This Sunday will be a banner day for New Covenant Presbyterian Church. At 3 p.m. the Rev. Dennis Flach will lead a service of thanksgiving and dedication in the church’s brand new home at 130 Homochitto St.

Organist Burnley Cook will be at the keyboard, and New Covenant’s music leader, Dr. David Blackburn will have several members of the Alcorn State University choir on hand to join in the celebration. This service will be followed from 3:30 until 5 p.m. by an open house. The public is invited to attend either or both of these events to worship and rejoice with us and tour our new facilities.

New Covenant broke ground at the Homochitto Street site on Sept. 13, 2006. For many years the old Mulvihill property there had been a large vacant lot which seemed to be patiently awaiting just the right tenant. In God’s own time New Covenant acquired the site and, as the Natchez community looked on with much interest, the new buildings gradually took shape on that busy thoroughfare leading directly into town.

The buildings and grounds, though still lacking a few finishing touches, are the realization of a dream for which the church has prayed, worked and waited a long time. The resulting Greek Revival style brick sanctuary with its massive entryway and Doric columns looks as though it may have always stood there. The education/fellowship building on the south side, Decker Hall, complements the sanctuary. Plentiful parking surrounds both, completing the New Covenant complex.

The interior of the sanctuary incorporates into its worship space some furnishings with histories of their own. The communion table is the work of musician, artist and craftsman Cook, New Covenant’s organist, who presented it to the church some years ago..

The natural wood pews, flanking both sides of a wide center aisle came from the old First Baptist Church on Main Street. They were purchased 10 years ago from the new owner not long after that church was first sold.

A simple but beautiful handmade cypress pulpit overlooks the pews from a dais at the end of the aisle. It was a gift to New Covenant from a small Presbyterian church in Oakdale, La., which closed its doors some years back..

Knowing that these furnishings were used long ago by fellow Christians in other places lends an atmosphere of connection and continuance to the worship service and to the ongoing work the church universal is charged with. It is the prayer of all at New Covenant that many will be drawn to this place, now and in the years ahead, to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and to grow in the knowledge of God’s love, grace, forgiveness and peace. Do come on Sunday afternoon to celebrate with us.

Kathie Blankenstein is the chair of the New Covenant Presbyterian Church Building Committee.