SUMMER 2016
THE
EAST COAST COVENANTER
A TRIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE EAST COAST CONFERENCE OF THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Pentecost
THE PRACTICE OF HOWARD K. BURGOYNE
SUPERINTENDENT, EAST COAST CONFERENCE
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Paul’s counsel to his young protege, Timothy is our focus for this coming year, found in 2 Tim. 1:6-7. In the midst of affirming Timothy’s third generation faith, the spiritual influence of women in his household, and his own deep intercession and gratitude to God for this half Greek/half Jew disciple, Paul urges Timothy with words still instructive for us today. “Fan into flame the gift of God given to you...for the Spirit God has given us does not leave us timid, but with power, love, and self-discipline”. In the midst of celebrating God’s sovereign stealth, Paul admonishes Timothy - and us - to take up our part in the partnership of the Gospel of grace. We have a task that God will not undertake for us; we must tease out what God has placed into us by grace through faith. This salvation we receive by grace is all of God, and yet it is a partnership we collaborate in. We do not earn it, yet we work it. It is a gift, and yet the gift brings with it requirements that befall us. Timothy, in his becoming a disciple of Jesus through Paul, had come to know Christ Jesus. Jesus, by His Spirit, gave Timothy a gracious gift or gifts - divine ability to bless others in tangible ways that conveyed
the presence, power, and love of Christ. It was, most probably, an endowment that enabled Timothy to speak up, and speak out with spiritual authority. It gave Timothy a prophetic and pastoral ministry. Used faithfully in Ephesus, it built up the body of Christ - and resulted in hardship and persecution for Timothy. His own timidity tempted him to stifle the gift of God, to avoid standing up, speaking out and confronting dark injustice. Paul knew that if Timothy did not overcome this tendency he would be jeopardizing the Church to save his own skin. He would become a denier of Christ rather than a disciple. And so he urged him to “fan into flame the gift of God”. Each of us, if we are followers of Christ, must do the same, again and again, with each gift and grace we have been given. The Spirit God has given us, the Spirit of Jesus himself, calls us to participate actively in cultivating and maximizing the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. We must, each day, kindle to fresh expression the power, love and self-discipline that comes with our gifts. All spiritual gifts are designed to advance God’s Kingdom - to bear witness to Christ, to build up His Body,
My prayer in these coming weeks of a hot and sultry summer is that all of our congregations and ministries God would “turn on the fan!” igniting a fresh flame of holy love, of transforming power, of liberating self-discipline that will reanimate the embers of a smoldering resolve into a united inferno of devotion. Let us be disciples who make disciples, leaders who equip followers, and prophets who confront dark injustice under the uncompromising banner “Jesus is Lord!”
On the move,
Have a question for Howard? Email him at howard@eastcoastconf.org
IN THIS ISSUE: From the Superintendent: “The Practice of Pentecost for Believers Scott Lee: New Executive DIrector, Pilgrim Pines An Inspired Annual Meeting: Recap Church Planting Update & Map issuu.com/eastcoastcovenanter
to equip the Saints for work in God’s service. Not all gifts are leadership gifts; but all gifts are designed to qualify us to serve one another. All gifts call us forth into various ministries that demonstrate the Gospel in deed and in word. Every true believer is gifted, every true follower is called, and every true disciple is exhorted to fan into flame the gifts of grace that cultivate Christ’s power, love and self-discipline. What will your life, your church, and the entire conference be when we have all taken Paul’s counsel to heart in 2016?
