East Coast Covenanter - OCT 2018

THE

EAST COAST COVENANTER

A TRI ANN UA L P U BLI CAT I O N O F T H E E AS T COAS T CON FE R E N CE OF T HE E VA N G E L ICA L COV ENA NT CH U R CH

FALL 2018

HOWARD K. BURGOYNE

SUPERINTENDENT EAST COAST CONFERENCE

"A GREAT DISTURBANCE..."

From the earliest days of the movement the advancement of the Gospel has been perceived as a great disturbance.

This is particularly true where the claims of Jesus threaten the established social, religious and political powers of the day.

Within the Judaism of Jesus’ day, the Pharisees championed the hope and belief in a general resurrection. The Sadducees, in charge of the Temple, denied the resurrection. This latter group is particularly in view here in Acts 4:2. They were disturbed because the apostles were doing this in their space – in the Temple. Imagine how you would feel if an unauthorized group came into your church and began to teach a doctrine that you considered false!

You too would be “greatly disturbed”!

For the preaching of the Apostles, the proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus, and in him the resurrection of the dead, is at the center of the message. It is first and foremost the staking of a sovereign claim in enemy territory. The religious leaders had

conspired and colluded with the Roman occupiers to put Jesus to death on the cross.

He had been crucified, certified dead, and buried in a sealed and guarded tomb. The politicians of the day, emperor, king, and high priest had poured their draught of anger into Jesus’ cup – a cup he drank to the dregs. Crucified. Dead. Buried. But the bastion of death, where the dungeons of darkness were castled, could not hold him.

The ugliness of Death could not hold the beauty of his Holiness. The Creator word of the created world rose from the dead, sovereign over life, death, and all creation.

He appeared to his disciples and breathed life upon them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit!”

It is in that Spirit of life that the Church goes into the world, announcing in Jesus a message of resurrection, reconciliation, and recreation. It’s not just words! It is an introduction to encounter the Savior – a proclamation and demonstration of the confession: “Jesus is Lord!” The resurrection of Jesus Christ brings the Creators regenesis into history, geography, politics, and every society!

The resurrection introduces the renewal of “all things”, heralding afresh God’s determination to live among His people, and for His people to be reconciled to God and to one another. The resurrection of the dead in Jesus eclipses creation itself in the weight of Christian faith – for it is in the resurrection of Jesus we ultimately see who He is (Eph. 2; Col. 1) and what His Kingdom is purposed to accomplish: resurrection, reconciliation, and recreation. The many miracles, healings, and revelations described in the book of Acts witness to this fact as the Gospel movement advances from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We are still caught up in that movement today! Nothing is happening in the East Coast Conference that can be explained or understood apart from this truth! May the great disturbance continue to march in the face of the powers and principalities that tremble at our proclamation that “Jesus is Lord”!

On the move, in the movement –

Have a question for Howard?

Email him at howard@eastcoastconf.org

From the Superintendent:

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“A Great Disturbance"

Leadership Development in the ECC

ISSUE: issuu.com/eastcoastcovenanter

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Evaluation Must Become Normal 4 & Natural in the Church 2018 Covenant Justice Coalition Preview 5 Church Planting Update 6-7

- Put Me in Coach!

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- At the Pines

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NJ, NY, and MA

- Leadership Look Aheads

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Save the Dates Transitions

 facebook.com/eastcoastconf

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 eastcoastconf.org

EAST COAST CONFERENCE 52 Missionary Road Cromwell, CT 06416 860.635.2691

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE EAST COAST CONFERENCE

Barbara Ettinger

DIRECTOR OF DISCIPLING & LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT

PUT ME IN COACH! The book of Proverbs tells us, “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” (Prov 20:5). That’s all well and good, but how does that drawing out happen? Knowing how to draw out the wisdom and insights of a person’s heart is a skill worth learning. Toward that end, Start and Strengthen Churches hosted a coaching workshop in Chicago for church planters and those who help develop and lead them. Nine East Coast Conference pastors and leaders participated--the largest single team from any of the Conferences in the Covenant.

Featuring the COACH model, the workshop trained participants in powerful leadership skills for solving problems, reaching goals, and developing leaders. COACH is an acronym for the five steps of an effective coaching call: Connect, Outcome, Awareness, Course, and Highlights.

According to COACH model creator and workshop leader Dr. Keith Webb, these five coaching steps help create “an on-going, intentional conversation that empowers a person or group to fully live out God’s calling.”

Participants coached each other in real life scenarios of the coachee’s choosing as we learned the skills and steps involved in the COACH model. Although I was skeptical at first that such a simple approach could lead to insights of any significant depth, I saw over and over again how the model freed the coachee to reflect upon and arrive at new awareness and action steps about a situation, challenge or opportunity.

