The Fellowship of Presbyterians

New ECO Website!

fellowship-admin — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:22:38 +0000

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!

Tax Credit Deadline of May 1

fellowship-admin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:23:08 +0000

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.

Church Planting Conference

The Fellowship — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:59:45 +0000

ECO Presbytery of the East
April 5 & 6, 2013
First Presbyterian Church North Palm Beach, FL

Rev.Terry Gyger – President, LinX
J. Allen Thompson, PhD – President, International Church Planting Center
Dr. Tom Wood – Director, Church Multiplication Ministries

For ministers and other leaders interested in being part of a church planting movement or network as well as those interested in redevelopment leading to a church plant.

Click here for more information.

The Fellowship of Presbyterians / ECO Holds National Gathering In Orlando

The Fellowship — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 03:17:19 +0000

First Synod Meeting of New Denomination Also Held

ORLANDO, FL – January 30, 2013 – Nearly 1,200 Presbyterians from the US, Canada, and Africa are gathered for the 2013 National Gathering of The Fellowship of Presbyterians / ECO in Orlando, Florida. The three-day conference, January 30-February 1, has given pastors, elders, and ministry leaders opportunities to connect and collaborate around a shared mission of building flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ.

The Gathering is a joint collaboration between The Fellowship of Presbyterians, a community of churches and individuals from various Presbyterian denominations, and ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, a Reformed denomination that was birthed out of The Fellowship of Presbyterians movement.

On Thursday, January 31, ECO held its first Synod Meeting, The Reverend. Dr. Dana Allin presiding. Allin will become the first Synod Executive of ECO on April 15, 2013. ECO was officially launched as a denomination one year ago at the 2012 National Gathering in Orlando. In the ensuing 12 months, 28 congregations have fully joined ECO, 48 more are in the process of transitioning into ECO, and another 75-100 congregations are in a congregational discernment process. The most recent congregation to join was the 1700 member First Presbyterian Church of Edmond, OK.

Keynote speakers at the National Gathering include Gary Haugen (President & CEO of International Justice Mission), Jim Mellado (President of the Willow Creek Association), Leighton Ford (President of Leighton Ford Ministries), and Kevin Ford (Principal Partner and Chief Visionary Officer for TAG Consulting), and Joseph Small, author, theologian, and international ecumenist, along with over two dozen other pastors, leaders, and musicians.

The Fellowship of Presbyterians, founded in 2011, seeks to be an accountable community for, and resource to, congregations and leaders in the PC(USA), ECO, and other denominations. The Fellowship offers intentional networks, vibrant events, and ministry resources, centered on a passion to equip leaders to live confidently as followers of Jesus Christ in whatever contexts in which they serve.

Founded in January 2012, ECO’s name represents its commitment to make disciples of Jesus Christ (Evangelical), connect leaders through grace-based relationships (Covenant), and unite around standards of life and ministry (Order). ECO is a Reformed denomination that is structured to feel like an association, with an emphasis on nimble governance, relational networks, and autonomy for local congregations.

Dana Allin Named ECO Synod Exec

fellowship-admin — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:34:18 +0000

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

The ECO Ordination Process

fellowship-admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:36:00 +0000

We are frequently asked, “How can I get ordained in ECO?” The question is being asked by those who are already ordained, by those who are in the ordination process in another denomination, and especially by those who are now in their first considerations of a call to ministry.

We now can answer that question! The ECO ordination process has been established.

The Process:

In order to build flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ, ECO intends to uphold standards of excellence for those who sense God’s call to ordained ministry. We are also committed to keeping the ordination process flexible and dialogical, taking into account each applicant’s particular situation, experience, and personal story. We believe the journey toward ordination should be collegial: a partnering and discernment process for those who are called to serve Jesus in this particular way.

The Plan:

At the ECO Synod meeting, part of the National Gathering January 30-February 1, the Ordination Task Force will make a presentation outlining the details. A manual for ordination and an application form have also been written and will be distributed upon request. Both Presbyteries have teams appointed to oversee ordinations, and those teams have already begun meeting. Ordination exams have been created and will be implemented as needed.

The Goal:

The goal of the ECO ordination process is to welcome new generations of faithful and competent leaders into the ordained ministry of the Church – that these leaders be filled with a love for Jesus and with compassion for a broken world.

Want to know more?

For more information, please contact fellowshippres@gmail.com.

An Open Letter to Mid Council Leaders in Southern CA and HI

The Fellowship — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 11:34:46 +0000

By M. J. Romano, Moderator, ECO Presbytery of the West

Executive Presbyters
Stated Clerks
Presbyteries of the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing in response to the recent decision of the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii in the case of the Session of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church vs. the Presbytery of Santa Barbara. The decision states that ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians and its Presbytery of the West were mischaracterized as a Reformed body.

