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Wednesday Opening Session Reflects Busy Agenda
KEYSTONE, CO (June 26, 2002) - Although the 2003 Coordinated Budget and the
future of World Mission consumed the lion's share of conversation, the
first day of business of the 117th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical
Covenant Church (ECC) included numerous other items.
In other news:
- The credentialing committee announced that 585 delegates from 253
churches were registered by the first day of the Annual Meeting.
- Paul V. Peterson, president of Covenant Ministries of Benevolence,
presented his annual report, thanking God for the joys of serving 24
years
in administration. President since 1997, he has overseen the work of two
hospitals, 17 retirement communities and three special residences for
the
developmentally disabled. He said he is grateful for the more than
500,000
individuals who have been served by Covenant Retirement Communities in
its
long history, and the 200,000-plus patients served by the denomination's
two hospitals. ECC President Glenn R. Palmberg praised
Peterson's service, his friendship and his Christian witness in
presenting
him with a citation from the denomination in recognition of his
retirement
in September.
- Palmberg introduced Rev. Nubea Kafi, vice president of the Covenant
Church of
 Congo (CEUM), who gave a
greeting
to the delegates (see accompanying photo). He
reviewed events during the five years following evacuation of Covenant
missionaries from Congo. "There were many things that were lost," he
said
of the realities of constant civil unrest in Congo. "But one thing that
was
not lost was our faith and hope."
- Sixteen new churches were voted into the Evangelical Covenant
Church,
including five from the Pacific Southwest Conference. (See related story
elsewhere in the Annual Meeting site.)
- Seven congregations that have closed were officially removed from
the
Covenant roster. (See related story.)
- The moderator for the Annual Meeting, Harold "Hal" Larson,
introduced
his staff for the event, including Vice Moderator Beth Fredrickson,
Secretary Mary Jean Graham, Vice Secretary Tricia De Kok and
Parliamentarian Duane Aschenbrenner.
- Ruth Hill, executive minister of Covenant Women Ministries (CWM),
presented her annual report, noting CWM's decision to continue as a
self-supporting ministry. Hill highlighted an upcoming CWM Sankofa
journey
October 11-14 and a short-term mission trip to Johannesburg, South
Africa,
January 3-15, 2003. She also announced that Triennial XI will take place
August 12-15, 2004, in Portland, Oregon, at the Doubletree Inn under the
theme "Meet Me At the River."
- Delegates approved 16 pastors for ordination and five others were
approved for commissioning as staff ministers. Thirteen were approved
for
final transfer of ordination status into the Covenant and four were
approved to start the transfer process. In a report of changes in
credential standing, David Kersten, executive minister of the Department
of
the Ordered Ministry, said two pastors requested to resign their
ordination. They were dropped from the roster of Covenant ministers by
approval of delegates. Two others transferred their ordination, said
Kersten. Delegates approved revoking one pastor's ordination and
another's
commission status. Regarding ordination status, delegates
approved moving two pastors from active to inactive status and moving
one
pastor from inactive to active status. The names of seven commissioned
staff members were moved from leave of absence to inactive and one
commissioned staff member was moved from active to inactive.
- In giving his report, Palmberg discussed the future role of World
Mission and church planting, among other things (see accompanying
photo).
Palmberg also applauded the longtime
efforts of First Covenant Church in Seattle, Washington, which was
founded
in 1889. First Covenant (with 194 in average attendance) has parented or
grandparented 10 churches in and around Seattle representing a combined
attendance of 3,780 on an average Sunday.
- Palmberg introduced the restructured Paul Carlson Foundation, which
assists Covenant medical projects worldwide. Carlson, a Covenant
missionary, was murdered by Congo rebels in December 1964. Palmberg also
praised the work of Covenant World Relief and its effort to help victims
of
the September 11 tragedies in New York and
Washington D.C.
- Dean Lundgren, vice president of finance, presented the treasurer's
report, noting that giving by Covenanters to local churches increased 10
percent to $1,449 per
person. Of 62 reporting Protestant denominations, Covenanters contribute
more per person than other denominations over 5,000.
- Giving from local churches to the Coordinated Budget increased 3.8
percent. Since 1995, giving to the denomination has increased 41.9
percent.
- In World Mission, more than 176,000 members from 1,800 churches are
being supported by the work of Covenant mission. That translates to 2.7
churches for
each Covenant church in North America and 1.7 members for each member in
a
North America Covenant congregation.
- Attendance in North American congregations increased by 6,800 to
135,343, an
increase of 5.29 percent, according to Church Growth and Evangelism
statistics. Overall, 20 percent of Covenanters attending North American
churches worship at churches that are 10 years or age or younger.
Membership is also up by 2.2 percent, or 8,895 people, the second
largest
number of new members in a single year. Total membership is now 104,933.
- About 390,000 are being prayed for through the Bringing My World To
Christ initiative.
- North Park University enrollment has increased 2.3 times since 1990
to
a total of 2,660 students.
- Before presenting his report, Palmberg noted the efforts of the
Department of Church Growth and Evangelism in coordinating Feast 2002, a
triennial event that took
place just prior to the start of the Annual Meeting. Nearly 1,200
attended
Feast 2002.
- Palmberg praised the work of Melsie Waldner, the chair of the
Constitution Revision Commission who died early Tuesday morning of a
heart
attack. The president noted Waldner's passion for ministry and her
servant
hood during the four years she
helped direct the commission. "Her influence will continue to affect the
denomination for a long time to come," he said. (See related story in
main
news section.)
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