Our Postcards from the Midwest Conference are short and encouraging looks at what God is doing in churches across the Midwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church – Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, western Missouri, Nebraska and Wyoming. We’re celebrating faithfulness, fresh vision, and the beauty of ministry in all shapes and sizes.
Front Range Covenant Gatherings: Encouragement, Identity, and Shared Mission
Sometimes renewal doesn’t start with a program. It starts with a simple idea – and a few faithful leaders willing to say, “What if we tried something new?”
Last year, Pastor Bert Wright brought a vision to the Midwest Conference (MWC) of the ECC: What if pastors and ministry leaders across Colorado’s Front Range gathered together – not in separate clusters, but in one shared space – to reconnect, be encouraged, and remember their shared Covenant identity?
Soon, more pastors joined the conversation… Ryan Ashley (Restoration Covenant), Nathan Alley (Applewood Community Church), Tom Dierenfeld (LifeSpring Covenant Church), Elyse Aguirre (LifeSpring Covenant Church) and others. With the support of the MWC and the ECC, the Front Range Covenant Gatherings were born – three half-day gatherings designed to strengthen relationships, share a meal, and learn from trusted voices who understand today’s ministry challenges.
As Nathan Alley, Senior Pastor at Applewood Community Church, explained, “Our hope is to build stronger bonds and support development among staff across all the Front Range churches, especially as we’ve seen our pastors retire, move, or lose touch over the past few years.”
The first gathering was in September 2025 at Centennial Covenant Church in Littleton, Co.
MWC Superintendent Brian Johnson noted: “The Midwest Conference is blessed with joyful, gifted pastors and leaders. I am so grateful for our commitment to be connected… for encouragement, for belonging, and for collaboration in the work of the gospel.”
A Room Full of Hope (Even in the Snow)
The second Front Range Covenant Gathering took place on January 8 at LifeSpring Covenant Church in Loveland, Co., and 35 pastors and ministry leaders registered to attend. With an impending snowstorm on the horizon, attendance could have easily dropped. Instead, most still came.
Inside the room were leaders from a wide variety of churches and staff roles – pastors, ministry directors, and support staff who serve from the pulpit, classroom, stage, and office. What they encountered was more than a meeting. It was a welcoming space marked by good food, friendly people, and meaningful conversation.
Tom Dierenfeld, lead pastor at LifeSpring, reflected on what made the gathering special: “I think the best part about these gatherings is the opportunity to connect and care for one another. There’s no shortcut or substitute for meeting people, so gathering is the first step. It’s usually the informal conversation – where we have space to ask how it’s really going – that allows for vulnerability, compassion, and belonging. This is what the Church needs and is longing for.”
Step Into the Story of Us
Guest speaker Michelle Ferrigno Warren’s presentation was titled “Step Into the Story of Us.” Michelle is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader, faith-rooted activist, author, and speaker who has spent more than three decades working in Christian community development, public policy, and advocacy.
Drawing from Scripture, history, and lived experience, Michelle invited leaders to reflect on who they are – not just as individual pastors or staff members, but as part of a larger, shared story shaped by God’s heart for hospitality, justice, and love for the stranger. Her message centered on themes of encouragement, identity, and shared mission, reminding leaders that their ministry is rooted in both deep theology and real human relationships.
Michelle didn’t just teach – she stayed. She shared stories, connected personally with attendees, and signed books, creating space for both learning and relationship. Her presence embodied the very values she spoke about: welcome, attentiveness, and encouragement.
The room buzzed with conversation as leaders processed what they heard and shared their own stories from ministry. Many left feeling not only informed, but deeply seen and strengthened.
Why These Gatherings Matter
In a season when many pastors have retired, relocated, or felt the weight of isolation, these gatherings are helping rebuild something essential: relational connection.
The focus remains simple – create space for leaders to gather, be known, and be reminded that they are not alone in their calling.
As Dierenfeld shared, “Programs are important, but only in as much as we can offer a generous presence. Gathering like this encourages the soul.”
Looking Ahead
With strong participation, meaningful conversations, and clear fruit already emerging, the pastors involved plan to continue these gatherings next year.
The next Front Range Covenant Gathering is scheduled for April 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Arvada Covenant Church, with Steve Cuss as the featured speaker. RSVP at https://forms.gle/M87RYLMoFsjSszVS8. Covenant leaders from across the Front Range are invited to come connect, be encouraged, and step once again into the shared story God is writing among them.
Sometimes, the most powerful ministry begins with a table, a meal, a few faithful leaders – and the courage to try something new.