1 -2 2 3 4
Church Planting Vignettes 4-5 Vitality Pathway Stories 6-7 Gathering Together: New City Gathering Recap 8 Transitions 8
facebook.com/eastcoastconf
EAST COAST CONFERENCE 52 Missionary Road Cromwell, CT 06416 860.635.2691
Visit our newly redesigned website: www.eastcoastconf.org
1
Scott Lee: New Director of Pilgrim Pines Pilgrim Pines announced the selection of Scott Lee as its new executive director, starting July 8, filling the vacancy created by Dave Cairns’ departure in July of 2015 to take over the leadership of Covenant Pines Bible Camp in McGregor, MN. Coming from the insurance industry, Lee brings with him extensive experience in executive leadership and risk management. He is a lifelong member of the Covenant Church, Jamaica Plain, MA (Boston). “I am delighted to welcome Scott Lee to serve as Executive Director at Pilgrim Pines,” noted Howard Burgoyne, Superintendent of the East Coast Conference. “Having known Scott personally for over 40 years, first as Squanto campers together, and most recently enriched by serving on the Pines Board together, I am enthusiastic to engage with him in leadership. Scott’s enduring love for Christ, his readiness to answer this call to Christian ministry, his personal knowledge of the Pines community, and his significant management background in a client services industry, will be harnessed to extend and expand this vibrant Christian camping ministry in new ways towards churches, non-profits, and the broader Monadnock regional community. When you hear Scott’s story of how God has led him to apply for this opportunity it brings me deep assurance and joyful conviction that this is clearly God’s hand at work.” “Scott has a strong background in executive leadership and has historical ties to the Pines and it’s operations,” noted Courtney Crowder, Pilgrim Pines Chair. “This expertise, combined with a sense of call and purpose for the next era of camp ministry at the Pines, made him a compelling candidate.” Added Pastor Scott Jones, chair of the Pilgrim Pines search committee, “We were very pleased with the quality of candidates who responded to our nation-wide search for an executive director, but Scott Lee’s resume stood out from the beginning.
2
It was a great joy to hear about Scott’s sense of call to ministry in general and to the Pines, in particular. There is much about Scott’s work experience, leadership gifts and faith journey that made him a terrific match for this position. His extensive history and success in the insurance industry, coupled with his lifelong relationship with and love for the Pines will serve the ministries of the Pines well for years to come.” As he prepares for this new chapter in his life, Lee noted an excitement for what lies ahead. “I am most looking forward to connecting and interfacing with our stakeholders (campers, retreaters, renters, donors, volunteers, staff, ECC Churches, Board of Directors),” he noted. “I want to hear as many ‘Pilgrim Pines stories’ as possible, and want to understand how and why Pilgrim Pines became significant in their lives. I want to understand what is most important to them as we head into the future. I want their voices heard. I want their feedback and priorities considered as we plan strategically. I look forward to this part of my journey very much!” Lee notes that his deep love for Pilgrim Pines is what drew him to the position. “I have been close to its ministry for nearly 50 years, and have had the recent privilege of serving on its Board of Directors, three years as President. As a result, I felt uniquely acquainted with the ministry platform, its strengths, its needs and its challenges. On an objective level, my candidacy appeared viable. However, as I looked past the objective aspects of my candidacy, I soon realized that I was responding to a sense of calling. After months of prayerful discernment, I elected to make myself available in the event God was, in fact, considering me in His plans for Pilgrim Pines.” Pray for Scott Lee as he transitions in July with his wife Allyson, and daughters Jessica and Kirstin.
AN
Inspired
ANNUAL MEETING IN
The 126th Annual Meeting of the East Coast Conference convened last month, April 28-30, 2016, at New York Covenant Church in New Rochelle, NY. The Annual Meeting theme was “IGNITE: Fan into Flame the Gift of God.” Welcomed by our warm and gracious hosts at New York Covenant Church, attendees were passionately and masterfully led into worship by Diedre Jenkins and the NYCC Worship Team, including the new Chairman of the East Coast Conference Executive Board, and Founder & Senior Pastor of NYCC, Rev. Dr. David Holder. The NYCC Dance Ministry blessed us with their worshipful and inspired interpretation of “Amazing.” Rev. Dr. Michael Carrion, Founder & Senior Pastor of Promised Land Covenant Church (Bronx, NY) delivered the exposition of the word from 2 Tim 1:3-12. He delivered a fiery and impassioned message to help us and challenge us to fan to flame the gift of God! In his tenth annual report, Superintendent Howard Burgoyne focuses on the counsel of Paul to young Timothy, his disciple and fledgling pastor, found in 2 Tim 1:6-7: “For this reason, I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and selfdiscipline.” ~ 2 Tim 1:6-7 (NIV)
NEW ROCHELLE, NY Church Attendance: Church attendance continues to grow long term, especially with planting of new congregations bearing directly on this outcome. Overall attendance has grown from 10,906 in 2014 to 11,691 in 2015, reflecting a healthy 5.5% increase. Financial Reports: Giving from our church grew in 2016 by $39K (+7.25%) to a record high of over $580K, which represents approximately 2.9% of reported contributions income of our churches. As the Conference continues grow, with a sustained commitment to plant six churches per year, an operational goal is to see every church giving monthly on a percentage basis, and to grow the average to 4% (we ask for 5%, and the ECC asks for 10%) in order to increase our staff and support coverage across the region keeping with our 25:1 target ratio of churches to conference field staff. Churches Closing: In July 2015, Valley Covenant Church of Montclair, New Jersey was sold to a family intending to repurpose the facilities for residency and a music school. Just as the Conference supports churches to in their starting and strengthening, we stand with, support, and resource churches that are coming to their last lap of their race and help them pass the baton to new generations.
