Summer 2012 FOP/ECO gatherings
How to become a member of ECO
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman, August 28, 2012
ECO Toolbox
For congregations going through the discernment process, ECO has created a toolbox of resources created by four churches that have successfully left the PCUSA and joined ECO. The resources include congregational letters, surveys, discernment resources and more. Email fellowshippres@gmail.com for more information.
Other “Discernment Resources” can be found on The Layman Online.
ATLANTA – “How do you become an ECO congregation or pastor? The process starts with you,” said John Terech, moderator of the Presbytery of the East of the new Reformed denomination, ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
Terech was speaking at the 2012 summer gathering of The Fellowship of Presbyterians and ECO. The ECO meeting was held in both Atlanta, Ga. (Aug. 22-Aug.24) and Colorado Springs, Colo. (Aug. 19-21).
First, he said, request an application to join ECO by emailing fellowshippres@gmail.com. Both congregations and individual pastors may apply.
Requesting an application “does not obligate you to anything. It just gets things started,” said Terech. He said that there is a 90-day lead time to get ECO individuals and pastors started in its benefits program, since it is much different from the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Board of Pensions plan.
The second step, Terech said, would be discernment and completing the application. For each congregation, the pastor and the session would each complete a separate application that would be emailed back to fellowshippres@gmail.com.
The presbytery moderator – Terech in the Presbytery of the East, and the Rev. Dr. M.J. Romano in the Presbytery of the West – reviews the application and submits it to the presbytery’s Committee on Assimilation (COA), which conducts interviews with the pastor and session separately. The interviews, Terech said, can be done by phone, Skype (a service that allows people to communicate by voice or video over the Internet) or in person.
The session will be interviewed collectively. The session’s moderator or the clerk of session will need to write a statement of faith – but also, each session member can write their individual statement. “It’s a great teaching tool,” he said, “and it helps us to know where the session is collectively.”
Terech said that the interview process can be completed in two weeks. If COA recommends approval of the congregation, then the presbytery moderator will write a letter of welcome to the church.
“That should be enough to submit to your [PCUSA] presbytery to prove you are a member of the ECO,” he said. But he cautioned that the process of leaving the PCUSA is different in every presbytery, so “If you need more [documentation], I will do it.”
According to the PCUSA’s Book of Order, presbyteries may dismiss congregations to other Reformed bodies. Terech said that each congregation will have to find out if their PCUSA presbytery recognizes ECO as a Reformed body.
Some PCUSA presbyteries have already recognized ECO as a Reformed body. During its Aug. 18 meeting, Foothills Presbytery of South Carolina noted in its meeting packet: “The Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians [ECO] is a Reformed body to which we can dismiss congregations according to the constitution of the PCUSA and the provisions of our Gracious Dismissal Policy.”
The objectives of the application and approval process, according to the ECO website, are:
- “share clear and accessible information between ECO and interested congregations;
- “ensure all ordained officers will receive, adopt, and be bound by the essential tenets [found on page 6 of pdf] and agree to ECO’s moral standards;
- “ensure congregations understand and are prepared to embrace the missional vision of ECO;
- “ensure that a thorough process does not distract congregations and their leaders from their primary call; to make disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Presbytery life
“So, then your presbytery life begins,” Terech said, that includes:
- A membership agreement. Terech called the agreement a 4-5 page document that gives congregations the right to use the ECO logo, marks, etc. It can also get the congregation under the 501(c)(3) umbrella if needed.
- Missional Affinity Networks. The networks are congregations with similar ministries, challenges and opportunities – outside of the presbytery.
- Peer review. “Logistically this is tough, but exciting,” he said. “We will do that the best we can.” Ideas include Skype meetings for peer review. ECO pastors are accountable to one another. The peer reviews – or accountable relationships – can take place within the presbytery or the Missional Affinity Networks.
Presbytery of the East
In an unofficial Presbytery of the East meeting held at the Atlanta gathering, the ten churches of presbytery were recognized. They include:
· Trinity Presbyterian Church in Satellite Beach, Fla.
· Indian River Presbyterian Church in Fort Pierce, Fla.
· All Villages Presbyterian Church in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
· Palm City Presbyterian Church in Palm City, Fla.
· First Presbyterian Church in North Palm Beach, Fla.
· Memorial Presbyterian Church in West Palm Beach, Fla.
· First Presbyterian Church in Miami Springs, Fla.
· Kirk of the Keys Presbyterian Church in Marathon, Fla.
· First Presbyterian Church in Dunellen, N.J.
· First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, S.C.
Terech announced that First Presbyterian Church of Florence, S.C. has recently been approved; as have four individuals: the Rev. Keith Hill, pastor of St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Va.; the Rev. Ken Folmsbee, pastor of Lakes and Hills Covenant Church, in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla.; Elmer Floyd, a church planter in Florida; and a chaplain preparing to be deployed to Kuwait soon.
Terech asked those at the meeting to submit nominations to fill various presbytery committees include a Permanent Judicial Committee, who “hopefully they won’t have anything to do;” and an assimilation team.
A September presbytery meeting – via Skype – will be scheduled to elect the nominees. The next in-person presbytery meeting will be in January.