Hello ECO Community! Hope you enjoy this month's newsletter! Make sure not to miss the end! Click on the blue link at the very bottom of this email that says "View entire message"!
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A message from Dana Allin, Synod Executive
A few weeks ago, I was on a three hour car ride with my sons. One is a junior in high school and one is a sophomore. They both have their driver's licenses, for which I am thankful, but it was nice to have a little car time with them again. About half way through the trip my older son says he has a couple of faith questions for me. I immediately thought, “Of course! I would love to talk about our faith.” Not to mention I especially love it when they instigate questions. He said to me, “How should I respond when some of my friends ask me why I am pro-life?” and “What do you say to people who think that conservative Christians hate gays?”
Wow! These were not the questions I was expecting! But what ensued was a fantastic ninety minute conversation about all of the different facets of those initial questions he asked. Both of my boys felt that they had a deeper understanding of what they believed as a result of our conversation. They also felt better equipped to have these challenging conversations with their friends - and to do so in a way that could be filled with grace and truth. I look forward to processing more conversations with them that they will no doubt have in the near future.
This conversation, combined with many conversations I have had with ECO leaders, has made me thankful for the grounding we have in ECO’s Essential Tenets. It has also helped me to think that perhaps we should desire more from our leaders than simply “Adhering, receiving, and adopting” the Essential Tenets as stated in different places in our polity. I am not suggesting a polity change or anything like that, but I know when I was a local church pastor, my goal was to make sure my leaders agreed with the core aspects of our Reformed faith. But what I am realizing now, especially with the secularization of our culture...
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Aligning with ECO’s Mission in Heritage Presbytery
By Chris DiVietro, Pastor, Park Road Presbyterian Church, Wyomissing, PA
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In 2021, the Heritage Presbytery decided that we weren't content being churches merely in ECO, but that we longed to be churches aligned with ECO's mission of building flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ.
Our first step was designing a new framework for our presbytery gatherings whereby we centered each weekend gathering around one of ECO's Core Values. The best way we could begin actively aligning with ECO was to make certain we understood and could embody ECO's culture.
In the fall of 2021 we brought in Synod Executive Dana Allin to share with us The Complete Local, which states: The strength of our movement is how we create nimble environments for churches to flourish in their unique Kingdom calling. This is demonstrated by:
- Our efficient structures that maximize each church’s identity and effectiveness.
- Our creativity to embolden and develop a variety of distinct missional expressions.
- Our adamant belief that the stronger each church is, the stronger we all are.
Then, in the spring of 2022 we brought in Pastor Curtis Bronzan of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Los Alamitos, California. Curtis is a trained Auxano navigator and helped our pastors and elders work together to identify our own Kingdom Concept - our upper room vision of our local predicament, our peoples' giftings, and our leaders' passions - as well as the rest of the Vision Frame process. Curtis also offered follow-up coaching with each individual church from our presbytery if they were interested.
Each of the churches in Heritage Presbytery are excited to increasingly align with ECO to build flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ.
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Considering the Vision Frame process for your church or presbytery? We’d love to talk to you about it!
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Plan to join us in Newport Beach and bring your whole team! Never been before? This is your year! Registration opens September 1st!
Here’s what people are saying:
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"There was nothing like being surrounded by hundreds of my ECO brothers and sisters in exalted praise. Particularly with the divisions in our country, the unity and passion in worship truly restored my soul. Every year, the Lord prompts me deeper and closer to Himself through one of the speakers -- this year it was Rich Villados. Thank you, ECO staff for your thoughtful and Spirit-empowered leadership." - Pastor in Texas
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"I love NG because it provides true rest, an opportunity to see old friends and encouragement for the new year". - Covenant Partner in Georgia |
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"It’s like a family reunion that you actually want to go to! The speakers/breakout sessions are deeply formative, but the hallway conversations are my favorite part. I always leave encouraged that I’m not alone." - Pastor in Florida |
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Registration is open!
Join us for our first ever women pastors retreat - just for you!
the details can be found below.
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Spiritual Direction has become a vital part of formation for many of the pastors, leaders and covenant partners throughout ECO. Spiritual directors offer the gift of holy listening—reflecting Jesus’ love and empathy for others to help them experience God and follow the Spirit’s leading, while providing guidance for their relationship with God.
We offer in person Spiritual Direction (for free!) at our annual National Gathering and it has been a blessing and a benefit for those who have participated. Make sure to check it out at our next gathering - even if it’s your first time and you are curious what it is like, or if you regularly do Spiritual Direction throughout the year.
