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Good Progress Reported at Canada Conference Session
SURREY, BC (April 12, 2002) - A church planting ministry, continued financial
stability and quality worship were among the highlighted topics of the 98th
annual meeting of the Canada Conference April 4-7 at Emmanuel Evangelical
Covenant Church in Surrey.
A total of 79 delegates from 20 congregations gathered for the weekend
event. Henry Greenidge, pastor of Irvington Covenant Church in Portland,
Oregon, served as the guest preacher. Retired pastor Keith Fullerton, who
previously served as Canada Conference superintendent, received an award
for longtime service in the denomination. And Conference Supt. Jeff
Anderson was re-elected for a second term by vote of the delegates.
The conference annual meeting began with a worship service and the Covenant
Women Ministries annual meeting began the following day. Panel discussion
on the subject of "The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Church Today," was
also well attended. Greenidge and Paul Lessard, executive director of
Covenant Bible College-Midwest in Windsor, Colorado, were the main
presenters. Greenidge also led worship experiences during the weekend.
On Saturday, Covenant Bible College hosted its annual banquet and more than
200 attended. A CBC tour team and drama group led worship. Greenidge gave
the message during Sunday morning worship and Emmanuel Covenant provided
leadership for worship.
Judy Nelson (Norquay, Saskatchewan) was re-elected secretary of the
executive board while Tim Fretheim (Surrey, British Columbia) and Dana
Elliott (Winnipeg, Manitoba) were voted onto the executive board, replacing
outgoing members Fullerton and Graham Starmer. Ed DeVries (Nelson, British
Columbia) was voted in as trustee for the Covenant
College board of directors, along with Randy Friesen (Prince Albert,
Saskatchewan) and Judy Drebert (Breton, Alberta).
Anderson reported that the conference now has an average worship attendance
of 2,635 people, an increase of 2 percent over a year ago. He said he is
encouraged by the financial stability in the conference and the
possibilities of church planting in Canada.
A new church plant near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has had core group
meetings in one of the fastest growing areas in the province. Church plants
are being considered in Ontario and Quebec. Anderson hopes to focus on
leadership development in order to bolster pastoral staffing needs in the
near future.
Despite a year of flux in pastoral staffing in the conference, God has been
evident in the life of many Canada churches, delegates were informed:
- Emo, Ontario: Hi League and Joy Club youth programming has brought in
from 20 to 45 nonchurched students each Friday night at Off Lake Covenant
Church.
- Durban, Manitoba: Valley Evangelical Covenant Church has had more than
60 people in various Fall for Christ programs, including a Junior High
Bible study with 13 students.
- Winnipeg, Manitoba: Faith Covenant Church enjoyed a 30 percent increase
in worship attendance in 2001 and a two-worship-team format has provided
more versatile worship programming. Sunday children's programming has also
doubled.
- Minnedosa, Manitoba: Minnedosa Covenant Church has added four new small
group Bible studies and a Tuesday morning Coffee Break ministry has
attracted more than a dozen people. A new council system was put in place
for a one-year trial.
- Norquay, Saskatchewan: Norquay Evangelical Covenant Church donated a
building that once belonged to the former Hyas Covenant Church and it now
is used by a congregation at nearby Key Reserve, which serves First Nations
people there. The cost of moving the building was paid for by Covenant
World Relief funds. Norquay Evangelical Covenant has also been blessed by a
recent building purchase near its home site. The church was able to buy a
local elementary school for $1,000 (Canadian). The church will
allow the community to use the facility for some community activities.
- Wetaskiwin, Alberta: Malmo Mission Covenant Church celebrated
milestones of commitment for five couples during 2001. Four couples
celebrated silver anniversaries at the church. Bert and Vivian Weaver
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
Several denominational representatives attended the meeting. David Kersten,
executive minister of the Department of the Ordered Ministry, presented
Fullerton with his service award. Doreen Olson, executive minister of the
Department of Christian Formation, spoke at the CWM meeting, led one
workshop and led a pre-event workshop. Carol Lawson, Kersten and Olson
helped facilitate meetings to explain the new rules for the Ordered
Ministry, and Bruce Lawson met with camping ministries representatives.
For more information on the Canada Conference annual meeting, call Anderson
at 204-269-3437 or email him at ccc@escape.ca.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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