DELEGATE NOTEBOOK
G AT H E R .C O V C H U R C H .O R G
135th Annual Meeting OF THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
JUNE 24-26, 2021 VIRTUAL
DELEGATE NOTEBOOK
Page 3 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #00
Delegate Resources Welcome to the Covenant Annual Meeting! The purpose of the Covenant Annual Meeting is the same as the purpose of the Church of Jesus Christ—at all times and in all situations—to discern and do the will of God. A lot must happen at an Annual Meeting and a lot of people participate. At the Annual Meeting, we: •
Ordain, license, and commission pastors and global personnel
•
Elect persons into leadership positions (administrators and board members)
•
Receive new churches into our fellowship (and say farewell to some)
•
Review the stewardship of the resources God has blessed us with, and approve projected investment of resources
•
Review our efforts in accomplishing God’s mission in the previous year
•
Chart a course for the future, trusting God for the outcomes
•
Approve amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws
•
Make other decisions necessary to the mission and ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church, regional conferences, and affiliates
•
Celebrate what God is doing in and through us
•
Connect with those committed to a common mission
•
Pray for the mission and ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church
•
Worship
To make sure that everyone is clear about what is happening when and how, several documents are used to govern the Annual Meeting: •
The Constitution and Bylaws of the Evangelical Covenant Church
•
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised (most recent edition)
•
Standing Rules of Order (approved at a meeting to guide that specific meeting)
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 4 of 285
These rules help us: •
Protect the right of the majority to decide
•
Protect the right of the minority to be heard
•
Protect the rights of the individual members, both those present and those absent
•
Prevent a “railroad” of the meeting by manipulation
•
Prevent an emotional “stampede” of the meeting
At first some of the language and protocols used during the meeting may seem strange to you, but we have provided resources in this section to help your engagement, as a brief glossary of some common parliamentary terms. There are three key participants at the Annual Meeting:
I. THE DELEGATES Delegates represent churches, Covenant administration, and related affiliates, Boards, Commissions, and Associations. Everything that happens at the Annual Meeting requires the delegates’ participation. Delegates receive the reports, approve recommendations, question and debate the issues to vote on motions. Our delegates, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the leadership of Jesus Christ, ultimately determine the course for the Covenant Church’s future. Delegates need to do the following: 1. Keep alert. The leaders of the Annual Meeting work very hard to make sure that everyone is “on the same page,” but they can’t do it alone. Please be aware of what is happening, and if you are unsure, please ask! The order of the printed agenda is not the order in which items are addressed, given time required for various agenda items and given the schedule to allow for regular breaks from technology. 2. Listen carefully and think about the motion before the group. Read up on the motion and resolutions prior to the start of the meeting. 3. Engage! There are many ways of participating: ask questions, make comments, and actively listen. Remember that silence generally means agreement.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 5 of 285
Every delegate has the right to speak in the meeting. Here are some guidelines: 1. Make sure the subject you want to talk about is under discussion. 2. Utilize the Ask a Question feature on the digital platform to speak for any reason. a. You will need to choose whether you want to Type Your Question or Queue for Video Call. For all items, apart from privileged motions, you will select Queue for Video. b. You will then need to type in your name and church/entity you represent (there is a 160-character limit). Then you will click submit and ok. You will now be in the queue and you will wait your turn to be recognized. c. For privileged motions (i.e., “Move to extend the time limit on the debate”; “Call the previous question”; “Point of Order,” etc.), you will select Type Your Question to input your privileged motion and that will alert the Moderator. 3. When you have been recognized, unmute your mic, speak to the Moderator, and state your name and the church or entity you represent, and the city and state. Say what is on your mind. You do not make a speech to the Assembly; you are speaking to just one person, the Moderator, and the others are listening in. 4. If you have a question, the Moderator may know the answer, or the Moderator may ask someone else to provide the answer. 5. If you have a point to make, you may speak once to an issue and not again on the same issue as long as someone else, who has not yet had a turn, is seeking the floor. 6. Once you have spoken a second time, you have used up your rights of debate on that issue. If you have a matter for discussion that is not on the Agenda, please write a description of it and submit to the Moderator. Due to the nature of our virtual meeting, it is strongly requested that such items be submitted electronically by delegates to the Moderator at governance@covchurch.org prior to the start of the 135th Covenant Annual Meeting. The Moderator will decide whether to present it to the Annual Meeting; if the response is “yes,” it will come to the assembly for vote to place on the agenda. If you submit it before we adopt the agenda, it requires a majority vote to add it to the Agenda. If you submit it after we adopt the agenda, it requires a 2/3 majority vote or a simple majority of all registered delegates. At the appropriate time, the Moderator will invite you to present your matter to the Annual Meeting. Remember that you represent yourself, your church or entity you represent, and Jesus Christ. Motives 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 6 of 285
should not be called into question during a debate. The merits of the motion are the issue. Motives are not. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and while brothers and sisters may argue, we remember our relationship in Christ.
II.
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND MINISTRIES 1. The Executive Board is the Board through which the recommendations of other elected Boards (with the exception of the Board of the Ordered Ministry) and the Commissions must pass in order to reach the floor of the meeting. The Executive Board is the mover of almost all the recommendations that arise from the Agenda, which it approves before it comes to the Annual Meeting. This process, established by the Covenant Bylaws, ensures a coordinated mission and avoids possible contradictory recommendations from various official sources. All recommendations are subject to the amendment, referral, or rejection of the meeting. As the mover of most of the recommendations on the Agenda, a spokesperson for the Board is usually granted what the Rules call “preference in recognition.” This is the privilege of a mover to speak first to a motion. (Please note that motions arising from a Board, Commission, or Committee do not require a second; they already have more than one supporter.) 2. The Board of the Ordered Ministry reports directly to the Annual Meeting after obtaining the approval of the Covenant Ministerium to its recommendations. 3. Commissions and Committees are basically study groups who formulate statements which may become the official statements of an Annual Meeting. All of these are reported through the Executive Board, though the Board may allow statements to reach the floor without agreeing to them, submitting them directly to the judgment of the meeting.
III.
THE MODERATOR
The Moderator of the Annual Meeting is the presiding officer of the meeting. This important role as Moderator is this person’s only function. The Moderator: •
interprets and applies the rules of the meeting
•
expedites the business of the meeting
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 7 of 285
•
ensures that everyone involved in the meeting is treated fairly
•
clarifies what is happening
•
advises delegates in the procedures of the meeting
•
maintains the discipline and joy of Christian fellowship
ELECTRONIC VOTING FOR THIS ANNUAL MEETING We have partnered with AGM Convene to assist us during this year’s virtual Annual Meeting. The interface is not like a traditional Zoom meeting interface, and therefore, it may require learning a little about the software before you use it to cast your vote and participate in the meeting. This software is designed specifically for virtual Annual General Meetings (AGM) like ours. We strongly recommend that you use a computer for the entirety of the meeting, rather than a tablet or phone. While the system can function on a table or phone, it will run more smoothly on a computer and you will be able to more easily see the screen throughout the meeting. Delegates are expected to have reliable means for participation, including a strong internet signal to support engagement in the meeting. Delegates will be credentialed according to the principle of “one delegate, one device.” This is a security feature that is tied to AGM Convene to help ensure that the voting process stays safe and accurate. Along with a reliable internet connection, we strongly recommend that you have a headset for you to easily hear the audio and a microphone for when you wish to speak to the Moderator. This will allow the delegation to hear you more clearly without any background noise. We have held multiple Delegate Orientation sessions throughout May and June to provide you with the training you need to get comfortable with the software. You can find a recording of those sessions on the gather.covchurch.org website if you would like to watch at your own pace and at a time that is 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 8 of 285
convenient for you. We will also be holding Live Technology Demos for Delegates during the week of Gather 2021. They will be held “open house” style, meaning you can join as you are available. The sessions will be held Tuesday, June 22 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central and Thursday, June 24 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Central. You will hear more details about these sessions as we get closer to Gather. They will be demonstrations by staff of the portal and the sessions will allow you to log in and test the platform on your computer to ensure you feel confident navigating the software prior to the start of Gather 2021. Below is a sample screenshot of some of the main features you will need to use during the meeting. Please familiarize yourself with this as you will use this screen for the majority of the meeting.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 9 of 285
A BRIEF GLOSSARY OF COMMON PARLIAMENTARY TERMS AMEND, MOVE TO. Most motions may be amended on the floor of the meeting, particularly when they deal with the business rather than the procedures of the meeting. All amendments must be germane to the original motion. Amendments can be made in three (3) ways: addition, deletion, or substitution. When an amendment has been seconded, it must be debated and decided, or otherwise dealt with, before the motion it seeks to amend may be further considered. APPEAL FROM THE RULING OF THE MODERATOR. A delegate is testing the Moderator’s ruling against the opinion of the meeting. The motion to appeal requires a second. An affirmative vote by the meeting sustains the Moderator’s ruling. BALLOT, TO ORDER THE VOTE ON A PENDING QUESTION TO BE TAKEN BY. The Bylaws and Rules specify that certain questions be decided by ballot. Questions other than these may also be decided by ballot if a majority of the meeting concurs with a request from a delegate for it. CONSENT CALENDAR. Items on the Consent Agenda are routine, procedural, informational, self-explanatory non-controversial items that require action but generally don’t require discussion or debate. Acting on these items move the meeting, along allowing for more time for substantive issues. Items on the Consent Agenda may be removed from the Consent Agenda at the request of any two delegates. Items removed from the Consent Agenda shall be acted upon by the assembly at a place in the agenda determined by the Moderator. DIVISION OF THE ASSEMBLY. This is a vote by rising. It may be demanded by any delegate to verify a vote taken by voice or by a show of hands or may be ordered by the Moderator when a vote by show of hands or by voice has been “too close to call.” If it is still not possible to discern the outcome visually, the Moderator may order a count by the Sergeants-at-Arms. A majority of the meeting may also order a count. EXECUTIVE SESSION. According to Robert’s Rules of Order, certain items require confidentiality. One of those items relates to how a society disciplines a member. When the body determines that a matter must be debated and decided in secret, a motion for Executive Session is proper. After a majority vote on the motion for Executive Session, everyone, except delegates and resource personnel, is excused from the meeting. In addition, the live stream will cease until the Executive Session is concluded. INFORMATION, POINT OF. Asking a question about the business at hand.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 10 of 285
MR. or MADAME MODERATOR. The traditional form for addressing the Moderator from the floor of the meeting. ORDER, POINT OF. A delegate calls the Moderator’s attention to a possible breach of the Rules. If the delegate is not satisfied with the Moderator’s subsequent explanation, he or she may appeal if the point has been raised concerning an actual ruling of the Moderator. PARLIAMENTARIAN. An advisor to the Moderator on Parliamentary Law. PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY, POINT OF. Asking a question about the application of the Rules in the business at hand. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, POINT OF. A delegate believes that his or her rights or the rights of another are being infringed upon. POSTPONE TO A CERTAIN TIME. A delegate may move to postpone the item under discussion until a later point in the meeting. The motion requires a second and is debatable. PREVIOUS QUESTION, MOVE THE. A motion to cut off debate on an issue which requires a second, and a two-thirds majority. An affirmative vote merely cuts off debate and is not a vote on the motion under debate. PRIVILEGED MOTION. A motion that does not relate to the pending question at hand but does have to do with matters of such urgency or importance that, without debate, they are allowed to interrupt the consideration of anything else. PUTTING THE QUESTION. Taking a vote. RECONSIDER, MOVE TO. A motion to reconsider an item previously voted upon may be made at any time, though it may have to wait until other business has been dealt with before it can be taken up. If a majority decides that the item previously voted upon will be reconsidered, debate on it re-opens, and another vote is taken (or it is otherwise disposed of, by referral, etc.) The motion to reconsider has unique characteristics: It may be made only by a delegate who originally voted with the prevailing side on the item; it may be made no later than the day following the original vote; it cannot apply to an item when provisions of it have already
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 11 of 285
begun to be carried out (such as the signing of a contract); and it cannot be itself reconsidered. REFER, MOVE TO. (Not to be confused with a motion to table.) A referred motion goes to a Board or Committee as designated by the Motion to Refer. It requires a second and is debatable. SECOND. A seconder need not agree with the motion or vote for it. The seconder need only agree that the motion deserves the attention of the meeting. SERIATIM. In a series (i.e., a long motion consisting of a series of resolutions, paragraphs, articles, or sections that are not totally separate questions can be considered by opening the different parts to debate and amendment separately, without a division of the question). STANDING RULES. These rules are prepared by the Agenda Committee to provide guidance for this particular Annual Meeting setting for how items are dealt with generally. The Standing Rules require a two-thirds majority for approval and a two-thirds majority for suspension of any part of such. SUSPEND THE RULES. It is possible to suspend a rule that is standing in the way of accomplishing what the meeting clearly wants to do either by motion or by unanimous consent. Bylaws may not be suspended unless they are in the nature of “rules of order.” This is a complex issue, with each instance subject to the interpretation and ruling of the Moderator. TABLE, MOVE TO. (Or “LAY ON THE TABLE”). Unlike a referred motion, a tabled motion goes nowhere. No one considers it, or studies it, or does anything with it until a motion passes to “take it from the table.” If this does not happen at this Annual Meeting, the motion is dead, i.e., we could not move to “take something from the table” that was put on the table at a previous Annual Meeting.
Original prepared in 1985. Current revision by Annual Meeting Officers (Jonathan M. Wilson, Moderator; Wes Gibson, Vice-Moderator; Nilwona Nowlin, Secretary) and Eric Filkin, Parliamentarian, 2021.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
COVENANT ANNUAL MEETING DELEGATE’S GUIDE Watching Webcast of the Annual Meeting Live Q&A, Comments and Deliberation Live Voting
Test the Webcast To ensure that you can clearly view the presentation during the Annual Meeting, a recorded video is provided to test your device. 1. Visit this Test site to open the sample webcast. The link to access the test site is: https://webcast-preview.conveneagm.com/#/ 2. Make sure the volume of your device is not set to ‘Mute’. 3. Adjust the volume of your device to a comfortable level. 4. If you are having trouble connecting to the Test site, please refer to the Check Software and Hardware Requirements section.
Check Software and Hardware Requirements Required Equipment To join the live webcast, it is essential that you are equipped with: • Desktop or laptop or mobile device with compatible Operating System (OS). We strongly recommend using a desktop or a laptop rather than a mobile device to access the Annual Meeting. • Headphone with microphone or speakers and a microphone (built-in or USB plug-in) • Internet connection (broadband wired, or wireless, either 3G, 4G or LTE)
System Requirements
Recommended Browser Versions Use a browser that is HTML5-compatible: • Chrome version 74 and above • Safari 12.1.2 and above • Microsoft Edge Chromium 80 and Above Recommended Bandwidth Recommended bandwidth for following the Live Webcast: • For audio and video: 5 Mbps • For audio, video, and screen sharing for live deliberation: 8Mbps
www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm
Page 2 of 8
Recommended Internet Connection Connect to the internet using a Local Area Network (LAN) as it is more stable than WIFI. 1. Please do a speed test to see if it’s a network speed issue. 2. If your internet connection is slow, please close other applications that may be downloading in the background. 3. Check if you have other devices connected on the same router that is also consuming additional bandwidth.
Device Requirements Desktop and Laptop Processor and RAM Requirements Processor
Dual Core 2Ghz or Higher (i3/ i5/i7 or AMD equivalent)
RAM
8GB
Mobile and Tablet Device Requirements Device
OS
Apple IOS Tablet - Ipad Mini, Ipad, Ipad Pro
iOS 12 and above
Apple IOS Iphone
iOS 12 and above
Android Tablet
Android 9 Pie and above
Android Mobile Phone
Android 9 Pie and above
Windows Tablet
Windows 10 and above
Notes: • For Apple iOS devices, it is recommended to use Safari over Chrome. • To ensure that you can clearly view the presentation on the day of the AGM, visit this Test site to open the sample live webcast. Make sure the volume of your device is not set to ‘Mute’.
www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm
Page 3 of 8
Watch the Webcast 1. After your successful registration, you will receive a link via email to access the AGM@Convene Delegate Portal. Use the link to Sign In and view AGM information and updates 2. Enter your Username and Password. 3. Select Sign In. 4. After signing in, the option to Watch Webcast will be available. Per Standing Rules of Order, Annual Meeting Delegates will only be able to participate in the 135th Annual Meeting through the “Live Webcast”. The phone option has been disabled. 5. Click Watch Webcast and enable audio by clicking Join Audio by Computer. 6. You can either watch the webcast in default view or full screen. We highly recommend that you watch the Annual Meeting webcast in full screen and that you obtain a Delegate Resources Box to have materials in hard copy. This will simplify your interactions in the meeting and eliminate the need to navigate between screens during the meeting. To watch in full screen, click the Full Screen button. 7. You can easily switch between the two viewing modes at anytime. When in full screen, you can switch to default view by double-clicking the screen or pressing Esc on your keyboard
2 3
5
5 6
www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm
Page 4 of 8
Submit Textual or Video Questions and Comments during Discussion Times Ask a Question To submit your questions and comments follow these steps: 1.
You will choose Type your Question if you are submitting a question, comment or privileged motion.
2
1
Type Your Question or Comment If you choose Type Your Question: 1.
2.
3. 4. 5.
From the drop-down list, select the position (for or against) your question or comment is related to. Type in your name, church name, and location. There is a 160-character limit per message. Click Submit. A Confirm dialog box will appear then click Ok. You can view your submissions in the Questions section of the webcast home page. Click and then select View My Submissions.
2 3
4
5 1
www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm
Page 5 of 8
Queue for Video Question or Comment After typing your Name, which church/ministry you are representing, and choose whether you are or commenting “for” or “against” the motion as stated above: 1.
The Moderator will prompt you to then select Queue for Video. Once you are in the queue, you will wait until you are prompted to unmute. Click on
2.
Unmute Myself. Then, you will be prompted to start your video by the Annual Meeting
3.
Moderator. Click on Start My Video. You will now be seen and heard in the webcast to ask your question or make your comment. Per the Standing Rules of Order, questions and/or comments have a time limit of three (3) minutes. Before you begin your question and/or comment, you will address the moderator, then you will introduce yourself by stating your name and the church/ministry you are representing.
1
2
3
www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm
Page 6 of 8
Casting Your Vote Delegates can submit a vote when the Moderator calls for the vote and can view pending actions of the meeting. 1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
If viewing in full screen, minimize the screen by pressing Esc or double-clicking on the screen. Delagates can can cast their votes by clicking For, Against, or Abstain. Delegates can cast their votes by clicking For, Against, or Abstain. Abstentions will be counted as “No” votes. Click Submit Vote. To modify your vote while voting is still open, click on Cancel Vote then vote again accordingly. Votes cannot be changed after the Moderator closes the vote. After voting, you can continue to view the meeting. The results will be published when ready in the same voting screen.
1
4 3
www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm
Page 7 of 8
Should you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact our AGM Support Team:
support@conveneagm.com You may also use the live chat on the Webcast home page by clicking Contact Support and selecting Chat with us,
or by visiting our support page: https://www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm/support and clicking
Australia Toll Free: 1 800 789 564
India Toll Free: 000 800 100 6862
France: +33 9 70 01 98 34
United Arab Emirates: +971 42482947
Hong Kong: +852 2152 3666
Greece: +30 21 1198 8980
New Zealand: +64 4830 3496
Malaysia Toll Free: 1 800 817 240
Singapore Toll Free: 800 852 3335
Philippines: +63 921 316 0339
United Kingdom Toll Free: 0 800 088 5517
South Africa Toll Free: 0 800 999 371
www.azeusconvene.com/convene-eagm
.
United States / Canada Toll Free: 1 800 638 0246 Belgium +32 3 808 01 22 Kenya +254 20 3892298 Romania
Page 8 of 8
Page 21 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #4
Report on Credentials and Motion CREDENTIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS TO THE 135TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH* *Unaudited statistics are provided at this time. A final audited report will be printed in the minutes.
FIRST CREDENTIALING REPORT Total credentialed voting delegates Total additional registrants in non-voting categories TOTAL REGISTERED ATTENDANCE
SECOND CREDENTIALING REPORT Total credentialed voting delegates Total additional registrants in non-voting categories TOTAL REGISTERED ATTENDANCE
THIRD CREDENTIALING REPORT Total credentialed voting delegates Total additional registrants in non-voting categories TOTAL REGISTERED ATTENDANCE
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 22 of 285
FOURTH CREDENTIALING REPORT Total credentialed voting delegates Total additional registrants in non-voting categories TOTAL REGISTERED ATTENDANCE
FINAL CREDENTIALING REPORT Representing
Delegates
Churches
Conferences Alaska Canada Central East Coast Great Lakes Midsouth Midwest Northwest Pacific Northwest Pacific Southwest Southeast Total of Conference Delegates Delegates in addition to those represented in Conferences
General Delegates Officers of the Covenant Executive Board Council of Administrators Annual Meeting Officers Board of Nominations Covenant Ministerium Assoc. of Cov. Camps and Conf. Centers Commission Delegates Serve Globally Fields Regional Conference Offices Total General Delegates
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 23 of 285
*TOTAL CREDENTIALED DELEGATES *(sum of Credentialed & General Delegates)
Additional registrations
Honorary Delegates Advisors from Covenant Institutions Advisors from Nonmember Churches Resource People Registered General Conferees Exhibitors *Total Additional Attendees
TOTAL REGISTERED ATTENDEES (SUM OF TOTALS)
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 24 of 285
Page 25 of 285
AGENDA
ITEM
#5
The Agenda Committee Recommends to the Executive Board Adoption of the Standing Rules of Order for the 135th Covenant Annual Meeting INTRODUCTION The written documents that govern the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church are the Illinois Not For Profit Act, the Articles of Incorporation of the Evangelical Covenant Church, the Evangelical Covenant Church Constitution and Bylaws, the Rules for the Ordered Ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church, the Covenant Pension Plan, and the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order (henceforth will be called Robert’s for purposes of this document). Robert’s provides that a convention or assembly of delegates such as the Covenant Annual Meeting may adopt its own standing rules to supplement the provisions of Robert’s and of its own documents. The Standing Rules provide guidance for this 135th Annual Meeting, setting out how items are dealt with generally. The Standing Rules require a two-thirds majority for adoption or suspension. That the business of deliberative assemblies may be conducted by electronic means is given sanction starting with the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules (the 12th ed., published in 2020, see Section 9, paragraphs 30-36.). Procedures for establishing delegate credentials, obtaining the floor, discussion, and voting, have been devised with due diligence to the spirit and letter of the Evangelical Covenant Church’s governing documents, to Robert’s Rules, and to the tradition of the Covenant Annual Meeting as a participatory and deliberative assembly. STANDING RULES OF ORDER 2021 COVENANT ANNUAL MEETING 1) The Business Meeting Shall Be Conducted Online a. Delegates are expected to have reliable means for participation and are credentialed according to the principle of “one delegate, one login IP address.” b. Delegates are responsible for their own personal technological connectivity and tools; for elements related to engaging with the voting platform, delegates may pursue assistance with the meeting’s tech support team; a delegate’s personal technology failure does not constitute a point of order, of information, or of privilege to be addressed to the whole meeting. c. Quorum is determined by the ratio of delegates logged in to the number registered. 2) Obtaining the Floor Only those who have been credentialed as delegates, advisors, or resource persons can request the privilege to address the entire assembly, including on points of order, of information, and of personal privilege.
1
Page 26 of 285
3) Voting a. All voting is conducted electronically for this meeting, and meets the requirements stipulated in Robert’s Rules for a secret ballot. b. Logged in delegates who do not vote on a question will be tallied as abstentions. 4) Time Limits a. Reports that contain no proposal for action by the meeting shall be limited to ten (10) minutes, including the question period, with the exception of the president’s report, the treasurer’s report, and items specified in the agenda to extend beyond the 10-minute time limit. b. Debate on any main motion, including its subsidiary motions, shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes, except as otherwise specified in these standing rules and the agenda. No amendment or other subsidiary motion to a main motion shall be allowed until debate on the main motion has ceased or ten (10) minutes have passed. c. No speech in debate may exceed three (3) minutes unless this period is extended by a majority vote at the request of the speaker. d. Time limits may be extended for a specific period by a two-thirds vote. 5) Submission of Motions in Writing All main motions and subsidiary motions shall be submitted electronically via the voting platform to the Annual Meeting secretary. 6) Items of Business Not on the Agenda The Bylaws provide in Section 7.8.a.ii that “Items of business that are not on the agenda may be submitted in writing by a delegate to the moderator. If the item submitted is in order, a majority vote of the delegates present and voting shall be required to place that item on the agenda.” It is further strongly requested that such items be submitted electronically by delegates to the moderator at governance@covchurch.org prior to the start of the 135th Covenant Annual Meeting. 6) Consent Agenda Items on the Consent Agenda are routine, procedural, informational, self-explanatory noncontroversial items that require action but generally do not require discussion or debate. Acting on these items moves the meeting along, allowing for more time for substantive issues. a. Items on the Consent Agenda may be removed from the Consent Agenda at the request of any two delegates. b. Items removed from the Consent Agenda shall be acted upon by the assembly at a place in the agenda determined by the moderator. c. If the Consent Agenda is not adopted as a single motion, then each of the items on the Consent Agenda shall be acted upon by the assembly as a separate motion at a place in the agenda determined by the moderator. 7) Nominations from the Floor A nomination from the floor shall be accepted only if the person nominated has agreed to have his or her name placed in nomination. (Note that the Bylaws provide in Section 7.9.c.v.2 and 7.10.j.ii that a delegate making a nomination may provide descriptive information similar in scope and content to that provided to the Annual Meeting by a nominating board or committee.)
2
Page 27 of 285
8) Runoff Elections In the case of an election with three or more candidates, if no candidate receives a majority of votes after two rounds of voting, then beginning with the third round, the candidate with the lowest number of votes in that round will be eliminated. In the event of a tie among the lowest vote-getters, those tied will not be eliminated in that round. A candidate may withdraw at any point. Voting rounds will continue until one candidate receives a majority of votes. 9) Modification of Agenda Order The moderator shall have the discretion to revise the order of agenda items to accommodate scheduling needs. Annual Meeting Officers Moderator: Jonathan Wilson Vice Moderator: Weston Gibson Secretary: Nilwona Nowlin Parliamentarian Eric Filkin President: John Wenrich Secretary of the Covenant: Rebecca Gonzalez
3
Page 28 of 285
Page 29 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #6
Agenda for One Hundred Thirty-Fifth Covenant Annual Meeting June 24-26, 2021 We plan to give each agenda item the time necessary to ensure that it is fully addressed. To do this well while doing our best to adhere to the schedule as it currently exists, per Standing Rule 9, the moderator shall have the discretion to revise the order of agenda items to accommodate scheduling needs. Also, should we happen to address all business prior to the projected schedule’s end time, it is at the discretion of the Annual Meeting Officers to adjourn the meeting early. To ensure that you as a voting delegate are able to effectively have your voice heard throughout the meeting, we request that you do all you can to be present throughout the scheduled meeting time. The schedule was built with the understanding that virtual meetings are quite tiring, and we understand individuals will need regular breaks throughout the day. We have structured the day to include breaks approximately every hour to allow individuals to step away from the screen and stretch without negatively impacting their ability to participate in the meeting. That being said, in this virtual meeting, we are not scheduling time-certains for agenda items. So please do your best to be present for the full meeting schedule to ensure you are able to participate at the fullest capacity. ************************************************************************** *Reports exceeding the ten (10) minute time limit per Standing Rule 4.a are marked with an asterisk.
+ Materiales traducidos y disponibles en español están marcados con un símbolo de suma (+) en azul.
PREPARING OUR HEARTS 1. 2.
Morning Worship* Opening Statement by the Moderator*
3.
Greeting from Covenant Leadership
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 30 of 285
ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING 4.
Report on Credentials and Motion a. Credentialing Report #1 b. Credentialing Report #2 c. Credentialing Report #3 d. Credentialing Report #4 e. Credentialing Report #5
5.
Action on the Standing Rules
6.
Action on the Proposed Agenda+
7.
Approval of Honorary Delegates and Resource Persons a. Honorary Delegates b. Resource Persons
MEMBERSHIP IN THE MISSION 8.
Action on Churches Applying for Membership* a. Recognition and Prayer
9.
Church Planter Commissioning* a. Recognition and Prayer
10.
Action on Removal of Churches from the Roster a. Recognition and Prayer
STATE OF THE MISSION 11.
Report of the President+
ORGANIZATION OF THE MISSION 12.
Report from Strategic Alignment Team* a. Recommendation from the Covenant Executive Board on the Strategic Alignment Team
13.
Report from Location Advisory Committee
14.
2020/2021 Bylaw Amendments*
15.
Presentation of Proposed 2022 Constitutional Amendments
16.
Report on the Freedom, Unity, and Responsibility Resource Paper
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 31 of 285
SERVANT LEADERSHIP FOR THE MISSION 17.
Board Elections* a. Presentation of 2020/2021 Ballot a.1. Executive Board a.2. Board of the Ordered Ministry a.3. Board of Pensions and Benefits a.4. Board of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence a.5. Board of Trustees of North Park University a.6. . Annual Meeting Officers a.7. Board of Nominations b. Vote c. Results
18.
Actions to Be Taken from the Ordered Ministry for 2020/2021* a. Presentation and Adoption of Amendments to the Rules of the Ordered Ministry b. Change in Standing c. Approval of Licenses d. Presentation of Candidates for Transfer of Ordination e. Presentation of Candidates for Commissioning f. Presentation of Candidates for Consecrated Missionary g. Presentation of Candidates for Ordination to Word and Service h. Presentation of Candidates for Ordination to Word and Sacrament
HONORING FAITHFUL SERVICE IN THE MISSION 19.
Clergy Lifetime Service Recognition
20.
Missionary Service Recognition
21.
Recognition of Executive Board Members Concluding Term of Service
22.
T.W. Anderson Outstanding Layperson Award a. 2020 T.W. Anderson Award Recipient b. 2021 T.W. Anderson Award Recipient
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 32 of 285
23.
Irving Lambert Outstanding Urban Ministries Award a. 2020 Irving Lambert Award Recipient b. 2021 Irving Lambert Award Recipient
FUNDING THE MISSION 24.
Financial Report* a. Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Performance Report
25.
Presentation and Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2022 Mission and Ministry Budget*
DIMENSIONS OF THE MISSION 26.
Mission and Ministry Leadership Report
27.
Report from Covenant Executive Board on the Relational Work and Developments with Covenant Governing Bodies*
28.
Report from Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos (CHET)
29.
Report from Covenant Ministries of Benevolence
30.
Report from Covenant Trust Company
31.
Report from National Covenant Properties
32.
Report from North Park University a. Report of the President of North Park University b. Report of the Dean of North Park Theological Seminary
33.
Report from Paul Carlson Partnership
34.
Mission and Ministry Leadership Response to Delegate Questions*
LIVING FAITHFULLY IN THE MISSION 35.
Commission on Christian Action* a. Recommendation on Resolution to Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 33 of 285
CONSENT AGENDA 36.
Recommendations for Continuation of Commissions a. Ethnic Commission (now known as Mosaic Commission) b. Commission on Town and Country Ministries
PREPARING TO GO FORTH IN MISSION 37.
Approval of Minutes of 135th Covenant Annual Meeting
38.
Arrangements for 2022 Annual Meeting
39.
Prayer for the Mission and Ministry of the ECC
40.
Delegate Evaluation
41.
Report to Congregations
42.
Closing Statement a. Resolution of Sympathy* b. Resolution of Gratitude
43.
Adjournment
44.
Benediction Annual Meeting Officers Moderator: Jonathan Wilson Vice Moderator: Weston Gibson Secretary: Nilwona Nowlin Parliamentarian Eric Filkin President: John Wenrich Secretary of the Covenant: Rebecca Gonzalez
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 34 of 285
Page 35 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #7
Approval of Honorary Delegates and Resource Persons RESOURCE PERSONNEL Kreig
Gammelgard
Advancement
Keith
Carpenter
Advancement
Jennifer
McIntyre
Marketing and Communications
Cathy
Norman Peterson
Marketing and Communications
Karen
Ingebretson
Develop Leaders
Terrance
Woodson
Develop Leaders
Herb
Frost
Develop Leaders
Danielle
Ng
Develop Leaders
Marti
Burger
Develop Leaders
Melissa
Liew
Finance
Stephanie
Adams
Finance
Christina
Kempe
Finance
Dominique
Gilliard
Love Mercy and Do Justice
Ramelia
Williams
Love Mercy and Do Justice
Benjamin
Vazquez
Love Mercy and Do Justice
Tim
Ciccone
Make and Deepen Disciples
Jane
Chao
Make and Deepen Disciples
Kevin
Smallacombe
Make and Deepen Disciples
Rob
Hall
National Covenant Properties
Rollin
Persson
National Covenant Properties
Jacqueline
Sugihara
Operations
Rita
Sheppard
Operations
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 36 of 285
Ryan
Thompson
Operations
Erik
Anderson
Operations – Producer
James
Brown
Operations – Producer
Eric
Filkin
Parliamentarian
Renee
Hale
Paul Carlson Partnership
Mark
Seversen
Serve Globally
Renée
Hale
Serve Globally
Lana
Heinrich
Serve Globally
Deborah
Masten
Serve Globally
Adam
Edgerly
Serve Globally
Alex
Rahill
Start and Strengthen Churches
Mary
Hendrickson
Start and Strengthen Churches
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 37 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #8
Churches Applying for Membership Based upon the recommendation of the respective conferences, the Executive Board recommends to the 135th Annual Meeting that the following churches be accepted into membership in the Evangelical Covenant Church.
APPROXIMATE
APPROXIMATE
MEMBERSHIP
ATTENDANCE
107
80
Kingdom Covenant Church Chicago, IL
67
75
REAL Community Covenant Marion, IN
46
130
120
160
Table Covenant Church Fairfax, VA
50
60
The Commons Evangelical Church Rochester, NH
60
60
185
207
CHURCH NAME Canada Conference Evangelical Fellowship Church Edmonton, Alberta CA
Central Conference
East Coast Conference East End Covenant Church Richmond, VA
Great Lakes Conference Kingdom Embassy Covenant Church Muskegon, MI
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 38 of 285
Midwest Conference Imani Restoration Covenant Church Denver, CO
45
65
New Life Covenant Church Wichita Wichita, KS
35
80
Renovate Evangelical Covenant Church Centennial, CO
12
7 0
Bread & Wine Covenant Church Portland, OR
44
100
St. Thomas Covenant Church Salem, OR
35
45
All Things New Covenant Church Monterey, CA
65
75
Iglesia Evangélica Ebenezer South Gate, CA
65
60
The Garden Chatsworth, CA
156
450
Pacific Northwest Conference
Pacific Southwest Conference
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 39 of 285
REPORT ON CHURCHES JOINING THE COVENANT The mission of the Covenant is stronger, richer, and more diverse because of the 15 churches joining this year. Each of these churches brings with them a ministry that will broaden and deepen the kingdom contribution of the whole Covenant denomination, and each church will be enriched by its connection with the Covenant. Following is a synopsis of each congregation. The stories testify to both the handiwork of God in raising up a ministry and the faithfulness of committed people in carrying out that ministry. What is less visible is the role that every Covenanter has had in these stories. Through making possible the combined denominational and conference resources of church planter assessment and training, financial support and strategic services, and discernment of congregations “adopting in”, every Covenanter is a participant in these stories.
Canada Conference Evangelical Fellowship Church Edmonton, Canada Pastor: Joachim Mueller
Average Attendance: 80
In their words: On October 17, 1953, what was then a small house church began in the Old Strathcona Neighborhood of Edmonton Alberta. From there Evangelical Fellowship Church (EFC) would continue to grow and become a part of the growing neighborhood. EFC has its origin in the “Fellowship Movement" when a spiritual awakening was spreading through various parts of Central and Northern Europe. On November 1, 1957, two adjacent lots on 105 Street and 79 Avenue were purchased. The two old houses, which stood on the lots, were torn down and on March 17, 1958, construction of the new church began. EFC has continued to be a part of the Old Strathcona Neighborhood providing assistance and help to various groups in the neighborhood such as the Neighbor Center. At Evangelical Fellowship Church we have a several Bible studies groups that meet during the week, for learning and fellowship, as well as two different Young Adults groups and youth groups that meet weekly. We have a Women’s fellowship that plans events for both the church and our women. The events include a yearly women’s retreat at camp Evansburg, an annual Christmas banquets well as numerous potlucks and special services.
Recently we have been blessed to share our church building with another congregation, the Spanish Church of God of Prophecy, who were looking for a new space to gather. We hope this will continue to be fruitful for both of our congregations. We are hoping that all the formalities of our application will be finalized soon, and we are looking forward to many years of worshipping and serving together in the ECCC, our newly adopted family of churches where many individuals already have become close and treasured friends! Evangelical Fellowship Church is a small congregation, but lives are enriched and changed because of the Lord’s mercy and blessing.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 40 of 285
May He continue to uphold and use us for the expansion of His kingdom and glory. His name be honored and praised!
Central Conference Kingdom Covenant Church Chicago, IL Pastor: David Washington
Average attendance: 75
In their words: Kingdom Covenant Church is a church plant located in the Roseland/Pullman area on the south side of Chicago. Our work is to gather God's people to build His kingdom. This journey began in t h e summer of 2014 when we assembled a small group of friends and colleagues to share about God’s call to start a church. After prayer, counsel, and a discernment process with the Covenant, our call was affirmed and supported by the denomination. We officially signed a Covenant Agreement in July of 2015. Kingdom was launched on Sunday September 11, 2016, in partnership with the Glyn Ellyn Covenant Church, Evangelical Covenant Church of Princeton, IL and Winnetka Covenant Church in Wilmette, IL. For the next four years together, we would serve the Roseland/Pullman community by meeting needs and sharing the love and message of the gospel. Kingdom Covenant Church offers discipleship, worship services, Bible study, community outreach, children’s ministry, ministry to women and men as well as a vibrant prison outreach ministry. We are committed to going deeper in Christ and even further in mission.
REAL Community Covenant Church Marion, IN Pastor: Andrew Morrell
Average Attendance: 46
In their words: In 2016 we started REAL Community Church in the center of Marion, Indiana. We are a multiethnic, multi-class church seeking to bear witness to the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. In 2012 Andrew had a vision to plant a church in the city of Marion that would intentionally reconcile people to God and others beyond the barriers of race and class. Today we are a church of 130 attenders. We currently have 46 members. Our ministries include life groups, jail/prison ministry, community development, and neighborhood partnerships, and evangelism. We are currently planning a Capital Campaign to convert and empty 7,000 sf space into a multi-purpose sanctuary that can also host community events. May the peace of Christ continue to rest upon the Central Conference and ECC! We are grateful to be part of the ECC family!
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 41 of 285
East Coast Conference East End Fellowship Richmond, Virginia Pastor: Don Coleman, Doug Paul
Average Attendance: 160
In their words: East End Fellowship began as a community mission of 3rd Presbyterian Church in Richmond, VA, founded by Pastor Don Coleman and other leaders in the faith community. The church has a rich history of evangelism, discipleship, and community development. The congregation is organized into missional communities that gather for prayer, mutual care, discipleship, and neighborhood mission. Currently the church meets in a local theater (The Robinson) as well as a leased office space in the neighborhood. The church says: We want to see more of God's Kingdom come here in the east end, as it is in heaven. We believe that discipleship (the process of someone becoming like Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit) is the key to everything we are about as a church, and so much of our time, energy and resources is poured into discipleship. There is no Plan B for Jesus. We want every man, woman, and child to know the Father, to be part of his spiritual family as a disciple of Jesus, and to join in his mission through the Holy Spirit in this city he so loves. Another way of saying this is we want to make disciples of Jesus who then go and do the same in the east end of Richmond and beyond. In April of 2016, we began a journey, exploring the 5-year vision we believed God gave our church as we walked through the teaching series The God Who Builds. That summer, following this teaching series, an All-Church vision retreat, a 33 day fast and a month dedicated to prayer and listening to God, we gathered and committed ourselves to God and his Kingdom coming in our neighborhood, responding in loving, faithful obedience to the God who builds: Whole Neighborhood; Holistic Discipleship; Artistic Movement; Holy Spirit Power; Sending Diverse Leaders; Evangelism. Over the last several years the pastors and leaders of the church have been preparing for a generational transition of pastoral leadership and have discerned that they desire mission partnership and support to grow and deepen their ministry for the next generation. They have been attracted to the ECC because of our dual emphasis on evangelism and justice within the multiethnic mosaic of cultures and peoples of the world.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 42 of 285
Table Covenant Church Fairfax, Virginia Pastor: Michael Han
Average Attendance: 60
In their words: Table Covenant Church is a church planted in 2014 by and within the East Coast Conference, parented and sent out by Community Covenant Church, Springfield, Virginia. The church has met in several different locations since first planting including a local theater and a neighborhood church building. They are presently meeting both outdoors at a neighborhood park, and online during the pandemic. Table was born out of a desire to see Asian-Americans who did not feel at home in their immigrant churches find a place to be discipled and to exercise leadership, as well as welcome people who feel disillusioned by the polarized ends of many churches (mainline vs. evangelical, liberal vs. conservative, etc.). The ongoing ministry includes weekly worship and table fellowship, including a time for Q&A and shared meals each week. The church is multigenerational and supports a college ministry at nearby George Mason University with Intervarsity.
The Commons Evangelical Covenant Church Rochester, NH Pastor: Christopher Bannon
Average Attendance: 60
In their own words: An adventure born in the Spring of 2013, with our first “Gathering” finally and formally launched in the Fall of 2015, The Commons is a church plant of the Evangelical Covenant Church based in Rochester, NH. As followers of Jesus taking cues from the global and historic Church as well as our New England
context, The
Commons blends the core values of a micro/house church movement with the most fruitful elements of a more "traditional" church model, with the aim of seeing a church planting and discipleship movement birthed here, in the northeastern U.S.
Great Lakes Conference Kingdom Embassy Covenant Muskegon, MI Pastor: Arthur Duren
Average Attendance: 207
In their words: Kingdom Embassy’s story began in the Spring of 2015. We, Arthur and Ardena Duren, along with ten individuals who were passionate about learning about God and building his Kingdom, met weekly at Moon Elementary School for bible study in the art classroom. After changes in meeting
places, God led us to what
was called “Heaven’s Gate Church”, with Pastors James and Tina Harmon, who offered us the opportunity to
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 43 of 285
meet at their church. While attending a conference we asked each other,” Was this a sign from God that is was time for us to plant a church?” On January 3,2016, what was a dream became a reality. The first Sunday worship service was held at Victory Inn in Muskegon, Michigan in the hotel’s conference room. We are averaging close to 200 people each Sunday and anywhere from 35-50 on Wednesday for bible study.
Midwest Conference Imani Restoration Covenant Church Denver, CO Pastor: Mwangi Ndegwa
Average Attendance: 70
In their words: Imani Restoration Centre Church was founded back in 2012 by myself, with wife Nancy, daughter Anne and son Evans. We have seen God d o wonderful works with other families who are predominantly from Kenya. We have seen ministry grow from a small hotel space to where we currently meet. We have witnessed transformative work with lives changed and have seen God do wonderful works in our ministry. We have established benevolence work in Kenya for orphans, widows and started a woman’s ministry. We also help meet needs in poverty with a economic development initiatives. With ministry work both here in Denver and Kenya we look forward to walking with the Evangelical Covenant Church.
New Life Covenant Church, Wichita Wichita, KS Pastor: Chad Pickering
Average Attendance: 80
In their words: The vision for New Life Wichita was birthed in the Spring of 2016. A group of young adults gathered on the back deck of Chad & Shauna Pickering’s house to discuss and dream about a new church that the unchurched would love to attend and engage, and the following January 2017, New Life launched. This was made possible through partnership with the Midwest Conference and several MWC churches that got behind New Life with prayer and finances. New Life meets as a semi-portable church inside a large facility owned by Wichita State University called The Hughes Metroplex in North Wichita, KS. In these first years, we have been deeply invested in organizations such as ICT SOS, an incredible organization working to end sex-trafficking in Wichita. New Life has also led a monthly ministry to the poor and under-resourced called Project Laundry in which anyone can come to a
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 44 of 285
specific laundromat and get up to 3 loads of laundry done for free and a free meal for their family. During COVID, we were actively involved in COVID relief for college students, single parent homes and families, as well as helping support an ECC church in one of the hardest hit boroughs of New York. Following the death of George Floyd, we sent financial resources to two ECC churches serving in the area hardest hit by the subsequent riots and destruction. We are only just beginning and are thrilled to be part of what God plans to do in our city and beyond!
