by Brian Smith, EPC Director of Communications
The EPC Committee on Administration (COA) will present a recommendation to 35th General Assembly in June that the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) relocate from Livonia, Michigan, to Orlando, Florida. If approved by a vote of the General Assembly, the move would occur upon expiration of the current office lease, which occurs in December 2016.
Bill Dudley, COA Chairman, said that the recommendation grew out of three concurrent studies:
- Development of an EPC vision and mission that defined the direction that the COA discerns God is leading the EPC over the next three years.
- A review of OGA organization structure and staffing in light of those conversations on vision and mission.
- A detailed analysis of potential sites for the national offices (including staying in Livonia), in light of the current office lease expiring in December 2016.
He referenced a similar study undertaken five years ago that ultimately led to an extension of the lease at the current OGA location.
“In 2009, the COA seriously and prayerfully considered a relocation of the national offices, but determined and reported to the 2010 General Assembly that the timing was not right,” Dudley said. “The lease on the current offices was subsequently renewed, with the understanding that the office location would be reconsidered upon expiration of the lease.”
A subcommittee of the COA studied a number of potential locations across the country, including Livonia, Denver, Kansas City, Memphis, Orlando, Sacramento, and St. Louis.
Stated Clerk Jeff Jeremiah believes the recommendation is the right decision for an expanded family of churches.
“The EPC is in transition from a period of rapid growth to a focus on healthy sustainable transformation,” he said. “To reach our God-given potential, we must place our organizational infrastructure on the strongest possible foundation and trajectory.”
Jeremiah noted that one of the considerations the subcommittee used in their due diligence was ease of travel to the various candidate cities.
“Committees meet at the OGA throughout the year, and people travel from all parts of the country to attend. Travel to Detroit is comparatively expensive and time-consuming, and weather often affects travel in the winter. Our expectation is that this relocation will result in reduced travel times, delays, and costs,” he said. “In addition, the EPC is going to experience retirements in strategic roles in the foreseeable future. The location of the OGA will be a factor in trying to attract sufficient numbers of the most qualified candidates.”
Both Dudley and Jeremiah emphasized that the COA is not making the decision to relocate the offices. Rather, the COA will present their recommendation to relocate the OGA to the 2015 General Assembly, which will debate and vote on it. Should the Assembly approve the recommendation, the subcommittee will work with resources in Orlando to identify property considerations and begin the relocation process.
Click here for more information on the COA recommendation.