Are you looking into Spiritual Direction and/or are curious about how to find a Spiritual Director? We have a list of reputable Spiritual Directors (from both in ECO and outside of ECO) and organizations ready for you! Contact Taylor Woods taylor@eco-pres.org and she will be happy to email you the list.
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CHURCH MUTUAL INSURANCE AFFINITY PROGRAM |
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Church Mutual Insurance Affinity Program |
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Did you know the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians has an insurance partner with coverage benefits and specific resources to help reduce your risks? By joining the ECO Group Property & Casualty Program from Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. (a stock insurer)1 you:
Receive a 5% discount on your package policy (except in states where not allowed by law).
Can earn a safety dividend (except in states where not allowed by law). Over $200K in safety dividends have been paid since 2011.
Have access to Risk Control resources that help keep your people and property safe: on-site safety and hazard analysis, sexual abuse prevention training, CM Sensor® 24/7 Temperature and Water Alert System, and more!
Church Mutual® has been insuring congregations like yours for 125 years. The ECO group is waiting to welcome you!
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3000 Schuster Lane | P.O. Box 357 | Merrill, WI 54452-0357
affinityprograms@churchmutual.com | www.churchmutual.com
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Flourish Institute of Theology
We are so incredibly thankful for the overwhelming enthusiasm and support that we have received for the Flourish Institute of Theology (FIT). We are most grateful for all the encouragement and support we have received in preparing to launch the Flourish Institute of Theology this Fall. Special thanks to those who have contributed to our startup costs or scholarship funds and those who are recruiting students for us. In addition to classes beginning on Sept 6th, applications are now open and registration for courses will begin August, 1st. Visit: https://flourishinstitute.online to learn more.
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Also in the next few weeks, our team will be mailing each of our churches a FIT Prospectus which briefly describes our goals, purpose, costs, and course structure. So check your church mailboxes. This is a must read for summer 2022! If you need more copies of the FIT Prospectus, please email us at info@flourishinstitute.online and we would be happy to mail them to you or you can download a PDF of this below.
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We believe our endeavors to create a seminary will not only shape ECO for years to come but will play a part in the larger work of making known the wonders of Jesus and expanding his kingdom. None of this would happen without the larger family of people who are working hard to make it possible.
Many thanks,
Mark R. Patterson, PhD
President, Flourish Institute of Theology
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New Publication: Flourish Institute Prospectus |
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Ready or Not?
Resuming Short-Term Mission in a Post-Pandemic World
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Rev. Dr. Jen Haddox, Director of Global Engagement
“Trips do not accomplish our mission goals. Partnerships accomplish goals, and trips support the partnership.” Tory Roark, Coach with Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission, www.soe.org.
I have missed short-term mission travel these past two years! I am feeling anxious to resume travel, both with eager anticipation and some trepidation! I’m aware that there are new challenges for short-term mission as global travel resumes in a post-covid world. But, I am excited to get back out there and see, smell, and taste different cultures while touching base with friends around the world. I’m eager to “go and do” as part of God’s unfolding work among the nations.
Maybe you’re also eager to get back out there on mission trips again, and like me needed to be reminded that it’s *not* the trip itself that accomplishes God’s mission. Relationships with mission partners is really where mission happens, and travel should be about being together with them first and foremost.
We learned a few things during the pandemic that we shouldn’t “un-learn” now that the world is opening back up to travel. First, we learned that God’s mission continues even when we can’t travel to be there ourselves. Let’s resume short-term mission trips even more aware of our role as short-termers: that God invites us to partner with his work in the world, and we shouldn’t do for our partners what they’ve realized they can do without us. Second, we’ve learned that we *can* do things differently when the pandemic forced us to. So, let’s not just go back to the ways we did short term mission before. Let’s implement new practices for discipleship and shape our short-term mission trips towards mutual encouragement in partnership with God and his people around the world.
If you missed participating in the recent Short-Term Mission Webinar, check out the recording and pick up some helpful insights for re-igniting short-term mission at your church.
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CERTIFIED TRANSITIONAL PASTORS |
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CTP Training this Fall
Outreach and Equipping and Foundations courses are on their way!
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Outreach and Equipping: Sept. 13-15, 2022
This class will equip the CTP to help a church recommit itself to Reformed Christian faith and equip the CTP with evangelistic and discipleship skills. The course will be held in Denver, CO, Sept. 13-15, 2022.
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Foundations: Oct. 4-6, 2022
This is where the CTP will learn, together with their peers, how to recognize the issues congregations face, how to provide a consistent non-anxious presence, how to guide the leadership and the congregation to envision God's preferred future for them. The course will be held in Winston-Salem, NC, Oct. 4-6, 2022.
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View our website below for registration and details to come!
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ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians | eco-pres.org
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