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ORCHARD COVENANT CHURCH Thank you for your interest in Orchard Covenant Church. This profile is our attempt to describe a small but dynamic congregation that is seeking a Senior Pastor. We recently celebrated 170 years of faithful ministry in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield. Up until 23 years ago, the church was known as The First Congregational Church of Indian Orchard , but its numbers were dwindling. A family with ties to the Evangelical Covenant Church of Springfield began to explore the possibility of joining the Covenant which happened in 1996, and growth occurred as the first full-time pastor was called. In spite of our longevity as a congregation, we have become a church that is more apt to say, “Let’s try it,” rather than, “We’ve always done it that way.” We tend to be a church short on programs, but long on heart and compassion. Those who call Orchard Covenant Church home describe our church as welcoming and caring, and newcomers say this is a safe place to explore their faith. Recent surveys of our congregation reveal what people are looking for in a new pastor: authenticity in preaching, compassion, and visionary leadership with a heart for outreach and social justice. We trust that God has been preparing a pastor to lead our congregation into a deeper relationship with Christ and the ways of His Kingdom. You will discover much more about us as you peruse the following pages. We believe this is a two way process and ask that you prayerfully consider the information presented here as we, together, seek God’s leading throughout the search process. Linda Howell, Chair Senior Pastor Search Committee Table of Contents Our Church and Building Demographics and Membership Diversity Staff Governance and Polity Love Mercy Do Justice ACTS Community Involvement Make and Deepen Disciples Youth and Families Immerse Music and Worship Men’s Breakfast Sunday Lunch Serve Globally Muhudu Stewardship and Giving Our Challenges Our Community Area attractions Our Church Orchard Covenant Church had its beginnings 170 years ago, meeting in a school across the street from the present building. Then it was called the First Congregational Church of Indian Orchard which is in the northeast section of Springfield and was known for its plum orchards. It is remarkable to note all the challenges that faced this congregation: · A major wind storm that blew the building down shortly after it was built in 1855. · In 1862, during the Civil War, with many of the community’s working men away, the Indian Orchard Co. bought the mortgage to save the church from closing. · A serious fire occurred in 1942 · The church came very close to closing with membership and attendance at an all-time low in 1995 But thanks be to God! His hand has been evident throughout the long history of this church. · Most significantly, in 1881, a spiritual revival created a new passion for ministry with 38 baptisms and 70 new members added. · In 1892, the congregation was able to buy back the church and add to the building. · The church’s ministry continued as the only Protestant church in the neighborhood for nearly 150 years. It became The Evangelical Church of Indian Orchard in 1896. · In the 30’s, the church welcomed Armenian refugees who came to work in the mills. Helping them learn English was very important at the time. · In 1996, with the urging of a family who had been members of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Springfield, the church joined the denomination as the Evangelical Covenant Church of Indian Orchard and called an interim pastor, followed by its first full-time pastor, Rev. Don Olson from 1998-2003. Rev. Nancy Ebner became pastor in 2004 and is retiring this year. Under her leadership, the church has grown in depth of discipleship and in unexpected ways, having an international flavor in its community outreach. The name has been shortened to Orchard Covenant Church. · Once again like in the 1930’s, the church welcomed refugees, this time from Burundi and Congo. They have become an integral part of the church even as they maintain their own identity. Our Building The First Congregational Church of Indian Orchard, Massachusetts was created in 1848 by a small group of 15 people, who saw a need for an evangelical Protestant church in the area. The first church building was begun in 1855, but the nearly completed framing was destroyed by high winds, and rebuilt in 1856. Through diversity, multiple pastors, and many repairs, the building’s current footprint was established in 1956, which includes the sanctuary and attached rooms, and the addition of a community hall and kitchen area. The sanctuary side of the building contains the church office and kitchenette, the “Blue Room” (a meeting room painted