Report of the

Board of Church Extension

              The Board of Church Extension considers it a great privilege and responsibility to be a part of God’s work of establishing churches in obedience to Christ’s Great Commission. Though we do not directly reach to the “uttermost part of the earth”, the need is great within our “Judea and Samaria” as well. The planting of new churches locally is essential if we are to continue to grow in our worldwide outreach. Mission America, the five year plan of goals and strategies presented to Conference last year, continues to be implemented. The Board urges each church to review the goals of Mission America that we as a denomination might pray, give, and work more effectively toward the implementation of the plan. As a part of Mission America’s goal of working toward a smooth transition of leadership within the Department, the Board has established a search committee to seek a new Executive Director. This becomes necessary with Daniel Ziegler’s present term expiring at the 115th Annual Conference in 1998 and plans for retirement on the horizon. We ask that you pray with us for God’s direction in filling this strategic position of leadership to carry on the work of church planting.

              The Board gratefully acknowledges the support of churches. We are encouraged by those churches which utilize “The Extension Call”, the Church Extension Department’s monthly prayer calendar. These are available in quantity for your church or for copying and distribution on your own. We are also grateful for the financial support of churches. During the past year, church giving increased. We thank the Lord for this encouraging note and express our appreciation to all those churches which stand with us in this work. Support for the work of church planting is more than prayers and finances. Several churches have provided people, supplies, and hours of labor to fulfill local projects of churches within the Department. The Harleysville, Ephrata, and Coopersburg congregations have worked closely with the Staten Island, New York Mission. The Harleysville Church has also helped with the Scranton Mission. Churches have provided people to work on property, to serve through VBS and other ministries, and to introduce the church to people in the community. These efforts are significant in their benefits – to the Mission, the church planting pastor, and to the supporting church. We urge all churches to consider such an endeavor. A new mission was established at Brooklyn, New York. A new mission was also started at Beacon, New York, with a small core from the former Wappinger Bible Fellowship Church. A call was issued to David Way to serve as its organizing pastor. Also, Jonathan Tait accepted a call to serve as organizing pastor of the Walnutport, Pennsylvania Mission.

              Presently, two missions are without organizing pastors – Upper Pocono (presently dormant) and Brooklyn, New York. The Board has received the request from the Gilbertsville leadership to presently discontinue the pursuit of affiliation with the Bible Fellowship Church. The Board has acceded to their request.

              Assessment Committees, made up of representatives from the Board of Elders from interested congregations, are appointed to evaluate the progress of developing missions. This year an Assessment Committee was established for the Scranton Mission. The Scranton Mission, along with the Aberdeen (Bayshore), New Jersey Mission, are being presented at the 114th Annual Conference to be received as Particular Churches.

              The Board continues to work with the Board of Missions for the purpose of planting ethnic churches. We have varying degrees of relationship with several ethnic congregations. Also, the Board has joined with the Board of Missions in establishing the position of “Missions Project Coordinator.” This individual would promote and coordinate work and service projects for missionaries and church planters.

              During the past year, it was disclosed by the Executive Directive to the Board that he had not issued payment due the Internal Revenue Service for taxes which were withheld. The board carefully reviewed the accounting and determined that at no point were monies misappropriated nor did the Executive Director profit in any way from the failure to pay these taxes. In its review, the Board became aware of several deficiencies within the Department’s financial procedures specifically due to the present division of responsibilities within the Department in overseeing various accounts. Because of our desire to administer board resources in a way which honors the Lord, the Board has taken steps to review and revise its financial bookkeeping and accounting procedures within the Department to insure a more effective handling of all financial responsibilities. We have endeavored to keep our brothers of Annual Conference abreast of such changes and have appreciated the responses we have received. we covet your prayers and seek your ongoing partnership in the work of church planting in these days of strategic opportunities.

               The Board works closely with missions under its care to oversee the work. Personnel issues, ministry strategies, financial concerns, property matters, and congregational issues present significant challenges and opportunities for guidance. We are grateful to the Lord for the men who diligently serve in the Department and for their families as well. They have a unique commitment to this work which demands a level of personal and family sacrifice. We urge you to uphold them in prayer. The following is a list of the fifteen missions and churches presently under the Board of Church Extension, and the men serving in each ministry:

Aberdeen, NJ (Bayshore). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John C. Vandegriff

Beacon, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David R. Way

Brooklyn, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Edison, NJ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dennis M.Cahill, Richard B. Ravis

Holmes, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert S. Commerford

Newark, NJ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Delbert R. Baker, II

Ocean County, NJ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dean A. Stortz

Pleasant Valley, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David N. Heineman

Red Hill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ronald K.Denlinger, D. Thomas Phillips

Scranton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Roger L.Reitz

Egg Harbor Twnshp (Somers Pt., NJ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Richard A. Moyer

Staten Island, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ralph E. Ritter

Thompson, CT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dennis W. Spinney

Upper Pocono. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(dormant)

Walnutport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jonathan P. Tait

     The Board of Church Extension recommends the following resolutions be adopted by the 114th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church:

Whereas, the Board of Church Extension is of the opinion that the Aberdeen (Bayshore), New Jersey Mission meets the qualifications of a Particular Church as specified in Article 18 of the Articles of Faith of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Aberdeen (Bayshore), New Jersey Mission be recognized as a Particular Church, and that its delegate be received into membership of the 114th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church.

Whereas, the Board of Church Extension is of the opinion that the Scranton, Pennsylvania Mission meets the qualifications of a Particular Church as specified in Article 18 of the Articles of Faith of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore, be it

Resolved, that the Scranton, Pennsylvania Mission be recognized as a Particular Church, and that its delegate be received into membership of the 114th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church.

Board of Church Extension: Richard E. Taylor, Chairman; Robert W. Smock, Vice Chairman; Daniel G. Ziegler, Executive Director; William G. Schlonecker, Secretary; William R. Singletary, Treasurer; W. Robert Buckwalter; David S. Focht, Jr.; Kenneth L. Good; David E. Gundrum; Clyde W. Snyder; Robert H. Zentz