Last week the Covenant Midwinter Conference for pastors and leaders took place deep in the heart of downtown Chicago at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk Hotel, nestled on the waterfront overlooking a frozen Lake Michigan. Covenanters from near and far gathered to enjoy the presence of God, mission friends, Chicago style pizza, and hot dogs (sans ketchup, of course). The theme of the week was “One Another,” drawn from the various exhortations throughout Scripture to love, encourage, accept, bear with, and forgive one another.
NEXTGEN WEEKEND
The action started with the NextGen conference, Saturday afternoon to Monday morning, featuring worship sessions with Shane Sanchez and addresses from President Tammy Swanson-Draheim; Jessica Springer, director of children and family ministries; Pete Sutton, director of youth and young adult ministry; and Dominique Gilliard, director of racial righteousness. They announced the location of Unite 2027, set to take place in Lincoln, Nebraska. And Steve Burger, longtime director of children and family ministries was honored for his service. NextGen concluded with a Monday morning address from Lacy Finn Borgo.
A highlight of the week was the gala Sunday night celebrating the 80th anniversary of Covenant World Relief and Development, complete with red carpet photos, special cello music from Ben Sollee, and a screening of Go and Do Likewise, a documentary film from Covenanter Dillon Rahill, who spent years gathering stories and embedded in trips to help tell the story of CWRD. (Click here for photos from the gala.)
Monday afternoon held a variety of Midwinter related classes, trainings, and activities, including the luncheon for Advocates of Covenant Clergy Women (ACCW). The official start to Midwinter was Monday evening.
MONDAY EVENING
The Monday evening session kicked off with a welcome dinner, more cello music from Ben Sollee, worship music from Matt Lundgren and Alex De Jesus Gomez, a special performance from Luis Grant and the Chicago dance company 3DC (3DanceCollective), and a message from Rev. Steph Williams O’Brien of Mill City Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After taking time to lament her lived reality as a firsthand witness to the upheaval in Minnesota, O’Brien spoke passionately about the phrase “one another” as a key element in forging community in times of chaos and crisis. “‘One another’ is not an accessory command,” she said. “It’s the grammar of a new kind of people.”
TUESDAY MORNING
During Tuesday morning’s session, participants enjoyed more worship music and an update from President Tammy Swanson-Draheim. She focused on grounding both our personal and collective lives in the presence of Jesus and remembering our mission and identity during times of uncertainty and fatigue. Her message also included a video greeting from Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).
A variety of hosted meals and gatherings were offered on Tuesday afternoon, plus an afternoon all-Midwinter breakout session celebrating 50 years of ordaining women with a panel discussion led by Devyn Chambers Johnson with Covenant ministers panelists Michelle Dodson, Hauna Ondrey, Carol Nordstrom, Dany Flores, Greg Yee, and Donn Engebretson.
TUESDAY EVENING
Tuesday evening’s worship session included music with lead vocalists Matt Lundgren and Sharon Irving Cochran. Rev. Nicole Bullock was honored as Distinguished Alumnus of North Park Theological Seminary. “I’m deeply honored, very surprised, and humbled by this award,” she said. Following was a message from Rev. Harvey Carey of Faith Citadel Church in Detroit, Michigan. He spoke on Jesus’s prayer in John 17 for unity for his disciples, noting that working toward unity requires us to submit to God’s Spirit. “When we allow the Spirit to do his ministry, he gives us the desire to do the things we wouldn’t want to do on our own,” said Carey. “The moment the Spirit is activated, he gives us not only the desire, but the ability.”
WEDNESDAY MORNING
The Wednesday morning session featured worship music led by Alex De Jesus Gomez and the Free Worship team from New Life Covenant Church in Chicago, then some teaching from Dr. Sophia Magallanes-Tsang, assistant professor of Old Testament at North Park Theological Seminary. Magallanes-Tsang taught on the ways the “one another” concepts are translated and conveyed in the Hebrew Scriptures, going over words like ehad (“one”), aher (“other”), and phrases like mi chamoka (“who is like you?”). Through her careful exegesis, she revealed the heart of God for those on the outside. “The marginalized become holy unto God in their otheredness,” she said. “Where society sets these people groups apart through marginalization, God sets them apart for his protection. For, before the dignity of these human beings was unrecognized, God’s image was the first to be shunned and disregarded.”
Wednesday afternoon offered breakout sessions and shorter seminars. That evening, several of the ethnic associations had their meetings and dinners together.
WEDNESDAY EVENING
Wednesday evening’s session was a worship service in Spanish hosted by ALIPE (Asociación Latina de la Iglesia del Pacto Evangélico), with music led by a worship team from Iglesia del Pacto Evangélico Renacer and featuring preaching from Rev. Edwin Guzmán, general pastor and co-founder of S.E. Christian Church in Rohnert Park, California. In his message, Guzmán encouraged believers to maintain their faith and courage despite facing social and political challenges. He reminded us that Christ’s call to live “for one another” is demonstrated through love in action. “The formula for change is: unity + the Holy Spirit + action,” he said.
THURSDAY MORNING
Thursday morning began with worship music from the Free Worship band. Attendees enjoyed more Bible teaching from Dr. Max Lee, who serves as Paul W. Brandel Chair of Biblical Studies at North Park Theological Seminary. He related experiences from his ministry knowledge and history about the lack of cohesion and connectedness, specifically with (but not limited to) Asian American pastors. He contrasted a passive, open-door approach to ministry where parishioners are expected to contact ministry leaders if they need help (which he called a “come and see” model) with an active stance where people are actively living and doing activities together, participating in each other’s lives and generally being involved with each other, which he affectionately referred to as “meddling.” “As long as you have a ‘come and see’ model of church, you cannot have a multiethnic church,” he said. “The future of the church is ‘meddling.’”
Thursday afternoon featured an all-Midwinter breakout session about activating professional contacts in ministry, from Rev. Dr. Wayne Park, chancellor of Fuller Texas. If you missed it, he also recorded a similarly themed episode on his podcast, Oikonomiks.
THURSDAY EVENING
During the Thursday evening session, attendees were treated to a worship set from the North Park University Gospel Choir under the direction of Terrance J. Smith, another dance routine from 3DC, and a moving sermon from Steve Carter, host of the Craft & Character podcast for Preaching Today, and the author of Grieve, Breathe, Receive: Finding a Faith Strong Enough to Hold Us. He talked about the grief that comes with ministry and how unprocessed grief can harden into grievance. Carter invited pastors to grieve with a biblical hope: to dare to desire good, believe God is still at work, and trust the certainty of the resurrection.
And finally…
FRIDAY MORNING
Midwinter concluded with a Friday morning session led by Amy Julia Becker, the author of To Be Made Well: An Invitation to Wholeness, Healing & Hope. In her talk, Becker explored the theology of disability and the call to become a community of welcome—reshaping how we understand flourishing, belonging, and “one another.”
“Jesus tells us that the people who don’t measure up to the world’s standards are the ones who make up the kingdom of God,” she said.
The next Midwinter conference is scheduled January 25-29, 2027, in Jacksonville, Florida.
