Church support is necessary for all pastors
Orientation is designed to be completed in two
The pastors who are most enriched by Covenant
Orientation are those who are encouraged and
supported by their congregations. As with any
educational undertaking, Orientation places extra
demands on the
time and finances
of the student. A
few key ways for a
church to support
its pastor through
the Orientation
process include:
TIME • Additional, out-of-pocket expenses for each
Allowing your pastor to set aside time each
year for continuing education demonstrates a
congregation’s investment in his or her personal,
intellectual and spiritual growth, along with
understanding the benefits these things bring to
their ministry.
Orientation consists of 4 week-long courses
offered at various times each year including:
• during the week of the Covenant Midwinter
Conference
• during summer intensive courses at North
Park Theological Seminary
• rotating through various regional areas
These courses may require additional work done
before and/or after the designated class time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should enroll in Covenant Orientation?
years. Pastors must compelete CO within six
years of their program start date.
Expense • Ordained ministers wishing to transfer into
For those congregations who are able, paying for
all or part of tuition costs and additional expenses
can relieve a major financial burden for your
pastor. Financial support of continuing education
places tangible significance on this important part
of his or her professional development.
Program Fee: $4750
• Pastors who are pursuing graduate degrees
have the option of taking two of the four
courses for graduate credit through North
Park Theological Seminary
• Midwinter Conference registration fees are
covered for pastors attending courses in that
timeframe.
pastor include travel, room and board, books,
and participation in required Covenant Life
Experiences.
For complete details on the program
requirements of Covenant Orientation please visit
www.covchurch.org/ministry.
• Any person seeking a credential with ECC
who did not attend North Park Theological
Seminary or Centro Hispano de Estudios
Teológicos;
the ECC;
• Ministers with advanced degrees from
institutions other than NPTS/CHET.
Is a pastor who is enrolled in Covenant
Orientation able to serve in all the pastoral
roles during the program?
YES! During the Orientation process a
minister can be licensed by the ECC, and
thus fully equipped for ministerial duties.
What if a pastor’s primary language is not
English?
Orientation classes are available in Spanish.
Other language needs may be met by individu-
alized learning plans. Contact the Covenant
Orientation office for more information.
Can a pastor be credentialed without CO?
Credentialing in the ECC requires
orientation to the Covenant, whether that is
through earning a degree or residential studies
at NPTS, or through CO.
Is there assistance available if a church is un-
able to fully pay for their pastor’s Orientation
studies?
Pastors may apply for a scholarship for 25%
of the program cost; payment plans are also
available.
How do we start?
Contact the Department of the Ordered
Ministry for an application or with any more
questions. www.covchurch.org/ministry
 Thank you!
Your care for the continuing education of your
pastor is integral to his or her journey of ministry. The Department of the Ordered Ministry
Not only your church, but the entire ECC becomes
richer with every pastor who becomes a more vital
part of the fellowship through this program.

“Another value I took from the

An important step for the CO experience was learning the
pastor and the church many ministries of the Covenant
The Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) has and the resources that are avail-
historically placed a high priority on the education
able to help our local church. We are
of its clergy. Covenant Orientation (CO) enables
your pastor to be in ministry while he or she is a small, aging church, but we still
learning about the theology, history and
expectations of the denomination. For a pastor
want to be a part of God’s work.
to be credentialed (licensed, commissioned or Being a part of such an active,
ordained) by the ECC, he or she must complete
a year of Residential Orientation at North Park
growing denomination opens many
Theological Seminary, Centro Hispano de Estu- doors of opportunity.”
dios Teológicos, or complete Orientation. CO, as - Deena Jones, pastor
outlined in this brochure, offers these important
benefits to your pastor and church:
Welcome To

CO
• Accountability to the denomination;
• Fulfilling the orientation requirement for
credentialing set by the Board of the Ordered ovenant
Ministry;
• Increasing pastors’ knowledge and
MORE INFORMATION rientation
for Covenant
appreciation of Covenant distinctives and
theology;
• Connecting pastors more fully to the
Covenant fellowship;
CO ovenant
rientation Churches
• Offering practical tools for fruitful ministry in Department of the Ordered Ministry
the Covenant context. 1-888-COV-PROG
www.covchurch.org/ministry
Since 1996, CO has prepared more than 400 pas-
covenant.orientation@covchurch.org
tors for ministry in the ECC, benefiting hundreds
of churches all over the world.
Evangelical Covenant Church