ECO now has its own, brand-new website at www.eco-pres.org. Until now, ECO and The Fellowship have shared a single web platform. The mission of our two organizations remains the same: Building flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ. But The Fellowship and ECO are living out this mission in different ways and contexts, meaning it’s important for each organization to have its own website to share its story, priorities, and next steps in the mission.  We also plan to launch a new website for The Fellowship this summer. In the meantime, we will gradually remove detailed information about ECO from this website and point you toward the new ECO website for the latest information, resources, and events related to their work as a denomination.

Some of the features of the new ECO site include:

• Responsive Design. The ECO site was made using responsive design, meaning the website will adjust to any size device. From smart phones to touchscreen tablets, small laptops to widescreen desktops, the ECO website customizes to function wherever you are.
• Gallery of Member Churches.  The scrolling carousel of photos on the homepage shows actual pictures from congregations that have joined ECO. The ethos of ECO is not to be an institutional body, but a community of people. As ECO grows, so will the assembly of photos, highlighting the diversity and energy each member church brings.
• Story, Name & Goals.  Since ECO is new, it’s important to have buy-in around the basics. We offer a Who We Are and Initiatives section to understand our name, makeup, priorities, and goals. You can also dig into fundamentals in the Theology and Structure sections.
• Resources & Videos:  We want information to be easy to access. Our Resources section is divided into categories that allow congregations and pastors to find or search for downloadable PDFs. The Video page is designed for easy view of past events and speakers for both ECO and The Fellowship.
• Interaction: Job Board, Blog, & Giving.  We invite engagement. Is your church hiring and you want to share it with the ECO network? Email ECO with open positions and they’ll be posted to the Job Board page. Starting this summer, the ECO Blog will be a forum to share stories, news, and ideas. And the Giving page allows congregations to invest in the movement.

Thanks for your patience and partnership!

The staff of The Fellowship & ECO is willing to help any member churches determine their eligibility for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. Forms are due to the government by May 15, 2013, but we can help you determine your eligibility and calculate your credit if you submit your information by May 1, 2013.

You may be eligible if your church:

• is a member of either the Fellowship or ECO
• employs fewer than 25 full-time (or equivalent) employees at an average compensation of $50,000 or less
• paid health insurance premiums for employees and/or pastors through the Board of Pensions or similar provider in 2012
• issued federal withholdings (W-2s) for employees and/or pastors in 2012

Questions? Need assistance? Contact Zach Brehm at 719.471.4420 or zbrehm@fellowship-pres.org before May 1.

On behalf of the combined boards of ECO and the Fellowship of Presbyterians I am thrilled to announce Dana Allin has accepted the call to be the first Synod Executive of ECO.

The Synod is the highest body in ECO because, in our global Presbyterian and Reformed context, ECO believes itself to be an integral part of something larger. The ECO Synod comprises the Presbytery of the East and the Presbytery of the West along with their member congregations and pastors.

As Synod Executive, Dana will provide strategic leadership in the vision of ECO to connect congregations and pastors in accountable relationships (the covenant order). He will provide congregations with training resources, and partner with seminaries to develop a pipeline of church planters and pastors for the future. Resourcing church planting will be a particular emphasis in Dana’s role as plans for a Church Planting Assessment Center are already underway.

Dana has played many significant roles in ECO already. Serving on the team that crafted the ECO polity and, since May 2012, serving as ECO’s President, Dana has proven himself to be detail-oriented while maintaining a big picture focus. As ECO President, a volunteer position, Dana has traveled the country to help congregations as they discern God’s call for their next steps. His gifts in strategic planning and organizational leadership will serve this growing ECO movement well.

Dana will seek to dissolve his call as Senior Pastor of the Indian River Presbyterian Church in Fort Pierce, Florida, becoming ECO’s first full-time employee on April 15.  Join us in praying for Dana as he follows God’s call into this new role, and praying for his congregation as they face this major pastoral transition. I personally look forward to continuing to work alongside Dana in our joint mission to build flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Jim Singleton

President, The Fellowship of Presbyterians