Report of the
Board of Communications
“Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,” -Acts 18:9 (ESV)
God brought this verse to my attention a number of years ago when a visiting missionary from Japan gifted me with a wall hanging with these words in Japanese. (I accepted my brother’s testimony that the Japanese letters and words were indeed Acts 18:9.) Even though I couldn’t read Japanese, that banner sent me back to the English text, and many times I was encouraged to “keep on going on.”
Faithfulness in the work God gives to us is a true mark of God’s calling and sustenance in ministry. We fail in the task to which we are called for reasons such as: unfaithfulness, weariness, frustration, fear, and illness. Each of us has experienced in ministry times of great frustration, disappointment, and exhaustion that may make us want to give up. But, as we continue in faithfulness, God refreshes us in sometimes surprising ways. Had Paul given up because of the opposition he was receiving at Corinth, the Church there may never have materialized under his ministry. God gave grace to Paul by speaking these words to him when he needed them most, and Paul received the blessing of seeing a church established under his ministry there.
Much of what we do in ministry is rather mundane. We become used to it, and the glow of being “called to this work” can be somewhat diminished. Like most other conference boards and committees, we on the Board of Communications do many things that are quite ordinary and common. But, it is truly amazing what all of us together can accomplish over the course of the year.
This year, the Board of Communications, in doing many mundane tasks, has seen many good things come to pass. It has been a time of change in personnel on the Board which will be reflected below in some of the resolutions. Both Ralph E. Ritter and Rachel Kistler have come on board to fill positions becoming vacant over this past year.
There is much we do on the Board that we cannot do without the help of others from outside the Board. I want to especially thank Thomas P. Shorb for working alongside Daniel P. Allen in revising our Faith and Order. We are planning to have a completely revised Faith and Order for you this year. This is the tenth (10th) anniversary of the 1996 revision. Supplement sheets were becoming unwieldy so it was definitely time to revise the whole publication. In the future, updates will be combined from year-to-year so that there are fewer updates.
The Board of Communication is also excited about a new product which will be a great help to our churches. An “Abridged Edition” of the F&O containing the Articles of Faith and sections 100, 200, 400, and 705 (History of the BFC) will be made available.
We appreciate the opportunity of working with the Strategic Planning Committee in the ongoing work of developing a logo for the BFC. There is the hope that the new logo will be presented to the 123rd Annual Conference. The cost of logo development is $3000. This, along with a new printing of the Faith & Order as well as the “Abridged Edition” of the F&O, will tax our 2006 budget beyond what we are able to handle. We hope that help will be coming from Annual Conference.
Many thanks to Arlene Paashaus for helping coordinate our specially created e-mail group – BFC Pastors’ Wives.
We are especially appreciative of articles submitted to Fellowship News from those in our churches and agencies.
In closing, we are thankful that God has given gifts to each member of the Board of Communications so that His work can be accomplished. As Chairman, I am deeply grateful for the meticulous work and dedication of these people. It is a joy to serve with them.
The Board of Communications is using one of the mail boxes at Pinebrook Bible Conference for the purpose of various mailings (Fellowship News, supplies) and for correspondence. All bills and order blanks should be sent to the following address:
Board of Communications
Bible Fellowship Church
12 Pinebrook Road
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301
To help us efficiently handle your concerns please contact the following people as needed:
Fellowship News—articles and questions about editorial policy:
Carol Z. Snyder, 3091 York Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-337-3408;
Billing of Accounts
Rachel Kistler, rkistler@enter.net
Webservant
Scott G. Ott, 7572 Sigmund Rd., Zionsville, PA 18092, scottott@victoryvalleycamp.org
or www.bfc.org.
Orders for anything published by the Board:
Dan Allen, 12 Pinebrook Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301, ebfc@ptd.net
The Board presents the following for your prayerful consideration:
1. Whereas, the material approved in 2001 defining the consideration of individuals who have experienced divorce as possible elders or deacons, which was previously located in the Faith & Order as §108-4, needs to be preserved, and
Whereas, the Board of Communications was given the assignment to preserve this material (2004 Yearbook, page 52f), therefore be it
Resolved, that the material be preserved in the F&O as follows:
204-2.5 Because of the qualifications and dignity of the office of Elder, each Particular Church shall give careful consideration to ensure that a man who has been divorced or who has married a divorced woman is presently characterized as above reproach, and if married, faithful to and exclusively committed to his wife.
204-3.2 Because of the qualifications and dignity of the office of Deacon, each Particular Church shall give careful consideration to ensure that a man who has been divorced or who has married a divorced woman is presently characterized as above reproach, and if married, faithful to and exclusively committed to his wife.
2. Resolved, that the cost of the 2006 Yearbook be $ 8.50 per copy.
3. Resolved, that a contribution of three hundred twenty-five dollars ($325.00) for the conference year 2006 be given to the Board of Communications from each agency to help underwrite the cost of printing and distributing the Fellowship News.
Payments are to be made to the Board of Communications by December 31, 2006.
4. Resolved, that $1.75 per member of the Bible Fellowship Church for 2006 be forwarded to the Board of Communications from each church to help underwrite the cost of printing and distributing the Fellowship News. Payments are to be made to the Board of Communications at the 123rd Annual Conference.
5. Resolved, that Rachel Kistler be ratified to fill the position of Business Manager of Fellowship News to complete the unexpired term of Paul T. Rutman, 2007.
6. Resolved, that Scott G. Ott be ratified as the Webservant for a three year term.
Board of Communications: William H. Bartron, Chairman; Daniel P. Allen, Secretary; Rachel Kistler, Business Manager; Carol Z. Snyder, Fellowship News Editor; Scott G. Ott, Webservant; Ralph E. Ritter, Clyde W. Snyder