Report of the Board of Church Extension
The Board of Church Extension has met four times during the past fiscal year to supervise the ministry of the Church Extension Department.
Several significant decisions were made concerning missions under the supervision of the Board.
1. Permission was granted to attempt to start a mission at Webster/Dudley, Massachusetts, under the supervision of Dennis Spinney.
2. The Board elected to be a catalyst to start a mission in the Upper Perkiomen Valley. This mission involves several nearby Bible Fellowship Churches in a unique cooperative effort in which the churches have supplied both finances and personnel.
3. The Ocean County, New Jersey, Mission under the leadership of Dean A. Stortz has reached the point where it is ready to be recognized as a church. The Board is pleased to recommend this recognition.
4. The Somers Point Mission was granted permission to purchase property.
5. The Southeast Asian Mission in Philadelphia was closed due to the previous resignation of David Sng.
There were two resignations from the Board of Church Extension during the year. Both Sal Roseti and LeRoy Heller resigned because of the demands of their schedules. The Board has accepted their resignations with regret. The participation of these men in board deliberations was always helpful. The Board elected Joseph P. Dugan and William G. Schlonecker to serve in their places until Annual Conference.
The financial condition of the Board of Church Extension is precarious. The Board has declared itself to be in a financial emergency and has undertaken steps to secure an adequate financial base. A freeze has been placed on the salaries of those working in the department. Steps were undertaken to seek increased financial support.
The Board notes with joy the graduation of the Newark, Delaware, Church from its jurisdiction at the completion of its third year without Church Extension subsidy.
The following is a list of the ministries of the Board of Church Extension and the ministers serving in those ministries.
Edison, NJ Dennis M. Cahill
Richard B. Ravis
Newark, NJ Delbert R. Baker, III
Spencer, MA Christopher J. Morrison
Dudley/Webster, MA Dennis W. Spinney
Ocean County, NJ Dean A. Stortz
Pleasant Valley, NY David R. Way
Newark, DE William G. Schlonecker
Somers Point, NJ Roger L. Reitz
Holmes, NY Robert S. Commerford
Walnutport, PA Larry M. Smith
Staten Island, NY Ralph E. Ritter
Upper Perkiomen Valley, PA (to be supplied)
The Board recommends the following resolutions be adopted by the 108th Annual Conference:
WHEREAS: The Board of Church Extension is of the opinion that the Ocean County, New Jersey, Mission meets the qualifications of a church as specified in Article 18 of the Articles of the Faith and Order of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the Ocean County, New Jersey, Mission be recognized as a church and that its delegate be received into membership of the 108th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church.
WHEREAS: The Board of Church Extension on September 13, 1991, has unanimously elected Daniel G. Ziegler to a three-year term as Executive Director of Church Extension effective October 25, 1991, therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the election of Daniel G. Ziegler to a three-year term as Executive Director of Church Extension effective October 25, 1991 be ratified.
Board of Church Extension: Dana E. Weller, Chairman; Robert W. Smock, Vice Chairman; Daniel G. Ziegler, Executive Director; Richard E. Taylor, Secretary; William R. Singletary, Treasurer, Alfred G. Roberts, Clyde W. Snyder, John Vandegriff, Robert H. Zentz, Joseph L. Dugan, William G. Schlonecker.