Evangelical Covenant Midwinter 2027 Will Renew Pastors for Ministry

The Evangelical Covenant Church will hold Midwinter 2027 from January 18 through January 22 at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, 225 East Coastline Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32202. The denomination describes Midwinter as five days of worship, learning, inspiration, relationships, and space to be renewed for ministry. An Evangelical Covenant Church article published February 4, 2026, announced Jacksonville as the next Midwinter location and confirmed the dates; the current official event page now provides the developing 2027 program. The gathering opens on Monday, January 18, with an evening worship service honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The official page lists theologian Willie James Jennings as preacher and Tony McNeill as worship leader, joined by the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus and All Voices Chorus. That opening gives the conference an explicitly Christian and pastoral center while recognizing the church’s public witness and the continuing call to reconciliation and justice. Midwinter is intended for Covenant pastors and other ministry leaders, including clergy, chaplains, seminarians, spouses, and denominational servants who need both substantive formation and supportive relationships. Its national scope comes from gathering leaders across the Evangelical Covenant Church in one place rather than limiting participation to a regional audience. The riverfront setting offers a physical change of pace, but the purpose is more than rest or travel: leaders are invited to listen to Scripture, worship together, learn from experienced practitioners, and reconnect with colleagues who understand the particular pressures of vocational ministry. That shared environment can interrupt isolation and make room for honest pastoral encouragement.

The published program reflects a broad view of pastoral renewal. In addition to denominational updates and evening worship, Midwinter includes plenary teaching, workshops, peer conversations, and affinity gatherings. The current speaker list includes Evangelical Covenant president Tammy Swanson-Draheim, pastor and church-network leader Robert Guerrero, Fuller Theological Seminary professor Soong-Chan Rah, mission educator Alexia Salvatierra, and student-ministry leader Miriam Swanson. One all-conference session, “Preaching through the Mosaic,” will invite Covenant pastors to preach from the same biblical text through different cultural and ministry contexts. Other listed sessions address women in leadership, antiracism discipleship, Christian organizing, and faithful engagement with neighbors shaped by Christian nationalism. Those subjects are not isolated from congregational ministry; they ask pastors to bring biblical conviction, spiritual maturity, cultural listening, and practical wisdom into complex situations. The event’s “Take Heart” emphasis is therefore fitting. Leaders are not promised an escape from difficult work, but they are offered worship, shared learning, and relationships that can sustain it. A practical reason to attend is the chance to step away from weekly demands long enough to receive care, test ideas with trusted peers, and return with renewed clarity for preaching, discipleship, mission, and leadership. Prospective participants should consult the official Midwinter page for current registration tiers, optional gatherings, schedule changes, accessibility information, and hotel arrangements. Planning early is wise because the event begins on a Monday and brings together leaders from across the country at a single downtown venue. The week is structured to strengthen both personal vocation and the church’s shared mission.