Over the past five years, the Northwest Conference has sought to highlight the Mission Priorities as articulated by the broader Evangelical Covenant Church.
This year’s theme is especially relevant to the work of the NWC as our Mission is to engage, empower, and equip healthy missional leaders, as we believe that this is an essential component in growing healthy missional churches.
At both the ministerial and general delegate meetings, participants will have opportunities to select specific workshops to attend that will provide different perspectives on leading in the Church. Some of these workshops will be geared for pastors and ministry staff members, while others will be focused on lay leadership. Come, learn, and be both challenged and encouraged! Check out the Workshop Descriptions tab below for more info.
Online registration for the 2017 Annual Meeting is now closed.
Dennis Edwards has been the Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, MN, since May 2012. Prior to his call to the church, he was the founding pastor of Peace Fellowship Church in Washington, D.C. Dennis has been married to his wife, Susan, for 32 years and they are the parents of four adult children.
Marcy Baumann is the Eagan Campus Pastor for Crossroads Church and Chaplain for the Eagan Police Department. She and her husband Reinhart have three children. Pastor Marcy is a motorcycle and interior design enthusiast. However, her passion for those disillusioned by religion is what has carried her globally and led her to the position she is in today.
Hampton Inn Maple Grove/Arbor Lakes
7745 Elm Creek Blvd., Maple Grove, MN 55369
763.494.4498
$109
Room block available until April 19
Maple Grove Cambria Hotel & Suites
9655 Grove Circle N., Maple Grove, MN 55369
763.494.5556
$119
Room block available until April 13
The Annual Meeting is the highest constituted authority in the Northwest Conference (NWC), made up of delegates from member Covenant churches throughout the Conference. Delegates gather together for worship and fellowship, and to elect leaders, review finances, adopt a budget, and address the business of the Conference.
Delegates are appointed representatives from member Covenant churches. Delegates vote on the policies and procedures presented to the Annual Meeting. Delegates receive a packet of information that includes reports, statistics, ballot information, etc. They are also given the privilege of speaking during the meeting and voicing their opinion.
Yes. Registered attendees may attend the Annual Meeting without officially representing a member church. They are not allowed to voice their opinions, ask questions or vote. Registered attendees are also invited to participate in the Saturday leadership workshops. Everyone is welcome to participate in the worship sessions.
The number of delegates each church can send is based on membership as of Dec. 31, 2016.
0-49 members = 2 delegates
50-249 members = 3 delegates
250-499 members = 4 delegates
500+ members = 5 delegates
Delegates are invited to an orientation at 2 pm on Friday, April 28, prior to the business session. Delegates will be briefed on the basic Conference organizational structure and meeting protocol.
Registration can be done online or by mail.
Mr. Johnson’s Lunchbox—Tools for Team Collaboration
Barb Dusek, Leadership Coach and Management Consultant
Through the recognition and use of collaborative tools, we can energize ourselves and others to engage in effective teamwork. Sixth grade teacher, Gordon Johnson, knew much about engaging a diverse group of youngsters toward common goals. Attend this session to learn how to apply his time-tested tools for your own team success.
Church Leadership in an Interconnected World
David Stark, President of BusinessKeys International
It is not hard to see that the New Testament used the Body of Christ as the central image of structure for the Church. The wisdom about leadership in the New Testament is crystal clear today—even to outsiders. We are going to look at some of the most applicable and most transforming ideas around leadership that are both Biblical and very current to situations that churches face today.
How to Keep the Fire Without Burning Out
Paul Robinson, Lead Church Planter of Grace Outreach Covenant Church (Coon Rapids, MN)
Learn how clarity around purpose and the core values you want your work to exemplify leads to authentic leadership. We will explore how the alignment of purpose and values renew, reenergize, increase effectiveness and lead to a greater sense of fulfillment. Learn ways to get more of what you want out of the time you have.
