July 2012 - Covenanter

A TRIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE EAST COAST CONFERENCE OF THE EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH 

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www.issuu.com/eastcoastcovenanter

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JULY 2012

THE

EAST COAST COVENANTER www.eastcoastconf.org

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” MATTHEW 28:18

Holy Ghost Protocol: Mission Possible!

HOWARD K. BURGOYNE SUPERINTENDENT, EAST COAST CONFERENCE

I have peripheral memories from my childhood of the original television series, Mission: Impossible (it ran from 1966-1973, in a time slot beyond my bedtime!).

The renewal of that franchise over the last decade has brought new generations into the adventures of the “IM Force.” I wonder sometimes if Jesus’ vision for the sending of his disciples to preach and advance the Kingdom of God should be understood within such a genre. The power of a small determined band, willing to invest and, if necessary, surrender their lives cannot be underestimated. The spiritual struggle at the heart of the Mission: Possible! demands a level of commitment, empowerment, and formation that belongs to a domain that reaches beyond this world as we know it, while it permeates every dimension of the world we know. During the forty days of his resurrection appearances Jesus focused his teaching on the Kingdom while he prepared his disciples for the transition to the domain of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit would take up the mission of Jesus through the Church: convicting, confirming, endowing, directing, protecting and establishing the Kingdom.

THE east coast COVENANTER Paul W. Kahn

EDITOR / WRITER

Alicia Sturdy

OFFICE MANAGER, EAST COAST CONFERENCE

EDITOR:

Howard Burgoyne SUPERINTENDENT, EAST COAST CONFERENCE

CONTACT THE COVENANTER:  EMAIL US AT: eastcoastcovenanter@gmail.com READ THE COVENANTER ONLINE:

www.issuu.com/eastcoastcovenanter

JULY 2012 STORIES

EDITOR / GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT / WRITER:

The transition from the season of Easter to Pentecost leads God’s people from the resurrection of Jesus to his Ascension and its consequences for the world. As the Ascended Lord, Jesus is now seated in power as the King of the Kingdom. As a first order of business, Jesus sends the Spirit upon a band of followers who, by His will and the Spirit’s power become Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Teaching Pastors, Deacons and more. A new power brings a new identity and vocation to each follower of Jesus. We are all baptized into a vocation as followers of Jesus! For each one called by the Spirit also distributes generous gifts, effects, and ministries - no two quite the same. The called out ones (ecclesia) are now the sent out ones (apostolic ecclesia) - sent as a missional community to bear witness, through word and deed, to the sovereign invasion of God’s Kingdom against the captivity of sin, death, and darkness. Life has never been the same since God the Father raised Jesus from the dead by the power of the Spirit, raised Jesus to the right hand of Power, and jointly sent the Spirit of power to equip the Church for the mission of Jesus.

God’s mission has a Church. Now in this era, the Church exists by mission, for mission like fire exists by burning, for burning. In this edition of The East Coast Covenanter we gather current and recent accounts of missio Dei - God’s Mission at work in and through congregations. What percentage of the ministry of your church can be done in human power? What percentage can only be done in the power of the Spirit?

Where is the Spirit of Jesus at work in your community? Let us know - we’ll be glad to share your story in upcoming print and online news.

Yours in Christ,

HAVE A QUESTION FOR HOWARD? Email him at howard@eastcoastconf.org

PG 2:

THE FAMILY CAFE: ATTLEBORO COVENANT’S MINISTRY TO FAMILIES

PG 3:

A UGANDAN CONNECTION: TRINITY COVENANT’S MINISTRY IN AFRICA

PG 4:

A SURRENDERED SWORD: A CHRIST CHURCH COUPLE’S PATH TO THAILAND

PG 5:

MISSIO DEI: THREE SNIPPETS OF MISSIONAL LIVING

PG 6-7:

THE HARTFORD PROJECT: BETHANY COVENANT REACHES OUT IN ITS NEIGHBORHOOD

PG 6-7:

PREVIEW WORSHIP: THE CONFERENCE’S THREE NEWEST CHURCH PLANTS

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GET TO KNOW: KREIG GAMMELGARD

EAST COAST CONFERENCE 52 Missionary Road Cromwell, CT 06416 860.635.2891 www.eastcoastconf.org

www.facebook.com/eastcoastconf

attleboro, massachusetts

BY REV. JAY FAST

During a Sunday service five years ago, Laurie Anderson, a member of Attleboro Covenant, was listening to a presentation on community soup kitchens.

