Handout from the 05-29|30-2013 Regional Cohort Gatherings for church planters on the East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

1. Regional Cohort Gatherings
Wed May 29, 11:00am - 2:30pm | NY/NJ Cohort
Thu May 30, 11:00am - 2:30pm | New England Cohort
and joining us both days, the newly planted... | Mid-Atlantic Cohort!
Contact & Quick Info
links are clickable in the post and pdf at www.jasoncondon.com
Contact & Quick Info
links are clickable in the post and pdf at www.jasoncondon.com
Jason R. Condon
Associate Superintendent & Director of Church Planting,
East Coast Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church
• jasonrcondon@gmail.com
• (860) 479-2020
• www.jasoncondon.com
(Cohort handouts and resources posted here)
• facebook.com/jasoncondon
• eastcoastconf.org
• covchurch.org
Quick-Start Guide to ECConf Church Planting
• "Understanding Church Planting on the East Coast
Conference" (or www.jasoncondon.com/2012/04/
handout-understanding-church-planting.html) -
seminar handout introducing concepts & strategy
• "What Are We Looking For in A Church Planter?"
(or bit.ly/Qfbiue ) - an overview of what we value in a
church planter and his or her ministry
• "Church Planter Identification Process"
(or bit.ly/TfnyKr) - an overview of how we assess
church planters and pursue church planting within the
East Coast Conference and the Covenant
Welcome
Purpose:
“
encourage, equip, and multiply church planters
for a sustaining church planting movement”
• Open in Prayer
• Super-Quick Intros:
• your name
• ministry setting
• why you’re here today
• Lunch: we’ll grab lunch whenever it’s ready or convenient
Regional Cohort Gatherings | NY/NJ & Greater Boston/New England (+ Mid-Atlantic)
May 29 & 30, 2013 | page 1 of 6

2. NY/NJ Only
Birthing Stories | Our Newest Church Planters
Kim Wright, Church of the Resurrection
• Project Start: July 1
• Model: “2.0” Church Plant/Adapted 4-Stage Launch
Eli Hernandez, Promised Land Baltimore
• Project Start: TBD
• Model: New Church Plant/4-Stage Launch
Don Schiewer, Blacksburg VA
• Virginian Tech College Town
• Project Start: TBD
• Model: Discipleship-Driven/Missional Communities
Growing Pains | Financial Challenges (both kinds!)
Jose Humphreys, Metro Hope
• challenges faced, challenges given, lessons learning
• Q&A Discussion
Regional Cohort Gatherings | NY/NJ & Greater Boston/New England (+ Mid-Atlantic)
May 29 & 30, 2013 | page 2 of 6

3. Greater Boston/New England Only
Congregational Vitality - Kreig Gammelgard
covchurch.org/vitality
Presentation, Q&A, and Discussion:
Leadership without a Plan:Leadership Without a Plan
Starting
point
Leadership with a Plan:
Leadership with a plan
Strategic Ministry Plan
and Implementation
Article: “Why Your Church Will Die (But That’s Okay)”
• www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/161271-
geoff_surratt_why_your_church_will_die_and_thats_ok.html
Geoff Surratt: “The reality is that all churches have a life cycle.
They go from birth to maturity to decline and eventually death.”
• Stage 1: Birth
• Stage 2: Child
• Stage 3: Adult
• Step 4: Parent
• Step 5: Grandparent
• Stage 6: Death
Regional Cohort Gatherings | NY/NJ & Greater Boston/New England (+ Mid-Atlantic)
May 29 & 30, 2013 | page 3 of 6

4. A Family Heritage | Churches Planting Churches
Every church was once a church plant, so how might every church continue that blessing?
• Parent Church: the primary source of Launch Team members and “Third Stream” of outside funding
• Partner Churches: 3-5 churches that join together to provide Launch Team members and
collectively the “Third Stream” of outside funding (helpful framing: “tithing” of members and money)
• Support Churches: additional churches that come alongside the project at a variety of levels
Partnered in Planting | New City Boston Project Partnerships
T.C. Moore, New City Boston
• www.newcityboston.org
• Project Start: Oct 1, 2012
• Planting: Fall 2013
• Model: New Church Plant, 4-Stage Launch
Larry Kim, Cambridge Community Fellowship Church
• 234 Franklin Street, Cambridge, MA 02139 | ccfc-church.org
• Hosted T.C.’s Residency, now his Coach. Instrumental in initiating the partnership conversations
• Planted: 1996
Fred Elliot-Hart, Covenant Congregational Church
• 455 Arborway, Boston, MA 02130 | www.bostoncov.org
• Planted: 1881
Eugene Lee, Cornerstone Community Church
• 41 Berkley Street, Boston, MA 02116 | www.cornerstoneboston.org
• Planted: 2004
Story, Q&A, and discussion
•
Parenting Possibilities | “I think we’re pregnant…”
Brian Estrella, Riverside Evangelical Covenant Church
• 165 Rounds Ave, Riverside, RI 02915 | www.riversidecovenant.org
• Planted: 1881 (transplanted from Providence in 1968)
Story, Q&A, and discussion
•
Regional Cohort Gatherings | NY/NJ & Greater Boston/New England (+ Mid-Atlantic)
May 29 & 30, 2013 | page 4 of 6