His prayer for our Conference churches, leaders and people this year is for “the Lord to drain us of debilitating timidity and doublemindedness in exchange for the supernatural power of single-minded boldness, whole-hearted love, and self-disciplined service to one another.”
3
Church Planting U P D AT E & V I G N E T T E S
Disciples NYC (Ezra Sohn: Queens, NY)
Hartford City Covenant Church (Phil Beatty: Hartford, CT)
Hope Covenant Church of Long Island (Fin Varughese: Mineola, NY)
Table Covenant Church (Michael Han: Fairfax, VA)
Center Church (Stephen Poore: Richmond, VA)
Sanctuary North
Our first three church plants of 2016 continue to demonstrate the faithfulness and fruitfulness of our East Coast Conference family of churches. They highlight how blessed we are that God continues to raise up incredibly gifted church planting pastors, that both join and extend our shared mission.
(Rick Jakubowski: Providence, RI)
Still Waters Covenant Church (Kevin Brown: Newport News, VA)
Through your continued prayer and direct support, together we’re reaching a rich diversity of new people in new places with the timeless good news of Jesus!
JASON CONDON | DIRECTOR OF CHURCH PLANTING
CENTER COVENANT CHURCH, RICHMOND, VA
Center Covenant Church is the first Evangelical Covenant church plant in Virginia’s capital city, Richmond. Our mission is to “empower people towards a life-giving journey with Jesus,” and we’re doing just that. In a short amount of time, people are already finding their place by using gifts and talents to bring about a revolution in Richmond. Armed with the Holy-Spirit and lots of high-fives, people are finding that Center Covenant Church is much more than a gathering, it’s a movement of transformation. Noted Pastor Stephen Poore, “My prayer is that Center Church can be a place of hope for our city, that we take seriously our value of being ‘a church every day of the week instead of just one day.’ We want our doors to be open for people to experience transformation. We don’t just want to transform hearts, we want to transform families, we want to transform neighborhoods, we want to transform our city. We recognize that God has given us gifts so that we can gift others. God has called us to be in Richmond, for Richmond. We are ALL IN for Richmond, and we want people to partner with us.”
4
Sanctuary North is the first neighborhood parish of Sanctuary Church, a family of neighborhood churches in Providence, RI. We seek to live out the reality of Jesus in our diverse neighborhood as we serve our community’s needs. Our launch team represents people from many cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are excited to join God in helping this North End of Providence be a place of celebration, reconciliation, and peace that only the love of Jesus can bring.
SANCTUARY CHURCH, PROVIDENCE, RI
We recently had our first preview service where 97 people showed up from the neighborhood. God has also given us opportunities to reach out to the community this summer; we will be leading a week-long camp for neighborhood children, and will host the community’s summer concert series and family nights in our public park. We look forward to seeing how God moves in and through our church to reach the people of Providence
STILL WATERS COVENANT CHURCH, NEWPORT NEWS, VA
Still Waters Covenant Church becomes the fifth Covenant church established in Virginia, alongside Community Covenant Church (Springfield, VA) and three of its surrounding churches being church plants established within the last three years: Dust Covenant Church (Blacksburg, VA), Table Covenant Church (Fairfax, VA), RVA Center Church (Richmond, VA). The MidAtlantic cohort is now one of the fastest growing regions of the East Coast Conference which also includes churches in the Maryland area: Douglas Memorial Community Church (Baltimore, MD), Charm City Covenant Church (Baltimore, MD), and Church of the Redeemer (Bowie, MD).