I came away convinced that this model will help unlock future richness in leadership development for leaders at every level in our Conference congregations, in both church plants and established churches. Look for more in the next months and year on how the COACH model will help catalyze ministry for lay leaders and pastors alike.

AT THE PINES Leadership development around the Conference takes place wherever God’s people set themselves to the task of becoming better skilled and more deeply connected missional leaders of God’s kingdom work. This summer, that meant equipping church leaders, camp staff, and congregants alike by serving as Pastor of the Week at Family Camp at Pilgrim Pines. Women and men from Maine to Virginia attend Family Camp year after year to grow in their faith, reconnect with family and friends, and meet with God in nature. I met grandparents who had come here as young adults who now were bringing their grandchildren.

I also met Covenant families who had invited non Covenant neighbors and family members who now call the Pines “their camp” as well. The outstanding young adult counselors and camp staff keep the camp running under Executive Director Jim Condap’s pastoral eye. These young leaders in the making often choose to work at camp as a part of discerning their future vocation in ministry and service.

Every morning, “Week Five” campers stayed for chapel with me after the children and grandchildren went off to their morning activity. We studied the call of Moses from Exodus 3 and 4. Together, we considered the Lessons From the Wilderness that God teaches us when he draws us to himself for the purpose of shaping our faith and our lives in order to send us out on mission.

One particularly meaningful early morning, I also was invited to bring a devotional for the camp staff. These young leaders ranging in age from 18 to 25 run everything from the camp store to children’s programs, and everything in between. Together, we dug in quickly to Romans 12:9-13 and explored the commands to us as servant leaders to honor one another above ourselves, practice hospitality, and keep our spiritual fervor in serving the Lord.

Pilgrim Pines provides a beautiful setting for spiritual growth and development.

From the youngest camp staffer to the most senior grandparent season-siter, we all are called to serve God and other people as we spread the aroma of Christ wherever the Spirit sends us.

More than two dozen leaders and church planters from across the Covenant convened in Chicago for a COACH training workshop that will help cultivate and advance leadership development in the planting world.

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LEADERSHIP LOOK AHEADS Pipeline Conference October 9-11, 2018 Kreig Gammelgard and I will host six conference pastors at the Pipeline Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN. Three planting pastors and three established church pastors (also equally represented women and men) will immerse themselves in learning how to develop recruitment pipelines for volunteer leadership.

Our Conference pastors will leave with practical tools that they can utilize in daily development of themselves and their teams.

These pastors will offer a workshop at the Conference Annual Meeting next April to train delegates in what they have learned.

Leadership Round Table Oct-Dec 2018 The latest research on clergy wellbeing demonstrates that opportunities to connect with their peers and to sharpen their skills contribute in positive ways to clergy flourishing. The Leadership Round Table here in the Conference invites pastors at every level of leadership to learn and grow—as together, they read and discuss a dynamic book in community. This fall, I will gather pastors via Zoom video conferencing to read and discuss Gordon T. Smith’s book, Evangelical Sacramental & Pentecostal: Why the Church Should Be All Three.

Cultivating Generosity; Catalyzing Potential Oct 2018 - Mar 2019 The world has changed, and these shifts are influencing how and why Christians give. Old models, assumptions, and expectations about how to nurture generosity have diminished impact and new forms have emerged. It is not that people aren’t giving; it is that Christians are giving differently.

Conference church planters Aaron Engler (Highrock Northshore) and Amanda Sadlier (Roosevelt Island) engage in “speed coaching” of real life scenarios while learning the COACH model.

A competitively-selected cohort of congregations from the East Coast Conference will engage in a pilot test run of the first-ever congregational generosity cohort experience. Together, this group of four churches, one planting network, and one Conference agency will examine changing dynamics, explore what this means for the local church, and identify how to adapt in order to cultivate generosity and catalyze potential in the local context. In partnership with the prestigious Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and the Covenant’s Financial Leadership Initiative, the East Coast Conference offers this pilot opportunity for a test group of congregations in the Conference. Together, we will test the principles, structure, and concepts of this pilot cohort experience and learn to evaluate and apply its lessons in our churches and agencies around the conference.

Covenant Orientation Breakfast Connection at MidWinter January, 2019.

Emerging leaders in the Conference who are pursuing credentialing as Covenant pastors will join me for breakfast and conversation before heading off to their Covenant Orientation courses at MidWinter 2019. Providing connection with each other and with their conference staff team lays a good foundation for nurturing Covenant identity and equipping emerging leaders. If you know a pastor who will be taking a Covenant Orientation class at MidWinter in January, remind her or him to join the CO Breakfast Connection!

