A sense of goodwill seems to be abounding in the conference, especially at the host church, which is celebrating its centennial in 2003. But the addition of one new church, the possibilities of other church plants in the near future and the help being provided to Pilgrim Pines Conference Center by conference congregations are worth celebrating, too, Dvorak noted.

"I feel great about the conference and we had a wonderful annual meeting," Dvorak said following the annual meeting. He also noted two other developments that have strengthened the conference - the progress by conference commissions centered on church growth and development, church life/education and church life/mission, as well as the work of Associate Supt. Judy Swanberg during the first year of the conference's Churches Planting Churches initiative.

Delegates recommended the membership of Cambridge Community Fellowship Church of Cambridge, Massachusetts, during the business meeting. Soong-Chan Rah is the pastor of the multi-staff congregation. Official membership is pending a vote of delegates attending the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church in June.

A number of church plants or adoptions are also on the horizon, Dvorak said. Brooklyn Covenant Ministry under Conway and Deborah Boyce began a church plant in March and there is a core group of 50 in place. A congregation in the Northern New Jersey/Metro New York area is being planned as well, along with a Hispanic congregation in Providence, Rhode Island.

Among already existing congregations, Emmanuel Covenant Church of Nashua, New Hampshire, is hoping that a partnership between church and conference can be transforming. Dvorak said that Emmanuel Covenant, under pastor Dale Kuehne, is working with a "management team" comprised of church members and conference appointees to begin a local revitalization effort. The church has received support from Bethany Covenant Church in Bedford, New Hampshire.

Dvorak reported that one of the most moving moments of the weekend was the gift of more than $42,000 to Dvorak by Bethlehem Covenant Church of Worcester, Massachusetts. Alden Anderson, chair of the church, presented the check during the business meeting. The gift came from the estate of a deceased member of the church. It will be used to help Pilgrim Pines pay property taxes to the town of Swanzey, New Hampshire.

The town of Swanzey has been charging Pilgrim Pines property taxes since November 1996 - a total that is in excess of $600,000. The conference center, which opened in 1957, had not been asked to pay property taxes until 1996. The conference represents the center and is seeking abatement from having to pay property taxes from 2000 on. Most camps are exempt from paying property taxes from the towns in which they are located. The case is pending and the conference is continuing talks with the town to seek exemption from the property taxes. A tax task force including members of both the Pilgrim Pines Conference Center and East Coast Conference boards is meeting to discuss the next steps in the process.

Last November, the East Coast Conference Executive Board approved a matching grant of up to $25,000 (to be drawn from reserve funds) aimed at doubling any contributions from conference churches directed to the tax relief situation. Churches can raise such monies (over and above regular mission giving to Pilgrim Pines) until June 1. Thus far, 20 churches have contributed to this effort, said Executive Director Bob DeJong.

In other business session news:

• Delegates elected conference Executive Board officers Andre Thomas of Cranston, Rhode Island (vice chair for church life/mission), Eric Hillabrant of Wilton, Connecticut (secretary) and Marcia Stohlberg of Cromwell, Connecticut (vice secretary) for three-year terms. Nancy Sager (greater Hartford District trustee) of Berlin, Connecticut; Gwendolyn Wade (Sixth District) of Bronx, New York; and Garth McGrath (trustee-at-large) of Keene, New Hampshire, were also elected to the board while Roger Turner of Concord, New Hampshire, was re-elected as trustee-at-large.
• In elections pertaining to other conference entities or departments, Paul Day and Eric Larson were elected while Ardeith Froeberg and Ralph Johannson were re-elected to the board of the Seafarer's Mission based in Boston, Massachusetts. Eugene Bloomwell and Robert Olson were re-elected for the Pilgrim Pines Conference Center Board while Scott McEvoy, Carin Redding, Mark Sande-Kerback and Andy Sebanc were elected for to first terms. Evelyn Elia was re-elected and Bruce Johnson was elected to the conference Board of Human Resources.
• David Jacobsen was introduced as the new president and CEO of the Children's Home of Cromwell, Connecticut, and gave a report and video presentation of the home. Meanwhile, Burton Johnson gave a presentation on behalf of the Covenant Village of Cromwell.
• Delegates acknowledged the 50th anniversary of ordination for retired pastors Carl (Elsbeth) Helgerson of Jamestown, Rhode Island; Fred (Gladys) Lawson of Cromwell, Connecticut; and Richard (Helen) Swanson of East Dennis, Massachusetts. They also acknowledged the Attleboro congregation's anniversary, along with significant anniversaries of other congregations, including the 120th anniversary of Covenant Congregational Church in North Easton, Massachusetts; the 115th anniversary of Salem Covenant Church in Washington Depot, Connecticut; Covenant Congregational Covenant in Waltham, Massachusetts; the 110th anniversary of Livingston, New Jersey; the 40 years of ministry for Church of the Redeemer in Bowie, Maryland; and the fifth anniversary of New Covenant Church in Queens, New York.

David Kersten, executive minister of the Department of the Ordered Ministry, gave a greeting from the denomination along with a departmental report during the Conference Ministerium meeting that preceded the annual meeting. Ministerium Chair Peter Nielsen said that Ministerium approved an amendment to clarify membership in the Ministerium and elected a new vice chair, Mark Pattie of North Easton, Massachusetts, and treasurer, John Marks of Livingston, New Jersey. North Park Theological Seminary Prof. Brent Laytham preached at the Ministerium worship service after leading continuing education sessions pertaining to the authority of sacrament, scripture and the minister in the church. Randall Swenson, representing Covenant Estate Planning and Covenant Trust Company in Chicago, also was a guest at the annual meeting.