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Delegates Approve New Department, Honor Women
GRAND RAPIDS, MI (June 15, 2006) - A new Department of Compassion, Mercy and Justice
was formed today with the unanimous vote of delegates to the 121st Annual
Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
"This is a historic moment in the life of the Evangelical Covenant Church,"
said Donn Engebretson, executive vice president of the denomination. "This is
sharpening our focus and broadening our understanding of ministering the
gospel."
The new department will "align our structures with our values, which are
imbedded within Covenant Affirmations" said Harold Spooner, executive
vice president of Outreach Ministries for Covenant Ministries of Benevolence. He
and Mark Olson, dean of enrollment and director of church relations for North
Park University, introduced the proposed changes to delegates. "The mission of
the department of Compassion, Mercy and Justice is to energize, empower and
equip churches and regional conferences to obey Gods' call," they said.
The new department is necessary due in part to "a surge of interest by local
ministries for compassion and justice, Covenant World Relief and the Paul
Carlson Partnership," Spooner said, adding that the department structure is
"designed to support and channel local ministries." He noted that, "This is a
whole church effort - we don't want to compartmentalize it."
Primary responsibilities of the new department will be to champion its vision
and values, teach about political justice, direct oversight of existing
ministries and staff, and develop a network of churches doing similar
ministries.
Secondary responsibilities will include collaboration with existing
departments on initiatives such as Sankofa, Mosaic, and Invitation to Racial
Righteousness, as well as partner with commissions and other ministries.
Staffing will be "intentionally lean," Spooner said. The department will be
led by an executive minister, an administrative assistant, and the directors of
Covenant World Relief and the Paul Carlson Partnership.
A job description for the executive minister will be developed in August and
a search committee will be formed in October. The committee will recommend a
candidate to the Executive Board next March and announce the candidate in May,
with the Annual Meeting hopefully approving and calling the candidate in June.
Funding for the department is being provided in part by the elimination of
the position of vice president for administration. Those duties are being spread
through other offices.
In addition to the reorganization of duties, delegates also approved
restructuring Executive Board committees – eliminating the appointed positions -
and changing the Executive Board conference representative selection process.
Delegates also elected David Parkyn to be the new president of North Park
University. For more information, please see a related story elsewhere in this
online Covenant news report.
A major portion of the afternoon was devoted to recognition of the role women
historically have played in the Covenant church and celebrating both the 30th
anniversary of the ordination of women in the Covenant and the 90th anniversary
of Women Ministries.
"The women of this church recognized the value of women in ministry 90 years
ago," said Sharon Cairns Mann, chair of the Commission on Biblical Gender
Equality, in introducing two videos chronicling the work of women in the
Covenant.
"We are all indebted to these women for pouring out their lives," Cairns Mann
said following the presentations. She then asked those in the audience whose
lives had in some way been touched by Women Ministries over the years to stand –
and comfortably half of the audience rose from their seats.
She then thanked Ruth Hill, Women Ministries executive ministries, for her
leadership.
"God calls women to bring their gifts and aspirations for ministry," Cairns
Mann said in closing. "Nothing is beyond the reach of a woman whose faith and
identity are grounded in God."
"We owe a debt of gratitude to women serving in pastoral ministries," said
President Glenn Palmberg. He said he has vivid memories as a child watching his
mother and some of her friends roll bandages for use in faraway places. "It was
moving for me not too long ago to be in Congo and see the bandages that continue
to be rolled today," Palmberg said.
"Where would we be without the work of Women Ministries?" he asked. He noted
that today there are 292 credentialed women pastors in the Covenant. Just a few
years ago, there were just 11 serving in senior pastor roles – today there are
35. One-half of the current North Park Theological Seminary enrollment are
women.
"Thank you for all that has been accomplished."
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