Pastor of the Week at Pilgrim Pines

With Rev. Peter Nielsen at Evangelical Covenant Church (East Northport, NY)

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“ E VALUATION MUST BECOME NORMAL & NATURAL IN THE CHURCH! Kreig Gammelgard

DIRECTOR OF CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT

As you prepare for the final quarter of the year and set new goals and/or recommit yourselves to healthy and missional movement as a church, let me encourage you to embrace one thing that will make the biggest difference in the trajectory of your churchEVALUATION! I recently read that true wisdom is in great questions, not great answers. I believe that with good questions good answers can come, and good answers can move us in a healthy missional direction, where we are pursuing Christ and pursuing his priorities in the world.

As you can see in this edition of the Covenanter, many East Coast church leaders (pastors and lay leaders) gathered together to learn “The Seven Systems of a Healthy Church”. This twoday workshop was led by Alex Rahill, acting Interim Executive Minister of Start and Strengthen Churches, and Director of Church Planting for the Covenant.

A few days after the event, I sent out a brief evaluation form to be filled out by those who attended. Every person expressed their appreciation for such a valuable resource for their churches, and many articulated the incredible (and immediate) impact this learning will make in their churches. The reason? Because they were encouraged to make evaluation the “normal and natural” way to move from where they are towards where God wants them to go. In short, we only improve when we evaluate. We only change, correct our course, or move to improve when we take the time to ask important questions!

Here are the questions associated with each of the “systems” that churches employ as they seek to improve in fulfilling Christ’s purposes and priorities as a church: 1. The Outreach (Evangelism) System Q: “ How do we (normally and naturally) attract people

to our church and invite them into a relationship with Christ?”

2. The Sunday Service System Q: “ How do we (normally and naturally) plan,

implement and evaluate the weekend service(s) at our church”

3. The Connections System Q: “ How do we (normally and naturally) help people

move from first time guests to connected members at our church?”

4. The Small Groups (Discipleship / Formation) System Q: “ How do we (normally and naturally) move people

into small groups at our church in order to grow & become like Christ?”

5. The Ministry/Mission System Q: “ How do we (normally and naturally) equip &

Testimony

REV. TOM COWGER

empower people for significant ministry at our church?”

PASTOR, HADDAM NECK COVENANT CHURCH

The 7 Systems of a Healthy Church training was the single most effective training I've participated in, over thirty

6. The Stewardship System Q: “ How do we (normally and naturally) develop

generous givers at our church?”

years of ministry. It was very helpful to have a member of our Church Council participate with me. The questions associated with each system, focused our evaluation, encouraged action steps and ways to monitor future progress. We chose the Outreach system and recognized we needed to focus on next step connections and develop a church calendar year plan. We started implementation the day we returned.

Sharing the training with our Council will help us evaluate our overall ministry and give healthy missional direction pursuing Christ and his purposes.

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7. The Leadership System Q: “ How we normally and naturally) develop leaders at

all levels at our church?”

For what it is worth, I’d like to offer these additional eleven questions that will help your church ‘move the needle forward’ in the months ahead.

Perhaps these can be incorporated into your monthly Council meetings or weekly staff meetings:

1: Are we crystal clear on our mission as a church?

2: Are we operating under a sense of urgency/

intentionality about our mission as a church?

"The Seven Systems of a Healthy Church" workshop with Alex Rahill (Swanzey, NH)

3: How is the Holy Spirit moving in and around us and leading us at this time?

4: Are we willing to do anything and everything the Spirit is calling us to?

5: Are we currently more inwardly or outwardly focused in our ministries?

6: What is the urgent burden on our collective hearts for our community?

7: Which of the 7 Systems of a Healthy Church (see Q’s

Essential to the ministry planning process is evaluation and Discernment (Baltimore, MD)

above) should we be paying attention to at this time?

8: Are we practicing what we preach?

9: What are we praying about that we believe only God could do?

10: What have we risked lately? Are we currently being called to take a risk for the sake of His Kingdoms advancement?

11: What is one thing we could improve on in our ministry in the next month?

Begin with adding one of more of these questions to your monthly meetings… and then add questions that would be most important to you. If you have additional thoughts or would like further information on the transformative power of good questions, including information on the 7 Systems, contact me at kreig@eastcoastconf.org.

