It's Palm Sunday!!! All children are invited to join the Children's Palm Processional during both worship services. Rev. Harrington will lead us in worship with the sermon text coming from John 12:1-18 and the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 43:16-21. 

PALM SUNDAY: MARCH 24th
All children are welcome to join the Palm Processional on Palm Sunday! Meet Lynn in the Narthex at 8:50 am for the 9:00 am Contemporary worship and 10:50 am for the 11:00 am traditional worship. We will joyfully wave our palms and celebrate Jesus entering Jerusalem. Children are welcome to join the palm processional for both services if they wish!

The Contemporary Worship Team will lead us at 9:00 am and the Adult Handbells and a Soloist will lead music at 11:00 am. 

MAUNDY THURSDAY: MARCH 28th
7:00 pm, Sanctuary
Join our Contemporary Worship Team as we honor and remember the importance of the Last Supper during Holy Week. Communion will be served. The Prayground is available in the Chapel for those with small children who would like to worship together with extra wiggle space and age-appropriate worship aids.

GOOD FRIDAY: MARCH 29th
7 pm, Sanctuary
This will be a Tenebrae worship service with music led by our Adult Choir and soloists.

EASTER SUNDAY: MARCH 31st
9:00 am Contemporary Worship
10:00 am Fellowship on the Lawn*
11:00 am Traditional Worship
Join us on Easter Sunday as we celebrate Christ REVEALED! Communion will be served at both services. Our Contemporary Worship Team will lead us during the 9:00 am service and at 11:00 am this Traditional service will feature our adult choir, handbells, trumpets, and special soloists.

In between worship, beginning at 10:00 am, gather with us on the 15th St. Lawn for our annual Fellowship on the Lawn* event--complete with snacks and an Easter Flower Cross for you to add fresh-cut flowers from your gardens. Invite your friends, neighbors, and loved ones to celebrate Christ REVEALED at SACPC this Easter Sunday.

There will be no Sunday School. Nursery provided.

*Rain or shine event. The rain location is the Dining Rm.

by Lynn Warner

Amy Allen, our Nursery Coordinator, is looking for volunteers to work with her in the Nursery on Easter Sunday morning at both the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. worship services. If you would be willing to volunteer please contact Amy. 

by Lynn Warner

Mischievous Leprechauns visited SACPC this past weekend. The Kindergarten - 2nd Grade class joined with the 3rd - 5th Graders as we first cleaned up the mess the "Leprechauns" made of our Sunday School classrooms! After we cleaned up we talked about forgiveness. We shared stories about how we have "messed up" but how God forgives us when we confess. We talked about how God's forgiveness is different from ours - God forgets our sin and we start afresh! We learned a song using the scripture passage from 1 John 1:9, and decorated the scripture verse. 

by Shelley Hobson

The Malawi Partnership Team is pleased to announce a successful education fundraiser.   $22,547 has been contributed by our church family and friends to send preschoolers, primary school, and secondary school students to school this fall.  Funds are used to provide meals of enriched porridge for the preschool, book bags, shoes, uniforms, and supplies for primary school students in need of help, and tuition assistance for secondary school students.  These funds also help provide vocational training and a meal for young adults seeking to learn woodworking and tailoring. This precious gift of education is life-changing for these students in the warm heart of Africa.  Zikomo (Thank You)!

by Sam Query

Music on Market will present the final concert for the 2023-2024 season on April 13th with an educational lecture beginning at 7:00 PM and the concert at 7:30 PM in the Sanctuary featuring the Scott Silbert Jazz Quintet performing jazz from Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman.  This concert is free to the public. Doors open at 6:30 PM.

