- Group of interested and motivated core people
- Research, discuss, and decide to become an EPC church
- Formal notification to the EPC Presbytery in which they are located expressing their desire to become an EPC church
- Articles of incorporation and by-laws being researched and discussed
- Initial recognition by Presbytery
Presbytery will work with the Steering Committee of the interested group in helping them to the Mission Church stage. Such help may be: working with the committee in developing their bylaws, financial help and/or management, appointing an Evangelist with specific duties to work with this group. Additionally, possible affiliation with the Presbytery’s Aspen Grove Church Planting Network. - Request to be a mission church to Presbytery
The criteria for such status is: number and strength of core families, the financial viability and resources, numbers of attendees outside of the core group, and plans for future ministry growth and development. - Approval by Presbytery of mission church status
Presbytery shall provide for a temporary government of the mission church in one of several ways: appoint an Evangelist with specific duties to develop this church, cooperate with an existing EPC church in arranging a temporary Session for the mission church, appoint a commission of EPC elders to serve as a temporary Session. - Criteria for mission church status
Some of the criteria are: a regular place of worship and time of worship, a temporary budget, a church name, the articles of incorporation and by-laws begun, (if not already finished), temporary elders or elder candidates actively involved in the leadership of the church. - Some events that happen during the mission church stage
Elders and/or Elder candidates will be trained; the Evangelist may receive Members with all rights of members in a particular EPC church. Membership growth, progress towards vision and purpose of church’s ministry and ministry focus. Program developments, outreach, and progress towards meeting and exceeding budgetary goals. - Request Presbytery for particular church status
The main criteria for this are: self-supporting and ready to be self-governing. - Approval by Presbytery
Presbytery will establish a commission to formally constitute the Mission Church as a Particular Church: Charter Members shall sign the covenant of agreement to work together as a church body, the commission will authorize the election of Elders (having been previously examined) and Deacons (if the church has Deacons) and ordain and install them, a search committee may be formulated to begin the search process for a Minister (which may or may not be the Evangelist), and/or provisions will be made for the preaching of the Word and the sacraments until such time as a Minister shall be called and installed.
[/default_list]