For the Thursday & Friday sessions of the Ministerial Association Annual Meeting, the group had the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Miroslav Volf, Professor at Yale Divinity School, for their sessions, focused on his writings on “A Public Faith: Christianity and the Common Good”. During the Thursday afternoon worship service Kreig Gammelgard was installed as Director of Congregational Vitality – a new position for the Conference. He begins his ministry May 1.

During the Friday night Celebration service of the Conference Annual Meeting, this years theme – Where do Justice and Evangelism Meet? – kindled a Word of Witness from Pastor Michael Carrion of Promised Land Covenant Church (Bronx, NY) of a powerful move of God’s spirit Easter weekend at Riker’s Island Men’s Penitentiary where over 400 men responded to an invitation to receive Christ; and the sermon from Dr. Al Tizon based on Luke 4 (Palmer Seminary, & Word & Deed Network, Upper Darby, PA). We were led in worship by a team from Trinity Covenant Church, Manchester, CT on Friday and Saturday morning was kicked off to an energetic start by the “hip hop” Freedom Worship Team from Elements Church, a new church plant in Bronx, NY. Continuing education seminars were offered to the delegates on Friday afternoon, centering around Justice, Reconciliation & Church Planting.

A few highlights of the business meeting included a celebration in church giving: in 2011, church giving exceeded the budget by 9% ($462,000) and is projected to rise another 8% ($498,000) in 2012 and another 6% for 2013 ($527,000). A revised budget for 2012 of $1,186,370 in revenues and $1,321,402 in expenses and for 2013 revenues of $1,256,353 and expenses of $1,415,607 passed enthusiastically. Average church giving to the conference has been steadily rising since 2007, now averaging almost 3%. Churches have received a multi year challenge to stretch their investment in the Conference to 5% and 10% to the ECC over several years.

Reports from Jason Condon, Director of Church Planting, and testimonies from Michael Carrion (Promised Land Covenant, Bronx NY), Andrew Mook (Sanctuary Church, Providence, RI) continue to celebrate the momentum of church planting with six churches started in the last year; with the start of Launch Team training days and regional cohorts – further the excitement and growth of church planting within the conference. Kristine Heckard also brought a word of witness and report from her church vitality efforts in Halifax, PA during the Saturday business meeting.

Additional reports came from David Cairns (Pilgrim Pines), Larry Andrew (New England Seafarers Mission), Rob Satterberg (Koyuk, Alaska Church Partnership), Roger Turner (Covenant Trust Company), Tim Ramgren (CHIC), Timothy Olsen (Ministerial Association), Susan Falcetta (Women Ministries), and Deborah Penny (North Park Theological Seminary).

The celebration of new Ordinands and Church adoptions was a highlight as we presented Kristine Heckard, Jason Ulven, Woong Kim and Cary Slater as the Ordination Candidates to be presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting coming up in Irvine, CA this June. New Vision Community Church (Flushing, NY), a largely Korean-American congregation of about 150 persons was approved for adoption and will be officially welcomed into the Covenant at the Annual Meeting in June 2012. Pastor Martin Chang and several of the staff and congregation members of the church were present for a time of prayer & celebration for this new season of their church, started in 2001.

This year’s Annual MOVE Award was presented to seven members of the conference for their exceptionally courageous leadership & compassionate service over the past year.
-Highrock Arlington Church, Arlington, MA – for their exemplary courageous evangelism in the Boston/Arlington area; resulting in 3 church plants and their new Church Planting Residency program; and their financial support to the Town of Arlington that provides for a full-time Social Worker for the community.

-David Cairns (Pilgrim Pines Conference Center) – Dave’s leadership has successfully advanced the largest capital campaign in the camp’s history. “Bridging Generations” Campaign made gained traction in the first phase of it’s project, a new $2,000,000 dining hall at Camp Squanto.

-New York Covenant Church (Isaiah’s Room), New Rochelle, NY – Isaiah’s Room ministry at New York Covenant Church integrates incarnational evangelism with warm hospitality and compassion. Currently welcoming 60 folks each Saturday to a stock of clothing, toiletries and a warm shared meal; they project to grow in their ministry for 2012- anticipating 3,000 meals to be served this year, serving about 60 persons every Saturday evening.

