Covenant News - Closer Look at Churches Approved for Membership

Covenant News

Closer Look at Churches Approved for Membership

ROSEMONT, IL (June 26, 2003) - The mission of the Evangelical Covenant Church is stronger, richer and more diverse because of 22 churches joining the denomination during this year's Annual Meeting.

These congregations combine for nearly 3,000 in average worship attendance each week. Eighteen of the churches are non-Anglo congregations, reflecting the ever-growing diversity of the denomination.

A synopsis of each congregation is included in this report, organized by conference. The Covenant's Department of Church Growth and Evangelism provided most of the information about the churches wishing to join the Covenant.

Canada

Lighthouse Covenant Church in Sarnia, Ontario - Three men in Sarnia, Ontario, which is near the U.S. border in Michigan, had a vision for a church that would reach lost people and do so in a creative and relevant way. They formed a core group and called Pastor Mark Crate to lead them. Crate had a relationship with Kensington Community Church, a large church in the Detroit area that has partnered with the Evangelical Covenant to do church planting. The congregation of 110 began meeting weekly in summer 2002 and currently holds services on Saturday nights in a Christian Reformed Church building. The church is in the process of purchasing land for a permanent facility.

Central

Millard Community Church (an Evangelical Covenant Church) in Millard, Wisconsin - Millard Community Church in southern Wisconsin is a strong community church with a growing congregation under pastor David Hanan. Although the church building was constructed in the early 1950s, the congregation dates back more than 150 years, which would make it the oldest congregation in the Central Conference. The congregation of 110 decided to approach the Evangelical Covenant because of the denomination's strong evangelical beliefs.
Agape Covenant Church in Chicago, Illinois - Pastor Steven Stultz felt God calling him to do youth outreach in the East Garfield Park community on Chicago's Near West Side in the late 1970s. The years of youth work led to the planting of a youth-oriented, community based church that averages 50 in worship attendance. But youth ministry is still an important part of Agape Covenant's ministry. Approximately 800 teens and children are ministered to by Agape, through anti-gang and violence prevention activities and helping youth offenders make better choices and embrace a positive life direction through relationship with Jesus Christ.
Friends 4 Life Covenant Church in Flossmoor, Illinois - Begun in 2001 as a small group meeting bi-monthly in a Chicago area hotel, Friends 4 Life Covenant now numbers 100 people and meets in the building previously occupied by Bethel Covenant Church of Flossmoor. Under pastor George Wilson, the church enjoys a fruitful relationship with the Central Conference and the Covenant, which has provided worship space and valuable assessment and training resources. Members of the church have also been introduced to a global mission world view, focusing on the issue of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Local outreach tools include martial arts and dynamic youth ministries.
Iglesia del Pacto Peniel in Chicago, Illinois - This Covenant church plant of 50 illustrates how blessings pass from one Covenant body to another. Iglesia del Pacto Peniel's home is the building which once housed the South Chicago Evangelical Covenant Church on Chicago's south side. Under pastor Javier Cardenas, Peniel desires to give the strong spiritual leadership needed to its Mexican-American community. Outreach to youth, especially from the gangs of the neighborhood, is an integral ministry.

East Coast

Cambridge Community Fellowship Covenant Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts - In the spring of 1996, an ethnically diverse group of young people began to pray and to dream about a church in the Central Square neighborhood of Cambridge. Pastor Soong-Chan Rah, formerly a campus staff worker with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was called as pastor. From the original group of seven people, Cambridge Community Fellowship has grown to two services and more than 300 worshippers over the course of the past six years. It has been involved in serving senior citizens, neighborhood children, high school youth and at-risk youth. In addition, the church has sent numerous summer, short-term and long-term missionaries.

