The Fellowship of Presbyterians

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.

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.

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

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.