Report of the
Committee on Credentials
The Committee on Credentials held five meetings during the year in the performance of its duties.
During the year the Committee met with several men holding credentials with the Bible Fellowship Church in order to determine their continued interest in pursuing ministries within the denomination.
As a continuing response to those in the military chaplaincy, Keith E. Plows and LeRoy S. Heller represented the Committee on Credentials at the NACMAF Convention in Washington, DC, in December.
The Faith and Order questionnaire was sent to each of the ministers holding Ordination Credentials with the Bible Fellowship Church. All of the brethren returned their questionnaires except: Robert N. Gordon, Ronald C. Hagy, Gilbert J. Vining. The Committee is well satisfied with the responses of those who handed in their questionnaires. The Committee dropped the BFC credentials of Ronald C. Hagy and Gilbert J. Vining for failure to return their questionnaires and Brian H. Butler at his request. The Committee will communicate with those who have not returned their questionnaires.
The following change in status was approved:
Kenneth L. Good was changed from Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the BFC to Ordained Ministers on Leave of Absence.
Gregory A. Uhrich was changed from Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the BFC to Ordained Ministers Working in Other Christian Ministries.
Allan R. Vivona was changed from Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the BFC to Ordained Ministers Between Calls.
Keith E. Plows was changed from Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the BFC to Ordained Ministers In Retirement.
John C. Studenroth was changed from Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the BFC to Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the Board of Missions of the BFC.
Kenneth D. Keeler was changed from Ordained Ministers Working in Other Christian Ministries to Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the BFC.
Carl C. Cassel was changed from Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the BFC to Ordained Ministers In Retirement.
James E. Neher was changed from Ordained Ministers Between Calls to Ordained Ministers on Leave of Absence.
The Committee met with five men for ordination examination. The Credentials Committee gives thanks to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who has given these gifted men for the ministry of the Bible Fellowship Church.
Whereas, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr., Timothy S. Cowen, Kenneth J. Hurst, Richard A. Moyer, and Jeffrey L. Ruhl for ordination; and
Whereas, these brethren have served acceptably as ministers of the Bible Fellowship Church for the required period of time or the equivalent thereof; and
Whereas, after examination, the Credentials Committee believes these men to be called of God to the gospel ministry and to be in accord with the Faith and Order of the Bible Fellowship Church; therefore be it
Resolved, that Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr., Timothy S. Cowen, Kenneth J. Hurst, Richard A. Moyer, and Jeffrey L. Ruhl be ordained to the gospel ministry of the Bible Fellowship Church and further;
Resolved, that the service of ordination be held Tuesday, April 25, 2000, at 7:30 p.m. at Berean Bible Fellowship Church, Stroudsburg, PA.
The Credentials Committee has placed our Ordained Ministers in the following categories. (These men are eligible to serve a Bible Fellowship Church):I. Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the Bible Fellowship Church:
Allen, Daniel P.
Armstrong, W. David
Arnold, Jonathon W.
Baker, Delbert R. II.
Bartron, William H.
*Bomgardner, Clyde D., Jr.
Brush, R. Jerome
Cahill, Dennis M.
Cassel, Alva C.
Clapier, G. Wayne
Cole, Charles E.
Commerford, Robert S.
Cooper, Brian H.
Coulbourn, Hugh C. Jr.
*Cowen, Timothy S.
Denlinger, Ronald K.
Erb, Ronald C.
Fischer, Carl J. Jr.
Grossman, Randall A.
Gundrum, David E.
Harris, Richard D.
Heineman, David N.
Heller, LeRoy S.
Keeler, Kenneth D.
Lawrence, Dennis J.
Mahurin, Ronald C.
McCreary, J. Mark
Morrison, Mark L.
Paashaus, Richard T.
Phillips, D. Thomas
Prontnicki, Louis
Ravis, Richard B.
Reed, Calvin T.
Reitz, Roger L.
Ritter, Ralph E.
*Ruhl, Jeffrey L.
Schoen, David N.
Schlonecker, William G.
Shorb, Thomas P.
Sloan, Robert A., Jr.
Smith, Gene W.
Soper, Ralph M.
Spinney, Dennis W.
Stortz, Dean A.
Susek, Jacob, J., Jr.
Tait, Jonathan P.
Taylor, Richard E.
Thomann, David A.
Vandegriff, John C., Jr.
Watkins, David J.
Way, David R.
Weller, Dana E.
Wells, Howard N.
Wickstead, James A.
Widger, Byron
Ziegler, Daniel G.
* Contingent upon approval of recommendation of their ordination in this report.
II. Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the Board of Missions of the Bible Fellowship Church:
Aukamp, William A.
Boone, Clifford B.
Gehman, Richard J.
Harding, W. Neil, Jr.
Head, Jim D.
Johnston, Walter M.
Lea, Herbert K.
Manney, David L.
Morrison, Philip E.
Moyer, Edward
Moyer, Jerry L.
Riddell, David W.
Studenroth, John C.
Yerrington, Philip E.
Zimmerman, Paul G.
III. Ordained Ministers Working in the Chaplaincy Under the Sponsorship of the Bible Fellowship Church:
*Hurst, Kenneth J. – Military
Minsky, Barry J. – Military
*Moyer, Richard A. – Prison Ministry
* Contingent upon approval of recommendation of their ordination in this report.
IV. Ordained Ministers Working in Other Christian Ministries:
Bigley, T. James, Jr.
Ellingson, Bruce A.
Frable, Arthur H., Jr.
Martin, Carl T.
Schell, Henry A.
Uhrich, Gregory A
V. Ordained Ministers Between Calls:
Barber, Kenneth F.
Batchler, James R., Jr.
Beil, Thomas J.
Byrd, Terris L.
Coble, Bernard N.
Dommel, Albert J.
Herb, John H.
Jones, David H.
Trommler, Steven L.
Vivona, Allan R.
VI. Ordained Ministers on Leave of Absence:
Burnett, Raymond G.
Good, Kenneth L.
MacMillan, Thomas S.
Neher, James E.
Smith, Larry M.
VII. Ordained Ministers in Retirement:
Beil, James A.
Brosius, Bert N.
Buck, Leonard E.
Cassel, Carl C.
Cassel, Willard E.
Dotts, Raymond R.
Draper, Robert L.
Dunn, John
Frank, Walter H.
Fritz, Harvey J., Jr.
Gordon, Robert N.
Harley, J. Barclay
Hartman, Jansen E.
Herb, Frank L., Jr.
Herb, George E.
Hertzog, Roy A.
Hoyle, Ronald W.
Johnson, Robert F.
Kirkwood, Donald T.
Koch, James G.
Mull, William W.
Munyan, Edgar H.
Plows, Keith E.
Reichenbach, R. C.
Riggall, John H.
Seifert, A. L.
Shelly, Austin G.
Smock, Robert W.
Thomann, David E.
Weaber, Harold C.
Yarrington, Harold D.
Credentials Committee makes the following recommendations:
1. That an Ordination Service be held Tuesday, April 24, 2001, at the Berean Bible Fellowship Church, Stroudsburg, Pa., during the 118th Annual Conference.
2. That Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Reading, PA, Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church, Bethlehem, PA, Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Wallingford, PA, and Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Nazareth, PA, be encouraged to have services acknowledging the Ordination of Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr., Richard A. Moyer, Kenneth J. Hurst, Timothy S. Cowen and Jeffrey L. Ruhl respectively and that they be encouraged to invite the Credentials Committee to send representation to be present at the services.
Committee on Credentials: Keith E. Plows, Chairman; David A. Thomann , Secretary; James A. Beil; Dennis M. Cahill; LeRoy S. Heller