Covenant News

Davenport Accepts Church Growth & Evangelism Position

CHICAGO, IL (August 7, 2001) - Donald C. Davenport has been named associate director of church planting and congregational development for the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism of the Evangelical Covenant Church. He will begin his new duties in October.

Davenport currently serves as pastor of Community Covenant Church in Calumet Park, Illinois, where he and his wife, Frances, have served for 20 years. During that time, the congregation has grown from 35 members to more than 700 members today. Davenport shared the news with his congregation on Sunday.

Davenport graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication degree. He attended McCormick Seminary and received a Masters in Christian Education degree from Garrett Theological Seminary. In the mid-1970s he served as an area director for Campus Crusade in California and helped direct a Young Life campaign in Chicago. He was associate pastor at Oakdale Covenant Church in Chicago from 1978 to 1980.

"When Don chaired the African-American Ministers Association, he gave exceptional leadership and paved the way to the rapid acceleration that we enjoy today among African-American churches," said Gary Walter, executive minister of the department. Davenport also served on the Board of Church Growth and Evangelism.

Walter said he looks forward to developing a good transition plan to support conference church planting ministries, particularly for conferences east of the Mississippi River.

"We rejoice that Don has accepted the call to this position," Walter said. "As we offer our thanks to God, we ask you to join with us in prayer for Don, Frances and their family as they begin a new direction in their ministry."

Printable version of this page.