Z O OM V I DE O C ON F E R E N C E

"Dream Again" workshop focusing on ministry planning at Douglas Memorial Church (Baltimore, MD)

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2018 COVENANT JUSTICE COALITION CONFERENCE PREVIEW Rev. Dierdra Clark NEW YORK COVENANT CHURCH (NEW ROCHELLE, NY)

Every October the Covenant Justice Coalition sponsors our annual conference where our churches and leaders come together to be equipped with new resources and tools to go out and pursue biblical justice contextually in their own communities. The speakers and panelists we have had over the years include Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. James Cone, Dr. Obery Hendricks, Rev. Raymond Rivera and Dr. Ron Sider, just to name a few.

2018 marks New York Covenant’s 4th year convening around the issues of biblical justice.

A couple of years ago we changed our name to Covenant Justice Coalition to recognize the hope that all the churches in the East Coast Conference could be mobilized to spread the Gospel and God’s passion for justice. To that end, in 2017 Coalition members came together and created the Jesus Platform, a set of statements that reflect the biblical justice work we will do together.

JESUS’ SOCIO-POLITICAL PLATFORM Jeremiah 22:1-9

We are called to be exemplary in policy and practice to serve the poor, the marginalized and the at risk as an example and influence of how society is to function best in the world.

The Gospel mandates not only that we serve individuals, but that we influence structures that shape the social norms and sensitivities towards goodness — because of being Godcentered in reverence.

Mark 11:12-21

We seek to deconstruct any system that exploits the poor.

Mark 1:40-45

We honor the biblical expectation that we be angry at a system that doesn’t seek to heal the sick.

Matthew 5:38-41

We respond to an oppressive act against our humanity with a non-violent act of selfdetermination that exposes evil’s intent.

John 12:12-19

We follow Christ not empire.

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Mark 5:1-17

We preferentially serve persons and groups who are sick, poor, marginalized, and outcasts, and we work to dismantle any structures that bar access to healing.

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John 6:1-15

We both feed the hungry and hold the system accountable to do the same.

Matthew 6:1-15

We are called to both give generously and extend forgiveness to those who economically exploit the poor.

Isaiah 58:1-14

We repent of self-centered ways of worshipping God and interpreting Scripture, and we call out evil wherever we see it.

Matthew 20:1-16

We advocate for the fair wages for the working poor.

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OUR MOST RECENT CHURCH PLANTS

Lamentations 3:19-36

We stand up for those in exile and protest policies and laws that ignore or mistreat any displaced person.

Luke 10:25-37

We advocate for laws and policies which create safes spaces, reparations and restoration for the harmed.

This fall (Oct 19-20, 2018), we will turn to “Creating Strategic Alliances: Building the 21st Century Biblical Coalition.” The Jesus Platform helped to bring the Coalition together so that we could understand our common and shared vision regarding the biblical text. This year, the Coalition will focus on strategic alliances and working together in networks and triads to push us further as we ignite and encourage ministries that focus on biblical justice. Like last year, this year’s conference will include interactive workshops as well as panel discussions on successful strategic alliances. In addition, through the Coalition’s work with Dr. Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom there will be an update on funding opportunities available to church triads.

We are hoping to see more churches attend the Covenant Justice Coalition Conference this year as we continue to engage in the message of biblical justice and the redemptive, reconciling work of the Church.

1 ECCLESIA COVENANT CHURCH - Ian Graham  Pennington, NJ ecclesianj.com (Oct 2018)

2 CHURCH OF THE HEIGHTS / IGLESIA DEL ALTO MANHATTAN

- Omar Lilly  Washington Heights, Manhattan, NY, NY  churchoftheheights.com (Nov 2018)

3 HIGHROCK COVENANT CHURCH - MALDEN - Edwin Menon  Malden, MA  highrockmalden.org (July 2018)

4 HIGHROCK COVENANT CHURCH - SOUTHWEST BOSTON - Andy Ober  Hyde Park, MA  highrockswboston.org (July 2018)

5 HIGHROCK COVENANT CHURCH - HAVERHILL - Matt Webel  Haverhill, MA  highrockhaverhill.org (Oct 2018)

CHURCH PLANTING UPDATE Jason Condon DIRECTOR OF CHURCH PLANTING ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT

ECCLESIA Ecclesia is trying to live out a beautiful picture of the love of Jesus. Together, we are pursuing the fullness that Jesus offers for the sake of our community: peace, justice, purpose, and unity. We want to tell the Jesus story in such a way that people encounter the Gospel in all of its largeness, seeing how it truly impacts every single aspect of life.

Pastor Ian Graham of Ecclesia Covenant Church

CHURCH OF THE HEIGHTS Our vision is to join God in the renewal of all things, seeing New Yorkers transformed into passionately engaged followers of Jesus. For us, this means seeking the good of our neighborhood by speaking and living the Gospel as an authentic community of faith. We engage our neighborhood with a posture of active listening, celebrating its beauty and diversity, as we learn from the reflections of God's common grace within it. At the same time, we call out and challenge the injustices and idols of our community as we actively pursue its renewal through the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ and live out its calling to acts of justice and compassion.