The more she listened, the more she realized that there was a real need. “Area soup kitchens typically serve individuals who are adults - usually single, older males - and I wondered what families of kids do when they need a little extra help with food at the end of the month.”

Because Attleboro Covenant excels in its ministries to families and children, Laurie thought “what if we started up a soup kitchen, but made it suitable for kids and families?” She brought the idea to the pastors, and the church approved a motion to put together an exploratory committee. They discovered that the local Council of Churches, who was already actively engaging in the needs of the community, had a similar vision. In August 2010, the two partnered together, and with an enormously helpful grant from the East Coast Conference, started the Family Cafe - held at the end of each month inside Attleboro Covenant.

“The challenge in the beginning was to get the word out,” noted Jay Fast, a pastor at Attleboro Covenant, “but over time, the number of guests to our Family Cafe has grown to 40-75 guests on a night.”

It made sense that the growth was so dramatic - Laurie’s foresight in assessing the need was correct. The menu featured kid-friendly items (“no casseroles,” says Laurie), but also focused on healthy, freshly prepared food (a sample menu one month: a taco bar along with a salad bar with fresh vegetables). Combined with an atmosphere that was welcoming and family-centric, with available

crafts and activities, it became a place where families in need could - for one day at least - not have to worry about putting food on the table.

Seeing the positive impact the Family Cafe has had in the community, another church in Attleboro has also started a Family Cafe on a different night of the month. Plans are also underway for another church to develop a third location. “It’s such a great and easy ministry to get your arms around,” noted Laurie, “and you see immediately how you’re directly helping people.” Pastor Fast added, “We have enjoyed the relationships that have begun to form between the members of our church and the guests, and we hope that this story will give other churches in the East Coast Conference a vision to see into the needs of their community.”

The Family Cafe at Evangelical Covenant Church of Attleboro is open the last Wednesday of every month. Thanks to the vision God placed in the hearts of a few, many people in the community of Attleboro are being cared for and reached by those who otherwise would have never crossed paths.

If you are interested in starting a Family Cafe at your church, or volunteering with Attleboro, please contact Karen Umson, who is the face of the ministry at Attleboro for guests and outside agencies, at kurmson@comcast.net.

Reverend Jay Fast is Associate Pastor

for Youth and Congregational Life at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Attleboro, MA (www.attleborocovenant.org). He can be reached at jay@attleborocovenant.org.

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Learn more about Family Cafes in Attleboro by visiting the Attleboro Area Council of Churches: http://attleborocouncilofchurches.org/food-n-friends-2/family-cafes/

LEFT: LOCAL FAMILIES GATHER TOGETHER INSIDE ATTLEBORO COVENANT TO SHARE A MEAL RIGHT: KIDS ARE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES AND CRAFT BUILDING DURING THE HOUR DINNER

the

family cafe

attleboro covenant church

LEFT: WORSHIP CHOIR OF THE JESUS POWER CHURCH (JPC) IN MAKINDEI, UGANDA INSET: SANDY GANNON RIGHT: PASTOR FRANK MUKILIZA PREACHING THE WORD AT THE JPC.

TRINITY covenant church LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS

A ugandan connection

BY SANDY GANNON & PAUL W. KAHN

Sandy Gannon marvels that just five years ago, she had never had a passport or ever even travelled much her whole life.

Now, as project manager of Trinity Covenant’s Ugandan missions team, she’s taken multiple 24-25 hour travel time trips to Africa - even going solo in 2010. But what’s even more marvelous is the work being done there.

In 2006, Pastor Frank Mukiliza from the Jesus Power Church (JPC) in Makindei, Uganda, found his way to Trinity Covenant in Lexington, MA following a remarkable set of circumstances. Desperate for help, Pastor Frank’s village raised money for a flight to the U.S.; but upon arriving in New York, he learned that the sole contact he had been given actually lived in California! That contact got him connected to someone in Massachusetts, and, after several visits to various churches, he met Pastor Doug Cederberg (then the pastor of Trinity Covenant) and ended up speaking at church on Sunday.

