Category Archives: Denominational News

Variety of fall 2023 gatherings planned for EPC pastors, spouses, church leaders

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Retreats and gatherings designed to support and encourage EPC pastors, their spouses, church planters, and other leaders are scheduled for October and November 2023.

“We want our pastors and their spouses to thrive in both life and ministry,” said Annie Rose, EPC Director of Ministerial Support and Development. “The events we have planned for this fall are designed to not only bless those who attend, but also have a lasting impact on their families, congregations, and communities.”

Church Planter Retreat

  • Date and Location: October 16-19, Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs, Colo.
  • Theme: “Sustain”
  • Designed for: All active EPC Church Planters and spouses, as well as local church, Presbytery, and Church Planting Network leaders.
  • Synopsis: We will explore ongoing spiritual health and well-being for church plants and church planters. Teaching and discussion groups will cover topics related to active church planters, as well as specific helps for church leaders wanting to begin or grow church planting in their local church, Presbytery, or region.

XP/Administrators Gathering

  • Dates and Locations: October 19-20, DoubleTree Phoenix-Tempe, Phoenix, Ariz.; and November 9-10, EPC Office of the General Assembly in Orlando, Fla.
  • Designed for: Executive Pastors, Executive Directors, Business Adminstrators, and others in local church operational leadership.
  • Guest speaker: David Fletcher, founder of XPastor.org.
  • Synopsis: Fletcher will conduct the Thursday morning session. The Thursday afternoon and Friday morning sessions will be roundtable discussions among peers to exchange ideas and offer solutions to current issues.

Pastor-Spouse Retreat

  • Date and Location: October 23-27, Glen Eyrie Castle & Colorado Conference Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
  • Designed for: EPC pastors and their spouses.
  • Synopsis: Many pastors are feeling the wear and tear of what leadership has required over the past few years. The goal of this retreat is to provide time and space for participants to rest, connect with others, and receive encouragement from the Lord. We will be led by the excellent Colorado-based staff from PastorServe, who will facilitate our morning large-group sessions and provide care and coaching in the afternoons. Attendees will be together in the mornings but have free time each afternoon. Come be refreshed by the Lord in a beautiful place!

ECO/EPC Small Church Summit

  • Date and Location: November 7-9, First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio in San Antonio, Texas.
  • Theme: “Lead in Community”
  • Synopsis: Those who pastor smaller flocks can feel isolated from other leaders, but we know that the Lord has placed each of us in His body as one of many members. Let’s come together for a time of encouragement and equipping, learning how we can raise up leaders in our churches, and experiencing the grace of doing ministry in community. The summit is free to participants. Cover your transportation and hotel, and we will take care of the rest!

“Registration for these events will open later this summer and be communicated through our normal channels,” Rose said. “Please save the dates for the event that best fits you and your ministry!”

April 2023 EPC financial report: POI support ahead of 2023 budget

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Contributions to Percentage of Income (POI) and Per Member Asking (PMA) received by the Office of the General Assembly in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) through April 30 total $2,068,194. April POI/PMA support was $237,495.

The year-to-date total is $6,992 (0.3 percent) more than the $2,061,202 FY23 support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and Gospel Priorities of church planting, church health, effective biblical leadership, and global movement. FY23 contributions are $122,042 (6.3 percent) more than the amount received in the same period in FY22.

“I praise God for His undeserved goodness to us,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “In addition to POI exceeding the budget, our expenses are more than $23,000 under budget and most of the line items are at or below the projected spending level.”

Of the $2,068,194 received, $413,639 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $5,265,272 in designated gifts were received through April 30. This total is $159,222 (2.8 percent) lower than the $5,708,990 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22. Nearly all ($141,707) of the difference is attributed to donations to the Domestic Emergency Relief Fund in response to Hurricane Ida.

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

Of the total, $4,982,594 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $282,677 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of income to the church’s general operating fund. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

March 2023 EPC financial report: POI/PMA support continues strong, above FY22

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As of March 31, Percentage of Income (POI) contributions received by the Office of the General Assembly since the July 1 start of the EPC’s fiscal year total $1,830,699. The amount is $68,389 (3.9 percent) more than PMA at the same point last year, yet $21,443 (1.2 percent) less than the $1,852,142 budgeted support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and Gospel Priorities of church planting, church health, effective biblical leadership, and global movement.

March PMA contributions were $228,084.

“As we enter the last quarter of our fiscal year, I am thankful that the financial support from our churches remains strong,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “To be nearly four percent above last year is testimony to God’s gracious provision. Our OGA staff also continues their excellent stewardship—we are almost $80,000 under budget in our spending.”

Of the $1,830,699 received, $366,140 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA contributions, $4,761,586 in designated gifts were received through March 31. This total is $150,661 (3 percent) less than the $5,029,142 in designated gifts received in FY22. Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as the Domestic Emergency Relief Fund, church health and church planting initiatives, and the EPC’s holiday offerings.