At the 126th East Coast Conference Annual Meeting, church planter Kevin Brown signed a Covenant Agreement establishing Still Waters Covenant Church in Newport News, Virginia.
Kevin shared that the name of the church is reflective of Psalm 23 where the Good Shepherd leads us “beside still waters.” He continued on to say, “It was both exciting and amazing to me that after 125 years of ECC meetings, we are the 92nd church to become part of the East Coast Conference. I was sure 125 years ago, the founders could not have envisioned me or how the denomination would become so diverse. Looking back a century and a quarter, I can appreciate their struggles and challenges to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit toward a more biblical picture of the Church. Their faithfulness to stay the course continues to bear fruit today. The whole experience made me feel honored and blessed.” 5
COMMUNITY COVENANT CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, VA
MISSION COVENANT CHURCH, ORANGE, MA
The story of how our church, Community Covenant Church in Springfield, Virginia, partnered to plant a new church is as straightforward as it is surprising. Our congregation was gathered for a prayerful and Spirit-led “balcony” conversation two years ago about next steps in the congregational vitality process when one of our members, Mike Han, stood up and shared his heart about second-generation immigrants. Many were falling through the cracks at their local churches.
By the time of our entrance into the Vitality Pathway at Mission Covenant Church, the congregation had moved from being at risk of closing to being stable and growing a bit. The notion of busting through stability to become a church this is both healthy and missional had not yet occurred to most of us.
With Community Covenant’s blessing, Mike, who had done previous pastoral work, gathered a small group for a Bible study. Over the next year and a half, this group transitioned to a church plant core team and, finally, a full-fledged church plant. Our church gave sacrificially, hosting fundraisers and navigating difficult tax questions, but much of the support was more simple - like lending tables or opening up meeting space. The new core team worshiped with our congregation once a month for about a year, and we continue to gather regularly for other events, which was a tremendous blessing for both congregations.
By the time we undertook this pathway, I was in my late sixties, and the big transition plan was to keep me going somehow as long as possible. Maybe not the best plan.
The new church plant, Table Covenant Church, now meets in a movie theater about 15 minutes away and is growing as a body. It is important to understand that our congregation is not impressive in many typical measurements: our building is small, our numbers are few and our budget is tight. That said, we have been intentionally growing in those measurements which matter: trusting in Christ and being sensitive to the Spirit. What an adventure to be a part of the Spirit moving in power to do something new in our midst! RYAN & DEVYN CHAMBERS JOHNSON, CO-PASTORS
COMMUNITY COVENANT CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, VA
6
Vitality
PATHWAY STORIES
The vitality process changed all that. The biggest shift was to turn our attention outward. Our town is poor, and most of the once larger churches are near closing. We used to be a smaller, more personal alternative; we came to understand that we have to become a church for the city. This journey also revealed what a resource the Evangelical Covenant Church is for us. We now have a clear purpose, a new structure, and a good planning process. The Vitality experience has trained many new leaders. The search for the next pastor is underway, so that no momentum need be lost at my retirement. God has used this to return the juice to Orange! REV JEFF BLACK
MISSION COVENANT CHURCH, ORANGE, MA
THE COVENANT CHURCH OF THOMASTON, THOMASTON, CT I am thankful for the Vitality Pathway at the Covenant Church of Thomaston. We have experienced a movement of the Holy Spirit in numerous ways. Our church has historically been stable and sea worthy, but lately has been docked in the harbor. It is calm there but God has bid us to put out to sea, open the sails and catch the wind. To be on this course has required hard work, taking up the anchor and bearing some painful reality. I have both loved and hated this experience. I love the process, the events, the unity building and working together and agreeing change must happen or we will sink. The hard work began as we received the results from PULSE. There was much to celebrate; but also a tough love reality check we needed to face. Our vessel was at a “critical moment�; this was how we saw ourselves. The fear I had was that some would jump ship, or maybe it was best I leave? And how will we possibly determine next steps? Then, some needed dry dock conversations began. We focused more on our incredible potential and how we are ready for change.