Great Lakes

Christ Covenant Church in Wixom, Michigan - Christ Covenant Church began in 1994 with a group of people from Faith Covenant Church of Farmington Hills praying about a new church plant. Seven years later the dream became a reality as a core group left Faith Covenant to start Christ Covenant (known as C3). Pastor Nathan Pawl began working with the core group in September of 2001. It now numbers 120 in average worship attendance. C3 has received various kinds of support and resources from Faith Covenant Church, Kensington Community Church, the Great Lakes Conference and the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Midwest

Relevant Word Ministries (an Evangelical Covenant Church) in Colorado Springs, Colorado - Relevant Word Ministries, under the leadership of pastor Promise Lee, began meeting in 1998. It currently worships at a local recreation center in the Hillside neighborhood of Colorado Springs, said Rick Mylander, who directs church planting efforts for the Midwest Conference while serving as associate superintendent. The congregation of 150 has purchased property and hopes to build a church in the near future. Lee has made significant inroads with an organization called Hillside Neighborhood Association, which has assisted the city in revitalization efforts southeast of the downtown area of Colorado Springs. The church has ministered to the community through a neighborhood drop-in center, Soul Café, and through a relationship with Young Life, a youth ministry organization. They also sponsor an annual Tent Meeting and work with a jobs partnership program.

North Pacific

Tapestry Covenant Church in Tacoma, Washington - The word 'tapestry' refers to a rich fabric with threads of many colors interwoven to create a pleasing image. In 2001, Tapestry Covenant Church and pastor Darryl Hutcherson intentionally set out to become a body that reflects the culturally, ethnically, economically and educationally diverse people of the area. The assistance given to help this church plant grow has come from diverse sources as well, including Harbor Covenant of nearby Gig Harbor, Oakdale Covenant of Chicago and Irvington Covenant of Portland, Oregon. The North Pacific Conference and the Evangelical Covenant Church have also assisted the church. Now numbering 120 in average worship attendance, Tapestry Covenant has developed a positive presence in its community where the congregation meets in a recently renovated public middle school.