When he spoke about the children in his village of Bakka that did not attend school because they had no clothes, Sandy’s heart was stirred. “Here we were, with our closets so full of too many clothes, and there were children across the world, naked,” she recalled.

This started a project that has become a powerful connection between Trinity Covenant Church in Lexington, JPC in Makindei, and the Christian Mission Academy in the village of Bakka.

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The Christian Mission Academy of Bakka was a run-down, poverty stricken school on the verge of closing or collapsing. In 2008, through the love and support from the members of Trinity, generous donors, sponsors, and Ugandan partners Hope Kalibbala Project and JPC, this school has been transformed. A new building has been rebuilt that has a water tank to provide clean water for the school, computers were donated (which took six months to arrive by boat!), and a round-about was built for better vehicle access. Moreover, the school was able to add more opportunities for its students outside of the classroom, including a soccer team, net ball team, and a school choir. It is more than the people of this village had ever even dreamed of happening.

how on her first trip in country, the team was immediately embraced as family. “His Love has the power to change lives on both continents, here in Lexington all the way to Uganda.”

The future of the Christian Mission Academy is still being written. In May 2012, the property adjoining the school was purchased with plans to build an office, library and medical center. This coming October, Pastor Chris Haydon and Project Manager Sandy Gannon, both of Trinity, are planning another trip to visit the children at the Academy and Jesus Power Church.

Since 2008, the school has seen advancements among its students each year. In spring 2010, they had their first 7th grade graduating class of three students.

The next year, five students graduated. In 2012 thirteen graduated! These children would have never dreamed they would have the opportunity of attending highschool, and now their dreams have become reality thanks to the vision God placed in the hearts of those who otherwise would have never crossed paths.

“We feel we are showing the children at the Christian Missionary Academy the love of our Lord and changing lives in the village of Bakka,” says Gannon. “Loving a village and being loved back by them both through Gods love is powerful.” she adds, recalling

Sandy Gannon is a member of Trinity Covenant Church. You can follow her blog about Uganda at http://sandysugandaadventure.blogspot.com

The online home of Trinity Covenant: www.trinitycovenantlexington.org Website of Trinity Covenant’s Uganda ministry: www.heartsandhandsforuganda.org

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MIDDLE OF PAGE PRAYER AT THE SWORD CEREMONY

surrendered lives

CHRIST church EAST GREENWICH, rhode island

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

A few years ago, upon hearing that Rhode Island would soon start welcoming it’s first Burmese refugee families, our church began a program called First Friends to help these new immigrants adjust to life in the U.S. We’ve co-labored with the International Institute of RI to fill the gap in services provided by the state – primarily that of simply being friends and walking alongside the refugee families.

Just months before the first Burmese refugee families arrived, a young couple, Dave and Elizabeth, had also moved to Rhode Island and joined our church. Dave was in the Coast Guard and had been assigned here.

Providentially, in their previous church, they too had been working hard to launch an outreach program to Burmese refugees one that was just beginning to take off when they were re-assigned to Rhode Island. They immediately immersed themselves in the First Friends program here, eventually taking over the leadership of it. God had guided them to the right church at the right time.

As Dave’s military service was coming to a close, God laid it on their hearts to actually move to Southeast Asia. Again, God went before them, preparing the way. As you may remember, this past winter saw major flooding throughout Thailand. Through some past connections from his former studies, Dave was able to put together a collaborative research partnership between the Civil Engineering departments of Syracuse University and Mahidol University in Thailand, to study sustainable stormwater management in Bangkok. Dave also hopes to eventually include Burmese engineers as part of this education and research partnership.

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During one of the couple’s last Sundays at Christ Church, Dave and Elizabeth shared their future plans with the congregation, and also held a very moving sword ceremony with Tum and Sui, leaders of the Burmese community in Providence.

