Healing Covenant Church Joins the ECC
We are thrilled to announce that Healing Covenant Church, pastored by Dawn Choate, will officially be joining the Evangelical Covenant Church at Gather! This vibrant community of faith has been a beacon of hope in Paducah, Kentucky even before becoming a church.
Healing Covenant Church was born out of a group of people who had been through some difficult church situations and asked Dawn to start a new church – a place where they could serve and heal. These passionate individuals all have a heart to make a difference in their community, and they’ve been doing just that through their innovative approach to ministry. With around 50-60 active attenders, they are dedicated to building relationships and meeting the unique needs of their city.
Paducah, a medium-sized city with around 35,000-40,000 people (75,000 including the county), is a vibrant and innovative community (Dippin’ Dots and Krispy Kreme originated there), but it also faces its fair share of challenges and needs. Healing Covenant Church, in partnership with their non-profit organization, Healing Projects, has been tirelessly working to meet those needs through disaster relief, foster care and adoption assistance, community building and development, and providing aid to impoverished communities.
The church launched on Christmas Eve last year and has been gathering weekly ever since, dedicated to building authentic relationships and providing a welcoming space for everyone. They meet in a 100 year old church building, but you won’t find any pews inside, they have tried to make an inviting space with furniture you are more likely to find in a living room. They hope this helps in creating a space for authentic relationships to flourish. They mix things up on Sunday mornings, hosting “Conversations at the Cove” and “Sunday Fundays” to ensure that everyone can find a small group experience that fits their busy schedules.
The pastoral team at Healing Covenant Church is truly inspiring – they are all bi-vocational, with no one taking a salary, and they are led by the passionate and hardworking Dawn Choate, who is currently pursuing her Master of Divinity at Fuller University. Alongside Dawn, the church has a strong leadership team made up of Tony Borden, Susan Jett, Regan Emerson, Marsh Case, supported by Vicky Borden, Michael Jett, Jeremy Wallace, and Roger Choate. This group of leaders is pouring their hearts into this community and helping to lead a new group to do the same. Their passion, innovation, and dedication to serving their community are a true inspiration.
We are honored to welcome Healing Covenant Church into the Evangelical Covenant Church family and our GLC family, and we can’t wait to see the incredible impact they will continue to have in Paducah and beyond. Thank you to the entire Healing Covenant Church community for your servant hearts and love for God!