Next Season of ECO’s Global Engagement!

As we all know well, change is inevitable in ministry. Shortly after our last National Gathering, Jen Haddox announced that she would be stepping down from her part-time role as ECO’s Director of Global Engagement. Jen’s decision allows her to focus more fully on her call as co-pastor with her husband, Mike, at First Presbyterian Church in Waynesburg, PA. I remain deeply grateful for the impactful work Jen accomplished during her seven years in this role, connecting us and our congregations with the global church.

With Jen’s departure, we’ve been given the opportunity to thoughtfully consider and pray about the next season of global engagement within ECO. I’m excited to share that we see three significant opportunities on the horizon.

First, we find ourselves in what I believe is a kairos moment, with a unique chance to collaborate with global Reformed denominations like never before. For now, I’ll keep this brief, but I plan to expand on this topic in a future webinar. In essence, ECO is one of only a few evangelical denominations in the Western world that are part of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC). Over the years, several evangelical denominations and groups within the WCRC have expressed interest in partnering with us. The WCRC’s international meeting, held every seven years, will take place in Thailand in October 2025. Our hope is to begin engaging in virtual conversations with a few dozen global denominations over the next year, laying the groundwork for face-to-face meetings in Thailand that could significantly enhance our international partnerships. There’s much more to this opportunity, and I look forward to sharing more soon.

Second, as I mentioned in my State of ECO talk during the Synod Business Meeting, I have a deep desire for our denomination to better reflect the diversity of our nation. A key strategy to achieve this is by integrating church planting and global engagement, particularly in fostering new churches among immigrant communities here in the U.S. I recognize this is a challenging endeavor, but I believe it’s an essential one.

Third, we envision Flourish Institute of Theology (FIT) having a deeper connection with the global church. This involves not only learning from and incorporating voices from the global church but also exploring the possibility of establishing a FIT presence in another country. While we’re not in a position to do this just yet, leaders from four different countries have already expressed interest in partnering with FIT globally.

These opportunities have led us to a clear conclusion: it’s time to expand the global engagement role from a part-time to a full-time position. I’m incredibly grateful for the few churches that have generously agreed to subsidize the additional costs for a couple of years to make this possible. I’ve attached the job description, which includes details on how to apply for the position for anyone who feels called to this vital role. 

I ask for your prayers as we embark on this new chapter of global engagement. While we certainly need to pray for the right person to fill this position, we also recognize that playing our meaningful part in the global church requires the engagement of us all.

In Christ,

Dana

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