Come enjoy an enlightening evening of outstanding music.  

by Jen Phelps

Our banned book club is now open to all! Our next book is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood - read the book and then join us on Zoom as English teacher extraordinaire Amy Stuart leads our discussion. Sunday, April 21st at 7pm on Zoom

by Gail Richardson

On Thursday, March 14th our preschool had "Donuts with Dads" on the lawn. We had about fifty dads carve out time to be here and boy did our kids feel their love. The children sang, "My D A D D Y, He's My Favorite Guy, I want him to know that I love him so, MY D A D D Y!"
They gave them sweet gifts that they had made, and then everyone enjoyed playing and eating donuts.

by Catheryn Thomas

During this year’s Azalea Festival, the Historic Wilmington Foundation (HWF) will host their walking tour through the Westbrook-Ardmore National Historic District, which begins near our church at the historic Fire Station No. 5, at the corner of Dock and 17th Streets. Because SACPC is so close, HWF has asked us to open our parking lots for ticket holders on the home tour. This also allows us to open our beautiful sanctuary for ticket holders to view. Our church historians are working on an information sheet to hand out and will be on-site during the tour hours to answer any questions.

We would like to have some extra hosts to greet visitors at the door. The tour runs Saturday and Sunday, April 6th and 7th from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. If you are interested in being a door greeter, please contact Catheryn Thomas. Click the button below to send Catheryn an email or call 910-762-9693 x229.

by Shelley Hobson

Each meeting begins with a devotion and prayer from a Session member. This month Dax Hawkins’ message to us was encouragement to notice and appreciate when God puts us where we need to be—to do or to witness His plans as they unfold.  

Deacons Alison Sineath and Kathy Benson (Connections subcommittee) spoke to us about Dinners for 8 upcoming this Spring and encouraged Elders to sign up to be hosts or be present at the dinners, so our church family can get to know them better.

Jack Richardson updated Session on the progress of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee, an active and enthusiastic group that meets weekly.  The group is currently interviewing candidates.

Via a monthly information packet, Session reviews church finances and statistics (attendance, livestream activity, social media engagement) at each monthly meeting.   We review minutes from each Session committee:  Human Resources, Finance, Officer Training and Governance,  Strategic Planning and Training, and Congregational Engagement.  This month the Session approved at-large members for Congregational Engagement: John Bohbrink, Jane Davis, and Rick Wheeler, and an upcoming baptism for the grandsons of Beth and Bob Cherry.

At each monthly meeting, Session members are asked to “rehearse” for a scenario that could occur.  We read the scenario and research procedures in the Book of Order and our Session policies document and discuss how we might handle each possible situation.    We also review a Session policy or two each month to ask ourselves if we are following the prescribed policies.  These two important exercises help us stay on our toes and speak as one voice as we are required to do once discussions and votes have taken place.

Per the Book of Order, boundary training is required for councils (Session) every 36 months. Currently, SACPC requires all staff, preschool teachers, and high-level volunteers for children and youth to complete the Ministry Safe Sexual Abuse Awareness training.  Elders were reminded of our responsibility to take the time, individually, to complete the online training.

Reverend Harrington invited the Elders to share prayer concerns and closed the meeting with prayer.

by Rev. Katherine B. Harrington

Recently, we sent an email inviting everyone to anonymously share the stresses and heartaches keeping you up at night. We invite you to continually use this link located on our website, and our mobile app, to tell us about anything that is distressing your soul, whether it be theological, ethical, or personal.

 Jesus invites us to bring our burdens to him:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Please know, our staff meets every week to pray for each other, and the needs of the congregation and community. We will be praying for your concerns, and rest for your soul. All responses submitted will be kept completely anonymous and you can use this form as often as you like so we can continually understand the concerns of our growing congregation.

If you desire more direct pastoral care or prayer, please also use our CareLine--those responses go directly to our Pastoral Care team and, upon request, are published weekly via Saints Alive.

by Catheryn Thomas

The Brown Hall renovations have begun! Some of the new sound equipment is in place. The new lights have been installed and they illuminate the room - and the ceiling - very nicely. Once the new control panel is installed, we will be able to dim even individual lights separately. But, as with any renovation project, there is also some mess. There are boxes and equipment around the room while work is being done; and the mezzanine (Brown Hall entrance) is loaded with boxes containing the new sound panels, which won’t be installed until the end of the project.

