Covenant News

Pacific Southwest Welcomes Eight New Churches

MODESTO, CA (April 27) - The welcoming of eight new congregations highlighted the Pacific Southwest Conference's three-day Celebration 2006 Annual Meeting at Modesto Covenant Church.

Recommended to the Evangelical Covenant Church Annual Meeting for membership were seven California churches and one in Hawaii: Bayside of South Sacramento in Sacramento, Canto Nuevo Covenant Church in Walnut Creek, La Vina Covenant Church in Kerman, Life Covenant Church in Torrance, Nueva Vision Covenant Church in Canoga Park, Rock Harbor in Rocklin, Vision Covenant in Azusa, and Puna Congregational Christian Covenant Church, Keaau, Hawaii.

Recognition plaques were given to 14 churches that entered into partnership agreements with church plants in 2005. Certificates also were handed out to three churches for specific church planting gifts.

Two pastors and their spouses were consecrated to serve as project missionaries for the Covenant: Wainer and Magui Guimaraes to Brazil, and Brad and Cheryl Boydston to Guam.

Luis Cortez, president of Esperanza, a Christian Hispanic organization, preached and spoke on two other occasions about immigration reform. He discussed the issues with a gathering of pastors during the lunch break of the Ministerium meeting and a general gathering, both of which attracted intense interest.

Don Johnson, pastor of Montecito Covenant Church in Santa Barbara, says he was impressed with the presentation as well as the "very frank" discussion. "It wasn't a monologue that we were all nodding our heads."

Johnson supports immigration reform outlined by Esperanza, noting that many Covenant churches already minister to undocumented immigrants. "What drives my heart is that these are my brothers and sisters," Johnson says. "They are Covenanters."

The Conference also distributed Esperanza's Open Letter to Evangelicals to all of the delegates. Superintendent Evelyn M.R. Johnson says the discussions are important. "We want to keep people informed."

Officers in the Hispanic ministries organization of the Evangelical Covenant Church have endorsed the letter, which calls for immigration reform that includes securing borders and giving current undocumented workers the opportunity to apply for citizenship. To read an earlier story concerning the endorsement, please see Open Letter. To read the open letter and the guiding principles, visit the Esperanza website at Esperanza and select the "Faith in Action" link to see the desired documents.

Other Covenant conferences also held annual meetings recently, with others scheduled for this weekend:

• CANADA - Delegates focused on "Growing a Global Perspective" in their meeting at Strathmore, Alberta, that included a report on Covenant churches in Kenya sought out by converted Muslims. Three churches have been started in Kenya. The World Relief Canada representative, Blain McLeod, used his ventriloquist skills and a dummy to introduce development, relief and micro-financing projects in Rwanda and Liberia. Michelle Peng told the delegates about teaching English in Seoul, Korea, where she is involved in a church plant. She also spoke of the physical and spiritual struggles in North Korea. Delegates also re-elected Superintendent Jeff Anderson. The Friday night offering was taken in support of Covenant Bible College.
• ALASKA - A member of Scammon Bay Covenant Church was honored for his "exemplary service to the Lord" at the recent Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Alaska. David Kaganak was presented with the third Daniel Savetilik Award. Savetilik's daughter, Grace Morris, also accepted a special plaque crafted in honor of her father. Savetilik has long been known for his service to the churches in Alaska. Field Director Rodney Sawyer says one of the highlights of the meeting came when a woman unexpectedly gave her testimony about surviving abuse. "God really used it," Sawyer says.
• NORTHWEST CONFERENCE - Delegates were told that arrangements are nearly complete for transferring Adventurous Christians/Covenant Retreat Center to Covenant Pines Bible Camp.

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