Covenant News

Pacific Conference Welcomes Three New Churches

ROSEVILLE, CA (May 3, 2005) - The Pacific Southwest Conference celebrated a "banner year" in income and the acceptance of three new churches during its annual meeting this past weekend.

The meeting was held at the 10-year-old Bayside Covenant Church in Roseville, California, to highlight the conference's commitment to church planting. Delegates also participated in the first annual Leadership Conference that drew attendees and speakers from across the country. John Ortberg, author and teaching pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, addressed a combined gathering on Friday night.

Twenty conference churches and one non-Covenant church were recognized as partners with church plants in the past year. Mt. Miguel Covenant Retirement Community was commended for its support of a new Hispanic church plant in the San Diego area.

The treasurer's report reflects an all-time high of nearly $1.8 million in income. A budget of $2,344,459 was approved with $1,067,000 to be sought from local churches in undesignated giving and an additional $250,000 in designated giving for church plant partnerships.

Seven church planters were consecrated and three churches were recommended to the Evangelical Covenant Church Executive Board for membership in the denomination:

• Genesis Covenant Church in Phoenix, Arizona
• Journey Covenant Church in Redondo Beach, California
• The Rock Covenant Church in Manhattan Beach, California

Brian Wiele, pastor of Escalon Covenant Church since 1985, was introduced as conference director of mission advancement, a newly created role that begins in July. John Gehring, currently associate director at Alpine Camp and Conference Center, was introduced as the new interim executive director beginning June 16. Stan White, current executive director, and his wife, Angi, were recognized for their 10 years of service.

The closing session of Celebration 2005 included humorous antics by Bob Stromberg, well-known Covenant musician, mime and speaker; a challenging message by Ray Johnston, senior pastor of Bayside; and music led by Lincoln Brewster, worship leader from Bayside, during the communion service.

The PSWC Celebration 2006 will be held April 20-22 at Modesto Covenant Church in Modesto, California.

The celebration began Friday evening with an opening dinner. Highlights were presented from Journey to Mosaic, the four-day cultural awareness trip taken by 32 persons in January 2005. Curt Peterson, executive minister of the Department of World Mission, challenged participants to advance Christ's mission globally as well as locally and regionally.

In other business:

• Participants heard the testimonies of two women from Rock Harbor Covenant Church. One of the women had prayed for her neighbors to commit their lives to Christ. The other woman was one of those neighbors, who was one of the answers to the first woman's prayers.
• A ministry fair featuring reports from the 10 commissions responsible for conference ministries was included with the business meeting. Rotating groups of participants heard officials give presentations at separate displays.
• The PSWC Ministerial Association held its annual meeting at Redeemer Covenant Church in Orangevale on Friday and heard testimonies from 12 candidates for ordination.

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