Celebration 2022 Resources

Celebration - April 28-30 at District Church

Location: 7000 Rossmore Lane, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

This is our annual spring gathering of Conference churches.  

Come and be encouraged together. 

Come and worship. 

Come and let your heart explore – How God is doing something new!

Speakers: Christa Armstead, Fil Nesta, David Kim, Dave Kersten

*Speaker Bios located in the FAQ below…

Celebration 2022 Schedule

 Ministerial Association Gathering

April 28 – April 29, (Thursday 2 pm – Friday 2 pm)

All pastors and ministry staff are invited

Cost: $50

Everyone Gathering

April 29 – April 30, (Friday 2 pm – Saturday 1 pm)

This includes the 119th PSWC Annual Meeting (Saturday, starting at 9 am)

All are invited – Church Delegates or Advisors, Pastors, General Conferees

Cost: $50

Ministerial Gathering includes:

Thursday

• Message from Rev. Christa Armstead 

• Hearing from Ordination Candidates (Thursday afternoon and Friday morning)

• Honoring Rev. Paul Wilson

• Message from Dr. David Kersten

Friday

• “Living Room Chat” with Rev. Bryan Murphy, PSWC Superintendent Nominee

• Hearing from Ordination Candidates (Thursday afternoon and Friday morning)

• Ministry Panel – “Something New!”

• Ministerial Association Meeting – over box lunches

Everyone Gathering includes:

• Friday – Speakers, Equipping Seminars, A word from Superintendent Nominee, Rev. Bryan Murphy 

• Saturday – The 119th PSWC Annual Meeting.  Hear ministry updates and participate in:  Superintendent election, Board election, 2023 Budget approval, Discussion regarding use of Alpine sale proceeds.

• Friday Dinner, Saturday box lunch, refreshments throughout

• Supporting Materials – electronic copies will be posted online in advance

See the FAQ below for the number of delegates your church may bring.

How to authorize Church Delegates or Advisors to the Annual Meeting

Download Forms:

• Download Credential Card for Churches

• Download Credential Card for Church Plants (not yet ECC member churches)

• Download Credential Card for Associations, Institutions, Camp

Make plans now:

• Mark your calendar (and the church calendar)

• Make plans for who might represent your church

• Look into airline tickets

• Book a hotel room

Hotels:

FAQ:

Where can I read about the Superintendent Candidate?

Read the February 18th letter from Will Davidson, PSWC Executive Board Chair and Search Committee Chair.

How many Delegates or Advisors may our church send the Annual Meeting?

As a member church of the PSWC and ECC, your church is entitled to send delegates.  Delegates may participate in discussion and vote.  The number of delegates is based on the church’s membership.  Member churches are entitled to representation as follows:

Church Members             Delegates                               
Up to 99                                    2
100 to 224                                 3
225 to 449                                 4
450 to 699                                 5
700 to 999                                 6
1000 to more                            7

Churches with more than 1000 members may send 6 delegates, plus one delegate for each additional 400 beyond 1000.

Do church plants get to send delegates to Annual Meeting?

Church plants in the PSWC that are not yet an ECC member congregation may send two advisors.

What’s the difference between Advisor or Delegate?

• Advisors may participate in discussion. 

• Delegates may participate in discussion and vote.

Wondering if you are an Advisor or Delegate?

• If your church selected you, you are a Delegate or Advisor.

• Advisors are generally from younger church plants.

• Delegates are generally from established Covenant churches.

• Covenant credentialed ministers may attend as an advisor if they are in good standing as ministers. Of course, they may also attend as delegates from the churches where they pastor.  Like others, they should be listed on the church’s credential form.

Will there be Spanish translation?

Yes, Spanish translation will be available for all main sessions and one seminar.

Will there be the option to save money by staying (free of charge) in local Covenanters’ homes?

Related to COVID-19, we are not offering free housing this year.  We hope to bring this back in future years.  Our sincere apologies!  

Our church has been hard hit by COVID and/or church finances are extremely tight.  Is travel assistance available?

