MERCY is a Christian’s response to the unmerited love of God shown to him/her in Jesus Christ. Since Christians are new creations in Christ and are united with Him in Spirit, they are called to bear witness to the love of Christ in acts of mercy, kindness and compassion towards each other. The gospel of Jesus Christ – a message that starts and ends by challenging us with of our own great and ongoing need of God’s mercy – calls us not to ignore the poor and needy, either spiritually or materially, but rather draws us to them in love. It is our conviction that the gospel should be boldly proclaimed in both WORD and DEED, that is, with our mouths, our actions and the attitudes of our hearts.

SERVICE to our church and our community takes on many different forms. Here too we are compelled by the gospel to a life of servanthood and humility patterned after our Savior, who being very God, humbled Himself taking the form of a servant even to the point of death on the cross (Phil 2:5-8). By his cross, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ rendered to us the ultimate service. The cross is to be our pattern for living even as it is the grounds of our redemption. We are to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13) the way God in Christ has served us. Because the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, has gone the way of the cross in order to serve his church, we must follow him in that way, by dying to ourselves in acts of service, service first toward one another within the church body, then toward those who are still outside the body.

Mercy and Service are responsibilities of all believers. Deacons, however, are especially charged to lead and encourage the congregation in acts of mercy and service. If you have any specific mercy or service needs or would like to participate in mercy and service ministries, please contact CB Campano, mercy ministry coordinator, in the church office at (863) 646-9631 or cb@covenantlakeland.org and she will direct your inquiry to the appropriate deacons or staff members.