In January 2011, a letter was sent out to PC(USA) pastors around the country, asking if others wanted to join in crafting a new way forward. The response was overwhelming: just seven months later, in August 2011, nearly 2,000 men and women gathered in Minneapolis to dream and pray. This became the birth of The Fellowship of Presbyterians, a ministry association that seeks to equip and connect those in various Presbyterian denominations including the PC(USA). But some pastors and congregations felt God calling them to leave the PC(USA), and many young seminarians were looking for a different context for ordination. As a result, in January 2012, at a conference in Orlando with more than 2,200 in attendance, a new denomination was formed: ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
The name ECO is not an acronym. It reinforces our passion for strengthening the ecosystems of local churches. We believe that the Church is a living organism that needs life-giving resources to help it grow, thrive, and multiply. ECO is committed to cultivating a healthy, diverse, resource-rich ecosystem where pastors and congregations can flourish. Our full name (ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians) speaks to our core commitments:
Covenant: To connect leaders in accountable relationships and encourage collaboration
Evangelical: To advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ and plant new missional communities
Order: To commit to a shared way of life around a shared theological core
Presbyterian: To stand within our Reformed heritage and celebrate the life of the mind