Renovate Evangelical Covenant Church Centennial, CO Pastor: Greg & Susan Russell
Average Attendance: 70
In their words: Renovate Church was first founded in 2016, after significant amounts of prayer and deliberation, and started by meeting in the house of different members of its small launch team. Later that year, we connected with a lovely couple that was leading a small church, and we began to rent space from them so that we could meet on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. We had an official launch as a church plant in September 2016. During this time, our congregation began to grow steadily. In November of 2018, Renovate purchased its first building and by September 2019, after significant renovations, many of which were performed by volunteer members of the congregation, we had our grand opening in our new location. Today, Renovate continues to thrive, and while COVID has limited some of our growth for the time being, we have a large group of online attendees, and a considerable number of in person gatherers which make up an incredible body of believers who are motivated toward the discipleship and the community.
Pacific Northwest Conference Bread & Wine Covenant Church Portland, OR Pastor: Sharad Yadav
Average Attendance: 100
In their words: Bread & Wine began as a non-denominational church plant consisting of autonomous missional community meetings throughout Portland. In just over 10 years it has met in 5 different locations, including church buildings, a rave club and a local college. Sharad came to fill the lead pastor position in the wake of the planting pastor’s departure in 2013. Seeing the ministry as a replant, Pastor Sharad weathered several changes in the leadership before beginning the process of seeking a denominational home in 2019, finding the Covenant through friendship with the newly installed pastor of Salem’s Trinity Covenant Church. Ministering primarily to recovering evangelicals in the wake of racial and political challenges to their faith’s credibility,
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 45 of 285
Bread & Wine continues to focus on missional communities. Each provides an environment to walk with people through the process of deconstruction in order to reconstruct a more pace-making and authentic faith in Christ with an emphasis on justice for the least of these.
St. Thomas Covenant Church Salem, OR Pastor: Matthew Hollen
Average Attendance: 45
In their words: St. Thomas began gathering a launch team in the fall of 2015. We launched on Easter of 2016, and have spent the last 5 years making disciples, helping to heal spiritual wounds, and establishing the kingdom of God in Salem, Oregon. We strive to be a welcoming community that wrestles honestly with how Christian truths and practices can be reflected in a language and style that makes sense today. We signed a lease on our first permanent space in August 2020 and cannot wait to see what Jesus does through us in our new home.
Pacific Southwest Conference All Things New Monterey, CA Pastor: Justin Noseworthy
Average Attendance: 75
In their words: The journey to planting All Things New Covenant Church began with a conversation about planting an ECC church somewhere on the Monterey Bay along California’s central coast. Church planting consultant Dave Olson reached out to Justin Noseworthy in order learn more about the area to see if it was reasonable to plant a Covenant Church. As the conversation continued the planting team came into focus and it was decided that the Covenant would plant a church in Monterey. With encouragement from Pastor Jeremiah Fairland and the Community Covenant Church of Scotts Valley along with the support from the ECC and the PSWC, All Things New began to take shape. Justin and his wife Maddie attended the Church Planters Assessment Center all the while praying to God to open and close doors however God saw fit. By the end of the week, the Noseworthys had both fallen more in love with the Covenant community and it was decided that all would move forward together with the Monterey church plant. The very first gathering took place on August 13, 2017, in the home of Ann and Ron Kihara in Monterey. The name of the church comes from Revelation 21:5 which celebrates the promise that one day God will make all things new. Today, the All Things New family is shaped by the truth that we are renewed by God for the sake of renewing the world with God. Our weekly worship services are held in the cafeteria at Monterey High School in the heart of the city. In a café style setting with nearby classrooms, we have ministries for all ages. To begin serving our
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
Page 46 of 285
city we launched our Salt & Light ministries to give gift bags to three specific people groups: 1) immigrants, 2) homeless women, and 3) elderly and shut ins. They have begun to pour into the Monterey High School community with campus service projects, renovated landscaping, and there are plans to provide the supplies for a student resource center for homeless students at MHS. They also have some fun ministries that seek to engage people in the city who find themselves outside of traditional church circles. Their Pub & Theology ministry meets twice per month to engage in deep and civil conversation concerning God and spirituality. The Movies that Move Us ministry (inspired by Robert Johnston and Catherine Barsotti) hosts movie screenings at a local independent movie theater followed by curated conversation about the film spirituality, meaning and truth.
Iglesia Evangélica Ebenezer South Gate, CA Pastor: Marcelo Bustos
Average Attendance: 65
In their words: At the beginning of 1985, a group of 16 believers, all residing in the area of Inglewood, CA, started Bible study and prayer meetings in their homes. They were all members of the First Covenant Church in Los Angeles, CA. They felt God’s direction to start an independent church with a biblical foundation. Several months later, on February 16, 1986, there was an inaugural service of the new church in Inglewood, CA. The church decided to become affiliated to the Southwest Baptist Conference and were officially installed as members on April 25, 1986. With God’s blessing, on October 15, 1989, we celebrated our first service in the building that God allowed us to purchase. Since its birth, the Word of God has been preached in every service at the Iglesias Evangelica Ebenezer Inc., personal evangelism has been practiced in the community and many souls have come to Christ. They have now returned to their first home, the Covenant and are excited to join at this time.
The Garden Church Chatsworth, CA Pastor: David Kim
Average Attendance: 130
In their words: My wife and I planted The Garden Church 26 years ago. When we began, we were primarily a college ministry located near UCLA. Since then, we have become a multi-generational church that has planted two other churches. My wife and I serve as co-pastors of the church. It has been a blessing seeing the church grow and multiply over the years. Our church is committed to serving our local community and sending out missionaries around the world.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
10
|
GATHER 2021
Page 47 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #9
Church Planter Commissioning CENTRAL CONFERENCE Mario Torres, Iglesia del Pacto Vida Eterna (Rockford, IL) Amos Shakaya, Rupantarn Nepali Covenant Church (Batavia, IL)
EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH OF CANADA Edward Lee, Encounter Covenant Church (Mississauga, ON) Shannon Johnson Friesen, Stonehouse, an Evangelical Covenant Church (Steinbach, MB)
GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE Georgia Hill, LifeChurch Riverside: An Evangelical Covenant Church (Detroit, MI)
MIDSOUTH CONFERENCE Denise McKinney, The Well Covenant Church (Tulsa, OK)
MIDWEST CONFERENCE Ruben Vega, Casa de Oración Covenant Church (Wakefield, NE) Alejandro Kim, Iglesia Casa de Jubilo – Covenant Church (Highlands Ranch, CO) Alexia Lang & Jason Sivewright, EngageSouth KC Covenant Church (Kansas City, MO)
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE Sandi & Brian Asker, CrossView Covenant Church South (Mankato, MN) Edith Soto & Graciela Lopez, Jesus Fiel Amigo Covenant Church (Brooklyn Park, MN)
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 48 of 285
PACIFIC NORTHWEST CONFERENCE Ian Cheng, Seattle Chinese Covenant Church (Bellevue, WA) Sharad Yadav, Bread and Wine Covenant Church (Portland, OR)
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE Edwin Guzman, Iglesia Cristiana Shalom Elohím Covenant Church (Petaluma, CA) Rosendo Lara, Bayside Covenant Church of Galt (Galt, CA) David Ceja, Iglesia Monte Vista Del Pacto (San Diego, CA) Rafael & Drina Lizama, Luz de Esperanza Covenant Church (Campton Hills, CA) Fidel Arnecillo, Symposia Covenant Church (Ontario, CA) Heather & Justin Tomscak, Freedom Point Covenant Church (Loomis, CA) Shawn Hurley & Garrick Hanger, Coastline Covenant Church (Torrance, CA) Benny Amaya, City Gateway Covenant Church (Los Angeles, CA)
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 49 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #10
Action on Removal of Churches from the Roster of the Evangelical Covenant Church
COVENANT REGIONAL CONFERENCE
CHURCH NAME
REASON FOR REMOVAL
Central
Lost Lake Covenant Church
Closed
Central
Ninth Hour Covenant Church/New Creation Covenant Church
Closed
East
The Evangelical Covenant Church
Closed
East
Trinity Covenant Church
Merger
Great Lakes
Faith Community Covenant Church
Closed
Great Lakes
Redeemer Evangelical Covenant Church
Closed
Midsouth
The Vine Covenant Church
Withdrawn
Midwest
Evangelical Covenant Church (Centerville)
Closed
Midwest
New Day Covenant Church
Closed
Northwest
Abbey Way Covenant Church
Withdrawn
Northwest
Genesis West Covenant Church
Withdrawn
Northwest
Grace Outreach Covenant Church
Closed
Northwest
Monticello Covenant Church
Closed
Pacific Southwest
Escalon Covenant Church
Withdrawn
Pacific Southwest
The Creek Covenant Church
Closed
Pacific Southwest
Visalia Community Covenant Church
Closed
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 50 of 285
CENTRAL CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENT: DANNY MARTINEZ
Lost Lake Covenant Church Location: Stephenson, Michigan Reason for removal: Closed Number of members (when church closed): 4 Year joined the Covenant: 1947 Peak membership (approximately): 48 Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: On May 25, 2020, a congregational meeting was held to discuss the future of the church. The reasons for closing were a decline in membership and the lack of financial resources. The church had already been closed since March due to COVID-19 pandemic. With no viable path forward, the congregation voted to close the church.
Ninth Hour Covenant Church/New Creation Covenant Church Location: Chicago, IL Reason for removal from roster: Closed Number of members (when church closed): 20 Year joined the Covenant: 2015 Peak membership(approximately): 50
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Inadequate funding and support for this church replant. Church voted unanimously to close.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 51 of 285
EAST COAST CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENT: HOWARD K. BURGOYNE
Trinity Covenant Church Location: Lexington, Massachusetts Reason for deletion from roster: Merger Number of members: 120 Year joined the Covenant: 1897 (year organized) Peak membership (approximately): 200+
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Trinity Covenant Church was originally planted in Cambridge and moved northwest to Lexington in 1966. The congregation voted in 2020 to merge into Highrock Covenant Church of Arlington, in order to be relaunched as a campus satellite congregation, Highrock Lexington. The merger was approved by both congregations in June 2020.
The Evangelical Covenant Church Location: New Haven, Connecticut Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of members: 12 Year joined the Covenant: 1887 (year organized) Peak membership (approximately): 100+
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: The congregation’s last credentialed minister retired in 2005 and the congregation voted to close, but then rescinded that decision. A lay pastor within the congregation was asked to serve part time and has done since 2006. In 2020, the pastor announced his plans to relocate and to retire, and the congregation voted in February to conclude and dissolve by June of 2021.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 52 of 285
The Covenant Church of Quincy Location: Quincy, Massachusetts Reason for deletion from roster: Merger Number of members: 12 Year joined the Covenant: 1885 (year organized) Peak membership (approximately): 150
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: The Covenant Church of Quincy (formerly Covenant Congregational Church of Quincy) voted to merge into the Highrock Covenant Church of Quincy, MA in 2018, and completed that legal process in 2019.
GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENT: GARTH MCGRATH
Faith Community Church Location: Youngstown, OH Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of members: 42 Year joined the Covenant: 2009 Peak membership (approximately): 191
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Despite intentional efforts to regain missional traction, after years of gradual decline and the 2020 transition away of the pastor of the church, the congregation determined that the ministry was no longer viable and voted to close on August 30, 2020.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 53 of 285
Redeemer Evangelical Covenant Church Location: Caledonia, Michigan Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of members: 29 Year joined the Covenant: 1991 Peak membership (approximately): 250
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Redeemer had slowly spiraled down in worship attendance, membership, and mission over the last 25 years, and since the departure of the founding pastor. Despite valiant attempts at revitalizing the congregation, and the pandemic becoming a storm they could not weather, they discerned that the mission was best served by becoming a legacy church. They sold their building to a Burmese refugee congregation and rejoiced to see God bring new life to their church family through this final act of mission of becoming a “Legacy Church”. Redeemer had a heart for their neighborhood and will be remembered as a congregation whose spiritual gifts were Spirit-led hospitality and worship.
MIDSOUTH CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENT: GARTH T. BOLINDER
The Vine Covenant Church Location: Austin, TX Reason for deletion from roster: Withdrawn Number of members: 35 Year joined the Covenant: 2019 Peak membership: N/A
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Congregational vote to voluntarily disaffiliate from the Midsouth Conference and the Evangelical Covenant Church.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 54 of 285
MIDWEST CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENT: TAMMY SWANSON-DRAHEIM
New Day Covenant Church Location: Boulder, CO Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of members:32 Year Joined the Covenant: 2008 Peak membership (approximately): 60
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: We give thanks for the many years of fruitful ministry under the leadership of the planting pastor. New Day was planted in 2005 through the generosity of the Front Range church planting group and Fellowship Covenant Church. Though attendance never reached beyond 75, this was a church that “fought way above her weight class” with food ministry to the homeless that equaled similar work by large churches in the area. In recent years, the church began a steady decline in attendance. Upon the retirement of the planting pastor the church voted to close.
Evangelical Covenant Church Location: Centerville, IA Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of Members: 8 Year joined the Covenant: organized 1880, joined Covenant 1939 Peak membership(approximately): 65 Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Originally organized in 1880 by Swedish immigrants, Centerville became a member church of the Iowa Conference and the denomination in 1939. In recent years, the Centerville church declined in attendance to fewer than 10 faithful congregants who continued to meet without a pastor. A group of long-time members cared for the building until the passing of the church matriarch, at which time the remaining members determined it was time to close. Centerville became a living legacy church and will be remembered in the church plants that are birthed from her generosity. 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 55 of 285
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENT: MARK STROMBERG
Grace Outreach Covenant Church Location: Coon Rapids, MN Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of members: Year joined the Covenant: 2018 Peak membership(approximately): 60
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: With the departure of its founding pastor, the church made the decision that it was not sustainable to move forward.
Monticello Covenant Church Location: Monticello, MN Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Numbers of members: Year joined the Covenant: 1991
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: The church made the painful decision to close as a result of diminishing numbers and the resignation of the most recent pastor. The pandemic was also a contributing factor.
Abbey Way Covenant Church Location: Minneapolis, MN Reason for deletion from roster: Withdrawn Number of members: 13 Year joined the Covenant: 2010
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 56 of 285
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: The church continued to have concerns regarding the Covenant's position on human sexuality. The congregation made the decision to graciously leave the Covenant for the sake of integrity.
Genesis West Covenant Church Location: Robbinsdale, MN Reason for deletion from roster: Withdrawn Number of members: Year joined the Covenant: 2018 Peak membership (approximately): 250
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: The church continued to have concerns regarding the Covenant's position on human sexuality. The congregation made the decision to graciously leave the Covenant for the sake of integrity.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE SUPERINTENDENT: PAUL WILSON
Escalon Covenant Church Location: Escalon, CA Reason for deletion from roster: Withdrawn Number of members: 143 Year joined the Covenant: 1919 Peak Membership(approximately): 180
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Escalon Covenant has chosen to withdraw from the Evangelical Covenant Church.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 57 of 285
The Creek Covenant Church Location: Pleasant Hill, CA Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of members: 41 Year joined the Covenant: 2000 Peak membership (approximately): 91
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Reduced missional energy led to the close of the church in June 2019.
Community Covenant Church Location: Community Covenant Church Reason for deletion from roster: Closed Number of members: 34 Year joined the Covenant: 1979 Peak membership (approximately): Not available
Reason leading to removal from the roster and comments: Reduced missional energy led to the close of the church in January 2020.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
Page 58 of 285
Page 59 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #12
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT TEAM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY **These items will be introduced at the 135th Annual Meeting of the Covenant, and the actual vote will take place in 2022 during the 136th Annual Meeting. The Strategic Alignment Team was established in June 2020 by the Covenant Executive Board. The team sought to achieve missional effectiveness and contribute to financial sustainability of the denomination. At Gather 2021 2022, during the 135th 136th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church, delegates will vote on the SAT recommendation which includes an update to the: 1. Purpose of the denominational team 2. Overall operating philosophy 3. Leadership structure 4. Corresponding Covenant Constitution and Bylaws amendments This process is not new to the Covenant or to any other organization that engages in discernment processes seeking to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their mission. The Covid-19 pandemic propelled us into this communal discernment process, which took more than seven months to complete. We are grateful to the Strategic Alignment Team for their service and work on this great endeavor. The members of the Strategic Alignment Team were: Dierdra Clark, John Fanous, Greg Jao, Diane Leavitt, Claire McClun, Glenn Peterson, Doug Stevens, Gustavo Torres, John Wenrich, and Angela Yee. Together, as a mosaic of mission friends we pressed in to learn and familiarize ourselves with the present needs of our conferences and local churches and identify opportunities to further align our structure to become more agile and responsive to our constituency. The SAT began meeting last July and engaged in an extensive process of listening all across the denomination to discern the landscape of the needs and opportunities before us. We learned through this listening process that there were some services and programs that were highly valued by the denomination while other areas reflected significant challenges and opportunities for growth and improvement. Critically, we discovered that some of the current structure and systems challenges faced by the denominational team hinder its ability to serve the denomination effectively, including: • • •
A top-heavy structure of one executive for every 8 people (1:8 ratio) and 1:3 supervisor ratio Understaffing of shared services (communications, information services, human resources, and finance) Understaffing of support staff and staff who do day-to-day execution 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 60 of 285
• • • •
A divisional structure that contributes to silos, competition, and redundancies A leadership structure with five elected executive ministers reporting to one appointed executive director of ministry development who reports to the elected president, contributing to a lack of clarity in who is leading the church Lack of financial margin to staff around significant areas of need such as language translation, technology resourcing, and other functions to enable the denominational team to respond to and support needs of conferences and churches Granular Bylaws specifying ten executives and specific teams and activities, ultimately creating an inability to flex and adjust
These structural issues lead to bottlenecks, inefficiencies, redundancy, confusion, and poor constituent service. External uncertainties and unexpected crises require organizations to be adaptable and nimble in order to respond well to new internal or external developments. Effective organizations thrive when they work collaboratively and in synchronization with a wider network. In our context, we seek to partner as mission friends with the entire denomination—conferences, churches, affiliates, and ministry partners alike. The Strategic Alignment Team recommendation proposes for the denominational team to evolve into the Covenant Collaboration Team, further collaborating with conferences and churches. This recommendation shifts our current inflexible hierarchical model to one that is more organic, flexible, and focused on serving and collaborating with constituents. The proposal realigns the denominational team for greater missional effectiveness, where all the teams are integrated to achieve the mission priorities together. Mission is the central operating principle, and the delivery of all five mission priorities is a strategic priority for every team. In the proposed structure, the mission and the five mission priorities (develop leaders, love mercy do justice, make and deepen disciples, serve globally, and start and strengthen churches) are the central organizing principle of the denominational team. The mission, “To join God in God’s mission to see more disciples among more populations in a more caring and just world,” and the mission priorities remain the same. Through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, the following functional teams would deliver on all five mission priorities. The Engagement Team would contain Mobilize and Connect personnel who would engage around items such as credentialing, pastoral care, leadership development, relief and development, events, curriculum, marketing/ communications, and technology. The Mission Infrastructure Team with Fund and Organize personnel would include finance, accounting, governance, and operations functions. All teams would contribute to and advance all five mission priorities in a more streamlined system. This would enhance the ability to provide better customer service to constituents, one of the key concerns identified through denominational listening efforts. The new proposed structure becomes less top-heavy and more financially sustainable, moving from the current model of five elected and five appointed executives to two elected and two appointed vice presidents. Two elected vice presidents would oversee the Mobilize and Connect teams, and two appointed vice presidents would oversee the Fund and Organize teams. In addition, the current role of executive minister of the Ordered Ministry would be elected and retained as part of the Mobilize 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 61 of 285
personnel. The diagram of the structure is intended to communicate function, not the specifics of programs, ministries, initiatives, or roles. The functional diagram visualizes how the team is organized, but the actual work of the team is focused on what is central—mission. The mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church and five mission priorities are the absolute center of everything that is being done, locally and globally. In the recommended structure, the denominational team will be able to better serve the church and provide better resources, services, and support so desperately needed. This structure helps eliminate the current internal confusion, competition, and redundant efforts by aligning and streamlining the system to integrate efforts on all the mission priorities. The proposed structure increases missional effectiveness by aligning our staff with the needs expressed by the denomination, while delivering on all mission priorities in a more integrated way. It contributes toward the Covenant goal of financial sustainability by proposing a less top-heavy structure, reducing redundancy, enhancing income generation efforts. Multiple delegate briefing sessions are scheduled to provide more context for the proposed SAT recommendation. You can find the schedule for those sessions included in this packet. For additional information regarding the SAT recommendation and to read the FAQs, please visit gather.covchurch.org.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 62 of 285
Page 63 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #12
Strategic Alignment Team FAQ’s 1. What is the Strategic Alignment Team (SAT) and what is it supposed to accomplish? a. First, we want to be clear that our mission “to join God in God's mission to see more disciples among more populations in a more caring and just world”—and our mission priorities—remain the same with this recommendation. Our mission will not change. The change we are recommending is how we organize to more effectively partner with our conferences, pastors, and churches to continue to live into our shared call and vision. b. In the midst of the dramatic societal changes created by the pandemic, we are forced to assess how we can function more effectively. We also have the opportunity to shift and make changes to address identified needs that already exist. As many of us realize, the pandemic not only created change; it accelerated changes already occurring that need to be addressed. Thus, the purpose of the Strategic Alignment Team is to help ensure we are pursuing both wise stewardship and effective mission in the season ahead. c. The Strategic Alignment Team was formed in 2020 and was entrusted with the twin tasks of assessing our missional effectiveness and our financial sustainability as a denomination, while recommending proactive changes that will improve our financial stewardship and enhance our capacity to carry out our mission in partnership with those we are called to serve: our pastors, churches, conferences, and ministries. d. In order to address both missional effectiveness and financial sustainability, it is necessary to assess our denominational structures and methods to determine whether they help or hinder our ability to deliver on our mission and mission priorities. Thus, after doing the work of assessment, the primary focus of the SAT has been around creating a proposal to align our denominational structure with the identified needs of our pastors, churches, conferences, and ministries in order to deliver on and
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 64 of 285
steward our mission more effectively.
2. What did the Strategic Alignment Team discover in their assessment? a. With the multiple disruptions we are experiencing in our churches, our society, our environment, and our practices, we all continue to pray and seek guidance on how to remain resilient and responsive in this season. Through the listening phase of this process, the SAT learned of significant needs within the denomination as many pastors and churches seek to continue to serve their people and their communities effectively. Strong patterns emerged that were very evident: gaps in the system, potential opportunities going unrealized, and needs that were unmet. b. In general, the SAT discovered that our current structure creates an overly complex hierarchy that leads to a lack of flexibility, unintentional redundancies, bottlenecks in responsiveness, and internal competition for limited resources. i. The SAT’s assessment revealed that the hierarchical, inflexible system of our current denominational team is not built to withstand an uncertain and disruptive environment. ii. There is no financial margin to staff around areas of need, and we are severely limited in our ability to pursue new opportunities as they arise. iii. The combination of these issues leads to clear gaps in what the denominational team is doing and what the denomination actually needs most. Our ability to respond to needs, requests, and opportunities is severely hampered and confused by our complexity and unintentional redundancies within our system. c. Comparing the identified needs to our costly and inflexible organizational structure of ten teams led by ten executives, it became apparent to the SAT that a reorganization of the denominational team would be needed in order to better align their work with the needs and opportunities of the greater denomination that have been identified, and to allow for greater adaptability in our future, so that we can pursue our mission priorities more effectively.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 65 of 285
GENERAL STRUCTURE 1. Who is going to do what in the proposed structure? What is the process for determining roles, systems, and details? a. We can’t know that yet. Due to the congregational polity of our denomination, we will wait for the decision on the recommendation of the Annual Meeting. We will not be presumptive in planning and implementation until a decision has been made. These discussions will come days, weeks, and months after we become aware of the outcome of the vote of the Annual Meeting.
2. Can we move things around? a. The SAT is proposing an overall philosophy, similar to erecting studs for the framework of a house. The actual building out of the house comes later—installing walls and flooring, painting, moving in furniture, and other details. b. The overall structure has been intentionally constructed to factor in maximizing missional effectiveness in serving the denomination, reducing bottlenecks, meeting compensation goals for financial sustainability, and reducing redundancy. Moving large elements (like one wedge to another circle) creates significant ramifications for the entire system. c. However, if the recommendation is adopted, it would be possible to tweak and adjust the details of where initiatives reside, staffing, and processes.
3. Will you be laying off a lot of staff? a. Ultimately, the SAT is about a reorganization, not about a reduction in our work force. Although some positions may be closed, we anticipate opening other positions where staff could if there is a match with interest, experience, and talent. b. The majority of changes are about reorganizing people into the different circles and groups (wedges).
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 66 of 285
4. It seems like only one circle (Mobilize) is doing mission. Are we decreasing our mission? Is the proposed model primarily infrastructure? a. In the current structures, a distinction has been made between “mission” and “infrastructure.” These are somewhat misnomers, potentially conveying the idea that “mission” is the real work of mission, and that infrastructure is not needed and is “overhead.” The reality is that the two are closely interlinked; infrastructure is pointless without mission, and mission cannot be accomplished without infrastructure. Thus, the proposed model balances the importance of the Mission Engagement team and the Mission Infrastructure team because both sides are needed and are closely intertwined on an operational level to realize “mission.” b. Both of the circles of Mobilize and Connect are included in the Mission Engagement team. It is immediately evident that many of the functions of “Mobilize” are what would typically be associated with what is considered “mission” work. c. However, a significant part of what the mission priority teams do on a regular basis is equipping, creating resources, leading cohorts and trainings, shepherding, and providing immersive learning experiences (such as Sankofa). Our mission priority teams also do the majority of the convening and connecting of networks and groups, building relationships, and collaborating with various leaders around the denomination. All these are “mission” functions that drive the Mobilize and Connect circle.
MISSION PRIORITIES 1. What happened to the mission priorities? Why aren’t these represented in the new structure? a. The mission priorities will continue to guide, inform, and influence all ministry initiatives, resources, and strategies. b. Our current structure has a team for each mission priority. Each team has its own staff, budget, operating plan, and structure. This is a very expensive structure to maintain and also creates internal confusion, redundancies, and competition. c. Because the Covenant mission and the five mission priorities remain central, they serve as the
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 67 of 285
central organizing principle for the entire structure. d. The proposed model seeks to enhance and strengthen the five mission priorities in an integrated fashion. Instead of one team working on one mission priority, now all teams are working together to advance each mission priority as strategic objectives that align the work of all team members. e. Every team would have a part in delivering all the mission priorities, and the teams would collaborate together to ensure that the priorities are continually being carried out. f. The diagram is a visualization of how it will be organized by function, not where all the mission priority elements would fall.
2. How will each mission priority stay on the radar if specific people do not “own” them? a. As mission priorities, these function as the “core values” of our calling as a denomination. Thus, each priority is the responsibility of the whole denomination. b. Our current structure has each team functioning as a separate ministry and focused on one mission priority. This contributes to the identified issues of cost, confusion, redundancy, competition, and a lack of responsiveness to our pastors, churches, conferences, and ministries. c. In the new structure, the mission priorities would become the strategic priorities of all teams, working in collaboration with one another as one denominational team. d. Every team would own all five mission priorities. Every vice president would own all five mission priorities. Every circle would own the mission priorities, each contributing its own function for the fulfillment and advancement of each mission priority. Establishing clear lines of responsibility and accountability will be part of staff discussions during the implementation phases of the SAT recommendation. e. We acknowledge the importance of establishing clear accountability. That is one of the critical reasons for pursuing this realignment plan. We will continue to work with the Covenant Executive Board, the Council of Superintendents, the Council of Administrators, and other Covenant leaders so 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 68 of 285
we can continue to live into the call and intent of the Annual Meeting and mandate as reflected in the Covenant Constitution and Bylaws.
3. Where is _______ [specific program, initiative, or particular leader or people] from _________ [a specific] mission priority going to be? a. We can’t know this yet. In order to not be presumptive of the vote, the discussions of specific roles, processes, programs, and implementation details will be held only if the vote of the Annual Meeting passes at the end of June.
4. Where is Serve Globally? Of all the mission priorities, Serve Globally is the largest and most complex with a worldwide reach, but I don’t see it on the diagram. a. As with all five mission priorities, serve globally will continue to be an outcome of everything we do in and through each missional priority together. As we develop greater collaborative effectiveness, we will expand both local and global ministry impact. b. Serve Globally is deeply valued and reflective of the Covenant ethos of carrying out God’s mission across the world.1 The SAT sought to not only preserve this ethos, but to advance it further. No longer is only one team serving globally, but every team is advancing worldwide mission. c. The diagram is organized by function, not by mission priority or initiatives. In organization by function, every circle contributes in local ministry as well as global ministry: Mobilize is mobilizing locally and globally, Connect is resourcing and connecting locally and globally, Fund and Organize are carrying out their functions locally and globally.
1
“A deep interest in foreign missions has from the very beginning characterized the movement of which the
Mission Friends was born, even to the extent of leaving its imprint on the name ‘Mission Friends’” (Covenant Memories Golden Jubilee, 1885-1935, 81).
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 69 of 285
EXECUTIVE ROLES AND COVENANT OFFICERS 1. What is the difference between executive ministers/executive directors and vice presidents? a. Our current structure has five elected executive ministers and five appointed executive directors. To make the structure less top-heavy and to assist with financial sustainability goals for the future, the new model proposes two elected and two appointed vice presidents. b. “Vice presidents” would fulfill the same roles as “executive ministers/directors,” however, the name change would help clarify the change in the structure and more clearly identify the team’s working relationships in partnership with the denominational “president.” c. The only executive minister title that would be retained is executive minister of ordered ministry because we want to continue to honor the relationship with the Ministerium and acknowledge the uniqueness of this role.
2. Is the executive minister of ordered ministry a vice president? a. No, this would not be a vice presidential position and would not be significantly different than our current structure. b. The current role of executive minister of ordered ministry and Develop Leaders reports to the appointed role of executive director of ministry development, who reports to the president. The proposed structure maintains this relationship except that the executive minister of ordered ministry would report to the elected role of vice president of Mobilization. c. Additionally, this role interfaces directly with the president in a unique way, and this practice would continue. The executive minister of ordered ministry would focus on shepherding, caring for, and supporting all Covenant credentialed clergy and the Ministerium. This role would not be heavily involved in day-to-day organization-wide operational matters and administration as these elements will be covered with the four vice presidents.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 70 of 285
3. Why are you proposing the title “vice president?” Doesn’t that sound too corporate for the Covenant? a. The proposal includes vice presidents because it honors the past tradition of the Covenant. It signals a change from the existing structure, with roles and responsibilities that are different from those held by the current executives. And, it coincides with the existing role of president which we currently maintain. b. The term “vice president” has been used in the Covenant for its leadership since at least 1957. This title was used before the establishment of the current titles of “executive minister” and “executive director.” c. Our research also uncovered confusion within the Covenant about the difference between executive directors and executive ministers. d. The SAT researched other denominations and Christian organizations to learn what kind of titles are used. We felt this was the best title to accurately reflect the responsibilities of leadership roles. e. Since we have a president, it seems natural and normal to also have vice presidents identified in our organizational structures.
4. Doesn’t this model of four vice presidents become more hierarchical and create more bottlenecks, not less? a. No, just the opposite in fact. It reduces hierarchy, diversifies leadership responsibility, and empowers more people to accomplish better ministry. b. We would actually remove one layer of hierarchy in the proposed model. c. More leaders do not make things more efficient. It actually slows things down because there is more complexity. d. We seek to improve the complex dynamics that have hindered our ability to be responsive to our pastors, churches, conferences, and ministries, and to reduce bottlenecks. One way to achieve this is 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 71 of 285
to create a leadership team model that works with a board, similar to some of our local church models. e. Bottlenecks are also created when leadership is tasked with many operational matters. In this model, leadership’s job is to empower the staff to make decisions and work on establishing overall direction, objectives, and guidelines. This makes the model less hierarchical because staff are empowered to do the work.
5. Doesn’t this decrease the voice of the church because you are moving from five elected executive ministers down to two elected vice presidents? a. Actually, the voice of the church is elevated. b. Not only would there be more elected positions than appointed positions (four elected and two appointed), but the new leadership team philosophy allows the leadership to function more as the Covenant Collaboration Team, giving more opportunity for the whole church to speak more organically into the whole mission. c. The current model has five elected executive ministers and five appointed executive directors, leading to a top-heavy structure with a 1:8 executive to staff ratio. The proposed model consolidates executives down to two elected/two appointed vice presidents and the elected executive minister of ordered ministry. d. In total, there would continue to be four elected roles: the president, the two vice presidents of Mobilize and Connect, and the executive minister of ordered ministry.
ADDITIONAL BRIEFING SESSIONS I have more questions. How can I get them answered? There will be delegate briefing sessions via Zoom on: Tuesday, May 4, at 6:00 PM CT
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
Page 72 of 285
Monday, May 10, at 6:00 PM CT Thursday, May 20, at 5:00 PM CT Thursday, May 27, at 5:00 PM CT Thursday, June 10, at 5:00 PM CT There will be an opportunity to engage in Q&A with President John Wenrich and the executive minister of ministry development, Angela Yee. Some conferences are also hosting online sessions on this topic. President John Wenrich and the executive minister of ministry development, Angela Yee, will also be available to address questions during these sessions. Please check with your conference office for schedules and details on engaging. Individual questions not answered in the Q&A sessions or in this FAQ may be sent to sat@covchurch.org, and your question will be acknowledged and responded to via our regular updates to this FAQ page.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
10
|
GATHER 2021
Page 73 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #12
Strategic Alignment Team Recommendation SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS The Strategic Alignment Team proposes the revisions to the following elements of the Constitution and Bylaws. The proposed changes enable the denominational team to be responsive to the needs of the Evangelical Covenant Church in an uncertain and unpredictable environment by bringing greater flexibility into the system. At the same time, we have sought to preserve the important priorities of the voice of the church as well as retain and clarify many current practices of governance processes. Overall, the approach for the Bylaw revisions is: a) To align the Bylaws to the proposed structure. b) To preserve the voice of the church through having elected leadership positions. c) To build capacity for scalability and flexibility by removing granularity of titles, job descriptions, and operational elements. d) To bring clarity to current processes already functioning in the system but not documented. e) To bring clarity to any new positions or processes. f)
To move subsections in the documents to be grouped more closely with relevant content; this avoids confusion and the need to jump around the document.
CONSTITUTION These items will be introduced at the 135th Annual Meeting of the Covenant, and the actual vote will take place in 2022 during the 136th Annual Meeting. Article VI. Officers Note: “Officers” refer to the vice-president positions in the proposal. 1. Section 6.1 a. Propose replacing “assistant” with “additional” officers. b. Gives more flexibility for future if the denominational team should need to expand or reduce.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 74 of 285
2. Section 6.4 and 6.5 a. Combined both sections into one to remove specificity of titles (“corporate secretary” and “corporate treasurer”) to reduce repetition. 3. The sections have been reorganized to keep similar information together and match with the Bylaws. Article XII. Corporations 1. Section 12.1 a. The president currently is ex officio on more than fifty boards and commissions. The SAT looked for a way for the president to focus more on mission while attending to the needs of maintaining relational and business connection with the boards. b. The president is currently designated as ex-officio member of each board of each corporation. The SAT proposes allowing other officers to serve as ex-officio members on the president’s behalf so the president can prioritize engagements and meetings.
BYLAWS These items will be introduced at the 135th Annual Meeting of the Covenant, and the actual vote will take place in 2022 during the 136th Annual Meeting. Article VI. Officers 1. This section has been rewritten to simplify and reduce redundancy, remove inflexible granularity of job descriptions, and remove specific titles so that the staff structure has ability to expand or contract without rewriting Bylaws. a. We propose removing the designation of specific officer positions so that additional positions can be created without significant changes in the future. b. Content from other parts of the Bylaws (such as the current version’s Section 10.3) were brought into this article to keep information together. 2. Section 6.1 Officers a. Assistant corporate treasurers and secretaries have been removed because the flexibility in Section 6.4 enables the creation of officers beyond the corporate secretary and treasurer. b. Bylaws are not required to name assistants, and the organization has freedom to name assistants as desired. 3. Section 6.3 The President a. Supervision and direction are specified in this section in order to clarify that the president has the authority to supervise the vice presidents. b. 6.3(a)iv – The right of the Executive Board is to suspend and remove, but current Bylaws do not provide clarity in how the president may propose. This clause clarifies the process.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 75 of 285
c. 6.3(a)v – This allows for the hiring, supervision, and suspension of other employees who are not officers. The current Bylaws do not give the president authority to hire, and this allows the Bylaws to have transparency to the actual practices we follow. 4. Section 6.4 Officers Other Than the President a. This section designates the two appointed officers of corporate secretary and treasurer. b. The corporate secretary and corporate treasurer are the only named officer positions because most laws require these roles. We also believe that these roles naturally intersect with the vice presidents of Fund and Organize. c. A large section was added to clarify the roles of the other vice presidents, designated as “officers” in order to avoid specifying titles. 5. Section 6.5 Selection, Term, and Replacement of Corporate Treasurer and Corporate Secretary a. This section clarifies procedures related to the two named officer roles of corporate treasurer and corporate secretary. 6. Section 6.6 Suspension, Vacancies, and Replacement of Corporate Secretary or Treasurer a. This section clarifies procedures if the corporate secretary or treasurer positions become vacant. 7. Section 6.7 Call, Term, and Replacement of Officers Created Under 6.1(b) a. This section clarifies procedures for all other officers (vice presidents) Article VII. The Annual Meeting 1. Section 7.4 Delegates a. 7.4(d) — Global personnel can choose among themselves who should be delegates. We are suggesting one-third of the personnel, which is close to what they are sending now. This replaces the duty of the Executive Minister of Serve Globally to designate who should be sent. 2. Section 7.9 Elections and calls a. 7.9(b) and 7.9(c) outline the election process for officers and the Executive Minister of Ordered Ministry. b. 7.9(e) clarify suspension procedures. i. 7.9(e)v moves the termination of an elected member from the Annual Meeting to the Executive Board to avoid doing HR in front of hundreds of people, a very painful process for the person suspended as well as for the delegates. c. 7.9(f) and 7.9(g) state procedures related to vacancies. d. 7.9(h) expedites the process to appoint an interim officer so that the role is not vacant too long and puts a time limit on interim positions so that they cannot continue indefinitely. Article VIII. Executive Board 1. Section 8.1 Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 76 of 285
a. Section 8.1(i) – Everyone the president supervises has their salary reviewed by the Executive Board for accountability. This gives the Personnel Committee of the Executive Board oversight on salaries two levels down.
2. Section 8.3 Committees a. Suggested changes to the committees to have the Executive Board designate its own committees and rules so there is flexibility. Removed specificity of mission priority committees to allow the board to prioritize how to establish its own committees. Article X. Denominational Ministries 1. These sections have been removed, revised, or moved to other parts of the Bylaws due to the model changes. 2. Section 10.1 Mission Priorities a. Because we are no longer organizing specific teams that correspond to the mission priorities but making the mission priorities strategic priorities that all teams deliver, the language of this section has been changed from ministries to areas of focus. 3. Sections 10.2 and 10.3 (Executive Ministers and Executive Directors) were removed, so all subsequent section numbers need to be updated. Article XI. Council of Administrators and Council of Superintendents 1. Section 11.1 Council of Administrators a. Titles have been removed for flexibility. 2. Section 11.2 Council of Superintendents a. The elected officers have been added as well as the Executive Minister of Ordered Ministry. This is similar to the current makeup of the council, which has the President, Chief Ministry Officer, Executive Minister of Develop Leaders, and Executive Minister of Start and Strengthen Churches. The new format would have the President, Executive Minister of Ordered Ministry, Vice President of Connection, and Vice President of Mobilization. The rest of the changes are updating of titles and moving Section 13.3 to 13.1 to parallel the Bylaws with the corresponding numbers in the Constitution.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 77 of 285
AGENDA
ITEM
#12
2020/2021 ECC Constitution and Bylaw Amendments Proposed by SAT CONSTITUTION Article VI. Officers. Current Text Section 6.1. The ECC shall have a president, a corporate secretary, and a corporate treasurer. The Bylaws may provide for assistant officers. Section 6.2. Each officer of the ECC shall be responsible to the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board for that officer’s decisions and actions. Officers other than the president shall also be responsible to the president for decisions made and actions taken in carrying out the duties of their respective offices. Section 6.3. The president shall be an ordained ECC minister in good standing. The president shall be elected by the Annual Meeting as provided in the Bylaws. The president shall have the duties and responsibilities provided in the Bylaws. Section 6.4. The corporate secretary shall be selected as provided in the Bylaws. The corporate secretary shall have the duties and responsibilities provided in the Bylaws, and the duties and responsibilities assigned by the president that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.5. The corporate treasurer shall be selected as provided in the Bylaws. The corporate treasurer shall have the duties and responsibilities provided in the Bylaws, and the duties and responsibilities assigned by the president that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Article VI. Officers. Proposed Text Section 6.1. The Covenant shall have a president, a corporate secretary, and a corporate treasurer. The Bylaws may provide for assistant additional officers. Section 6.2. The president shall be an ordained Covenant minister in good standing. The president shall be elected by the Annual Meeting as provided in the Bylaws. The president shall have the duties and responsibilities provided in the Bylaws. Section 6.3. Each officer of the Covenant shall be responsible to the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board for that officer’s decisions and actions. Officers other than the president shall also be responsible to the president for decisions made and actions take in carrying out the duties of their respective offices. Section 6.4. All other officers other than the president shall be selected as provided in the Bylaws. They shall have the duties and responsibilities provided in the Bylaws. Section 6.5. The corporate treasurer shall be selected as provided in the Bylaws. The
1
Page 78 of 285
corporate treasurer shall have the duties and responsibilities provided in the Bylaws, and the duties and responsibilities assigned by the president that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Article XII. Corporations. Current Text Section 12.1. The ECC may establish corporations to be responsible for specific missions and purposes of the ECC, in cooperation with each other, the denominational ministries of the ECC, the regional conferences, and the congregations. Each corporation established by the ECC shall be identified in the Bylaws. Each corporation established by the ECC shall have officers and boards of directors as required by law and provided in the Bylaws. The president of the ECC shall be an ex-officio member of the board of directors of each corporation established by the ECC. Article XII. Corporations. Proposed Text Section 12.1. The Covenant may establish corporations to be responsible for specific missions and purposes of the Covenant, in cooperation with each other, the denominational ministries of the Covenant, the regional conferences, and the congregations. Each corporation established by the Covenant shall be identified in the Bylaws. Each corporation established by the Covenant shall have officers and boards of directors as required by law and provided in the Bylaws. The president of the Covenant, or an officer, shall be an exofficio member of the board of directors of each corporation established by the Covenant. BYLAWS Article VI. Officers. Current Text Section 6.1. Officers. The ECC has the following officers: a president, a corporate secretary, a corporate treasurer, an assistant corporate secretary, and an assistant corporate treasurer. Article VI. Officers. Proposed Text Section 6.1.Officers a. The Covenant has the following officers: a president, a corporate secretary, and a corporate treasurer. an assistant corporate secretary, and an assistant corporate treasurer. b. The president may propose additional officer positions as authorized in Section 6.7. of these Bylaws. Article VI. Section 6.3. The President. Current Text a. Duties and Responsibilities. The president shall provide pastoral leadership to the ECC. The president shall also be the chief executive officer of the ECC and, subject to the authority of the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board, shall have general direction of the ministry and business matters of the ECC, general direction of the officers of the ECC and members of the Council of Administrators, the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of president of an Illinois not-for-profit corporation, and all other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Annual Meeting, the Executive Board, or these Bylaws. Within this authority and in the course of the duties of president, the president shall i. preside at all meetings of the Council of Administrators; ii. be an ex-officio member of all boards, councils, commissions, committees, and associations
2
Page 79 of 285
of the ECC, except the Presidential Nominating Committee and any committee of the Executive Board that is reviewing the performance or compensation of the president of the ECC; iii. be an ex-officio member of the boards and committees of all corporations established by the ECC and their affiliates; and iv. execute or authorize the execution of legal, financial, and commercial documents in the name of the ECC when authorized by the Annual Meeting or the Executive Board, or when required by law or the regular and ordinary course of business. Article VI. Section 6.3. The President. Proposed Text a. Duties and Responsibilities. The president shall provide pastoral leadership to the Covenant. The president shall also be the chief executive officer of the Covenant and, subject to the authority of the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board, shall have general direction of the ministry and business matters of the Covenant; supervision and direction general direction of the officers of the Covenant; general direction of the other members of the Council of Administrators; the general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of president of an Illinois not-for-profit corporation; and all other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Annual Meeting, the Executive Board, or these Bylaws. Within this authority and in the course of the duties of president, the president shall i. preside at all meetings of the Council of Administrators; ii. be an ex-officio member of all boards, councils, commissions, committees, and associations of the Covenant, except the Presidential Nominating Committee and any committee of the Executive Board that is reviewing the performance or compensation of the president of the Covenant; iii. be an ex-officio member of the boards and committees of all corporations established by the Covenant and their affiliates; iv. nominate, supervise, and propose to the Executive Board of the Covenant the suspension (with or without pay) or removal of the treasurer and secretary and supervise and propose to the Executive Board of the Covenant the suspension (with or without pay) or removal of other officers created pursuant to 6.1(b); v. hire, supervise, suspend (with or without pay), and remove additional employees to accomplish the mission of the Covenant; and vi. execute or authorize the execution of legal, financial, and commercial documents in the name of the Covenant when authorized by the Annual Meeting or the Executive Board, or when required by law or the regular and ordinary course of business. Article VI. Officers. Current Text Section 6.4. The Corporate Secretary. The corporate secretary shall perform all of the duties of a corporate secretary required by law, the duties of the corporate secretary specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by a corporate secretary, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.5. The Corporate Treasurer. The corporate treasurer shall perform all of the duties of a corporate treasurer required by law, the duties of the corporate treasurer specified in this
3
Page 80 of 285
Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by a corporate treasurer, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.6. Assistant Corporate Secretary. The assistant corporate secretary shall perform all of the duties of an assistant corporate secretary required by law, the duties of the assistant corporate secretary specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by an assistant corporate secretary, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board or the corporate secretary that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.7. Assistant Corporate Treasurer. The assistant corporate treasurer shall perform all of the duties of an assistant corporate treasurer required by law, the duties of the assistant corporate treasurer specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by an assistant corporate treasurer, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board or the corporate treasurer that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.8. Selection of Officers Other Than the President. No later than December 1 in the first year of a president’s initial term, the president of the ECC shall recommend one or more candidates to the Executive Board for each of the following positions: corporate secretary, corporate treasurer, assistant corporate secretary, and assistant corporate treasurer. The Executive Board shall, by vote of twothirds of its elected members, appoint a candidate recommended by the president of the ECC for each of these positions no later than June 1 of the following year. The Executive Board may decline to appoint a candidate recommended by the president. Section 6.9. Terms of Office of Officers Other Than the President. The term of the corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, and the assistant corporate treasurer is indefinite in length but shall terminate not later than the day before the effective date of the Executive Board’s appointment of a successor to that position. Section 6.10. Temporary Absence or Temporary Disability of an Officer Other Than the President. In the temporary absence or temporary disability of the corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, or the assistant corporate treasurer, the Executive Board may, upon the recommendation of the president of the ECC, appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis for the duration of the officer’s temporary absence or temporary disability. The interim officer shall perform all the duties of the position and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on the officer holding that position. Section 6.11. Vacancies in the Positions of Officers Other Than the President. a. The Executive Board shall declare the position of the corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, or the assistant corporate treasurer vacant upon the removal, resignation, permanent incapacity, or death of the person holding that office. i. Removal. By vote of two-thirds of its elected members, the Executive Board may remove the corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, or the assistant corporate treasurer. ii. Resignation. The corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, or the assistant corporate treasurer may resign upon written notice to the Executive Board. iii. Permanent Incapacity. The Executive Board shall develop a policy for determining
4
Page 81 of 285
permanent incapacity. b. When a vacancy occurs in the position of the corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, or the assistant corporate treasurer, the Executive Board shall, upon the recommendation of the president of the ECC, appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis. The interim officer shall perform all the duties of the position and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on an officer holding that position. Within three months of the creation of the vacancy, the president shall recommend one or more candidates to the Executive Board to fill the vacant position. The Executive Board shall appoint a candidate recommended by the president to fill the vacant position within six months of the creation of the vacancy, unless the Executive Board, by a majority vote, extends the time for filling the vacancy. The president of the ECC shall act in good faith to recommend a qualified candidate. The Executive Board may decline to appoint a candidate recommended by the president. Article VI. Officers. Proposed Text Section 6.4 Officers Other Than the President a. Additional Officers. In addition to the president, other officers to the Covenant shall be: i. The Corporate Secretary. The corporate secretary shall perform all of the duties of a corporate secretary required by law, the duties of the corporate secretary specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by a corporate secretary, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. The corporate secretary reports to and is accountable to the president for the performance of the secretary’s duties. ii. The Corporate Treasurer. The corporate treasurer shall perform all of the duties of a corporate treasurer required by law, the duties of the corporate treasurer specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by a corporate treasurer, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. The treasurer reports to and is accountable to the president for the performance of the treasurer’s duties. iii. All Other Officers. All other officers created under Section 6.1(b) of these Bylaws shall perform their duties as specified in this Constitution and Bylaws and the duties assigned by the Executive Board and/or president that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. They report to and are accountable to the president for the performance of their duties. b. Ex-Officio Designation. On the president’s behalf, an ex-officio member of all boards, councils, commissions, committees, and associations of the Covenant and all corporations established by the Covenant and their affiliates, except the Presidential Nominating Committee and any committee of the Executive Board.
