COMMITTEES

As stated in the EPC’s Rules for Assembly, the ministries of the Assembly are conducted primarily through Permanent Committees and the Permanent Judicial Commission. In addition, Special Committees may be formed to address specific areas of concern or emphasis. Committee membership generally is limited to Ruling Elders and Teaching Elders, with the exception of:

• Benefit Resources, Inc., Board of Directors, which may have non-ordained members who possess the expertise needed for the Board to carry out its responsibilities, and who are are active members of EPC churches.
• Generosity Resources Committee, which may have non-ordained members who have the expertise needed by the Committee, and who are active members of EPC churches.
• Next Generation Ministries Council, which may have up to six non-ordained members who have particular expertise or experience in Christian Education, student ministry, or college ministry, and who are active members of EPC churches.
• Women’s Resource Council, which is open to any woman who is an active member of an EPC church.
• World Outreach, which may have up to two non-ordained members with particular expertise or experience in world missions, and who are active members of EPC churches.

Terms are normally for three years, and a person may serve two consecutive terms on the same committee followed by at least one year off. In accepting a nomination to committee membership, the nominee should clearly understand and be willing to accept the responsibility of active participation in the regular meetings of his or her committee. Committees normally meet at the Office of the General Assembly in Orlando.

The National Leadership Team provides coordination of program committee work and oversees the continuing work of the General Assembly between stated meetings. It provides strategic guidance to the Office of the General Assembly, and works with the Stated Clerk in personnel administration of the General Assembly staff and develops the annual administration and benevolence budgets. The Committee serves as directors of the corporation and executes legal and corporate business. The NLT generally meets four times per year and several additional times by phone.

Back to Top

The Benefit Resources, Inc., (BRI) Board of Directors oversees administration of the EPC denominational Retirement Plan and Group Medical Plan. The Board also serves as trustees of the Retirement Plan and are responsible for investment of insurance fund reserves.

Mike Busch
RE, Presbytery of the Alleghenies

Jim Lewien
Presbytery of the West

Erik Ohman
TE, Presbytery of the West

Randy Shaneyfelt
Presbytery of the Great Plains

Back to Top

The Chaplains Work and Care Committee oversees and conducts the chaplain endorsement process, develops and implements policies and procedures for EPC chaplain ministry, and provides for pastoral care for endorsed chaplains and their families. The committee also recommends policies related to chaplaincy to the General Assembly. The committee meets once a year and by phone conference as needed.

Bruce Alexander
RE, Presbytery of the East

Tim Foster
TE, Presbytery of the Central South

Jennifer Prechter
TE, Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean

Richard Swedberg
RE, Presbytery of the West

Mark Ingles, Chaplain Endorser (ex officio)
TE, Presbytery of the West

Back to Top

The Committee on Fraternal Relations assists the General Assembly in developing and maintaining relationships with other Christian organizations including denominations in the Reformed tradition, ecumenical agencies, and other groups working to advance the Kingdom of God through evangelism, nurture, and service.

Gwynn Blair
RE, Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean

Jerry Harmon
RE, Presbytery of the Central South

Alan Trafford
TE, Presbytery of the Gulf South

Back to Top

GENEROSITY RESOURCES COMMITTEE

The Generosity Resources Committee (formerly the Foundation Board) facilitates charitable estate gifts and planned gifts, which provide additional resources to assist local churches, presbyteries, and other EPC ministries to fulfill the purpose, goals, and opportunities of the future. The Committee also promotes biblical stewardship by encouraging individuals and families to give of their time, talents, and treasures.

Ben Borsay
TE, Presbytery of the Midwest

Ted Hailes
RE, Presbytery of the Central South

Kevin Byma
RE, Presbytery of the East (Resource Member)

Back to Top

The Ministerial Vocation Committee resources the Ministerial and Candidates committees of the Presbyteries, and oversees the ordination testing process. The MVC is concerned with the initial and ongoing education and training of ministers and in the pastoral care of ministers and their families.

Fred Lian
TE, Presbytery of the West

Frank Rotella
RE, Presbytery of the East

Caroline Tromble
RE, Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes

Back to Top

NEXT GENERATION MINISTRIES COUNCIL

The Next Generation Ministries Council is designed to equip, encourage, and shepherd church leadership to evangelize and disciple the Next Generation from birth through young adulthood.

Greg Aydt
Presbytery of the West

Meg DeHaven
Presbytery of the East

Andrew Koesters
TE, Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic

Ivan Moore
Presbytery of the Alleghenies

Michael Hall (Ministry Partner Advisor)
Training and Church Intern Coordinator, RYM

Shawn Stewart (Ministry Partner Advisor)
Mobilization Coordinator, EPC World Outreach

Back to Top

The Nominating Committee annually nominates the Moderator, Moderator-elect, and permanent committee members for election by the General Assembly. The committee receives endorsements of qualified individuals from presbyteries and church Sessions.

John Adamson
RE, Presbytery of the Central South

Henry Beck
RE, Presbytery of the Gulf South

Larry Carlson
TE, Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest

Bill Dudley
TE, Presbytery of the Southeast

Susan Humphreys
RE, Presbytery of Mid-America

Joe McCoy
RE, Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic

Alan Smith
RE, Presbytery of the East

Back to Top

The Permanent Judicial Commission studies questions of interpretation in the Book of Order referred by the Stated Clerk. The Commission also reviews overtures, recommendations, and resolutions for changing the Constitution prior to their presentation to the Assembly. In cases referred to the Assembly, the Commission shall make preliminary judgment to the Assembly until the Assembly has sustained or rejected its recommendations.