As Dave explained, it is a longstanding custom for military officers to surrender their swords as a sign of being placed under submission of a conqueror. Surrendering their sword made a warrior instantly vulnerable since they lost the ability to fight and defend; additionally, a sword is a sign of leadership so leaders symbolically forfeited their authority over troops. Interestingly enough, in 1 Samuel 18, Jonathan, the rightful heir of his father King Saul, surrenders his sword to his dear friend David, the unlikely shepherd boy whose seed is the Son of God. 1 Samuel 18:1-4 states, “After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his

INSET: KTUM AND DAVE SHARE A LAUGH

BY PATRICIA RITACCO

PSALM 139:9-10

belt.” Jonathan loved David and recognized God’s will for bringing David to the throne instead of himself.”

Elizabeth and Dave love all their Burmese friends, but Tum and his wife Sui hold a special place in their hearts because of the many experiences they have shared serving the community together. Like Jonathan and David, Tum and Dave love each other like brothers. In the world’s eyes Dave, like Jonathan, was born into a life of privilege.

Tum, like King David, emerged as the unlikely leader of a great people; King David led Israel and Tum leads the Burmese community in Providence. Tum and Sui love the Seed of David and truly exemplify His style of servant leadership. Thus, on April 22nd Dave surrendered his own officer’s sword to Tum as a symbolic gesture of two things: to recognize that God placed Tum and Sui in Providence in order to be servant leaders to a great people (the Burmese refugees); and as a sign that Dave & Elizabeth have surrendered their lives to Jesus, and are seeking to obey His will for their lives. In their specific situation this meant submitting to God and His apparent will that they move to Southeast Asia rather than stay in Providence.

GROUP PICTURE: FIRST FRIENDS THANKSGIVING GATHERING

a surrendered sword,

The Burmese community is very excited about their move, supporting them fully in prayer and encouragement. But beyond this, these refugees, barely surviving financially, living on the edge, sacrificially collected $1400 to help send Dave and Elizabeth on their way!

This young couple has truly surrendered to God’s leading and have already experienced His blessings. Please keep them in prayer as they shine the light of Christ among their new colleagues and friends in Southeast Asia.

Website of First Friends: www.firstfriends-burma.weebly.com

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Three snippets of missional living occurring in our churches...

A REKINDLED PASSION Our church has a powerful history of missions, beginning in the 1890s. However, while we continue supporting missionaries, our emphasis on missions had greatly diminished over the years. That was, until last year.

TOP: COLLECTION OF YARN AND SEWING MATERIALS

MIDDLE: VOLUNTEERS HARD AT WORK AT THEIR SEWING MACHINES BOTTOM: CLOTHING DONATIONS FOR HAITI & SUDAN ORPHANAGES

In January 2011, the Lord started moving within our church, stirring within the hearts of pastors & congregants alike a new vision for missions & outreach. God started speaking to our pastors; Senior Pastor Fred Elliott-Hart & Youth Pastor Christina Tinglof started thinking about more missions emphasis.

“hands on” love

BY CAMERON DRYDEN | COVENANT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BOSTON, MA BOSTONCOV.ORG

We sent 12 congregants to an Alaskan missions trip last summer. God sent Ben Kim as a Missions Intern from New England Seafarers Mission. Quoting Malachi 3:10 by memory, Virginia Plummer, the oldest member of our congregation, stood up and challenged our church to give a tithe of its total revenue to supporting missions.

After much discussion as to whether we could afford to, we decided to step out in faith and accepted the challenge and are moving forward! Now we’re supporting teachers of the blind in Haiti through one of our members,

Barbara Fragopoulos, and recently hosted a dinner for the homeless in our community.

And we’re keeping our eyes open for other opportunities to reach the lost worldwide.

All of these works show that even though missions as part of a church’s life may ebb and flow over time, the Spirit can breathe new life into a church’s “dry bones.” Everyone can play a part, from teenagers we sent who helped lead worship in Alaska, to the 100-year-old member who caused much soul-searching in our church when she challenged us to give a tithe of our (meager) offerings to missions.