5
Page 82 of 285
Section 6.5 The Corporate Treasurer. The corporate treasurer shall perform all of the duties of a corporate treasurer required by law, the duties of the corporate treasurer specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by a corporate treasurer, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.6 Assistant Corporate Secretary. The assistant corporate secretary shall perform all of the duties of an assistant corporate secretary required by law, the duties of the assistant corporate secretary specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by an assistant corporate secretary, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board or the corporate secretary that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.7 Assistant Corporate Treasurer. The assistant corporate treasurer shall perform all of the duties of an assistant corporate treasurer required by law, the duties of the assistant corporate treasurer specified in this Constitution and Bylaws, the duties customarily performed by an assistant corporate treasurer, and any other duties assigned by the Executive Board or the corporate treasurer that are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws. Section 6.5. Selection, Term, and Replacement of Corporate Treasurer and Corporate Secretary. a. Selection. No later than December 1 in the first year of a president’s initial term, the president of the Covenant shall recommend one or more candidates to the Executive Board for each of the following positions: corporate secretary and corporate treasurer, assistant corporate secretary and assistant corporate treasurer. The Executive Board shall, by vote of two-thirds of its elected members, appoint a candidate recommended by the president of the Covenant for each of these positions no later than June 1 of the following year. The Executive Board may decline to appoint a candidate recommended by the president. b. Terms of Office of Officers Other Than the President. The term of the corporate secretary and the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, and the assistant corporate treasurer is indefinite in length but shall terminate not later than the day before the effective date of the Executive Board’s appointment of a successor to that position. c. Temporary Absence or Temporary Disability of an Officer Other Than the President. In the temporary absence or temporary disability of the corporate secretary or the corporate treasurer, assistant corporate secretary and assistant corporate treasurer, a majority of the Executive Board may, upon the recommendation of the president of the Covenant, appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis for the duration of the officer’s temporary absence or temporary disability. The interim officer shall perform all the duties of the position and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on the officer holding that position.
6
Page 83 of 285
Section 6.6. Suspension, Vacancies, and Replacement of Corporate Secretary or Corporate Treasurer. a. The Executive Board may suspend the corporate secretary or corporate treasurer, with or without pay, through a two-thirds vote of its elected and ex-officio members. The Executive Board either shall reinstate the officer with or without back pay by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board’s elected and ex-officio members or shall remove the officer before the time of the second Annual Meeting following suspension. The Executive Board shall declare the position of the corporate secretary, or the corporate treasurer, assistant corporate secretary and assistant corporate treasurer vacant upon the removal, resignation, permanent incapacity, or death of the person holding that office. b. The Executive Board, with a two-thirds vote of its elected and ex-officio members, may remove the corporate secretary or treasurer, assistant corporate secretary and assistant corporate treasurer. Resignation. The corporate secretary or the corporate treasurer, assistant corporate secretary and assistant corporate treasurer may resign upon written notice to the Executive Board. c. Permanent Incapacity. The Executive Board shall develop a policy for determining permanent incapacity. d. When a vacancy occurs in the position of the corporate secretary or, the corporate treasurer, assistant corporate secretary and assistant corporate treasurer, the Executive Board shall, by majority vote and upon the recommendation of the president of the Covenant, appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis. The interim officer shall perform all the duties of the position and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on an officer holding that position. Within three months of the creation of the vacancy, the president shall recommend one or more candidates to the Executive Board to fill the vacant position. The Executive Board, by a two-thirds vote, shall appoint a candidate recommended by the president to fill the vacant position within six months of the creation of the vacancy, unless the Executive Board, by a majority vote, extends the time for filling the vacancy. The president of the Covenant shall act in good faith to recommend a qualified candidate. The Executive Board may decline to appoint a candidate recommended by the president. Section 6.7. Call, Term, and Replacement of Officers Created Under 6.1(b). i. Call. Officers created under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws are called as provided in Section 7.9 of the Bylaws. ii. Terms of Office. Officers created under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws Each executive minister shall be elected or re-elected by the Annual Meeting for a term of four years. Each term shall begin on September 1 following the Annual Meeting at which the executive minister officer was elected. iii. Section 6.10.Temporary Absence or Temporary Disability of an Officer Other Than the President. In the temporary absence or temporary disability of officers created under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws the corporate secretary, the corporate treasurer, the assistant corporate secretary, or the assistant corporate treasurer, a majority of the Executive Board may, upon the recommendation of the president of the Covenant, appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis for the duration of the officer’s temporary absence or temporary disability. The interim officer shall perform all the duties
7
Page 84 of 285
of the position and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on the officer holding that position. iv. Suspension, Removal, and Replacement of Officers Created Under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws. The procedures governing the suspension, removal, and replacement of positions in which there is a vacancy in an office created under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws are described in Section 7.9(e) and (f) of the Bylaws. Article VII. The Annual Meeting. Section 7.4. Delegates. Current Text d. The ECC ministry of serve globally shall be entitled to up to 26 delegates to the Annual Meeting. The delegates will be determined by the executive minister of serve globally in consultation with the regional and country coordinators. Article VII. The Annual Meeting. Section 7.4. Delegates. Proposed Text d. The Covenant global missionary personnel ministry of serve globally shall be entitled to up to 26 a number of Annual Meeting delegates equal to 33% of their total number. The delegates will be determined by vote among the global personnel the executive minister of serve globally in consultation with the regional and country coordinators. Article VII. The Annual Meeting. Section 7.9. Elections and Calls. Current Text a. ECC President. i. The president of the ECC shall be elected by the Annual Meeting. The election shall be by ballot. ii. One candidate for president of the ECC shall be nominated by a Presidential Nominating Committee consisting of the following: twelve persons elected by the Executive Board from its elected members so as to reflect the composition of the Executive Board as a whole; one person each elected by and from the elected members of the Board of Directors of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the Board of the Ordered Ministry, the Board of Pensions and Benefits, and the Board of Trustees of North Park University; and the chairs of the regional conferences. iii. The Presidential Nominating Committee shall be convened for organization by the corporate secretary of the ECC, but shall elect its own officers and determine its own procedures. The Executive Board shall authorize adequate financial resources for the work of the committee. b. Elected Executive Ministers. i. The executive minister of love mercy and do justice, the executive minister of make and deepen disciples, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the executive minister of serve globally, the executive minister of start and strengthen churches shall be elected by the Annual Meeting. Each election shall be by ballot. ii. One candidate each for the positions of executive minister of love mercy and do justice, the executive minister of make and deepen disciples, the executive minister of serve globally, and the executive minister of start and strengthen churches shall be nominated by the Executive Board. iii. One candidate for the position of executive minister of the ordered ministry shall be nominated by the Board of the Ordered Ministry, with the concurrence of the Executive Board
8
Page 85 of 285
and the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium. c. Election Provisions for the President of the ECC and the Executive Ministers Elected by the Annual Meeting. i. Only members in good standing of a member congregation of the ECC shall be eligible for election. ii. Only ordained ministers of the ECC in good standing shall be eligible for election as president of the ECC or as executive minister of the ordered ministry. iii. A two-thirds vote of the delegates present and voting shall be required for election unless a second candidate is placed on the ballot, in which case a majority vote of the delegates present and voting shall be required for election. iv. In the event an unopposed candidate does not receive the required two thirds majority for election, the Annual Meeting shall receive nominations from the floor and conduct an election under the following provisions: (1) All nominations must be made from the floor. The unopposed candidate who did not receive the required two-thirds majority for election is eligible for nomination from the floor. If descriptive information on any such nominee is distributed it shall be similar in scope and content to information provided regarding candidates nominated by an ECC board or committee. Article VII. The Annual Meeting. Section 7.9. Election and Calls. Proposed Text a. Covenant President. The president of the Covenant shall be elected by the Annual Meeting. The election shall be by ballot. One candidate for president of the Covenant shall be nominated by a Presidential Nominating Committee consisting of the following: twelve persons elected by the Executive Board from its elected members so as to reflect the composition of the Executive Board as a whole; one person each elected by and from the elected members of the Board of Directors of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the Board of the Ordered Ministry, the Board of Pensions and Benefits, and the Board of Trustees of North Park University; and the chairs of the regional conferences. The Presidential Nominating Committee shall be convened for organization by the corporate secretary of the Covenant but shall elect its own officers and determine its own procedures. The Executive Board shall authorize adequate financial resources for the work of the committee. b. Officers Created Under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws and the Executive Minister of Ordered Ministry. i. All officers created under Section 6.1(b) shall be elected by the Annual Meeting. One candidate for each of these offices will be nominated by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Board. The election shall be by ballot. c. Elected Executive Minister of the Ordered Ministry. One candidate for the position of executive minister of the ordered ministry shall be nominated by the Board of the Ordered
9
Page 86 of 285
Ministry, with the concurrence of a majority of the Executive Board and a majority vote of the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium. The election shall be by ballot. c. Election Provision for the President of the ECC, Officers Created Under Section 6.1(b), and the Executive Minister of the Ordered Ministry Elected by the Annual Meeting. i. Only members in good standing of a member congregation of the Covenant shall be eligible for election. ii. Only ordained ministers of the Covenant in good standing shall be eligible for election as president of the Covenant or as executive minister of the ordered ministry. iii. A two-thirds vote of the delegates present and voting shall be required for election unless a second candidate is placed on the ballot, in which case a majority vote of the delegates present and voting shall be required for election. iv. In the event an unopposed candidate does not receive the required two-thirds majority for election, the Annual Meeting shall receive nominations from the floor and conduct an election under the following provisions: All nominations must be made from the floor. The unopposed candidate who did not receive the required two-thirds majority for election is eligible for nomination from the floor. If descriptive information on any such nominee is distributed it shall be similar in scope and content to information provided regarding candidates nominated by a Covenant board or committee. Nominating speeches shall be limited to five minutes. Up to three seconding speeches may be made for each nominee and shall be limited to two minutes each. The moderator shall provide for a recess of the Annual Meeting during which questions may be addressed to the nominees following a procedure to be recommended by the officers of the Annual Meeting and approved by the Annual Meeting. A majority of delegates present and voting shall be required for election. v. Nominations for a second candidate for any of these positions may be made from the floor according to the following procedure: All nominations from the floor shall require a second. A delegate making a nomination may provide descriptive information similar in scope and content to that provided to the Annual Meeting with respect to the candidate nominated by the Presidential Nominating Committee, the Executive Board, or the Board of the Ordered Ministry.
10
Page 87 of 285
Nominating speeches shall be limited to five minutes. Up to three seconding speeches may be made for each nominee and shall be limited to two minutes each. In the case of contested elections, the moderator shall provide for a recess of the Annual Meeting during which questions may be addressed to the nominees following a procedure to be recommended by the officers of the Annual Meeting and approved by the Annual Meeting. d. Corporate Presidents, and Dean of North Park Theological Seminary Called by the Annual Meeting. i. The Annual Meeting shall call the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the president of North Park University, and the dean of North Park Theological Seminary. Each call shall be voted upon by ballot. The Board of Directors of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence shall recommend and the Executive Board shall approve a candidate to be called as president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence by the Annual Meeting. The Board of Trustees of North Park University shall recommend and the Executive Board shall approve a candidate to be called as president of North Park University by the Annual Meeting. The Board of Trustees of North Park University shall recommend and the Executive Board and the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium shall approve a candidate to be called as dean of North Park Theological Seminary by the Annual Meeting. ii. Only a member in good standing of a Covenant member congregation shall be eligible for call. iii. A majority vote of the delegates present and voting shall be required for call. e. Suspension of Persons Elected by the Annual Meeting. i. By vote of two-thirds of its elected and ex-officio members, the Executive Board may suspend the president of the Covenant, any officer created under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws, the Executive Minister of the Ordered Ministry, the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the president of North Park University, or the dean of North Park Theological Seminary for cause. The Executive Board may lift the suspension by vote of two-thirds of its elected and ex-officio members. Suspension may be with or without pay as a two-thirds majority of the Executive Board’s elected and ex-officio members may determine. ii. Cause for suspension includes, but is not limited to, is failure to perform duties, malfeasance, misfeasance, immorality, indiscretion, insubordination, unethical behavior, doctrinal error, breach of a fiduciary duty owed to the Covenant, breach of a
11
Page 88 of 285
duty of confidentiality owed to the Covenant, or breach of a duty of loyalty owed to the Covenant. iii.Suspension may be with or without pay as the Executive Board may determine. iii. After a suspension, a majority of the Executive Board may appoint a person to serve in the capacity of the suspended person on an interim basis. iv. Resolution of Suspension. With the exception of officers elected under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws and the Executive Minister of the Ordered Ministry, if a person is still under suspension at the time of the second Annual Meeting following suspension, the Executive Board shall submit the matter to the Annual Meeting, which shall either remove the suspended person for cause by majority vote of the delegates present and voting or reinstate the suspended person with or without back pay by majority vote of the delegates present and voting. The Executive Board may, by majority vote, submit the matter to the Annual Meeting at the first Annual Meeting following suspension. In the case of officers elected under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws and the Executive Minister of the Ordered Ministry, the Executive Board either shall reinstate the officer with or without back pay by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board’s elected and ex-officio members or shall remove the officer pursuant to Section 7.9(f)(i)(b) of these Bylaws before the time of the second Annual Meeting following suspension. f. Vacancies by Reason of Removal, Resignation, Permanent Incapacity, or Death. The Executive Board of the Covenant shall may declare the position of president of the Covenant, officers created under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, president of North Park University, or dean of North Park Theological Seminary vacant upon the removal, resignation, permanent incapacity, or death of the person holding that position. i.
Removal. The president of the Covenant, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, any executive minister, the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the president of North Park University, or the dean of North Park Theological Seminary can be removed only by majority vote of the delegates present and voting of the Annual Meeting, after suspension by the Executive Board. Officers created under section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws may be removed by a vote of two-thirds of its elected and ex-officio members of the Executive Board. Removal does not require a prior suspension by the Executive Board. Cause removal includes, but is not limited to, failure to perform duties, malfeasance, misfeasance, immorality, indiscretion, insubordination, unethical
12
Page 89 of 285
behavior, doctrinal error, breach of a fiduciary duty owed to the Covenant, breach of a duty of confidentiality owed to the Covenant, or breach of a duty of loyalty owed to the Covenant. ii.
Resignation. The president of the Covenant, any officer created under Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the president of North Park University, or the dean of North Park Theological Seminary may resign upon written notice to the Executive Board.
iii.
Permanent Incapacity. The Executive Board shall develop a policy for determining permanent incapacity.
g. Filling Vacancies by Reason of Removal, Resignation, Permanent Incapacity, or Death. I. In the event of a vacancy in the position of president of the Covenant, the Executive Board shall by two-thirds vote appoint an acting president. The acting president shall perform all the duties of the president and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on the president. If the vacancy occurs two years or more before the end of a president’s term, a Presidential Nominating Committee may be convened by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board of the Covenant. If a Presidential Nominating Committee is convened under these circumstances, it shall nominate a candidate to stand for election at the first or second Annual Meeting following the declaration of the vacancy to serve the unexpired term. If the vacancy occurs less than two years before the end of the president’s term, a Presidential Nominating Committee shall be convened and shall nominate a candidate to stand for election to a full term at the Annual Meeting at which the regular presidential election is scheduled to take place. II. In the event of a vacancy in the position of any officer created by Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws or the any executive minister of the ordered ministry, the Executive Board, by majority vote, shall appoint a person to serve on an interim basis executive minister until a successor executive minister is called elected by the next Annual Meeting and takes office. III. In the event of a vacancy in the position of president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the Board of Directors of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, with the approval of a majority vote of the Executive Board of the Covenant, shall appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis until a new president is called by the Annual Meeting and takes office. IV. In the event of a vacancy in the position of president of North Park University or dean of North Park Theological Seminary, the Board of Trustees of North Park University, with the approval the Executive Board of the Covenant, shall appoint a person to
13
Page 90 of 285
perform the duties of that position on an interim basis until a new president or dean is called by the Annual Meeting and takes office. h. Temporary Incapacity, Absence, or Suspension of an Officer Created by Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws. i.
In the temporary incapacity, absence, or suspension of an officer created by Section 6.1(b) of the Bylaws, the Executive Board may with a majority vote of its elected members appoint a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis for the duration of the officer’s temporary absence, temporary disability, or suspension. The interim officer shall perform all the duties of the position and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions on the officer holding that position. These interim appointments shall not extend beyond (a) the period covered by the temporary absence, temporary disability, or suspension or (b) the second Annual Meeting after the appointment is made, whichever occurs first.
ii.
The Executive Board shall develop a policy for determining temporary incapacity.
ARTICLE VIII Executive Board. Current Text Section 8.1. Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall coordinate and implement the common mission of the ECC as developed and articulated by the Annual Meeting, this Constitution and Bylaws, and the strategic planning processes of the ECC. The Executive Board shall carry out its work with an integrity and character consistent with Christian principles. Within this authority and in the course of its duties, the Executive Board shall a. be responsible for ensuring that the policies and decisions of the Annual Meeting are carried out; b. approve an agenda for each session of the Annual Meeting and recommend it to the Annual Meeting; c. approve a proposed annual budget for the ECC and recommend it to the Annual Meeting; d. appoint and remove the officers of the ECC other than the president, as provided in these Bylaws; e. delegate such responsibility for the administration of the ECC as may be required by the temporary absence or temporary incapacity of an officer of the ECC, unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws; f. approve the fiscal policy of the ECC; g. approve the acquisition, encumbrance, and disposition of the property and assets of the ECC; h. promote coordination among the regional conferences, the denominational ministries of the ECC, and the corporations established by the ECC; i. approve the salaries of the officers of the ECC, executive ministers, and executive directors; j. approve the salary of the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence upon the recommendation of the Board of Benevolence; k. approve the salaries of the following persons upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees of North Park University: the president of North Park University and the dean of North Park Theological Seminary; l. approve the salaries of the president of Covenant Trust Company and the president of National Covenant Properties; m. adopt a policy concerning insurance coverage and risk management practices for the ECC;
14
Page 91 of 285
n. create one or more committees, appoint members of the Executive Board and such other persons as the Executive Board designates to serve on each committee, and delegate to each committee the powers that the Executive Board deems appropriate and that the Executive Board has the right to delegate under this Constitution and Bylaws and applicable laws; o. be known as the Board of Directors or Trustees of the ECC when law or legal instruments require action by the Board of Directors or Trustees of the ECC; p. comply with and be responsible for ensuring that the ECC complies with all applicable laws; and q. develop its own procedural rules and file a copy of the approved rules with the corporate secretary of the ECC. Section 8.1. Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Board. Proposed Text The Executive Board shall coordinate and implement the common mission of the Covenant as developed and articulated by the Annual Meeting, this Constitution and Bylaws, and the strategic planning processes of the Covenant. The Executive Board shall carry out its work with an integrity and character consistent with Christian principles. Within this authority and in the course of its duties, the Executive Board shall a. be responsible for ensuring that the policies and decisions of the Annual Meeting are carried out; b. approve an agenda for each session of the Annual Meeting and recommend it to the Annual Meeting; c. approve a proposed annual budget for the Covenant and recommend it to the Annual Meeting; d. appoint and remove the officers of the Covenant other than the president, as provided in these Bylaws; e. delegate such responsibility for the administration of the Covenant as may be required by the temporary absence or temporary incapacity of an officer of the Covenant, unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws; f. approve the fiscal policy of the Covenant; g. approve the acquisition, encumbrance, and disposition of the property and assets of the Covenant; h. promote coordination among the regional conferences, the denominational ministries of the Covenant, and the corporations established by the Covenant; i. approve the salaries of the officers of the Covenant and those other employees who report to the president as well as the executive minister of the ordered ministry executive ministers, and executive directors; j. approve the salary of the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence upon the recommendation of the Board of Benevolence; k. approve the salaries of the following persons upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees of North Park University: the president of North Park University and the dean of North Park Theological Seminary; l. approve the salaries of the president of Covenant Trust Company and the president of National Covenant Properties; m. adopt a policy concerning insurance coverage and risk management practices for the Covenant; n. create one or more committees, appoint members of the Executive Board and such other persons as the Executive Board designates to serve on each committee, and delegate
15
Page 92 of 285
to each committee the powers that the Executive Board deems appropriate and that the Executive Board has the right to delegate under this Constitution and Bylaws and applicable laws; o. be known as the Board of Directors or Trustees of the Covenant when law or legal instruments require action by the Board of Directors or Trustees of the Covenant; p. comply with and be responsible for ensuring that the Covenant complies with all applicable laws; and q. develop its own procedural rules and file a copy of the approved rules with the corporate secretary of the Covenant. Section 8.3. Committees. Current Text a. The Executive Board shall organize itself into committees for the purpose of receiving reports, developing policies, and making recommendations to the Executive Board for a committee’s specific area of focus. b. The standing committees shall be: develop leaders, love mercy and do justice, make and deepen disciples, serve globally, start and strengthen churches, communications, finance, and personnel. c. Each elected member of the Executive Board shall serve on at least one standing committee at any given time. d. Each standing committee shall have five to seven members who are elected members of the Executive Board. The executive minister of the mission priority of the committee or executive director of the support service shall be an advisor to the committee with the related focus of the executive minister or executive director. The committee may have members who are ex-officio members of the Executive Board. The Executive Board may appoint additional advisors, including appropriate members of the faculty of North Park Theological Seminary. e. Each standing committee shall develop procedural rules to be approved by the Executive Board. f. The Executive Board may establish additional standing committees or ad hoc committees as appropriate to advance the ECC mission. Section 8.3. Committees. Proposed Text a. The Executive Board shall organize itself into committees for the purpose of receiving reports, developing policies, and making recommendations to the Executive Board for a committee’s specific area of focus. b. The standing committees shall be finance, personnel, and any others designed by the Board resolution creating the committee develop leaders, love mercy and do justice, make and deepen disciples, serve globally, start and strengthen churches, communications, finance, and personnel. c. Each elected member of the Executive Board shall serve on at least one standing committee at any given time. d. Each standing committee shall have five to seven members who are elected members of the Executive Board. The committee may request the presence of advisors or ex-officio members of the Executive Board to participate in their meetings. The executive minister of the mission priority of the committee or executive director of the support service shall be an advisor to the committee with the related focus of the executive minister or executive director. The committee may have members who are ex-officio members of the Executive Board. The Executive Board may appoint additional advisors, including appropriate members of the faclty of North Park Theological Seminary. e. Each standing committee shall develop procedural rules to be approved by the
16
Page 93 of 285
Executive Board. f. The Executive Board may establish additional standing committees or ad hoc committees as appropriate to advance the Covenant mission. Article X. Denominational Ministries. Current Text Section 10.1. Mission Priorities. a. In order to carry out its mission, the ECC organizes its ministries around mission priorities. The mission priorities are: i. start and strengthen churches—starting and strengthening healthy, missional churches in the United States and Canada; ii. make and deepen disciples—helping people experience new life in Christ and grow deeper in Christ in a lifelong journey of faith; iii. love mercy and do justice—walking humbly with God to address hurts and the cause of those hurts; iv. develop leaders—developing and strengthening leaders, both lay and clergy; and v. serve globally—pursuing the mission priorities internationally. b. Each mission priority shall be led by an executive minister. Section 10.2. Executive Ministers. a. An executive minister shall be elected by the Annual Meeting to give leadership to a mission priority. An executive minister is accountable for outcomes related to that mission priority, including the implementation of decisions and policies of the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board of the ECC. b. An executive minister shall lead the mission priority by proposing and implementing strategies, proposing and managing income and expense, and proposing and managing team members. c. An executive minister shall pursue coordination and collaboration across the mission priorities, ensuring a comprehensive, integrated mission strategy. d. An executive minister shall be accountable to the president by reporting through the executive director of ministry development. e. An executive minister shall contribute to the overall mission of the ECC by serving on the Council of Administrators and as an advisor to the Executive Board. f. By mutual agreement with the president, any board, council, commission, committee, or association of the ECC or any board or committee of a corporation established by the ECC may invite an executive minister as a representative of the president of the ECC, with the status of an advisor to a meeting of the group. g. Each executive minister shall be elected or re-elected by the Annual Meeting for a term of four years. Each term shall begin on September 1 following the Annual Meeting at which the executive minister was elected. Section 10.3. Executive Directors. a. Executive directors shall be appointed by the president with concurrence of the Executive Board to give leadership to areas in support of the implementation of mission priorities. Each executive director is accountable for outcomes related to that mission support service, including the implementation of decisions and policies of the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board of the ECC. b. The executive director of ministry development shall represent the president to coordinate and bring collaboration across the mission priorities, ensuring a comprehensive, integrated mission
17
Page 94 of 285
strategy and maximized use of human and financial resources. The executive director of ministry development works with executive ministers in finalizing decisions related to strategy, finances, and staffing. The executive director of ministry development ensures coordinated and collaborative efforts with mission support services and regional conferences. c. The executive directors of mission support services shall be: the executive director of advancement ; the executive director of communications, who shall serve as editor of the denominational magazine; the executive director of finance, who shall also hold the office of corporate treasurer and be the chief financial officer of the ECC; and the executive director of operations. d. An executive director shall lead an area by proposing and implementing strategies, proposing and managing income and expense, and proposing and managing team members. e. An executive director shall report to and be accountable to the president. f. An executive director shall contribute to the overall mission of the ECC by serving on the Council of Administrators and as an advisor to the Executive Board. g. By mutual agreement with the president, any board, council, commission, committee, or association of the ECC or any board or committee of a corporation established by the ECC may invite an executive director as a representative of the president of the ECC, with the status of an advisor to a meeting of the group. h. Temporary Absence or Disability. In the temporary absence or temporary disability of an executive director, the president may appoint with the concurrence of the Executive Board a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis for the duration of the temporary absence or temporary disability. i. Vacancies. The Executive Board shall declare the position of any executive director vacant upon the removal, resignation, permanent incapacity, or death of the person holding that position. i. Removal. By vote of two-thirds of its elected members, the Executive Board may remove an executive director. ii. Resignation. An executive director may resign upon written notice to the Executive Board. iii. Permanent Incapacity. The Executive Board shall develop a policy for determining permanent incapacity. iv. Filling Vacancy. When a vacancy occurs in the position of an executive director, the president shall appoint with the concurrence of the Executive Board a person to perform the duties of the vacated position on an interim basis, until such time as a permanent replacement is appointed by the president with concurrence of the Executive Board Article X. Denominational Ministries. Proposed Text Section 10.1. Mission Priorities. In order to carry out its mission, the Covenant organizes its ministries around focuses on five mission priorities. The mission priorities are: a. start and strengthen churches—starting and strengthening healthy, missional churches; in the United States and Canada; b. make and deepen disciples—helping people experience new life in Christ and grow deeper in Christ in a lifelong journey of faith; c. love mercy and do justice—walking humbly with God to address hurts and the cause of those hurts; d. develop leaders—developing and strengthening leaders, both lay and clergy; and e. serve globally—pursuing the mission priorities internationally.
18
Page 95 of 285
Section 10.2. Executive Ministers. a. An executive minister shall be elected by the Annual Meeting to give leadership to a mission priority. An executive minister is accountable for outcomes related to that mission priority, including the implementation of decisions and policies of the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board of the ECC. b. An executive minister shall lead the mission priority by proposing and implementing strategies, proposing and managing income and expense, and proposing and managing team members. c. An executive minister shall pursue coordination and collaboration across the mission priorities, ensuring a comprehensive, integrated mission strategy. d. An executive minister shall be accountable to the president by reporting through the executive director of ministry development. e. An executive minister shall contribute to the overall mission of the ECC by serving on the Council of Administrators and as an advisor to the Executive Board. f. By mutual agreement with the president, any board, council, commission, committee, or association of the ECC or any board or committee of a corporation established by the ECC may invite an executive minister as a representative of the president of the ECC, with the status of an advisor to a meeting of the group. g. Each executive minister shall be elected or re-elected by the Annual Meeting for a term of four years. Each term shall begin on September 1 following the Annual Meeting at which the executive minister was elected. Section 10.2. The Ordered Ministry a. The denominational ministry of the Ordered Ministry is governed by the Annual Meeting, the Board of the Ordered Ministry, and the Rules for the Ordered Ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church. b. The Board of the Ordered Ministry. i.
The Board of the Ordered Ministry shall have fourteen elected members and the exofficio members identified in these Bylaws. Twelve elected members of the board shall be ordained or commissioned Covenant ministers and two elected members of the board shall be laypersons. A majority of the elected clergy members of the board shall be ordained to word and sacrament. At least two elected clergy members of the board shall be staff persons. At least one elected member of the board shall be a consecrated missionary. (1) Candidates for the Board of the Ordered Ministry shall be slated according to the procedures of the Board of Nominations and elected by the Annual Meeting. The Board of the Ordered Ministry may recommend candidates to the Board of Nominations.
19
Page 96 of 285
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
(2) At least four of the elected members of the Board of the Ordered Ministry shall be female. At least four of the elected members of the Board of the Ordered Ministry shall be male. (3) The Board of the Ordered Ministry shall have the following ex-officio members: the president of the Covenant, the president of the Covenant Ministerium, the dean of North Park Theological Seminary, the president of Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos del Pacto Evangélico, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, a liaison from the Council of Superintendents appointed by the president of the Covenant, and a liaison from the Executive Board of the Covenant appointed by the Executive Board of the Covenant who shall be an ordained or licensed minister in good standing in the Covenant. (4) The Board of the Ordered Ministry may have advisors as provided in its own procedural rules. The Board of the Ordered Ministry shall (1) elect its own officers; (2) develop its own procedural rules for approval by the Executive Board of the Covenant and file a copy of the approved rules with the corporate secretary of the Covenant; and (3) submit a report to the Annual Meeting and submit to the Executive Board of the Covenant any reports requested by the Executive Board of the Covenant. With the approval of the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium, the Board of the Ordered Ministry shall recommend Rules for the Ordered Ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church to the Annual Meeting of the Covenant. Upon adoption by the Annual Meeting of the Covenant, the Rules for the Ordered Ministry shall govern the ordination, licensure, commissioning, consecration, and discipline of ministers and global personnel of the Covenant, and the work of the Board of the Ordered Ministry. The Board of the Ordered Ministry shall report directly to the Annual Meeting, except that the recommendations of the Board of the Ordered Ministry concerning the ordination, licensure, commissioning, consecration, and discipline of ministers and global personnel, and major policies relating to the work of the Board of the Ordered Ministry shall be submitted to the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium. Recommendations approved by the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium may be submitted to the Annual Meeting of the Covenant. Recommendations not approved by the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium shall be referred back to the Board of the Ordered Ministry. With the approval of the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium, the Board of the Ordered Ministry shall recommend a candidate for the position of executive minister of the ordered ministry to the Executive Board of the Covenant.
c. Executive Minister of the Ordered Ministry. The executive minister of the ordered ministry shall i. act as an agent and representative of the Board of the Ordered Ministry between meetings of the board and report to the Board of the Ordered Ministry actions taken and representations made on behalf of the board; ii. be an ex-officio member of the executive committee of the Covenant Ministerium; and iii. together with the Board of the Ordered Ministry and the Covenant Ministerium, develop and administer policies and programs to encourage, support, and care for ministers and global personnel.
20
Page 97 of 285
Serve as the leader for the mission priority of develop leaders and as an advisor to the Executive Board standing committee on develop leaders. Section 10.3. Executive Directors. a. Executive directors shall be appointed by the president with concurrence of the Executive Board to give leadership to areas in support of the implementation of mission priorities. Each executive director is accountable for outcomes related to that mission support service, including the implementation of decisions and policies of the Annual Meeting and the Executive Board of the ECC. b. The executive director of ministry development shall represent the president to coordinate and bring collaboration across the mission priorities, ensuring a comprehensive, integrated mission strategy and maximized use of human and financial resources. The executive director of ministry development works with executive ministers in finalizing decisions related to strategy, finances, and staffing. The executive director of ministry development ensures coordinated and collaborative efforts with mission support services and regional conferences. c. The executive directors of mission support services shall be: the executive director of advancement ; the executive director of communications, who shall serve as editor of the denominational magazine; the executive director of finance, who shall also hold the office of corporate treasurer and be the chief financial officer of the ECC; and the executive director of operations. d. An executive director shall lead an area by proposing and implementing strategies, proposing and managing income and expense, and proposing and managing team members. e. An executive director shall report to and be accountable to the president. f. An executive director shall contribute to the overall mission of the ECC by serving on the Council of Administrators and as an advisor to the Executive Board. g. By mutual agreement with the president, any board, council, commission, committee, or association of the ECC or any board or committee of a corporation established by the ECC may invite an executive director as a representative of the president of the ECC, with the status of an advisor to a meeting of the group. h. Temporary Absence or Disability. In the temporary absence or temporary disability of an executive director, the president may appoint with the concurrence of the Executive Board a person to perform the duties of that position on an interim basis for the duration of the temporary absence or temporary disability. i. Vacancies. The Executive Board shall declare the position of any executive director vacant upon the removal, resignation, permanent incapacity, or death of the person holding that position. Removal. By vote of two-thirds of its elected members, the Executive Board may remove an executive director. Resignation. An executive director may resign upon written notice to the Executive Board. Permanent Incapacity. The Executive Board shall develop a policy for determining permanent incapacity. Filling Vacancy. When a vacancy occurs in the position of an executive director, the president shall appoint with the concurrence of the Executive Board a person to perform the duties of the vacated position on an interim basis, until such time as a permanent replacement is appointed by the president with concurrence of the Executive Board. Section 10.3. The Board of Nominations. a. The denominational ministry of Nominations is governed by the Annual Meeting and the Board of Nominations. b. The Board of Nominations shall have eleven elected members and the ex-officio members
21
Page 98 of 285
identified in these Bylaws. Each member of the Board of Nominations serves all Covenant congregations. i. Candidates for the Board of Nominations shall be slated by the Executive Board of the Covenant according to the procedures of the Board of Nominations and elected by the Annual Meeting. Each conference shall have at least one representative on the Board of Nominations. ii. At least four of the elected members of the Board of Nominations shall be female. At least four of the elected members of the Board of Nominations shall be male. iii. The president of the Covenant shall be an ex-officio member of the Board of Nominations. iv. The Board of Nominations may have advisors as provided in its own procedural rules. v. The Board of Nominations shall (1) elect its own officers; (2) develop its own procedural rules for approval by the Executive Board of the Covenant and file a copy of the approved rules with the corporate secretary of the Covenant; (3) submit a report to the Annual Meeting and submit to the Executive Board of the Covenant any reports requested by the Executive Board of the Covenant; and (4) submit all matters involving major changes of policy to the Executive Board of the Covenant for approval. vi. The Board of Nominations shall (1) develop an active resource pool of qualified leaders for use by the Covenant and conference boards; (2) provide qualified candidates for election by the Annual Meeting to the Executive Board of the Covenant, the Board of the Ordered Ministry, the Board of Directors of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the Board of Trustees of North Park University, and the Board of Pensions and Benefits; and (3) prepare the ballot of candidates for election at each Annual Meeting and present it to the Annual Meeting. Section 10.4. Board of Pensions and Benefits. a. The denominational ministry of pensions and benefits is governed by the Annual Meeting and the Board of Pensions and Benefits. b. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall have twelve elected members and the ex-officio members identified in these Bylaws. Each member of the Board of Pensions and Benefits serves all Covenant congregations. i. Candidates for the Board of Pensions and Benefits shall be slated according to the procedures of the Board of Nominations and elected by the Annual Meeting. The Board of Pensions and Benefits may recommend candidates to the Board of Nominations. ii. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall have the following ex-officio members: the executive director of finance the treasurer, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, a liaison from the Council of Superintendents appointed by the president of the Covenant, and a liaison from the Executive Board of the Covenant appointed by the Executive Board of the Covenant. iii. The Board of Pensions and Benefits may have advisors as provided in its own procedural rules. c. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall i. elect its own officers;
22
Page 99 of 285
ii. iii. iv.
develop its own procedural rules for approval by the Executive Board of the Covenant and file a copy of the approved rules with the corporate secretary of the Covenant; submit a report to the Annual Meeting and submit to the Executive Board of the Covenant any reports requested by the Executive Board of the Covenant; and submit all matters involving major changes of policy to the Executive Board of the Covenant for approval.
d. The president of the Covenant, the treasurer/Executive Director of Finance of the ECC, and the chair of the Board of Pensions and Benefits shall be the trustees of the Covenant Pension Plan, as amended. Amendments to the Covenant Pension Plan shall be adopted as set forth in the plan. e. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall maintain, monitor, and operate various retirement plans and health and welfare benefit plans offered and/or sponsored by the Covenant from time to time, where such Board of Pensions and Benefits is a named fiduciary with respect to the plan. f. A director of pensions shall be appointed by the Executive Board of the Covenant upon nomination by the president of the Covenant and the concurrence of the Board of Pensions and Benefits. The director of pensions shall be an advisor to the Board of Pensions and Benefits. Article XI. Council of Administrators and Council of Superintendents Section 11.1. Council of Administrators. Current Text a. The Council of Administrators, in conjunction with the executive director of finance of the ECC, shall recommend an annual ECC coordinated budget to the Executive Board of the ECC. b. The Council of Administrators shall have the following members: the president of the ECC; , the executive minister of love mercy and do justice, the executive minister of make and deepen disciples, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the executive minister of serve globally, the executive minister of start and strengthen churches, the executive director of ministry development, the executive director of advancement, the executive director of communications, the executive director of finance, the executive director of operations, the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the president of North Park University, the dean of North Park Theological Seminary, the president of National Covenant Properties, and the president of Covenant Trust Company. c. The Council of Administrators may have advisors approved by the Executive Board of the ECC. Section 11.1. Council of Administrators. Proposed Text a. The Council of Administrators, in conjunction with the treasurer executive director of finance of the ECC shall recommend an annual Covenant coordinated budget to the Executive Board of the Covenant. b. The Council of Administrators shall have the following members: the president of the Covenant, other officers, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the executive minister of love mercy and do justice, the executive minister of make and deepen disciples, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the executive minister of serve globally, the executive minister of start and strengthen churches, the executive director of ministry
23
Page 100 of 285
development, the executive director of advancement, the executive director of communications, the executive director of finance, the executive director of operations, the president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the president of North Park University, the dean of North Park Theological Seminary, the president of National Covenant Properties, the president of Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos del Pacto Evangélico, and the president of Covenant Trust Company. c. The Council of Administrators may have advisors approved by the Executive Board of the Covenant. Section 11.2. Council of Superintendents. Current Text a. This subsection currently contains no Bylaw provisions. b. The superintendents of the regional conferences of the ECC are members of the Council of Superintendents. The Council of Superintendents shall have the following ex-officio members: the president of the ECC, the executive minister of start and strengthen churches, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, and the executive director of ministry development. c. The Council of Superintendents shall select one member of the Council of Superintendents to serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Board of the ECC. d. The president of the ECC shall appoint members of the Council of Superintendents to serve as liaisons to and ex-officio members of the Board of Directors of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the Board of Trustees of North Park University, the Board of the Ordered Ministry, and the Board of Pensions and Benefits. Each of these boards shall have only one liaison from the Council of Superintendents. A member of the Council of Superintendents may serve as liaison to only one board. Section 11.2. Council of Superintendents. Proposed Text a. This subsection currently contains no Bylaw provisions. b. The superintendents of the regional conferences of the Covenant are members of the Council of Superintendents. The Council of Superintendents shall have the following exofficio members: the president of the Covenant, elected officers, the executive minister of start and strengthen churches, and the executive minister of the ordered ministry and the executive director of ministry development. c. The Council of Superintendents shall select one member of the Council of Superintendents to serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Board of the Covenant. d. The president of the Covenant shall appoint members of the Council of Superintendents to serve as liaisons to and ex-officio members of the Board of Directors of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, the Board of Trustees of North Park University, the Board of the Ordered Ministry, and the Board of Pensions and Benefits. Each of these boards shall have only one liaison from the Council of Superintendents. A member of the Council of Superintendents may serve as liaison to only one board.
