Report of the Board of Publication and Printing
“The Lord gave the word; great was the company of
those who proclaimed it;” Psalm 68:11 (NKJV)
The word for “proclaimed” in the Authorized Version is “published.” It meant “to bear good news.” The passion to proclaim God’s Word verbally naturally slid over into the passion to publish God’s Word in print. The history of printing and publication in the Bible Fellowship Church has been long and rich beginning with the publication of J. H. Oberholtzer’s Religioser Botschafter being recognized as a valuable publication in 1852, through the publication of the Gospel Herald, when evangelism and church planting was closely connected to that publication, right up through the Fellowship News today.
Your Board of Publication and Printing has been working through this past year to make the regular appearance of the Fellowship News in your church a priority. Publication of the Fellowship News is now virtually completely computerized at three locations. The editing is done out of the offices of our Grace church in Reading under the most able editorship of Jim Neher. We want to thank Grace BFC for the use of their computers and the sharing of their assistant pastor for the task of editing the Fellowship News. From Reading the copy goes to Coopersburg for layout and design work by Clyde and Carol Snyder and then on to Ephrata for printing and mailing by Pastor Dan Allen. We thank our Ephrata church for sharing your pastor in this most important ministry.
Our aim is to publish Fellowship News ten (10) times a year with double issues in July/August and January/February. We welcome your comments and suggestions. We certainly want to know what is happening among your people and ideas you have for articles and articles you may wish to write. Fellowship News is your publication.
Our 108th Annual Conference passed the following resolution: “RESOLVED, that we recommend to the 108th Annual Conference that all Boards, Committees of Annual Conference and each particular church review the FAITH & ORDER of the Bible Fellowship Church and propose to the 109th Annual Conference changes they desire to have made.” In the coming year the Board will be working on these revisions as they are reflected in our annual conference minutes in the past and any subsequent action of this Annual Conference. The revision will be a primary focus for the Board in the coming year.
Please note that all printed materials of the Board of Publication and Printing are “warehoused” in Ephrata, Pennsylvania and may be ordered through Pastor Dan Allen.
The Board of Publication and Printing recommends the adoption of the following:
RESOLVED, that a contribution of $250.00 be given to the Board of Publication and Printing from each of the following boards and committees: Victory Valley, Missions, Christian Education, Church Extension, Pinebrook Bible Conference, and the Board of the Home.
RESOLVED, that $1.00 per member be given to the Board of Publication and Printing from each church to help underwrite the cost of printing the Fellowship News. Payments to be made to the Business Manager by December 31, 1992.
RESOLVED, that the cost of the 1992 Year Book be $ 5.50.
WHEREAS, the Nominating Committee of Annual Conference has recommended to the Board of Publication and Printing that it give consideration to preparing legislation for Annual Conference whereby the Editor and Business Manager of Fellowship News would no longer be elected by Annual Conference but be appointed by the Board of Publication and Printing and ratified by Annual Conference, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Publication and Printing concurs with the recommendation of the Nominating Committee since it is imperative that these individuals be qualified, willing and a person with whom the board can work, therefore be it
RESOLVED: that the By-Laws of the Board of Publication and Printing, FAITH & ORDER Update 1987, page 8, entitled “Election,” paragraph 2, be amended to read:
The Editor of Fellowship News and the Business Manager of Fellowship News shall be appointed by the Board of Publication and Printing for a three-year term subject to ratification by Annual Conference. The election of these officers shall be in such a manner that their respective terms shall not expire at the same time.[SECOND READING]
If the above material is passed at Second Reading, the Board of Publication and Printing submits the following:
WHEREAS, the one year term of James E. Neher as the Fellowship News Editor has been completed; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Publication and Printing has appointed him to a three year term, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that we ratify the election of James E. Neher as the Fellowship News Editor.
WHEREAS, the one year term of Paul T. Rutman as the Business Manager of the Fellowship News has been completed; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Publication and Printing has appointed him to a two year term, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that we ratify the election of Paul T. Rutman as the Business Manager of the Fellowship News.
Board of Publication and Printing: William H. Bartron, Chairman; Daniel P. Allen, Secretary; Paul T. Rutman, Business Manager; James E. Neher, Fellowship News Editor; Byron G. Barnshaw, James R. Batchler, Jr., Clyde W. Snyder.