Celebration 2025 centered around ‘developing missional leaders’
The 2025 Northwest Conference Celebration—the Annual Meeting for both the Ministerial Association and church delegates—took place at Roseville Covenant Church in Roseville, MN, May 1-3.
“Celebration really is a highlight of our year and it brings me so much joy to gather together to share stories and be encouraged,” Superintendent Kara Stromberg shared. “I’m so grateful to serve alongside such wonderful, mission-minded leaders.”
Throughout the weekend, pastors, delegates and attendees heard video and spoken testimony of celebration and challenge from a variety of ministry leaders.
Friday Business Session
The Northwest Conference Celebration opened with the business session on Friday afternoon.
“I’m so pleased that we’re able to host this year’s annual meeting. It’s good to have a place to come together in the middle, and worship together and do work together,” said Matt Kennedy, Pastor of Roseville Covenant Church. “For God’s glory and for our neighbor’s good.”
President Tammy Swanson-Draheim brought greetings from the Evangelical Covenant Church.
“We are all here to serve you, the pastors and churches and affiliates that are on the front lines of ministry,” Swanson-Draheim said.
During her report, Superintendent Stromberg began by announcing a new missional focus for the NWC—being rooted in Jesus, renewing lives and communities by starting and strengthening churches, investing in the next generation and developing missional leaders.
“Our three mission priorities around planting, vitality and children, youth and family have turned into four as we bring more intentional focus around that final priority—developing missional leaders,” Stromberg said. “In everything we do, we are all about strengthening the local church and its leaders for mission.”
Stromberg explained that the Conference “functions like a scaffold of support” for the local churches.
“When we say we’re serving churches and uniting churches in service together, we really mean that, because we truly are better together,” Stromberg said.
Jon Kramka, Director of Congregational Vitality, shared with attendees signs of God’s movement and activity throughout the NWC.
“God is actively bringing forth something new and is encouraging His people to recognize and embrace this new season,” Kramka said. “I believe Isaish’s words are also God’s word for us today in the NWC. God is actively bringing forth something new and he wants us to recognize it and embrace it.”
Kramka shared that the annual Rural Impact Leadership Conference is having a deep impact in rural congregations in the Covenant and beyond. He also highlighted the recent Strategic Ministry Grant Initiative which awarded $140,000 in grant funding to 27 NWC churches to use for outreach and capacity building efforts.
Stromberg went on to highlight the NWC’s efforts to intentionally develop new leaders.
“We’re in our third cycle of offering the church chair cohort, nearing almost 100 church chairs that have been through this training, in addition to financial training seminars offered in partnership with National Covenant Properties,” she said. “We’ve realized that these are two areas of lay leadership that don’t really come with a handbook for how to do it, so we want to come alongside to help equip lay leaders.”
The Northwest Conference is also walking alongside churches that are experiencing pastoral transition, cultivating future leaders via new learning experiences and the Equip Cohort, coordinating efforts like the Luke 10:2 Prayer Initiative, and offering the Exploring Call Retreat, Oct. 24-25 at Lakeview Covenant in Duluth, MN, for those who “feel the nudge toward some kind of pastoral ministry and want to explore with others.”
“We’re just trying to pay attention and see where God is at work,” Stromberg said. “We trust that this is the Lord’s Church and we are invited to be faithful and pray.”
Stromberg also highlighted the work of the NWC to build a stronger church planting framework.
“Church planting is a great way to put a Covenant stamp on things from the beginning and it’s a great way to raise up leaders,” Stromberg said. “We’re planting because it’s a response to God’s mission in the world. And there’s still people in the world who do not know Jesus.”
Stromberg then called on Scott Nelson, Associate Superintendent, to provide an update on recent NWC Church Planting efforts.
“I love our Conference. I have gotten to travel all over the place … what a great Conference, what a great group of people,” Nelson said. “I would love for every single one of our NWC churches to be connected to Church Planting. I believe this is actually part of what God wants for every single one of our churches.”
Nelson went on to explain that to be saved is to be sent, because “our God is a sending God.”
“We live on a mission field. Different people need different churches, and we can be a part of that, friends,” Nelson said. “The harvest is plentiful. Let’s get into the plentiful world of Jesus.”
Ginny Olson, Director of Youth Ministry, shared that her team of leaders is focused on three areas: Deeper discipleship, a stronger leadership pipeline for students, and supporting youth workers as they seek to reach youth in their communities.
“This work that we’re doing is sacred, and it is shared. We have to do it together,” Olson said. “So I invite you to think about how your church is showing up for adolescents, and how can you take that commitment deeper?”
Students are experiencing uncertainty, rapid cultural shifts, isolation, anxiety and deep loneliness.
“They are hungry for something real. That is why its important that each church has a deep commitment to walk with students as they encounter Jesus,” Olson said. “If your church doesn’t have a plan to reach young people, let this be the year to make that plan. Model what true faith looks like.”
Olson said the NWC is “leaning hard into this moment. We have poured more and more energy into MUUUCE, our middle school event that happens every August. This three-day event really brings the gospel to light for students.”
Adventures in Leadership continues to form resilient leaders from churches throughout the Conference through experiential learning in a wilderness setting. Olson is part of a team building up a free resource hub at CovYouth.com. NWC Youth Pastors are also working on a cohort model for high school students that feel a call to ministry.
“None of this matters without local communities catching the vision,” Olson said. “It happens when churches respond to the need. Who are the adolescents in your church and who is showing up for them?”
Sara Sosa, Director of Children & Family Ministry, challenged attendees to ask: “How can we form our children better to look and love like Jesus?”