24
Page 101 of 285
Article XII. Corporations. Section 12.3. North Park University. Current Text g. The Board of Trustees may submit requests for appropriations to be included in the annual ECC coordinated budget. These requests for appropriations shall be submitted to the executive director of finance of the ECC and the Council of Administrators for consideration in the preparation of the annual ECC coordinated budget. Each request for appropriations shall include a copy of the budget of North Park University. Article XII. Corporations. Section 12.3. North Park University. Proposed Text g. The Board of Trustees may submit requests for appropriations to be included in the annual Covenant coordinated budget. These requests for appropriations shall be submitted to the treasurer of the Covenant and the Council of Administrators for consideration in the preparation of the annual Covenant coordinated budget. Each request for appropriations shall include a copy of the budget of North Park University. Article XIII. The Ordered Ministry. Current Text Section 13.1. The Rules for the Ordered Ministry shall be developed by the Board of the Ordered Ministry, approved by the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium, and adopted by the Annual Meeting of the ECC. The Rules for the Ordered Ministry shall govern the Board of the Ordered Ministry and its work. Section 13.2. The Covenant Ministerium. a. The Covenant Ministerium consists of all ordained and licensed ministers, commissioned staff ministers, and consecrated missionaries of the ECC. b. The Covenant Ministerium shall i. hold an annual meeting open to all of its members, ii. have its own constitution and bylaws which shall define the rights and privileges of the various categories of members of the Covenant Ministerium, and iii. elect its own officers, including a president who shall be an ordained minister of the ECC in good standing. Section 13.3. The Board of the Ordered Ministry has general supervision over all ordained and licensed ministers, commissioned staff ministers, and consecrated missionaries of the ECC, including their ordination, license, commission, consecration, standing, and discipline, and the maintenance of high standards in their ministry. Article XIII. The Ordered Ministry. Proposed Text Section 13.1. The Board of the Ordered Ministry has general supervision over all ordained and licensed ministers, commissioned staff ministers, and consecrated global personnel of the Covenant, including their ordination, license, commission, consecration, standing, and discipline, and the maintenance of high standards in their ministry. The Rules for the Ordered Ministry shall be developed by the Board of the Ordered Ministry, approved by the annual meeting of the Covenant Ministerium, and adopted by the Annual Meeting of the
25
Page 102 of 285
Covenant. The Rules for the Ordered Ministry shall govern the Board of the Ordered Ministry and its work. Section 13.2. The Covenant Ministerium. a. The Covenant Ministerium consists of all ordained and licensed ministers, commissioned staff ministers, and consecrated global personnel of the Covenant. b. The Covenant Ministerium shall i. hold an annual meeting open to all of its members, ii. have its own constitution and bylaws which shall define the rights and privileges of the various categories of members of the Covenant Ministerium, and iii. elect its own officers, including a president who shall be an ordained minister of the Covenant in good standing. Section 13.3. The Board of the Ordered Ministry has general supervision over all ordained and licensed ministers, commissioned staff ministers, and consecrated global personnel of the Covenant, including their ordination, license, commission, consecration, standing, and discipline, and the maintenance of high standards in their ministry. Article XIV. Commissions. Section 14.3. Commission on Pastoral Relations. Current Text a. The Commission on Pastoral Relations shall have no appointed members but shall consist of the following ex-officio members only: the president of the ECC, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the executive director of ministry development, the dean of North Park Theological Seminary, and all regional conference superintendents. Article XIV. Commissions. Section 14.3. Commission on Pastoral Relations. Proposed Text a. The Commission on Pastoral Relations shall have no appointed members but shall consist of the following ex-officio members only: the president of the Covenant, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the executive director of ministry development the dean of North Park Theological Seminary, and all regional conference superintendents.
26
Page 103 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #13
Report from the Location Advisory Committee The original charge for the Location Advisory Committee was “To recommend to the Covenant Executive Board a new location, facility configuration, and next steps resulting from the sale of 8303 W Higgins Rd.” That original charge followed the Covenant Executive Board evaluating the 44,000 square foot facility in light of 1) a number of staff moving out of Chicago and functioning “remotely”; 2) the downsizing of Covenant staff in early 2020, and 3) Covenant Trust Company moving out of the facility to occupy new space in downtown Chicago. Following those three events, the Covenant was projected to need less than 50% of the facility. With Covid-19 just starting to play out, the Covenant Executive Board tried to get ahead of anticipated market slowdown in office space demand by putting the facility on the market. It also expanded that recommendation for sale to include the leasing of various spaces within the Higgins Road property to third parties, improving cash flow within the facility operating numbers, and thereby improving the potential for a sale of the property. Sale of the 8303 Higgins facility was anticipated to reduce annual operating expenses by about $500,000. During the last ten months, the Location Advisory Committee has met 10 times. The progression of the meetings has gone something like this:
1.
Assuming the Higgins Road property would sell quickly, there were early discussions about where we could start looking for alternative spaces. It was determined that there were a good number of potential options in the Chicago area and a number of other municipalities as alternatives. Due to the pandemic, office space is not in high demand (and may not be for some time) so good alternatives are likely to remain available.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 104 of 285
2. With no buyers on the horizon, we started discussing what needs to happen to lease portions of the property to make it more attractive to buyers. Most buyers are “investors” (unless in the unlikely event someone needed the exact space the Covenant had for sale) who make their decisions based on the strength of the cash flow projections on the property. With no outside tenants, there was no demand.
3.
As we were trying to sell the property, it became obvious that we might find a tenant(s) for portions of the building. In that case, having the Covenant commit to leasing back two to three floors (out of seven total) from a potential new owner would give a much more stable cash flow projection for that potential buyer to make a more informed decision.
4. We have spent extended time over multiple meetings discussing two potential leases. One user wanted to lease space for a counseling center for Chicago police officers. That use prompted discussions about concerns regarding the Covenant sharing space in the same property as the police. The second negotiation was with a foreign government consulate facility who wanted to move out of the downtown area to be closer to O’Hare and public transportation. After multiple meetings and property tours, neither of those two transactions worked out.
5. We have only had one serious buyer. That buyer ended their evaluation by saying the facility was not a good fit for their usage (they had six others they considered to be “better”). Over the last three months, we have received no further inquiries from any potential buyers and/ or tenants.
6. Several months ago, it became obvious to Location Advisory Committee members that we needed to hear more from the Strategic Alignment Team as to which portions of the denominational team would continue to need physical space. Once the Annual Meeting votes on the Strategic Alignment Team recommendations, the Location Advisory Committee will have more defined decision trees ahead.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 105 of 285
AGENDA
ITEM
#14
2020/2021 Proposed Covenant Bylaw Amendments These items will be voted on during the 135th Annual Meeting of the Covenant. Section 7.8. The Agenda and Standing Rules a. Agenda. iii. Current Text Copies of the proposed agenda and accompanying materials shall be available to delegates electronically or in writing thirty days prior to the meeting. Hard copies of the agenda will be available to delegates when they arrive at the Annual Meeting. Section 7.8.a.iii. Proposed Text Copies of the proposed agenda and accompanying materials shall be available to delegates electronically or in writing thirty days prior to the meeting. Hard copies of the agenda will be available to delegates when they arrive at the Annual Meeting. Move to replace “Hard copies of the agenda will be available to delegates when they arrive at the Annual Meeting” to provide more flexibility in how and when the agenda is provided and accessed by the delegates. Section 7.10. Board Nominations and Elections e. Current Text At least five of the elected members of the Executive Board shall meet the criteria of the ECC policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for nonconcurrent terms. At least three of the elected members of the Board of Nominations and the Board of Trustees of North Park University shall meet the criteria of the ECC policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms. At least two elected members of each of the other boards shall meet the criteria of the ECC policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms. Section 7.10.e. Proposed Text At least five of the elected members of the Executive Board shall meet the criteria of the Covenant policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms. At least four of the elected members of the Board of Nominations and the Board of Ordered Ministry and three of the elected members of the Board of Trustees of North Park University shall meet the criteria of the Covenant policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms. At least two elected members of each of the other boards shall meet the criteria of the Covenant policy on ethnic representation and shall be elected for non-concurrent terms. Move to increase the minimum threshold on the number of elected board members on the Board of Nominations and Board of Ordered Ministry that meet the criteria of the Covenant policy on ethnic representation. This will ensure at least one member from each Covenant
1
Page 106 of 285
Ethnic Association be represented in these three governing bodies. Section 8.2. Composition and Selection of the Executive Board e. Meetings ii. Current Text The Executive Board may hold special meetings. A special meeting may be called upon the written approval of ten elected members of the Executive Board or by the president of the ECC. Notice of each special meeting shall be sent to each member of the Executive Board at least fourteen days in advance, except in emergencies. Section 8.2.e.ii. Proposed Text The Executive Board may hold special meetings. A special meeting may be called by Executive Board officers or by the president of the Covenant. Notice of each special meeting shall be sent to each member of the Executive Board at least fourteen days in advance, except when the officers deem necessary. Move to have text reflect current practice of the Executive Board officers or the president of the Covenant call for a meeting of the Covenant Executive Board. This allows for greater flexibility and connection as deemed necessary. Section 10.6. Board of Pensions and Benefits. Current Text a. The denominational ministry of pensions and benefits is governed by the Annual Meeting and the Board of Pensions and Benefits. b. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall have twelve elected members and the ex-officio members identified in these Bylaws. Each member of the Board of Pensions and Benefits serves all ECC congregations. i. Candidates for the Board of Pensions and Benefits shall be slated according to the procedures of the Board of Nominations and elected by the Annual Meeting. The Board of Pensions and Benefits may recommend candidates to the Board of Nominations. ii. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall have the following ex-officio members: the executive director of finance, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, a liaison from the Council of Superintendents appointed by the president of the ECC, and a liaison from the Executive Board of the ECC appointed by the Executive Board of the ECC. iii. The Board of Pensions and Benefits may have advisors as provided in its own procedural rules. Section 10.6. Proposed Text a. The denominational ministry of pensions and benefits is governed by the Annual Meeting and the Board of Pensions and Benefits. b. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall have seven to nine elected members and the exofficio members identified in these Bylaws. Each member of the Board of Pensions and Benefits serves all Covenant congregations. i. Candidates for the Board of Pensions and Benefits shall be slated according to the procedures of the Board of Nominations and elected by the Annual Meeting. The Board of Pensions and Benefits may recommend candidates to the Board of
2
Page 107 of 285
Nominations. ii. The Board of Pensions and Benefits shall have the following ex-officio members: the treasurer1, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, a liaison from the Council of Superintendents appointed by the president of the Covenant, and a liaison from the Executive Board of the Covenant appointed by the Executive Board of the Covenant. iii. The Board of Pensions and Benefits may recommend, and the Executive Board approve up to two members with relevant knowledge and expertise for one, fiveyear term. iv. The Board of Pensions and Benefits may have advisors as provided in its own procedural rules. Due to a reduction and modification to the scope of the work, the Board of Pensions and Benefits may continue to do its work effectively with less members, but also through the two appointments may recruit Covenanters with the specific knowledge and expertise needed to steward the matters and resources entrusted to this board. Section 12.3. North Park University. b. Current Text The Board of Trustees shall consist of thirty-four to thirty-nine members, comprised of elected members, appointed members, and ex-officio members (defined below). Each member of the Board of Trustees shall be a member in good standing of a member congregation of the ECC or another Christian church as further set below. Each member of the Board of Trustees serves all ECC congregations. i. Elected Members. (1) Candidates for the Board of Trustees to be elected by the Annual Meeting shall be slated according to the procedures of the Board of Nominations and elected by the Annual Meeting. The Board of Trustees may recommend candidates to the Board of Nominations. (2) At least three elected members shall meet the criteria of the ECC policy on ethnic representation. (3) At least 20 percent of the elected members shall be clergy and at least 20 percent shall be lay. (4) At least nine of the elected members shall be female. At least nine of the elected members shall be male. (5) Each elected member shall be a member in good standing of a member congregation of the ECC. (6) An elected member may not be elected for consecutive five-year terms. ii. Appointed Members. Up to twelve persons shall be recommended by the Board of Trustees and appointed by the Executive Board for terms of five years. Each appointed member shall be a member 1
Pending the approval of the Bylaw amendments proposed by the Strategic Alignment Team.
3
Page 108 of 285
in good standing of a Christian church and shall be in harmony with the mission of North Park University. Appointed members are not required to be members of ECC congregations. An appointed member may be suspended or removed for cause only if such action is recommended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the other members of the Board of Trustees and approved by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of all the members of the Executive Board. Cause for suspension or removal is failure to perform duties, malfeasance, misfeasance, immorality, indiscretion, unethical behavior, doctrinal error, breach of fiduciary duty owed to the ECC, breach of a duty of confidentiality owed to the ECC, or breach of a duty of loyalty owed to the ECC. Section 12.3.b. Proposed Text The Board of Trustees shall consist of twenty-five to thirty-six members, comprised of elected members, appointed members, and ex-officio members (defined below). Each member of the Board of Trustees shall be a member in good standing of a member congregation of the Evangelical Covenant Church or another Christian church as further set below. Each member of the Board of Trustees serves all Covenant congregations. i. Elected Members. (1) Candidates for the Board of Trustees to be elected by the Annual Meeting shall be slated according to the procedures of the Board of Nominations and elected by the Annual Meeting. The Board of Trustees may recommend candidates to the Board of Nominations. (2) At least three elected members shall meet the criteria of the Covenant policy on ethnic representation. (3) At least 20 percent of the elected members shall be clergy and at least 20 percent shall be lay. (4) At least 35 percent of the elected members shall be female. At least 35 percent of the elected members shall be male. (5) Each elected member shall be a member in good standing of a member congregation of the Covenant. (6) An elected member may not be elected for consecutive five-year terms. ii. Appointed Members. Up to nine persons shall be recommended by the Board of Trustees and appointed by the Executive Board for terms of three years. Each appointed member shall be a member in good standing of a Christian church and shall be in harmony with the mission of North Park University. Appointed members are not required to be members of Covenant congregations. An appointed member may be suspended or removed for cause only if such action is recommended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the other members of the Board of Trustees and approved by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of all the members of the Executive Board. Cause for suspension or removal is failure to perform duties, malfeasance, misfeasance, immorality, indiscretion, unethical behavior, doctrinal error, breach of fiduciary duty owed to the Covenant, breach of a duty of confidentiality owed to the Covenant, or breach of a duty of loyalty owed to the Covenant. Move to modify the term length, consecutive terms, and number of trustees on the North Park University’s Board of Trustees to allow them to operate more effectively. Under the existing text and parameters NPU’s Board was repeatedly experiencing a loss of continuity. An inordinate amount of time was spent recruiting and on-boarding new trustees. Seeking a
4
Page 109 of 285
commitment to a shorter-term length, with the possibility of consecutive terms, is more appealing in recruiting prospective trustees. In summary, the amendments will: reduce number of trustees on the board, reduce the term from 5 years to 3 years, and allow for up to four consecutive terms. Article XVI. Amendments Section 16.2. Current Text At least sixty days before the Annual Meeting when final action is to be taken on a proposed amendment to these Bylaws, the corporate secretary of the ECC shall send a copy of each proposed amendment to each ECC congregation and shall cause the text of each proposed amendment to be published in the official print publication of the ECC and in the electronic media that the ECC regularly uses for communication with ECC congregations and members of ECC congregations. Section 16.2. Proposed Text At least sixty days before the Annual Meeting when final action is to be taken on a proposed amendment to these Bylaws, the corporate secretary of the Covenant shall send a copy of each proposed amendment to each Covenant congregation and shall cause the text of each proposed amendment to be published in the official communication channel of the Covenant and in the electronic media that the Covenant regularly uses for communication with Covenant congregations and members of Covenant congregations. Move to replace the word “print publication of the ECC” with “communication channels” to capture our growing reliance on electronic media.
5
Page 110 of 285
Page 111 of 285
AGENDA
ITEM
#15
2020/2021 Covenant Constitution Amendments These items will be introduced at the 135th Annual Meeting of the Covenant, and the actual vote will take place in 2022 during the 136th Annual Meeting. Article I. Name. Section 1.1. Current Text The name of this body shall be The Evangelical Covenant Church (the “Covenant” or the “ECC”). Section 1.1. Proposed Text The name of this body shall be The Evangelical Covenant Church (the “Covenant” or the “ECC”). Move to remove the acronym (ECC) throughout the document and instead utilize “Covenant” throughout our formal communication. We are moving toward standardizing the use of our name, Evangelical Covenant Church, Covenant or The Evangelical Covenant Church throughout our communication resources. Article VII. Annual Meeting Section 7.4. Current Text Each ECC congregation, each regional conference, and each ECC world mission region is entitled to send one or more delegates to the Annual Meeting, as provided in the Bylaws. The Bylaws may provide for additional delegates and advisors. Each delegate shall serve for a term that expires at the convening of the next Annual Meeting as provided in the Bylaws. Each delegate shall be a corporate member of the ECC for the duration of that delegate’s term. Section 7.4. Proposed Text Each Covenant congregation, each regional conference, and each Covenant global mission region is entitled to send one or more delegates to the Annual Meeting, as provided in the Bylaws. The Bylaws may provide for additional delegates and advisors. Each delegate shall serve for a term that expires at the convening of the next Annual Meeting as provided in the Bylaws. Each delegate shall be a corporate member of the Covenant for the duration of that delegate’s term. Move to replace the word “world” with “global.” Article XVI. Amendments Section 16.2 Current Text At least ninety days before the Annual Meeting when final action is to be taken on a proposed amendment to the Constitution, the corporate secretary of the ECC shall send a copy of each proposed amendment to each ECC congregation and shall cause the text of each proposed amendment to be published in the official print publication of the ECC and in the electronic media that the ECC regularly uses for communication with ECC congregations and members of ECC congregations.
1
Page 112 of 285
Section 16.2 Proposed Text At least ninety days before the Annual Meeting when final action is to be taken on a proposed amendment to the Constitution, the corporate secretary of the Covenant shall send a copy of each proposed amendment to each Covenant congregation and shall cause the text of each proposed amendment to be published in the official communication channels of the Covenant that the Covenant regularly uses for communication with Covenant congregations and members of Covenant congregations. Move to replace the word “print publication of the ECC” with “communication channels” to capture our growing reliance on electronic media.
2
Page 113 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #16
Report on the Freedom, Unity, and Responsibility Resource Paper To the Delegates of the Annual Meeting, We pray that this report finds you and your families healthy, safe, and resilient in this season. The Apostle Paul opines in his letter to the Galatians in 5:13, “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.” Paul speaks of a freedom that transcends the flesh and its desires and points the listener to a freedom that liberates one to serve in love. In freedom, we are called to serve one another in love. When the Writing Team for the resource oaper entitled “Freedom, Unity, and Responsibility” first came together as colleagues, we were focused on “getting the job done well.” We mainly sought the input and voice of a diverse Scope Team and determining what literary styles and theological elements we would utilize in developing the paper. Since February 2019, however, we have become more than Covenant colleagues working on a resource paper. We have become closer mission friends teamed together to serve our sisters and brothers in love by fully engaging in this important kingdom work. Below are highlights of the Writing Team and an addendum that speaks to the role and function of resource papers in the Evangelical Covenant Church.
INCEPTION On June 21, 2018, the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church commissioned the writing of a resource paper entitled Freedom and Responsibility. The paper’s commissioning was initiated by a 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 114 of 285
recommendation from the Board of Ordered Ministry to the Executive Board. The process of adopting a Covenant resource paper is found in Article II, Section 2.1 of the Covenant Bylaws. In October of 2018, the Executive Board with the counsel and conference of the Council of Superintendents, the Council of Administrators, and the Covenant Offices Leadership Team approved the establishment of a Writing Team which met for the first time on February 11, 2019.
WRITING TEAM In actively Practicing Solidarity, our selection process entailed the recruitment of Covenanters who vary in gender, contexts, ecclesial practices, and ethnicities. The team includes the following persons: •
Howard Burgoyne, Superintendent of the East Coast Conference
•
Hauna Ondrey, representing the faculty of North Park Theological Seminary
•
Donn Engebretson, Covenant administrator and participant on the writing team of the two previous Covenant Resource Papers
•
Stephen Bilynskyj, Covenant pastor and participant on the writing team of the two previous Covenant Resource Papers
•
Doug Bixby, Covenant pastor and author
•
Nilwona Nowlin, representing the Ethnic Commission
•
Angela Yee, executive director of ministry development
•
Lance Davis, executive minister of develop leaders and the ordered ministry
These individuals will be the ultimate drafters, editors, and presenters of the third resource paper to be produced in Covenant history, all under the auspices and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
PROGRESS The purpose of the initial meeting of the Writing Team was to establish intent, direction, and process. Out of this meeting came a request to the Executive Board for a title change and to approve additional members of the Writing Team and Scope Team selection process. The requested change in title was to “Freedom, Unity, and Responsibility” from the previous “Freedom and Responsibility.” The addition of “Unity” to the title speaks to our traditional value of relationality as Covenanters. It also refers to President John Wenrich’s vision of the addition of another “P” to the Five-Fold Test for Multiethnic Ministry: Practicing Solidarity. In March of 2019, the Executive Board, with the concurrence of the Council of Administrators and Covenant Offices Leadership Team approved both the paper’s title
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 115 of 285
change and membership selection processes. On August 13, 2019, the Writing Team convened a daylong meeting of the Scope Team participants. The Scope Team was comprised of nearly 30 women and men of the larger Covenant who were diverse in age, ministry context, and ethnicity. The team was charged with speaking into the content of the paper, first reflecting and giving input on the scope and direction of the paper, and later reading drafts and suggesting revisions. The Writing Team then continued its work of reviewing, truncating, and prioritizing the elements of the Scope Team’s work.
NEXT STEPS Covid-19 proved to be a major disrupter of the plans of many; our efforts as a Writing Team were not exempt. Nevertheless, we were able to meet three times throughout the 2020 pandemic season and continue the work of growing together while continuing our work together. We have identified two chief writers of the Writing Team and they will provide the skeletal framework of the resource paper by the end of this summer.
Submitted by: Lance Davis, Executive Minister of Develop Leaders and the Ordered Ministry
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 116 of 285
ADDENDUM Section 2.1 Covenant Resource Papers. a. The ECC may adopt Covenant Resource Papers to provide context and clarity on critical issues of concern in matters of faith, doctrine, and conduct for the ECC, ECC congregations, and corporations established by the ECC. b. The purpose of a Covenant Resource Paper is to inform ongoing discipleship and practice in the lives of members of ECC congregations in matters of faith, doctrine, and conduct. Since the ECC confesses that scripture is the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct, a Covenant Resource Paper is not binding and is not to be used as a basis for the discipline of ordained and licensed ministers of the ECC, commissioned staff ministers of the ECC, or consecrated missionaries of the ECC; the dismissal of an ECC congregation from membership in the ECC; or the discipline of members of ECC congregations. c. The ECC may adopt a Covenant Resource Paper only upon a two-thirds vote of the delegates present and voting at an Annual Meeting of the ECC. Amendments to a proposed Covenant Resource Paper shall not be in order; however, a proposed Covenant Resource Paper may be referred back to the Executive Board of the ECC for the purpose of addressing specific d. questions concerning its substance or wording. e. All proposed Covenant Resource Papers must initially be commissioned by a two-thirds vote of either (i) the delegates present and voting at an Annual Meeting of the ECC or (ii) the Executive Board of the ECC. Once commissioned, a proposed Covenant Resource Paper must be adopted or rejected by an Annual Meeting before another proposed Covenant Resource Paper f.
on any topic may be commissioned. The commissioning of a Covenant Resource Paper may be requested by a member congregation, regional conference, board, commission, corporation, institution, or department of the ECC.
g. All proposed Covenant Resource Papers shall be drafted according to a procedure approved by the Executive Board of the ECC. 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 117 of 285
h. A proposed Covenant Resource Paper may be brought to the Annual Meeting of the ECC only upon the joint recommendation of the Executive Board of the ECC, the Board of the Ordered Ministry, the Council of Superintendents, and the Council of Administrators. i.
After adoption by an Annual Meeting, a Covenant Resource Paper shall remain in effect until its replacement or removal by a subsequent Annual Meeting. A Covenant Resource Paper shall have the nature of a resolution under the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
Covenant Resource Paper Process The overarching by-law provisions for the purpose, commissioning, writing, and approval of a resource paper are appended in their entirety below*. While the by- laws provide the general flow, by-law 2.1.e. also provides for the executive board to approve a particular procedure within that framework: “All proposed Covenant Resource Papers shall be drafted according to a procedure approved by the Executive Board of the ECC.” Each of the first two resource papers have proceeded accordingly: 1. Upon commissioning, a writing team is nominated by the Council of Administrators and approved by the Executive Board. The writing team would ordinarily include a member of the North Park Seminary faulty. Note: the writing team has been 6-8 in size in addition to the Executive Vice President (who provides coordination and staff support), and the Executive Minister of Ordered Ministry. Given the reconfiguration of EVP roles during Organizing for Mission, the Executive Director of Ministry Development most approximates the EVP role in this process. 2. The writing team in turn convenes a scope team meeting inclusive of itself and other invited guests. The purpose of the scope team is to identify biblical and historical themes that can provide impetus for the development of content and outline. Note: this has been in a 24-hour retreat setting, with roughly 20 people.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 118 of 285
3. The writing team develops a first draft. Note: the previous teams have appointed a principal author from among its members. 4. The draft is circulated to a representative group of “readers” for comment and feedback. Redrafts may be undertaken. Note: the “reader” group has been around 40 people. 5. A draft is then forwarded to the Board of the Ordered Ministry (OM) for comment, reflection, and approval. Redrafts may be undertaken. 6. The approved draft is then forwarded to both the Council of Administrators (COA) and Council of Superintendents (COS) for comment, reflection, and approval. Redrafts may again be undertaken based on feedback by these two bodies. Redrafts are routed again first through OM for approval before action by these councils. 7. That approved draft is forwarded to the EB for comment, reflection, and approval. Redrafts may again be undertaken based on feedback of the EB. Redrafts are routed again first through OM and both Councils for approval before action by the EB. Redrafts are repeated as often as necessary to reach final action by all four entities. 8. The final approved draft goes to the Annual Meeting in draft form for one year engagement and feedback. Any adjustments must again be approved by each of OM, COA, COS, and EB. 9. Action by the Annual Meeting occurs the year subsequent to the draft being presented.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 119 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #17
2020/21 Annual Meeting Ballot The following names have been nominated by the Board of Nominations and the Covenant Executive Board and are now on the official ballot for the 135th Covenant Annual Meeting. Biographical sketches of these candidates are included. The listing of nominees may be altered on the official ballot if any candidate declines before the time of election.
2020 BALLOT FROM THE BOARD OF NOMINATIONS: EXECUTIVE BOARD (six-year terms)
BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE
Timothy Rodgers New Life Covenant Church, Atlanta, GA
(five-year terms)
Darryl Johnson Sr. Walk of Faith Covenant Church, Mound Bayou, MS
Ben Schoffmann Chugach Covenant Church, Anchorage, AK
Semmeal Thomas City Covenant Church, Detroit, MI
Greg Jao Christ Covenant Church, Villa Park, IL
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY (five-year terms)
(five-year terms)
Beth Fredrickson Milwaukee Evangelical Covenant Church, Milwaukee, WI
Jennifer Mitchell Fetch Faith Covenant Church, Winnipeg, MB
Gricel Medina Rain Covenant Church, Carrollton, TX
Evelyn Perez Iglesia Maranatha, Richmond, CA
Sally Carlson Bethany Covenant Church, Mount Vernon, WA
(four-year term)
Jon Bonkoski Emmanuel Covenant Church, Arden Hills, MN
ANNUAL MEETING OFFICERS FOR 2021 & 2022 (two-year terms)
BOARD OF THE ORDERED MINISTRY
Moderator Elizabeth Jensen Evangelical Covenant Church of Venice Isle, Venice, FL
(five-year terms)
Ed Carey Kingdom Covenant Ministries, Miami, FL
Vice Moderator Rick Lindholtz Valley Covenant Church, Stillman Valley, IL
Marco Ambriz First Covenant Church Oakland, Oakland, CA Peter Kim Trinity Covenant Church, Glastonbury, CT
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 120 of 285
2020 BALLOT FROM THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD: BOARD OF NOMINATIONS (five-year terms)
Michael Coglan Community Covenant Church, Kearney, MO Won Kim New Community Covenant Church–Bronzeville, Chicago, IL Jeffrey Burton Maple Grove Covenant Church, Dayton, MN
2021 BALLOT FROM THE BOARD OF NOMINATIONS: EXECUTIVE BOARD (six-year terms)
Dale Smith Mekoryuk Covenant Church, Mekoryuk, AK Mary Ann Owens Trinity World Christian Center, Douglasville, GA Susan Park Highrock Covenant Church, Arlington, MA (five-year term)
David Holder New York Covenant Church, New Rochelle, NY BOARD OF THE ORDERED MINISTRY (five-year terms)
Win Houwen Life House Covenant Church, Longmont, CO Debbie Blue Community Church Oakland, Calumet Park, IL (two-year term)
TJ Smith New Song Covenant Church, Anchorage, AK (one-year term)
Dennis Carlson Faith Covenant Church, Farmington Hills, MI
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 121 of 285
2021 BALLOT FROM THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD: BOARD OF NOMINATIONS (five-year term)
Michelle Brown Community Covenant Church, E. Bridgewater, MA
HOW TO GET INVOLVED Would you like to serve or do you know someone who could serve on a Covenant administrative board? Go to covchurch.org/nominations for additional information and/or to submit your recommendation!
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 122 of 285
Page 123 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #17
2020 Board of Nominations Candidates NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD Alaska Conference Representative Ben Schoffmann Lead Pastor, Chugach Covenant Church Anchorage, Alaska Ben has been married to his wife, Martha, for 30 years and has two daughters and two grandsons. He is lead pastor of Chugach Covenant Church in Anchorage, Alaska. He has served in this role for three years after decades of bivocational ministry while working in the energy industry, much of it as a senior executive. Chugach Covenant is located in a highly diverse community, and they are in close partnerships with their local school, park ministries, and transitional housing organizations. Ben is a certified coach and mentor in leadership and peacemaking. He enjoys reading, hiking, music (guitar and singing), and pickleball. A lifelong learner, Ben is currently pursuing postgraduate education at North Park and Western Seminaries. Personal statement of faith: I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only way to the Father. I trust him for my salvation through his death for my sins on the cross. I also rely upon him as my Lord to equip me for service in the building up of the church and in sharing the good news of all Jesus has done with the world.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 124 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD Pacific Southwest Conference Representative Evelyn Perez Spanish Translator/Interpreter Contra Costa Unified School District Richmond, California Evelyn is passionate about advocating for, equipping, and raising up young women leaders in the Latino church. Originally from Guatemala, she has called the Bay Area home since immigrating at the age of two. She has served the Latino Evangelical Covenant Church throughout several stages of life. Evelyn currently serves as director of ministries to women at Iglesia Maranatha in Richmond, California. In 2018, she decided to pursue her calling to ministry and now attends North Park Theological Seminary through the Ignite program. She experiences deep joy when hanging at the skate park with her two sons, Andres and Fernando, or simply taking a day to enjoy God’s beauty in creation. Personal statement of faith: I believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He shed his blood on the cross to pay for my sins. I am forgiven and adopted through the sacrifice he made for me on the cross.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 125 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD Central Conference Representative Greg Jao Senior Assistant to the President and Director of External Relations InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA Villa Park, Illinois Greg serves InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA as the senior assistant to the president and as director of external relations. In this role, he leads InterVarsity’s efforts to partner with other ministries, churches, and networks; shapes InterVarsity’s leadership communications; and guides InterVarsity’s response to situations where the ministry’s presence is challenged by campus administrators. He is the author of Your Mind’s Mission, The Kingdom of God (a LifeGuide Bible Study), and a contributing author to several other titles. A second-generation Chinese American, he helped develop the Daniel Project, a leadership acceleration program for Asian American InterVarsity staff. He has served on the curricula teams for subsequent Daniel Projects serving African Americans, Latinos, and fraternity/sorority ministry staff. He frequently speaks on campus, in churches, and at conferences. He is married to Jennifer and they have two daughters. He is a member of Christ Covenant Church in Villa Park, Illinois. Personal statement of faith: I came to faith in the context of the Chinese American church and, in terms of a decision, through the witness of an Awana program that I only visited once. My faith deepened and matured through my experiences in campus ministry as I was exposed to the ethnic and denominational diversity of the wider church—and to global mission. I continue to say and to sing the Apostles’ Creed without irony and without reservation. I am a follower of Jesus, and I recognize him as both my Savior and my Lord as I attempt to shape my life around his example, his commands, and his mission. My faith finds expression in a commitment to evangelism, mission, and justice.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 126 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD Canada Conference Representative Jennifer Mitchell Fetch Retired Research Scientist, Oat Breeder, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Winnipeg, Manitoba Jennifer grew up in southwestern Saskatchewan. She has degrees in biology and agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD from North Dakota State University. Jennifer has been involved with the breeding of a variety of crops, as well as some work with Fusarium Head Blight in wheat. She was the oat breeder at Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada in Winnipeg and Brandon, Manitoba from July 1998 to July 2020. Jennifer has been involved in the development of 12 oat cultivars in western Canada, including two organic oat cultivars, as well as several wheat cultivars. She is married to Tom, a cereal stem rust pathologist, and they are members of Faith Covenant Church in Winnipeg, where they serve as greeters. Personal statement of faith: I was raised in a Christian home and became a believer about the age of five. God has led me throughout my life, even though I may not have credited him at all stages. God continually blesses me. As an adult, I realized I needed a deeper relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ. So, I strive to learn more about him, to be receptive to his leading, to follow where he wants me to go, and to serve.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 127 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD Southeast Conference Representative Timothy Rodgers Pastor, New Life Covenant Church Atlanta, Georgia Timothy serves as pastor of New Life Covenant Church, where he has been ministering since 1999. New Life is a multicultural congregation in English Avenue, on the northwest side of downtown Atlanta committed to embodying racial righteousness in the local church. He has participated in God’s restoring work in English Avenue in various roles over the years. Currently he serves on the Friends of the Mattie Freeland Park, which is facilitating the development of a city park in honor of one of New Life’s matriarchs, Mattie Freeland. He has also served on the executive committee of the Southeast Conference Ministerium. Tim received his master of divinity degree from GordonConwell Theological Seminary, as well as a master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota and is ordained with the Covenant. He lives with his wife and two boys in English Avenue. Personal statement of faith: I accepted Christ as my Savior at an early age in a loving Christian home. My home church nurtured my faith and allowed me to develop my gifts. In college I was drawn to leadership in ministry in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, as well as in my local church. During these years I began to sense a call to minister in the local church.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 128 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD Northwest Conference Representative Jonathan Bonkoski Development Senior Project Manager, Mortenson Minneapolis, Minnesota Jon leads Mortenson Development’s national real estate project management headquartered in Minneapolis and currently oversees the $850 million redevelopment of the United Village at Midway surrounding Allianz Field, home of the Minnesota United professional soccer team in St. Paul. Previously held board positions include North Park Board of Trustees, ACE Mentor Twin Cities vice-chair, and elder at Emmanuel Covenant Church. His family loves swimming, hiking, biking, and exploring God’s creation, particularly along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. For the past year he has been serving as chair of the Covenant Executive Board. He is married to Emelia and the father of three young children. Personal statement of faith: I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of five. I have been baptized and publicly confessed my faith in Jesus Christ. My adult years have been shaped by church leadership positions and living out my faith in the secular work force. Christ’s love lives in and through me as I continue to learn and mature in my faith and actively share his love with those in my circle of influence.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
Page 129 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF ORDERED MINISTRY Southeast Conference Representative Ed Carey Retired Senior Pastor, Kingdom Covenant Ministries Miami, Florida Ed served as senior pastor of Kingdom Covenant Ministries for 23 years. He has been chair of the Southeast Conference Ministerium, vice president of the African American Ministers Association, and served on the SEC board and the Covenant Board of Benevolence. Personal statement of faith: I believe the best thing I have done in my life was to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Serving him is and always has been my pleasure.
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF ORDERED MINISTRY Pacific Southwest Conference Representative Marco Ambriz Lead Pastor/Associate Pastor, First Covenant Church Oakland Oakland, California Marco has served on the pastoral staff at First Covenant Church Oakland since 2004. The child of Mexican and Nicaraguan immigrants, Marco grew up as a pastor’s kid, worship leader, and preacher in the Latino Pentecostal church in Texas, Louisiana, and California. He also served as pastor of a Korean Presbyterian church in the Bay Area for several years before joining First Covenant Oakland and the Evangelical Covenant Church in 2004. He holds a BA in pastoral studies from Patten University, an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary, and is ordained with the Covenant. He and his wife, Nicole, along with their two young children, love calling Oakland home. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his family, sports, playing music, reading, and occasionally roasting coffee in his backyard. 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
10
|
GATHER 2021
Page 130 of 285
Personal statement of faith: I trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord, Savior. I confessed my faith in Christ as a child of six years old, was baptized at age 11, and have continued in a journey of seeking to follow Jesus since then.
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF ORDERED MINISTRY East Coast Conference Representative Peter Kim Senior Pastor, Trinity Covenant Church Glastonbury, Connecticut Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Chicago, Peter received his calling to ministry during his college years and served in ministries in Philadelphia, Houston, and Chicago. Having spent time traveling in Latin America, Peter has a passion for cross-cultural ministry both home and abroad. He has most recently been involved in multicultural church planting in both urban and suburban contexts. He loves traveling, the outdoors, drinking coffee, spending time with his children, and especially riding his motorcycle to get away from it all. He is married to his wife, Kathy, and they have three children. He received his master of divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and recently completed his doctor of ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is ordained with the Covenant. Personal statement of faith: My father was the first believer in his family, and my mom was from a pastor’s family. In my parents I saw two people who truly loved God and did their best to raise us in the faith. I can still remember as a young child trusting in Christ as my personal Lord and Savior with my Sunday school teacher. In eighth grade I renewed my commitment to live for Jesus as his disciple, and in college I further surrendered my future to the Lord and sensed a call to full-time Christian ministry. Jesus Christ is my Lord, King, Savior, and greatest love of my life to whom I have committed to serve faithfully all the days of my life.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
11
|
GATHER 2021
Page 131 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT MINISTRIES OF BENEVOLENCE BOARD Southeast Conference Representative Darryl Johnson Sr. Founding Pastor, Walk of Faith Covenant Church Mound Bayou, Mississippi As a called minister of the gospel, Darryl is the founder and pastor of Walk of Faith Covenant Church and Walk of Faith Ministry. He is also the founder of the Mound Bayou Movement, Omnicast Foundation, and WRDC gospel radio station. He and his wife, Beverly, have three children and three grandchildren. They own Community Adult Day Care, Nevaeh Hospice, Professional Florist, and several other businesses. He is the former mayor of Mound Bayou, an original founder of Historic Black Towns and Settlements Alliance, and a vice president of the World Conference of Mayors. Personal statement of faith: I believe that Jesus died and rose again, releasing the blood that was shed as my connector to his marvelous light and life. I have accepted this and minister this to those who will listen. My life motto is two words: “Follow God.”
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT MINISTRIES OF BENEVOLENCE BOARD Great Lakes Conference Representative Semmeal Thomas Pastor, City Covenant Church Detroit, Michigan Semmeal passionately serves as senior pastor of City Covenant Church in the community of Brightmoor in Detroit, seeking to equip and empower people to exercise their God-given abilities. As a Covenant church 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
12
|
GATHER 2021
Page 132 of 285
planter, he works to give back to the community in order to help plant seeds for more ministry. He is overjoyed that since the church’s inception in 2009, more than 200 souls have been led to Christ. Semmeal earned an urban ministry degree from Ecumenical Theological Seminary as well as an MA. He serves on the board of directors at Covenant Community Care and is the founder of MISSION: City, a new agency working in Brightmoor to build a community of independence. He is happily married to his wife, Patricia, of 25 years. They have three children and one grandson. Personal statement of faith: I believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior, I believe Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, crucified on the cross, rose on the third day, and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. I believe in the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; I believe that Jesus is coming back to redeem God’s people.
NOMINEE TO THE NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Beth Fredrickson Executive Director, Harbor Point Ministries Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Beth earned a BA in English from North Park before going on to complete a master of arts in journalism at Marquette University. She has had a diverse career, beginning as a teacher at Mundelein High School, where she taught journalism for three years. After teaching, she served as the church relations coordinator at Harbor Point Ministries from 1997 to 1999. During that time, Beth also worked as Public Relations Counsel at First Edition until 2005 when she accepted a role at Bottom Line Marketing & Public Relations Firm as PR Counselor, then Senior PR Counselor, for 11 years. In October 2016 she returned to Harbor Point Ministries as the executive director, a role she still serves in today. Beth is heavily involved as a volunteer in her communities. In
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
13
|
GATHER 2021
Page 133 of 285
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, she is in her seventh year as the chair of the Marketing Communications Advisory Committee; she was a general member for nine years prior. She cofounded the Historic Heights Neighborhood Association and has served in a variety of volunteer roles for the Wauwatosa School District and the Milwaukee Evangelical Covenant Church. Finally, Beth has been an active member of the North Park community, serving on the Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2019. During her service on the Board of Trustees, Beth served on the Academic Committee, Student Recruitment and Retention Committee, and the Committee on Trustees. Beth is married to John, a fellow North Park alum, and together they have a daughter and two sons who all graduated from North Park.
NOMINEE TO THE NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Gricel Medina Pastor, Speaker, Church Planter, Advocate Carrollton, Texas Gricel Medina is a speaker, author, equity advocate, and pastor. She is a former church planter and consultant in the Midsouth Conference and was the first Latina chair of the Commission for Biblical and Gender Equality. She has served as a board officer of the Ministerios Hispanos de la Iglesia del Pacto Evangélico (MHIPE, now ALIPE) and is ordained with the Covenant. She also serves on the Board of Reference for Christians for Biblical Equality, is a frequent preacher and consultant at various churches, serves on multiple ministry platforms, and is an innovator who brings her training in counseling, theology, abuse recovery, leadership, prayer, and bilingual and bicultural skills to strengthen the multiethnic church.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
14
|
GATHER 2021
Page 134 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Sally Carlson Associate Pastor of Congregational Care, Bethany Covenant Church Mt. Vernon, Washington Sally has served as the associate pastor of congregational care at Bethany Covenant Church since joining the staff in 2019. She is passionate about connecting with people and walking with them on their journey with Jesus. She has a BA in Spanish and biblical and theological studies from North Park University, and a master of arts in Christian formation from North Park Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Daniel, have been married since 2009. She loves traveling, laughing, being with friends, and a good cup of coffee.
NOMINEE AS ANNUAL MEETING MODERATOR Elizabeth Jensen Retired Pastor Venice, Florida Liz served as the solo pastor of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Venice Isle in Venice, Florida, from 2008 until she retired from compensated ministry in 2019. Before that, she served bivocationally as associate pastor in two Covenant congregations outside of Minneapolis while working full-time for US West. She served on the Mound, Minnesota, City Council for 12 years. She is ordained with the Covenant and has served on the Southeast Conference Committee on Ministerial Standing and as president of the conference Ministerial Association. She also serves as treasurer of Advocates for Covenant Clergy Women and served as chaplain and treasurer of the Military Officers Association of America Venice Area 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
15
|
GATHER 2021
Page 135 of 285
Chapter. She lives with her husband of almost 46 years who retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Minnesota Army National Guard and the US Army Reserve. She has two stepchildren and four grandchildren. Personal statement of faith: I am saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus is my brother, my rock, my redeemer, my friend, my confidant, my all in all. I cannot remember a time when I did not know Jesus died for my sins, yet I know years of education and experience have grown and deepened my relationship with, trust in, and love of Christ. Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God who lived and died and rose to life again. He lives and will return some day to take resurrected believers to our eternal life. His is the body broken, the bread of heaven, the cup of my salvation, and the water of life. Yes, he is!
