Touching Is Believing

by Claire Hampton.  Claire is a junior at Huntsville High School.  She and her family attend Cove Church@Chase, where she is a worship leader in the Student Ministry band.

My sisters and I all wanted to touch everything when we were kids – there is no denying it. Hair, glasses, jewelry, keys, phones, you name it. Even dirt was something we just wanted to grasp. And why? Merely out of curiosity and the awe of holding something so wonderful – yes, dirt may have seemed wonderful at the time.  The desire to touch things is part of what makes us human. 

For me, I always wanted to touch anything creeping or crawling. Who cares about dirt when there are worms and snails hiding under rocks? I was also the one to make a flip chart to show our parents all the pros about having a dog or cat. Turns out I’m pretty good at making puppy eyes because we are the proud owners of a Labradoodle and an Orange Tabby. I held a tarantula when I was just three years old, and I am very proud of that moment. But don’t worry – the worms and snails were just a phase. 

We also try to hold on to memories through photographs and tokens of the past, tangible reminders that we can physically hold. So I guess you could say “touching is believing” as well as “seeing is believing.”

God sent his one and only Son down to Earth so he could die on the cross for our sins. By doing this, the people of that time got to walk with Jesus and talk face to face with Him; they got to touch Him. Mary held Him in her arms as an infant and the disciples’ feet were washed by His hands. The woman who had been suffering from twelve years of constant bleeding was healed by His touch:

She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” . . . .   And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”  - Mark 5:27-34

Since she believed that a single touch could heal her, she was transformed and made new. 

Today we do not have the luxury of being able to touch the Son of God, but we have something else - faith. By faith we can hold the hands of Christ through the good times and bad. Christmas is a time for giving and loving. So be like Olaf (sorry for quoting Frozen) and give warm hugs. Love is the greatest gift of all and God gave us just that. Faith is what links Heaven to earth and touches our hearts forever. Don’t forget.  

Made New

by Allen Wilson, Director of Student Ministries at Cove

I know that we are right in the middle of an Alabama winter, but as I reflect on the sense of touch, I can’t help but think back to the last summer before I graduated from college. I helped lead a team of students on a cross-cultural mission trip to Thailand. The things I experienced during my nine weeks there changed my perspective in many ways.

One significant experience was a “vision trip” to a leper colony. Some of you may be thinking, “does that even still exist?” or “wouldn’t it be dangerous to go there?”. This was definitely the reaction my mom had when I told her about the trip (after I had already gone, of course). I learned some things about leprosy that you can’t quite pick up when reading about it in the Bible, which is where most people in the West get their ideas about this disease. Lepers who were in the colony had been “cured” so that they would no longer be contagious; however, the physical effects of the disease continued to wreck havoc on their bodies. 

Throughout history those with leprosy and other skin diseases have been called the “untouchables.” Think about what that might be like… to walk out in public and hear people shout out warnings that the untouchables were nearby. Since lepers were considered unclean in the Jewish culture, they were definitely untouchable. If a Jew were to touch an unclean leper, then it was thought to make that Jew unclean as well. Sacrifices and ceremonial washings would be needed to restore such a person to the community. 

But Jesus did not seem to care much about the stigma that went along with leprosy. In Mark’s gospel we read, “A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed” (Mark 1:40-42). 

This is what is amazing. People were afraid to touch lepers because doing so would make them unclean. But when Jesus touched the leper, he took what was unclean and made it clean again. That is what the touch of Jesus does- it makes things new. 

At the colony I was able to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and lay hands on the untouchables in prayer. Although their disease may be easier to see, the reality is that we all need a touch from Jesus. This Christmas we will celebrate again how God came down and literally touched the earth through Jesus. There is no better time than this to reach out and accept the gift of his presence.

Allen Wilson and his wife Dawn have attended Cove for about eight years.  Through much of that time, Allen was a small group leader for high school boys.  Allen is currently the Director of Student Ministries for Cove Church.

Reach Out And Touch...

Our creative team loves this Free Hugs video. It has bounced around the planning table more than once but has never made it into a service that we can remember. We are happy for an opportunity to share it with you.


