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Congregations

Joining ECO As A Congregation

 

Individual presbytery’s policies on dismissal are structured differently. Early in your discernment process, consult your presbytery’s particular policy to determine when to begin conversations with your presbytery’s leadership.

Objectives of the Application Process:

  • Ensure all ordained officers will receive, adopt, and be bound by the Essential Tenets and agree to ECO’s moral standards

  • Ensure that a thorough process does not distract congregations and their leaders from their primary call: to make disciples of Jesus Christ

  • Ensure congregations understand and embrace the missional vision of ECO

Congregation Application Process

1. Create an Application Portal Account

The primary contact for the congregation should create an account using the link below.

This is typically the pastor (if also transferring ordination). If the church does not have a pastor, the clerk of session or another designated leader who will manage the process should create the account.

After registering, access will be provided to the materials and steps required for discernment and application.

Start Here
2. Discern Your Fit with ECO

The session and key leaders review ECO’s theology, polity, and core values to determine whether ECO is the appropriate denominational home for the congregation.

3. Complete the Online Application

All required congregational materials, including the narrative responses, are submitted through the application portal.

The session should conduct in-depth discussions in order to complete these materials.

4. Administrative Review

Once the application is complete:

  • The ECO Synod Office reviews the submission for completeness

  • The application is forwarded to the appropriate presbytery

A presbytery representative will contact the congregation to schedule next steps.

5.Meet with ECO Representatives

  • The session and staff representatives meet with an ECO liaison to review the application and ask questions.

  • The presbytery’s Ministry Partnership Team (MPT) meets with the session.

6. Session Recommendation and Congregational Vote

Following the meetings and discernment process:

  • The session votes to request dismissal to ECO.

  • The congregation votes to request dismissal from its current denomination (when required).

7. Presbytery Approval

The presbytery acts on the request to receive the congregation into ECO.

8.  ECO Membership

Once the ECO Synod Office receives the official approval and dismissal documentation from the presbytery clerk, the congregation’s status is updated to ECO Congregation.

9. Benefits Enrollment (if applicable)

Congregations enrolling in ECO health and retirement plans will complete the required agreements, which begin the eligibility timeline.

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General Support

ECO is committed to maintaining low administrative costs and asks congregations to contribute 1% of their annual budgeted expenses toward local and national support.

These funds underwrite the foundational ministry and operations of ECO.

Gifts may be designated as “General Support” on the donation site.