NOMINEE AS ANNUAL MEETING VICE-MODERATOR Rick Lindholtz Lead Pastor, Valley Covenant Church Stillman Valley, Illinois Rick grew up in Davis, California, in the Covenant church founded by his parents and several other couples. As a young child, he said yes to God and began growing and walking with Jesus. Ministry opportunities in his high school and college years eventually led to discerning a call to vocational pastoral ministry—a call that has led to service in Covenant churches in five conferences. He is ordained with the Covenant and has also served the denomination as an evangelism trainer. Personal statement of faith: Jesus calls each one of us to love, trust, and follow him. I grew up in a Covenant church plant in Davis, California, and responded to Christ’s invitation as a child.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
16
|
GATHER 2021
Page 136 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF NOMINATIONS Midwest Conference Representative Michael Coglan Senior Pastor, Community Covenant Church Kearney, MO Mike has been a Covenant pastor for nearly 30 years. He is deeply engaged in the Covenant, where he has served in elected roles with the Ministerium, on several regional boards in three conferences, as a consultant to North Park University (then North Park College) and has also written for the Covenant Companion. He graduated from North Park Theological Seminary and holds an MBA from the Kellogg Business School at Northwestern University. He is interested in leadership identification and development, group dynamics, and conflict resolution, and his approach draws on lessons he learned in improvisational theater with Second City in Chicago. He believes that laughter is a key component of team building. Personal Faith Statement: I live between two truths: I am such a sinner that God's only Son Jesus had to die for me. But I am so loved that Jesus volunteered to die for me.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
17
|
GATHER 2021
Page 137 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF NOMINATIONS Central Conference Representative Won Kim Director of Disciplehip, New Community Covenant ChurchBronzeville Instructional Designer, TCS Education System Chicago, IL Won is a bivocational minister who has been a member of or served on staff of multi-racial churches for the past 13 years. He has seen first-hand how important it is to have leaders who represent many facets of God’s character. His previous work included some human resources-type responsibilities such as selecting candidates to interview, interviewing those candidates, and recommending select candidates for hire. He earned his Ph.D. in organizational leadership from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and has consulted on congregational care with the Central Conference. Personal Faith Statement: Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and the only hope for this world. He makes himself available to anyone who repents and places her or his faith in him. I believe that, through Jesus, God is renewing all of creation and reconciling all things back to himself. In terms of day-to-day living, I resonate strongly with C.S. Lewis’s quote about Christianity being the lens through which he views the world. My faith in Jesus deeply colors my thoughts, my words, my relationships, and my choices. Because Christianity is my worldview, I believe all Christians received God’s mission to baptize, disciple, and bring God’s shalom (peace and justice) to this world. I take very seriously how deeply God cares about individual-, community-, and systemic-level implications of sin and injustice.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
18
|
GATHER 2021
Page 138 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF NOMINATIONS Northwest Conference Representative Jeffrey Burton Director of Pastoral Care and Development, Northwest Conference Interim Pastor, Maple Grove Covenant Church Dayton, MN Jeff has been a Covenant pastor for 37 years, the last six working for the Northwest Conference Office. His heart is for raising up and developing both clergy and lay leaders. He has served on both the Southeast Conference Executive Board and the Northwest Conference Executive Board, as well as a COOP coach and on the Pulse assessment team for Covenant Vitality. Personal Faith Statement: I began a relationship with Jesus Christ as a college student in 1974 and he has remained the center of my life since then. I am committed to his will and his ways as revealed in the Bible.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
19
|
GATHER 2021
Page 139 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #17
2021 Board of Nominations Candidates NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD
Alaska Conference Representative Dale Smith Project Director, Calista Education and Culture Wasilla, Alaska
Dale is an Alaska Native (Cup’ig) from the village of Mekoryuk, which is the only village on Nunivak Island. He attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he earned his BA in rural development. He married Mary Charlie, who is from Toksook Bay (Yup’ik village). Dale’s defining life-changing experience was in April 2006 when he accepted Christ into his life. He attended North Park Theological Seminary and earned an MA in Christian ministry in 2011. Since then, he has volunteered in several ministry roles and is currently serving on the Board of Trustees of Alaska Christian College. He has two teenagers and enjoys the great Alaska outdoors where he hunts, fishes, and enjoys camping trips with his family. Personal statement of faith: I am a born-again believer who accepted Jesus Christ into my life in April 2006. I have served in several different ministry capacities since then.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
20
|
GATHER 2021
Page 140 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD
Southeast Conference Representative Mary Ann Owens Business Owner, MAO Logistics LLC Lithia Springs, Georgia
Mary Ann has been associated with the Covenant for many years in various roles and levels of involvement. She has been a proud member of the African American Ministers Association (AAMA) since its inception and has witnessed firsthand AAMA’s growth and development. She has also served on the Board of Nominations, Stewardship Board, and as president of the Southeast Conference Women’s Ministries. Mary Ann has a passion for youth and has been active with Here’s Life Inner City (now CRU), DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative, and has taught Sunday school to elementary, junior high, and high school students. She has held various leadership positions throughout her career and has a background in banking and accounting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration and a master’s in human resources. She is married to Robert, retired superintendent of the Southeast Conference. Personal statement of faith: My life in Christ has been a journey. I have been saved for more than 45 years, and with each major event in my life I grow closer to my Lord and Savior. When the command to love one another was given and we were told the greatest of these is love, I believe I know why. Daily I am reminded of his love for me. I am grateful.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
21
|
GATHER 2021
Page 141 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD
East Coast Conference Representative Susan Park Area Director for Graduate & Faculty Ministry InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Cambridge, Massachusetts
Including her volunteer years, Susan has ministered in Boston with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for the last 20 years. During that tenure she has helped lead the Boston staff to greater clarity of mission as a team, which has therefore led to greater evangelistic fruitfulness, deeper conversations about faith and work, and a wider prayerfulness among students and staff. She also served as the associate director for the business track for Urbana 15 and Urbana 18. She and her husband, Danny, worship at Highrock Covenant Church in Arlington with their two boys. When she is not busy with ministry or family, she cooks Chinese food and tries her hand at backyard gardening. Personal statement of faith: I grew up in a non-religious Chinese immigrant household. In high school, some friends invited me to their summer Bible study, which I left feeling curious about Jesus. In college, I attended an InterVarsity small group, and at the end of my freshman year, I gave my life to Christ. Since then, my life has been turned around by God, and he has given me a new purpose. He set my feet on a firm rock and put a new song in my mouth. May many see and trust the Lord through me (Psalm 40).
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
22
|
GATHER 2021
Page 142 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE COVENANT EXECUTIVE BOARD
East Coast Conference Representative David Holder Senior Pastor / Founder, New York Covenant Church New Rochelle, New York
David Holder is a fourth-generation pastor who earned an MBA from UCLA, an MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary, a ThM from Harvard, and a DMin from Princeton Theological Seminary. He served AME congregations in California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. He founded Bethel Day Care Center as the executive director of Bethel Center for Humane Services. As part of the Evangelical Covenant Church, David founded New York Covenant Church in 1998 and has served as senior pastor since then. At the same time, he was serving the 100-year-old Covenant congregation of New Rochelle—pastoring two churches at the same time for six years. In 2004, New York Covenant purchased a 42,000-square-foot building on Main Street in downtown New Rochelle as their new location. He has been married to his wife, Tarshia, for more than two decades, and they have two children. David has a huge heart for mercy and justice and loves music, theater arts, and is a New York Mets fan for life. Personal statement of faith: Jesus is my Lord and Savior, the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through him. I have committed the entirety of my life’s work to him. I was first ordained in 1995 by the African Methodist Episcopal Church and then later transferred my ordination to the Evangelical Covenant Church.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
23
|
GATHER 2021
Page 143 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF THE ORDERED MINISTRY
Midwest Conference Representative Win Houwen Church Planter/Pastor Emeritus, Life House Covenant Church Lakewood, Colorado
Having been raised in a non-Christian home, Win came to Jesus at the age of 16. She graduated from Texas A&M University and was working at a small architectural firm when she began sensing a call to ministry. She entered Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Fort Worth, Texas, and was ordained in the Evangelical Methodist Church. In 2002, God gave her a vision for what would become Life House Covenant Church and the door to the Covenant opened. Now 19 years later, she is journeying through the transition to pastor emeritus, and her co-pastor, who was raised up from the church, and is now senior pastor. Win is excited to see this new chapter in the church unfold. She loves her husband and daughter, being “Grandma Win” to her co-pastor’s four daughters, photography, art, and baseball. Personal statement of faith: Jesus has been my Lord and Savior since I was 16 years old. He has been my companion, love, leader, and originator of my call to ministry. I love him with all my being.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
24
|
GATHER 2021
Page 144 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF THE ORDERED MINISTRY
Central Conference Representative Debbie Blue Retired Executive Minister of Compassion, Mercy, and Justice Evangelical Covenant Church Calumet Park, Illinois
Debbie’s longtime service to the Covenant spans more than 40 years and includes multiple volunteer and staff experiences, including Christian education, Compassion, Mercy, & Justice, Crescendo, Christian formation, and others. As a volunteer and mentor, she has touched the lives of countless children, youth, and adults and continues to be a driving force in her local church community and abroad. Debbie has a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from the University of Illinois–Chicago, a master’s in Christian education and honorary doctorate from North Park Theological Seminary and is ordained with the Covenant. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Evangelical Covenant Church’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Debbie has three adult children and nine grandchildren. She is a longtime member of Community Covenant Church in Calumet Park. Personal statement of faith: My faith journey began at the age of eight in a neighborhood church. During my teen years and into young adulthood, I seriously began to question this faith as I often saw the actions of Christians being quite different from what I was taught. After a hiatus from what had been faithful churchgoing and now having my own family, I began my search for this God I learned about but never really knew beyond the fear of a God who severely punishes. God led me to a church that not only preached about a God who “so loved the world that he gave his one and only son” to die for me, but also demonstrated that truth in the gathered community. I began to live into a new understanding of who God was— not just this distance Being waiting to chastise me, but a God who was near and always present. I came to believe in God’s prevenient grace that kept me to this point in my life. God’s Word became the compass for my journey, my relationship with Christ deepened as I realized how much he loved me, and my conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit not only 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
25
|
GATHER 2021
Page 145 of 285
leads and guides me but reveals to me the spiritual gifts I employ for building up body of Christ.
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF THE ORDERED MINISTRY
Alaska Conference Representative TJ Smith Pastor, New Song Covenant Church Anchorage, Alaska
TJ is ordained in the Covenant, where he has served as pastor of Newsong Covenant Church for more than a decade. Throughout his journey of embracing his identity as Lakota, he has worked with multiple cultures in his life and ministry. His heart’s desire is that wherever he serves, the community represents the color and culture of the broader community. He believes that as the body of Christ we need to represent the fullness of God. Personal statement of faith: Growing up in the church, I heard the message of God my whole life. At the age of seven, I believed in who God was. I was baptized at 12 or 13, and at 17, I committed my life to God at camp. It has been a continuing and deepening my relationship with God. I have always felt God calling me to serve people. I assumed that would be through teaching high school history, but God had other plans. I volunteered as a youth leader and over time opportunities to do vocational ministry opened up, first with Young Life, and then in the church. The Church the last place where I thought I would be serving, but God has changed my heart, and the passion I had for teens I now have for families and adults.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
26
|
GATHER 2021
Page 146 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF THE ORDERED MINISTRY
Midsouth Conference Representative Dennis Carlson Retired Pastor Denton, Texas
Dennis has served in a wide variety of Covenant and Serve Globally contexts. He pastored churches in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Northwest, and Great Lakes and was active in congregations in several other conferences. His roles of service have included solo pastor, interim lead pastor, and associate pastor, as well as global personnel in both Africa and Latin America. He has served in rural, small town, suburban, and urban settings. His diversity of roles, locations, and more than 40 years of service to the denomination have provided breadth and insight into the wide diversity of God’s servants and their places of call. Dennis holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Seattle Pacific University, a master’s of divinity from North Park Theological Seminary, and is ordained with the Covenant. He and his wife, Mary Lynn, recently relocated from Michigan to Texas. Personal statement of faith: I will be eternally thankful to God for the Christian nurture and care into which I was born within the Covenant family in San Jose, California. My parents were both active laypeople in the church and modeled and taught God’s love and the redemptive power of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. My father’s life of prayer, Christian stewardship, and commitment to the worldwide mission of the church was particularly formative in my life. I look to a time when I was 12 years old and made a personal commitment to trust Christ and fully follow him in discipleship. Wayne Stark, who was my confirmation pastor and continued as my pastor for 10 years through my college years, was also a significant guiding influence in my life.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
27
|
GATHER 2021
Page 147 of 285
NOMINEE TO THE BOARD OF NOMINATIONS East Coast Conference Representative Michelle Brown Vice President, Walker-Clay, Inc. East Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Michelle has a 29-year history in the promotional products industry. Over the course of her career, she has played a role in the company’s strategic long-term planning with responsibilities spanning across customer service, marketing, operations, product safety, fulfillment, and sales. In addition, she has served as chair on the leadership team at Community Covenant Church of East Bridgewater, with other roles of small group leader, worship leader, and member of the pastoral search committee. Personal statement of faith: I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
28
|
GATHER 2021
Page 148 of 285
Page 149 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #18a.
Presentation of Amendments to the Rules of the Ordered Ministry **Vote on this Agenda item is contingent on the outcome of the deliberations at the Ministerium’s annual Meeting.
RULES FOR THE ORDERED MINISTRY OF THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH ARTICLE I The Board of the Ordered Ministry Section 1.1. Composition. Current Text a. The Constitution and Bylaws of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) provides that the Board of the Ordered Ministry (Board) shall consist of twelve credentialed persons as defined in the Constitution and Bylaws of the ECC. They shall be mature and experienced, elected by the Annual Meeting of the ECC for terms of five years in such manner that the terms of two members shall expire each year. Members shall not be eligible to succeed themselves. The president of the ECC, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the president of the Covenant Ministerium, the dean of North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS), the president of Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos del Pacto Evangelico (CHET), and the minister appointed from the Executive Board of the ECC shall be ex-officio members of the Board. The president of the ECC shall appoint one member of the Council of Superintendents to serve as an ex-officio member of the Board. The Board may appoint advisory members as needed. Section 1.1. Composition. Proposed Text a. The Constitution and Bylaws of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) provides that the Board of the Ordered Ministry (Board) shall consist of twelve fourteen elected members, twelve of whom shall be credentialed persons as defined in the Constitution and Bylaws of the ECC, and two of whom shall be laypersons. They shall be mature and experienced, elected by the Annual Meeting of the ECC for terms of five years in such manner that the terms of two members shall expire each year. Members shall not be eligible to succeed themselves. The president of the ECC, the executive minister of the ordered ministry, the president of the Covenant Ministerium, the dean of North Park Theological Seminary (NPTS), the president of Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos del Pacto Evangelico (CHET), and the minister
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 150 of 285
appointed from the Executive Board of the ECC shall be ex-officio members of the Board. The president of the ECC shall appoint one member of the Council of Superintendents to serve as an ex-officio member of the Board. The Board may appoint advisory members as needed. ARTICLE III Ordained to Word and Sacrament Section 3.3. Qualifications. Current Text f. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC. Section 3.3. Qualifications. Proposed Text f. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC either the Covenant Ministers’ Pension Plan or the Ministers’ 403(b) plan. ARTICLE IV Ordained to Word and Service Section 4.3. Qualifications. Current Text f. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC. Section 4.3. Qualifications. Proposed Text f. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC either the Covenant Ministers’ Pension Plan or the Ministers’ 403(b) plan. ARTICLE VI Commissioning Section 6.3. Qualifications. Current Text f. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC. Section 6.3. Qualifications. Proposed Text g. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC either the Covenant Ministers’ Pension Plan or the Ministers’ 403(b) plan.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 151 of 285
ARTICLE VII Consecrated Missionary Section 7.3. Qualifications. Current Text f. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC. Section 7.3. Qualifications. Proposed Text h. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC either the Covenant Ministers’ Pension Plan or the Ministers’ 403(b) plan. ARTICLE IX Licensure Section 9.2. Ministry License. b. Qualifications. Current Text i. The candidate shall participate in the pension program of the ECC. Section 9.2. Ministry License. b. Qualifications. Proposed Text i. All candidates serving ECC congregations shall participate in the pension program of the ECC either the Covenant Ministers’ Pension Plan or the Ministers’ 403(b) plan.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 152 of 285
Page 153 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #18b.
Change in Standing in the Evangelical Covenant Church CHANGE IN STANDING The Board of the Ordered Ministry, with the concurrence of the Covenant Ministerium, reports to the 135th Annual Meeting that the ministerial standing of the following ministers has been moved from active to inactive: Richard Arnold (OWSa) Aune Carlson (OWSa) Ronald Ferguson (OWSa) David Gibbons (OWSa) John Paul Harris-Webster (OWSa) Nathan Hillman (OWSa) Velda Love (OWSe) Arthur Matheny (OWSa) Beatrice Radakovich (OWSa) The Board of the Ordered Ministry, with the concurrence of the Covenant Ministerium, reports to the 135th Annual Meeting that the ministerial standing of the following minister has been moved from active to leave of absence: Leo Anderson (OWSa) The Board of the Ordered Ministry, with the concurrence of the Covenant Ministerium, reports to the 135th Annual Meeting that the ministerial standing of the following ministers has been moved from inactive to active: Kelly Johnston (OWSa) Richard Rasanen (OWSa/R) Todd Slechta (OWSa) Douglas Vetvick (CSM)
TRANSFERRED CREDENTIAL The Board of the Ordered Ministry, with the concurrence of the Covenant Ministerium, reports to the
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 154 of 285
135th Annual Meeting that the following minister has transferred his ordination standing to the United Church of Christ: Thomas King The Board of the Ordered Ministry, with the concurrence of the Covenant Ministerium, reports to the 135th Annual Meeting that following minister has transferred her ordination standing to the Progressive Christian Alliance: Eva Sullivan-Knoff
RESIGNATION OF CREDENTIAL The Board of the Ordered Ministry, with the concurrence of the Covenant Ministerium, reports to the 135th Annual Meeting that the following individuals have resigned their ministerial standing and requested that their names be removed from the roster of Covenant ministers: Dale Battleson (OWSa/I) Helen Cepero (OWSa/R) Mark Charbonneau (OWSa) Daphne DeMaris (OWSe) Benjamin Ecker (OWSa/I) William Enns (OWSa/I) CV Hartline (OWSa/I) Franklin Lindquist II (CSM/I) Sarah Monson (CSM) Nils Peterson (OWSa/I) John E. Phelan, Jr. (OWSa/R) James Sandberg (OWSa) Ann Snowberger (OWSa) Brian Solecki (OWSe) Ray Whitson III (CSM/I)
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 155 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #18d.
Presentation of Candidates for Transfer of Ordination The year listed next to the candidate’s name indicates the year in which he or she completed the requirements for finalization.
PHILLIP L. ADKINS (2020) Serving:
Cates Hill Chapel, Bowen Island, BC
Ordaining Body:
Christian and Missionary Alliance for Canadian Ministries
Conference:
Canada
DAVID LEE BONSELAAR (2020) Serving:
Bridge to Grace Covenant Church, Roswell, GA
Ordaining Body:
Reformed Church in America
Conference:
Southeast
YOON IK CHANG (2020) Serving:
New Vision Covenant Church, Bayside, NY
Ordaining body:
Tacoma First Baptist Church
Conference:
East Coast
ALEXANDER J. CHO (2020) Serving:
Navy Chaplaincy
Ordaining Body:
The Evangelical Church Alliance
Conference:
Central
EDWARD LEE (2021) Serving:
Encounter Covenant Church, Mississauga, ON
Ordaining body:
Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad
Conference:
Canada
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 156 of 285
MANOJ M. MATHAI (2020) Serving:
Newsong Los Angeles Covenant Church, Culver City, CA
Ordaining Body:
North American Baptist Conference
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
LINDA D. NORLIEN (2021) Serving:
Prairieview Covenant Church, New Richmond, WI
Ordaining body:
Converge
Conference:
Northwest
MARVIN D. NORLIEN (2021) Serving:
Prairieview Covenant Church, New Richmond, WI
Ordaining Body:
Converge
Conference:
Northwest
MICHAEL S. PARK (2021) Serving:
My Father's House, San Marino, CA
Ordaining body:
The Evangelical Church Alliance
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
CLAYTON S. PECK (2020) Serving:
Grace Place, Berthoud, CO
Ordaining body:
Grace Place
Conference:
Midwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 157 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #18e.
Presentation of Candidate for Commissioning The year listed next to the candidate’s name indicates the year in which he or she completed the requirements for finalization.
RUBY A. VARGHESE (2020) Serving:
Quest, Seattle, WA
Specialization:
Counseling
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 158 of 285
Page 159 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #18f.
Presentation of Candidates for Consecration to Missionary Service The year listed next to the candidate’s name indicates the year in which he or she completed the requirements for finalization.
JENNIFER DAO (2020) Serving:
Global Service Personnel: Thailand
Conference:
Serve Globally
MINH Q. DAO (2020) Serving:
Global Service Personnel: Thailand
Conference:
Serve Globally
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 160 of 285
Page 161 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #18g.
Presentation of Candidates for Ordination to Word and Service The year listed next to the candidate’s name indicates the year in which he or she completed the requirements for finalization.
ELYSE J. AGUIRRE (2021) Serving:
Lifespring Covenant Church, Loveland, CO
Specialization:
Christian Formation
Conference:
Midwest
C. LUKE AUSTIN (2021) Serving:
Forest Park Covenant Church, Muskegon, MI
Specialization:
Music Ministries
Conference:
Great Lakes
LYNN A. BLACK (2021) Serving:
Countryside Covenant Church, McPherson, KS
Specialization:
Christian Formation (all ages)
Conference:
Midwest
SALLY T. CARLSON (2021) Serving:
Bethany Covenant Church, Mount Vernon, WA
Specialization:
Administration/Leadership
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 162 of 285
JULIE T. CHAMBERLAIN (2021) Serving:
Decorah Covenant Church, Decorah, IA
Specialization:
Congregational Vitality
Conference:
Midwest
KARI M. JACOTT (2020) Serving:
Fernbrook Family Center, Owatonna, MN
Specialization:
Counseling
Conference:
Northwest
ROBERT A. RIFE (2021) Serving:
Global Service Personnel: Great Britain
Specialization:
Spiritual Formation
Conference:
Serve Globally
HEATHER N. SMITH (2020) Serving:
Community Covenant Church, Eagle River, AK
Specialization:
Prayer Ministry
Conference:
Alaska
SHIRLEY H. YOU (2021) Serving:
Metro Community Church, Englewood, NJ
Specialization:
Christian Formation (all ages)
Conference:
East Coast
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 163 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #18h.
2021 PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES FOR ORDINATION TO WORD AND SACRAMENT The year listed next to the candidate’s name indicates the year in which he or she completed the requirements for finalization.
ERIK P. ANDERSON (2020) Serving:
Crossroads Church, Woodbury, MN
Conference:
Northwest
CHRISTOPHER A. BANNON (2020) Serving:
The Commons Evangelical Covenant Church, Rochester, NH
Conference:
East Coast
ADAM L. BARNETT (2021) Serving:
Redeemer Covenant Church, Tulsa, OK
Conference:
Midsouth
MICHAEL A. BECHTOLD (2020) Serving:
First Covenant Church, Red Wing, MN
Conference:
Northwest
CHAD M. BENKERT (2020) Serving:
Covenant Youth of Alaska (CYAK), Eagle River, AK
Conference:
Alaska
SAMUEL D. BERGER (2021) Serving:
Community Covenant Church, Kirkwood, MO
Conference:
Central
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 164 of 285
JOEL D. BRAND (2021) Serving:
Winnetka Evangelical Covenant Church, Wilmette, IL
Conference:
Central
GARY A. BRNDIAR (2021) Serving:
Navy Chaplaincy
Conference:
Midwest
PAGE M. BROOKS (2020) Serving:
Canal Street Church, New Orleans, LA
Conference:
Midsouth
NICOLE D. BULLOCK (2021) Serving:
Blue Oaks Covenant Church, Crystal, MN
Conference:
Northwest
CHERYL LYNN CAIN (2021) Serving:
Good Shepherd Evangelical Covenant Church, Joliet, IL
Conference:
Central
JOHN B. CARROLL (2020) Serving:
Dallas Willard Ministries, Melbourne, FL
Conference:
Southeast
JESSICA F. CARTER (2021) Serving:
Bethany Covenant Church, Berlin, CT
Conference:
East Coast
SARA M. CHARLTON (2020) Serving:
St John's Church of Millersburg, Millersburg, OH
Conference:
Great Lakes
DOUGLAS Y. CHO (2021) Serving:
Metro Community Church, Englewood, NJ
Conference:
East Coast
MOLLIE R. CLARK (2021) Serving:
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Danvers, MA
Conference:
East Coast
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 165 of 285
GRAYSON H. DAGANAAR (2020) Serving:
Evangelical Covenant Church, Pomeroy, IA
Conference:
Midwest
MEGHAN R. DEJONG (2020) Serving:
Highrock Covenant Church, Arlington, MA
Conference:
East Coast
JORDAN T. DOLES (2021) Serving:
Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette, IL
Conference:
Central
MEZTLI DOLES (2021) Serving:
Covenant Youth Collision, Chicago, IL
Conference:
Central
MEGHAN M. DOWLING (2020) Serving:
Re-entering call process
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
LINNEA K. EK (2020) Serving:
Community Covenant Church, Menominee, MI
Conference:
Central
STANISLAVA GADELIYA (2020) Serving:
Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT
Conference:
East Coast
ANDREW S. GILKINSON (2021) Serving:
Valley Evangelical Covenant Church, Durban, MB
Conference:
Canada
JOSE H. GONZALEZ (2020) Serving:
Northbrook Evangelical Covenant Church, Northbrook, IL
Conference:
Central
JOHN M. GOSS (2021) Serving:
Grace Evangelical Covenant Church, Clay, NY
Conference:
Great Lakes
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 166 of 285
CHRISTOPHER J. GREDENIUS (2020) Serving:
Highrock Covenant Church, Arlington, MA
Conference:
East Coast
SAM E. GYORFI (2021) Serving:
International Protestant Church of Zurich, Switzerland
Conference:
Central
KATHERINE R. R. HAMPSON (2021) Serving:
Highrock Covenant Church of Brookline, Brookline, MA
Conference:
East Coast
ALEXANDER K. HARDT (2020) Serving:
A New Community Church, Menlo Park, CA
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
NATHAN M. HICKOX (2020) Serving:
Faith Evangelical Covenant Church, Wheaton, IL
Conference:
Central
LAURA A. JOHNSON (2021) Serving:
Pinehaven Community, Pine Island, MN
Conference:
Northwest
JEFFREY E. KAETZEL (2020) Serving:
Community Covenant Church, Santa Barbara, CA
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
DAWN H. LAUBER (2020) Serving:
Covenant Living Windsor Park, Carol Stream, IL
Conference:
Central
JOY-ELIZABETH F. LAWRENCE (2021) Serving:
Evangelical Covenant Church, Hinsdale, IL
Conference:
Central
ANDREW T. LEAGUE (2021) Serving:
Lowry Community Covenant Church, Lowry, MN
Conference:
Northwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 167 of 285
SANDRA S.K. LEE (2020) Serving:
East Coast Conference, Cromwell, CT
Conference:
East Coast
RYAN P. LUNCEFORD (2020) Serving:
Genesis Church, Phoenix, AZ
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
RYAN P. MARSHALL (2020) Serving:
Highrock MetroWest, Needham, MA
Conference:
East Coast
JANET BOWES MARTINEZ (2021) Serving:
Prison Fellowship Academy, Denver, CO
Conference:
Midwest
JOHN L. MEADER (2021) Serving:
Crossroads Evangelical Covenant Church, Forest Lake, MN
Conference:
Northwest
CHAD R. MELTON (2020) Serving:
Crossroads Church, Eagan, MN
Conference:
Northwest
EDWIN D. MENON (2021) Serving:
Highrock Malden, Malden, MA
Conference:
East Coast
MARK T. NEELY (2021) Serving:
Pine Lake Covenant Church, Sammamish, WA
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
STEPHANIE J. NELSON (2021) Serving:
Alert Covenant Church, Leonardville, KS
Conference:
Midwest
JUSTIN G. NOSEWORTHY (2020) Serving:
All Things New Covenant Church, Monterey, CA
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 168 of 285
TYLER J. NYLEN (2020) Serving:
Fountain of Life Ministries, Madison, WI
Conference:
Central
ANDREW J. L. OBER (2020) Serving:
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, New England, CT
Conference:
East Coast
MICHAEL J. OSTERMANN (2020) Serving:
Brantford Evangelical Covenant Church, Clyde, KS
Conference:
Midwest
MICHAEL K.H. PARK (2020) Serving:
Hope West Side Covenant Church, New York, NY
Conference:
East Coast
WALTER S. QUICK IV (2020) Serving:
Highrock Covenant Church, Arlington, MA
Conference:
East Coast
EARL J. RAVAGO (2021) Serving:
New Abbey Covenant Church, Gurnee, IL
Conference:
Central
ALICIA K. REESE (2020) Serving:
Burr Ridge United Church of Christ, Burr Ridge, IL
Conference:
Central
FLOR L. RETAMAL (2021) Serving:
Iglesia Internacional Cristiana Sobre La Roca, Chicago, IL
Conference:
Central
CYNTHIA M. RILEY (2020) Serving:
Hotsprings Health Program, Marshall, NC
Conference:
Southeast
ZACHARY J. RILEY (2021) Serving:
Modesto Covenant Church, Modesto, CA
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 169 of 285
JEFFREY G. ROOT (2021) Serving:
Glen Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church, Glen Ellyn, IL
Conference:
Central
NATHAN P. SALINAS (2020) Serving:
Access Covenant Church, Portland, OR
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
ALBERT B. SCHOFFMANN (2021) Serving:
Chugach Covenant Church, Anchorage, AK
Conference:
Alaska
JACK A. SHIELDS (2020) Serving:
The Door Covenant Church, Blaine, MN
Conference:
Northwest
CYNTHIA M. SIMPSON (2021) Serving:
Christian Living Communities, Denver, CO
Conference:
Midwest
RHYAN J. SMITH (2020) Serving:
Grace Community Covenant Church, Olympia, WA
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
NANCY R. SNELLER (2021) Serving:
Bay Evangelical Covenant Church, Green Bay, WI
Conference:
Central
JOEL M. SOMMER (2020) Serving:
Access Covenant Church, Portland, OR
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
RYAN N. SPOONER (2021) Serving:
St. Paul's Church, Willington, CT
Conference:
East Coast
JOANNA REBECCA STRINGER (2021) Serving:
Wellspring Covenant Church, Aiea, HI
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 170 of 285
CLAIRE E. STRUNK (2021) Serving:
Communitas, Spokane, WA
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
SHERIN MATHEW SWIFT (2020) Serving:
New Life Fellowship Church, Elmhurst, NY
Conference:
East Coast
ETHAN D. TEWS (2020) Serving:
Zion Covenant Church, Sheboygan, WI
Conference:
Central
SEMMEAL J. THOMAS (2020) Serving:
City Covenant Church, Detroit, MI
Conference:
Great Lakes
CLIFTON E. TIDD, JR. (2020) Serving:
Covenant Congregational Church, Pawtucket, RI
Conference:
East Coast
JOHN FRANKLIN UDOCHI (2020) Serving:
New York Covenant Church, New Rochelle, NY
Conference:
East Coast
DEREK C. VANDER MOLEN (2021) Serving:
Air Force Chaplaincy
Conference:
East Coast
RAMELIA D. WILLIAMS (2020) Serving:
Love Mercy Do Justice, Evangelical Covenant Church, Chicago, IL
Conference:
Central
BEARETT L. WOLVERTON (2021) Serving:
Grace Covenant Church, South San Francisco, CA
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
JONATHAN H. WOOLNER (2020) Serving:
Evergreen Covenant Church, Mercer Island, WA
Conference:
Pacific Northwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 171 of 285
ALMA ROSA ZAMUDIO MACIEL (2021) Serving:
Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos, Compton, CA
Conference:
Pacific Southwest
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
Page 172 of 285
Page 173 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #19
Clergy Lifetime Service Recognition Because the denomination calls, credentials and sends individuals into ministry, we feel that it is most appropriate that our community of pastors and congregations join together at each Covenant Annual Meeting to honor a group of clergy who have offered lifetimes of faithful service and godly obedience. Therefore, on behalf of the Evangelical Covenant Church and Ordered Ministry, the 135th Annual Meeting would like to honor the following individuals: Sharon R. Anderson, Sammamish, WA
Richard Alan Gordon, Brandon, SD
Stephen S. Bilynskyj, Eugene, OR
Wainer Guimaraes, Riverbank, CA
Bradley L. Boydston, Plantation, FL
Mary Lorraine Hendrickson, Venice, FL
Karen Elaine Brewer, Chicago, IL
James Neil Holst, Roseville, CA
Catherine Louise Campobello, Medellín,
David A. Husby, La Conner, WA
Colombia
Ronna L. Husby, La Conner, WA
Richard Kenneth Carlson, Sioux Falls, SD
John Wayland Jenks, Santa Barbara, CA
Merrie Schoenman Carson, Renton, WA
Craig B. Johnson, Duluth, MN
Michael D. DeLong, Wauwatosa, WI
James C. Johnson, Muskegon, MI
F. Remy Diederich, Menomonie, WI
Kenneth Lowell Johnson, Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Donald Mark Dwight, Taichung 420, Taiwan
Galen O. Johnson, Minneapolis, MN
Kenneth Paul Egging, Mount Vernon, WA
Hollis Arnold Kim, Minneapolis, MN
Beth Irene Ernest, Caledonia, MI
José Manuel La Luz, Chicago, IL
Barbara Vincent Ettinger, Vernon, CT
Nancy K. Lewis, Alameda, Ca
Ronald Joseph Ferguson, Yorkton, SK
Bruce Gordon Linscheid, Saint Joseph, MI
William Deering Fish, Midway, UT
Vicki K. Lund, Stanwood, WA
Mark O. Fogel, Canaan, CT
Francisco Manuel Martins Ramos, Paris, France
Gregory P. Fondell, Lakeville, MN
Gregory Scott Mesimore, Chicago, IL
Susan G. Gillespie, Chatham, NJ
Donald Carl Olson, Sarasota, FL
William Jon Goodale, Elm City, NC
Mark Turrell Pattie III, Lino Lakes, MN
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 174 of 285
Deborah R. Penny, Chicago, IL John Christopher Pickett, Crystal Lake, IL Perry Kiyoshi Sakai, Oakland, CA Gary Dean Sander, Medellín, Colombia Mary Lou Sander, Medellín, Colombia David Allen Stockamp, Buford, GA Mark Richard Stromberg, Edina, MN Jeffrey L. Sweitzer, Hudson, OH Stephen Richard Weihsmann, Upsala, MN David Anthony Williams, Loveland, CO Victor M. Williams, Chicago, IL Terrance S. Woodson, Duncanville, TX Douglas Brent Vetvick, Blaine, MN
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 175 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #20
Missionary Service Recognition
CINDY AND PETE EKSTRAND Democratic Republic of the Congo and Yaounde, Cameroon 1981 – 2021
HELEN AND TIM SMITH Democratic Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea 1987 – 2021
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 176 of 285
ALETA AND ROY DANFORTH Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic 1990 – 2021
NANCY JO HOOVER Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Asia, and Middle East North Africa (MENA) 1991 - 2020
DAVID AND RONNA HUSBY Japan 1987 – 2010
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 177 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #20
Missionary Service Recognition IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE TO GOD’S KINGDOM AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH RECOGNIZES CINDY AND PETE EKSTRAND FOR WILLINGLY ACCEPTING the call to serve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Yaounde, Cameroon, from 1981 to 2021; FOR HUMBLY RECEIVING as privilege the opportunity to learn from and embrace the Congolese and Cameroonian cultures while joining the missio Dei in an often complex yet sacred context; FOR FAITHFULLY serving alongside leaders and churches of CEUM, the Covenant Church in DR Congo; FOR GRACIOUSLY ENCOURAGING both missionary colleagues and national friends through your gifts of pastoral care and hospitality as regional coordinators in Cameroon; PETE, FOR EFFECTIVELY working in partnership with the CEUM facilitator of the Community Health Evangelism (CHE) ministry and serving leaders in an advisory role; FOR FAITHFULLY representing the kingdom, working in mutual partnerships, strengthening local communities, serving the most vulnerable, transforming individuals, families, and communities, and affirming dignity; CINDY, FOR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP in women’s ministry, pastoral care, teaching English, and hosting visiting teams;
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 178 of 285
FOR FAITHFULLY PROVIDING administrative support, efficient problem-solving, reliable insights, and valuable team contributions, as well as the essential ministry of hospitality; PETE AND Cindy, FOR COMPASSIONATELY AND GRACIOUSLY SHARING your home and lives with many friends and guests for the last 40 years; FOR AUTHENTICALLY LOVING one another and others, and modeling what it looks like to live as citizens of the kingdom of God; WE ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR YOU…your faith has shown itself in action, your love in labor, and your hope of our Lord Jesus Christ in fortitude (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Presented on this 25th day of June in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one.
___________________________ JOHN WENRICH, PRESIDENT
_______________________________
AL TIZON, EXECUTIVE MINISTER, SERVE GLOBALLY
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 179 of 285
IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE TO GOD’S KINGDOM AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH RECOGNIZES HELEN AND TIM SMITH FOR WILLINGLY ACCEPTING the call to serve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea from 1987 to 2021, a dream that began with their short-term service in the late 1970s; FOR HUMBLY RECEIVING as privilege the opportunity to learn from and embrace the Congolese and Guinean cultures while joining the missio Dei in an often complex yet sacred context; FOR FAITHFULLY serving within the discipleship ministry and providing Bible school teaching in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; FOR GRACIOUSLY ENCOURAGING others, both missionary colleagues and national friends, through your gifts of pastoral care, biblical education, and hospitality; TIM, FOR EFFECTIVELY LEADING in church planting ministry with Buenas Noticias in Equatorial Guinea from 1999 to 2009; FOR FAITHFULLY representing the kingdom, working in mutual partnerships, strengthening local communities, transforming individuals, families, and communities, and affirming dignity; HELEN, FOR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP teaching English to pre-med students at the Ubangi Protestant University, organizing a study program for seminary wives, and teaching a Christian marriage course; FOR FAITHFULLY PROVIDING pastoral care, valuable team contributions, and the wisdom of wellrounded global experience; TIM AND HELEN, FOR COMPASSIONATELY AND GRACIOUSLY SHARING your home and lives with many friends and guests for the last 34 years;
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 180 of 285
FOR AUTHENTICALLY LOVING one another and others, and modeling what it looks like to live as citizens of the kingdom of God; WE ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR YOU… your faith has shown itself in action, your love in labor, and your hope of our Lord Jesus Christ in fortitude (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Presented on this 25th day of June in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one.
___________________________ JOHN WENRICH, PRESIDENT
_______________________________
AL TIZON, EXECUTIVE MINISTER, SERVE GLOBALLY
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 181 of 285
IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE TO GOD’S KINGDOM AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH RECOGNIZES ALETA AND ROY DANFORTH FOR WILLINGLY ACCEPTING the call to serve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic from 1990 to 2021; FOR HUMBLY RECEIVING as privilege the opportunity to learn from and embrace the Congolese and Central African Republic cultures while joining the missio Dei in an often complex yet sacred context; FOR FAITHFULLY serving for 12 years with the Paul Carlson Medical Program, providing community development, discipleship, and medical support services at the Loko mission station; FOR GRACIOUSLY ENCOURAGING and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through ministries of agriculture and health, with a commitment to serve Fulani/Muslim people; ROY, FOR EFFECTIVELY LEADING in the establishment of the Center for Experimentation and Formation in Agriculture (CEFA) and providing an innovative agricultural research and training base to share God’s love on the village level; FOR FAITHFULLY representing the kingdom, working in mutual partnerships, strengthening local communities, transforming individuals, families, and communities, and affirming dignity; ALETA, FOR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP developing relationships with Fulani/Muslim women and humbly serving the mission hospital; FOR FAITHFULLY PROVIDING pastoral care, invaluable team contributions, and the wisdom of wellrounded global experience;
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 182 of 285
ROY AND ALETA, FOR COMPASSIONATELY AND GRACIOUSLY SHARING your home and lives with many friends and guests for the last 31 years; FOR AUTHENTICALLY LOVING one another and others, and modeling what it looks like to live as citizens of the kingdom of God; WE ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR YOU…your faith has shown itself in action, your love in labor, and your hope of our Lord Jesus Christ in fortitude (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Presented on this 25th day of June in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one.
___________________________ JOHN WENRICH, PRESIDENT
_______________________________
AL TIZON, EXECUTIVE MINISTER, SERVE GLOBALLY
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 183 of 285
IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE TO GOD’S KINGDOM AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH RECOGNIZES NANCY JO HOOVER FOR WILLINGLY ACCEPTING the call to serve Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Asia, and Middle East North Africa (MENA) from 1991 to 2020; FOR HUMBLY RECEIVING as privilege the opportunity to learn from and embrace the Mexican, Congolese, Asian, and MENA cultures while joining the missio Dei in an often complex yet sacred context; FOR FAITHFULLY serving and establishing Fuentes Libres, A.C. as an outreach to marginalized people, sharing the vision of transformational development, and training the local national staff; FOR GRACIOUSLY ENCOURAGING and facilitating international holistic work with a focus on continuing education, training, and encouragement of Covenant workers in the area of transformational development; FOR EFFECTIVELY LEADING through partnerships with local women’s groups with projects to alleviate the marginalization of women and children; FOR FAITHFULLY representing the kingdom, working in mutual partnerships, strengthening local communities, transforming individuals, families, and communities and affirming dignity; FOR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP as the interim regional coordinator for both Asia and the MENA regions, building and fostering healthy relationships with global personnel; For FAITHFULLY PROVIDING pastoral care, facilitating valuable team contributions, and utilizing the wisdom of well-rounded global experience; FOR COMPASSIONATELY AND GRACIOUSLY SHARING your insights, willingness to serve, and spirit of 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
Page 184 of 285
dedication with many friends and guests for the last 29 years; FOR AUTHENTICALLY LOVING your neighbor as yourself and modeling what it looks like to live as a citizen of the kingdom of God; WE ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR YOU…your faith has shown itself in action, your love in labor, and your hope of our Lord Jesus Christ in fortitude (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Presented on this 25th day of June in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one.
___________________________ JOHN WENRICH, PRESIDENT
_______________________________
AL TIZON, EXECUTIVE MINISTER, SERVE GLOBALLY
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
10
|
GATHER 2021
Page 185 of 285
IN GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR THEIR SERVICE TO GOD’S KINGDOM AND THE GLOBAL CHURCH THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH RECOGNIZES DAVID AND RONNA HUSBY FOR WILLINGLY ACCEPTING the call to serve as global personnel in Japan from 1987 to 2010; FOR HUMBLY RECEIVING as privilege the opportunity to learn from and embrace the Japanese culture while joining the missio Dei in an often complex yet sacred context; FOR FAITHFULLY SERVING as directors of the Odawara Christian Center—a community outreach center ministering through English education, Bible instruction, worship, discipleship, an international prayer group, as well as a myriad of compassion ministries; FOR FAITHFULLY SERVING as regional coordinators in Asia from 1999 to 2010, providing vision and care to Covenant global personnel who served alongside international partners; FOR GRACIOUSLY ENCOURAGING others, both missionary colleagues and national partners, through your gifts of pastoral care, biblical education, and hospitality; DAVID, FOR EFFECTIVELY LEADING as the director of Covenant World Relief from 2009 to 2020, for your strategic and relational community development and global disaster relief efforts and service; AND FOR FAITHFULLY REPRESENTING the kingdom, working in mutual partnerships, strengthening local communities, serving the most vulnerable people, transforming individuals, families, and communities, affirming dignity and seeking justice; RONNA, FOR YOUR STEADFAST LEADERSHIP as Serve Globally’s administrative coordinator from 2010 to 2020, for resourcing and equipping global personnel throughout all phases of missionary service;
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
11
|
GATHER 2021
Page 186 of 285
AND FOR FAITHFULLY PROVIDING pastoral care, efficient problem solving, reliable insights, valuable team contributions, and the wisdom of well rounded, lived global experience; DAVID AND RONNA, FOR AUTHENTICALLY LOVING one another and others, and modeling how to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. WE ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR YOU…your faith has shown itself in action, your love in labor, and your hope of our Lord Jesus Christ in fortitude (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Presented in the city of Chicago, state of Illinois, this twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty.
