ECC 125th Annual Meeting:
GLC Highlights
The Great Lakes Conference was well represented at the ECC 125th Annual Meeting in St. Paul, MN, held June 24-27. Many of our churches and individuals participated in the events of the Annual Meeting, some served or were elected to positions, and some were honored for their service in ministry.
Recognition and Awards for Service and Ministry
 Pastor Bob Hoey from Messiah Church in Detroit, MI received the Irving Lambert Award. This award is given each year to a Covenanter whose life and practice reflect a deep commitment to urban and/or ethnic ministries. The award is named for a Covenant layperson who devoted much of his life to urban ministry. Irving Lambert was, until his death in 1979, an advocate for urban mission in his church, conference, and the denomination.
» Read the full article about Bob and this award here
 Sam Alvarado from Dearborn Covenant Church in Dearborn, MI received the T. W. Anderson Award. This award recognizes Christian lay leadership and service at the local church level and is based on four criteria:
- A life of commitment and dedication to Christ and His Church
- Membership in a local Covenant congregation(s) for at least 25 years
- No previous participation in formal conference or denominational leadership
- Evidence of a life that has blessed the neighborhood, community or profession with service
The T. W. Anderson award is given in honor of T.W. Anderson, the only lay president of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
» Read the full article about Sam and this award here
 The $1,000 Phoebe Church Planter’s Grant was presented to Janine Simpson-Davis, pastor of The Bridge Covenant Church, Detroit, MI (one of three awards given out by the Association of Covenant Clergy Women).
» Read more about the Association of Covenant Clergy Women awards here
The Living Legacy Award was presented to the Evangelical Covenant Church of Hudson, OH for choosing to close in a manner which leads to the birth of new ministries and congregations.
» Read more about this award here
Lifetime Service Recognition which recognizes and honors clergy for their years of service:
- Rebecca Erickson, Pastor of Emmanuel Mission Church, Kane, PA
- John Larson, Pastor of Adult Ministries at First Evangelical Covenant Church, Grand Rapids, MI
Two GLC Churches Join ECC at Annual Meeting
Love of Christ Christian Center, Detroit, Michigan.
Pastor Michael Dexter – approximate attendance 30.
The church is located on the north side of Detroit, an area that has an unemployment rate of 25% , a high school drop out rate of 50%, and where drug use and gang activity is rampant. In response, the congregation offers ministries that include afterschool mentorship, tutoring, teenage parenting classes, gang prevention training, entrepreneur workshops, and financial management and home ownership programs.
The church started in January 2005 with 15 people. Since that time, the church has met in a Salvation Army building, Montessori School, and a Catholic church. In April, the congregation re-launched their ministry with a grand opening in the church’s newly renovated building. The facility is a 5,000-square-foot, single-story building that seats 150 people. “We are excited about joining the Covenant because we desired to be in a fellowship of other believers whose ethos mirrors ours,” says Dexter.
Revival Covenant Church, Columbus, Ohio.
Pastor John Kareithi – approximate attendance 100. The multicultural congregation includes people from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The church learned of the Covenant after meeting Paul Macharia, pastor of Christ Covenant Church, in St. Louis, Missouri.
Ordination Recipients
The GLC was blessed to have 5 people receiving Ordination or Transferring their Ordination at the Annual Meeting.
Ordination to Word and Sacrament:
- Jason Condon, Artisan Church, Rochester, NY
- Keith Foisy, Evergreen Evangelical Covenant Church, Branch MI
Ordination to Specialized Ministry:
- Michelle Kurth, Forest Park Covenant Church, Muskegon, MI
Transfer of Ordination:
- Ron Gelaude, Connexions Church, Dexter, MI
- David (Duffy) Roberts, Austintown Community Church, Austintown, OH
Serving and Elected at ECC Annual Meeting
Several people served in positions at the Annual Meeting or were elected to positions:
- Peg Wolter from Faith Covenant Church in Farmington Hills, MI served as the Secretary for the ECC 2010 Annual Meeting and will also serve at the ECC 2011 Annual Meeting.
- Beth Ernest, Interim Pastor of Trinity Church in Livonia, MI, was elected to be the Vice-Moderator of the ECC 2011 Annual Meeting which will be held in Estes Park, CO.
- Rob Peterson, Pastor of Thornapple Covenant Church in Grand Rapids, MI, was elected to the Board of the Ordered Ministry.
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Jason Condon Appointed Assoc. Superintendent of East Coast Conference
Congratulations to Rev. Jason Condon of Artisan Church, Rochester, NY. Jason has been chosen to serve as the Assoc. Superintendent of the East Coast Conference.
 These are exciting times for Jason and his family as they wrap up ministry at Artisan and prepare to move to the East Coast Conference. In his new position Jason will be the director of church planting, and he will manage congregational vitality ministries. We in the GLC will miss having Jason in our conference, but we wish him and his family all the best.
» Read more about Jason and his new position at the Artisan Church website
Japanese Missionaries Update
Shunichi and Masako Miyamoto will be arriving at the Detroit airport on Friday, Aug. 6. They are coming to work with the Churches of the GLC to reach the Japanese Nationals who are residing in the Great Lakes Conference. At this time the Conference office has begun to schedule the Miyamotos to speak in the GLC churches.
» If your church would like the Miyamotos to come to speak at your church (during worship service, Sunday school, at small group) please contact the Conference office at 734-451-4670.
We are still raising funds for these missionaries. Their salary is covered but the GLC churches are providing housing (including utilities), a car (one has been donated) and car related expenses, phone, and office supplies. These costs are projected to be around $45,000 for a two year period; $12,000 has already been raised.
»If your church would like to help to support these missionaries please contact the conference office.
Alaska Internet Update
Six churches have stepped up to cover six months of Internet and $200 of the computer expenses
for the Covenant Church in Mekoryuk, Alaska. That leaves 6 months of Internet and $800 of the computer yet to be covered. GLC churches interested in this mission are asked to pay for one month of Internet each year for a period of 3 or 4 yrs and/or give to the computer fund for the church. Internet for one month is $50 (the church for 3 yrs. would pay $50/year for a total of $150, or $200 for 4 yrs.)
If the church decides to pay for a month of Internet services, we also ask the church to be in contact with the Alaska church during the month that they have pledged to pay for. The computer will come with a web cam so that interested churches may have Skype calls with the Alaska church and actually see the people from Alaska as they speak with them.
» Send contributions for the Alaska Internet and computer project along with the choice of which month your church is covering to the conference office. For more information contact the Conference office at 734-451-4670 or email at jody@greatlakes.cc.
Mark Your Calendar
October 17-18, 2010 Ministerial License Interviews
October 18-20, 2010
Pastor Retreat
May 13-14, 2011
GLC 2011 Annual Celebration, Life Church, Canton, MI
E-News Bulletin Insert
To download a printable pdf version of this issue that you can use as a bulletin insert at your church, please click here.
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