Several of our bloggers this week write about the power of touch to convey compassion, love, and in Jesus’ case, healing. Through a simple hug or pat on the back we can show love to others and help follow Jesus’ instruction to his followers:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

We hope that through this blog you experience a virtual hug from your Cove Church family.

Much love,
Cove Church Worship Minstry

A Healing Touch

by Sharon Criswell, Director of Connections at Cove Church

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." – John 13:35

Why are adults so weird about giving hugs to one another?  There seems to be an underlying hesitation when we attempt the casual, physical connection with someone to whom we’re not related by blood or marriage – a fear of it being misconstrued as something inappropriate.  It's regrettable. Everyone agrees that children need to be touched in order to grow and develop.  (Although, ironically, I’m the one who turns to goo when my five-year-old lays her head in my lap and asks me to play with her hair.)  But what about other adults?

Random people…strangers, in fact…reached out to touch Jesus.  And, He touched them back…with His power. One of the most moving stories in Scripture is of a woman who had suffered for twelve years from a chronic bleeding. Doctors were clueless. She’d spent all her money, but still no cure. She was considered to be an outcast of society and labeled “unclean.” But she knew of Jesus’ power.  According to the Gospel of Matthew, the woman realized, “if I only touch His cloak, I will be healed.” Silently, persistently, and in faith…she made her way through the crowd…came up behind the Master Healer and touched His clothing.  And, she was restored.

Many of us also suffer from a chronic illness that only Christ can cure – one that spreads as a disease and attacks the most essential functions of our bodies and spirits.  It allows us to be surrounded by people, have a full schedule, and be constantly interrupted by gadget-assisted communication devices…all the while feeling that no one is aware of our unique presence or understands who we really are.  Too many of us aren’t able to genuinely connect with others.

Thankfully, the healing power of Jesus is just as real today as it was during his earthly life, and the church holds the vaccine for our epidemic of disconnectedness.  It lives itself out in Christ’s commandment for us to love one other.  We are called by Him to reach out and “touch” our neighbors, our surrounding communities, and even our enemies with the light and love of Jesus.  In times of difficulty, we should be willing and able to extend a hand on the arm or shoulder…or even a hug (gasp!)…with the words, “I'm praying for you.” 

So...won’t you join me in being a little less weird this holiday season?  Refuse to underestimate everyday contact, courtesies, and kindnesses which knit us together.  Put down the touchscreen and replace it with live interaction.  Share something warm to eat or drink.  Thaw a frozen heart with an offer of forgiveness.  Give hugs and handshakes, even to those who will misconstrue your intentions.  And, as you do so, may you FEEL the powerful Spirit of God alive within and among you this Advent season!

P.S. Which C-Group are you in?


Sharon Criswell has been a member of the Cove Church family for six years.  She currently serves as the rookie on staff in her role of Director of Connections.  She is wife to Jon Criswell, and mother of Madison Criswell and Bailey Grace Curtis. 

A Holy Night

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  Luke 2:19

It was Christmas Eve, approximately 23 years ago.  Our house was decorated and our traditional Christmas Eve preparations were ready for our family and friends that had been gathering at our home for the past 20 years.  That was a miracle! 

Both of our sons were home from college and it just happened that our youngest had no plans, so I suggested we go to our church for the Christmas Eve service.  I knew this year’s service was going to be different - it was “come and go” as a family.  We arrived at the church and entered the sanctuary that had been our church home since Charles was 2 years old.  It was as comfortable to us as our living room - the Chrismon tree (a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments of Christian symbols) was glowing and soft music was playing.  We sat together on a pew and mediated and offered our love and thanks. 

Together we approached the altar for communion.  Our pastor was such a dear, holy man.  As we knelt, he approached us and placed his hands on our shoulders and prayed the most beautiful and heartfelt prayer.  He then offered us the bread and the cup.  As I knelt there, I had a holy connection with Mary and sensed the love that she had for her son Jesus was very much like what I had for my two sons.  I treasured having this holy moment with my youngest.  Each of my senses was touched that evening, along with my heart. 

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love!