The decision, however, reflects a number of statements that are simply inaccurate since the time the complaint was initially filed on June 2, 2012. I’m writing to address the inaccuracies in order to assure you that ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, and its Presbytery of the West are indeed Reformed bodies, as our polity and theology clearly evidence.

Let me begin by addressing questions of theology and the Essential Tenets. As most are aware, ECO adopted all 11 confessions and catechisms from the Book of Confessions of the PC(USA). We believe these still guide our ministry in the name of Jesus Christ.

In order to clarify what we believe to be the core theology of these confessions from a distinctively Reformed and evangelical perspective, a task force drafted the Essential Tenets for The Fellowship of Presbyterians and ECO. This task force included The Reverend Dr. Laura Smit, Associate Professor of Reformed Theology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI; The Reverend Dr. Jerry Andrews, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, San Diego, CA; and The Reverend Dr. Joseph Small, former Director of Theology, Worship, and Education, PC(USA). We believe this document reflects a Reformed understanding of the Christian faith.

Individuals seeking membership in churches in the Presbytery of the West are NOT required to sign any document affirming the Essential Tenets. The only requirement of men and women joining ECO congregations is, “testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior” (ECO Polity, 1.0303). I am truly baffled as to how this misunderstanding about church membership arose, since our polity clearly states otherwise.

With regard to the role of the Essential Tenets for church leaders, the Presbytery of the West—along with the rest of ECO–requires elders, deacons, and pastors to reply in the affirmative when asked in their ordination vows:

“Do you receive and adopt without hesitation the Essential Tenets of the ECO as reliable exposition of what Scripture teaches us to do and to believe, and will you be guided by them in your life and ministry?” (ECO Polity 2.0103c)

It is our expectation that, if a governing body together affirms the Essential Tenets document as a reliable doorway into Scripture and the Confessions, it is the job of that governing body to decide how to deal with any person within the governing body, or seeking membership in it, who does not agree with a particular aspect of the theological position. A governing body together makes an affirmation about how they believe on important matters. However, if a particular member of the governing body disagrees with a piece of that belief, the key question at hand is whether that person can submit to the decision of the whole and allow the governing body to function with that belief – even though privately they may have disagreement.

Finally, a consistent question has arisen regarding ECO’s membership in the World Communion of Reformed Churches. ECO is applying to the WCRC this year, and we will prayerfully await the vote by WCRC leadership. Unfortunately, this appears to have become a litmus test for some presbyteries, a misrepresentation of intent and misuse of the purpose of membership in that worldwide organization.

Let me continue by addressing questions of polity and structure. As of this writing, Presbytery of the West consists of nine congregations who have been fully dismissed and received into our body. They are:

First Presbyterian Church of Tacoma, WA
First Presbyterian Church of Jerome, ID
First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs, CO
First Presbyterian Church of Monte Vista, CO
Kirkwood Memorial Church of Penrose, CO
United Presbyterian Church of Canon City, CO
First Presbyterian Church of La Junta, CO
First Presbyterian Church of Lamar, CO
Advent Presbyterian Church of Spring, TX

Congregational membership in these churches totals just over 6,000 members.

In addition, the following churches have been received into the Presbytery of the West pending dismissal from their PC(USA) presbyteries:

First Presbyterian Church of Sibley, IA
Montesano Presbyterian Church of Montesano, WA
First Presbyterian Church of Moses Lake, WA
Gateway Presbyterian Church of The Dalles, OR
Glenkirk Presbyterian Church of Glendora, CA
First Presbyterian Church of Covina, CA

The Presbytery of the West has also assumed full ecclesiastical authority over the clergy serving the congregations whom we have received. We currently have 12 Teaching Elders and two Commissioned Ruling Elders serving within our bounds, as well as three Teaching Elders who serve ECO churches while retaining membership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Those persons serving the churches whose memberships are still pending total 8 more Teaching Elders and another Commissioned Ruling Elder.

The Presbytery of the West employs no staff, though we call regularly upon the resources of our
national ECO staff members. Instead, the Presbytery of the West thrives on the volunteer
commitments of its officers and committee members. At our first stated meeting on November 3, 2012, we elected our first Presbytery Governing Council, consisting of myself as Moderator, Rev. Andrea Messinger (pending her dismissal from San Gabriel Presbytery) as Vice Moderator, Rev. Rory Gillespie as Stated Clerk, and Elder Jim Brown as Treasurer. Minutes of the meeting are available upon your request. We’re happy to share them.

The Presbytery of the West also elected members to our Ministry Partnerships Team (our equivalent of the Committee on Ministry), Pastoral Ministry Ordination Team (our equivalent of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry), and, finally, a Permanent Judicial Commission.