BY PATRICIA RITACCO | CHRIST CHURCH, EAST GREENWICH, RHODE ISLAND CHRISTCHURCHEC.ORG

Sometimes it just takes an idea and a small tentative step forward to get the ball rolling on an effort that blesses many. That is just what occurred at Christ Church this spring. One of our members, Helenanne Judisch, is an experienced seamstress. But beyond that, she has a heart for helping “the least of these.”

She began with an idea for making pillowcases for cancer victims - a need right within our own state and church family. A Saturday afternoon date was set to come with your sewing machine and sew some very simple pillowcases.

The response was overwhelming: 26 people showed up and created 104 pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer and members of our own community! The

a clinic of grace

best part of it was the variety of people that it brought together, working together on a common goal, learning new skills and enjoying one another in the process.

That day led to a second project – dresses and shorts to send to two orphanages - one in Haiti and one in Sudan - with whom our church partners. Beyond people showing up to sew, we have been blessed with donations of cloth, irons, sewing notions, t-shirts, and knitted dolls. For the shorts we needed a large quantity of a somewhat hard to find product drawstring elastic. Helenanne reached out to members of a sewing forum.

One woman had a 20-yard roll, which she gave to Helenanne. But as in

the loaves and fish experience of the disciples, after using up 18 yards of it last month, there were still 25 yards left on the roll! Although this project is ongoing, so far 40 dresses and 55 pairs of shorts have been produced to be taken to the orphanages later this year, along with 69 knit dolls.

We have learned that the Covenant Women’s Ministry sends layette sets and bandages to the Congo (http:// www.covchurch.org/women/global/ bandages/) and we are hoping to partner with them going forward, plus move on to whatever other projects will help “the least of these” around the world.

BY DENISE MCGINLEY | BETHLEHEM COVENANT CHURCH, WORCESTER, MA BETHLEHEMCC.ORG

For over one and a half years, members of Bethlehem Covenant Church’s Missions Committee worked diligently to start a free medical clinic. This clinic would serve the uninsured, underinsured, and forgotten in the Quinsigamond Village neighborhood of the church and greater Worcester.

On May 12, 2010, their hard work and vision paid off, as Greenwood Street Medical Clinic opened its doors to those in need of medical attention. Two years later, the clinic has served over 1,000 patients! In addition to the superior medical attention patients receive, the greatest

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MISSIO DEI

achievement is the clinic’s complement of volunteers - many congregants from Bethlehem give their time and talent - along with many more from the medical community.

“Interestingly, in 1880 the Swedish Evangelical Covenant Mission Friends saw immigrants in need of care and selected the present day site of the Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago.” says Director Denise McGinley. “Mission Friends felt that missions should always be an important extension of the church’s work. Our call of hospitality to strangers implores us to improve the quality of care for those who work

and live among us. How inspiring this was for Bethlehem to learn of this piece of history 130-plus years later! As a result, the clinic is proof of the difference between excellence and mediocrity.”

Assessing the scope of need in our society is difficult, noted McGinley, since many are “invisible” - the least, the lost, and the last.

“But by serving others, we serve Christ,” she says, “Through serving God, Bethlehem has galvanized its commitment to our neighbors to help improve their lives.”

Website of the Greenwood Street Medical Clinic: www.worcesterfreeclinics.org/greenwood-street

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the

hartford project

BY ALICIA STURDY

BETHANY COVENANT church berlin, connecticut

With the success of The Boston Project, a groundswell of support began in Hartford to begin a similar community focused outreach program.

In June 2004, a dream became reality as six churches came together as one group to launch the first Hartford Project - a weeklong, city-wide service project in Hartford’s inner city..

Bethany Covenant has been involved with The Hartford Project (THP) since the Fall of 2008, when Paula Bartlett began attending the church. “I had been involved with the Hartford Project as a Youth

Director at a church in New Britain, so when we came to Bethany that fall I knew we had to get involved.” said Bartlett.

Every June, Bethany sends about 30 students to participate in THP - in more recent years, partnering with other area Covenant churches (Granby, CT & Manchester, CT).

The students begin their week by attending a rally on Friday night, joined by over 375 students from

PREVIEW WORSHIP

other Connecticut youth groups.