A big thank you to our preschool and our outside groups who are graciously dealing with some of the inconveniences while we make these wonderful improvements. If you have any questions about the project, please contact Catheryn Thomas.

by Sue McCaffray

"God is in the Mess: Having Honest Conversations with God." Led by Rev. Rachel Doll of Winter Park Presbyterian Church. Rachel is a noted Biblical storyteller, and her focus will be Mark 4 & 5. Join us Sept. 20-22 at beautiful Trinity Center, Pine Knoll Shores. Open to both men and women. Price per person, $250, includes 2 nights, double occupancy, and 6 meals. Space is limited. Registration details to follow in early April from our Spiritual Life Team. Contact Linda Smith for more information.

by Earth Care Corner Education

The original maker of plastic Easter eggs, Blayer Industries, was once the only American manufacturer of plastic eggs. In the early 2000s, it was making 250 million eggs a year.  It has since gone bankrupt because it couldn’t compete with cheaper Chinese plastic eggs.

With the passing of that company into history, it’s a good time to also say farewell to the use of plastic eggs and grass in Easter baskets. As we become more aware of the detrimental effects of plastics on our environment and our personal health, it is good to know that there are several finer earth-friendly options for a colorful Easter basket.

Hard-boiled dyed eggs are great for egg hunts, and most kids love dying them. For re-fillable eggs, there are wooden ones, felt, wool, and paper mache’ varieties.  Nestle the eggs in non-plastic grass to complete the festive look.  There are several choices for this too, such as crinkle paper, wood fibers, wool, and natural raffia from palm trees.  If you are really ambitious, ryegrass germinates and grows quickly, and would add a delicate fresh smell and feel to your basket.  

For dining room table center baskets, you could use fresh salad greens.

Creating an earth-friendly Easter basket is a natural child-centered way to honor God’s good creation, and to show your children that caring for the earth involves all ages, and using our creativity is just plain fun.

"The Earth is the Lord’s and all creatures in it, the world and all who dwell in it."
Psalm 24:1  

Information from www.presbyterianmission.org

by Gary Smith

The East steering committee for the Coastal Carolina Presbytery's East Community has partnered with RIP Medical Debt, a medical relief organization, to relieve the medical debt (as assessed on January 1, 2024) from hospitals in our East Community counties.  

The goal is to raise $20,000 to eliminate $2,000,000 in medical debt.  RIP has already purchased the debt, at greatly reduced rates, from the hospitals in our East Community counties.

The campaign runs until April 30, 2024. 

Please send contributions for this project to SACPC and list RIP Medical Debt Relief in the Memo line. Ways to give:

Give Online: Use the button below to make an online donation.
Give In Person: We take offerings at every worship service via cash or check.
Mail A Check: You can mail your donations to our front office Please mail them to:

St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church
1416 Market St.
Wilmington, NC 28401

All children K-5th grade are invited to attend our m&m program.  For more information, contact Cindy Litzinger.

This week's menu: Turkey w/ gravy, Stuffing, Spring Peas & Glazed Carrots, Wild Rice, and Cranberry Sauce. Cost is $25/family of 4 or more, $7/adult, and $5/under 12. 

This Wednesday, we'll gather for the last time "around the table" to talk about John 12:1-18 and Isaiah 43:16-21. Rev. Harrington will lead this discussion.

Dinner is offered in Brown Hall at 5:30 pm.

This women's small group book study meets every Monday via Zoom. Each week the group discusses a new chapter from the book "Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times" by Bishop Michael Curry. New members are welcome to join at any time. Contact Shelley Hobson or Lynn Kozik for more details or to receive the Zoom link.

Join us for a sampler of what Paul has to say about unity and honesty in Ephesians and other letters. You do not want to miss this! Come join the conversation.

During March, Go & Serve will be collecting non-perishable foods for Good Shepherd, Salvation Army, and the Rescue Mission. Suggested food items include:

• cereal
• pasta
• pasta sauce
• canned fruits and vegetables (including #10 cans)
• canned soup
• packaged snacks
• canned chicken or tuna

Please drop your donations in the bin in the 15th Street lobby near the Narthex.