-Bob Lindquist (Project Manager for the East Coast Conference Koyuk Alaska summer 2011 trip). Over the past two years, Bob has undertaken the quiet and persistent role of coordinating the logistics, teamwork and planning that has led to our ability to partner with Koyuk Covenant Church and Pastor Wass & Jean Mute. His quiet compassion and “can do” spirit has been spurred by his love for Christ and is evident in the way he serves with his gifts.

-Jose Humphreys, Michael Carrion, Efrain Alicea (NYC Advocates for Churches). Late last year the NYC Dept. of Education legal office informed all churches renting from public schools that they would be evicted. These three pastors worked as a part of the various community coalitions to commit to be a voice for the poor and a champion of civil rights & religious freedom – even though their congregations were not directly affected by the ruling.

Closing out our meeting, an invitation was extended to the East Coast Conference to come to Pennsylvania on April 11-13th for the 123rd Annual Meeting, to be hosted by St. Peter’s Covenant Church of Hilltown, PA & Christ Covenant Church of Harleysville, PA. We look forward to the ministry that 2012/2013 brings, and the celebration of how the Lord is working within our conference as we meet again in Pennsylvania next year.

“The Director of Congregational Vitality role will consolidate and expand on a growing investment in coaching and resourcing pastors and leadership teams in churches seeking to revision, refocus and renew their ministries to address needs and opportunities in their communities”, says Burgoyne.  “We are moving steadily into the development of regional networks for starting and strengthening churches. Kreig will take point on developing a coaching and consulting system and resources to focus on healthy leadership so that every pastor and congregation can receive ongoing support, encouragement and challenge. Working closely with Jason Condon, our Director of Church Planting, we will architect and align our coaching, training & support resources to cover the fruitful spectrum of church life with a strong focus on sustaining visionary leadership, pastoral excellence, Christian formation, evangelism and world mission.”

Gammelgard was selected through a four-month comprehensive process involving a team of members from the Conference Board. Applicants provided a lengthy essay on a broad spectrum of questions designed to highlight specific skills, interests, competencies, experiences, and approaches to ministry. A series of interviews recommendations and prayerful reflection led the team in their discernment.

“We had a great group of applicants to work with. I only wish I could have picked more than one! I was thrilled at the strong level of interest in this ministry from across the ECC, which is the fruit of a growing national ministry of vitality led by Dr. John Wenrich and a team of regional conference Vitality Directors” reports Burgoyne.

Gammelgard is a native of Oakland, CA, where he grew under the ministry of First Covenant Church. He made a decision to follow Christ while attending Mission Springs Camp. He was active in Youth Ministry during college, attending Westmont College & California Polytechnic University and later Fuller & North Park Seminaries. Ordained in the ECC in 1985, Kreig has served as a Director in Young Life, and then as a Youth Pastor in Turlock and Laguna Niguel, CA. He later served as an Associate Pastor in Alisio Viejo, at Coast Hills Community Church before planting Oak Hills ECC, Vista, CA, which he led for 14 years. He has actively coached pastors in church planting and church vitality contexts.

SPECIAL THANKS to the East Bridgewater Community Covenant Church, with Pastor Don Olson, and the New Rochelle New York Covenant Church, with Pastor David Holder, for hosting these two events.

You can find the Slides, Handout, Audio, & Video here: www.jasoncondon.com/2012/03/launch-teams-training-march-2012.html.

Below are the churches who participated:
Saturday March 4, New Rochelle, NY:

• Hope Church NYC, Astoria NY (Drew Hyun)
• Element Church, Bronx NY (Efrain Alicea)
• Promised Land: Willis Campus, Bronx NY (Michael Carrion)
• New York Covenant Church: Manhattan Campus, New Rochelle (David Holder)

Saturday March 11, East Bridgewater, MA:

• Sanctuary Church, Providence RI (Andrew Mook)
• Highrock Northshore, Salem MA (Aaron Engler)
• Highrock Quincy, Quincy MA (Stephen Sharkey)

The 45-member North Park University Choir will tour and perform in New England locations March 10-12 with the theme “Towards a Peaceable Kingdom: Songs of Faith, Inspiration, and Community.” The University Choir, including the University Chamber Singers, will perform in congregations of theEvangelical Covenant Church (ECC), sing in worship at Boston’s historic Trinity Church, and lead a workshop with area high school choirs during a stop in Massachusetts.
Four performances are planned during the tour, and each is free and open to the public:

• March 10, 6:30 p.m. Bethany Covenant Church, Berlin, Conn.
• March 11, 11:15 a.m. (during worship), Trinity Church, Boston
• March 11, 6 p.m., Bethany Covenant Church, Bedford, N.H.
• March 12, 7:30 p.m., The Covenant Church of Quincy, Quincy, Mass.

