Laura Geer, Holly Henderson, Janet Miller, Tucker Pearsall, Ken Peterson, and Patty Wolverton.
One of the best ways to reach potential new members is through a website and brand, and we were fortunate to work with Pivit Strategy and Woland Web Design. The first step was to create a new church logo that was energizing, thought-provoking and informational. Woland prepared design concepts for our team to review and provide feedback. We quickly leaned in to designs that reflected and complemented the church covenant, premiering the final selection today at Celebration Sunday. During a lunchtime presentation, we shared the new logo – which is make up of a “mark,” the new church name, and a tag line.
- The mark is inspired by the compass star in Heaton Hall. The entwined compass rose and circle represent directional points that evoke guidance and vision.
- The four points play two roles: creating an abstract cross and calling out the four pillars of Myers Park Covenant Church: spirituality, inclusivity, community and justice.
- The design is symmetrical and looping, always connected, much as Myers Park Covenant Church is connected to the community and its journey of faith.
- Finally, the tagline’s role is to quickly show the church’s identity and ties to the Covenant. PROGRESSIVE FAITH. WORKING FOR JUSTICE.
You’ll soon see the logo on printed materials, signage and the website. And if you missed picking up an engraved stainless steel tumbler during Celebration Sunday, stop by the office or reach out to me by email or phone. We want you marketing the church when you drink your favorite beverage in our new branded cup!
Search Committee Completes First Round of Interviews
Summer is almost over and it’s been a busy one for your Search Committee. In my 35 years of church work, I’ve never been part of a harder working group. We meet weekly for two hours at a time, usually on Sunday after worship. In between meetings, we are interviewing candidates, watching sermons, talking to our networking contacts, and planning next steps.
We have completed our first round of candidate Zoom interviews - our first major milestone. If you recall, these two-hour interviews focused on the candidates’ history in ministry. We start out by having them tell us how they became a person of faith. Then we have them walk us through their resume, explaining how their faith informed their career path. We asked them 10+ questions dealing with topics such as preaching, worship and music, pastoral care, leadership and administration, crisis management, mission and justice work, fundraising, staff development, strategic planning, and their relationship with their congregation. We’ve found that two hours often is not enough to cover all our questions, so we let the candidates answer the remaining questions in writing.
The selection process is two-way. The candidates are evaluating us as well. We tried to allow time in this first interview for them to ask us questions but in several cases, we’ve had to schedule follow-up Zoom sessions. They ask great questions. We are committed to giving each candidate the time needed to fully understand our church and our congregation.
With the interviews completed, we evaluated our candidates and have chosen seven of them - The Magnificent Seven, as we affectionally refer to them - to proceed to Round Two interviews. These will all take place in September and will focus on how the candidate would work with our church to achieve its longer-term goals and vision.
I want to emphasize our unique situation. We are a church recovering from a decade in which key areas of our church were neglected and need to be rebuilt. Under the leadership of our two amazing interim ministers, Dr. Layne Smith and Dr. Tim Moore, we have dealt with our trauma, worked through the healing process, and begun looking forward instead of backward. We can be proud of how we have all rolled up our sleeves and already begun the work of rebuilding. We are ready for a strong leader who can partner with us to make our church whole again. This leader is going to have to want the challenge of working with an elderly congregation to attract new, young members. The goal of our committee is to find the candidate who has both the desire as well as the skill set needed.
The candidates we are advancing to Round 2 fit this bill. They are completely aware of our situation and are energized by the prospect of working with us. They include men and women, black and white, straight and gay. They come from multiple denominations.
After our Round Two interviews, we will narrow our candidate list down to just two or three. We will have these candidates visit Charlotte for in-person interviews. We will also engage in extensive reference checking. Our goal is to complete our search in October, if possible, which means we may have our finalist ready to introduce to the church this Fall. This is our goal, not a hard commitment. And remember, our new Senior Minister’s start date will likely not coincide with search completion. He or she will need time to prepare their current church for their departure and several of our candidates have families with young children and, if called, would wait to move after the school year.
These discernment decisions will be among the most difficult of our lives due to the engaging personalities, high character, and spiritual gifts we appreciate in each candidate. It has been our joy and privilege to get to know them. With each step we depend on God’s spirit to lead us.
As always, thank you for your support of our team and continue to keep our church in your prayers.
