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About Cove Presbyterian Church

YOUR CHURCH IN COVESVILLE

Located in beautiful Covesville, Virginia, Cove Presbyterian Church offers congregants a place of comfort, hope, and a peace of mind for all their worshiping needs.
We are dedicated to spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ, and our goal is to inspire you through the holiness of our dwelling and our services.
We invite you to become a part of our growing congregation, and look forward to meeting you!

Mission Statement

Cove's mission is to grow in faith and wisdom, to learn to love better and to promote social justice in the world. By inviting all into worship, singing fellowship, study and service, we glorify God.

Our Staff

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GARY CHARLES

PASTOR

Gary is a native of Virginia, a graduate of the College of William and Mary and Union Presbyterian Seminary.  He has served five congregations and loves his ministry at Cove. He is married to Jennell Charles, has a daughter, Erin, and a son, Josh, and is the co-author of the book, Preaching Mark in Two Voices, with his longtime friend and Union Presbyterian Seminary President, Brian Blount.

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BETH NEVILLE EVANS

CHOIR DIRECTOR

Received an undergraduate degree in music from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. An accomplished pianist and a gifted singer. Beth is the founder of the Ixtatan Foundation, which has established and is presently maintaining and growing a school in San Mateo, Guatemala. Beth is married and has two children.

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LINDA BLONDEL

PIANIST

Grew up in Baltimore and graduated from Peabody Preparatory where she studied piano and music theory. She has a BA from Bennington College in Vermont, having majored in music and dance. She lived in Europe for several years, teaching dance in Greece and accompanying dance classes in Paris. She has lived in Charlottesville for the past 20 years, where she and her husband raised their two sons. She performs chamber music regularly with many different musicians, both instrumental and vocal. She also teaches piano privately.

History

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Cove Church has provided continuous services since its founding in 1769. The Church moved to its present location in 1809. The church building was rebuilt in 1880 after it was destroyed in a storm on June 12, 1880. While much of the building was destroyed, some things survived.

A note in the Bible in the church at the time states,

"This bible was marred by the storm that destroyed the Cove Church in 1880."

Over the years, Cove members have written articles about the history and architecture of the church. Below are links to a number of these articles. All linked documents are in PDF format. Click on the link below for the article you wish to view.

Cove's Black Community

The Early Days

Writing the Next Chapter

The Reverend William Irvine

The Reverend James Robinson

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