The Evangelical Covenant Church has
is rooted in historical Christianity as it came out of the Protestant
Reformation, in the Lutheran State Church of Sweden, and in the great spiritual
awakenings of the nineteenth century.
Martin Luther |
Sweden and Christianity
The Evangelical Covenant Church can be traced to a time when
Christianity comes to Sweden in the 9th century when Ansgar sets up
a church at Birka. However, it’s not
until the 11th century when Christianity begins to take root.
In 1523 Gustave Vasa Erickson declared himself king and used
Lutheranism as a tool to seek national identity and unity. In 1541 the Gustav Vasa Bible, the common
name of the Swedish Bible translation, is published. It helps to establish the common use of the
Swedish language. It remains the only
Swedish Bible until 1917.
Conventicles |
In Sweden, the early Pietists sought to be a renewal
movement within the State Lutheran Church, not a breakaway sect or new
denomination. The revivals that swept
through Europe and America impacted the Swedish church as well. Two of the key figures were George Scott, a
missionary to Sweden (1830-1842), and Carl Olaf Rosenius, a Swede and son of a
State Church pastor.
George Scott came to Sweden as a Methodist ministry and missionary, preaching and leading revival. He employed with great success the methods of evangelism, an emphasis on temperance, and the enlisting of Colporteurs to disseminate spiritual literature to the laity. By securing resources from Evangelical groups in the United States and Europe, he was able to fund various Unions, Mission Societies, Publications, that provided the foundation for the eventual indigenous work of those like Rosenius. He held a democratic view of the Church, but had a bias towards the aristocracy. By focusing on the upper classes, he felt renewal would eventually trickle down to the lower classes. The Bethlehem Church, built for him in Stockholm in 1840, was his ecclesial base of operations, until he was driven out on Palm Sunday, 1842. Fortunately he had recruited indigenous people, which allows the movement to continue in his absence, the key figure being Carl Olaf Rosenius.
Rosenius |
Perhaps the most important development in the Ecclesial life of Pietism in Sweden, was the multiplication of Conventicles. Initially inspired by German Pietists, these small to medium-sized group experiences emphasized teaching from the bible, singing and silent prayer. The State Church deeply distrusted these gatherings, issuing various edicts making them illegal. From the State Church's perspective they violated the sanctify of what the Church should be. They violated the office of church, since official Church teaching should only come through the ordained clergy. They violated the place of church by moving worship outside sanctuary into "non-church" settings. Finally, they violated the structure of church by circumventing the Church's hierarchy and procedures.
An Immigrant
People
Swedish immigration to America began around 1845. These were largely farmers, families and some
religious groups.
Swedish Immigrants |
The third wave of Swedish immigration ran from 1879 - 1893
and consisted mostly of married men without their families. Most settled in the Midwest.
The fourth wave was from 1900 - 1913.
The fifth and final wave happened between 1920 and
1929. This consisted of mostly single
persons and there were three times more men than women. The large Swedish migration to America
brought lead to the United States screening programs and forced the United
States to impose quotas.
The Swedish immigrants were, by and large, literate and
resourceful. They often saw success as a
blessing from God. They came to America
believing they were coming to find a better life. However, they often faced difficult economic
issues.
When it comes to religious identity, since Lutheranism was the
State church, the new immigrants often struggled to find their place in the
religious landscape of the United States.
Should they follow the State church model or the believer’s church
model? Should they be a mainline church
or a free church, unconnected to a larger body? “We are not a clannish people, nor do we
desire to build up a Scandanavian nationality in your midst…you will be me
witness how readily and fraternally we have mingled with you, learned your language
and adopted your ways…We have been cordially received in this great west by
your pioneers, and have become prosperous and happy. Yes, we love this
great country of freedom, and we wish to be and remain Americans.” - Hans
Mattson, Nominated for Secretary of State
Covenant Comes to
America
In 1868 the first Mission Friend congregation was
formed. The Mission Friends incorporated
in 1871. Mission Friends continued to
meet through the 1930's. Their meetings
were known for three things. They had
open preaching where anyone that was gifted could preach. They had open
questions and discussions. The questions
were judged for appropriateness and then discussed together as a group. They
had close and warm fellowship.
The Swedish Mission Church was formed in 1878 in
Sweden.
ECC Logo |
Immigrant Church
or American Church?
The Covenant Church is an immigrant church, however, it
could not be a Swedish church because it would be ignoring the American
population. Yet, the Covenant Church
could not be an American Church and ignore the immigrants.
If we forget who we were, then we don’t know who we
are. We must exercise a collective memory because identity is not found
in creed or confession, but in mission meetings (church is not a place you have
to go on Sundays, but it’s a place where church and relationship and identity
and community are lived out.)
Compassion and
Mercy
The Swedish church excelled in the areas of compassion and
mercy. That was no different in the
United States. The North Side Mission
Church collected $500 annually for the poor.
The Home of Mercy (now the Swedish Covenant Hospital) is built in
Chicago in 1886. Retirement homes are
built from 1918 to 1929.
Missions |
North Park University |
The Evangelical Covenant Church has congregations in forty-three
of the fifty states and five Canadian provinces. Each congregation, while enjoying very
individual styles, share the common bond of the denomination and the unity of
being part of the larger body of Christ.
History of
Elements Church
Elements - First Service |
We feel called to reach the urban community that is
influenced by the culture of hip hop and urban living. Our ministry focus is cultivating
relationship within the context of the urban community.
East Tremont Avenue Space |
Worship DJ |
We began the church with a group of five. We met on a monthly basis to pray and
plan. On April 27, 2008, we had our first Sunday Service at my home. In October of 2009, we moved into a larger
space, our “main campus” on East Tremont and Bruckner Boulevard in the Bronx,
NY. We have now moved into an even
larger, Sunday-only space on Powell Avenue, off of Castle Hill Avenue, in the
Bronx.
Sunday Worship Space |
Covenant and
Elements Church
With roots in an immigrant society, continuous work in the
areas of compassion and mercy and culture parallels with the poor and
disenfranchised that we serve. We made a
decision to join the Evangelical Covenant Church.
In
2011 we joined the Evangelical Covenant Church.
The Evangelical Covenant Church is committed to reaching across
boundaries of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, age, and status in the
cultivation of communities of life and service. The Covenant Church:
- Evangelical, but not exclusive
- Biblical, but not doctrinaire
- Traditional, but not rigid
- Congregational, but not independent
Pastor's Retreat - Ashram |