Of the total, $4,487,631 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $273,954 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of income to the church’s general operating fund. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

National Leadership Team prays for outgoing members

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Members of the National Leadership Team pray for outgoing Chairman Brad Strait (third from right) and outgoing member Patrick King (fourth from right). Not pictured is a third member rotating off the committee, Dave Strunk.

At their final in-person meeting of 2022-2023 on April 19, members of the EPC’s National Leadership Team concluded the gathering by praying for outgoing members Brad Strait, Patrick King, and Dave Strunk. Strait serves as Lead Pastor of Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in Englewood, Colo. King serves as Pastor of Covenant Church in San Diego, Calif. Strunk is the Planting Pastor of Church of the Redeemer in Maryville, Tenn.

El Libro de Orden 2022-23 ahora disponible en Español

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El Libro de Orden de EPC 2022-23 en español ya está disponible en formato PDF descargable en www.epc.org/recursosenespanol.

“Esta edición actualizada de nuestro Libro de Orden incluye todas las decisiones ratificadas por la 42.ª Asamblea General en Ward Church en junio pasado”, dijo Dean Weaver, Secretario Delegado de EPC. “Esa Asamblea aprobó tres enmiendas al Libro de Gobierno y dos revisiones al Libro de Culto, así como una serie de artículos señalados como Actas de la Asamblea. Además, verificamos cuidadosamente cada referencia de página, nota al pie e índice para verificar su precisión. Esta es la primera actualización de nuestro Libro de Orden en dos años, por lo que debería estar en el estante de cada Anciano Docente y Secretario de Sesión”.

El libro de 253 páginas es el Volumen 1 de la Constitución de EPC y está compuesto por el Libro de Gobierno, el Libro de Disciplina (que incluye Formularios de Disciplina), el Libro de Culto, las Reglas para la Asamblea, las Actas de Asamblea y un índice completo. La edición de este año incluye enmiendas al Libro de Orden y Reglas para la Asamblea ratificadas a través de la 42.ª Asamblea General (2022), así como las Actas de la 42.ª Asamblea General.

La Constitución de la EPC consiste en el Libro de Orden, la Confesión de Fe de Westminster (incluidos los Catecismos Mayor y Menor) y el documento “Fundamentos de nuestra fe”. Todos estos están subordinados a la Escritura, que es “la autoridad suprema y final en todos los asuntos sobre los que habla”.

Los recursos adicionales descargables en español incluyen la Guía de Capacitación de Liderazgo de EPC, el Manual de Procedimientos para los Comités Ministeriales y de Candidatos, y Caminando con Jesús: Un Devocional Familiar escrito por Héctor Reynoso, Pastor de la Iglesia Presbiteriana Génesis en Mercedes, Texas.

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2022-23 Book of Order now available in Spanish

The Spanish-language 2022-23 EPC Book of Order is now available in downloadable PDF format at www.epc.org/recursosenespanol.

“This updated edition of our Book of Order includes all the decisions ratified by the 42nd General Assembly at Ward Church last June,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “That Assembly approved three amendments to the Book of Government and two revisions to the Book of Worship, as well as a number of items noted as Acts of the Assembly. In addition, we carefully checked every page reference, footnote, and index for accuracy. This is the first update to our Book of Order in two years, so it should be on every Teaching Elder and Clerk of Session’s shelf.”

The 253-page book is Volume 1 of the EPC Constitution and is comprised of the Book of Government, Book of Discipline (including Forms for Discipline), Book of Worship, Rules for Assembly, Acts of Assembly, and a full index. This year’s edition includes amendments to the Book of Order and Rules for Assembly ratified through the 42nd General Assembly (2022), as well as Acts of the 42nd General Assembly.

The Constitution of the EPC consists of the Book of Order, the Westminster Confession of Faith (including the Larger and Shorter Catechisms), and the document “Essentials of Our Faith.” All these are subordinate to Scripture, which is “the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks.”

Additional downloadable Spanish resources include the EPC Leadership Training Guide, the Procedure Manual for Ministerial and Candidates Committees, and Walking with Jesus: A Family Devotional written by Hector Reynoso, Pastor of Genesis Presbyterian Church in Mercedes, Texas.

February 2023 EPC financial report: PMA/POI support continues ahead of 2022 pace, behind 2023 budget

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Contributions to Per Member Asking (PMA) and Percentage of Income (POI) received by the Office of the General Assembly in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) through February 28 total $1,602,615. February PMA/POI support was $158,198.

The year-to-date total is $45,269 (2.9 percent) more than the amount received in the same period in FY22 but $29,647 (1.8 percent) under the $1,632,262 FY23 PMA/POI support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and Gospel Priorities of church planting, church health, effective biblical leadership, and global movement.

