The East Coast Conference is sailing toward a bold 2020 vision

YORK, PA (May 6, 2009) – At the 119^th Annual Meeting the East Coast Conference (ww.eastcoastconf.org) celebrated growing momentum towards a bold 2020 Vision that was cast at last years’ annual meeting.  A year ago the Conference endorsed an eight point vision to expand the Conference through church planting, churches cooperatively planting ministries, church revitalization, and leadership development that integrates both character formation and competency development.

The meetings were co-hosted by St. Paul’s Wolf’s Evangelical Covenant Church and Paradise-Holtzschwamm Covenant Church which are five miles from each other in York, PA. They have the distinction of being the two oldest churches in the ECC – Wolf’s Church, established in 1763, and Paradise-Holtzschwamm in 1765. They are two of five eastern Pennsylvania churches that have affiliated with the Conference and the Covenant in the last few years. Two more churches currently exploring affiliation were guests at the meetings.

 “Momentum is the key word for us this year. We’ve pulled out of the harbor and set our course for adventure. We’ve established our bearings and set our course. God is moving boldly across the Conference! As the wind of the Spirit is blowing we are building momentum in mission. Our challenge now is to navigate, adapt, and thrive as a movement of mission friends,” stated Superintendent Howard Burgoyne in his opening remarks to the delegates.  

The bold response of churches across the conference since then has been signified by increased church giving to the conference that rose 44% since 2007. An upwardly revised budget for 2009 was approved ($1,008,050), raising the budget 16% above the previously approved budget for 2009 (up 11% from ‘08 actual) and approving another 5% increase for 2010 ($1,103,429). It was noted that giving from churches new to the Conference in the last 10 years represented giving of over $130,000 to the Conference in 2008 – representing 22% of church giving.

Both budgets support the planting of 3-4 new churches each year, including the aggressive use of legacy funds funds held by the Conference from churches that have closed. Peter Sung, Associate Superintendent and Director of Church Planting stated, “By God’s grace we’ll plant more churches in the next three years than we’ve planted in the last 30 years.” One part of the Conference vision is to plant over 40 new churches by 2020. Sung announced that he has 24 potential church planters that he is cultivating and evaluating for potential future projects – and the list continues to grow.

Church revitalization continues to grow as one of the top four missional priorities for the Conference. 45 of the 75 churches in the Conference have begun engaging in dialogue about their own renewal of mission and outreach within the last 18 months. To date 7 churches have engaged the services of one of several “Veritas Facilitators” in a growing network of Conference recommended consultants and coaches available to churches. Several pastors have enrolled in the “Ministry Advantage” pastors coaching network as well and have reported that this is proving to be both stretching and helpful to them.

The Ministerial Association met for two days at the Paradise-Holtzschwamm Covenant Church for continuing education, worship, and their annual business meeting. Dr. Boaz Johnson, Chair of the Biblical and Theological Studies Department at North Park University taught on “Justice in the Hebrew Scriptures”. Gary Cook, Director of Church Relations for Bread for the World (www.bread.org) , taught on the Biblical basis of Advocacy for the Poor. Seven candidates for ordination were approved, and presented at the Annual Meeting.  Special guests included Noel and Kyle Bechetti, working with Truth Seekers, a mission and ministry to the lower castes of India.

The Conference meetings began with workshops for about 100 delegates from 42 churches. A picnic dinner was served at Wolf’s Picnic Grove, followed by a worship service led by a cross conference worship team, and included a baptismal renewal and service of Holy Communion. A combined choir from the two host churches sang selections from their just completed spring cantata. Peter Ahn, pastor at Metro Community Church, Fort Lee, NJ shared a testimony of developing a community development ministry in South Africa (www.ZimeleCommunity.org). Dr. John Wenrich, Director of Congregational Vitality for the ECC preached from Mark 4, using the story of the disciples caught on the lake in a storm to address the conference theme, challenging the Conference to grow in both the character and competencies needed to advance the renewal of the Church in the 21^st century. An offering of over $1,200 was received for the Conference’s mission partnership with Covenanters in Koyuk, Alaska.

In the business meeting on Saturday, the delegates also approved a motion celebrating the 130 year ministry of Bethesda Covenant Church in New York City. The church closed in April after a five year process of exploring revitalization.
“Moved, that the 119^th Annual Meeting of the East Coast Conference remember with gratitude to God the pioneer ministry of Bethesda Covenant Church of New York, New York, the first of the “Missions Friends” churches in the Eastern Missionary Association, acknowledging now the fulfillment of her calling and the conclusion of her work, and commending to God the eternal fruit and to the world the precious seed of her spiritual labors for Christ over the years 1879-2009.”

Garth McGrath, pastor of Monadnock Covenant Church, Keene, NH shared a witness of God’s movement in his heart and those of his congregation that led to a generous gift of support for another church in the Conference that is just stepping into their first mortgage. An appeal for $500 led to a free will offering of over $2,000. Moved by his peoples’ generosity, McGrath decided to challenge other churches in the Conference to also consider what they could do to help – resulting in numerous churches reaching out to encourage this growing work.

The delegates brought forward as an offering their churches prayer cards for Bringing My World to Christ. New board members were elected for the Conference Boards, Pilgrim Pines Board, and New England Seafarers Board. Ruth Hill, Executive Minister of Women Ministries represented the ECC, bringing greetings and a report to the delegates.  

Superintendent Burgoyne asked the delegates to return to their churches and discuss the potential to raise the Conference budget even further over the next few years.  He presented a “3-2-5 Challenge” – over the next three years grow to 5% giving from every church to fully underwrite the 2002 Vision initiative. Current church giving to the Conference reflects a 2.5% level of support to the Conference.  Burgoyne challenged the delegates, saying: “To understand my burden, you need to grasp that God has already placed in my heart and mind a vision that calls for your full support. God already knows the amount of money that is under our stewardship –even in this difficult economy. The miracle we need is not that the money would magically appear – it’s already in our pockets and in your churches – the miracle is that we would actually step up together by faith to fully fund the needs of the Covenant and the Conference. Collectively you are asking your people to entrust $18,000,000 to your ministries in 2009. I am asking you to advance in your giving over the next 3 years to invest a full 5% in the mission of the East Coast Conference – knowing that as you do we will plow that precious seed back into you and in ministries on your behalf that will change the world – all across the East Coast Conference.”

Carolyn Larson, Chair of the Conference Board, welcomed motions of gratitude for the warm hospitality of our host churches who were presented with hand blown glass sailboats, reflecting the Conference logo, and signifying that together we are “…on the move” with God. Gratitude was also expressed for board members concluding service to the Conference – Stephen Reedy, Treasurer; Tom McCullough, Church Life/Missions Commission; Sarah Daigle, Hartford District Trustee; James Kim, At-Large Trustee; Bruce Johnson, Board of Human Resources; Dick Anderson, Board of Human Resources. New officers were installed with Scripture and prayer to the various Conference and Agency boards.

The 120^th Annual Meeting of the East Coast Conference will be held on the first weekend of May, 2010 co-hosted by Monadnock Covenant Church, Keene, New Hampshire and Pilgrim Pines Conference Center, Swanzey, New Hampshire.