Yes, please contact office@pswc.org and indicate the names of persons who wish to attend and the church/city from which you need to travel.  Thanks.  We will respond to let you know if and how the Conference can assist financially.

Will Celebration 2022 be broadcast live and available for viewing online?

Participation in the Conference Annual Meeting (discussion and voting on Saturday) will take place only in person at the church.  We are looking into the possibility of broadcasting key sessions or at least recording them for later viewing.  We will keep you posted.  Thanks for your patience.

Who are the Speakers this year?

Thursday Afternoon Session

Christa Armstead is a pastor and worship leader, who serves at Midtown Covenant Church, located in the heart of Sacramento. As an IGNITE student, she is pursuing a master’s degree through North Park Theological Seminary and is a member of the PSWC Executive Board.

Christa has always been an extravert and a two on the Enneagram, long before she even knew what these terms meant. “I decided in Jr High school that when I grew up, I want wanted to land a job doing something I loved to do —talking. I never imagined that my love for communication and for people would have led me to a life of ministry.”

Her role as a pastor and Worship leader, affords her the opportunity to do the things that “Two’s” value most—making the world a more loving place, by offering care and support to those around her. “It’s a privilege to be able to communicate the message of hope and of God’s great love for humanity.”

Christa is a devoted wife of 34 years to Gus Armstead, mother of four, and grandmother to seven little ones.

Thursday Evening Worship Service

Dave Kersten currently serves as the Dean of North Park Theological Seminary and Interim Executive Minister of the Covenant’s Develop Leaders Team.  He began serving the Covenant in 1979 and pastored four Covenant congregations in Alabama, Florida, Washington, and Minnesota before being elected to the position of Executive Minister of the Ordered Ministry in 2001. Dave served the denomination in this role until taking his current position with North Park in 2012.

Under Dave’s leadership, the Seminary has seen significant expansion and growth. Working with regional conferences like ours, NPTS developed a distance cohort model, bringing seminary to pastors currently serving in ministry who cannot relocate to Chicago. Additionally, the School of Restorative Arts launched in the fall of 2018, bringing higher Theological Education into prisons, offering classes in Stateville Correctional Center, and Logan Correctional Center. Under North Park’s model in the SRA, outside students have opportunity to study alongside incarcerated students, a truly transformational experience and one that is completely unique to the SRA.

Dave has been married to Sandra Kay for over 40 years. Together they have raised three children. Dave and Sandi enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren, especially at their home in Ludington, Michigan.

Friday Evening Worship Service

Fil Nesta serves as a co-lead pastor at Stockton Covenant Church and Director of Latino Ministries in the Pacific Southwest Conference.  He is a graduate of Cal Berkeley and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. He is ordained with the Evangelical Covenant Church and has served in various pastoral and church planting capacities for 20+ years.

Fil believes that the Holy Spirit will continue to help and empower believers to boldly witness and reach more people for Christ.  He is grateful for God’s faithfulness and desires to serve God faithfully.  Life verse: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8.

Fil was born in Zacatecas, Mexico and came to the US when he was one-year old. As a 20-year-old university student, he decided to follow Jesus. He has never looked back. Fil has been married to Juana for over 25 years. They have three beautiful daughters: Noemi, Hannah and Victoriah. Fil enjoys traveling and exploring places with rich culture and history. 

Saturday Morning, Opening Devotions at the Annual Meeting

David Kim is senior pastor at the Garden Church in Chatsworth, California.  He is a passionate worshipper and has been a faithful shepherd of God’s people at the Garden since 1995.  He earned his Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry degrees at Fuller Theological Seminary.  

Throughout the pandemic, David often found himself penning poetry that points to the truth and goodness of God’s redemptive nature and work.  Two books, collecting these poems are now in print.  The most recent is Greater Things: 120 Devotional Poems of Faith, Hope and Love.

The Garden Church was adopted into Evangelical Covenant Church membership in 2021. David is married to his college sweetheart, Sharon, and is the proud father of two adult sons, Daniel and Joel.

Questions?  Contact the PSWC at office@pswc.org.