DISCOVERY CLASS Exploring Church Membership Session 4 “Our Organization: How We Work Together”

OUR CIRCLES OF COMMITMENT Faith Covenant Church (inner circle) Great Lakes Conference (second circle) Evangelical Covenant Church (third circle) Kingdom of God (outer circle)

OUR STRUCTURE Covenant Churches use a congregational system of governance Congregation: meets semi-annually (January & May) ↓ Church Board: meets monthly ↓ Executive Committee: meets monthly ↓ Commissions: meet monthly ↓ Task Forces / Special Committees: meet as needed

OUR STRUCTURE Covenant Churches are autonomous but not independent Faith Covenant Church has a Board / Commission structure

OUR CHURCH LEADERS Church Board Senior Pastor Associate Pastors Corporate Officers (see below) Deacons Ministry Commission chairs Corporate Officers Chair Vice Chair Recording Secretary Financial Secretary Treasurer

Board Responsibilities Provide overall ministry direction and administrative oversight Develop recommendations for presentation to the congregation Add or discontinue Ministry Commissions

Executive Committee Members Chair Vice Chair 3 Deacons Senior Pastor (ex-officio)

Ministry Commissions Adult Discipleship Children’s Ministry Congregational Care Evangelism and Outreach Fellowship Finance Missions Properties & Administration Women Ministries Worship, Prayer & Music Youth Ministry Team

Nominating Committee 6 members elected 3 year terms + church chair & senior pastor Recommend persons for Church board positions Delegates to meetings Website:

Our Denomination: The Evangelical Covenant Church Organized in 1885 Headquarters: Chicago Constituency: community based Size 780 churches average attendance: 161,000 ethnic diversity: 20 % of churches

Characteristics missional: reaching out to neighbors near & far devotional: encouraging a vibrant personal relationship with Christ biblical: grounded in the Word of God connectional: helping Christians find & maintain relationships with each other

The relationship between the Covenant & local churches is cooperative – we do together what no single church could do alone

Ministries Education North Park University (Chicago) CHET – training for Hispanic pastors in southern California Covenant Bible College (Canada, Colorado, Ecuador) Benevolence 2 hospitals (one of only 3 chh groups) & 14 retirement centers Ministry: credentialing & care for 1800 pastors Publications Youth ministry: CHIC

World Mission Asia Japan Mainland China Philippines Taiwan Central Asia Laos Thailand Bangladesh India Central & South America Mexico Colombia Ecuador Europe Czech Republic Germany France Spain Russia Africa South Africa Burkina Faso Congo Central African Republic Equatorial Guinea Cameroon Kenya Sudan

Ministries 10 Regional Conferences Radio station KICY – Nome, AK Church planting Events Annual Meeting (June) The Feast Women Ministries Triennial Midwinter Pastors’ Conference (February) CHIC (Youth Conference)

Financial Support Comes From voluntary contributions by members churches 2/3 of the operating budget funded by local churches goes to world mission or church planting & revitalization in the US website:

Our Regional Conference: The Great Lakes Conference Area: lower MI, OH, KY, TN, western NY, western PA, & WV Camps Ministries Church Planting Church Development Church Outreach Pastoral Placement Financial support from churches & individuals website:

Membership Process The Covenant Church is a believer’s Church Our Goal: be broad enough to include all who know Christ and narrow enough to include only those who know Christ

Membership Requirements 1. Personal faith in Jesus Christ 2. Have received Christian baptism (either infant or adult)

Steps to Membership Attend all 4 sessions of the Discovery Class Complete and submit a written membership application and covenant Meet with representatives of the Evangelism & Outreach Commission to tell your story Recommendation by the Board Affirmed & received into membership at congregational meeting Publicly welcomed at a worship service Enjoy a “New Members Brunch”

What’s Next? The Four “Core Classes” Discovery  Membership: commitment to Jesus and Faith Covenant Church Growth  Maturity -- forming the habits necessary for spiritual growth Ministry  Serving -- discovering & using God- given gifts & abilities in serving him & others Mission  Sharing the Good News with others -- through word & action