We have 4 spots left for our all-day camp! If you are considering Camp Fusion this summer for your K - 8th Grader, don't delay. Sign-up today! Space is still available for the half-day preschool camp.

Save the Date (especially because we are adjusting our worship time!) Confirmation Sunday will be April 28th and we will be welcoming our Confirmands at ONE UNITY SERVICE AT 10am that day. We hope you will join us as these young people join our church.

Attention all 6th - 12th graders! Our next Be The Light Event will be at The Harrelson Center on April 14th from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm - MARK YOUR CALENDARS! In the meantime.... we are collecting sunscreen and bug spray to add to hydration bags that will be distributed by Catholic Charities to migrant farm workers this summer. Bring your donations to The HUB or the church anytime we gather.

The Lord gives his people strength.  The Lord blesses them with peace. 
Psalm 29:11

Alec Hansjoerg Stern, born May 31, 2022, son of Elizabeth Cherry Stern and Ian Hansjoerg Stern, is being baptized on March 24.  Baby Alec is the brother of Elizabeth Beatty Stern, 5 years old. He is the grandson of Beth and Bob Cherry and Jackie Norton.

Joseph Kean Walters, born April 4, 2023, son of Georgia Cherry Walters and Thomas Richard Walters, is being baptized on March 24.  He joins big sister Lena Walters, 3 years of age. Grandparents are Beth and Bob Cherry.

Susan Dykes’ aunt, Melva Pridgen, died on March 19.  No funeral arrangements are available at this time.  

Dr. Robert Crawford Bankhead (Bob or Doc) died on February 9, 2024.  Dr. Bankhead was Executive Presbyter of Wilmington Presbytery, served several churches, and in other capacities in his career.  His memorial service is planned for April 14, 2024 at the Sion Presbyterian Church in Winnsboro, SC.

Ron Faulk’s sister, Gail Pfaff, died March 14.

Susan Dykes’ mother, Jean Keith, died on March 12.  The funeral was held Thursday, March 14, graveside at Green Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Jack Woods had repair to the external ear.

Mary Tyler is having dental work and physical therapy.

Ann Danchak’s friend Mark Welsh has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Prayers are requested for Mark and his family.

Jody Smith has been transferred to LCF Life Care Center for RESPITE CARE until Friday, March 22.  Visitors are requested and welcome.

Becky Barefoot’s 20-year-old granddaughter, Anna Blake, is being evaluated for health issues.  

Amelia Dixon has been discharged from the hospital after getting blood transfusions.  She is progressing well at home.

Nathan Strickler has had a return of cancer and will be having surgery on April 1.

Ginny Silliman who was hospitalized after falls has been transferred to Bradley Creek.

Billy Purdom (USS Stout DDG ), Smith Beacham (Fort Richardson, Anchorage, AK), Jack Looney (USS Carl Vinson, San Diego, CA) , Samuel Makepeace (Fort Moore, Georgia), Brennan Litzinger (Fort Bliss, Texas), Mikayla Reifert (Kadena, Japan), Bradley Garrett (Coast Guard, Elizabeth City)

Prayer requests: Click here to tell us about your need.

Hospitalizations: Please click here to email Ann Benson or call 910.762.9693 x202 to leave a message.

March 19: Nancy Mihle, Joe Moskal
March 20: Lucy Davis
March 22: Jim Bryan, Lila Ciarrocca, Chris Richardson
March 23: Carolyn Leonard, Judy Smith, Lindsey Tincher
March 25: Tom Pappendick
March 26: Joshua Neiburger, Rob O’Briant

Thank you for contributing to the work and love of Jesus through St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church. Your gifts enable us to stay Faithfully Present in Our Community.

Financial updates will be provided each month.  If you have any questions, please contact Susan Dykes, Financial Administrator, 910-762-9693x207, sdykes@sacpc.org; or our Church Treasurer, Ed Hobson, treasurer@sacpc.org.

View our most recent Session Reports.