Concerts will include traditional and lesser-known choral repertoire, and will highlight some contemporary Chicago-area composers and arrangers, said Dr. Julia Davids, the Stephen J. Hendrickson Endowed Chair of Choral Activities, North Park University School of Music. Concert-goers will hear music from Christian and other perspectives, sung in English, Latin, French, Spanish, and Hebrew, she said.

The tour’s theme is derived from “The Peaceable Kingdom,” a composition written by Randall Thompson, a professor of music who studied and taught at colleges and universities in the eastern United States. “Every student should sing Randall Thompson’s music,” Davids said. “It is great music. I love the whole concept behind his ‘Peaceable Kingdom.’ We’re doing just a couple of the movements from it. I think it holds with the focus of North Park University — that we’re part of a peaceful and knowledgeable co-existence with our urban location, with a diversity of students. We’re a very outward-looking institution. That’s what this program is hoping to showcase.”

A few students will share some of their North Park University experiences with audiences at each performance, Davids said. Among the students in the choir is Peter Palmatier, Quincy, Mass., a freshman majoring in creative writing. “I’m really excited to go back home and see my family and all my friends from my church again,” he said. “It’ll be nice for them to finally hear some of the music that we’ve been singing this year.” Several members of Palmatier’s family have attended the University, he said.

Each concert will conclude with the traditional Swedish hymn, “Children of the Heavenly Father.” Alumni will be invited to sing with the choir, in both Swedish and in English, a tribute to the University’s history, Davids said. The University is affiliated with the Chicago-based ECC, which was formed by Swedish immigrants.

During the tour, Davids and the University Choir and Chamber Singers will lead a workshop March 12 with two high school choirs at Braintree High School, Braintree, Mass. The high school students will learn singing techniques, and work on a specific choral repertoire, she said. North Park students will also share their student experiences with the high school students.

University Choir members will stay with host families throughout the tour. Staff with the University School of Music will accompany the choir and make recruiting visits. Staff with the Office of Alumni Relations will also be present at each concert and host a networking event in Boston March 9 for North Park University alumni.

Aaron Engler sharing the vision for Highrock Northshore, with Drew Hyun & Stephen Sharkey on-deck (click image for entire Facebook Photo Album)

On Saturday Jan 21, Pastors Drew Hyun, Aaron Engler, and Stephen Sharkey signed their church planter Covenant Agreements at the East Coast Conference Board Meeting. The church planters shared the vision and details for their plants, fielded questions, then enjoyed fellowship and lunch together. Each church plant already has Launch Team gathering underway, with “Grand Opening” slated for early-Fall.

Drew Hyun is planting and pastoring Hope Church NYC in Astoria, NY (www.hopechurchnyc.org). Drew served for 10 years at New Life Fellowship in Queens NY under Peter Scazzero, most recently as their Sr. Teaching Pastor/Executive Pastor. They’ve already passed the early Launch Team benchmark of 30 adults, secured a Sunday worship space, and Drew has done significant fundraising (an expectation for every church planter). Their agreement begins Feb 1, 2012.

Both Aaron & Stephen are planting out of the Highrock family of churches in Greater Boston.

Aaron is planting and pastoring Highrock Northshore in Salem, MA (www.highrocknorthshore.org), with Highrock Arlington serving as “Parent” with both funding and Launch Team members. They’ve already held several vision-casting meetings and Launch Team gatherings, surpassing their early benchmarks. Their agreement begins Feb 1, 2012.

Stephen is planting and pastoring Highrock Quincy in Quincy, MA (www.highrockquincy.org), with both Highrock Arlington and Highrock Brookline serving as “Partners” with both funding and Launch Team members. They’ve already held several vision-casting meetings and Launch Team gatherings, and will soon pass their early benchmarks well ahead of schedule. Their agreement begins May 1, 2012

Please pray for these church planting pastors, their families, and these unique and growing congregations as they powerfully share the Gospel of Jesus right where God has called them!