I knew this would be a risky venture, but we now see the travail has paid off. As we invited Kreig Gammelgard to come alongside us, we began to experience positive changes in worship, outreach, attendance and discipleship. To right the ship, God gave us direction, and a vision of what awaits us on the high seas. The time spent in dry dock was worth it! God brought areas of concern into our sights; he helped align us and our vessel to catch the wind of the spirit. Our sails had been luffing, and now are beginning to catch the fresh wind of the Spirit. To God be the glory! PASTOR TIM OLSEN
THE COVENANT CHURCH OF THOMASTON, THOMASTON, CT
Correction
In the last Mission + Ministry publication, Nancy Ebner was erroneously left off. Congratulations on her 10 year Ordination Anniversary!
7
Gathering Together
NEW CIT Y GATHERING: A REC AP
On May 17-19, 2016, over 170 people convened for the firstever New City Gathering (www.newcitygathering.org), in New York City on Roosevelt Island at the historic Chapel of the Good Shepherd. New City Gathering was birthed out of a vision to connect, resource, and train urban church planters/pastors in global cities. This gathering was hosted by the New City Network (www. newcitynetwork.org), a network of urban churches that is marked by five values:
Highrock Church Network (Greater Boston) and Andrew Mook from Sanctuary Church Network (Providence, RI). Over three days, New City Gathering provided a wonderful time of worship and connecting with church planters and pastors from various backgrounds and denominations. Aside from the sessions, I was personally thrilled by our times of prayer together, affording pastors and church planters to pray for --and to be prayed for-- in the midst of the inevitable stresses that come with church planting. I am so grateful for the tireless support of the East Coast Conference, Covenant Church Planting, and Howard Burgoyne and Jason Condon in making this gathering - and this growing network - possible.
1 Urban 2 Multi-Ethnic 3 Spirit-Filled 4 Emotional Health 5 Missional Practice
PASTOR DREW HYUN
Hope Church NYC (www.hopechurchnyc.org) is one of the founding churches of this growing network. The gathering was well attended by the East Coast Conference, with about a third of the official speakers being ECC church planters, coaches, and mentors. ECC Church Planting Network Point Leaders were also in attendance and presented, including Dave Swaim from the
Transitions
FOUNDING PASTOR, HOPE CHURCH NYC
COMINGS & GOINGS WITHIN THE CONFERENCE
Sarah Cowan Johnson from IVCF to Providence, RI (Executive Pastor) - August 1, 2016 Christopher Logan from Omaha, NE (W orship) to Berlin, CT (Worship) - July 1, 2016 Scott W. Lee to Pilgrim Pines Conference Center (Executive Director) - July 1, 2016 Richard Cudmore to CVOC, Cromwell, CT (Associate Chaplain) - June 15, 2016 Debra Gustafson from Halifax, VA (Interim) - June 5, 2016 Kevin Brown to Newport News, VA (Church Planter) - June 2016 Ryan Yi from Quincy, MA (Highrock - Associate) - June 1, 2016 Mark Nilson Worcester, MA from Interim to Pastor - April 24, 2016 Ric Wild from Riverside, RI (staff) to Hope & Main (non-profit) - April 17, 2016 Douglas Cederberg to United Church of Christ, New Bedford, MA, Pastor - April 2016 Richard Jakubowski from Providence, RI (staff) to N. Providence, RI (Church Planter) - March 1, 2016
EAST COAST CONFERENCE
8
52 Missionary Road, Cromwell, CT 06416 (860) 635-2691 FAX: (860) 398-5071 www.eastcoastconf.org
SUPERINTENDENT:
Howard K. Burgoyne
DIR. OF CHURCH PLANTING:
Jason Condon
DIR. OF CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY:
Kreig Gammelgard
THE EAST COAST
COVENANTER Paul W. Kahn
EDITOR / GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT / WRITER
Sandi Lee
EDITOR / WRITER
Howard Burgoyne PUBLISHER
www.issuu.com/eastcoastcovenanter
OFFICE MANAGER:
Sandi Lee
FINANCE MANAGER:
Robin Jones