Celebrating Presence, Welcome, and Joy at Charlotte Pride 2026
The heat did not dampen the excitement, energy, or joy of Charlotte Pride 2026. Myers Park Covenant Church was proud to be represented by more than 25 volunteers who spent the weekend sharing hospitality, encouragement, and welcome with thousands of festival attendees.
At our booth, volunteers greeted visitors, handed out church swag, offered information about MPCOV, and distributed what quickly became the surprise hit of the festival: ice-cold "Gaytorade." On a sweltering August weekend, the bright orange cooler of Gatorade drew a steady stream of visitors. Some stopped for a quick drink and continued on their way, while others stayed to talk, ask questions, and learn more about our congregation.
The conversations that emerged from these simple acts of hospitality were remarkable. One person told us, "I'd come to your church just in thanks for what you are doing here!" Another enthusiastically declared that ours was the best booth at the entire festival.
One family stopped for a drink and ended up in a lengthy conversation about church life, worship, and opportunities for children. They asked thoughtful questions about what to expect on a Sunday morning and shared that they planned to visit our website to learn more and watch our livestream to see whether MPCOV might be a good fit for their family.
Volunteers Kurtis Wilson and Mary Miller also became crowd favorites with their glitter station. Equipped with welcoming smiles and an endless supply of sparkle, Kurtis and Mary had people lined up waiting to be "glittered." They greeted every person with warmth and enthusiasm, helping create an atmosphere of joy and celebration that reflected the spirit of our church.
In addition to staffing the festival booth, MPCOV members participated in the Charlotte Pride Parade, carrying a large unity flag and sharing freezy pops with enthusiastic spectators along the route. While we ended the day hot and sweaty, we were also filled with gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose.
Year after year, the stories people share remind us why our presence at Pride matters. Many attendees stopped by simply to say thank you. Some shared experiences of exclusion and hurt, including pastor's children who had been rejected by their churches, individuals who no longer felt welcome in the faith traditions in which they were raised, and parents who wanted their children to experience the beauty of diversity and inclusion.
Others described themselves as spiritual seekers who no longer identify with a particular faith tradition but remain interested in questions of faith and meaning. Again and again, people expressed gratitude for seeing a church present at Pride. For many, our booth served as a visible reminder that faith and affirmation can coexist.
Among our favorite moments were the messages of hope and justice displayed throughout the festival. Two of the most memorable shirts we spotted read: "You're lucky we want equality and not revenge" and "Be careful who you hate. It might be someone you love." Both served as poignant reminders of the importance of compassion, dignity, and understanding.
Not every conversation was easy, but even challenging encounters provided opportunities for dialogue. Three young men approached our booth and initially presented themselves as curious visitors. Their questions soon revealed deeper disagreements about faith and inclusion. Drawing on themes from Rev. Tim's sermon that morning, Marcy responded by asking whether they knew the identity of the first non-Jewish person baptized in the Christian tradition. When they did not, the conversation turned to the story of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, a powerful example of radical welcome and inclusion in the early church. Though the discussion ultimately ended with an agreement to disagree, it remained respectful and thoughtful.
One particularly memorable encounter came when a Hindu attendee stopped by the booth and expressed delight at seeing an inclusive Christian church represented at Pride. Repeatedly saying, "This is great. This is how it should be. Thank you for being here," the visitor's response echoed what many others shared throughout the weekend.
Participation in Charlotte Pride is one way Myers Park Covenant Church lives out its commitment to justice, belonging, and radical welcome. It is an opportunity to meet people where they are, listen to their stories, and embody an affirming faith that is truly open to all and closed to none.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who volunteered, marched, glittered, served Gaytorade, carried flags, shared freezy pops, engaged in conversation, and represented the spirit of MPCOV. Together, we offered more than refreshments and giveaways. We offered a witness that God's love is wide enough for everyone.
Did You Know?
While we cherish gathering together each Sunday in worship, our congregation extends well beyond those seated in the sanctuary. Through our online ministry, God's message is reaching people throughout our community and beyond every week.
More than 300 people viewed our August 16, worship service online, and Rev. Dr. Tim Moore's sermon received more than 1,550 views through our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
These numbers are a powerful reminder that ministry is no longer confined to a physical space. Every worship service, sermon, prayer, and message shared online creates an opportunity for someone to connect, find encouragement, or explore God's love, whether they are at home, traveling, unable to attend in person, or discovering our church for the first time.
Our digital platforms allow us to stay connected with members, reach former members and friends, and welcome new people into our faith community. Each view represents a person engaging with the message of hope and the ministries of Myers Park Covenant Church.