“I continue to be thankful for the faithfulness of our churches in financially supporting the larger work of the EPC,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “I also want to thank our staff at the Office of the General Assembly. They serve our churches and presbyteries in so many ways, but especially in their stewardship of resources. We are under budget in spending and that is a direct result of their careful stewardship.”

Of the $1,602,615 received, $320,523 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $4,201,558 in designated gifts were received through February 28. This total is $178,299 (4.2 percent) lower than the $4,265,978 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22. More than $136,000 of the difference is attributed to donations to the Domestic Emergency Relief Fund in response to Hurricane Ida.

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

Of the total, $3,973,833 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $227,674 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of income to the church’s general operating fund. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

January 2023 EPC financial report: PMA/POI support closes FY23 budget gap, above FY22

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Contributions to Per Member Asking (PMA) and Percentage of Income (POI) received by the Office of the General Assembly in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) through January 31 total $1,444,417. January PMA/POI support was $227,465.

The year-to-date total is $22,438 (1.6 percent) more than the amount received in the same period in FY22 and only $16,131 (1.1 percent) less than the $1,460,548 FY23 PMA/POI support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and strategic priorities.

“I praise God that our churches are so faithful and our POI contributions have caught up,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “I pray that God continues to bless our congregations financially so that they can continue to reach their communities for Christ.”

Of the $1,444,417 received in FY23, $288,883 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $3,733,479 in designated gifts were received through January 31. The total is $93,284 (12.1 percent) lower than the $3,826,763 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22.

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

Of the total, $3,517,980 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $215,499 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of undesignated receipts. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

World Outreach to use three-prong approach for disaster relief donations following Turkey/Syria earthquake 

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A destroyed building leans on a house in the Turkish seaport city of Samandag, which in New Testament times was the port for Antioch and the place from which the Apostle Paul launched his first voyage to Tarsus. (photo credit: AP/Emrah Gurel)

Following a series of devastating earthquakes in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria in February, donations to the EPC’s International Disaster Relief Fund will be distributed among global workers in the region and ministry partners in both countries.

Gabriel de Guia, Executive Director of EPC World Outreach, said the three avenues for disbursements are based on long-standing ministry partnerships.

“Our global workers in Turkey have been diligently assessing ways for us to engage,” de Guia said. “God is using the relationships they have built over the years for His glory and for the relief of many, many hurting people.”

Donations also will be sent to World Outreach ministry partners Timothy Two Project International and The Outreach Foundation.

“Timothy Two is an Approved Mission Agency of the EPC, and their international director Steve Curtis also co-chairs the Commission on Evangelism and Missions for the World Reformed Fellowship,” de Guia said. “The Outreach Foundation has a network of churches in Syria and have the relationships to help in areas that are hard for outsiders to get to. Our confidence in these two organizations could not be higher for reaching those affected by the earthquake with both physical needs and with the saving knowledge of the gospel.”

Mike Kuhn, Director of EPC World Outreach’s International Theological Education Network (ITEN), has worked in Syria with The Outreach Foundation.

“I can attest that their relationship with the historic Presbyterian churches of Syria is deep and authentic,” Kuhn said. “I have personally met Pastor Ibrahim Nseir, the pastor of the Evangelical Church of Aleppo, who is overseeing the distribution of these donations. This relationship with Pastor Ibrahim allows the body of Christ to assist believers and others in a place where very little aid is getting through in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes.”

Secure online donations can be made at www.epc.org/donate/internationaldisasterrelief, which also includes instructions for donating by check and text-to-give.

As of February 23, government officials have placed the death toll at more than 47,000 with more than 164,000 structures collapsed or damaged to the point that they need to be demolished.

Gospel Priorities Team champions church health, church planting, global movement, effective biblical leadership

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The EPC’s Gospel Priorities Team: (from left) Bob Stauffer, Tom Ricks, Gabriel de Guia, and Michael Davis.

Four members of the Office of the General Assembly staff are collaborating as the EPC’s Gospel Priorities Team to shepherd the denominations four strategic priorities of church planting, church health, global movement, and effective biblical leadership. With the formation of the team, the priorities have been officially renamed “Gospel Priorities.”

The quartet, under the leadership of Assistant Stated Clerk Michael Davis, includes Gabriel de Guia, Executive Director of EPC World Outreach; Tom Ricks, National Director of Church Planting; and Bob Stauffer, National Director of Church Health.

“The Gospel Priorities Team was developed from the vision of the EPC,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “It is our desire to carry out the mission of God as the people of God. This team will achieve that goal by equipping and resourcing Teaching and Ruling Elders to build the Kingdom of God for the glory of God.”

