Dana Allin Named ECO Synod Exec

On behalf of the combined boards of ECO and the Fellowship of Presbyterians I am thrilled to announce Dana Allin has accepted the call to be the first Synod Executive of ECO.

The Synod is the highest body in ECO because, in our global Presbyterian and Reformed context, ECO believes itself to be an integral part of something larger. The ECO Synod comprises the Presbytery of the East and the Presbytery of the West along with their member congregations and pastors.

As Synod Executive, Dana will provide strategic leadership in the vision of ECO to connect congregations and pastors in accountable relationships (the covenant order). He will provide congregations with training resources, and partner with seminaries to develop a pipeline of church planters and pastors for the future. Resourcing church planting will be a particular emphasis in Dana’s role as plans for a Church Planting Assessment Center are already underway.

Dana has played many significant roles in ECO already. Serving on the team that crafted the ECO polity and, since May 2012, serving as ECO’s President, Dana has proven himself to be detail-oriented while maintaining a big picture focus. As ECO President, a volunteer position, Dana has traveled the country to help congregations as they discern God’s call for their next steps. His gifts in strategic planning and organizational leadership will serve this growing ECO movement well.

Dana will seek to dissolve his call as Senior Pastor of the Indian River Presbyterian Church in Fort Pierce, Florida, becoming ECO’s first full-time employee on April 15.  Join us in praying for Dana as he follows God’s call into this new role, and praying for his congregation as they face this major pastoral transition. I personally look forward to continuing to work alongside Dana in our joint mission to build flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Jim Singleton

President, The Fellowship of Presbyterians