blue!), a bathroom, and the pastor’s office. On the second floor is storage, and two large education rooms, mainly used for youth. The Community Hall side of the building contains a small library, the hall with stage, bathrooms and a large kitchen with new appliances. There is also a small “prayer room.” In the basement on this side are classrooms for children. In 2001, a renovation of the sanctuary was completed. The tin ceiling and walls remain, with a beautiful stenciled area at the altar, done by a professional art restorer and inspired by old pieces of wallpaper discovered under the tin. The memorial stained glass windows also remain. We have had upgrades to our sound system, and the carpeting was replaced and platform expanded in 2014. The original pews are just one of the delights of this historic building, and our pipe organ is also historic and is played most Sundays. Demographics and Membership Membership While there was a decline in membership, our congregation seems to have stabilized at the 70 mark. Of the respondents to our church survey, 91% are regular attenders. The largest number of respondents have been associated with Orchard Covenant Church for over ten years. Our goal is to welcome more people into membership. 13-19 10% 20-29 2.5% 13 & Under 31.3% 40-49 13.8% Age 50-59 8.8% 60-69 70+ 7.5% 23.8 % Other 14.5% Demographics African American Sixty percent of our 10.9% attenders hail from the Race greater Springfield area, with half that amount Caucasian 60% from the Indian Orchard African 14.5% neighborhood. The remainder are within a 10 mile radius of the church. Our congregation is Agawam Westfield 3.2% 5.3% made up of 34% couples Wilbraham 7.4% and individuals over the age of 70. The next Springfield 30.9% largest group is ages 40 Ludlow 10.6% to 49, most of these families with children. East Longmeadow Area 2.1% Chicopee Sixty percent are 6.4% Caucasian, while 25% are African and African- Indian Orchard American. 30.9% Diversity Orchard Covenant’s congregation is an international one, represented by a large family from Kenya, who have befriended refugees. They brought them to our church, because they knew these people, who had suffered so much, would be welcomed. Several of these families have been loved and cared for and have moved on to other locations where there are better work opportunities. One family from Burundi, who has lived here for eight years, now have a Habitat House and were assisted in qualifying for that by church members. There is also a family from Trinidad/Tobago and another from Haiti. Orchard Covenant’s life is rich and reflects the kingdom of God. Staff Our small but enthusiastic staff is comprised of June Foster, Music Director and Organist; Ben Tibbetts, Accompanist and Organist; Andrew Johnson, Custodian; and Toni Wapner, Office Manager. June directs the Choir at Thursday evening rehearsals and on Sunday mornings, often plays the organ during worship services, and helps to plan the worship service with the Pastor on a weekly basis. She also directs children's music. Ben accompanies the Choir at rehearsals and on Sunday mornings, composes original pieces when needed, directs the Choir in June’s absence, and works with June on special concerts and duets throughout the year. Andy maintains the physical cleanliness of our facility on a weekly basis, stocking supplies and keeping our building orderly and hygienic. Toni serves as administrative assistant to the Senior Pastor, manages the church office, and is responsible for the production of the weekly bulletin and other printed materials. Governance and Polity Orchard Covenant Church has a Council form of Governance. The Council consists of a Chairperson, Vice Chair, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Ministry Team leaders, and the Recording Secretary, all of whom are elected church officials, and the Pastor. The council convenes once a month to pray, review and discuss the church’s financial position, the movement of the Holy Spirit, and to discuss and implement plans for our Local Church. OCC is an active participant in the East Coast Conference, with several of our members having served on various boards. A number of congregants, including the pastor, have attended the Covenant Justice Conference. We keep current with the denomination and its ministries. The following are the Ministry Teams at OCC : 1) Evangelism and Outreach 2) Worship and Music 3) Christian Formation 4) Care and Nurture 5) Properties Love Mercy Do Justice Acts at OCC On Tuesday afternoons during the school year, a lively group of students and tutor/mentors can be found in the Community Hall as part of ACTS (Action Centered Tutoring Services). ACTS has been providing “one-to-one free tutoring and mentoring in the Spirit of Christ to the elementary children of Springfield” for 32 years.