Davis noted that ongoing collaboration between World Outreach and the Church Planting Team is an example of how the group is fostering teamwork across the various ministry efforts of the EPC.

“The synergy between World Outreach and the Church Planting Team is a growing endeavor to see our global church planters and domestic church planters collaborate on serving immigrant communities,” he said. “And our Church Health and Effective Biblical Leadership teams are collaborating to assess the health, viability, and needs of our churches and pastors through surveys and other assessment tools.”

Ricks agreed that the group’s purpose is to help create a culture that matches the EPC’s mission and vision.

“We are trying to be who we say we are,” he said. “The four Gospel Priorities are how we are going to tackle those opportunities and tell people about Jesus. My heart is that the EPC would habitually be planting churches that become multiplying churches—churches planting churches planting churches.”

Stauffer noted that healthy churches and healthy pastors are closely associated.

“I am really excited about what the Lord is doing in the EPC,” Stauffer said. “Healthy churches lead to healthy pastors, which in turn lead to healthy churches. I look forward to collaborating with Michael, Tom, and Gabriel to develop and implement strategies to reach our communities and the world for Christ.”

“It’s exciting that we are approaching the Gospel Priorities with unprecedented unity,” de Guia said. “We are working together to make each other more effective and stronger as we pursue the Great Commission. It’s motivating to collaborate with my brothers Tom, Bob, and Michael in seeing how we can be of one mind, one spirit, and one purpose.”

Davis added that he is “excited to see the Gospel Priorities Team facilitate a pathway that the family of churches in EPC will flourish to benefit their local context and for generations to come.”

For more information about the EPC’s Gospel Priorities, see www.epc.org/gospelpriorities.

2022-23 Book of Order now available

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The spiral-bound, printed edition of the 2022-23 Book of Order is now available for purchase through EPC Resources. The cost per book is $15.43 plus shipping.

“This updated edition of our Book of Order includes all the decisions ratified by the 42nd General Assembly at Ward Church last June,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “That Assembly approved three amendments to the Book of Government and two revisions to the Book of Worship, as well as a number of items noted as Acts of the Assembly. In addition, we carefully checked every page reference, footnote, and index for accuracy. This is the first update to our Book of Order in two years, so it should be on every Teaching Elder and Clerk of Session’s shelf.”

The 253-page book is Volume 1 of the EPC Constitution and is comprised of the Book of Government, Book of Discipline (including Forms for Discipline), Book of Worship, Rules for Assembly, Acts of Assembly, and a full index. This year’s edition includes amendments to the Book of Order and Rules for Assembly ratified through the 42nd General Assembly (2022), as well as Acts of the 42nd General Assembly.

The Constitution of the EPC consists of the Book of Order, the Westminster Confession of Faith (including the Larger and Shorter Catechisms), and the document “Essentials of Our Faith.” All these are subordinate to Scripture, which is “the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks.”

EPC a denominational partner of ‘He Gets Us’ campaign

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Jesus is in the Super Bowl.

That’s the plan for the “He Gets Us” campaign, an evangelistic marketing effort sponsored by several major benefactors in cooperation with the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, led by Ed Stetzer. Launched in 2021, He Gets Us invites spiritual seekers to consider the personal nature of Jesus and see Him as someone who not only understands their struggles but also endured many of the same battles they face. The objective is to connect them with local churches for evangelism, counseling, meeting physical needs, or other means of care.

The EPC is one of several denominational partners for the campaign.

Two ads will air during Super Bowl LVII on February 12. The spots invite viewers to visit www.hegetsus.com, where they can learn more, start a Bible study, or connect with someone in their area.

“Ed Stetzer introduced the He Gets Us campaign at our 42nd General Assembly last June at Ward Church,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “I hope our churches will participate in this gospel partnership and take advantage of the opportunity for free resources, and to connect with people in their community who are looking for help.”

For more information about He Gets Us, see www.hegetsus.com.

“In All Things” episode 63 features Earla Bethel, NLT Finance Committee Chair

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Earla Bethel, Ruling Elder for St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Kirk in Nassau, Bahamas, is the guest for episode 63 of the EPC’s podcast, “In All Things.” She is a member of the National Leadership Team and serves as Chair of the Finance Committee.

Host Dean Weaver and Bethel discuss her faith journey, as well as how St. Andrew’s and Lucaya Presbyterian Church in Freeport, Bahamas, came to the EPC from the Church of Scotland. Bethel also describes how she applies the principle of Luke 12:48 as a business owner. The two also discuss the background behind the EPC funding formula conversion from Per Member Asking (PMA) to Percentage of Income (POI), and how the Office of the General Assembly stewards those resources.

Episodes are available on a variety of podcast platforms, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, and others. Search “In All Things” on any of these services.

The audio recordings also are available on the EPC website at www.epc.org/inallthings.

