Churches removed include:
Central Conference
Our Savior’s Evangelical Covenant Church, Oak Forest, Illinois – This church, which joined the Covenant in 1961, considered closing four years ago, but attempted to continue its ministry until operational expenses forced a decision to cease its efforts. A new Covenant church plant then rented the facility and continues its ministry initiatives in that facility.
Tomahawk Evangelical Covenant Church, Tomahawk, Wisconsin – The church joined the Covenant in 1922, but experienced declining membership that eventually made maintenance of property and attending expenses impossible.
Great Lakes Conference
Designer’s Covenant Church, Nashville, Tennessee – Designer’s Covenant joined the denomination in 2004 and grew for a time until the congregation lost its lease on the meeting space and was unable to sustain the ministry due to a slow decline in attendance.
Trinity Covenant Church, Rochester, New York – Trinity Covenant was organized in 1979 with some members from the former Immanuel Covenant Church and joined the Covenant that same year. Last year, the congregation had a part-time pastor and tried various outreach ministries into the community. Their building, built in the 1980s on the south side of the city, is now being leased by Artisan Covenant Church, a Covenant church plant.
Midsouth Conference
One Covenant Church, Midwest City, Oklahoma – This church plant, which joined the Covenant in 1998, experienced a difficult time getting established. Attendance continued to decline following the departure of the founding pastor in 2005 and the church closed last August following an unsuccessful attempt to revitalize the ministry.
Brazos Community Evangelical Covenant Church, College Station, Texas – This church, which joined the Covenant in 1994, ended its affiliation and now operates as an independent church in College Station.
Evangelica Cristiana, Freeport, Texas – This church, which joined the Covenant in 1998, had a loose affiliation with the former Midsouth Region before the Midsouth became a conference. The founding pastor left the church several years ago and the congregation has since affiliated with a Baptist church in Freeport, Texas.
Midwest Conference
Covenant Church, Scranton, Kansas – This church, which joined the Covenant in 1889, is located in a small farming community in Central Kansas. Over the years, the congregation moved more in a direction of an independent Bible church and developed theological differences with the Covenant, particularly the ordination of women to pastoral ministry. In withdrawing, the congregation stated a desire to direct more of its mission budget to local concerns.
North Pacific Conference
Covenant Fellowship, Port Orchard, Washington – Covenant Fellowship began its ministry in 1998 and joined the Covenant in 2000, parented by Harbor Covenant Church in Gig Harbor, Washington. The congregation faced growing challenges following the departure of several families and later the resignation of the founding pastor. A lengthy interim ministry concluded in May 2007, at which time the decision was made to close.
Northwest Conference
Evangelical Mission Covenant Church, Salem, South Dakota – Formed in 1885 and joining the Covenant that same year, the congregation faced declining attendance over the years as the congregation continued to age. The decision to close was reached last summer.
Pacific Southwest Conference
River’s Edge Covenant Church, Brentwood, California – This church, which joined the Covenant in 2003, faced significant leadership and financial challenges during the past three years, with the founding pastor resigning last fall. During its ministry, the congregation was successful in reaching youth and young adults through music and the arts.
Sunago Grace Covenant Church, Compton, California – Formed in 1969, Grace Covenant was the first church in the conference to serve a predominantly African American constituency. When the Fragment House charter school closed in 2006, the church became economically unstable. Despite several attempts to restart, a sustainable ministry did not result and in February the congregation voted to close.
Crown Valley Covenant Church, Laguna Niguel, California – Started in the 1970s, the church experienced fruitful ministry with a special focus on reaching the community’s youth. During a recent pastoral transition time, the congregation discerned it did not have the ministry momentum needed to launch a next phase and in January voted to close.
Esperanza Covenant Church, Sacramento, California – Esperanza was planted in 1998 and joined the Covenant in 2003. Following three pastoral transitions and multiple relocations, the church experienced declines in attendance and financial sustainability, closing in late 2007.
New Covenant Christian Ministries, Sacramento, California – This congregation was adopted into the Covenant in 2002 and following three relocations, disbanded last year.