___________________________ JOHN WENRICH, PRESIDENT
_______________________________
AL TIZON, EXECUTIVE MINISTER, SERVE GLOBALLY
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
12
|
GATHER 2021
Page 187 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #22
T.W. Anderson Outstanding Layperson Award THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH GRANTS THE THEODORE W. ANDERSON AWARD TO NANCY KARLSON In grateful recognition of her dedicated service to her local congregation and community and her deep commitment to Christ and Christ’s church. Masterful leader and tireless volunteer, Nancy Karlson was instrumental in the founding of Monadnock Covenant Church in Keene, New Hampshire, twenty-six years ago, and has been a key figure at every significant phase in its development and growth. A lifelong Covenanter, Nancy and her husband, the late Bob Karlson, moved in the early 1990s to Swanzey, New Hampshire, where they joined a small group of people who were interested in starting a Covenant church. Through Nancy’s initiative and persistence, a core group met with the conference superintendent in early 1994 in the Karlsons’ home to begin the process of planting a church. As chair of the steering committee, Nancy oversaw the many details of the new venture, including writing a constitution, securing a meeting place, choosing a name, working with the new pastor to file incorporation papers and receive federal tax identification, and meeting with conference and denominational leaders for input and direction. In the years that followed, her leadership continued as she led the church several times as chair, served on pastoral search committees, and gave direction to the stewardship and finance committee. As chair of the committee that oversaw the construction of the church’s first ministry facility, Nancy worked behind the scenes to keep the project on a tight 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 188 of 285
and complicated schedule, ensuring that final zoning was approved by the city—a monumental task, according to one committee member. For decades Nancy has volunteered at Pilgrim Pines Conference Center, where she has coordinated the staffing at the Snack Shack during the summer, making sure campers and workers alike are well cared for, and has helped out in the office during retreat season. A gracious and generous leader, Nancy Karlson has given of herself faithfully and sacrificially for the work of the gospel in her church, community, and the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church. We celebrate Nancy Karlson, recipient of the 2020 T. W. Anderson Award, and give thanks to God for her faithful service. Presented at the 135th Annual Meeting, on the 25th day of June in the year of our Lord, two thousand twenty-one.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 189 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH GRANTS THE THEODORE W. ANDERSON AWARD TO ROMEO GONZALEZ In grateful recognition of his dedicated service to his local congregation and community and his deep commitment to Christ and Christ’s church. Caring mentor and compassionate friend, Romeo Gonzalez has a deep love for his church, its members, and the community it serves. When there is a need at Primera Iglesia del Pacto Evangélico in Bell Gardens, California, Romeo eagerly attends to it. His myriad contributions to the life of the church include serving as deacon, lay preacher, Sunday-school teacher, evangelism director, usher, and participating in a ministry to those who are incarcerated. Beyond the roles he has held and the services he has provided, Romeo has lived for God’s glory and neighbor’s good, impacting the lives of others through the ministries that are closest to his heart— those of prayer, evangelism, and visitation. After a career in accounting, Romeo retired at age sixty-two and dedicated his life to ministry. For twenty-five years, he opened his home for intercessory prayer, touching the lives of many in his community. Romeo began a ministry in his church to older adults, discipling and offering counsel to them. He has mentored leaders in his congregation, community, and at Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos, the Covenant’s Hispanic Center for Theological Education. He has been involved with the Alberto Mottesi Evangelistic Association, whose ministries include proclaiming the gospel, discipleship, equipping Hispanic Christian leaders, and providing ministry resources for the Hispanic church worldwide. One of Romeo’s significant ministries of care is sending birthday and anniversary greetings by mail to 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 190 of 285
every member of his church. His thoughtfulness and concern for each individual is expressed in both the act of remembering the special day and in the prayer he says for each individual as he sends the greeting. With a deep heart for people, Romeo has walked alongside those who are in need of support, encouraging them, witnessing the love of Christ, and wholistically caring for body, mind, and soul. We celebrate Romeo Gonzalez, recipient of the 2021 T. W. Anderson Award, and give thanks to God for his faithful and compassionate service. Presented at the 135th Annual Meeting, on the 25th day of June in the year of our Lord, two thousand twenty-one.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 191 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #23
Irving Lambert Outstanding Urban Ministries Award THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH PRESENTS THE 2020 IRVING C. LAMBERT AWARD TO GREG YEE In grateful recognition of faithful commitment and passionate dedication to the cause of Christ through wholistic urban and ethnic ministries. In a surprise virtual presentation on August 25, 2020, Love Mercy and Do Justice and the Mosaic Commission announced that Greg Yee, superintendent of the Pacific Northwest Conference, would be the 2020 recipient of the Irving C. Lambert Award. Greg, a fifth-generation Chinese American, became the first Asian-North American to receive the award in its 39-year history. Greg’s career trajectory took him from corporate development to social work and eventually into pastoral ministry for nearly 20 years. He served as the associate superintendent in the Pacific Southwest Conference for 10 years, focusing on leadership and congregational development in multiethnic ministries and pastoral care. He began serving in his current role as superintendent in 2013. Under Greg’s leadership and encouragement, multiethnic congregations and ministries within the Covenant have grown and flourished. Brian Hui, treasurer of the Covenant Asian Pastors Association and pastor of Living Stones Christian Church East Bay, said, “Greg has been a 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 192 of 285
pioneer in the Covenant in so many ways: from serving as one of the early Asian American church planters, to starting Journey to Mosaic, to helping found the Covenant Asian Pastors Association, to becoming the first Asian American superintendent.” Evelyn Johnson, former superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference, said, “Greg Yee was a key contributor to the Pacific Southwest Conference story of advancing the multiethnic mosaic. He embodies the reality of working interdependently to transform lives and communities. Greg’s passion to pursue the beloved community, his heart for the whole gospel, and his gifts of wisdom and discernment contributed to his effective leadership in these endeavors. Whether in the conference or denominational setting, Greg’s influence is visible. He models the way and invites others into the journey.” “We are pleased to endorse Greg Yee as this year’s Irving C. Lambert Award recipient,” said Paul Robinson, executive minister of Love Mercy and Do Justice. “His leadership reflects well the spirit of the award, and his commitment to biblical justice, love for all God’s people, and building the ‘beloved community’ is what this recognition is all about.” It is with great honor and to the glory of God last year’s award is presented at this 135th Annual Meeting, 25th day of June in the year of our Lord, two thousand twenty-one.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 193 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH PRESENTS THE 2021 IRVING C. LAMBERT AWARD TO MICHELLE CLIFTON-SODERSTROM In grateful recognition of faithful commitment and passionate dedication to the cause of Christ through wholistic urban and ethnic ministries. In Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.” Michelle doesn’t love the idea of community or people in general; she loves the particular people around her in all their particularity and in concrete, everyday ways. Michelle exemplifies cultural humility in her commitment to learn and grow within real community. She is self-reflective and receptive to the input of others; she empowers instead of competes. She celebrates others’ victories and shares in others’ griefs. She is a visionary leader, dreaming big and working diligently and consistently over the long haul to realize those dreams—and then she shares the fruits of those dreams with the entire community. All these traits make Michelle a true leader, both grounded and innovative, respected and loved by those she leads. For the past fifteen years Michelle has invested in the lives and faith development of students at North Park Theological Seminary. She models a practice of centering the voices of those who are often marginalized in order to create truly restorative and transformation spaces and communities. Michelle applies this type of leadership in every space she teaches or learns in, but perhaps nowhere more so than in the prison education context. More than five years ago, Michell took a sabbatical to study how theological education could be
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 194 of 285
introduced into the prison system. This sabbatical eventually turned into her pioneering work in launching the School of Restorative Arts at Stateville Correctional Center. In entering the prison system with an attitude of mutual learning and growth, Michelle has created a beloved community whose impact goes far beyond the students and is recognized at the highest institutional levels, as well as throughout the prison. Michelle stands out as a leader because of her humility and posture of mutuality and deep learning. She understands systems and narratives that harm and oppress, and she uses her influence and position to bring transformation and restoration in ways that are empowering and honoring to all involved. Michelle fully embodies the values of the Irving Lambert Award by pursuing the beloved community within urban communities as her life work. It is with great honor and to the glory of God this award is presented at the 135th Annual Meeting, this 25th day of June in the year of our Lord, two thousand twenty-one.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 195 of 285
The 3STRANDSTRONG CHALLENGE 3StrandStrong describes a powerful partnership between your church, your conference, and the Covenant denomination. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “…a triple braided cord is not easily broken.” As local churches, conferences, and the Covenant, we are woven tightly together so that we can accomplish greater work in the mission of God’s Kingdom than we could accomplish apart from each other. Your church comes face to face with the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of people and responds with Christ-like compassion. Your conference provides support and resources for pastors, churches, and church leaders, and comes alongside congregations experiencing hard times. The Covenant works in unity with congregations and conferences to— • Send and support missionaries • Provide help to those in the world in greatest need • Pursue justice for the oppressed • Plant new churches and offer resources to strengthen existing churches • Train pastors and missionaries and chaplains • Foster the flourishing of women • Make new disciples, and deepen believers in the walk of faith There is still much more we want to do together as the Lord provides funding. We have a goal of making 50,000 new followers of Christ and planting 125 new churches in the next five years, as well as partnering with numerous churches in neighborhood transformation projects. That is why 3StrandStrong is so important. Just as we teach the people in our churches to tithe of their income, so we ask every Covenant church to faithfully present a tithe to the Lord that will be invested in the Kingdom work we do together. We ask your church to designate it this way: 6.5% of church income set aside for the Covenant; and 3.5% for your conference. Please pray and then answer this question—will your church accept the 3StrandStrong challenge?
Congregation. Conference. Covenant. 3strandstrong.org The Evangelical Covenant Church
|
Keith Carpenter, DIRECTOR OF CHURCH ENGAGEMENT
|
ke i t h .c a r p e nt e r @ c ovc h u rc h .o rg
Page 196 of 285
Page 197 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #24
Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Financial Review and Performance Report As we prepare to gather at our annual meeting, please find the following summary of the financial materials and information we will be providing to our delegates related to our operating results, our benefit programs, and our financial stewardship.
FY2020 OPERATING RESULTS 2020 was a year that reminded us that our approved annual budget – no matter how rigorously and thoughtfully constructed - is still just a best guess about our near-term financial future. We certainly never imagined that a global pandemic would force us to temporarily close the doors of our churches, retreat from the 8303 Building to makeshift home offices, cancel all Covenant travel and events, and learn how to mission and worship together via Zoom links and livestreams. The suddenness and severity of the crisis initially caused us grave concern about our finances. Similar periods of extreme economic adversity over US history indicated that we would experience a significant downturn in donor support, lasting upwards of two years. Accordingly, we downgraded the outlook for our FY2020 budget to a projected budget shortfall of $2 million – with a “worst case” shortfall projection of $2.75 million. However, our actual financial performance surpassed those revised projections with a budget shortfall of “only” $1.707 million. Moreover, we received a $1.776 million CARES Act PPP loan during 2020 (which we anticipate will be fully forgiven) that wholly covered that deficit. There are several reasons we performed better than our revised projections. First, the capital markets were unexpectedly resilient. After an initial plunge, the US stock market rallied to new all-time highs within 5 months of 8303 closing its doors. The upsurge bolstered our invested reserves and our retirement plans. In fact, the Covenant Pension Plan enjoyed fully funded status at year end 2020. 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 198 of 285
Secondly, despite the adversity and uncertainty, our churches and individual donors faithfully supported the denomination in its time of need. We had anticipated a double-digit downturn in our giving. Instead, our actual support nearly matched the totals from the previous year. Finally, the stewardship of the denominational team - via tightening our belts, personal sacrifice, and budget cuts - helped to produce a total spend in FY2020 that was approximately $991k less (or 7.6% below) the same proforma period in 2019. All these factors combined to produce a final budget result that was surprisingly close to the “best guess” that was approved at our Annual Meeting in 2019.
FY2020
FY2019
Unaudited
Proforma
Y-O-Y % change
Income: Total Undesignated Giving Affiliate Fees Living Legacy Funds Draw Annual Bequests Draw Misc Income Communication Sales Rental Income Total Income
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
6,038,356 2,782,788 594,581 535,000 12,443 104,087 212,202 10,279,458
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
6,078,503 2,741,636 789,550 485,000 32,373 229,413 208,956 10,565,431
-0.7% 1.5% -24.7% 10.3% -61.6% -54.6% 1.6% -2.7%
Expenses: Start and Strengthen Churches Make and Deepen Disciples Develop Leaders Love Mercy Do Justice Serve Globally Communications Shared Services North Park University Support Other Total Expenses
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
2,270,557 571,709 474,658 407,787 3,764,277 736,328 2,698,830 666,667 395,897 11,986,710
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
2,618,786 748,548 535,356 410,121 3,691,454 814,407 2,650,174 666,667 842,675 12,978,187
-13.3% -23.6% -11.3% -0.6% 2.0% -9.6% 1.8% 0.0% -53.0% -7.6%
Base Mission Surplus (Deficit)
$
(1,707,252) $
(2,412,757)
Reserves Withdrawal Cares Act PPP Loan
$ $
- $ 1,775,890
2,412,757 -
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 199 of 285
[Note: Due to the recent change in the Covenant’s fiscal year end to September 30, fiscal year 2020 was shortened to an eight-month period (as we transitioned to the new reporting period). This makes comparisons with previous fiscal year results a difficult endeavor. In the table above, we created proforma FY2019 results to provide some basis for comparison. However, the proforma FY2019 is only a best estimate. Significant portions of our income and expense flows are highly seasonal. For example, approximately 40% of Covenant giving arrives in the last quarter of the calendar year. Another example is the lumpiness of major Covenant event expenses.]
Financial Audit Updates Included in these delegate materials is information related to the most recent Covenant audits. The first audit report represents the total “consolidated” operations and financial position of the Covenant as of January 31, 2020. This report includes both “base mission” activity as well as broader global “project ministries” and related Covenant financial obligations. This is the most comprehensive view of our mission activity from a financial perspective. Normally we would also make available to you the audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year most recently concluded (September 30, 2020). However, the global pandemic and its impact on our workplace continues to challenge our financial processes, internal controls, and our access to our teammates and data. We affirm the importance of timely recognition and measurement of all financial reporting activity, but at the time of this publication, we continue to work through completing the audit of our most recent financial year-end. The second enclosed report is a DRAFT of the audited financial statements of the Covenant Pension Plan (“CPP”) as of December 31, 2019. The CPP is the primary pension plan for Covenant ministers and Global Personnel. As in prior years, the audit remains in DRAFT form only because of a normal delay in receiving final valuations from certain private capital asset managers. The report will be finalized this summer, and we do not expect any material revisions.
Bethany Benefit Services Bethany Benefit Services (“BBS”) continues to enjoy sound reserves and good operating results. Year after year, the BBS team strives to provide Covenant churches, affiliates, pastors, global personnel and retirees with affordable, high quality and comprehensive care, without compromising the plan’s long-
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 200 of 285
term sustainability. We congratulate Christina Kempe on her recent promotion to Director of Bethany Benefits. We are very blessed to have such a faithful, talented and compassionate Covenanter heading up such a vital Covenant ministry. While BBS enrollment in 2020 was relatively stable, the plan experienced a greater number of departures than we generally see – most likely due to pandemic-related layoffs. We hope to allocate more time and resources in 2021 toward promoting greater awareness of BBS across our churches, in order to further expand our membership. Increased enrollment means lower costs to our members, better care of our pastors, and a more diverse spread of the plan’s risks. We are pleased to share that both the Covenant Pension Plan and the Lay Pension Plan enjoy fully funded status as of year-end 2020.
Financial Stewardship Looking forward, we remain hard at work to remedy the underlying causes of our budget’s reliance on reserve withdrawals. The initial fruit of our endeavors was the FY2021 budget plan - a budget that is $2.5 million (or 13%) less than our total spend in FY2019 and reduces our projected annual budget shortfall from $2.6 million in 2019 to only $.6 million. While we are encouraged by these numbers, we recognize that a portion of the reduced spend is due to Covid-19 impact. Inevitably, Covid-19 will fade, and our budget will expand as we resume more normal levels of mission activity. We remain focused on creating better financial reporting across the Covenant ecosystem, enhancing transparency around our finances and annual budget, tightening expense management, expanding our programs around pastor economic wellness (particularly in under-resourced churches), growing our financial reserves, and continuing to build our Advancement efforts and our 3StrandStrong bonds. Our goal is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Covenant’s finances in its support our mission to “join God in God’s mission to see more disciples, among more populations, in a more caring and just world.” If we are to mission well, we must steward well. To help advance our goal, we brought a resolution before the Executive Board in October 2020 that requires the Covenant to balance its budget by fiscal year 2024. The Board approved that action, and we fully expect to achieve that mandate.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 201 of 285
We continue to be blessed by talented and faithful Covenanters who work alongside us on the Finance Committee of the Executive Board and on the Board of Pensions and Benefits. Our work would not be possible without them, nor without you. We look forward to sharing more with you at Gather 2021. With deep gratitude,
Steve Klimkowski Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 202 of 285
The Evangelical Covenant Church Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the Years Ended January 31, 2020 and 2019 With Independent Auditors’ Report
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 203 of 285
Table of Contents
Page
Independent Auditors' Report
1
Consolidated Financial Statements Consolidated Statements of Financial Position Consolidated Statements of Activities Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
3 4 5 6
Supplementary Information Independent Auditors' Report on Supplementary Data Consolidating Statements of Financial Position
29 30
Page 204 of 285
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT To the Executive Board of The Evangelical Covenant Church Chicago, Illinois
We have audited the accompanying consolidated financial statements of The Evangelical Covenant Church, which comprise the consolidated statements of financial position as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, and the related consolidated statements of activities and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements. Management's Responsibility for the Consolidated Financial Statements Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. Auditors' Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free from material misstatement. An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor's judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity's preparation and fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity's internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
Page 205 of 285
To the Executive Board of The Evangelical Covenant Church Chicago, Illinois
Opinion In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of The Evangelical Covenant Church as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, and the changes in its net assets and cash flows for the years then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Naperville, Illinois November 16, 2020
2
Page 206 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
January 31, 2020 ASSETS: Cash and cash equivalents Contributions and bequests receivable Prepaid expenses and other assets Notes and accounts receivable: Churches and other affiliates (net of allowance of $25,500 in 2020 and 2019) Other Covenant entities Other Real estate (Note 14) Investments (Note 2) Investments whose use is limited (Note 2): Annuities Investments pledged Property and equipment, net (Note 4) Interest in irrevocable trusts (Note 7) Total Assets LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS: Accounts payable and accrued expenses Deferred income Insurance payable Lines of credit and notes payable (Note 5) Supplemental retirement benefits payable (Note 12) Annuities (Note 13): Annuities payable Due to other Covenant entities Total Liabilities
$
$
3,008,858 200,423 123,672
886,776 1,700,442 398,373 1,715,685 55,587,089
926,455 1,722,127 482,531 1,665,859 54,515,302
7,906,225 1,481,916 9,711,295 837,107
7,979,319 1,436,365 9,966,300 951,759
$
82,362,333
$
82,978,970
$
2,585,748 1,878,996 22,312,113 4,472,016 589,789
$
2,609,908 2,184,207 24,603,821 3,939,211 609,793
Net assets: Without donor restrictions With donor restrictions (Note 10) Total Net Assets Total Liabilities and Net Assets
1,891,153 142,440 103,832
2019
$
See notes to consolidated financial statements 3
925,524 6,664,466 39,428,652
967,611 6,681,267 41,595,818
17,197,065 25,736,616 42,933,681
17,761,230 23,621,922 41,383,152
82,362,333
$
82,978,970
Page 207 of 285
Page 208 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
2020 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Change in net assets Adjustments to reconcile change in net assets to net cash provided (used) by operating activities: Depreciation expense Unrealized depreciation (appreciation) on investments Unrealized depreciation (appreciation) on annuity investments Gain on sale of investments Loss (gain) on sale of annuity investments Annuity payments Actuarial change in annuities Annuity liability of matured agreements Change in interest in irrevocable trusts Contributions restricted for investment in endowment Changes in: Contributions and bequests receivable Accounts receivable Prepaid expenses and other assets Accounts payable and accrued expenses Insurance payable Supplemental retirement benefits payable Deferred income Net Cash Used by Operating Activities
$
Year Ended January 31, 2019
1,550,529
$
(200,276)
261,424 (942,787) (32,900) (1,331,024) (22,557) 145,216 (42,087) 114,652 (2,681,890)
263,646 1,761,341 74,613 (233,358) 547,165 373,060 (66,247) (234,093) 233,562 (950,146)
57,983 145,522 19,840 (24,160) (2,291,708) (20,004) (305,211) (5,399,162)
(171,732) 101,167 (11,102) 292,772 (4,237,885) 193,349 1,359,860 (904,304)
(6,419) (28,500,712) 29,657,189 (8,545) 120,295 57,380 (199,700) 196,609 1,316,097
(26,066,649) 28,949,756 (389,446) 158,470 29,032 (238,954) 219,847 2,662,056
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Contributions restricted for investment in endowment Borrowings from lines of credit and notes payable Repayments from lines of credit and notes payable Annuity payments Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities
2,681,890 2,121,626 (1,692,940) (145,216) 2,965,360
950,146 587,299 (620,303) (373,060) 544,082
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents
(1,117,705)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Capital expenditures Purchases of investments Proceeds from sale and maturity of investments Purchase of investments restricted for annuities Proceeds from sale and maturity of investments restricted for annuities Proceeds from sale of property held for sale Disbursements under notes receivable Collections on notes receivable Net Cash Provided by Investing Activities
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Beginning of Year
2,301,834
3,008,858
707,024
Cash and Cash Equivalents, End of Year
$
1,891,153
$
3,008,858
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Cash paid for interest Payoff of old debt with issuance of new debt Acquisition of real estate held for sale by note payable
$ $ $
163,276 2,168,256 107,206
$ $ $
105,236 66,465
See notes to consolidated financial statements 5
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 209 of 285
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
1. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: NATURE OF ORGANIZATION The Evangelical Covenant Church (the “Church”) and other Covenant institutions are accountable to the Executive Board of the Covenant and the Covenant Annual Meeting. Only those funds under the Executive Board's control that are associated with the Church activities are included in these consolidated financial statements. The consolidated financial statements exclude the accounts of member churches and regional conferences. They also exclude other Covenant institutions administered by separate Boards. These Covenant institutions are related parties of the Church as the Executive Board is a member of their institutional boards. Related parties include Covenant Ministries of Benevolence, North Park University, National Covenant Properties, Covenant Trust Company, Paul Carlson Partnership, and Centro Hispano de Estudios Teologicos del Pacto Evangelico. The Church is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(a) as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). In addition, the Church has been classified as an organization that is not a private foundation under IRC Section 509(a)(1). Accordingly, no provision for federal or state income taxes is required. BASIS OF CONSOLIDATION Bezalel, Inc. and CovScholars LLC are nonprofit organizations whose sole member is the Church. They have been incorporated in the State of Illinois within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the IRC. Bezalel, Inc. was formed in 2016 to assist the Church in acquiring and developing real property for families in low-income communities. CovScholars was formed in 2017 to provide a loan program for scholars at North Park Theological Seminary. Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated for consolidated financial statement purposes. BASIS OF ACCOUNTING The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash and cash equivalents include checking, savings, and money market accounts. At times these balances may exceed federally insured limits. As of January 31, 2020 and 2019, the Church had cash on deposit that exceeded federally insured limits by $3,731,665 and $2,572,280, respectively. The Church has not experienced any losses on these accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant risk.
6
Page 210 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
1. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, continued: INVESTMENTS Investments, including investments whose use is limited, with readily determinable fair values are reported at fair value based on quoted market prices. Investments, including investments whose use is limited, in National Covenant Property (NCP) Certificates and NCP Demand Accounts are reported at cost plus accrued interest. Investment in Covenant Trust Company (CTC) is reported under the equity method. Investment income and realized and unrealized appreciation and depreciation are included in investment income in the consolidated statements of activities. Assets funding endowment net assets are included in investments on the consolidated statements of financial position. CONTRIBUTIONS AND BEQUESTS Contributions and bequests are recorded at the time of notification of an unconditional promise from the donor and are classified as net assets without donor restrictions or net assets with donor restrictions (see Note 10). Net assets without donor restrictions are primarily derived from member churches, individual donors, and fees (see Note 8). Restricted contributions are received from member churches and individual donors in support of various ministries of the Church. Funds are raised by member churches, direct mailings to individuals, and promotion of ministry opportunities through the Church's web site. Contributions receivable represent amounts expected to be collected within less than one year. NOTES AND ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE Notes and accounts receivable consist of discretionary loans made to Covenant entities for building projects with related accrued interest and various receivables from other Covenant entities. All notes and accounts receivable are due on demand. The allowance for notes and accounts receivable is maintained at a level that, in management's judgment, is adequate to absorb probable losses. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT Property and equipment in excess of $5,000 are capitalized at cost, or if donated, at the fair market value on the date of the gift. Property and equipment is depreciated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives, ranging from 5 to 50 years. Property donated with restrictions regarding its use and contributions of cash to acquire property are reported as restricted support. Absent any donor stipulations, these restrictions expire when the asset is acquired or placed in service, and a reclassification is made from net assets with donor restrictions to net assets without donor restrictions at that time. REAL ESTATE Real estate held for sale is initially reported at cost, if purchased, or fair value on the date of receipt as determined by appraisals and thereafter adjusted to estimated net realizable value. All real estate held for sale is actively marketed and is expected to be sold within one year. Subsequent gains from disposition of property held for sale are recorded as gain on sale of property in the period realized. Subsequent losses are recorded in the period when it is probable and able to be estimated.
7
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 211 of 285
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
1. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, continued: INSURANCE PAYABLE Bethany Benefit Service (BBS), an activity of the Church, administers the voluntary health (including medical, dental, prescription drug and vision), life, and long term disability insurance plan for the denomination's ministers, missionaries, and staff. BBS collects and remits the benefit premiums on behalf of the participants. Amounts payable represent benefit premiums collected from participants not yet remitted to the insurance carrier at year end as well as reserves allocated to BBS to cover future liabilities including claims incurred but not received. DUE TO AFFILIATES Due to affiliates includes amounts that the Church is holding on behalf of certain affiliates and contributions the Church has received on behalf of, but has not remitted to, affiliates as of fiscal year end. Included in accounts payable and accrued expense are $0 and $23,585 as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, due to Covenant institutions. ANNUITY AGREEMENTS The Church has an obligation to make payments under charitable gift annuity agreements. In accordance with various state regulations, the Church maintains separate trust funds as a reserve fund to meet the future payments under these agreements (see Note 13). Annuities payable are determined based upon the annuitants’ ages and life expectancies using rates which comply with various state requirements. A discount rate of 7% and the Annuity 2015 Mortality Table were used in the valuation of the annuity agreements. Payouts are made for the life of the annuitants at rates ranging from 4.2% to 21.6% based on existing annuity agreements. The excess of amounts available to fund the annuities over the calculated amount of annuities payable is recorded as net assets with or without donor restrictions if the residual is available to the Church or as a liability if the residual is payable to others or other Covenant entities. DEFERRED INCOME Deferred income includes monies received in advance for meetings and events, and payments received for subscriptions not yet mailed. In addition, deferred income includes grant funds received that have not yet been expended and are subject to raising matching funds. CLASSES OF NET ASSETS The consolidated financial statements report amounts separately by classes of net assets as follows: Net assets without donor restrictions are those currently available at the discretion of the Executive Board for use in the Church's operations, those designated by the Board for specific purposes, and those resources invested in property and equipment. Net assets with donor restrictions are those contributed with donors' restrictions for specific operating purposes or programs, or those with timing restrictions. They are not currently available for use in the Church's ministries until commitments regarding their use have been fulfilled. When a donor restriction expires, that is, when a stipulated time restriction ends or the purpose restriction is accomplished, net assets with donor restrictions are reclassified to net assets without donor restrictions and reported in the consolidated statements of activities as net assets released from restrictions. Net assets with donor restrictions also include those restricted by donors in perpetuity. These assets are included with investments. 8
Page 212 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
1. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, continued: EXPENSES Expenses are recorded as incurred in accordance with the accrual basis of accounting. The costs of providing the various program services and supporting activities have been summarized on a functional basis in Note 15. Accordingly, certain costs have been allocated among the program services and supporting activities benefited. Advertising costs, if any, are expensed as incurred. MEETINGS AND EVENTS Meetings and events income and expenses include the activities of the Church's annual meeting and an annual conference held for Church pastors. Additionally, a youth conference and a women's conference are held every three years. RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS In 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2018-08, Clarifying the Scope and the Accounting Guidance for Contributions Received and Contributions Made. The Church adopted the provisions of this new standard during the year ended January 31, 2020. ASU 2018-08 provides a framework for determining whether a particular transaction is an exchange transaction or a contribution, and guidance to assist entities in determining whether a contribution is either conditional or unconditional. The ASU has been applied on a modified retrospective basis for agreements that were incomplete as of the ASU's effective date or that were entered into after the effective date. Adoption of this standard had no effect on change in net assets or net assets in total. RECLASSIFICATION Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current year presentation. The change in interest in irrevocable trusts was reclassified from the cash flows from financing activities section to the cash flows from operating activities section on the statements of cash flows. This reclassification had no effect on the reported results of operations.
9
Page 213 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
2. INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENTS WHOSE USE IS LIMITED: Investments as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, consist of the following: 2020
2019
Money Market Funds NCP Demand Accounts Equity: Mutual Funds: Asset Allocation International Developed Markets International Emerging Markets International Real Estate Large Cap Blend Large Cap Value Mid Cap Blend Small Cap Blend Small Cap Growth Small Cap Value Specialty Unaligned Other Assets Illiquid Total Equity Fixed Income: Mutual Funds: Emerging Markets Bonds Floating Rate/Bank loans High Yield Bonds International Developed Markets Bonds Intermediate Term Bonds Multi-Sector Bonds Short Term Bonds Short-Intermediate Term Bonds NCP Certificates Total Fixed Income Investment in CTC
$ 6,069,575 5,653,072
$ 2,815,509 4,998,733
16,167 4,210,196 1,000,381 330,086 4,636,121 910,588 2,183,789 343,295 870,271 770,339 3,353,210 18,624,443
14,109 5,440,766 1,334,682 880,410 5,849,203 746,994 2,563,081 400,900 1,160,849 1,262,310 669,021 3,328,837 23,651,162
423,830 1,113,899 575,182 723,751 3,896,012 1,724,220 3,745,555 3,896,171 7,771,515 23,870,135 1,369,864
948,935 1,181,534 1,002,546 1,205,557 2,677,632 2,062,381 1,988,786 2,834,237 7,998,290 21,899,898 1,150,000
Total Investments
$ 55,587,089
$ 54,515,302
10
Page 214 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
2. INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENTS WHOSE USE IS LIMITED, continued: Investments, whose use is limited as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, consist of the following: 2020 Annuities: Money Market Funds Equity: Mutual Funds: International Developed Markets Large Cap Blend Mid Cap Blend Small Cap Growth Small Cap Value Total Equity Fixed Income: Bonds - Federal Agencies Bonds - US Government Mutual Funds: Intermediate Term Bonds Multi-Sector Bonds Total Fixed Income
$
92,551
2019 $
97,507
1,001,084 1,374,169 505,998 195,912 256,910 3,334,073
958,682 1,307,003 597,395 157,756 246,162 3,266,998
1,018,568 3,066,895
1,033,366 2,966,042
117,827 276,311 4,479,601
175,186 440,220 4,614,814
Total Annuity Investments
7,906,225
7,979,319
Investments Pledged - National Covenant Properties Certificates (see Note 6)
1,481,916
1,436,365
$ 9,388,141
$ 9,415,684
Investments in NCP Certificates bear interest at rates ranging from 1.5% to 3.5% and mature through 2024. Investments in NCP Demand Accounts bear interest at 1.5% and are redeemable on demand. Investment in the CTC represents the Church's ownership interest in the CTC, which is equally owned with related parties North Park University and Covenant Ministries of Benevolence. The basis of the CTC investment is the Church’s accumulated cash investment as there is not an active market for the CTC stock.
11
Page 215 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
2. INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENTS WHOSE USE IS LIMITED, continued: Investment return for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, consists of the following: 2020 Without donor restriction: Dividends and interest, net of investment fees Gain on sale of investments Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments Total without donor restrictions With donor restrictions (net of amounts attributable to other Covenant entities): Dividends and interest, net of investment fees Gain on sale of investments Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments Total with donor restrictions
$
379,567 269,423 892,984
2019 $
406,590 261,070 (965,440)
1,541,974
(297,780)
374,723 121,103 512,796
367,511 216,466 (897,950)
1,008,622
(313,973)
$ 2,550,596
$
(611,753)
Fees paid for investments held and managed by the CTC were $109,910 and $110,219 for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Included in investment income is $190,770 and $192,619 of interest income earned from sources held at other than fair value as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. At January 31, 2020, approximately $50.1 million of the Church's investment portfolio was held and managed by CTC and approximately $14.9 million was held at NCP. While these assets are subject to investment risk, the Church has not incurred and does not expect to incur any losses related to the solvency of the entities themselves. The Church does not believe it is exposed to any significant risk of loss related to these entities.
12
Page 216 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DISCLOSURES: The Church uses appropriate valuation techniques to determine fair value based on inputs available using the hierarchical disclosure framework which prioritizes and ranks the level of market price observability used in measuring the investments at fair value. Market price observability is impacted by a number of factors, including the type of investment and the characteristics specific to the investment. Investments with readily available active quoted prices or for which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices generally will have a higher degree of market price observability and a lesser degree of judgment used in measuring fair value. Investments measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories: Level I — Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. The type of investments included in Level I are publicly traded securities. Level II — Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date, and fair value is determined through the use of models or other valuation methodologies. Level III — Pricing inputs are unobservable and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the investment. The inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment. Due to the inherent uncertainty of these estimates, these values may differ materially from the values that would have been used had a ready market for these investments existed. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an asset or liability's level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Management's assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgement and considers factors specific to the investment.
13
Page 217 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DISCLOSURES, continued: The following table summarizes the valuation of the Church's financial assets by the above fair value hierarchy levels as of January 31, 2020: Total Investments at fair value: Money Markey Funds E quity: Mutual Funds: Asset Allocation International Develo ped Markets International Emer ging Markets International Real Estate Lar ge Cap Blend Lar ge Cap Value Mid Ca p Blend Small Ca p Blend Small Ca p Growth Small Ca p Value Other Assets Illi quid Fixed Income: Mutual Funds: Emer ging Markets Bonds Floatin g Rate/Bank Loans Hi gh Yield Bonds International Develo ped Markets Bonds Intermediate Term Bonds Multi-Sector Bonds Short Term Bonds Short-Intermediate Term Bonds Total investments at fair value Investments carried at cost: NCP Demand Accounts NCP Certificates Investment in CTC Total Investments Investments whose use is limited at fair value: Money Market Funds E quity: Mutual Funds: International Developed Markets Lar ge Cap Blend Mid Ca p Blend Small Ca p Growth Small Ca p Value Fixed Income: Bonds - Federal Agencies Bonds - US Government Mutual Funds: Intermediate Term Bonds Multi-Sector Bonds Total investments whose use is limited at fair value Investments whose use is limited at cost: NCP Certificates Total investments whose use is limited
$
6,069,575
Level I $
6,069,575
Level II $
Level III -
$
-
16,167 4,210,196 1,000,381 330,086 4,636,121 910,588 2,183,789 343,295 870,271 770,339 3,353,210
16,167 4,210,196 1,000,381 330,086 4,636,121 910,588 2,183,789 343,295 870,271 770,339 -
-
3,353,210
423,830 1,113,899 575,182 723,751 3,896,012 1,724,220 3,745,555 3,896,171 40,792,638
423,830 1,113,899 575,182 723,751 3,896,012 1,724,220 3,745,555 3,896,171 37,439,428
-
3,353,210
$
5 ,653,072 7,771,515 1,369,864 55,587,089
$
37,439,428
$
-
$
3,353,210
$
92,551
$
92,551
$
-
$
-
$
1,001,084 1,374,169 505,998 195,912 256,910
1,001,084 1,374,169 505,998 195,912 256,910
-
-
1,018,568 3,066,895
1,018,568 3,066,895
-
-
117,827 276,311 7,906,225
117,827 276,311 7,906,225
-
-
1,481,916 9,388,141
14
$
7,906,225
$
-
$
-
Page 218 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DISCLOSURES, continued: The following table summarizes the valuation of the Church's financial assets by the above fair value hierarchy levels as of January 31, 2019: Total Investments at fair value: Money Markey Funds Equity: Mutual Funds: Asset Allocation International Developed Markets International Emerging Markets International Real Estate Large Cap Blend Large Cap Value Mid Cap Blend Small Cap Blend Small Cap Growth Small Cap Value Specialty Unaligned Other Assets Illiquid Fixed Income: Mutual Funds: Emerging Markets Bonds Floating Rate/Bank Loans High Yield Bonds International Developed Markets Bonds Multi-sector Bonds Intermediate Term Bonds Short Term Bonds Short-intermediate Term Bonds Total investments at fair value Investments carried at cost: NCP Demand Accounts NCP Certificates Investment in CTC Total Investments Investments whose use is limited at fair value: Money Market Funds E quity: Mutual Funds: International Developed Markets Lar ge Cap Blend Mid Ca p Blend Small Ca p Growth Small Ca p Value Fixed Income: Bonds - Federal Agencies Bonds - US Government Mutual Funds: Multi-Sector Bonds Intermediate Term Bonds Total investments whose use is limited at fair value Investments whose use is limited at cost: NCP Certificates Total investments whose use is limited
$
2,815,509
Level I $
2,815,509
Level II $
Level III -
$
-
14,109 5,440,766 1,334,682 880,410 5,849,203 746,994 2,563,081 400,900 1,160,849 1,262,310 669,021 3,328,837
14,109 5,440,766 1,334,682 880,410 5,849,203 746,994 2,563,081 400,900 1,160,849 1,262,310 669,021 -
-
3,328,837
948,935 1,181,534 1,002,546 1,205,557 2,062,381 2,677,632 1,988,786 2,834,237 40,368,279
948,935 1,181,534 1,002,546 1,205,557 2,062,381 2,677,632 1,988,786 2,834,237 37,039,442
-
3,328,837
$
4,998,733 7,998,290 1,150,000 54,515,302
$
37,039,442
$
-
$
3,328,837
$
97,507
$
97,507
$
-
$
-
$
958,682 1,307,003 597,395 157,756 246,162
958,682 1,307,003 597,395 157,756 246,162
-
-
1,033,366 2,966,042
1,033,366 2,966,042
-
-
440,220 175,186 7,979,319
440,220 175,186 7,979,319
-
-
1,436,365 9,415,684
15
$
7,979,319
$
-
$
-
Page 219 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
3. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS AND DISCLOSURES, continued: Investments in NCP Demand Accounts, NCP Certificates, and the investment in the CTC have been excluded from the fair value hierarchy as they are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. The Church's investments that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs (Level III) are summarized as follows: Balance January 31, 2018 Purchases Unrealized Gain Balance January 31, 2019 Purchases Unrealized Loss
$ 2,798,738 320,150 209,949 3,328,837 77,149 (52,776)
Balance January 31, 2020
$ 3,353,210
Other assets illiquid consists of limited liability partnerships and is carried at fair value, as determined by the fund's general partners based on information provided by the funds’ underlying professional managers. The funds do not allow for withdrawals of investments but will make distributions of its distributable cash flows to its limited partners over the estimated ten year life of the fund. The Church has an outstanding capital commitment of $77,500 and $153,450 as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 4. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT: Property and equipment at January 31, 2020 and 2019, consist of the following:
Administrative office: Land Building and improvements Furniture, fixtures, equipment and vehicles Less accumulated depreciation
16
2020
2019
$ 3,098,419 8,013,581 968,443 12,080,443 (2,369,148)
$ 3,098,419 8,013,581 962,024 12,074,024 (2,107,724)
$ 9,711,295
$ 9,966,300
Page 220 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
5. LINES OF CREDIT AND NOTES PAYABLE: The Church has a line of credit with NCP. As of January 31, 2020 and 2019, the available line of credit was $2,500,000. At January 31, 2020 and 2019, there was no balance outstanding. The interest rate is set at the prime rate, but in no event less than 4% per annum. At January 31, 2020 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.75% and 5.5%, respectively. This line of credit is payable on demand with sixty days written notice. Subsequent to the fiscal year ended January 31, 2020, the Church borrowed $1,200,000 against this line of credit. The Church also has a mortgage note payable with NCP on the building it now owns and occupies. This loan was refinanced in May 2019 at a total loan amount of $2,680,000. As of January 31, 2020 and 2019, the outstanding balance on the mortgage note payable was $2,596,830 and $2,210,230, respectively. The initial interest rate was 5.75%. The interest rate was adjusted on May 1, 2012, May 1, 2015 and May 1, 2018 and will be adjusted every thirty-six months thereafter. At January 31, 2020 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.75%. Monthly payments of interest only were required through August 31, 2012. Commencing September 1, 2012, principal and interest are due on the first day of each month thereafter. Under the refinanced loan terms, principal and interest is paid monthly in arrears in installments of $20,000, based on the most recent interest rate adjustment. All unpaid principal and interest is due and payable on May 31, 2032. The note is secured with real estate whose original cost was $11,111,995. During the year ended January 31, 2008, the Church acquired real estate located in Westminster, Colorado by assuming the related mortgage note payable and outstanding interest payable with NCP of $2,026,953. As of January 31, 2020 and 2019, the outstanding balance on the mortgage note payable was $909,730 and $920,582, respectively. The mortgage note payable is due on demand and bears interest at prime. At January 31, 2020 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.75% and 5.5%, respectively. Monthly payments of interest only are required. This loan is secured by real estate costing $1,172,240. During the year ended January 31, 2017, Bezalel, Inc. obtained a mortgage with NCP to acquire real estate in Dolton, IL. The original principal amount is not to exceed $500,000. Interest, charged at prime rate, but no less than 4.00% is added to the principal of the loan. At January 31, 2020 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.75% and 5.5%, respectively. The mortgage balance of each property is due in full upon the sale of the property. The outstanding balance on the mortgage note payable was $559,910 and $489,516 as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. This note is secured with real estate costing $543,445. During the year ended January 31, 2018, the Church started a new program called CovScholars. The Church obtained a loan with NCP to be able to offer eligible Covenant Scholars interest free loans. The original principal amount for the ECC is not to exceed $1,000,000. Interest, charged at prime rate, but no less than 4.00% is added to the principal of the loan. At January 31, 2020 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.75% and 5.50%, respectively, and is due monthly. Principal payments will be due from the students commencing on the earlier of six months after completion of the coursework/graduation at North Park Theological Seminary or six months after ceasing to be enrolled at least half-time. The total outstanding as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, is $152,237 and $65,573, respectively.
17
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 221 of 285
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
5. LINES OF CREDIT AND NOTES PAYABLE, continued: During the year ended January 31, 2019, the Church established a $1,000,000 line of credit with NCP in support of pastoral grantmaking. The interest rate is set at the prime rate, but in no event less than 4% per annum. At January 31, 2020 and 2019, the interest rate was 4.75% and 5.5%, respectively. This line of credit is payable on demand with sixty days written notice. The outstanding balance on the line of credit is $253,310 as of January 31, 2020 and 2019, and is fully secured by invested funds from proceeds of a grant from the Lilly Foundation. Principal payments on lines of credit and notes payable are due as follows for the years ending January 31: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Thereafter
$ 1,988,391 115,166 120,757 126,619 132,766 1,988,317 $ 4,472,016
Interest expense for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, was $142,525 and $105,236, respectively. 6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: GUARANTOR OF DEBT The Church is liable as joint guarantor, with the regional conferences, of various mortgage loans of local Covenant churches. As of January 31, 2020, the outstanding principal balance on these loans totaled $74,654,757. These loans are secured by the related properties. The Church has pledged investments totaling $1,481,916 as security for these loans. The mortgage loans have maturity dates ranging from on demand through the year 2050. The Church also guarantees a mortgage loan to a local development company for its purchase of real property in Dolton, IL. The outstanding balance on this loan was $250,000 as of January 31, 2020 and 2019. The note is secured with a variable rate certificate in the principal amount of not less than $200,000 and properties owned by the development company.
