Mary Chung March outlines our history of becoming a multiethnic mosaic, growing from our roots as a Swedish immigrant church. And Steve Wong, pastor of the first Asian American church plant in the Covenant, reflects on his journey into the Covenant, how he has seen the denomination change, and our call to continue becoming the beloved community.
Covenant historian Hauna Ondrey and Dominique Gilliard join us to talk about the end of the 1960s, the Black Manifesto, the Covenant’s unique response to this call to white churches and synagogues—and where we witness similar themes in our culture today.
In the Covenant we identify as non-creedal, meaning we do not adhere to a specific creed. But non-creedal does not mean we are without theology. The six Covenant affirmations address the question, “What does the Covenant believe?” Retired North Park Theological Seminary professor Klyne Snodgrass joins us.
As a denomination, we voted to ordain women in ministry in 1976. In this episode, we talk with Evelyn Johnson, a woman of many firsts, including the first woman elected to lead a department at Covenant Offices within the budget and the first female superintendent. She shares her memories of those early years and her experiences serving in more than 40 years of ministry in the Covenant.
Covenant pastor and historian Jonathan Wilson shares an overview of Moravianism and how this movement impacted the Covenant. And Sally Carlson, associate pastor of Shoreline Covenant Church, tells us how she became Covenant and why she loves the Cov.
Curtis Ivanoff talks about our long history in Alaska, where the Covenant has been engaged since our very earliest days when the church in Sweden sent people to share the gospel of Jesus. It’s a complicated story that Curtis engages with compassion and generosity as he unpacks our identity as Indigenous Mission Friends.
Harold Spooner talks about our long history serving marginalized people, beginning with our early children’s home and hospital and continuing our mission to love mercy and do justice. And Todd Slechta shares why he loves the Cov, saying, “I came into the Covenant because I turned left for a cheeseburger.”
Michelle Sanchez, executive minister of Make and Deepen Disciples, helps us unpack our identity as people who love Scripture. And Garth Bolinder, superintendent of the Midsouth Conference, shares his journey of why he loves the Cov.
Covenant historian Kurt Peterson talks about how the Covenant became “big tent” evangelical, including members from across the theological spectrum, in the years leading up to World War II. And Dennis Edwards, New Testament scholar at North Park Theological Seminary, shares his perspective on the space we occupy within the contours of evangelicalism today.
Longtime Covenant historian Phil Anderson unpacks our history and identity as an immigrant church, and Danny Martinez, superintendent of the Central Conference, speaks into this conversation from his perspective as a Covenanter who is a 1.5 generation immigrant.