Annie Rose named Director of Ministerial Support and Development

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Rev. Annie Rose

EPC Teaching Elder Annie Rose has been named to a new part-time staff position at the Office of the General Assembly, Director of Ministerial Support and Development. Rose also serves as Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes, and previously served as Discipleship Pastor and Executive Pastor at Saddlerock EPC in Wenatchee, Wash.

Her responsibilities include developing and implementing strategies for ministerial health and wholeness in collaboration with the Ministerial Vocation Committee, Presbytery leadership, and others; working with seminaries and other collaborative partners focused on equipping pastors for sustainable ministry; and coordinating resources and support for EPC Teaching Elders. Rose also will aid in crises involving Teaching Elders and their families.

“The EPC has been my church family for 16 years, and I’m thrilled to contribute to a culture of healthy and biblical leadership in our churches,” Rose said. “It is a blessing and an honor to be in a position to support and strengthen our pastors and their families.”

“Annie’s role is tremendously important,” said Michael Davis, EPC Assistant Stated Clerk. “In a time where pastors are unhealthy and on the verge of burnout, Annie will provide proactive care in this critical moment.”

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, said Rose “will help us gain traction on leading in the vital area of pastoral preparation, care, and development—how we think about pipeline, discipleship, ending well, the whole scope of how we care for our pastors. The effects of the pandemic aren’t over—even though many of us have moved on from it—and that reality dramatically affects our pastors.”

World Outreach names three to staff positions

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World Outreach (WO), the international missions arm of the EPC, has named three individuals to staff positions at the Office of the General Assembly in Orlando.

Jordin Greer is the new Assistant Director of World Outreach; Torres Kearney joins the staff as Executive Assistant to Gabriel de Guia, Executive Director of World Outreach; and Carla Cora will serve World Outreach as Accounting Analyst.

Jordin Greer

Greer comes to WO from Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Wichita, Kan., where she served as a Pastoral Resident. She also served as an adjunct professor at Sterling College in Sterling, Kan., teaching undergraduate students in New Testament and basic Christian doctrine.

Her responsibilities at Eastminster included preaching, pastoral care, and developing and implemented a membership discipleship plan. A Kansas native, she is a graduate of Sterling College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Greer is an ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbytery of the Great Plains with ministry experience in Guatemala, Albania, Macedonia, the Philippines, Spain, and numerous domestic mission projects.

“Missions has been a part of my life since my call to ministry in 2013,” Greer said. “I believe God is the great initiator of mission and has invited us to partner with Him. I am excited, humbled, and extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve World Outreach in whatever way I can.”

Torres Kearney

Kearney joins the WO staff from First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, Fla., where she served as Mission and Discipleship Coordinator. She was a member of FPCO’s Orlando Heart of the City Fellows Program from 2020-2021 and also served at Third Millennium Ministries, an EPC Approved Mission Agency, as an Assistant Project Manager.

A native of Dublin, Ohio, Kearney is a graduate of Grove City College in Grove City, Pa., where she received the prestigious “Senior Woman of the Year” recognition in 2020.

“I am so excited to join the World Outreach team,” Kearney said. “Over the years the Lord has grown my heart for the world and blessed me with different opportunities to pursue this passion. I am grateful for his provision of a position at World Outreach.”

Carla Cora

Cora serves both WO and the EPC Finance Department led by CFO Pat Coelho. She and her family immigrated to the United States from Brazil in 2022, where she was a Managing Partner for D.F.C. Manutenção de Equipamentos Médicos, a medical equipment maintenance company, and served as an Elder at Bola de Neve Church in São Paulo. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Toledo University Center (Unitoledo) in São Paulo.

“I remember once praying and saying, ‘Father, I just want to serve you, please always prepare an opportunity for me. And here I am!’” Cora said. “I love seeing the gospel moving forward and being able to be a part of that in some way cheers up my heart so much!”

“In bringing Carla, Torres, and Jordin onto our team, the Lord has answered a multitude of prayers, and generously provided,” de Guia said. “I’m excited for their passion for the mission and the giftings they each bring to their roles with EPC World Outreach.”

December 2022 EPC financial report: PMA/POI support trails budget

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Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Per Member Asking (PMA) and Percentage of Income (POI) contributions received through December 31 by the Office of the General Assembly total $1,216,952. The amount is $78,070 (6.0 percent) less than the $1,295,022 FY23 PMA/POI support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and strategic priorities.

The year-to-date total is $23,334 (1.9 percent) less than the amount received in the same period in FY22. December PMA/POI support was $300,628—51,389 less than the budgeted projection. Total operating expenses are $94,296 under budget and $11,900 less than the same period in FY22, offsetting the lower support totals.

“Our numbers are somewhat disappointing, but we know that some are end-of-year timing issues and some reflect the larger reality of our current economy,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “I know many of our churches are struggling, and I praise God for their faithful support of our mission and vision during difficult times.”

