East Coast Conference Announces New P/T Consultant for Discipleship & Leadership

As we continue to navigate towards the future God has in store for us as a Conference of churches, we are advancing along a strategic tack marked by eight advancing priorities. These outline the mission priorities of the East Coast Conference as we look towards 2025:

  • Mobilize church planting
  • Organize regional networks
  • Vitalize congregations
  • Equip leaders
  • Make disciples
  • Engage justice for the poor
  • Nurture Covenant identity
  • Tell the story of Jesus

Two of those priorities are to equip leaders and make disciples. As a servant to our congregations and mission agencies we have long had a call to assist in these kingdom initiatives. The foundation of a spiritual movement is the quality and urgency of its discipleship. The ceiling of a spiritual movement is the quality and capacity of its leadership. In both regards I hear the voice of Jesus: It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters.” (Matt. 10:25).

 To help us plot the territory and strategy for advancing our discipling and leadership ministries, the East Coast Conference has engaged Rev. Barbara Ettinger to serve on a part time contract basis this fall (one day per week on average) to research and outline strategic approaches that can lay the groundwork for this conference-wide vision in discipling and leadership. Barbara serves full time on the national staff of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship where she manages theological formation strategies for ministry staff across the country. Prior to this national role Barbara served as Area Director for IVCF in planting and growing campus ministries across southern New England. She is an ordained ECC pastor, member of the congregation and governance board at Trinity Covenant Church, Manchester, CT, and a gifted thinker, teacher, and preacher. Barbara and her husband Jeff make their home in Vernon, CT. They have two grown sons.

I believe that every problem and opportunity the church faces has a solution that involves how we imagine and implement discipleship and leadership. Every problem. Every opportunity. Please join me in welcoming Barbara to our team in this part time consulting role. Look forward to hearing from us as we advance towards the 2017 Annual Meeting with the unfolding of strategies and resources to equip and encourage you and your ministries to make and deepen disciples and to equip leaders for kingdom impact and advancement.

Please take a moment to welcome Barbara with a note of greetings at: rev.barbara.ettinger@gmail.com.