I am aware that some early concerns were expressed about the Presbytery of the West’s leadership being “appointed” rather than nominated and elected to office. In the first few months of the Presbytery of the West’s existence, I was indeed serving as Moderator at the request of ECO’s Board of Directors. This was a temporary arrangement, though, and I have since been duly elected, as noted above. No other such appointments have ever been made within the bounds of the Presbytery of the West.

The Presbytery of the West currently supports a number of programs for clergy, missional outreach, and benevolence. ECO nationally offers a comprehensive medical insurance, death and disability coverage, and a pension plan through Envoy Financial. We also have a nascent Ministers’ Assistance Fund (small but growing!).

The Presbytery of the West supports church planting efforts nationally, and we offer all ECO members access to RightNow Training, an online leadership and ministry training resource. Our regional and national gatherings focus on training and empowering our churches with nationally recognized speakers.

The Presbytery of the West, through ECO, is currently in full partnership with three mission agencies: The Outreach Foundation, Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship, and the Antioch Partners.

The Presbytery of the West also enjoys a strong relationship with Fuller Theological Seminary and Azusa Pacific University. Our Pastoral Ministry Ordination Team has already been in contact with over two dozen potential candidates, who will begin the ordination process with us as soon as our Ordination Manual is approved at our first national Synod meeting in January.

Finally, the Synod PJC’s decision refers to the Presbytery of the West as a “non-geographical presbytery.” This too is inaccurate. The boundary between the Presbytery of the West and Presbytery of the East is the Mississippi River, with the understanding that the whole of the state of Minnesota falls within the Presbytery of the West’s boundaries, while the whole of the state of Louisiana falls within the

Presbytery of the East’s boundaries. Granted, it’s a large piece of geography, but we are geographically bound.

I will not address further claims made in the Synod PJC’s decision, as my purpose in writing today is only to address questions related to ECO and the Presbytery of the West as Reformed bodies. We are of a different flavor of the Reformed tradition, certainly, but I can assure you that we are nevertheless thoroughly Reformed in our polity and theology.

The Reverend Dr. MJ Romano, Moderator Presbytery of the West
ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians

Pastor, First Presbyterian Church
La Junta, CO

“Essentials” and “Covenants:” Learning a New Way of Life

The Fellowship — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 11:20:28 +0000

by Jim Singleton, President of The Fellowship of Presbyterians

A persistent question for both PC(USA) and ECO congregations in The Fellowship of Presbyterians is our relationship to the Essential Tenets document – the centerpiece of The Fellowship’s Theology Project. Many of us believe the problems with which Presbyterians now struggle have developed as a result of embracing theological pluralism within the PC(USA). We threaten our very identity as followers of Jesus when contradictory theological affirmations and biblical interpretations are embraced without question or critique. A significant role of The Fellowship as a covenanted order is to provide theological reorientation to a fragmenting church. We created the Theology Project to ignite a robust, ongoing discussion: what beliefs are “essential” to a Reformed expression of the Faith? As we study and use this document, it is critically important to understand what it is and what it was never intended to be.

PC(USA) ordination vows require that we “…sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as reliable and authentic expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do,” and that we will be “instructed and led by these confessions as [we] lead the people of God.” The Fellowship’s Essential Tenets document reflects a synopsis of the ten confessions currently affirmed by both the PC(USA) and ECO, and through them drawing us deep into the Word of God. The Essential Tenets document is not a “new confession.” It is designed to spark ongoing study of our confessions and catechisms, offering us a renewed experience of the richness of our heritage.

As PC(USA) congregations consider joining The Fellowship or moving into ECO, questions about the Essential Tenets document arise: what if some elders find it hard to accept a phrase or doctrine highlighted in the Essential Tenets document? Does that disqualify them from serving a PC(USA) congregation that joins The Fellowship or moves to ECO? In a few instances, elders have felt the need to resign for reasons of conscience. Neither The Fellowship or ECO requests or requires resignation in these situations. If the session as a whole affirms the Essential Tenets document as a reliable doorway into the Confessions, the session should determine how to minister to individuals who do not agree with aspects of that decision. Sessions act on many important matters. When particular elders disagree, the question becomes whether or not they can submit to the decision. One historic Presbyterian principle for opposition is passive submission while still disagreeing. That being said, if a large minority of the session disagree about the Essential Tenets, it might be prudent to reconsider joining The Fellowship, and it would not be prudent to join ECO.