Of the $1,216,952 received, $243,390 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $3,123,261 in designated gifts were received through December 31. This total was $257,980 (8.3 percent) lower than the $3,381,241 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22.

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

Of the total, $2,963,295 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $159,966 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of undesignated receipts. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

November 2022 EPC financial report: PMA/POI support above FY22, behind FY23 budget

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Contributions to Per Member Asking (PMA) and Percentage of Income (POI) received by the Office of the General Assembly in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) through November 30 total $916,324. November PMA/POI support was $144,206.

The year-to-date total is $27,386 (3.1 percent) more than the amount received in the same period in FY22 but $26,681 (2.8 percent) less than the $943,005 FY23 PMA/POI support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and strategic priorities.

“While we never like to fall behind our budget, I am thankful once again that our churches support the EPC so faithfully in this difficult economic climate,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “Support is above last year’s level, so I am optimistic that God will continue to bless our churches financially and our budget gap will close in the coming months.”

Of the $916,324 received, $183,265 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $432,492 in designated gifts were received through November 30. This total was $59,781 (12.1 percent) lower than the $492,272 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22.

“As we have seen over the past few months, much of the difference in restricted giving can be attributed to three funds that received substantial donations last year: our Emergency Relief Fund following Hurricane Ida, the Syrian Refugee Relief Fund, and our World Outreach ministry in Lebanon,” Weaver said. “If we set those three funds aside, giving to EPC ministries and causes is more than $8,000 ahead of last year’s total.”

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

Of the total, $372,179 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $60,313 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of undesignated receipts. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

October 2022 EPC financial report: PMA/POI support rebounds, within 1 percent of budget

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Contributions to Per Member Asking (PMA) and Percentage of Income (POI) received by the Office of the General Assembly in October were $251,636. The amount surpassed the October budget of $216,833 and raised the 12-month rolling average for monthly contributions to $193,154—2.1 percent less than the rolling average as of October 31, 2021.

PMA/POI contributions in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) through October 31 total $772,118. The amount is $7,397 (0.9 percent) less than the $779,515 FY23 PMA/POI support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and strategic priorities. The year-to-date total is $26,846 (3.6 percent) more than the amount received in the same period in FY22.

“As we celebrate Thanksgiving this month, I am especially grateful that financial support of the EPC rebounded so strongly last month,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “With all the challenges our churches are facing this fall, I do not take that for granted.”

Of the $772,118 received, $154,424 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $1,941,797 in designated gifts were received through October 31. This total was $138,056 (6.6 percent) lower than the $2,079,853 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22. Most of the difference is attributed to more than $83,000 donated in October 2021 to the Emergency Relief Fund in response to Hurricane Ida.

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

Of the total, $1,873,023 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $88,774 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of income to the church’s general operating fund. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

Thanksgiving offering to support church planter care and counseling

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Donations to the 2022 EPC Thanksgiving Offering will help provide ongoing church planter care by way of a fund to support counseling for planters and spouses.

“We had licensed counselors at this year’s Church Planters Retreat, and their time slots were completely booked,” said Tom Ricks, EPC National Director of Church Planting. “Planting a new church can be lonely and difficult. And while most of our planting pastors have other pastors they can talk to, the challenges specific to church planting are often outside the wheelhouse of pastors of established churches. This is where the Church Planters Care and Counseling Fund comes in. We want to provide this resource throughout the year—not just at our annual October retreat.”

Secure online donations to the Thanksgiving Offering can be made at www.epc.org/donate/thanksgivingoffering. Individuals also can utilize text-to-give by texting “epcthanksgivingoffering” to 50155 from any smart device. Donors who prefer to send a check should put “Thanksgiving Offering (041)” on the memo line and send to:

Evangelical Presbyterian Church
Attn: Finance Office
5850 T.G. Lee Blvd., Suite 510
Orlando, FL 32822

For more information about church planting in the EPC, including how churches can be a Parent, Partner, or Patron of EPC church planting, see www.epc.org/churchplanting.

Open Enrollment for EPC Benefits runs November 1-30

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November is Open Enrollment month for the EPC’s Health Benefit programs. Open Enrollment presents the opportunity for churches to enroll their staff or make changes to employee coverages. The 2023 Open Enrollment website provides information on the EPC’s five medical/prescription drug plan choices, as well as dental, vision, and life/disability insurance benefits.

Individual plan details and comparison charts are easily accessed, as well as information on Member Care programs such as chronic condition management, nurse health coaching, 24/7 virtual primary care, and the Healthcare Bluebook. All enrollment or coverage changes made during Open Enrollment will become effective January 1, 2023.

