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Midwest Delegates Approve Three Administrative Regions
SHAWNEE, KS (May 7, 2002) - Delegates from 54 churches and fellowship groups
approved a plan to divide Midwest Conference administrative duties into
three regions during the conference annual meeting April 26-27 at Community
Covenant Church in Shawnee.
The conference's main office and Supt. Kenneth Carlson will remain in
Omaha, Nebraska, while other offices (including an associate
superintendent) will be established near Kansas City and near Denver.
Current Associate Supt. Rick Mylander is scheduled to head the Colorado
office.
Funds for a new associate superintendent position in Kansas City were made
available by the approval of the 2003 conference budget. The conference
spans 900 miles and serves 80 congregations. A task force began considering
the plan two years ago in order to better serve the vast region. Dave
Benedict, conference vice chair and a member of the task force that
developed the plan, made the presentation to delegates. Carlson said his
desire is that the local church can be
as creative and flexible as possible in serving an ever-changing world.
"Since September 11, the church has been called to share the Gospel to an
even more needy nation and world," stated Carlson in his annual meeting
report. "While the message remains the same, the challenge for us is that
ministry styles may have to change to reach the diversity of
our culture with the love and hope we have in Jesus Christ."
The conference's 148 delegates voted to recommend Celebration Covenant
Church of Omaha, Nebraska, and Relative Word Ministries of Colorado
Springs, Colorado, for membership in the Evangelical Covenant Church. Those
recommendations will be presented to delegates attending the 117th Annual
Meeting in June. The recommended congregations reflect the continuing
effort to plant churches in the conference, said Carlson in his report,
adding, "We are all on a local mission field for Jesus Christ."
Mylander underscored the need for local churches to parent new church
plants, stating in his annual report that that the United States is the
third largest mission field in the world. "Conversion growth is 125 percent
greater in new church plants than it is in established
Churches," he noted.
New members were elected to three-year terms on the Midwest Conference
Executive Board. They include Daniel Sesay, Applewood Colorado; David
Benedict, Pomeroy Iowa; Dale Gustafson Shawnee, Kansas (Community
Covenant); and Cliff Jensen, Aurora, Nebraska.
Special guests in Shawnee included pastor Duale Langba, director of
evangelism for the Covenant Church in the Congo. Pastor Duale is one of
three Congolese pastors participating in the Missionary Leader in Residence
program sponsored by the Covenant's Department of World
Mission. He is being hosted by Arvada Covenant Church in Arvada, Colorado,
for three months.
Jim Gustafson, executive minister of the Department of World Mission, also
was a guest of the Midwest Conference.
In other news:
- Conference Chairperson Sharon Mann led the annual meeting proceedings.
Stan Mann and Judy Diehl provided assistance, interviewing those
representing six conference institutions.
- Barb Alf, a member of the conference Executive Board, gave a
presentation about the Covenant Church in Sudan with pictures from the last
annual meeting of the church. She brought a resolution (approved by
delegates) recommending that the Department of World Mission send a
full-time missionary to Gambella, Ethiopia, to help the Sudan church.
- Paul Lessard, executive director of Covenant Bible College-Midwest in
Windsor, Colorado, gave an update on the school. He said that fundraising
was a key component of future ministry, stating that the total cost for
each of its 44 students is underwritten by approximately $5,000.
- In the Midwest Covenant Home update, director Pat McElhose reported
that the facility has launched a building project that will increase the
number of assisted living beds to 30 while reducing the number of skilled
care beds to 58. There are about 100 residents overall.
- Covenant Village of Colorado campus director Ted Ahlem and marketing
director Todd Christopher reported that a new three-story building with 34
apartments is nearly completed. The Patio Homes, a new concept in campus
housing, recently received The Award of Excellence and Design from the City
of Westminster. Meanwhile, The Village Center, a long-awaited multipurpose
building with a capacity for more than 300 for worship or other events is
under construction. A swimming pool, additional space for the coffee shop,
gift shop and fitness center and additional office space are also part of
the project. Facilities should be completed this summer. Covenant Village
of Colorado is one of only two Colorado retirement communities that has
received accreditation from the American Association of Homes and Services
for the Aging.
- Dan Buhr, executive director of Covenant Cedars Bible Camp in
Hordville, Nebraska; Tom Cousineau, executive director of Covenant Height
Conference Center in Estes Park, Colorado; and Bryan Muecke, assistant
director of Twin Lakes Christian Center in Manson, Iowa, gave staff
reports, each noting that their respective camps have completed major
building projects.
- Nearly 100 pastors gathered for ministerium meetings at the Harvest
Ridge Covenant Church in Shawnee on April 25. They heard a review of the
proposed Rules for the Ordered Ministry led by Carlson and Phil Hakanson,
senior pastor of First Covenant Church in Omaha Nebraska. Hakanson served
as chair of the task group that drafted the proposed rules. Carlson was the
liaison from the Council of Superintendents. Delegates also approved
amendments to the constitution regarding the ministerial association
officers' terms of office and a report was
given on a strategy to provide more effective pastoral care.
For more information about the Midwest Conference and its recent annual
meeting, call the conference office staff at 402-334-3020.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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