Yvonne Chapman
RE, Presbytery of the Central South

George Dakin
TE, Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest

Donald Flater
RE, Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes

Dana Opp
TE, Presbytery of the Alleghenies

Back to Top

The Presbytery Review Committee provides structure, order, and continuity in reviewing the minutes of the presbyteries. It meets once a year in May, prior to the General Assembly. One member is elected annually, and the committee includes at least one former Stated Clerk.

George King
RE, Presbytery of the Gulf South

Cecil Matthews
RE, Presbytery of the West

Back to Top

The Theology Committee receives and studies such theological matters as may be referred to it by the General Assembly, and returns its study with recommendations and requested papers or documents to the Assembly.

Ron DiNunzio
TE, Presbytery of the East

Gordon Miller
RE, Presbytery of Mid-Atlantic

Ryan Mowen
TE, Presbytery of the Alleghenies

Back to Top

The Women’s Resource Council serves local churches by developing women as servant leaders for the equipping of God’s church, the increase of His kingdom, and mobilizing women to fully participate in their churches, communities, and the world by resourcing leaders, providing opportunities for leadership training, and encouraging leaders in their place of ministry.

Lynn Burdge
RE, Presbytery of the Central South

Rebecca Duvall
RE, Presbytery of the Pacific Southwest

Kim Sinclair
Presbytery of the Midwest

Gail Goolsby (Presbytery Representative)
Presbytery of the Great Plains

Becky Melancon (Presbytery Representative)
Presbytery of the Gulf South

Joe Ann Stenstrom (Presbytery Representative)
Presbytery of the East

Back to Top

The World Outreach Committee is responsible to implement the World Outreach Master Plan and to interpret and refine the World Outreach Missions Manual where necessary. It has oversight and care of EPC missionaries, their terms of call, and projects. The Committee evaluates agencies for potential cooperative agreements and works in conjunction with the Director of World Outreach. Two members of the Committee may be non-ordained with expertise in world missions.

Brad Buescher
TE, Presbytery of the Great Plains

Phyllis Ellsworth
RE, Presbytery of the Midwest

Johnny Long
RE, Presbytery of the West

Patrick Tucker, M.D.
RE, Presbytery of the Gulf South

Back to Top

CHURCH PLANTING TEAM

The mission of the EPC Church Planting Team is to cultivate a culture where church planting is embraced, encouraged, and celebrated by all EPC churches, with the goal of each congregation becoming a Parent (by planting one or more new churches), a Partner (joining together with other EPC churches in their area to plant churches), or a Patron (by providing financial support to those starting new churches) of church planting.

Back to Top

The Church Revitalization Task Force is led by Ken Priddy and is comprised of the GO Center’s leadership team. The GO Center was founded in the EPC Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic and later merged with the EPC Revitalization Task Force when the ministry of the GO Center was nationalized in 2015. The GO Center is now accessible to all EPC presbyteries and churches.

The GO Center’s focus is the development of missional churches that are led by missional pastors and leaders. This development is driven by training, consulting, and coaching that are provided by the GO Center team. For more information, see www.gocenterinfo.wordpress.com

Jeff Moore
TE, Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes

Bill Senyard
TE, Presbytery of the West

Back to Top

GIVING CULTURE STUDY COMMITTEE

The Giving Culture Study Committee was approved by the 39th General Assembly. The members represent churches that strongly support Per Member Asking (PMA), and its purpose is to study and make recommendation on the long-term culture of giving to the EPC, including evaluation of the current PMA funding formula.

Jane Cooper
RE, Presbytery of the Gulf South

Scott McKee
TE, Presbytery of the Midwest

Mike Gibson, National Leadership Team (ex officio)
RE, Presbytery of the Great Plains

Case Thorp, Moderator (ex officio)
TE, Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean

Back to Top

REVELATION 7:9 TASK FORCE

The Revelation 7:9 Task Force was approved by the 38th General Assembly. Its purpose is to motivate and equip our EPC churches to represent—and grow in—the message of that verse. Specifically, that when the Kingdom of God comes in fullness, there will be a multitude “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”

Dean Weaver, Co-Chair
TE, Presbytery of the Alleghenies

Marc de Jeu
TE, Presbytery of the Alleghenies

Phyllis Le Peau
Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes

Beth Paz
Presbytery of the Pacific Southwest

Timothy Russell
TE, Presbytery of the Central South

Tom Werner
RE, Presbytery of Mid-America

Back to Top

STATED CLERK SEARCH COMMITTEE

The Stated Clerk Search Committee was approved by the 39th General Assembly. The goal is to elect the next Stated Clerk at the 40th General Assembly (2020)—one year before the current Stated Clerk departs in 2021. The committee is comprised of one member from  each of the 14 EPC presbyteries, plus one representative from the National Leadership Team.

Ritchey Cable
TE, Presbytery of Mid-America

Mike Davis
TE, Presbytery of the Central South

Scott Griffin
RE, Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest

Laurie Johnston
TE, Presbytery of the Great Plains

Bob LeSuer
RE, Presbytery of the Alleghenies

David Mennel
RE, Presbytery of the Midwest

Allen Roes
RE, Presbytery of the Mid-Atlantic

Back to Top