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| The Evangelical Covenant Church is a denomination of more than six hundred churches in the United States and Canada. It was founded by Swedish immigrants in 1885 as a voluntary covenant of churches committed to working together to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Covenant churches emphasize the Bible's witness to new life in Jesus Christ expressed in a day to day walk with the Lord. | The Covenant Mission
We are united by Christ in a holy covenant of churches empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey the Great Commandments and the Great Commission: *Two documents which may help you learn more about the Covenant are Constitution & Bylaws and Covenant Affirmations. Visit the Department of the Ordered Ministry or Resources for more specific information. |
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| First Covenant Church of Sioux Falls was planted in 1948 by the Northwest Conference in response to the mission potential opened by the city's post-war growth. Like other Covenant congregations that had been in the area since frontier days, membership shared common roots that were mainly rural and Scandinavian. However, what characterized this early congregation most was its hunger for Bible study, singing together and fellowship. Outgrowing the facilities on Minnesota Avenue, the church relocated in 1960 and expanded in 1978 with the addition of an education wing. Outreach included ministry to prisoners, homeless and refugee families, many of whom became a vital part of our church family. As a Christmas gift to the community and a witness to the reality of Jesus' birth, the church began the Journey to Bethlehem pageant - a live nativity - which has been experienced by thousands of people in our region. |
The Covenant Church family in Sioux Falls has grown more in the last ten years than in the first forty years. The planting of Harvest Covenant Church in west Sioux Falls and Living Springs Covenant Church in Brandon is touching more lives in our metro area. The Evangelical Covenant Church of South Sudan, originally birthed out of our congregation's ministry to refugees, has expanded internationally to include over 200 churches. All of these churches can trace their roots to God's work begun in our congregation. Even as we were celebrating 50 years on ministry in 1998, we were intent on future ministry. Our new name, Prairie Hills Covenant Church, signified an outward focus that included the purchase of land for relocation. Identifying our church's gifts and opportunities to minister effectively to the de-churched, we became the first congregation in Sioux Falls to offer the Alpha Course, a practical introduction to the Christian faith for adults. |
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