The Hartford Project officially kicks off the following Sunday night with a main session lesson from one of the area youth pastors, and then early to bed for the work that will be done within the next week.

Projects range from neighborhood car washes and cleaning the streets of Hartford, to a group to students who do odd jobs for a local ministries, such as Peter’s Retreat;

a nonprofit ministry house in Hartford that cares for people living with AIDS. The week culminates with the “Love Wins” festival, a street fair where everything from clothes, pony rides, food, books and even haircuts - are free.

For Caleb Sisson, an active participant in The Hartford Project for many years, this is the

OUR 3 NEWEST CHURCH PLANTS:

BY JASON CONDON

As part of an effective launch strategy we have our church plants work strategically to build strength and momentum over a series of stages.

Following a successful Launch Team Gathering Stage of three to four months, it’s time to move into Monthly Preview Worship. Here the Church Planter and initial Launch Team work to gather more people to the Launch Team and growing congregation, and more fully express what the church is becoming through public worship, and expanded attractional & incarnational ministries.

We have three diverse and dispersed church plants now fully engaged in the Preview Worship stage. Please be praying for these church planters and their newly forming congregations as they put down roots that will bear fruit for the Gospel. If you want to visit just to encourage these new communities, you can find their worship service details at their websites.

Even better, spread the news or invite others whom you think might particularly connect with one of these church plants!

1 Astoria, NY | www.hopechurchnyc.org

Pastor Drew Hyun HOPE CHURCH NYC 6

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Upcoming Preview Worship Services:

July 15 th , July 29 th For more info on the Four-Stage Launch Process, visit: www.jasoncondon.com/2012/04/handout-understanding-church-planting.html

TOP: COMMISSIONG OF THE 2012 THP VOLUNTEERS BOTTOM: PRAYING FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN HARTFORD

best part of the Project. “It was just so awesome to see everyone come in off the street and really have a great experience. It felt great to know that I had helped people who did not normally have that much, and to bring joy to their life when they may have been going through a really tough time in their life.”

In 2012, THP is being broken up into two weeks in order to accommodate the number of people who want to be involved. With an extra week, the group is able to add more worksites as well partner with already existing ones for another week.

“THP is an amazing outreach opportunity for both the students

Those who serve during THP walk away with so much. They are challenged to not let this be just a “one week” experience but to really engage with the city of Hartford

and return to serve in some kind of role. The students also come away with a better understanding of Jesus and who they are in Christ. Most of all they are able to share that understanding with the people of Hartford.

Student Jonas Shivers says it best: “The best thing about The Hartford Project is working alongside friends in basically your backyard, and helping out those who don’t have iPhones or cars or a decent education. I really like working with the children in the Vacation Bible Camps, because you get to connect with the children and show them the light of Jesus at such a young age and they accept Him into their lives.”

For more about The Hartford Project, go to www.thehartfordproject.com, or email Andrew Sturdy (andrew. bcc@sbcglobal.net).

astoria, new york | quincy, mass. | salem, mass.

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PHOTO CREDIT: MICHAEL CHU

and adults who participate,” noted Bethany Covenant Youth Pastor Andrew Sturdy. “Coming to Connecticut from Chicago I was really excited to be a part of a church that put an emphasis on both serving within the community, as well as serving in the city that is at our doorstep. It gives our students a great introduction to life in the city as well as helping them to see that God is at work everywhere, and all we need to do is to look for opportunities to come alongside what God is already doing.”

Quincy, MA | www.highrockquincy.org

Pastor Stephen Sharkey Upcoming Preview Worship Services:

July 15 th , July 29 th

highrock quincy

3 Salem, MA | www.highrocknorthshore.org

Pastor AARON ENGLER Upcoming Preview Worship Services: July 15 th , July 29 th  on the web

highrock northshore

Visit the East Coast Conference’s Flickr page for pictures of recent events: www.flickr.com/ecconf

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GET TO KNOW

Kreig Gammelgard

Kreig Gammelgard is the newest staff member of the East Coast Conference, beginning his ministry as Associate Superintendent and Director of Congregational Vitality this summer (2012).