5. Back to Basics
Discipleship | Discipling Disciples who Disciple Disciples who…
(Last time we discussed “Outreach & Evangelism” -
see www.jasoncondon.com/2013/03/cohort-03-06-2013.html)
Normal & Natural Pathways *
“In your church, what are Normal and Natural Pathways to Make Disciples that are maturing in Christ?”
• What will the disciple making process look like in this new church?
• What are the characteristics of a Christ-follower that you want to see produced in people who are a part of
your new church?
Discussion & Notes:
* full document for Normal & Natural Pathways at: www.bit.ly/normalnaturalpathways
• What’s your history of success and setbacks with these efforts?
• Reflections from Exponential Retreat, theme: DiscipleShift
Going Deeper | Cohort “Series” on Discipleship Starting in Aug
• Future Travelers Covenant Cohort (details still being worked out, hope to invite two or more planters)
• Potential Topics: Discipleship approaches (3dm, T4T, missional communities), discipleship metrics,
APEST environment (Eph. 4)
• Features: reporting back from Future Travelers, significant peer-led components
Regional Cohort Gatherings | NY/NJ & Greater Boston/New England (+ Mid-Atlantic)
May 29 & 30, 2013 | page 5 of 6

6. Mark Your Calendar
Coming Events | subscribe now at eastcoastconf.org/calendar
June
NO Cohort Gatherings
Church Planter Training Intensive
• Tue June 4, 6:00pm – Sun June 9, 12:00pm
• Minneapolis/St. Paul MN
• for new Covenant Church Planters
(“Recommended”, still pre-Launch Stage)
Covenant Annual Meeting (Detroit)
• Thu, June 27, 2013 – Sun, June 30, 2013
www.covchurch.org/am
July
NO Cohort Gatherings
Family Camp at Pilgrim Pines with
Church Planter “Magnet” Weeks
• contact Dave Cairns for these or other open
spaces for the special offer of free family camp
week to first-time church planter families
• pilgrimpines.org
• July 6-13: Jason, Lisa, Jaron (15), and Bryn (12)
• July 27 - Aug 3: Michael Carrion’s Family
Aug
Cohort Gatherings - best dates & locations?
Sept
Cohort Gatherings - best dates & locations?
Sept 1 Deadline: COMS Paperwork
• Contact Alicia: office@eastcoastconf.org
• (See Oct “COMS Interviews” for more details)
Assessment Center (Denver CO)
• Wed Sept 18, 8pm - Sat Sept 21, 12pm
• Invitation Only: for church planter candidates
sufficiently advancing in assessment process
Oct
NO Cohort Gatherings
Potential: Exponential WEST
• Mon Oct 7 – Thu Oct 10
• I’m considering this as a mini-retreat for those
who missed Exponential in Orlando.
Same theme and same or similar speakers:
“DiscipleShift”. Anyone interested? :)
• www.exponential.org
COMS Interviews
• Tue Oct 16 – Wed Oct 17, 2 hours in Berlin CT
• Committee on Ministerial Standing (COMS) is
necessary for those new to credentialing process,
3 year check-ins for those just “licensed”, final-
prep for those nearing Ordination
Fall Ministerial Retreat (Ashram)
• all Church Planters expected to attend
• Sun Oct 27 (Evening) – Wed Oct 30 (Morning)
• Pilgrim Pines, Swanzey NH
Nov
Cohort Gatherings - best dates & locations?
•
Church Planter Training Intensive
• Tue Nov 5 – Sun Nov 10
• Oklahoma City, OK
• for new Covenant Church Planters
(recommended and pre-Launch)
Dec
NO Cohort Gatherings
Coaches Training
• Tue, Dec 3 – Thu Dec 5
• Dallas TX
Regional Cohort Gatherings | NY/NJ & Greater Boston/New England (+ Mid-Atlantic)
May 29 & 30, 2013 | page 6 of 6