“This morning, Pastor Edrin Williams asked: ‘How is it that kids can grow up in our churches, and be coached and mentored to love Jesus, and then not be able to love one another?’ I was deeply convicted by that,” Sosa shared. “What you have before you is an amazing opportunity. … Our kids are born with a predisposition for a relationship with their Creator. We do not have to convince them of it. They can lead us into a deeper understating of what it means to follow God if we just slow down and let them mentor us.
“I get to come alongside your leaders and churches and help you to know that the Church is one of the last spaces in the United States where we can come together and truly be intergenerational,” Sosa continued. “If I can be a resource to you in any way on this journey, please reach out.”
Hollis Kim, Director of Ministerial Health & Connections, explained his role as a “pastor to the pastors.” He highlighted the work of resourcing and encouraging pastors and their families, serving churches of all sizes—especially in more remote rural regions—connecting pastors with Denominational resources and in cohorts, and serving pastors in their moments of personal need.
“Pastoral ministry is a team sport. Being a pastor is a lonely thing, but a pastor does not exist in a vacuum. We’re in this together,” Kim said. “We try to foster ministerial health on an ongoing basis, as well as resource pastors along their journey.”
Kim explained that ministerial health is something that needs constant attention.
“We do this together to foster ministerial health for the long haul,” Kim said. “Whether you’re a pastor or a church leader, I want to encourage you to love your pastor and nurture and encourage them. Thanks you for your good work in loving your pastor in doing the work to which they are called.”
Minnehaha Academy President Donna Harris shared a presentation via video from the life of the school that featured recent accomplishments and activities of MA students. She praised Superintendent Stromberg and the staff of the NWC for their support in ministry.
“It truly warms my heart to witness the students and adults in our community learning, serving and growing together,” Harris said. “To God be the glory for the marvelous things He is doing and will continue to do in the lives of our students.”
During Friday’s Business Session, delegates also approved a ballot that included the election of Dave Hugare (Lakeview Covenant Church, Duluth, MN) to serve a 1-year term as NWC Executive Board Chairperson, Sharon Ardon Morales (En Su Presencia Covenant Church, Rochester, MN) and Gary Gilkinson (Winthrop Evangelical Covenant Church, Winthrop, MN) to 5-year terms on the NWC Executive Board, as well as electing Matt Kennedy (Roseville Covenant Church, Roseville, MN) to a 3-year term on the Minnehaha Academy Board of Trustees.
Delegates approved the NWC budget of $1,552,036, as well as the budget for Minnehaha Academy.
As the meeting was concluding, Senior Pastor Chris Pappenfus invited the delegates to come to First Covenant Church in Willmar, MN, for the 2026 NWC Annual Meeting Celebration next April 23-25.
Attendees also had opportunity to learn about a variety of Conference and denominational ministries and organizations at display tables, and through one-on-one conversations throughout the weekend.
Friday Worship Service
A team of musicians from throughout the NWC, anchored by Roseville Covenant Church Pastor of Worship and Discipleship Michele Arndt, led attendees in worship during the Friday evening worship service.
Five Candidates for Ordination and Commissioning were also recognized and prayed for during the service. The Candidates for Ordination include: Michele Ann Arndt (Roseville Covenant Church, Roseville, MN), Erika Brodin Clauson (M Health Fairview, Minneapolis, MN), Kohl Michael Hanson (Karmel Covenant Church, Princeton, MN) and Cynthia Marie Jones (Catalyst Covenant Church, White Bear Lake, MN). The Candidate for Commissioning is Nathan LaVerne Nelson (Mission Covenant Church, Poplar, WI).
Tammy Swanson-Draheim, President of the ECC, shared a message centered around 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
“I love Jesus and I love His Church,” Swanson-Draheim said. “We have the hope of the world as a Church.”
“Even in the face of the troubles of this world, our hope and our joy is not located in the broken and angry and cruel systems of this world,” Swanson-Draheim continued. “It is located in the one who has overcome this world and invites us to follow Him.”
Saturday Leadership Event
Saturday morning’s Leadership Development event opened with a brief panel discussion featuring representatives of Covenant Trust Company and National Covenant Properties, sponsors of the day’s coffee and lunch.
The rest of the day featured author Dr. Tod Bolsinger presenting “Leadership Matters: Practicing Change in a Time of Upheaval and Disruption.” Throughout the day, Bolsinger focused on four areas of leadership: “How to not waste a crisis,” “The mission always wins,” “Invest in transformation,” and “Leading through resistance.”
“We think we can outwork the changing world. I want to encourage you to quit trying harder,” Bolsinger shared.
He challenged attendees, when facing a new problem, to pause and ask themselves: “What kind of problem is this (technical problem vs adaptive challenge)?” Bolsinger focused on the “shift” in attitudes, values and habits of behavior that adaptive challenges require to be solved.
“When you find yourself realizing that what got you here won’t take you there, that the expertise of the past won’t take you into the future. Why should Christians be afraid of the future? We know the God of the future,” Bolsinger said. “You can’t just keep trying harder, you’re going to have to learn how to shift attitudes, values and behaviors.”
Bolsinger offered this definition: Leadership is energizing a community of people toward their own transformation in order to accomplish a shared mission.
“There is no transformation without trust. We have to be trustworthy with the things entrusted to our care,” Bolsinger said. “When you do the thing that have been entrusted to your care well, trust goes up. … The default behavior of most organizational leaders is to solve problems for our organizations, rather than transform our organizations for meeting the needs of the world.
“Transformative change does not occur through power and control, but through relational connection, empathy, and the trust that comes through attunement,” Bolsinger continued. “We’re going to have to lead the learning. We’re going to have to take people through transformation.”