Kreig grew up in Oakland, CA, attending a Covenant Church there, and sensed a call to ministry while in high school. He worked as a carpenter after graduating from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, and attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena where he received an M.Div. degree in Christian Formation and Discipleship.

He met his wife Sandy in college, they married in 1979, and have three adult children, Amy, Trevor, and Karli. Kreig has been involved in the church as a volunteer since he was a teenager, and has served as a pastor of youth and families, adult ministries, and missions; and has been a church planter, lead pastor, church consultant, and leadership coach for the Covenant throughout his career.

He was instrumental in launching four new congregations, as well as starting two businesses.

He is passionate about the health and well-being of the church, and is excited to put his experience and expertise to work for the benefit of the churches in the East Coast Conference, partnering with what he calls “his sharp and gifted colleagues.” Turns out that Kreig’s connections to the ECC have deep roots, with both his maternal grandmother and his wife being from Massachusetts.

a personal note from kreig What a privilege it is for me to begin serving as the Director of Congregational Vitality in the East Coast Conference!

 The PERVASIVE POWER of groups… that we work together to sharpen, enlighten, and equip His church

I believe that God has been preparing me for this role over many years of ministry through a variety of roles within the church. From Youth Pastor to Church Planter to Executive Pastor, at churches of varying sizes and ages, God has shown me that not one experience has been wasted as He has paved the way for me to grow into this role. I am excited. I am prayerful. I am humbled by the opportunity to serve you. As I have given time to “getting my arms” around this new position, my thoughts have formed some semblance of order around the following:

VALUES

MISSION

The reason for my existence in this position: “To encourage and resource every church in the East Coast Conference to be moving toward being a healthy missional church led by healthy missional pastors and leaders.”

VISION

This will create the focus of my attention as I go about fulfilling my mission: “That every church and its leaders be clear and committed to…  Their PASSION for Christ… that it is His love that compels us  The PURPOSES of Christ… that His agenda is our agenda and we are clear on what business we are in  The PROCESS of Strategic Planning… that we are continually thinking about what our next steps are  The POWER of the Holy Spirit… that we understand that He is the builder of His church and that we will do whatever it takes to say Yes to his direction.

52 Missionary Road, Cromwell, CT 06416  (860) 635-2691 FAX: (860) 398-5071  www.eastcoastconf.org

 PRO-ACTIVE PERSPECTIVE on discerning next steps  PURSUIT OF GROWTH (in Spirituality, Chemistry, Strategy, and 10 Missional Markers) as normal and natural for leaders and our churches  PRIORITY OF PEOPLE both inside and outside the church Is that enough “P’s” for you? Please forgive my proclivity for the power of P’s! I want you all to know that I am praying for you and your churches. It is a wonderful adventure to see God at work, and I look forward to His blessing on His churches in this conference as we humbly ask for His help and anointing in our congregations.

God is on the move! Let’s all be a part of the momentum!

On a personal note, I would appreciate your prayers for me as well. Being in a new job in a new region can be unsettling. Please pray for me to feel “settled” very soon.

Blessings,

KREIG GAMMELGARD

Robert Ripley [3/25] From Glenburn, ME (Pastor)

Timothy Stohlberg [9/1] To Presque Isle, ME - Cong’l Church, (Interim Pastor)

Garth McGrath [9/1] From Keene, NH (Sr. Pastor) to Great Lakes Conference (Superintendent) Dale Kuehne [9/1] To Keene, NH (Interim Sr. Pastor)

Kreig Gammelgard [5/1] To East Coast Conference Staff (Associate/DCV)

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 PRAYERFUL DEDICATION to the movement of God in and through our churches

Shelly Timber [6/30] From E. Hampton, CT (Pastor)

Jack & Becky Dowling [4/1] To Glenburn, ME (Interim Co-Pastors)

EAST COAST CONFERENCE

These will motivate me to do what I’ll be doing…

Kelly Tibbitts From Bethany Covenant Church

SUPERINTENDENT:

DIR. OF CHURCH PLANTING:

DIR. OF CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY:

OFFICE MANAGER:

FINANCE MANAGER:

Howard K. Burgoyne

Jason Condon

Kreig Gammelgard

Alicia Sturdy

Robin Jones