Another question involves human sexuality. Fellowship congregations in both the PC(USA) and ECO are committed to teach and demonstrate God’s design for human sexuality as it is revealed in Scripture and our confessions. Competing views on sexuality, even among theological conservatives, are indicative of the pluralism that is ripping the PC(USA) apart. As we have said from the beginning, the debate over human sexuality is not the catalyst for creating The Fellowship or forming ECO. That said, we do not want a repeat of the PC(USA) fracture within these organizations. If an elder agrees with the Essential Tenets yet privately understands this particular issue differently, we believe that person may continue to serve while “passively submitting” to the will of the session, provided they are also willing to live in accordance with traditional biblical standards. A session largely divided over this issue is probably not ready to join The Fellowship or consider a move to ECO.

PC(USA) and ECO congregations in The Fellowship are also studying The Fellowship’s Covenant. This is an aspirational document that may be signed by the session as a whole on behalf of the congregation,

and/or may be signed by individuals. It outlines a pattern for the Christian life – a journey we all are making and on which we will always find ourselves at different points. The intent of The Covenant is to aspire together to live more fully into God’s design and claim God’s promise revealed in Scripture.
Two questions frequently emerge as sessions study The Covenant. One involves “tithing” – is that something to be accomplished prior to signing The Covenant? No. Tithing is intended to be an aim of our life as we discover the abundance of God’s provision and the joy of giving. Other questions have been asked about the sanctity of life – does signing The Covenant prohibit certain views of abortion or euthanasia? Through The Covenant, we affirm the teaching of Scripture that everything, including life itself, belongs to God. We are called by God to be faithful stewards. Exercising faithful stewardship is the aim of The Covenant. Understanding what biblical faithfulness entails amid the complexities of contemporary life is a task we should not undertake alone. We need the support and accountability of a covenanted community of like-minded believers. That is the goal of The Fellowship.

We recognize that we are in a long season of discovery. Many of us have developed unhealthy patterns and latitude in our theological study and application of biblical teaching. Becoming people who hold to the teaching of Scripture and conform to a covenanted life will not happen quickly, but we are committed to walking a narrow ridge – holding firmly onto Jesus Christ as he is revealed in Scripture, and having a generous spirit toward each other because of the grace we experience through him. This is not an easy way of life, but we believe it is the way of Jesus.

Registration for Orlando is OPEN

fellowship-admin — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 22:02:30 +0000

Registration for the 2013 national gathering of The Fellowship of Presbyterians and ECO is now open. The dates are January 30-February 1 and our venue will be the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek Resort near the Orlando (FL) airport.

Again this year, we have secured an amazing conference rate that is also available for three days before and three days after the gathering. In order to receive this rate, however, you must book your room through The Fellowship registration site.

Schedule and speakers.

Welcome to the third national gathering of The Fellowship of Presbyterians and ECO!

The Process of Joining ECO

fellowship-admin — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 14:39:35 +0000

As we move into the final months of 2012, PC(USA) presbyteries are meeting and more pastors and congregations are being dismissed into ECO. Checkout the ECO page to see the names of congregations and individuals as they complete the process.

A question that is often asked is, “When should we fill out applications to join ECO?”

While you must follow the process of your dismissing presbytery, we recommend submitting ECO applications at least 30 days prior to a congregational vote on dismissal, and at least 60 days prior to a presbytery vote.

This timing is important so interviews can be scheduled and the transition to the benefits services group of ECO can be facilitated without the possibility of a lapse in coverage. While the benefits services group has been phenomenal in working with our organization, quick turnarounds must be the exception and not the rule!

Two important things to remember:

Applications to denominations are like applications to colleges. Just because you request and even submit an application does not mean you have made a commitment. It is better to begin the process with the potential receiving denominations early in your season of discernment.
Application to ECO does not guarantee acceptance into ECO. The Committee on Assimilation will interview your pastors and session before making a final determination on your application.

Request an ECO application at least a month prior to your planned date of submission. This allows your session time to study and prayerfully answer the questions and approve the application. You can request your application by e-mail. You can also send particular questions about joining ECO to the appropriate moderators of the Presbyteries. Presbytery of the West (west of the Mississippi River) e-mail MJ Romano. Presbytery of the East (east of the Mississippi River) e-mail John Terech.

The First ECO Synod Meeting

As part of the Gathering January 30^th – February 1^st at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, FL, we will have the inaugural Synod meeting of ECO. We are fine-tuning the business that is to be conducted by Synod including ordination process and other items to be discussed and approved.

In these early stages of ECO’s development, each congregation may send all pastors, associate pastors, and assistant pastors as well as affiliate pastors who are serving under ECO’s polity to Synod. Each congregation may also send an equal number of elders. Please ensure that all elder commissioners to Synod adhere to the Essential Tenets. The registration for Orlando will include an option to indicate if you are a commissioner to the ECO Synod. We look forward to seeing you there!