Report of the Director of Church Extension
Dr. Donald Hohensee

Two years ago I challenged the churches of the Pacific Conference of The Evangelical Church to become pregnant with new churches. I am happy to report that we are working on four pregnancies. We want them all to become healthy church plants. The two Board meetings held this year have focused on these new church plants. In October we heard about the plans, in April we began to hear of what God is already doing, although none of the churches have officially launched.

Rev. Shawn Church and the Maple Leaf congregation are working on the birth of Paradigm Church in north Seattle. The church has not officially launched but they are working on forming small groups which will become the nucleus of the new church. They are using some of the facilities of the Maple Leaf congregation. Maple Leaf sold a house and dedicated the proceeds from this sale to assist with the launch of Paradigm.

Mr. Josh Adams is bringing small groups together in north Salem for the launch of a new church yet to be named. Some possible names for this new church include Koinonia and Remnant. Josh is doing this along with pastoring the Woodburn Evangelical Church.

Mr. Keith Kirkpatrick, from the New Hope Church in Bend, has started meeting with a 20 something age group. On Easter Sunday they had 260 people in attendance. They still have not officially launched but will do so during this year. They are currently meeting at the New Hope Church in Bend Sunday evenings.

Mr. James Carmichael and the South Albany Community Church are planning to begin The Grove Church in north Albany during this annual conference year. They are still working on details, as to when to launch, gathering finances, staff, etc.

We praise the Lord for this healthy growth on the part of the Pacific Conference. Last year I reported that we were looking at possible multi-site churches, for various reasons this has not taken place and we have these new church launches in the works.

I am happy to report that Heart-to-Heart Church a restart in Monmouth is going well. Mr. Jim Miller is leading this group. While the growth has been slower than Pastor Miller was hoping for the church is making good progress. In April 09 they had 59.

The Board of Church Extension made a commitment of $130,000 to assist these new churches with their startup costs during this annual conference fiscal year. We want to challenge those who are doing their estate planning to put the Board of Church Extension in their estate plans. I would love for the Board to have an endowment of one million dollars or more for church extension. We want to challenge those whom God has blessed with significant financial resources to make a major gift to the Board of Church Extension. We also want to challenge existing churches to take on one of these new plants as a part of your prayer and financial support for this coming year. We hope to raise $10,000 in cash and pledges during Annual Conference 2009.

The Board is still remembering its commitment to attempt a church plant in the greater Spokane area in the next two to three years. We recognize that the harvest is plentiful; our greatest needs are for churches who will mother other churches and for those who are called to plant these new churches.