The Conference  Board has approved for presentation to the 118th Conference Annual Meeting a proposed Conference 2020 Vision and Mission statement, designed to give foundation and direction to our efforts over the next 10 + years.

We are publishing it here in advance of the Annual meetings (May 1-3) in Cromwell, CT to allow it to be shared for consideration, feedback and discusssion.

A Conference Vision Task force has been at work over the last year to facilitate this process. Team members included Carolyn Larson, Chair of the Conference Board; Rev. Doug Cederberg, Pastor of Trinity Covenant Church, Lexington, MA; Rev. Peter Sung, Pastor of Queenswest Covenant Church, Queens, NY; Dr. Kristine Strand, member of Cape Cod Covenant Church; Rev. Amy Rohler, co-pastor of Bethesda Covenant Church, Manhattan, NY; Rev. Peter Tullson, Associate Pastor of Trinity Covenant Church, Manchester, CT; Dr. Dale Kuehne, Pastor of Emmanuel Covenant Church, Nashua, NH; and Rev. Howard Burgoyne, Superintendent of the East Coast Conference. The Conference Board approved this draft statement at their March 29, 2008 meetings.

East Coast Conference

A regional mission in The Evangelical Covenant Church

 God is moving; We are a movement of God...

IDENTITY – who are we?

The East Coast Conference is a movement of God, organized in 1890 by an immigrant people with a spiritual heritage as Mission Friends. Now a multi-cultural communion of Evangelical Covenant congregations, we are gathered by God, united in Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

TERRITORY – where do we serve?

We are called to carry out our mission to the peoples in twelve east coast states and the District of Columbia: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, eastern New York, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. We embrace the varied contexts of city, suburb, town and countryside.

MISSION – what must we do?

Believing we are a movement of God, the mission of the East Coast Conference is to:

• Multiply congregations - by planting new missional churches;
• Orchestrate ministries – by connecting district churches for shared mission;
• Vitalize congregations - by coaching pastors and churches towards renewal;
•  Empower leaders – by building a culture of trustworthy Christian leadership;

VISION 2020 – what will this look like in 2020?

Because God is on the MOVE with God’s momentum we will see:

• 100 + vital congregations growing deeper in Christ and further in mission;
• Dozens of new churches planted and growing in every state and the District of Columbia;
• 5,000 new followers of Jesus being discipled and serving Christ in our churches;
• Our churches doubling the number of people they now serve outside their congregation;
• A new generation of believers raised up who embody the love, grace and justice of Jesus;
• Growing ethnic and cultural diversity and inclusion within and among our churches;
• Churches and districts partnering in local ministries and global mission.
• Regionally expanded Christian camping and spiritual retreat ministries.

Momentum in mission results from moving with the movement of God