Thank you to everyone who worships with us online, shares our content, and helps extend our reach. Together, we are living out our mission in ways that impact far more lives than we may ever see from the pews alone.
Be sure to follow Myers Park Covenant Church on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay connected and please like and share so that we can further spread our ministry with others.
Reserve Your Spot | Mahjong Tournament
Reserve Your Spot for the Fall Festival Mahjong Tournament
Mahjong enthusiasts, get ready for an afternoon of friendly competition and community fun! Join us for the Mahjong Tournament at the Fall Festival on Saturday, October 17, from 12:00-4:00 pm.
A limited number of tournament spaces are being reserved exclusively for church members through August 25 before registration opens to the broader community. If you're interested in participating, now is the time to secure your spot.
To reserve a place in the tournament, please click on the button below by August 25. Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited and demand is expected to be high.
Whether you're a seasoned player or simply enjoy the camaraderie that comes with the game, the Mahjong Tournament promises an enjoyable afternoon filled with fun, connection, and a little friendly competition.
Don't miss this exciting Fall Festival event. We look forward to seeing you at the table on October 17!
Questions? Contact Patty Wolverton.
Get Your MOJO On by Getting Out the Vote!
At Myers Park Covenant, we believe faithful citizenship is one way we contribute to the common good. That's why MOJO has partnered with the League of Women Voters in a comprehensive, nonpartisan effort to help ensure every eligible voter has the opportunity to make their voice heard.
The response has already been inspiring. Twenty-three congregants have participated in a postcard-writing campaign, sending nearly 700 postcards to encourage voter participation. That represents an impressive 12% of the League's entire postcard effort.
But the work is not finished. MOJO is now joining six Charlotte-area churches in a collaborative initiative to increase civic engagement through voter registration, community canvassing, and transportation assistance for those needing a ride to the polls.
This effort is strictly nonpartisan and focused on strengthening participation in the democratic process. By helping neighbors overcome barriers to voting, we can support a more engaged and informed community.
Whether you can give a few hours or make a larger commitment, your help can make a meaningful difference. To learn more or get involved, contact Paula Fricke and join us as we put our MOJO into action and help get out the vote.
Joy in the Journey: Progress in Our Senior Minister Search
Our Senior Minister Search Committee has been busy this summer. Our networking activities are ongoing, and we continue to get leads from our many church friends and supporters around the nation. To date we have contacted (or been contacted by) over 45 people who have helped generate 70 referrals to us. Not all are interested in applying for our position but 25 have applied so far. We consider this phase of our search to be a success and it’s not even over yet. Referrals and resumes continue to come in, and they are a diverse group including Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, United Church of Christ, and even a Quaker! Both male and female candidates are applying.
As previously mentioned, our selection criteria are strict as our church circumstances are unique. And remember, you helped develop these criteria through your participation this past spring in our Congregational Survey and April Congregational Meeting.
The Center for Healthy Churches recommends that a search start with 8 to 10 qualified candidates. Our starting number will likely be within this range. While we are continuing to add to our candidate pool, we have already begun our first round of interviews. We are excited about the candidates we’ve talked with so far.
Our first-round interviews are focused on the candidate’s history. We have a list of questions that are designed to help us identify if they have the qualities and experience we need. We don’t ask hypothetical questions. We ask about their actual experiences. As is said in the business world, past performance predicts future behavior.
I can’t convey to you how excited our Committee is to finally be interviewing candidates. All our prep work is starting to pay off and we are experiencing JOY! It is so interesting to hear our candidates tell their stories. Some of them young and full of youthful energy and others more mature and full of wisdom and experience. A few - the ones we are most interested in - have both.
As I’ve said before, this is the best church group I’ve ever been associated with. You may recall we were selected by a team of Deacons and leaders led by Scott Crowder. We were picked to be representative of the Congregation and I believe we are. This means we don’t always agree on everything but each of us is motivated by our love for the church and the desire to see it thrive. We prepared a list of short bios of our Committee that we give to candidates so they can know us a little better prior to their interview. You can view it here.
And we are living out something we all agreed to at our Congregational Meeting in April: each of us is willing to compromise on some of the things we personally want in a Senior Minister to get those things we know the church needs for this time in its history. There is no turning back the clock. Our focus is on the future. The Gospel never changes but how people related to it and how the church teaches it needs to constantly adapt.
We are committed to finding a new Senior Minister who can partner with us in this bold endeavor and we are excited! We hope you are too. Continue to pray for us and our church.