During open enrollment for 2023:

  • Churches can enroll in EPC benefit plans for the first time.
  • Churches can make changes to benefit elections for currently covered individuals.
  • Churches can add to, or change, their plan offerings for 2023 by completing a Benefits Election Form.
  • If enrollment and plan selections are not being changed for a current participant, then no action is needed. Under this “passive process,” all will automatically retain their current coverages for 2023 unless they actively initiate a change.

Bart Francescone

“Our staff and Board of Directors work hard in partnership with our plan administrators to provide high-quality benefits and a variety of health management programs at the lowest possible cost,” said Bart Francescone, Executive Director of EPC Benefit Resources, Inc. (BRI). “Our benefit programs are designed to support the achievement of personal health goals and to provide assurance that medical expenses will be covered should a need arise. With these assurances, it is our hope that EPC ministers and staff will be free to focus their energies on their callings to proclaim the gospel.”

EPC benefit plans are available to full-time employees (30 hours or more per week) of EPC churches, as well as World Outreach domestic workers, chaplains, and EPC ministers serving out-of-bounds or without call.

“Anyone new to the EPC—or interested in enrolling in one of our benefit programs for the first time—should contact the individual who handles benefits at their church or organization,” Francescone said. “And as always, BRI staff members are happy to answer any questions someone may have about our programs.”

For more information about the EPC’s 2023 benefit plans, contact BRI at 407-930-4492 or benefits@epc.org, or see www.epc.org/2023openenrollment.

The EPC’s benefit programs are administered through BRI, a ministry of the EPC under the leadership of Francescone and the BRI Board of Directors. The BRI Board is a permanent committee of the General Assembly.

September 2022 EPC financial report: PMA/POI support lags projected spending budget

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Contributions to Per Member Asking (PMA) and Percentage of Income (POI) received by the Office of the General Assembly in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) through September 30 total $520,482.

The total is $42,200 (7.5 percent) less than the $562,682 FY23 PMA/POI support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and strategic priorities. The year-to-date total is $11,391 (2.1 percent) lower than the amount received in the same period in FY22. September PMA/POI support of $138,641 lowers the 12-month rolling average for monthly contributions to $189,968—3.9 percent less than the rolling average as of September 30, 2021.

“I don’t think there’s any question that we’re experiencing the effects of high inflation and the current economic climate,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “In the midst of this difficult season, I am grateful for the continued support from our churches.”

Of the $520,482 received, $104,096 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $417,719 in designated gifts were received through September 30. This total was $181,549 (30.3 percent) lower than the $599,268 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22.

“While we never like to see a drop in restricted giving, much of the difference can be attributed to more than $80,000 in donations last year to our Emergency Relief Fund following hurricane Ida; $22,000 in donations to the Syrian Refugee Relief Fund; and $70,000 in gifts to the World Outreach ministry in Lebanon,” Weaver said. “If we don’t consider those three funds, giving to EPC ministries and causes is within $6,000 of last year’s total.”

Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

Of the total, $407,194 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $10,525 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the EPC’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the denomination with 1 percent of undesignated receipts. The shift will phase in over three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

Dean Weaver, Brad Strait to host March 2023 Israel pilgrimage tour

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In March 2023, EPC Stated Clerk Dean Weaver and NLT Chairman Brad Strait will lead a “Best of Israel” spiritual renewal tour of the Holy Land.

“More pastors than ever are discouraged, depressed, struggling in their relationships, or burning out,” Strait said. “As a denomination, we are working to create ‘refilling moments’ that can strengthen our fellow pastors and encourage their love, faith, relationships, preaching, and effectiveness in Jesus’ church. This renewal trip to Israel for pastors, their spouses, and other leaders is one part of this effort.”

“We will see the best Israel has to offer—places that will fan every person’s faith and magnify their biblical knowledge. Every day is filled with ‘wow’ moments of Jesus and biblical times and places. Each stop is a living encounter with the words of Scripture, and a sermon waiting to be preached,” Strait noted.

The tour is March 7-16, 2023, and costs $3100 per person, all-inclusive from New York City.

For complete information, see www.epc.org/israeltour2023.

August 2022 EPC financial report: PMA/POI support continues above projected budget

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Through August 31, contributions to Per Member Asking (PMA) and Percentage of Income (POI) received by the Office of the General Assembly in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) total $381,841. The amount is $25,847 (7.3 percent) more than the $355,994 FY23 PMA/POI support projection to fund the EPC’s overall mission, vision, and strategic priorities. August PMA/POI contributions were $152,195. Fiscal year 2023 runs from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023).

FY23 PMA/POI support is $43,907 (13 percent) above the $337,934 contributed over the same period in FY21. In addition, the 12-month rolling average for contributions is $193,864 (1.5 percent) above the rolling average for August 2021.