Click here to download the Superintendents letter to Conference Churches for 2012.

Our  prayer  for  your  congregation  in  2012,  and  for  our  entire  conference  of  churches,  is  that  we  would  advance in bold witness in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Kingdom of God and teach about the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with all  boldness  and  without  hindrance. – Howard Burgoyne

 

JOIN the East Coast Conference Women’s Ministry at Christ Covenant Church

2200 Mainland Rd., Harleysville, PA19438

Saturday, January 21, 2012 from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Registration fee: $50.00 (refreshments and lunch included) You must pre-register in order to assure enough training materials. Email Susan Falcetta to get more information: sfalcetta@trinitycovenantchurch.org

How can this training help me?

• It will equip you to come alongside a victim of Domestic Violence or Childhood Sexual Abuse with understanding and support
• It will inform you about the issues in Domestic and Childhood Sexual Abuse
• It will provide you with contextual understanding of the Scriptures that can be misunderstood in dealing with DV or CSA
• It will acquaint you with the issues pertaining to DV and CSA–some sensitive and delicate

The training will be conducted by Colleen Cox, trained and commissioned AVA Regional Coordinator for the East Coast Conference. Colleen has been a social worker for more than 20 years and has focused her attentions on serving oppressed populations. She is a certified Sexual Abuse counselor, certified Domestic Violence counselor, certified Child Welfare caseworker, and certified Child Welfare supervisor.

AVA (Advocacy for Victims of Abuse) is a ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church. The East Coast Conference provides a training experience open to lay persons, clergy, church staff, professionals and volunteers in helping professions, Stephen Ministers or anyone desiring to learn more about how to help those affected by Domestic Violence and Childhood Sexual Abuse–two issues deeply impacting the Church today.

JOIN US at Bethany Covenant Church, 785 Mill St. Berlin, CT 06037
Saturday, October 22, from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Registration fee: $50.00 (materials, refreshments and lunch included)

How can this training help me?

• It will equip you to come alongside a victim of Domestic Violence or Childhood Sexual Abuse with understanding and support
• It will inform you about the issues in Domestic and Childhood Sexual Abuse
• It will provide you with contextual understanding of the Scriptures that can be misunderstood in dealing with DV or CSA
• It will acquaint you with the issues pertaining to DV and CSA–some sensitive and delicate

The training will be conducted by Colleen Cox, trained and commissioned AVA Regional Coordinator for the East Coast Conference. Colleen has been a social worker for more than 20 years, and has focused her attentions on serving oppressed populations. She is a certified Sexual Abuse counselor, certified Domestic Violence counselor, certified Child Welfare caseworker, and certified Child Welfare supervisor.
More about A.V.A.

The AVA (Advocates for Victims of Abuse) initiative was launched in 2004 by the Department of Women Ministries, as a call to action for the crises occurring in our churches. AVA works by training folks in your churches who can mentor and guide victims who seek help for these devastating issues.

About Domestic Violence and Childhood Sexual Abuse


There is an epidemic affecting one out of every four women and one in six men. They suffer behind closed doors, most often concealing their pain, fearful of those on both sides of the door. These are the victims of abuse. They are neighbors, co-workers, friends, and loved ones. Victims of abuse come from all walks of life, and this epidemic knows no boundaries. While the secular world can offer protection and advice, it cannot provide the one thing most needed: Jesus’s healing touch that brings renewal and hope.

Therefore, the church must respond to abuse as a matter of justice and righteousness. The church has been called by Christ to serve as his body, to care for those who are marginalized and oppressed, to bring about hope and healing to broken lives and broken relationships, and to speak boldly against the injustice of violence against women, children, and men while working to heal its effects. The church is also called to minister to all individuals whose lives are broken by sin, including the perpetrators of injustice, by calling them to repentance and guiding them to work toward the restoration of their victims. 

Note: For those who have been personally affected by the experience of Domestic Violence and/or Childhood Sexual Abuse, this training could potentially trigger difficult emotions. 


The link for accessing the event registration is: http://ava2011.eventbrite.com