Sandra Jones and her husband Ralph have been attending Cove Church since 2002. She has served in many areas over the past 12 years, including Student Ministry, First Impressions, and Women’s Ministry.  She is also a delegate to the United Methodist Annual Conference.

You Are Welcome Here

by Holly Habimana, Executive Director of The African [SOUP]

But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  - Luke 18:16

When you walk into one of our classrooms at The African [SOUP] in Eastern Uganda, our students greet you by rising and exuberantly yelling in unison, "Thank you for visiting The African [SOUP] school, you are MOST welcome!" And they mean it in a way that is far more profound and genuine than we could ever imagine. This is exemplified in so many ways in daily interactions with our students.

Solomon, a student at African [SOUP]

A volunteer recently shared a story with me: it had just rained in our village and she was about to sit down on the wet, muddy ground to take a break from work. Primary 7 student Solomon saw she was about to sit down, and yelled, “Wait, wait!” He then proceeded to take a broom and brush the ground for her, insisting that, “It’s clean now – sit, sit!” This air of genuine concern for her welfare stuck with her enough to tell me this months later.

It also reminds me of when our team was walking to one of our teacher’s homes in the village and out of nowhere, several girls come running up to me as fast as they could. One of the girls, a [SOUP] Primary 6 student, came forward and presented me with a perfect tomato from her family farming plot. As she knelt down and presented her prized possession to me, she simply said “thank you.”

The type of gratitude, selflessness, and authentic compassion for one’s well-being emphasized in both of these examples is the epitome of Jesus’ message of love, empathy, and acceptance. It reminds me of His ability to welcome everyone to His community, to love unconditionally, and to give wholeheartedly in His name. These children don’t have much. In fact, that tomato might’ve been part of that little girl’s dinner. But, she was determined to make me feel welcome and to thank me for my role in her education and future. It was a powerful moment for me, as was Solomon’s insistence on cleaning the muddy ground for our volunteer, because it reminded us of the true lessons of Jesus’ love.

So, when I think of someone saying, “Thank you and you are most welcome,” it reminds me of how our [SOUP] students embody Jesus’ teachings in ways that are more sincere and exemplary than we encounter in the West. While I may help them receive an education and a future with limitless potential, they have given me the power to see God in action on Earth. It doesn’t really seem like a fair trade.

Holly Habimana is the Executive Director of The African [SOUP], a Cove Church Mission Partner.  The African [SOUP] is a sponsorship program for orphans in the country of Uganda.  For more information, you can visit theafricansoup.org.

The Hands-on Approach

by Nathan McGee.  Nathan and his wife Brooke began attending Cove Church in 2004.  Together they are C-group coaches, and Nathan also leads a small group of elementary boys in Kids Cove.  In addition, Nathan has served on the church board and various committees.

Jesus … reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”  - Mark 1:41

I read recently that touch is the first sense we develop; we begin receiving tactile signals even before birth as the vibration of our mother’s heart beat is amplified through amniotic fluid. It struck me as really cool to know that even before we know what is going on, we are comforted through touch.

Touch is an interesting topic for me as I am not naturally a touchy-feely type of person. People at work joke that I have an aversion to touch because I am not a “hugger.” While not totally true, this is somewhat accurate. I am not naturally drawn to lots of hugging and such, but I do see the value and importance of touch.

I was very blessed to grow up with parents who hugged me daily and never shied away from showing me their love. In fact, they still hug me every time they see me, which I do love, by the way. I have never once doubted that I was loved because it was demonstrated to me in many ways, and a big part of that was through physical touch.

As I have read a number of Bible stories recently, I have been led to stories about Jesus’ healings. In most cases I read where Jesus touched someone, or they reached out and touched Him and were healed. Think about that for a minute. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, reaching out to the unclean and needy and touching them or allowing them to touch Him! And here I am not wanting to hug a coworker! I’d never really considered the significance of this aspect of His healing until now.

As we look forward to Christmas, I have been hearing lots of discussions and prayers about the healing needed in our nation and world. I believe Jesus has already taught us one way we can help heal our world, and that is simply by reaching out and touching others and showing them the amazing love that comes from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.