Jesus’s Soul-Care for Leaders: Praying the Psalms
Keith Meyer, Lead Pastor of Hope Covenant Church (St. Cloud, MN)
On the cross Jesus was still praying the Psalms that had formed him—come examine how the Psalms work for a leader’s soul-care.
Bearing Rule in the Church: The Often-Unwelcome Pastoral Task
Richard Theilen, Covenant Pastor and Faculty Member at Solid Rock School of Discipleship
Covenant pastors are ordained to preach the Word, administer the Sacraments and “bear rule in the church.” The meanings of the first two expectations are straightforward. “Bearing Rule,” however, can produce everything from simple confusion to outright conflict. We’ll explore several issues related to this confusing but essential aspect of our vows—including authority, power, strategy and accountability. All church staff members are welcome, regardless of ministerial credential.
Building a Strong Next Gen Ministry … From the Pulpit
Ginny Olson, NWC Director of Youth Ministry, and Kara Stromberg, NWC Director of Children & Family Ministry
How do you move your volunteers from van drivers and cookie bakers to engaged ministry leaders who are invested in seeing this next generation succeed when it comes to faith and life? This seminar will help you understand both the pitfalls and priorities on the pathway to developing your children and youth ministry leadership teams.
What’s in Your Leadership Portfolio? An Effective Leader’s Strategy for Self-Development
Barb Dusek, Leadership Coach and Management Consultant
Relying on the wisdom of the Apostle Paul, we will use Romans 12 to discover what we have in our own personal leadership portfolio. In this workshop, you will create a strategy map for developing greater strength where you need it most.
Perspectives Matter: Cultural Competence for a Changing World
Paul Robinson, Lead Church Planter of Grace Outreach Covenant Church (Coon Rapids, MN)
We live in an increasingly multicultural world. The ability to navigate and respond to cultural difference is key to reaching the whole community for Jesus. This conversation will explore how perspective impacts how we see and respond to difference. Participants will receive tools and strategies to increase their intercultural competence.
Jesus’s Soul-Care for Leaders: Keeping Jesus’s Life Rhythms
Keith Meyer, Lead Pastor of Hope Covenant Church (St. Cloud, MN)
The disciples noticed Jesus’s power in ministry came from his practice of solitude and prayer. Come experience how solitude and prayer empower leaders for mission.
Leadership in God’s Mosaic … Your Church!
Steve and Barb Swanson, Covenant Missionaries to Sweden
God is on the move with His people who are on the move. Embracing the cultural diversity that God brings to your church doorstep is vital to the Church’s healthy growth into the next generation. Come and learn about identifying leaders among new believers, empowering those leaders and overcoming challenges in building your leadership team.
Bearing Rule in the Church: The Delicate Dance Between Pastors and People
Richard Theilen, Covenant Pastor and Faculty Member at Solid Rock School of Discipleship
Covenant pastors are ordained to “bear rule in the church,” yet that expectation can seem to be at odds with our commitment to congregational polity. This workshop is designed particularly with the needs of lay leaders and parishioners in mind, and will seek to provide a better understanding of how pastors and other congregational leaders can work together faithfully and effectively.
Building a Strong Next Gen Ministry … From the Pews
Ginny Olson, NWC Director of Youth Ministry, and Kara Stromberg, NWC Director of Children & Family Ministry
Leaders are more than chaperones. In this seminar, we’ll explore how to work with people in your church to build a strong and vibrant ministry with children and youth. We’ll discuss how to cast a vision for a strong next gen ministry, how to identify and equip emerging leaders, and the elements of a helpful evaluation process.
Reaching Millennials—and People Under 40—to Grow Your Congregation and Make it Thrive Now
David Stark, President of BusinessKeys International
After 6 years of research around the United States, inside and outside the Church, “Reaching Millennials” was published last April and connects not only all the different ways that churches are reaching Millennials, but why the mindset we embrace is as critical as the methodologies we use. We will be covering the methodologies working now, and how your congregation can build and adapt your own unique way of engaging outsiders.