18
Page 222 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES, continued: COVENANT AGREEMENTS The Church participates in sponsoring various “Covenant Agreements” with regional church conferences. These intentions to give are not recorded in the financial statements because they only constitute expressions of intent to give where all discretion to transfer the resources rests with the Church. The Covenant Agreements provide support for pastor salaries and benefits at various member churches. There are no commitments beyond 2025. The Church's planned expenditures under existing Covenant Agreements are as follows for the years ending January 31: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
$ 1,136,081 585,892 276,936 154,610 130,325 125,030 $ 2,408,874
7. BENEFICIAL INTEREST OF GIFT INSTRUMENTS: A source of funds to the Church is in the form of bequests from deceased church members and other parties. The Covenant Estate Planning Services, an affiliate of the Church, maintains information as to the estimated values of the Church's share of trusts and other estate planning mechanisms used by donors. Estimates of value as to the underlying assets of the trusts or other arrangements rely on quoted market prices in the case of stocks and other equity and traded debt securities, appraisal value (where available) for real property, and other reasonable estimates made by the trustees for specific assets. Amounts related to irrevocable trusts for which the Church is named as beneficiary are reflected in the consolidated statements of financial position as Interest in Irrevocable Trusts. Trusts which name the Church as beneficiary, but which allow the beneficiary to be changed to a different Church related entity at the discretion of the grantor, are not considered irrevocable for accounting purposes and, accordingly, have not been recorded in the financial statements. The Interest in Irrevocable Trusts becomes available to the Church upon death of the grantor. During the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, the Church was not the beneficiary of any new irrevocable trusts. 8. FEES AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS: The Church charges fees for administrative and management services provided to other Covenant institutions and funds of the Church. Fees charged to related Covenant institutions and funds were $3,893,833 and $3,899,216 for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. In addition, the Church recorded $315,471 and $267,477 for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, as reimbursement of expenses incurred by the Church, which are reflected as a reduction of general administration expenditures in the consolidated statements of activities. 19
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 223 of 285
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
9. PENSION TRUST FUND: The Church participates in two multiemployer plans. The risks of participating in these multiemployer plans differ from single-employer plans in the following aspects: a) Assets contributed to the multiemployer plan by one employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. b If a participating employer stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participating employer. c) If the organization chooses to stop participating in the multiemployer plan, it may be required to pay to the plan an amount based on the underfunded status of the plan, referred to as a withdrawal liability. All full-time ministers participate in the Covenant Pension Plan. This multiemployer plan, administered by the Board of Pensions and Benefits of the Evangelical Covenant Church, is noncontributory and provides defined benefits based on years of service and remuneration. Covenant ordained or licensed ministers serving full time in the denomination, in one of its conferences or in Covenant churches are required to participate in the Covenant Pension Plan. Full-time missionaries of the Covenant are also required to participate. The contribution rate is 12.5% of the annual compensation, including housing allowances, of participating personnel. Participants with five years of service are entitled to pension benefits upon retirement. Pension benefits are paid monthly and are based on length of service and compensation. Pension expense, representing the Church's required contribution to the Covenant Pension Plan, was $632,961 and $597,181 for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The contributions made by the Church represented approximately 7% of the total contributions made to the Covenant Pension Plan in 2019 and 2018. To the extent the Covenant Pension Plan is underfunded, future contributions to the Plan may increase. The Covenant Pension Plan is not an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Plan and is not required to file Form 5500. The Covenant Pension Plan's fiscal year is January 1 to December 31. Total contributions from all employers to the Plan for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, are as follows: Pension Fund Covenant Pension Plan
FEIN 36-3065447
2019 $ 9,193,963
2018 $ 8,138,348
As of December 31, 2019, the Covenant Pension Plan's total net assets available for benefits were $265,389,915 and the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits was $262,703,385. As of December 31, 2018, the Covenant Pension Plan's total net assets available for benefits were $243,064,002 and the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits was $244,296,255. As of December 31, 2019, the Plan was 100% funded, based on the church plan assumptions utilized by management.
20
Page 224 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
9. PENSION TRUST FUND, continued: Lay employees of the Church hired before May 2013 participate in The Evangelical Covenant Church Lay Pension Plan (the “Lay Plan”). This multiemployer plan, administered by the Church, is noncontributory and provides defined benefits based on years of service and remuneration near retirement. This Lay Plan was previously a part of The Evangelical Covenant Church Retirement Plan (the “Plan”) and was administered by the Board of Benevolence of the Evangelical Covenant Church. The Lay Plan began operations on January 1, 2014. Eligible employees are all lay employees of the Church and its related entities. Participants with five years of service are entitled to pension benefits upon retirement. Retirement benefits are paid to pensioners or beneficiaries in various forms of joint and survivor annuities, including a lump-sum payment option if the earned benefit is less than $10,000. Pension expense, representing the Church’s required contribution to the Lay Plan, was $1,679,548 and $1,340,457 for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The contributions made by the Church represented approximately 72% and 74% of the total contributions made to the Lay Plan in 2019 and 2018, respectively. To the extent the Lay Plan is underfunded, future contributions to the Lay Plan may increase. The Lay Plan is a Church plan (not an ERISA Plan) and is not required to file Form 5500. The Plan's fiscal year is from January 1 to December 31. Total contributions from all employers to the Lay Plan for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, are as follows: Pension Fund Evangelical Covenant Church Lay Pension Plan
FEIN
2019
2018
46-4271385
$ 2,317,491
$ 1,806,862
As of December 31, 2019, the Lay Plan’s total net assets available for benefits were $10,320,836 and the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits was $9,982,610. As of December 31, 2018, the Lay Plan's total net assets available for benefits were $8,264,785 and the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits was $11,364,777. As of December 31, 2019, the Plan was 100% funded, based on the Church Plan assumptions utilized by management. Full-time employees hired in May 2013 or thereafter are covered under a 403(b) contributory plan. The Church contributed $95,403 and $95,675 to the 403(b) contributory plan in the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As the 403(b) plan covers employees of other institutions, asset and benefit information applicable to the Church is not available.
21
Page 225 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
10. NET ASSETS WITH DONOR RESTRICTIONS: Net assets with donor restrictions at January 31, 2020 and 2019, consist of the following: 2020 Net assets with donor restrictions: Subject to expenditure for specified purpose: Kingdom Builders Frontier Friends Friends of World Mission CovKids Serve Globally Covenant World Relief Start & Strengthen Churches Short-Term Missionaries Make & Deepen Disciples Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Domestic Disaster Response CovEnterprises Other Subject to the passage of time: Annuity agreements Irrevocable trusts Subject to the Church's spending policy and appropriations: Term endowments: Start & Strengthen Churches Covenant World Relief Other Endowment funds restricted in perpetuity
Total net assets with donor restrictions
$
319,904 523,801 245,205 1,478,587 1,165,709 480,884 1,498,694 525,553 332,873 510,789 93,734 1,438,349 8,614,082
2019
$
305,056 538,770 203,359 1,475,165 1,402,490 484,809 1,434,646 570,329 443,169 604,369 211,227 384,860 8,058,249
339,018 837,107 1,176,125
344,030 951,759 1,295,789
11,129,698 2,315,671 264,520 2,236,520 15,946,409
9,578,517 2,311,160 239,183 2,139,024 14,267,884
$ 25,736,616
$ 23,621,922
11. ENDOWMENT FUNDS: The Church's endowment net assets consist of separate investment accounts established for a variety of purposes. As required by GAAP, net assets associated with endowment funds are classified and reported based on the existence or absence of donor-imposed restrictions. Most of the Church's endowment funds required to be held in perpetuity are in the Covenant Endowment Trust (CET). CET is managed by the CTC as Trustee. It was created as a supporting organization to provide for the orderly investment and management of gifts with a permanent donor restriction to be consistent with the donor's charitable purposes and objectives for the benefit of the Church, all its churches and all organizations affiliated with it. While it contains gifts for the Church, the majority of the fund is for the benefit of other Covenant entities. The Church's endowment net assets also include invested funds held under term agreements for Start & Strengthen Churches and Covenant World Relief. 22
Page 226 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
11. ENDOWMENT FUNDS, continued: The Church has interpreted the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA) as requiring the preservation of the fair value of the original gift, as of the gift date of the donor funds with a permanent restriction absent explicit donor stipulations to the contrary. As a result of this interpretation, the Church classifies as net assets restricted in perpetuity (a) the original value of gifts, (b) the original value of subsequent gifts, and (c) accumulations made in accordance with the direction of the applicable donor gift instrument at the time the accumulation is added to the fund. The remaining portion of the fund with donor restrictions that is not classified in net assets restricted in perpetuity is classified as net assets restricted by purpose or time until those amounts are appropriated for expenditure by the Church in a manner consistent with the standard of prudence prescribed by UPMIFA. In accordance with UPMIFA, the organization considers the following factors in making a determination to appropriate or accumulate donor-restricted funds: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
The duration and preservation of the fund The purposes of the organization and the donor-restricted fund General economic conditions The possible effect of inflation and deflation The expected total return from income and appreciation of investments Other resources of the organization The investment policies of the organization
Changes in endowment net assets for the year ended January 31, 2020:
Endowment net assets, beginning of year
With Donor Restrictions Total With Perpetual Term Donor Endowments Endowments Restrictions $ 2,139,024 $ 12,128,860 $ 14,267,884
Investment return, net Contributions Amounts appropriated for expenditures
Endowment net assets, end of year
97,161 335 97,496 $ 2,236,520
23
756,659 2,681,555 (1,857,185) 1,581,029 $ 13,709,889
853,820 2,681,890 (1,857,185) 1,678,525 $ 15,946,409
Total Funds $ 14,267,884 853,820 2,681,890 (1,857,185) 1,678,525 $ 15,946,409
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 227 of 285
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
11. ENDOWMENT FUNDS, continued: Changes in endowment net assets for the year ended January 31, 2019:
Endowment net assets, beginning of year Investment return, net Contributions Amounts appropriated for expenditures
Endowment net assets - end of year
With Donor Restrictions Total With Donor Perpetual Term Restrictions Endowments Endowments $ 2,299,568 $ 12,862,287 $ 15,161,855 (172,383) 11,839 (160,544) $ 2,139,024
(159,956) 938,307 (1,511,778) (733,427) $ 12,128,860
(332,339) 950,146 (1,511,778) (893,971) $ 14,267,884
Total Funds $ 15,161,855 (332,339) 950,146 (1,511,778) (893,971) $ 14,267,884
Funds with Deficiencies: From time to time, the fair value of assets associated with individual donor restricted endowment funds may fall below the level that the donor or UPMIFA requires the Church to retain as a fund of perpetual duration. There were no such table deficiencies as of January 31, 2020 and 2019. Return Objectives and Risk Parameters: The Church has adopted investment and spending policies for endowment assets that attempt to provide a predictable stream of funding to programs while seeking to maintain the purchasing power of the assets. Endowment net assets include those assets of donor-restricted funds that the Church must hold in perpetuity and those assets that the Church must hold for donor-specified periods or purposes along with related investment earnings. Strategies Employed for Achieving Objectives: To satisfy its long-term rate-of-return objectives, the Church relies on a total return strategy in which investment returns are achieved through both capital appreciation (realized and unrealized) and current yield (interest and dividends). Spending Policy: Distributions are made from CET at the rate of 5% annually with payments being made quarterly. The distribution is made first from income and to the extent that income is insufficient, from principal.
24
Page 228 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
12. SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS: Based on resolutions adopted by the Executive Board of the Church, the Church provides supplemental retirement benefit payments to several former employees. The Church has accrued a liability of $589,789 and $609,793 at January 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, to fund these payments. The liability is estimated based on life expectancy of former employees and a discount rate of 7% at January 31, 2020 and 2019. During the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, the supplemental retirement benefit payments were $82,801 and $68,617, respectively. 13. ANNUITY AGREEMENTS: The Church has an obligation to make payments under charitable gift annuity agreements. In accordance with various state regulations, the Church maintains separate trust funds as a reserve to meet the future payments under these agreements. Annuity agreement information at January 31, 2020 and 2019 is as follows:
Assets - investments designated for annuity agreements Liabilities and net assets: Liabilities: Annuities payable Due to other Covenant entities Net assets: Without donor restrictions With donor restrictions for annuity agreements
2020
2019
$ 7,906,225
$ 7,979,319
925,524 6,664,466 7,589,990
967,611 6,681,267 7,648,878
(22,783) 339,018 316,235
Total liabilities and net assets
$ 7,906,225
(13,589) 344,030 330,441 $ 7,979,319
14. REAL ESTATE: Real estate at January 31, 2020 and 2019, consists of property located in Westminster, Colorado and property held under the Bezalel, LLC ministry. Pursuant to an agreement with NCP and Colorado Ridge Covenant Church, the Church acquired title to real property in Westminster, CO costing $1,172,240 and assumed the underlying loan with NCP. A portion of the property was sold on May 29, 2014 and October 26, 2010. The remainder of the property is currently being marketed for sale. Subsequent to the fiscal year ended January 31, 2020, the Church sold this property for net proceeds totaling approximately $817,000. Bezalel Inc. purchased property in Dolton, IL to acquire and renovate homes for community families as part of the Church's initiative of community development. As of January 31, 2020 and 2019, the cost of the property was $543,445 and $493,619, respectively. 25
162,075 11,070
Office and occupancy
218,355
108,121 20,582
Travel
Office and occupancy
-
4,052,690
-
Depreciation
Total Expenses
-
Interest
7,144
Professional fees
Board expense
-
Conferences and meetings
$
696,198
3,002,290
Churches
Salaries and benefits
Support to global and local partners $
Publications, printing and publicity
$
1,743,812
-
11,327 -
-
524,268
41,820
99,561
99,100
692,942
Disciples $ 274,794
$
2,583,378
-
7,962 -
-
1,507,610
24,444
99,950
100,494
647,984
Disciples $ 194,934
Start & Strengthen Make & Deepen
4,399,897
-
Depreciation
Total Expenses
-
Interest
10,494
-
Professional fees
Board expense
-
Conferences and meetings
$
224,962
Travel
Publications, printing and publicity
750,394
3,240,902
Salaries and benefits
Support to global and local partners $
Churches
Start & Strengthen Make & Deepen
Develop
2,699,440
$
3,090,698
-
-
35,168
2,725
-
6,298
142,247
106,075
656,954
Leaders $ 2,141,231
$
-
-
47,058
-
-
12,126
102,156
123,577
635,248
Leaders $ 1,779,275
Develop
1,071,740
-
-
10,943
-
-
18,295
91,746
54,359
396,122
500,275
$
$
984,093
-
-
10,402
-
-
4,451
57,133
34,531
391,581
485,995
Do Justice
Love Mercy
Program Services
$
$
Do Justice
Love Mercy
Program Services
-
-
17,348
50,000
-
148,363
236,323
407,422
4,634,441
5,722,752
-
-
20,180
-
-
137,012
223,384
498,317
4,555,654
5,623,792
26
$ 11,058,339
$
Globally
Serve
$ 11,216,649
$
Globally
Serve
266,551
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
266,551
$ 21,398,089
$
$
258,558
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
258,558
Mission
General
-
-
97,170
50,000
524,268
231,674
691,861
909,420
7,109,147
$ 11,784,549
Total
$ 22,027,756
-
-
80,856
2,725
1,507,610
192,787
630,835
957,772
6,948,371
$ 11,706,800
Total
Year Ended January 31, 2019
$
$
Mission
General
Year Ended January 31, 2020
300
1,221,606
-
-
7,856
-
-
67,707
267,323
36,722
841,698
$
$
1,416,072
-
-
6,382
130
-
13,166
274,393
33,977
1,088,024
-
Communications
$
$
Communications
248,513
6,280,753
261,424
142,525
186,195
215,010
466,336
65,171
604,477
181,525
3,909,577
$
$
-
5,185,625
263,646
105,236
87,144
143,251
471,029
56,936
315,469
118,016
3,624,898
& General
Management
$
$
& General
Management -
638,145
-
-
-
250
-
43,701
101,741
48,913
443,540
$
$
-
676,715
-
-
-
1,250
567
67,152
115,428
59,709
432,609
Fundraising
Supporting Activities
$
$
Fundraising
Supporting Activities
$
$
$
$
-
7,278,412
263,646
105,236
93,526
144,631
471,596
137,254
705,290
211,702
5,145,531
Total
8,140,504
261,424
142,525
194,051
215,260
466,336
176,579
973,541
267,160
5,194,815
248,813
Total
$ 29,306,168
263,646
105,236
174,382
147,356
1,979,206
330,041
1,336,125
1,169,474
12,093,902
$ 11,706,800
Expenses
Total
$ 29,538,593
261,424
142,525
291,221
265,260
990,604
408,253
1,665,402
1,176,580
12,303,962
$ 12,033,362
Expenses
Total
15. FUNCTIONAL ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES: The costs of providing the various program services and supporting activities have been summarized below on a functional basis. Accordingly, certain costs have been allocated among the program services and supporting activities for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019. The financial statements report certain categories of expenses that are attributable to more than one program or supporting function. Therefore, these expenses require allocation on a reasonable basis that is consistently applied. The expenses that are allocated include salaries and benefits, travel, conferences and meetings, professional fees, board expense, and certain office expenses, which are allocated on the basis of estimates of time and effort, as well as certain occupancy costs, which are allocated on a square footage basis.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 229 of 285
Page 230 of 285
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
16. LIQUIDITY AND FUNDS AVAILABLE: As part of the Church's liquidity management, it invests cash in excess of daily requirement in investments. There is an established fund designated by management with the objective of setting funds aside to be drawn upon in the event of financial distress or an immediate liquidity need resulting from events outside of the typical life cycle of converting financial assets to cash or settling financial liabilities. In the event of an unanticipated liquidity need, the Church could also draw upon $2,500,000 of its available operating line of credit (as further discussed in Note 5). The following reflects the Church's financial assets as of the balance sheet date, including amounts not available within one year of the balance sheet date. Amounts not available include amounts illiquid or not convertible to cash within one year, perpetual and term endowments and accumulated earnings subject to appropriation beyond one year, or contractual or donor-imposed restrictions. January 31, Financial assets: Cash and cash equivalents Contributions and bequests receivable Notes and accounts receivable Investments Investments whose use is limited Less those unavailable for general expenditures within one year, due to: Contractual or donor-imposed restrictions: Restricted by donor with time or purpose restrictions Investments held in annuities Investments pledged Endowment funds restricted in perpetuity Investments not convertible to cash within next 12 months Term endowment funds, primarily for long-term investing Financial assets available within one year to meet cash needs for general expenditures within one year
2020
2019
$ 1,891,153 142,440 2,985,591 55,587,089 9,388,141 69,994,414
$ 3,008,858 200,423 3,131,113 54,515,302 9,415,684 70,271,380
(8,614,082) (7,906,225) (1,481,916) (2,236,520) (4,723,074) (13,709,889)
$ 31,322,708
(8,058,249) (7,979,319) (1,436,365) (2,139,024) (4,478,837) (12,128,860)
$ 34,050,726
17. LEGAL MATTERS: The Church is involved in various legal matters. Because the outcome is uncertain, the Church is unable to determine that it will incur a loss; therefore, no accrual has been recorded.
27
THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Page 231 of 285
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements January 31, 2020 and 2019
18. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES: In March of 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as a pandemic which continues to spread throughout the United States. COVID-19 has caused a severe negative impact on the world economy and has contributed to significant declines and volatility in financial markets. The duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the effectiveness of government and central bank responses, remains unclear at this time. It is not possible to reliably estimate the duration and severity of these consequences, as well as their impact on the financial position and results of the Church for future periods. Management is carefully monitoring the situation and evaluating its options as circumstances evolve. In April 2020, the Church received approximately $1,776,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Under the program terms, PPP loans are forgiven and recognized as a contribution if the loan proceeds are used to maintain compensation costs and employee headcount, and other qualifying expenses (mortgage interest, rent and utilities) incurred following receipt of the loan. 19. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS: Subsequent events have been evaluated through November 16, 2020, which represents the date the consolidated financial statements were available to be issued. Subsequent events after that date have not been evaluated.
28
Page 232 of 285
SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
Page 233 of 285
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT ON SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
To the Executive Board of The Evangelical Covenant Church Chicago, Illinois
We have audited the consolidated financial statements of The Evangelical Covenant Church as of and for the years ended January 31, 2020 and 2019, and our report thereon dated November 16, 2020, which expresses an unmodified opinion on those consolidated financial statements, appears on page 1. Our audits were conducted for the purpose of forming an opinion on the consolidated financial statements as a whole. The consolidating statements of financial position on page 30 is presented for purposes of additional analysis of the consolidated financial statements rather than to present the financial position of the individual organizations, and it is not a required part of the consolidated financial statements. Such information is the responsibility of management and was derived from and relates directly to the underlying accounting and other records used to prepare the consolidated financial statements. The information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit of the consolidated financial statements and certain additional procedures, including comparing and reconciling such information directly to the underlying accounting and other records used to prepare the consolidated financial statements or to the consolidated financial statements themselves, and other additional procedures in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. In our opinion, the information is fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the consolidated financial statements as a whole.
Naperville, Illinois November 16, 2020
Page 234 of 285
Page 235 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
COVENANT PENSION PLAN
Financial Statements With Independent Auditors’ Report December 31, 2019 and 2018
Page 236 of 285
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Table of Contents
DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
Page Independent Auditors’ Report
1
Financial Statements Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits Notes to Financial Statements
3 4 5
Page 237 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT
Board of Directors Covenant Pension Plan Chicago, Illinois
Report on the Financial Statements We have audited the accompanying financial statements of the Covenant Pension Plan, which comprise the statements of net assets available for benefits as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the related statements of changes in net assets available for benefits for the years then ended, and the related notes to the financial statements. Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements Plan management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; this includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal control relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. Auditors' Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the Plan’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
Page 238 of 285
Board of Directors Covenant Pension Plan Chicago, Illinois
DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
Opinion In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial status of the Covenant Pension Plan as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the changes in its financial status for the years then ended, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Naperville, Illinois DATE
-2-
Page 239 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
December 31, 2019 ASSETS: Cash and cash equivalents Investments Contribution receivable Other assets
$
LIABILITIES: Other liabilities
3,401,330 261,169,023 1,282,542 174,940 266,027,835
2018
$
99,999 99,999
Net Assets Available for Benefits
$
-3-
265,927,836
2,239,446 237,975,814 933,654 36,103 241,185,017
95,588 95,588 $
241,089,429
Page 240 of 285
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Statements of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
December 31, 2019 ADDITIONS: Additions to net assets attributed to: Investment return: Dividend and interest income Net appreciation (depreciation) in value of investments Investment manager and custodial fees Total investment return
$
Employer contributions Other income Total Additions
5,805,010 23,801,363 (706,767) 28,899,606
2018
$
5,332,410 (15,539,688) (912,582) (11,119,860)
9,193,963 18,070 38,111,639
8,138,349 21,949 (2,959,562)
DEDUCTIONS: Deductions from net assets attributed to: Pension benefits Administrative expenses Total Deductions
11,979,845 1,293,387 13,273,232
11,008,676 1,085,953 12,094,629
Net Increase (Decrease)
24,838,407
(15,054,191)
241,089,429
256,143,620
Net Assets Available for Benefits: Beginning of Year End of Year
$
-4-
265,927,836
$
241,089,429
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Notes to Financial Statements
Page 241 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
December 31, 2019 and 2018 1.
PLAN DESCRIPTION: GENERAL The Plan is a noncontributory, defined benefit pension plan, which is administered by the Board of Pensions and Benefits (the “Board”) of The Evangelical Covenant Church (the “Church”). All Church ministers employed by Church churches or institutions and all Church missionaries are participants in the Plan. The Plan is available on a voluntary basis to Church ministers employed by an approved employer other than the Church. Effective December 31, 2019, the Plan was frozen to new participants. EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS Contributions to the Plan are made by employers quarterly based on an annual amount equal to 12.5% of the considered compensation for each participant. A participant does not receive credit for service for any period for which the required payments are not made. All contributions are deposited in and invested by the Covenant Pension Trust (the “Trust Fund”). The Plan records as contributions receivable amounts expected to be received related to past periods. The adequacy of contributions to meet defined benefit obligations is determined by the Board in consultation with enrolled actuaries. PENSION BENEFITS Benefits currently vest for Plan participants with five years of service. Retirement benefits are paid monthly and are based on length of service and compensation levels. The monthly benefit at the normal retirement date is equal to the sum of $4 for each year of service prior to January 1, 1972, $8 for each year of service from January 1, 1972 to December 31, 1973, and 1/12 of 1.5% of total accumulated considered compensation after December 31, 1973. Considered compensation includes annual base salary and other income from the employer, including housing and utility allowances, if any, or an adjustment to base salary where a parsonage is provided. Effective June 23, 1992, accumulated considered compensation of participants not currently receiving benefits was subject to a one time increase by an amount not to exceed $136,000. The amount of the increase was computed as a percentage (the lesser of 25% or years of service minus 10 years, expressed as a percentage) of considered compensation to date, plus $3,200 for each year of service in excess of 20 years. Considered compensation so determined is subject to a minimum of $15,000 a year for 2019 and forward and $9,000 a year for 2018 and prior. Additional benefits are provided for disability and surviving spouses. Effective June 23, 1992, benefits for retired participants increased by an amount not to exceed $170 a month. The monthly benefit increase was computed based on a percentage (the lesser of 25% or years of service minus 10 years, expressed as a percentage) of the beneficiary’s current monthly benefit, plus $4 for each year of service in excess of 20 years. Effective April 1, 2007, and again effective January 1, 2008, there was a 6% increase in the minimum monthly pension benefits for retirees and surviving spouses and a 6% across the board increase for all participants.
-5-
Page 242 of 285
COVENANT PENSION PLAN
DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2019 and 2018 1.
PLAN DESCRIPTION, continued: PENSION BENEFITS, continued The minimum monthly pension benefits (which are prorated for beneficiaries with less than 25 years of service and reduced for early retirement) for 2019 and 2018 were as follows: December 31, 2019 Retirees Surviving spouse
2.
$ $
2018 989 742
$ $
989 742
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: BASIS OF ACCOUNTING The Plan prepares its financial statements on the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. USE OF ESTIMATES The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of net assets available for benefits at the date of the financial statements and the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits as of the benefit information date, the changes in net assets available for benefits during the reported period and, when applicable, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES The Plan utilizes various investment instruments, including U.S. government securities, corporate stocks, pooled instruments, and private equity. Investment securities, in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, credit, and overall market volatility. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such a change could materially affect, positively or negatively, the future value of net assets available for plan benefits. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash and cash equivalents include checking and money market accounts. At times these balances may exceed federally insured limits. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Plan had cash on deposit that exceeded federally insured limits by $2,226,938 and $1,994,612, respectively. The Plan has not experienced any losses on these accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant risk.
-6-
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Notes to Financial Statements
Page 243 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
December 31, 2019 and 2018 2.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, continued: INVESTMENT VALUATION AND INCOME RECOGNITION Investments are stated at fair value. Fair value of a financial instrument is the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When available, quoted market prices are used to determine the fair value of investments. Investments in private equity are reported at net asset value as determined by the general partner/fund manager based on audited financial statements. Certain pooled bond funds and pooled equity funds are private funds, which hold marketable securities and are recorded at net asset value using the quoted prices of the individual securities held. Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis.
INVESTMENT MANAGER AND CUSTODIAL FEES The members of the Board serve as trustees of the Plan. The Board engages an investment advisor, investment managers, and a custodian for the invested funds. Custodial and management fees were $707,767 and $912,582 in 2019 and 2018, respectively. PAYMENT OF BENEFITS Benefit payments are recorded in the period in which they are distributed. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES The Plan reimbursed the Church $800,000 in both 2019 and 2018 for administrative expenses and services. 3.
ACTUARIAL VALUATION: Accumulated plan benefits are those future periodic payments that are attributable under the Plan’s provisions to services rendered by employees as of the valuation date. Accumulated plan benefits include benefits expected to be paid to (1) retired or terminated employees or their beneficiaries, (2) beneficiaries of employees who have died, and (3) present employees or their beneficiaries. The actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits is determined by an independent actuary and is that amount that results from applying actuarial assumptions to adjust the accumulated plan benefits to reflect the time value of money (through discounts for interest) and the probability of payment (by means of decrements such as for death, disability, withdrawal, or retirement) between the valuation date and the expected date of payment. The unit credit actuarial cost method was used to calculate the actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits. The significant actuarial assumptions used in the valuations as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, were as follows: Life expectancy:
2012 Individual Annuitant Table Period
Retirement age:
Age 65, or present age if greater
Investment return:
5.5% per annum for 2019 and 2018
-7-
Page 244 of 285
COVENANT PENSION PLAN
DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2019 and 2018 3.
ACTUARIAL VALUATION, continued: The computations of actuarial present value of accumulated benefits were made as of January 1, 2020 and 2019. Had the valuation been performed as of December 31, there would be no material differences. The actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, as determined by the Plan’s actuary, is as follows: December 31,
Vested benefits: Participants currently receiving payments Other inactive participants Active participants
Nonvested benefits
2019
2018
$ 143,640,439 33,818,825 82,304,710 259,763,974
$ 130,667,142 33,243,351 78,760,390 242,670,883
2,939,411
1,625,372
$ 262,703,385
$ 244,296,255
Changes in accumulated plan benefits are as follows: December 31,
Actuarial present value of accumulated plan benefits at beginning of year Increase (decrease) during the year attributable to: Additional benefits accumulated and plan experience changes Interest Changes in plan provisions Benefit payments
2019
2018
$ 244,296,255
$ 241,451,302
17,922,213 13,106,848 (642,086) (11,979,845) $ 262,703,385
876,546 12,977,083 (11,008,676) $ 244,296,255
Changes in plan provisions consists of the following: • Plan was closed to new participants after December 31, 2019. • Plan was amended to allow a one-time, temporary lump-sum window, effective February 2020. • Plan was amended to allow participants the option to freeze Plan accruals and opt-in to receive any employer contributions provided under a separate 403(b)(9) plan. • Minimum considered compensation was increased from $9,000 to $15,000 per year. • Death benefit early retirement factor actuarial basis was updated.
-8-
Page 245 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2019 and 2018 3.
ACTUARIAL VALUATION, continued: The foregoing actuarial assumptions are based on the presumption that the Plan will continue. Were the Plan to terminate, different actuarial assumptions and other factors might be applicable in determining the actual present value of accumulated Plan benefits.
4.
INVESTMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS: Investments of the Plan consist of the following: December 31, 2019 At fair value: Common stocks Pooled equity funds Pooled bond funds Pooled real estate funds US Treasury bond Private equity
$
At net asset value: Pooled equity funds Pooled bond funds
5,509,343 59,530,949 64,551,276 13,708,784 20,018,340 39,244,209 202,562,901
2018
$
7,337,937 80,255,942 45,729,800 12,820,367 37,655,099 183,799,145
51,839,503 6,766,619 58,606,122
47,330,168 6,846,501 54,176,669
$ 261,169,023
$ 237,975,814
The Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) establishes a hierarchical disclosure framework, which prioritizes and ranks the level of market price observability used in measuring the investments at fair value. Market price observability is impacted by a number of factors, including the type of investment and the characteristics specific to the investment. Investments with readily available active quoted prices or for which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices, generally will have a higher degree of market price observability and a lesser degree of judgment used in measuring fair value. Investments measured and reported at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following categories: Level I — Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. Level II — Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date, and fair value is determined through the use of models or other valuation methodologies.
-9-
Page 246 of 285
COVENANT PENSION PLAN
DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2019 and 2018 4.
INVESTMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS, continued: Level III — Pricing inputs are unobservable and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the investment. Fair value for these investments is determined using valuation methodologies that consider a range of factors, including but not limited to the price at which the investment was acquired, the nature of the investment, local market conditions, trading values on public exchanges for comparable securities, current and projected operating performance, and financing transactions subsequent to the acquisition of the investment. The inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment. Due to the inherent uncertainty of these estimates, these values may differ from the values that would have been used had a ready market for these investments existed.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, an asset or liability’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Management’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the investment. The valuation of the Plan’s financial assets and liabilities by the above ASC fair value hierarchy levels as of December 31, 2019, is summarized as follows: Fair Value Measurements Using Quoted Prices Significant in Active Other Significant Markets for Observable Unobservable Identical Assets Inputs Inputs (Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3)
Fair Value Investments at fair value: Common stocks Pooled equity funds Pooled bond funds Pooled real estate funds US Treasury bonds Private equity
$
5,509,343 59,530,949 64,551,276 13,708,784 20,018,340 39,244,209
$ 202,562,901 Investments measured at net asset value: Pooled equity funds 51,839,503 Pooled bond funds 6,766,619 58,606,122 $ 261,169,023
-10-
$
5,509,343 59,530,949 64,551,276 13,708,784 -
$
20,018,340 -
$
39,244,209
$ 143,300,352
$
20,018,340
$
39,244,209
Page 247 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Notes to Financial Statements December 31, 2019 and 2018 4.
INVESTMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS, continued: The valuation of the Plan’s financial assets and liabilities by the above ASC fair value hierarchy levels as of December 31, 2018, is summarized as follows: Fair Value Measurements Using Quoted Prices Significant in Active Other Significant Markets for Observable Unobservable Identical Assets Inputs Inputs (Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3)
Fair Value Investments at fair value: Common stocks Pooled equity funds Pooled bond funds Pooled real estate funds Private equity
$
7,337,937 80,255,942 45,729,800 12,820,367 37,655,099
$ 183,799,145
$
7,337,937 80,255,942 45,729,800 12,820,367 -
$
$ 146,144,046
$
-
$
37,655,099
$
37,655,099
Investments measured at net asset value: Pooled equity funds 47,330,168 Pooled bond funds 6,846,501 54,176,669 $ 237,975,814 The following table presents additional information about hedge funds measured at net asset value on a recurring basis: December 31, 2019
2018
Balance, January 1 Purchases Sales Realized and unrealized gains, net
$
37,655,099 5,340,022 (5,458,565) 1,707,653
$
36,845,079 5,804,725 (6,675,707) 1,681,002
Balance, December 31
$
39,244,209
$
37,655,099
-11-
Page 248 of 285
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Notes to Financial Statements
DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
December 31, 2019 and 2018 4.
INVESTMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS, continued: The Plan uses the Net Asset Value (NAV) to determine the fair value for all hedge funds which (a) do not have a readily determinable fair value and (b) prepare their financial statements consistent with the measurement principles of an investment company or have attributes of an investment company. The Plan invests in funds that calculate NAV per share (or its equivalent) and consists of private equity funds which use various equity and bond strategies. These funds have no lockup restrictions and are redeemable during the life of the fund. The Plan's investments in these funds were $58,606,122 and $54,176,669 on December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.
5.
PLAN TERMINATION: Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Church may terminate the Plan at any annual meeting of the Church and may direct and require the Board to liquidate the Trust Fund. In order to terminate the Plan, a vote of two thirds of all delegates present and voting at such annual meeting is required. In the event the Church shall, for any reason, cease to exist, the Plan shall terminate and the Trust Fund shall be liquidated unless continued by a successor. Upon termination of the Plan or a complete discontinuance of contributions, the assets of the Trust Fund shall be liquidated, after provision is made for the expenses of liquidation, by the payment (or provision for the payment) of benefits, in the following order of preference: • To each retired participant and surviving spouse who is receiving a pension on the date of termination. • To each active participant who attained age 65 and completed 10 or more years of service prior to the date of termination. • To participants who attained age 55 and completed 10 or more years of service prior to date of termination. • To all other participants according to the respective actuarial values of their accrued benefits as of the date of termination. • If the assets of the Trust Fund applicable to any of the above groups are insufficient to provide full benefits for all persons in such group, the benefits otherwise payable to such persons shall be reduced proportionately and no benefits shall be paid to any person in a succeeding group.
6.
INCOME TAX STATUS: The Plan The Plan is a church plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), and as such is exempt from taxation under Code Section 501(a). Therefore, no provision for income taxes has been made in the financial statements.
-12-
COVENANT PENSION PLAN Notes to Financial Statements
Page 249 of 285 DISCUSSION DRAFT For review and discussion only. Subject to change. CAPIN CROUSE LLP
December 31, 2019 and 2018 7.
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS: As identified in Note 2, the Plan paid the Church $800,000 during each year ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, for administrative fees. Included in investment manager and custodial fees is $49,895 and $50,193 for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, for custodial services provided by Covenant Trust Company.
8.
COMMITMENTS: At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Plan had $17,693,899 and $22,371,865, respectively, in outstanding commitments to purchase private equity investments. Outstanding commitments will be funded from cash flow and portfolio rebalancing.
9.
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS: Subsequent events have been evaluated through DATE, which represents the date the financial statements were available to be issued. Subsequent events after that date have not been evaluated. Subsequent to December 31, 2019, the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States and around the world has caused disruption through mandated and voluntary closings, transitions to remote work for numerous businesses, and stock market volatility. While the disruptions are currently expected to be temporary, there is considerable uncertainty around the duration of these disruptions. because of the uncertainty, the extent to which the COVID-19 outbreak will financially impact the Plan's operations or its financial results cannot be reasonably estimated at this time.
-13-
Page 250 of 285
Page 251 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #25
Presentation of Fiscal Year 2022 Mission and Ministry Budget The Covenant Finance Team endeavors to ensure that our resources are stewarded in a manner that sustains and advances the Covenant mission, glorifies God, and honors the intent of our donors. If we are to mission well, we must steward well. We always appreciate the opportunity at Gather to provide you with a detailed overview of our finances and the Mission and Ministry budget. Together, we share a 3StrandStrong mission. It is important that we give you the information you need to gauge the scope, stewardship, and effectiveness of that shared mission. Ultimately, we aim to support, equip, and encourage you so that your local ministry may flourish. On Saturday, June 26, we will present the proposed Mission & Ministry Budget for fiscal year 2022 (covering the period from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022). This budget has been reviewed and affirmed by Covenant Offices Leadership Team (COLT), the Council of Administrators (COA), as well as the Executive Board, who remanded primary approval authority to its Finance Committee. The proposed FY2022 budget totals $17,581,336. As detailed in the chart below, if approved, the FY2022 budget would be the smallest Covenant budget (in a period of normal mission activity) since 2017.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 252 of 285
In the presentation at Gather, we will review the key data and drivers of the proposed budget, including: •
The operating activities of our five Mission Priorities (Start and Strengthen Churches, Make and Deepen Disciples, Develop Leaders, Love Mercy and Do Justice, Serve Globally), and our Marketing and Communications and shared services teams.
•
The substantial annual “external appropriations” activity in support of our mission friends, as noted below. a. Start and Strengthen Churches commits to large annual external appropriations for church planting and related activities. b. Serve Globally supports our global personnel through external appropriations. c. The Covenant denomination provides a major annual external appropriation in support of North Park University / North Park Theological Seminary.
•
The funding of the budget via the faithful support of our churches, individual donors, and affiliates. Church giving remains our bedrock support—representing approximately 50% of total mission provision. We are excited about the ongoing opportunity of our 3StrandStrong partnership invitation—a powerful bond between the local church, conference, and denomination.
Thank you for your support of our shared mission and the daily confidence you place in us to design, steward, and lead the overall financial strategies of the Covenant. We look forward to being together (even if it is virtually!) at Gather 2021. Respectfully,
Steve Klimkowski Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 253 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #28
Report from Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos (CHET) MY TESTIMONY My parents were migrant farmworkers, and it is in that environment that God touched their lives. God called them into ministry, and they went to a Bible Institute soon after their conversion. My parents showed me how to minister among migrant workers. They ministered in Texas among bracero workers and to migrant workers in central California. My grandmother prayed that God would raise a pastor among her children. God answered her prayers when he called me to ministry among the Latino population. That is why I went to a Spanish Bible school. I was not ready for ministry because my Spanish was what was called “mama Spanish.” At the Bible institute I was equipped to minister to Latinos. My life journey has taken me through small towns in South Texas and Central California and different communities in Los Angeles. After Bible school in Texas, I earned an MDiv at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary (Fresno, CA), and a ThM and PhD at Fuller Theological Seminary. I have served as a pastor in South Texas, Central California, and Tamaulipas, Mexico. My wife, Olga, and I planted a church in Downey, California, while studying at Fuller Seminary. I also oversaw Latino ministries for the Mennonite Brethren and started a Spanish Bible institute. God’s call to leadership development then took our family to Guatemala where I led the Latin American Anabaptist Seminary. Later, we returned to California to serve as president of the Latino Center at Fuller Theological Seminary. For 15 years I served at Fuller in different capacities. Olga then lost her battle to cancer and passed away. This significant loss pushed me to honor her by continuing the legacy of advocating and opening doors for women in ministry. After such loss and in God’s grace, Ruth Anabalón became my wife. Together we have found a spiritual rhythm that includes spiritual disciplines that guide our walk with God. I was formed by the “radical evangelicals from Latin America” (René Padilla, Samuel Escobar, Orlando Costa) and by Justo Gonzalez. They helped me understand communities in Latin America and Latinos
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 254 of 285
in the U.S., especially how to minister among them. I am a Latino evangélico living in exile in the United States. “Exile” is a theological motif that fits both my theology and my life experience. If you ask me where I am from, I will need to respond with a question: do you want to know about my ancestors, my birthplace, my family, or my life journey? As a Christian, I believe God is shaping me to cross cultural boundaries, to have an awareness concerning people who are culturally, socially, and economically different, and to teach others who want to be servants of the gospel of reconciliation. And so, I continue walking from my Latino roots toward God’s future. I connected to the Covenant through First Covenant Church in Los Angeles. I got married there, and my first wife and I were mentored by Eldon and Opal Johnson. When I was leading the Latino Center at Fuller, I served Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos as a board and faculty member. In 2019, I accepted a position at Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio. Soon after that I suffered a massive stroke and was saved by the grace of God. A year later, I became president of Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos. That’s why I say that I came to Compton from Pasadena through Ohio.
2020-2021 REPORT •
Our mission: Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos, under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, seeks to equip holistically the underserved Latinos and Latinas for church and community-based ministry.
•
During the pandemic, this current academic year, we have had an average student enrollment of 350.
•
Virtual classes: In 2016, Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos started offering virtual classes with a small number of students across the nation. Like other schools during Covid-19, our students have fully immersed in virtual learning. Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, our enrollment increased because we are able to reach more students anywhere in the U.S. and abroad.
•
Grants: God’s faithfulness continues to bless us as we received several grants during this year. o
First, our long-time partners in ministry, Rolling Hills Covenant Church, awarded us a grant that allowed us to put together 1,000 textbooks. Also, Pasadena Covenant Church awarded us a grant aimed at providing electronic devices for students who lacked access to virtual learning.
o
Second, the Love Mercy and Do Justice ministry priority of the Evangelical Covenant 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 255 of 285
Church awarded us a Missional Relief Grant that allowed us to serve 300 students through free workshops aimed at equipping them to serve well during the pandemic. o
Third, a family foundation challenged us to a matching grant which improved our fundraising efforts.
o
Last, a partnership between Duke Divinity School and AETH (Asociación para la Educación Teológica Hispana) granted us a capacity building grant aimed at faculty development and student services.
•
Building: After 12 years at our main campus in Compton, California, the building is in need of capital maintenance which we are beginning to address.
STUDENT TESTIMONY—GUADALUPE GUEVARA Guadalupe Guevara is a student originally from Ensenada BC, Mexico, and she has lived in California for more than 42 years. When she heard of Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos, she was not interested in studying, but God in his timing brought her to this place. She has a lot of health issues and a few semesters ago she finished her class while in the hospital. Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos has been a stronghold for her amid crises. Studying about God has been medicine to her life. She is grateful to those who planted the seeds for this ministry; she is the fruit of their labor. She also thanks all the supporters who are part of this ministry because Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos’s vision is evident in each student. ¡Gracias! 2021-2022 VISION •
For our next school year, our goal is to achieve and maintain an average student enrollment of 375.
•
Hybrid: New realities have shifted our educational delivery systems. Therefore, we foresee a hybrid model of teaching for the next academic year and beyond.
•
For the next fiscal year, we want to meet our operational needs and fortify our endowment.
•
During this transition, we are working on board development and strategizing for the next five years.
•
One of our values is our identity with the Evangelical Covenant Church. In partnership with ALIPE we want to continue serving Latino churches by working closely with our regional conferences. One of the reasons Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos exists is to train Latino leaders in the Covenant as a pathway to ordination through the Ministerial Program
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 256 of 285
and the Orientation program for those transferring ordination. Without doubt, 2020 was a challenging year for Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos; not only because our community experienced much loss related to Covid-19, but as a team, we also suffered the loss of our chaplain, Rev. Flor Graterol. Our small staff continues to strive and serve with excellence, and we take care of the resources God has entrusted us. We want to thank the Covenant for its unwavering support for Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos’s mission. Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos students live in the under-resourced, under-served and non-served highways of our society. Yet, year after year, for 32 years, we have been given the privilege of equipping thousands of men and women for pastoral service. We often say that most of our students, because of life circumstances, have or are “coming up the hard way” in their lives and ministries. And yet, despite the daily challenges, they persevere knowing that their call to ministry comes from our Almighty God. Our work could not be possible without your continued support. For that, we thank you! Respectfully submitted, Rev. Dr. Juan F. Martínez President
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 257 of 285
Your Purpose is Our Purpose For over 40 years, Covenant Trust has worked with individuals, families and institutions to provide financial expertise. We act as a fiduciary and only make recommendations and decisions in the best interest of the client. This has been our standard since the beginning.
We listen first. We believe in the value of personalized service and custom investment plans that reflect what’s most important to you. Getting to know you allows us to build a tailored plan specifically for you.