Jason Condon with Pastor Omar Lilly and wife Luz (Church of the Heights)

HIGHROCK SOUTHWEST BOSTON Highrock Southwhest Boston has been gearing up for their launch on October 14. This summer they've been hosting preview services as well as team meetings, a service project and outreaches for local residents. One recent gathering they hosted was a Labor Day picnic in Roslindale. There were many new faces and even a local reporter, who wrote about the church in The Bulletin, a local Boston paper. Launch Service: Oct 14, 10AM New Mission High School

Labor Day Picnic in Roslindale for Highrock SW Boston

HIGHROCK HAVERHILL Highrock Haverhill is gathering momentum as we head towards soft launch. Our team includes ministry leaders, a gifted staff team, and 20 children under the age of 13! In recent months, four families have answered God’s call to see their homes and move into the Haverhill area, giving us a stronger presence in a community that is the furthest geographically and culturally from the rest of the Highrock Network. We’re currently alternating Sunday worship services with seminars that afford local non-profits the chance share how they’re already serving the city as we explore ways to join God’s work already in progress.

Highrock Haverhill Commissioning Service

HIGHROCK MALDEN The vision for Highrock Malden is for each of us to embody being a community where Real People like you and me, can meet a Real God, and do Real Life together....because we know that anyone who finds God, finds life. In order to continue to have an influence with our neighbors and our community, we have been taking steps to build relationships with Malden residents, care for what they care about, and earn their trust. This has allowed us to gain favor with people and have a platform to talk about spiritual things. We believe that if we can be authentic with our own struggles and triumphs, people can relate as we offer them a spiritual community where they can find answers, healing, and transformation through Jesus.

Highrock Malden Commissioning Service

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SAVE THE DATES COVENANT JUSTICE COALITION CONFERENCE

October 19-20, 2018 New York Covenant Church 500 Main Street New Rochelle, NY 10801 Register: www.covjustice.org ASHRAM 2018: RETREAT FOR ECC MINISTERIAL ASSOC.

CONFERENCE MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING

Pilgrim Pines, Swanzey, NH | November 11-14, 2018

April 25-26, 2019

East Coast Covenant Clergy and Spouses are invited to reconnect, rest, and renew at the 2018 Ministers' Retreat. Step back from ministry and allow yourself to be ministered to by God's presence, by your brothers and sisters in the Lord, by time alone, by our speaker, and by the beauty of God's creation surrounding us at Pilgrim Pines. We look forward to seeing you soon and welcoming you to our retreat. God's blessings and peace be with you. - The 2018 Ashram Committee

Orchard Covenant Church 95 Berkshire Street Indian Orchard, MA 01151 1 2 9 TH C O N F E R E N C E A N N UA L M E E T I N G

REGISTER BY NOV 5th: www.pilgrimpines.org/ashram

APRIL 26-27, 2019

Featured Speaker: DAVID SWANSON Pastor, New Community Covenant Church in Chicago's historic Bronzeville neighborhood.

Evangelical Covenant Church 915 Plumtree Rd, Springfield, MA 01119

2018 FALL

PASTORAL TRANSITIONS

Craig Carlson to Berlin, CT (Interim) , August 2018 Kevin David to Cromwell, CT, August 2018 Jason Mohn from N. Easton, MA to open to call, September 2018

EAST COAST COVENANTER

Maria McCracken from Salem, MA, September 2018 Tony Chen to E. Bridgewater, MA (Interim), September 2018

Paul W. Kahn

Ellen Cleaves to New Sweden, ME, September 2018

EDITOR / GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT

Sandi Lee

Jan Dewitt from Richland, MI to Boston, MA (Interim), September 2018

EDITOR / WRITER

Howard Burgoyne

Rob Lowe from Rockford, IL (Staff) to Granby, CT (Sr. Pastor), December 2018

PUBLISHER

www.issuu.com/eastcoastcovenanter

EAST COAST CONFERENCE

52 Missionary Road, Cromwell, CT 06416  (860) 635-2691 FAX: (860) 398-5071  www.eastcoastconf.org

SUPERINTENDENT:

Howard K. Burgoyne

DIRECTOR OF CHURCH PLANTING:

Jason Condon

DIRECTOR OF CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY:

Kreig Gammelgard

DIRECTOR OF DISCIPLING & LEADERSHIP:

Barbara Ettinger

OFFICE MANAGER:

Sandi Lee

FINANCE MANAGER:

Deb Smith