Covenant News

Central Conference Recommends Four New Churches

LAFAYETTE, IN (May 12, 2003) - Four churches were recommended for membership in the Evangelical Covenant Church during the recent annual meeting of the Central Conference under the theme "Beyond the Threshold." Attendees included 112 delegates representing 55 ch urches and 24 special guests.

The recommended churches include Agape Community Covenant Church in Chicago, Illinois; Friends4Life Covenant Church in Flossmoor, Illinois; Iglesia del Pacto Evangelico Peniel in Chicago; and Millard Community Church in Millard, Wisconsin. Each church received an engraved copy of the Covenant hymnal.

Superintendent Herbert M Freedholm was re-elected, but announced he will retire in August 2005. Those elected to the executive board include Douglas Johnson, chair; Peggy Peryam, vice chair; and members David Erickson, Daniela Gonzala and Mark Johnson.

Those elected to the Harbor Point Ministries Board included Phillip Carlson (chair), Iron River, Michigan; Dawn Mueller, Homers Glen, Illinois; and Todd Anderson, DeKalb, Illinois. Elected as district supervisors for two-year terms are Paul Allen, West Suburban District; Richard Hampton, Fox Valley District; and James Danielson, Great Lakes District.

The Friday evening banquet featured introductions and creative presentations from each of the conference's nine districts, hosted by Christopher Ek, Crystal Lake, and Kirsten Nelson of the Central Conference. Randall Wilkens of the host church, Lafayette Covenant, led the Friday worship service. The communion service incorporated a number of special features, including readers' theater, liturgical dance, reflections and responsive readings. Saturday morning and afternoon sessions included times of worship and witness, with representatives bring personal testimonies of God's work in their respective churches, including the Evangelical Covenant Church of Lafayette and Riverside Covenant in West Lafayette.

During the Saturday luncheon, the Town and Country Award was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Hudson of Iron River, Michigan. Also recognized were retiring ministers A.L. Fullerton and Richard Johnson. Appreciation was shown for board members completing two consecutive terms - John Fredrickson, Herbert Hedstrom and Walter Schiller.

A new conference budget was approved, reflecting a significant emphasis on church planting, church revitalization, home mission partnerships and the Churches Planting Ministries initiative.

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