Then, we create a plan together. Whether you are looking for help with investment portfolios, IRAs, retirement investing, trustee services or estate and gift planning, we provide the right mix of tools and guidance to support your financial journey as you pursue your purpose.
Learn more at covenanttrust.com 800-483-2177 info@covenanttrust.com The logo design and Covenant Trust are registered trademarks of Covenant Trust Company. Covenant Trust is incorporated in the State of Illinois and is supervised by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Covenant Trust accounts are not federally insured by any government agency. Clients may lose principal as a result of investment losses.
141 W. Jackson Blvd. / Suite 1850A / Chicago, IL 60604
800-483-2177
covenanttrust.com
Page 258 of 285
Connect with us
Our Financial Services Representatives meet with individuals, families and institutions across the U.S. S TE V E A LLISON, Ch FC ® , C TFA 847-583-3264 srallison@covenanttrust.com
ER IK W. C A R L SON, C TFA , CFP ® 847-583-3280 ewcarlson@covenanttrust.com
Covenant Village of Golden Valley MN, ND, western WI
Covenant Living of Golden Valley Minnehaha Academy MN, SD
K A R LENE M. CR A B TR EE 847-583-3277 kmcrabtree@covenanttrust.com
TIMOTH Y I . FR A ZIER , MBA 847-583-3270 tifrazier@covenanttrust.com
Covenant Village of Golden Valley MN
Covenant Living of the Great Lakes KY, lower MI, OH, TN, WVA, western NY, western PA
TIMOTH Y D. HEDBERG 847-583-3278 tdhedberg@covenanttrust.com
BR A NDON HOV E Y 847-583-3269 bjhovey@covenanttrust.com
Covenant Living at the Shores AK, ID, MT, OR, WA
Covenant Living of Turlock central CA, HI, NV, Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Sierra Nevada
L A R RY J . K L EI N DIE N S T, CHFC ® , C TFA , A IF 847-583-3279 ljkleindienst@covenanttrust.com Covenant Living at Windsor Park Swedish Covenant Hospital IL, IN, eastern MO DA NIEL C . MELGR EN, CPA , CFP ® 847-583-3262 dcmelgren@covenanttrust.com Covenant Living of Colorado AR, CO, IA, KS, NE, NM, OK, TX, western MO, WY
K A R EN A . PA LMBERG 847-583-3272 kapalmberg@covenanttrust.com Covenant Living at the Holmstad Northern IL INGR ID K . PR ATER , CFP ® 847-583-3276 ikprater@covenanttrust.com Covenant Living at Mount Miguel Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside County, San Diego, Southern California
DONNA LE WIS 847-583-3274 dklewis@covenanttrust.com Covenant Living of Cromwell Covenant Living of Florida AL, CT, DE, eastern NY, eastern PA, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NH, NJ, NC, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, Washington D.C. TODD E . MITCHELL 847-583-3275 temitchell@covenanttrust.com Covenant Living of Northbrook North Park University AZ, eastern WI, IL, LA, upper MI, UT JON ATH A N D. PE TER SON 847-583-3267 jdpeterson@covenanttrust.com Covenant Living at The Samarkand Santa Barbara, Southern San Juan Valley, Ventura County, Western Los Angeles
Page 259 of 285 AGENDA ITEM #35
Proposed Resolution to Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery for the 2021 Covenant Annual Meeting “Let us make humankind in our image.” — GENESIS 1:26 “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” — EPHESIANS 2:10 “There was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.” — REVELATION 7:9
OVERVIEW This resolution briefly explains the Doctrine of Discovery and outlines its long-lasting impact in the U.S., as well as the damage and trauma it has inflicted on Indigenous peoples. We turn to Scripture to remember that God has created all humans in God’s own image and imbued each individual with God’s image (imago Dei). We confess with our Indigenous brothers and sisters that the whole of creation is the work of God, and we acknowledge the damage done to the Indigenous inhabitants of the Americas through the taking of rights, property, and land. We acknowledge the cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples through sustained and systemic acts of injustice. We acknowledge the complicity of the Christian church (including the Covenant Church) in that dispossession, subjugation, and relegation. We the Evangelical Covenant Church hereby repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery as fundamentally opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We will seek to support Indigenous people as they identify ways to affirm their inherent human rights and resolve wrongs.
INTRODUCTION The history of the Indigenous people of North America is not fully understood or taught in public schools or mainstream culture in the U.S. or Canada. This history is difficult for many to face, especially in light
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 260 of 285
of the complicity of the Church. The violence and brutality of colonization in U.S. and Canadian history has stripped Indigenous people of their land and culture, and it was done “In the name of Christ.” For more than five centuries, the Doctrine of Discovery and the laws based upon it have legalized the theft of land, labor, and resources from Indigenous peoples, from which the dominant culture continues to benefit. This doctrine originated with the Christian church in the 15th century. It is now the Church’s responsibility to refute it. The Evangelical Covenant Church is a multiethnic denomination and committed to the Six-Fold Test for Multiethnic Ministry,1 which includes Practicing Solidarity. This resolution seeks to raise awareness around the injustices caused by the Doctrine of Discovery in the United States and throughout the world, and to offer ideas for meaningful individual and corporate action toward healing. As a people who affirm imago Dei, believing that all people have inherent value as created in the image of God, we seek to be a part of Christ’s healing work where imago Dei was rejected. We must hear the truth and lament the complicity of the Church and its marginalization of Indigenous peoples. The Doctrine of Discovery has been the seedbed of racism and colonialism in North America for centuries.
WHAT IS THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY? The Doctrine of Discovery, also known as the doctrine of Christian discovery,2 is a set of legal and theological principles derived from a series of papal bulls, or decrees, issued by popes of the Catholic Church in the 15th century. The papal bulls provided theological justification for European monarchies to “discover” and claim lands inhabited by non-Christian peoples. In 1452, Pope Nicolas V issued the papal bull Dum diversas to King Alfonso V of Portugal, authorizing him to “capture, vanquish, and subdue the Saracens [Arab or Muslims at that time of the Crusades], pagans, and other enemies of Christ,” to “put them into perpetual slavery” and “take all their possessions and property.” Under this sanction, Portugal trafficked slaves from west Africa and claimed land along its west coast. A pattern of dehumanization and genocidal conquest had begun in the name of Christian discovery.
1 2
https://covchurch.org/resources/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/10/Six-Fold-Test.pdf Steven T. Newcomb, Pagans in the Promised Land (Golden: Fulcrum, 2008), xxii.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 261 of 285
Pope Alexander VI issued the Inter caetera papal bull in 1493 at the request of King Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, retroactively sanctioning the “discovery” of Guanahani Island (modern-day Bahamas) by Columbus in 1492 and the brutal conquest of the Taíno Indigenous inhabitants in the Caribbean. “This doctrine on which all European states relied thus originated with the arbitrary and unilateral establishment of the Iberian monarchies’ exclusive rights under Christian canon law to colonize foreign peoples, and this right was later seized by other European monarchical colonizing projects.”3 The papal bulls served to grant Christian nations the divine right to claim absolute title to and ultimate authority over any newly “discovered” lands and their non-Christian inhabitants. The ideology and practice of the Doctrine of Discovery reveal that Christian powers regarded Indigenous peoples as less than human, without human rights. In its colonization of North America, the young United States claimed the discovery doctrine as a birthright from Great Britain and followed the same pattern of genocide and conquest in the name of Manifest Destiny. Even though the land was already occupied by hundreds of Indigenous nations, the doctrine offered a sanctified ideology of dehumanization along with a misappropriation of divine will. Considering themselves the chosen people in the promised land, inheritors of a divine command to capture, vanquish, and subdue non-Christian inhabitants, the United States claimed the inhabited land with violence. Manifest Destiny justified forced removal of American Natives from their homelands. The doctrine was first established into U.S. federal law with the Supreme Court decision of Johnson v. McIntosh in 1823, which found that Native inhabitants have only the right of occupancy in their homelands, with no title rights to land. With Native land title extinguished by legislative authority, President Andrew Jackson authorized the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Trail of Tears, which the U.S. government forced five Indigenous nations to march, is notably mentioned in American history, but many more such death marches occurred as land was cleared of Native inhabitants for western settlement.4
3 4
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (Boston: Beacon Press, 2014), 199. Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah, Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2019), 107-113.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 262 of 285
The Johnson v. McIntosh decision is the cornerstone of U.S.–Indian policy and property law today and continues to suppress the rights of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. A note on Canada: The Doctrine of Discovery fostered and justified nationalism among countries throughout the world. While Canada and First Nations people have their own story, distinct from the U.S. embrace of Manifest Destiny, we recognize that Canada bears its own scars of nationalism that also result from the legacy of this doctrine.
BIBLICAL FOUNDATION We see the uniqueness of humanity emphasized in Genesis 1:26: “Let us make humankind in our own image, after our likeness.” Every human being is endowed with inherent dignity because humanity is imprinted with God’s own image. The image, suggests Covenant theologian Donald Frisk in This We Believe, contains both a substantial property and a relational one. We possess, in the very structure of our being, image—something like the imprint of the presidential likeness on a United States coin. It is easy to see how such an image may become so worn as to be almost obliterated, but nonetheless remains a part of the coin itself. Likewise says Frisk, the image is relational, “like the reflection of the moon in the mirror-like surface of a mountain lake.” There are elements of truth in both positions; image is substantial, and it is relational. Our biblical understanding of the image of God is further amplified in Genesis 1:27: “So God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” We note here the implication that God created us for community, for relationship. To be in the image of God is to be in responsible relationship with others. Moreover, our vocation or calling as human beings is to be agents through whom the entire creation can reflect the glory of God, praising him and glorifying his holy name. Image-bearing then, takes on both individual and communal meaning. The powerful imagery of the coin, however, reminds us that the imago Dei is easily marred. As with the imprint of the presidential or monarchal likeness on a coin that becomes worn over time so as to become nearly unrecognizable, the essence of the imago Dei in us as well as in others can become worn. Moreover, as a sinful and broken humanity, we can have a tendency to mar the image of God in others; to relegate, dismiss, or discount it altogether. This marring has been evident in the historic legacies of colonization, conquest, and the marginalization of Indigenous peoples in the U.S. and internationally,
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 263 of 285
the theological justification for which was grossly misinterpreted in the Genesis narrative. Genesis 1:28 states, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’” This text became the false narrative and biblical justification for subjugating Indigenous peoples in the U.S. and led the West to place itself above and apart from the rest of creation and even above and apart from the rest of humanity. Such interpretation misses the essence of dominion as stewardship rather than ownership; yet divine dominion became the scriptural basis for propelling the Doctrine of Discovery—the divine right of conquest, superiority, Manifest Destiny, theft of land, and the brutalization of thousands of Native peoples who occupied the space before “discovery.” Image marred, in both parties, so worn as to be almost obliterated, but nonetheless remaining a part of the coin. Just as the meta-narrative of the Genesis and indeed, the entire biblical story reflects the paradigms of creation, sin, redemption, and reconciliation (i.e., Genesis 1:26; 4; 11; 18:22), so it is with the substantial and relational enterprise of image-bearing. Image created, and subsequently marred, is redeemed by God in Christ. As Frisk reminds us, “Only by turning away from ourselves to God, or more accurately, to Jesus Christ, who ‘is the image of the invisible God’ (Colossians 1:15), the Word made flesh for us (John 1:14)”—can we be restored to the wide space (the overarching narrative of the gospel, Matthew 22:3440)—the space of shalom, harmony, and justice, as theologian Walter Brueggemann alludes. Pursuing the shalom, harmony, and justice of God as it pertains to the marginalization of Indigenous peoples is about making the shift from image bearers to image protectors. As Frisk reminds us, “We participate in truly human existence through faith in Christ, the Word. In him, we ‘put on the new nature,’ created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). True existence is nothing less than living in God’s love, in his forgiveness, in his service which is our true freedom,” and in right relationship with all of humanity. As a people who affirm the doctrine of imago Dei, believing that all people are created in the image of God and have inherent value, we seek to be a part of Christ’s healing work where imago Dei was rejected. We must hear the truth and lament the complicity of the Church in the marginalization of Indigenous people. Further, it is the very essence of imago Dei which compels us to reject the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples and repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 264 of 285
ONGOING IMPACT OF THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY The legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery in the U.S. and Canada today has created historical intergenerational trauma (post-traumatic stress disorder and historical trauma response)5 due to genocide, forced assimilation, removal, loss of homelands, and loss and repression of language and religion. These effects are directly related to conditions of excessive poverty on reservations, disproportional youth suicides, addiction issues 6-12 times higher than the rest of the U.S. population, extreme incidences of Type II diabetes from loss of traditional diets, and some of the highest unemployment rates in the United States. Similar conditions exist in Canada as well. One example of forced assimilation in the U.S. and Canada is the tragedy of Indian boarding or residential schools. Following the Civil War, Native American and Alaska Native children were often forcibly taken from their families and sent into boarding schools to undergo rigorous civilizing and “Christianizing” in an effort to “induce assimilation.” Army Captain Richard Pratt modeled the flagship boarding school in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, after prisoner of war camps he designed during the Civil War. The schools were designed to implement a philosophy of “kill the Indian, to save the man.”6 Too often, however, they killed the child. Children suffered from starvation and disease, as well as mental, spiritual, and sexual abuse in boarding schools. From the years 1883 to 1918, 500 deaths were reported at Carlisle alone.7 In 1872 in the U.S., the Board of Indian Commissioners assigned 73 Indian agencies to various Christian denominations who administered the boarding schools. Twelve Christian denominations administered 357 schools in 30 states.8 In Canada, there were over 130 residential schools administered by three denominations from 1831 through to 1996.9 Native identity was attacked in boarding schools by eliminating cultural food and dress and inflicting harsh punishment when children spoke their Native language or practiced any cultural customs. Children were institutionally reared in fear and neglect. Those who survived boarding schools often carried with them shame for their Native cultures.
5
6 7 8 9
Charles and Rah, Unsettling Truths, 68-172. www.edweek.org/ew/projects/2013/native-american-education/history-of-american-indian-education.html Native American Rights Fund Legal Review, Volume 38, No.2, Summer/Fall 2013. www.boardingschoolhealing.org/education/resources https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
Page 265 of 285
The legacy and residual impact of the Doctrine of Discovery also gave rise in both countries to federal policies that led to genocide, assimilation, removal, the Indian reservation system, reorganization, termination, and relocation. Many reservations and reserves were targeted for nuclear testing sites and waste storage, uranium mining, and other mineral extraction that leaves toxic waste. Natives have persevered, but many Native tribes continuously suffer ill-health due to such environmental racism. As recently as 2014, an Arizona congressman referred to Natives as “wards of the federal government” at a public hearing regarding his bill seeking to open Oak Flat, an Apache sacred site, to copper mining.10 The ideology of the discovery principle has been so pervasive as to become institutionalized. The effects of extraction industries on or near Indian reservations have resulted in disproportionate rates of murder, missing persons, and sexual trafficking, a phenomenon known as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.11 The National Institute of Justice states that more than 80 percent of Native American women have experienced violence in their life; one in three have suffered rape. The effects of Doctrine of Discovery extend beyond Indigenous people to impact every immigrant group in the U.S., including the white majority. The doctrine was an antecedent to chattel slavery, informing the transatlantic slave trade and perpetuating a nationalism that degrades the image of God into something far short of the fullness of humanity we see in Revelation 7:9.
THE COMPLICITY OF THE CHURCH In the most basic terms, the Evangelical Covenant Church has been complicit in the Doctrine of Discovery by establishing churches on land that was made available by removing the original Native inhabitants and denying right to title. Number Nine Above Specifically, one era in our history is particularly egregious. Between the years of 1898 and 1910, the Evangelical Covenant Church and Covenant missionaries participated in the Alaska gold rush. A group of Covenant leaders in Chicago formed the Good Hope Mining Company, which prospected and staked more than 300 claims. Missionary Peter H. Anderson became involved in two claims, “Number Eight Above” and “Number Nine Above,” near present-day Nome. Both were originally held in the names of
10
11
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and Dina Gillio-Whitaker, All the Real Indians Died Off and 20 Other Myths About Native Americans (Boston: Beacon Press, 2016), 87. www.nativewomenwilderness.org/mmiw
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
7
|
GATHER 2021
Page 266 of 285
Constantine Uparazuck and Gabriel Adams, two young Alaska Natives. At the time, Eskimos were classified as “aliens,” and Congress did not grant them citizenship until 1924. Anderson paid $20 for the Number Nine claim. When Number Nine began to pay off, the Covenant sued Anderson for rights to the proceeds. In response, Anderson offered the denomination $54,000 to settle out of court. The Covenant Executive Board countered by asking for $100,000, plus half of all future proceeds. Anderson refused. The Covenant eventually accepted the $54,000 and signed a release acknowledging Anderson as rightful owner to the claim. North Park received $29,000, and $25,000 was designated for a hospital in Chicago. Later, however, the Covenant sued Anderson again over ownership of the claim. A legal battle strung out over a decade, the case going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Upon appeal, Anderson’s claim was upheld.12 Throughout these events, Covenant missionaries and denominational leaders who were called to serve Indigenous people in Alaska participated in land grab over the mines and succumbed to the lust for gold. At best they became greedy; at worst they were exploitative of Indigenous Alaskans in their pursuit of wealth, exploitation that flowed right out of the heart of the Doctrine of Discovery.
Listening to Our Indigenous Leaders In 2017, a historic event took place among Covenant ministers. One evening during the Midwinter Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, more than 200 people packed a hotel conference room to listen to three Covenant ministers speak of their experiences growing up in the church as Indigenous people: Journey to Mosaic facilitator Lenore Three Stars (Oglala Lakota), Alaska Superintendent Curtis Ivanoff (Alaska Native), and Pastor Jim Sequeira (Native Hawaiian). Curtis Ivanoff, an Alaska Native, spoke of the pain and trauma caused by the long history of the marginalization of Indigenous people in the United States. He likened the pain of Indigenous people to the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, saying that the pain and trauma Native and Indigenous people carry is like that massive oil leak, leaving behind a path of destruction and death. Yet in contrast to the public’s reaction to that oil spill, very little effort has been made to stop the catastrophic effects of the Doctrine of Discovery. “There will be no [peace] or healing until we attend
12
The story of Number 9 Above is told in Leland Carlson, An Alaskan Gold Mine: The Story of No. 9 Above (Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 2015), and in Karl Olsson, By One Spirit (Chicago: Covenant Press, 1962), 373-78. Thanks to Krisann J. Foss for her research on these sources.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
8
|
GATHER 2021
Page 267 of 285
to the leak; until we deal with the injustice,” he said. Native theologian Randy Woodley (Keetoowah Cherokee) writes, “Shalom is always tested on the margins of a society and revealed by how the poor, oppressed, disempowered, and needy are treated.”13 The prophet of ancient Israel cried out for justice when the people’s ability to live in the land they called home was stripped from them, crying out, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24).
CALL In recent years, Christians are finally beginning to acknowledge the harm caused by the Doctrine of Discovery. Denominations and organizations have issued statements repudiating it as inconsistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ, including the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and others.14 In September 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Although the United States and Canada were two of four countries that did not vote to adopt it at that time, President Obama endorsed it in 2010 as an ideal that was not legally binding. In 2016, Canada adopted the declaration, promising to implement resolutions fully.15 The declaration recognizes inherent human rights bestowed by Creator Jesus on Indigenous peoples, politically, economically, culturally, and socially, with rights to their lands and resources. While it is true that the declaration is not legally binding, if supported, it can change unjust norms. In February 2012, the World Council of Churches issued a statement denouncing the Doctrine of Discovery and affirming the human rights of Indigenous people. This resolution calls upon the Evangelical Covenant Church to recognize and confess our complicity with the Doctrine of Discovery, to repudiate its unjust origin and narrative, and to partner together to support efforts on educational, environmental, and social justice in order for the Church to engage in
13 14 15
Randy Woodley, Shalom and the Community of Creation (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012), 15. https://religionnews.com/2018/08/22/denominations-repent-for-native-american-land-grabs/ https://www.canada.ca/en/department-justice/news/2020/12/government-of-canada-introduces-legislation-respecting-the-united-nationsdeclaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
9
|
GATHER 2021
Page 268 of 285
restoration and reconciliation of broken relationship. We also recommend the following commitments: 1. That resources be committed to develop, under the leadership of Indigenous peoples, an Indigenous cross-cultural exploration and immersion journey (a “Trail of Tears” similar to the “Sankofa” journey) to be offered annually for raising awareness, forging understanding, and deepening commitment. 2. That resources be committed to support Indigenous efforts on reservations in proximity to the Covenant Church, such as the ongoing Turtle Mountain church plant, in order to live into the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This would include language preservation and economic and environmental priorities with respect to solar and wind power and clean water (i.e., Covenant World Relief and Development designed water pumps for developing countries). 3. That the Covenant demonstrate ongoing respectful recognition that ours is a “guest status” in the land, and in order to deepen our relational connection with Indigenous peoples, the Covenant commit, at each national event, to honor the “host” peoples whose homeland we are meeting upon.
RESPONSE We confess with our Indigenous brothers and sisters that the whole of creation is the work of God, that all humanity is created in the image of God, and that God declares it all good. We confess that Christ came in the flesh to show God’s love and mercy to humanity and all creation, and we lament the ways in which we have been complicit in marring the imago Dei in Indigenous peoples. We acknowledge the damage done to the Indigenous inhabitants of the Americas through the taking of rights, property, and land. We acknowledge the cultural genocide of Indigenous peoples through sustained and systemic acts of injustice. We acknowledge the complicity of the Christian church (including the Covenant Church) in that dispossession, subjugation, and relegation. We lament and repent of our complicity in the continuing oppressive effects of subjugation, relegation, and theft of culture and land, including but not limited to emotional, psychological, physical, sociological, educational, and economic damage. We repent offering our Indigenous brothers and sisters a theology of assimilation rather than a theology of wholeness.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
10
|
GATHER 2021
Page 269 of 285
We commit to stand in solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, pursuing a renewed strategy for mission together with a particular commitment to forging lasting partnerships of mutuality and nurturing a practice of accompaniment with, rather than missionary endeavor to, in all areas of ministry and at all levels of the Covenant Church. We commit to develop resources to help our congregations and people understand and reduce the negative impacts of the Doctrine of Discovery and its consequences for Indigenous peoples in North America. We commit to honor and follow the lead of Indigenous members and leaders in the Covenant Church as we seek truth, healing, reconciliation, and transformation. We commit to long-term, stable funding for Indigenous ministries within the Covenant as a means of affirming and healing the imago Dei of Indigenous peoples. One measure already in place is the full recognition of the Indigenous Ministers Association of the Evangelical Covenant Church to be seated as a full member and participant at the table of the Mosaic Commission with all of the rights and responsibilities therein. We the Evangelical Covenant Church hereby repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery as fundamentally opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Further, we condemn it as a marring of the image of God and as a violation of the inherent human rights that all peoples have received from God. We the Evangelical Covenant Church will work toward eliminating the Doctrine of Discovery as a legal means for the continued subjugation of Indigenous peoples of their rights, culture, property, and land. We the Evangelical Covenant Church will seek to support Indigenous peoples as they identify ways to affirm their inherent human rights and resolve wrongs in accordance with the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, signed by the U.S. in 2010, which repudiated the validity of the Christian Doctrine of Discovery.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
11
|
GATHER 2021
Page 270 of 285
BIBLIOGRAPHY Adams, David Wallace. Education for Extinction—American Indians and the Boarding School Experience 1875-1928. Lawrence, Kans.: University Press of Kansas, 1995. “American Indian Boarding Schools.” Wikipedia, accessed September 21, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Indian_boarding_schools Bear-Barnetson, Cheryl. Introduction to First Nations Ministry. Cleveland, Tenn.: Cherohala Press, 2013. Carlson, Leland. An Alaskan Gold Mine: The Story of No. 9 Above. Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf and Stock, 2015. Charles, Mark and Soong-Chan Rah. Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2019. Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne. An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States. Boston: Beacon Press, 2014. Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne, and Dina Gilio-Whitaker. All the Real Indians Died Off and 20 Other Myths About Native Americans. Boston: Beacon Press, 2016. Echo-Hawk, Walter R. In the Courts of the Conqueror: The Ten Worst Indian Law Cases Ever Decided. Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum, 2012. __________. In the Light of Justice: The Rise of Human Rights in Native America and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum, 2016. Mann, Charles C. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus. New York: Vintage, 2006. Mohawk, John. Utopian Legacies: A History of Conquest and Oppression in the Western World. Santa Fe, N.M.: Clear Light Publishers, 2000. “Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women.” Native Women’s Wilderness. www.nativewomenswilderness.org/mmiw The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition. https://boardingschoolhealing.org/education/resources/ Newcomb, Steven T. Pagans in the Promised Land: The Roots of Domination in U.S. Federal Indian Law. Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum, 2011. https://doctrineofdiscovery.org/the-doctrine-of-discovery-unmasking-the-domination-code/ Olsson, Karl A. By One Spirit. Chicago: Covenant Press, 1962. Reyhner, John. “1819-2013: A History of American Indian Education.” Education Week, September 11, 2019, www.edweek.org/ew/projects/2013/native-american-education/history-of-american-indian-education.html. United Nations General Assembly. “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” 2007. Woodley, Randy S. Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2012. Documentary/Film Resources (annotated) End of the Line: Women of Standing Rock, https://intercontinentalcry.org/end-line-women-standing-rock/ They are the daughters and granddaughters of brave survivors. People who escaped genocide, only to be robbed of their lands and herded onto reservations. Children who were taken from their families and placed in non-Native boarding schools and foster homes where they suffered further abuse. Today, these women tell their own tragic stories, which range from forced sterilization to substandard medical care. Indian Horse, https://www.indianhorse.ca/en/film The dark history of Canada’s boarding schools or Indigenous residential schools and the indomitable spirit of aboriginal people. Somebody’s Daughter: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, https://www.somebodysdaughter-mmiw.com/ With historical points of reference, the victims’ and their families’ stories are told through the lens of the legal jurisdictional maze and socio-economic bondage that constricts Indian Country. Dawnland, https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/films/dawnland/ The untold story of Indigenous child removal in the U.S. through the nation’s first-ever government-endorsed truth and reconciliation commission, which investigated the devastating impact of Maine’s child welfare practices on the Wabanaki people.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
12
|
GATHER 2021
Page 271 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #36
Recommendations for Continuation of Commissions RECOMMENDATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD REGARDING A FIVE-YEAR TERM FOR THE ETHNIC COMMISSION (Proposed name change from Commission on Ethnic Ministries or Ethnic Commission to “Mosaic Commission”) Basic Recommendation The Council of Administrators and the Covenant Executive Board recommend to the delegates of the 135th Annual Meeting of the Covenant Church that the term of service for the Commission on Ethnic Ministries to be now recognized under the name Mosaic Commission and be extended for an additional five years. Rationale The Commission provides an important place for dialogue, strategy, advocacy, fellowship, and resources for the 30% of Covenant congregations that are ethnic and multiethnic in population. Goals of the Commission The Commission’s ongoing goals include: 1. Enabling dialogue between and among ethnic constituencies and the Covenant. 2. Providing an ongoing reporting and monitoring venue for advances in the Covenant in multiethnic matters and the Six-Fold Test for Multiethnic Ministry. 3. Providing an on-going place for recommendations for the Covenant in multiethnic matters related to the Six-Fold Test and the advancing of the multiethnic mosaic. 4. Establishing networks for fellowship and training. 5. The Six-Fold Test is a rubric that the Covenant committed to live out missionally as the whole church. The Mosaic Commission seeks to help the Covenant live into the Six-Fold Test. 6. Compile the history and narratives to create a Six-Fold Test history book commissioned by the president of the Covenant Church. 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 272 of 285
7. Hold a Six-Fold Test Roundtable Reset in August 2020. Accomplishments of the Commission 1. Ongoing implementation of the 6th “P” of Practicing Solidarity across the ethnic associations. a. The ethnic association presidents have intentionally stood in solidarity with one another in the past year as we have engaged several issues affecting our specific communities and churches. 2. The formalization of IMA (Indigenous Ministers Association) as an official ethnic association in June 2020 when IMA will be considered for a vote before the Covenant annual meeting. 3. Six-fold Test reset and implementation across the denomination level and conference level. 4. The recommendations of the Six-Fold Test Roundtable Reset have become action items and are progressing by: a. Start and Strengthen Churches and individual conferences to initiate new church planting models to reach immigrant/lower-income communities. b. Growing cross-cultural competencies, particularly around power and privilege. c. Creating a curriculum to train pastors/congregations in multiethnic engagement and ministry. d. Fostering greater collaboration among ethnic associations. e. Identifying younger leaders and creating intentional mentoring pathways. f.
Better engaging and equipping ethnic association leaders and pastors to serve on Covenant boards, affiliates, and structures.
g. Dedicating annual conferences like Midwinter 2021 focused on the Six-Fold Test and advancing multiethnic ministries and the mosaic. h. Increasing the number of multiethnic leaders on boards and senior leadership. i.
Revising Covenant Orientation History class to reflect the recent history and multiethnic story.
Composition The Mosaic Commission is chaired by one of the ethnic associations presidents by mutual discernment and in rotation. From the beginning of the Mosaic Commission until April 2019, the commission was chaired by the president of the Covenant. In April 2019, President Wenrich voluntarily stepped down from this role to empower one of the ethnic association presidents to lead this Mosaic Commission.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 273 of 285
Each ethnic association shall have its ethnic association president serve on the Mosaic Commission. Each ethnic association will also have an additional ethnic association board representative present at the spring Mosaic Commission meeting. The executive minister of Love Mercy and Do Justice and the executive minister of Start and Strengthen Churches shall be additional ex-officio members. Other advisors may be invited as well. Sponsoring Mission Priority/Support Area Start and Strengthen Churches and Love Mercy and Do Justice Frequency of Meeting The commission traditionally meets once per year in the spring, in January for the Council of Superintendents and Council of Administrators/Covenant Offices Leadership Team joint meetings, and on occasional conference call meetings.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 274 of 285
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE BOARD REGARDING FIVE-YEAR TERM FOR THE COMMISSION ON TOWN & COUNTRY MINISTRIES Basic Recommendation The Council of Administrators and the Covenant Executive Board recommend to the delegates of the 135th Annual Meeting of the Covenant Church that the term of service for the Commission on Town and Country Ministries be extended for an additional five years. Rationale The commission provides an important place for strategy, advocacy, fellowship, and resources for the 25% of Covenant congregations located in town and country settings. Our mission is to promote healthy and missional churches in the town and country setting. Goals of the Commission Ongoing goals for the next five years include: 1. Working with the Field Education Office at North Park Theological Seminary to encourage rural ministry as a vocational option for seminary graduates by managing the Dusty Larson Scholarship, which provides funds to churches for an internship where the student has handson ministry experience in a Town and Country setting, as well as providing debt relief for rural pastors in their first four years in their call. Advocating for specific seminary training and participating in and supporting the Town and Country element of the Master’s Certificate in Congregational Vitality. 2. Sponsoring and helping coordinate training events for Town and Country pastors at the Covenant Midwinter conference and regional events. 3. Developing a Town and Country worship experience for those interested in rural ministry, followed by a luncheon hosted by the Commission. 4. Keeping the needs of Town and Country churches before the larger Covenant family, attending and leading events at the conference and national levels. 5. Contributing Town and Country articles to Covenant publications and updating the Covenant website Town and Country page. 6. Making site visits to clusters of Covenant Town and Country churches to learn first-hand about local ministries, honoring and encouraging those serving in those ministries, and presenting 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
4
|
GATHER 2021
Page 275 of 285
resources to assist them in becoming healthy, missional churches. 7. Developing a Town and Country mentoring program for rural pastors and churches. 8. Developing a resource for rural church pastoral search committees. 9. Being a support and resource for rural churches who do not have a called pastor. 10. Developing a “Rural Ministry Survival Guide” for rural pastors. 11. Strategizing other means of supporting effective Town and Country ministry. Accomplishments of the Commission 1. Ongoing placement of North Park interns for summer internships. 2. Rural ministry articles published in Covenant Companion. 3. Hosted a North Park Theological Seminary luncheon and panel discussion for seminary students. 4. Provided scholarships to Midwinter for rural pastors. 5. Site visits to Covenant Town and Country churches. 6. Annual Town and Country events at Midwinter Conference for support and encouragement. Composition 6 appointed members (voting) 2 ex-officio liaisons (voting – President and Executive Minister of Start and Strengthen Churches) A pool of administrative advisors (non-voting) Sponsoring Mission Priority/Support Area Start & Strengthen Churches Frequency of Meeting The commission meets at a Town and Country site each spring, while meeting with clusters of Covenant Town and Country churches. An annual business meeting is held in the fall among the members of the commission, and they interact directly with churches and pastors to support and pray for their ministries. This support, affirmation, and counsel the national commission can offer has been highly valued by the local churches and their leaders. Teleconferences are also held for planning and strategizing the work of the commission.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
5
|
GATHER 2021
Page 276 of 285
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES Commission Member A member of the Commission on Town and Country Ministries should: •
Help advance the mission of promoting healthy and missional churches in the town and country setting
•
Attend all meetings of the Commission
•
Be a regional advocate for the Town and Country Commission and for rural churches/pastors
•
Recruit members for the Town and Country Commission
•
Advance the specific goals of the Commission
Commission Chair The chair of the Commission on Town and Country Ministries should: •
Collaborate with the Start and Strengthen Churches representative for rural ministry
•
Communicate progress of the Town and Country Commission toward meeting set goals
•
Coordinate planning of Town and Country events
•
Provide leadership to the Town and Country Commission
•
Facilitate communication among Commission members
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
6
|
GATHER 2021
A G E N D Page A I 277 T EofM285# 3 8
Gather 2022
COVENANT ANNUAL CONNECTION
SAVE THE DATE
June 23-25, 2022 KANSAS CITY, MO
G AT H E R . C O V C H U R C H . O R G
Page 278 of 285
Page 279 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #42.b
Resolution of Gratitude RESOLVED, that the 135th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church express its gratitude to those who labored sacrificially to make this historical, virtual annual Covenant connection possible and afford us the opportunity to witness God’s work throughout our denomination and in the communities, it faithfully serves: •
To Covenant churches throughout North America and to the Council of Superintendents for their prayers, support, generosity, and engagement as we continue to build, expand, elaborate, and grow the Covenant story through this annual gathering;
•
To our moderator, Jonathan Wilson; vice-moderator, Weston Gibson; parliamentarian, Eric Filkin; and secretary, Nilwona Nowlin, whose grace, wisdom, and patience brought us through the past two years of deliberations and preparations to ensure the deliberations of this highest constituted authority of the Covenant denomination would continue with the utmost integrity while we continue to navigate through the uncertainties of the pandemic; and whose pastoral gifts helped shepherd us through this sacred convergence that will lead to the future development and growth of our mission;
•
To Crossroads Covenant Church, Pastor Phil Print, and Pastor Erik Anderson for opening their hearts and the doors of the Woodbury campus for this 135th Annual Meeting and so Covenant leaders could have a production home. Your hospitality and generosity have blessed the present and future generations of the Covenant;
•
To the Council of Administrators for their support and partnership in contributing to this meeting’s agenda, agenda items, delegate resources, and programming. You made this event meaningful and informative for all participants. Your servant leadership and generosity ensured the sanctity of this year’s convening;
•
To the Credentials Committee, Julie Persson, chair, and Rita Sheppard, operations specialist, and Sylvia Olivo, manager of ministry services, who together verified the certified delegates and tallied registrations for general conferees, honorary delegates, and resource personnel;
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 280 of 285
•
To Ryan Thompson, virtual learning specialist, LaNiece Thomas-Flagg, manager of ministry services, and Tina Johnson, manager of administrative services, for their arduous work in facilitating that all delegates and general conferees could engage in the business of this meeting through our AGM Convene portal, which made it possible for this to truly be “a deliberative body”;
•
To all the volunteers at our Annual Meeting production hub in Woodbury, Minnesota, who welcomed us with enthusiasm, guided us to our meeting places, and provided exceptional hospitality;
•
To our worship leaders and guest artists who united us in worship;
•
To the preachers who led our devotions and worship segments. They were anointed living epistles, who raised awareness of the challenges and pains in our Body, and also reminded us of the resilience, promise, and hope we have in Christ Jesus. They reminded us that by God’s grace we are three strands stronger;
•
To the recipients of the Irving J. Lambert Award (Greg Yee and Michelle Clifton-Soderstrom) and the T.W. Anderson Award (Nancy Karlson and Romeo Gonzalez) for exemplifying the call to love God, neighbor, and stranger alike;
•
To Pastor Erik Anderson and Pastor James Brown, who shepherded the production elements over the past six months to make this first virtual Annual Meeting honoring to God and to our entire Covenant family;
•
To Jacqueline Sugihara, director of ministry operations, for going above and beyond to resource individuals and manage the logistical complexity of Gather 2021; she cared for us with a high level of professionalism, grace, restraint, and distinction;
•
To Covenant ministries who were generous in their support of various dimensions of our Gather 2021 experience, including: o
T.W. Anderson sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Conference
o
North Park University and North Park Theological Seminary for sponsoring the production of the first virtual Ordination Service;
o
Paul Carlson Partnership who continued our coffee tradition by ensuring all delegates received Karawa Coffee in their homes;
o
National Covenant Properties for helping us stay true to our tradition of providing a coffee cup to our delegates, even in a virtual setting;
o
And, to all who made our Delegate Resource Box available and made it easier for all 135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 281 of 285
delegates to be informed and participate in our meeting:
•
▪
Bethany Benefit Service
▪
National Covenant Properties
▪
Covenant Living Communities and Services
▪
Covenant Trust Company
▪
Covenant Pension
▪
Love Mercy and Do Justice, Serve Globally, and the FREE Initiative
▪
Make and Deepen Disciples
To Pia Restrepo, Karen Figueroa, Sue Peterson, Erika Clauson, and Nils Clauson, who translated key documents for the business meeting into Spanish and served as translators at our orientation, briefing, business, and worship sessions;
•
To Covenant Operations and President’s Office teams, specifically Governance, Marketing and Communications, Information Technology Services, and Facilities, who over the past eight months and through the aftermath of our gathering, have worked diligently, with servants’ hearts and, with excellence, grew our capacity to engage effectively in this 135th Annual Meeting;
•
To Covenant leaders (staff and volunteer Board, Commission, and Committee members) who provided input and overall guidance in preparation for Gather 2021 and served in various roles throughout our time together; and
•
To all of the Covenant Church delegates, general conferees, and guests who gave of their time, energy, and devotion to deliberate our future mission and celebrate our commitment to seeing more disciples among more populations in a more caring and just world.
RESOLVED, that the Covenant Annual Meeting express its appreciation to those who offered Christian witness, service, skill, organizational excellence, hospitality, and good humor to this 135th Covenant Annual Meeting.
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Page 283 of 285
AGENDA ITEM #42
Resolution of Sympathy We are grateful to God for the following pastors, missionaries, and pastors’ spouses whose deaths have been reported to us since we last met in 2019. We will remember these partners in ministry with gratitude at the Ordination and Commissioning Service. RESOLVED, that the 135th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church expresses its sympathy to the families of the Covenant pastors, missionaries, and pastors’ spouses who have gone to be with the Lord, and that those families be presented with a program of the worship service in which there will be a time of remembrance and thanksgiving for their lives and ministry.
PASTORS Rodney G. Toews, June 8, 2019, Turlock, California Paul G. Nilsen, July 12, 2019, Wilmette, Illinois Richard P. Larson, September 16, 2019, Copperas Cove, Texas Gerald J. Peterson, September 21, 2019, Saint Paul, Minnesota Lon J. Allison, October 20, 2019, Wheaton, Illinois T. David Beck, November 4, 2019, Bellevue, Washington Richard E. Olson, November 13, 2019, Lenexa, Kansas Paul W. Mann, January 3, 2020, Puyallup, Washington Jerold Rice, January 18, 2020, St. Paul, Minnesota Thomas K. Gundersen, February 22, 2020, Rockford, Illinois James V. Sundholm, March 27, 2020, Vashon, Washington Donald R. Husband, March 28, 2020, Nanaimo, British Columbia Gilbert L. Anderson, May 10, 2020 Rocky A. Cook, May 29, 2020, San Antonio, Texas
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
1
|
GATHER 2021
Page 284 of 285
Burdette L. Faulk, July 18, 2020, Grand Rapids, Michigan Warren Nelson, August 12, 2020, Garden Grove, California Wendell Danielson, August 18, 2020, Colorado Springs, Colorado Frances D. Decker, August 25, 2020, Minneapolis, Minnesota Noel V. Cisneros, September 2, 2020, Eau Claire, Wisconsin Lorin H. Soderwall, September 7, 2020, Redlands, California Robert L. Erickson, September 8, 2020, Golden Valley, Minnesota Judith Kemper Behnke, September 18, 2020, Sierra Vista, Arizona Stanley Jerome Johnson, December 12, 2020, Plymouth, Minnesota Floredilia Graterol, December 31, 2020, Norwalk, California Ron Lagerstrom, January 14, 2021, Sacramento, California Eldon D. Johnson, January 15, 2021, Northbrook, Illinois Robert L. Heicher, January 21, 2021, Fremont, California Robert F. Bach, January 31, 2021, Calaveras County, California Michael Blevins, February 14, 2021, Olathe, Kansas Craig E. Anderson, February 26, 2021, Plantation, Florida David L. Larsen, March 19, 2021, Northbrook, Illinois
MISSIONARIES Kurt Lindquist, June 15, 2019, Fargo, North Dakota Mary Ann Weld, July 4, 2019, Spring Valley, California Wayne Weld, January 17, 2020, Spring Valley, California Wilmer J. Oudal, February 2, 2020, Anchorage, Alaska Melvin Dillard Sr., April 3, 2020, Chicago, Illinois Marlys Johnson, April 26, 2020, Carol Stream, Illinois Nancy B. Reed, May 11, 2020, Carol Stream, Illinois Kenneth E. Wicklund, May 20, 2020, Golden Valley, Minnesota Robert S. Thornbloom, June 3, 2020, Northbrook, Illinois Betty R. Melgren, September 4, 2020, Osage City, Kansas
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
2
|
GATHER 2021
Page 285 of 285
PASTORS’ SPOUSES Frances H. King (Carl), March 9, 2019 Kim Mary Fredrickson (David), June 3, 2019, Roseville, California Ivie N. Folden (Albin), June 17, 2019, Golden Valley, Minnesota Susan L. Wood (John), June 23, 2019, Glendora, California Carol Sara (John), June 27, 2019 Geraldine L. Peterson (Norris), August 18, 2019, Otsego, Michigan Charlotte E. Youngman (Ralph), September 2, 2019, Batavia, Illinois Betty Jean Holmgren (Fred), October 13, 2019, Chicago, Illinois Daniel A. Schwabe (Toni), October 24, 2019, Wyoming, Minnesota Michael R. Borden (Diane), November 1, 2019, Manchester, Connecticut Marilyn Nelson (Roger), November 4, 2019, Racine, Wisconsin Rita White (Roland), January 2, 2020, Grand Haven, Michigan Grace I. Vennberg (David), January 10, 2020, Jamestown, New York Elizabeth Carlson (John), May 3, 2020, South Bend, Indiana Jerine Peterson (Wayne), May 27, 2020, Troy, Michigan Nancy Dahlberg (Raymond), May 31, 2020, Northbrook, Illinois Marcia Friedman (Stan), July 20, 2020, Chicago, Illinois Dorothy Anderson (Craig), August 5, 2020, Plantation, Florida Marie Shattuck (Eugene), October 4, 2020, Lincoln, Nebraska Mildred Olson (Donald), November 1, 2020, Bangor, Maine Mary Ellen Rabine (Richard), November 26, 2020, Sequim, Washington Mary Lou Herriott (C. Calvin), December 2, 2020 Kelly Draheim (Tammy), December 31, 2020, Omaha, Nebraska Diane Laverne Roth (Randy), January 11, 2021, Oakland, California Gladys E. Damrose (Albert), January 12, 2021, Rockford, Illinois R. Marie Webster (Paul), February 4, 2021, Golden Valley, Minnesota Lois E. Weborg (C. John), February 16, 2021, Princeton, Illinois Beverly Vallejo-Sanderson (Dale), April 4, 2021, Kailua, Hawaii Harriet L. Olson (K. Wesley), April 12, 2021, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
135th Annual Meeting of The Evangelical Covenant Church
3
|
GATHER 2021
Thanks to our partners and donors who helped make Gather 2021 possible
Reimagining Churches A pathway to becoming a healthy missional church.
A movement to combat the evil of sex-trafficking. So that together all may be free.
G AT H E R . C O V C H U R C H . O R G
Intentional Evangelism A new approach to prayer and evangelism.