Report of the
Board of Church Extension
The Board of Church Extension Ministries continues to serve as the church planting arm of the BFC, providing vision, direction, and oversight in planting new BF churches. The health and future of the BFC as a denomination rests heavily on our commitment to planting churches in fulfillment of our Lord’s Great Commission. The challenges are great, but the need and opportunities have never been greater.
The Board met four times since last Annual Conference to fulfill its mission. In addition to these Board meetings, the various committees of the Board met numerous times to accomplish necessary work. The Board of Church Extension Ministries seeks to be faithful in promoting the furtherance of our denomination’s mission of “becoming an expanding fellowship of churches united to make disciples of Jesus Christ.”
The Board is grateful to all those who faithfully support the mission of church planting through prayer, finances, and work and ministry projects. Also, the church planters, along with their families, are deserving of our support and gratitude. David E. Gundrum continues to provide excellent leadership and devotion to the Lord’s work. The support team plays a vital role as well. Ruth Richards, Administrative Assistant, resigned in September. Ruth’s excellent service has been greatly valued. The Lord has provided Lisa Christensen to fill this position, and the transition has gone very well. The office of Church Extension Ministries has moved to office space at Fellowship Manor. The new address is:
Church Extension Ministries
P.O. Box 753
Whitehall, PA 18052
610-769-4337 (office) 610-769-4338 (fax)
Carol Snyder’s role in special assignments, publications, and communication is vital. Raymond & Louise Bertolet and John & Judy Pello continue to be a great encouragement and help in the Delmarva region. Three “Aquila and Priscilla” teams are serving in the Department. The Workmans, from Sinking Springs, PA, are serving in Longneck, DE. The Engleharts, from Blandon, PA, are serving in the La Roca Mission Church, and the Mitchells, from Emmaus, PA, are serving in Hellertown, PA.
In personnel moves, Albert J. Dommel was called to serve full-time as Organizing Church Planter at Hellertown. Mark L. Morrison served as interim church planter at Cape May County, NJ, before accepting the position of Assistant Director of Church Planting Ministries. Mark continues to raise his necessary support, looking forward to serving full-time by the end of the year. David R. Way was called as Church Planter at the Adams County, PA, Mission Church. Thompson, CT, called Dennis W. Spinney with a view toward his seeking to plant another church in New England as the Lord directs and enables. Other potential church planters have been interviewed and assessed during the year. Representatives from the Board have continued to serve on the “Committee to Study and Propose Mechanisms to Provide Support for Weak or Declining Churches.” The Board supports the committee’s recommendations being made to the Annual Conference.
This year we rejoiced in the establishment of a new Mission Church at Fellowship Community in Whitehall, PA. Harvey J. Fritz, Jr. serves as Church Planter for the Fellowship Community Mission Church. In addition to this new mission, a Bible study continues in Millsboro/Dagsboro, DE, in anticipation of a church plant in God’s timing. Long Neck, DE, under the direction of Kenneth F. Barber and Raymond Bertolet, completed their new sanctuary and held their first worship service in the new building on Easter of this year.
The new “Forward Plan for Planting New Bible Fellowship Churches in 2006-2011 – Missions Here and Now,” was adopted by the Board to guide our efforts in church planting within the BFC for the next five years. The successful implementation of this plan will require the denomination’s support and active participation under God’s gracious provision and enablement. The Board is encouraged by the increased awareness, involvement, and support by many churches, but there is much that still needs to be accomplished. Pray for the Lord to raise up church planters from among our churches, as well as lead gifted church planters to us. Continue to pray for God’s direction and provision, for without it nothing of eternal value can be accomplished in the ministry of church planting in the BFC.
The following is a list of men who are presently serving in the Department of Church Planting Ministries:
Adams County, PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David R. Way
Brooklyn, NY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ralph E. Ritter
Cape May, NJ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank E. Lenahan
Chesapeake, VA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Willis I. Dowling
Fellowship Community, Whitehall, PA. .Harvey J. Fritz, Jr.
Hellertown, PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Albert J. Dommel
Las Cruces, NM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thomas H. Morrison
Long Neck, DE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kenneth F. Barber
Reading, PA (La Roca). . . . . . . . . . . . .Carlos G. Rodriguez
South Allentown, PA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Elliot H. Ramos
Worcester County, MD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . To be called
The Board of Church Extension makes the following recommendation to the One Hundred Twenty-Third Annual Conference:
1. Resolved, that the Annual Conference ratify the election of David E. Gundrum as Executive Director of Church Extension Ministries for a term of three years.
2. Whereas, Fellowship Community Mission Church, affords long-time members of the BFC who are now residents at Fellowship Community the opportunity to maintain their BFC membership and involvement in the local church, and
Whereas, it is important to establish a Particular Church at Fellowship Community in a timely manner because of the uniqueness of the situation and its prospective members, and
Whereas, the Board of Church Extension has insured that there are sufficient committed individuals and has appointed three elder designees to oversee the church, and
Whereas, the Board of Church Extension is of the opinion that the Fellowship Community Mission Church, Whitehall, PA, meets the qualifications of a Particular Church as specified in Article 18 of the Articles of Faith of the BFC, therefore, be it
Resolved, that Fellowship Community Mission Church, Whitehall, PA, be recognized as a Particular Church, and that its delegate be received into membership of the 123rd Annual Conference of the BFC.
Board of Church Extension Ministries: Richard E. Taylor, Chairman; Byron Widger, Vice Chairman; William R. Singletary, Treasurer; William G. Schlonecker, Secretary; Robert W. Davies, Kenneth D. Keeler, Alfred G. Roberts, Clyde W. Snyder, Carl K. Spackman, Robert H. Zentz.