Pacific Southwest

River's Edge Covenant Church in Brentwood, California - River's Edge Covenant is strategically located in a community that is experiencing phenomenal population growth and where 90 percent of that population does not attend any church. The church vision is to impact a generation of unchurched people and their families or those in "church recovery mode," those who have had negative experiences with the church in the past. The congregation of 150 meets on Sunday evenings in a local community center under pastor Peter Foster.
El Encino Covenant Church in Downey, California - Redeemer Covenant Church, host to EL Encino Covenant, first invited first-generation Hispanics to plant a church some six years ago. Eventually, a small group of about 35 potential core members came together in March 2001 under pastor Daniel Anabalon. The church of 65 is located in a neighborhood made up of people who are primarily Hispanic (either first or second generation immigrants), homeowners and young people. The church's ministries include Christian education for young children, youth soccer, cell groups, leadership formation, parenting programs, consolidation and discipleship ministries and a counseling center.
Southeast Asian Covenant Church in Fresno, California - First Mission Covenant Church of Fresno began reaching out to Southeast Asian immigrants in 1983. Eventually, the word spread among the Southeast Asian community and families started coming to the church. In 2001 Rev. Kong Sitthi became a Covenant church planter, allowing the Laotian-speaking people to form their own congregation. Outreach remains strong with the congregation of 50.
Fuente de Esperanza Covenant Church in Goleta, California - Fuente de Esperanza (Fountain of Hope), under pastor Hugo Otoala, is filling a need for the large Hispanic community in and around Santa Barbara in southern California. Begun in 1999 with assistance provided through various area Covenant churches, the church of 115 serves the community through a food pantry, tutoring services, clothing distribution, health ministry and classes in English as a Second Language via the Santa Barbara Community Development Corporation, which Otoala directs. The congregation meets at University Religious Center.
Nuevas de Gozo (Glad Tidings) Covenant Church in Lennox, California - Nuevas de Gozo (Glad Tidings) was an independent church begun in 1975 by four people. Now this body of 300, under pastor Teodoro Carreras, desires the fellowship of belonging to a larger group within the Body of Christ. The church began through services held in homes, visiting people in the community and helping the needy with food and other needs. There are strong evangelistic programs in place as well as a focus on community relationships, which has helped foster a less violent neighborhood.
Iglesia Misionera Hispanoamericana (an Evangelical Covenant Church) in Pasadena, California - Begun as an independent congregation nine years ago, this church of 200 has always had strong ties to the Covenant, meeting in a facility owned by Pasadena Covenant Church. The church was planted by evangelistic methods like door-to-door visitation and home-based Bible studies and prayer meetings. Now under pastor Marcelo Alvarado, evangelism remains a top priority - through their ministry gang members, alcoholics, and other needy people have come to Christ and experienced significant life changes.
Vida Abundante Covenant Church in Roseville, California - This church started with one family - Pastor Arnoldo Pinto's family. They invited friends, who invited more friends, and the congregation of Vida Abundante (Abundant Life) has grown to 110. The church ministers to the needs of the people in its community, including many who do not speak English. They translate for them, accompany them to court or to doctors' offices, assist in finding jobs, help with police problems and sometimes find them places to sleep.
Iglesia del Pacto Evangélico Esperanza, in Sacramento, California - Esperanza Covenant Church was planted by Valley Hi Covenant Church in conjunction with many other Sacramento churches. The congregation of 45 meets in a wide, spacious sanctuary like room at River Life Covenant Church. The pastor is Rolando Leiva. Esperanza has reached out to the community surrounding the church. Some ministries include providing discipleship for all new believers by an individual who has been discipled, and times set aside for families and couples to worship.
Sanctuary Covenant Church in Sacramento, California - Sanctuary Covenant Church was started through the work of Covenant churches of Sacramento, with five congregations helping financially. With a core of 12 people, Sanctuary started services in the winter of 2001, going to weekly meetings in March 2001 under pastor Sean Curtis, a former youth worker at Bayside Covenant Church in nearby Granite Bay. Immediately, Sanctuary Covenant started community development work and house churches to provide focus and stability to the growing work, which now includes 160 in average worship attendance.
Tapestry Covenant Church in Santa Ana, California - The dream for pastor Ed Salas and Tapestry Covenant Church was to be intentionally multiethnic to attract people from all parts of the county. They received help from nearby NewSong Community Church, a Covenant congregation in Irvine. Several of their members were present at Tapestry's preview services. Since then, Tapestry Covenant has become a diverse, multiethnic church of 100 with people commuting from three different counties. They have baptized more than 20 people since inception and are presently focusing on evangelism and leadership development.
The Creek Covenant Church in Walnut Creek, California - The Creek Covenant Church was started in 1998 and parented by Hillside Covenant Church where pastor Kurt Holm had been the youth pastor for more than a decade. Using Don Fensterman and the 'Churches Planting Churches household support program, the church raised $160,000 to help plant this new church. The Pacific Southwest and the Covenant's Department of Church Growth and Evangelism assisted by providing coaching and helpful resources. The church of 160 meets at Las Lomas High School, just a few blocks from Hillside Covenant.
Pacto de Nueva Vida (New Life Covenant Church) in Wilmington, California - Pacto de Nueva Vida was started in November 2000. The church targets first and second-generation Hispanics in southern California. Rolling Hills Covenant Church in Rolling Hills Estates is the partner church. This church of 85 was begun as a small group meeting in a Christian home in Wilmington. It has grown through the use of cell groups and through word of mouth to first and second generation Hispanics under pastor Raynaldo Garcia.

Southeast

Faith Christian Center (an Evangelical Covenant Church) in Miami, Florida - Faith Christian Center was founded by Pastor Winston Williams, a native Jamaican, in 1987. Although he was involved in church planting as a young adult, he spent 12 years as an officer on the Norwegian Cruise Lines a s well. Williams learned about the Covenant from Ed Carey, pastor of the nearby Palmetto Community Covenant Church. They shared in some youth outreach ministries and Williams decided to get more acquainted. Now a congregation of 300, Faith Christian Church has 14 areas of ministry, including evangelism, television and radio ministry, and church planting.
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