“I am so very grateful that our churches continue to financially support the EPC at such a high level,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “I also want to publicly thank our staff at the Office of the General Assembly for their good stewardship, as our operating expenses through August are nearly $30,000 under budget.”

Of the $381,841 received, $76,368 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.

In addition to PMA/POI contributions, $999,303 in designated gifts were received through August 31. This total was $93,377 (10.3 percent) higher than the $905,926 in designated gifts received in the same period in FY22. Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s holiday offerings.

Of the total, $974,198 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $225,105 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.

Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of undesignated receipts. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.

Pastoral Letter on Racial Lament and Hope interim committee begins work

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The Interim Committee tasked with writing a Pastoral Letter on Racial Lament and Hope gathered September 20-21 to begin its work. The group met at the Office of the General Assembly in Orlando. The formation of the committee was approved by the 42nd General Assembly and appointed by that Assembly’s outgoing Moderator, Brad Strait.

The co-Chairmen of the committee are Gerrit Dawson, Senior Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge, La., and Glenn Meyers, Commissioned Pastor of Ardara United Presbyterian Church in Ardara, Pa., and Moderator of the 40th General Assembly.

Glenn Meyers

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve in this way,” Meyers said. “God has been preparing me personally over the past few years to deal with these issues, and my experience as a Black man is part of the whole. Our pastors are on the front lines of this issue, and even some of my elders are asking me if we want to ‘poke the bear.’ It is a difficult time to be a Black man in America, and I have a new understanding of that.”

Gerrit Dawson

Dawson noted that the American church “has languished on this issue, which has allowed non-biblical groups to grab the narrative. How many of our pastors said this was the most divisive thing they talked about in 2020? I addressed it with our congregation, and after one sentence I was called both a white supremacist and a critical race theorist. It’s difficult—we are balancing the difficulty of being Black in America with the feeling of white people that they are looked at as the problem. But I am passionate that we have a better story to tell,” Dawson said.

“I can’t imagine two better individuals to shepherd this process,” said Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk. “They bring different viewpoints, but their pastoral hearts will get us where need to go.”

In addition to Meyers and Dawson, members of the committee are Sean Boone, church planting pastor of Woke Bridge Community Church in Ferguson, Mo.; Ken Chang, Ruling Elder for Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in Englewood, Colo.; Linda McDaniel, Ruling Elder for Hope Church in Cordova, Tenn.; Marcos Ortega, Lead Pastor for the Beacon, N.Y., campus of Goodwill Church; George Robertson, Senior Pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis; Annie Rose, Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes; Eric Shipton, Assistant Pastor and Director of Outreach and Missions for Reynolda Church in Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Carol Williams, Ruling Elder for Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sharon, Pa.

Ex officio members are Weaver; Michael Davis, Assistant Stated Clerk; Brad Strait, Senior Pastor of Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in Englewood, Colo., and Chairman of the National Leadership Team; Rosemary Lukens, Ruling Elder for Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church in Gig Harbor, Wash., and Moderator of the 42nd General Assembly; and Joe Kim, church planting pastor of Hope Philly Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pa., and Moderator-elect of the 43rd General Assembly.

“In All Things” podcast episode 43 features Bob Garment, EPC Chief Parliamentarian

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Bob Garment, longtime Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean and the EPC’s new Chief Parliamentarian is the guest for episode 43 of the EPC’s podcast, “In All Things.”

This week, host Dean Weaver and Garment discuss his path to the EPC from his former denomination, including how a newsletter from an EPC church in Louisiana started the process.

Garment also describes how his relationship with the late Howard Shockley, longtime Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic, resulted in his own service for more than 30 years as Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean, and how polity serves the mission of the church.

Episodes are available on a variety of podcast platforms, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, and others. Search “In All Things” on any of these services.

The audio recordings also are available on the EPC website at www.epc.org/inallthings.

EPC mission, vision highlight episode 3 of Stated Clerk quarterly video series ‘The Dean’s List’

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Episode 3 of EPC Stated Clerk Dean Weaver’s quarterly video series, “The Dean’s List,” recaps the August 2022 meeting of the National Leadership Team and its focus on how the denomination carries out its mission and vision.

“Is what we are doing in alignment with what our mission is?” Weaver said. “Our mission statement is ‘We exist to carry out the Great Commission as Presbyterian, Reformed, Evangelical, and Missional congregations.’ That second part says who we are … the first part is what we do. And what we do flows out of who we are. By doing that kind of alignment we are able to move forward with a singular kind of focus.”

Each episode on the video blog is hosted on the EPC’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/EPChurch80, as well as posted to the denomination’s news and information channel, EPConnection. The videos also will be available on the EPC’s Facebook page and Twitter feed. Audio podcast versions can be accessed on the EPC’s podcast channel at podcast.epc.org, as well as Spotify and iTunes (search for “Evangelical Presbyterian Church”).