Churches removed include:
Northwest Conference
• Hope Evangelical Covenant Church in Cotton, Minnesota
• The Gathering Covenant Church in Duluth, Minnesota
North Pacific Conference
• Lake Stevens Covenant Church in Everett, Washington
• Interbay Evangelical Covenant Church in Seattle, Washington
Southeast Conference
• The Bridge Church in St. Petersburg, Florida
• Church of the Saviour in Matthews, North Carolina
• Community Covenant Church in St. Petersburg, Florida
East Coast Conference
• Torrington Korean Covenant Church in Torrington, Connecticut
• New Covenant Church in Jamaica Estates, New York
• Floral Park Community Church in Floral Park, New York
Pacific Southwest Conference
• Iglesia Comunidad Cristiana in West Covina, California
Hope Evangelical Covenant Church in Cotton, Minnesota, joined the Covenant in 2006 and reflected an attempt to rebirth a Covenant church that had initially merged with another Covenant church in the same area. After separating from the other church, Hope decided to withdraw from membership in the Covenant and become independent.
The Gathering Covenant Church in Duluth, Minnesota, joined the Covenant in 2004. Following a premature departure of the church planting pastor, the church was unable to regain its original momentum. Following the further loss of several key families, the church leadership decided to close the church.
Lake Stevens Covenant Church in Everett, Washington, joined the Covenant in 1957. During an interim pastorate in 2006-2007, the congregation carefully and prayerfully considered their current resources as well as the age and demographics of the congregation compared to that of Lake Stevens and Snohomish county. The congregation concluded that they could best serve the long-term ministry needs of the community by closing and request that the remaining assets be reserved for a future church plant in the area. A closing service of celebration was held on April 15, 2007. The church building has been offered for sale to another church in the community.
Interbay Evangelical Covenant Church in Seattle, Washington, joined the Covenant in 1953. This year, Interbay joined its ministries with those of Quest Ministries, another Covenant congregation that has been meeting in Interbay’s facilities. The leadership of the two congregations believes that their unique gifts and resources can be combined to accomplish what each could not do alone, resulting in a new, diverse, multiethnic, multigenerational faith community that will more closely reflect Christ’s vision for the church and be more effective and authentic in communicating the love of Christ. To read more of their unique decision to join forces, see” New Ministry Partnership” and “A Momentous Decision.”
The Bridge Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, joined the Covenant in 2005 and decided to withdraw from membership after determining that the expectations that this adopted church had of the Covenant and the conference, and the expectations the Covenant and the conference had for the church, did not coincide.
Church of the Saviour in Matthews, North Carolina, joined the Covenant in 1994. This was an independent church that was planted in June 1980 and adopted into the Covenant in 1994. After a period of declining membership, the remaining members of the congregation felt they needed to conclude active ministry. In 2005 the remaining members of the congregation sold the church land and facilities to another church group. The proceeds from the sale of the building were given to several ministries, including the Southeast Conference.
Community Covenant Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, joined the Covenant in 1958. After several years of declining membership, the remaining members of the congregation felt they needed to conclude active ministry, and in 2004 they sold the church building to another church group. The proceeds from the sale of the building were given to conference and denominational ministries.
Torrington Korean Covenant Church in Torrington, Connecticut, joined the Covenant in 1988. This ministry began when Mr. and Mrs. Soon-Lye Oh moved to Torrington in the early 1980s, starting a Bible study in their home that eventually led to formation of a Korean-speaking fellowship group. Later, a congregation formed and services moved to a Lutheran church. Difficulties in late 2001 led the congregation to discontinue the ministry of the church.
New Covenant Church in Jamaica Estates, New York, joined the Covenant in 1996. Sam Bryan was the founding pastor of Christian Community Covenant Church, begun in Queens in 1996. Later the church changed its name to New Covenant Church. The church grew to about 50 members within the first few years, but was unable to sustain a needed level of growth, hampered by a series of moves to new locations necessitated by changes in the rental market. After eight years of ministry, the founding pastor discerned that it was time for him to seek a new form of ministry in hospital chaplaincy. Members of the congregation then decided to close the ministry, with the final worship service conducted in June 2006.
Floral Park Community Church in Floral Park, New York, joined the Covenant in 1945. The church has gone through cycles of growth and decline over the last 20 year, with a period of significant growth occurring in the post-World War II era. However, in the 1990s, changing demographics, member relocation, brief pastorates, leadership difficulties and an aging congregation contributed to what became an irreversible decline. The congregation voted to close in April 2004 with legal work continuing to dispose of the assets – plans call for reinvesting the assets in multiple church planting projects.
Iglesia Comunidad Cristiana in West Covina, California, joined the Covenant in 2002. The church disbanded when the founding pastor moved back to Chile.
