Report of the Credentials Committee
The Credentials Committee held six meetings during the year in the performance of its duties.
During the year the Credentials Committee met with several of the Pastors and counseled with them. Pastor Albert J. Dommel has been under the care of the Credentials Committee since his resignation from Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Harrisburg, PA. Members of the Committee met with Pastor Raymond G. Burnett. They also met with the Ministerial Candidate Committee relative to procedure for the recognition of a minister.
The Faith and Order questionnaire was sent to each of the ministers holding Ordination Credentials with the Bible Fellowship Church. The ordained ministers working under the direction of the Board of Missions of the Bible Fellowship Church were inadvertently missed in the first mailing and should be completed by the time of the 108th Annual Conference. All of the brethren returned their questionnaire and gave affirmative answers to all the questions. (**No response was received from Henry A. Schell, due to lack of updated address).
The Credentials Committee gives thanks to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has given these gifted men to the ministry of the Bible Fellowship Church. The Committee met three men for ordination examination.
WHEREAS, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended Walter M. Johnston for ordination; and
WHEREAS, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended prior ordination recognition for Carl J. Fischer, Jr. and Richard B. Ravis; and
WHEREAS, these brethren have served acceptably as ministers of the Bible Fellowship Church for the required period of time; 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 Walter M. Johnston be ordained to the Gospel ministry of the Bible Fellowship Church, and further,
RESOLVED, the prior ordination of Carl J. Fischer, Jr. and Richard B. Ravis to the Gospel ministry be recognized by the Bible Fellowship Church and further;
RESOLVED, that the service of ordination shall be held Thursday October 31, 1991 at 7:30 PM at Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church, Bethlehem, PA. The Credentials Committee shall be in charge of the service. The Credentials Committee urges all Ordained Ministers of the Bible Fellowship Church to regard participation in the service of ordination a high priority.
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
Baker, Delbert R. II
Barber, Kenneth F.
Bartron, William H.
Batchler, James R. Jr.
Beil, James A.
Brosius, Bert N.
Burnett, Raymond G.
Cahill, Dennis M.
Cassel, Alva C.
Cassel, Carl C.
Clapier, G. Wayne
Coble, Bernard H.
Commerford, Robert S.
Coulbourn, Hugh C. Jr.
Ellingson, Bruce A.
Erb, Ronald C.
* Fischer, Carl J.
Fritz, Harvey J. Jr.
Good, Kenneth L.
Grossman, Randall A.
Gundrum, David E.
Harris, Richard D.
Heller, LeRoy S.
Hertzog, Roy A.
Jones, David H.
Johnson, Robert F.
Koch, James G.
Mahurin, Ronald C.
Martin, Carl T.
McConnell, Charles J.
Morrison, Philip E.
Munyan, Edgar H.
Neher, James E.
Paashaus, Richard T.
Plows, Keith E.
Prontnicki, Louis
* Ravis, Richard B.
Reed, Calvin T.
Reitz, Roger L.
Schlonecker, William G.
Schoen, David N.
Shorb, Thomas P.
Sloan, Robert A. Jr.
Smith, Larry M.
Smock, Robert W.
Soper, Ralph M.
Stortz, Dean A.
Taylor, Richard E.
Thomann, David A.
Trommler, Steven L.
Uhrich, Gregory A.
Vandegriff, John C. Jr.
Vining, Gilbert J.
Watkins, David J.
Weller, Dana E.
Wickstead, James A.
Widger, Byron
Ziegler, Daniel G.
II. Ordained Ministers working under the direction of the Board of Missions of the Bible Fellowship Church
Aukamp, William A.
Buck, Leonard E.
Butler, Brian H.
Draper, Robert L.
Gehman, Richard J.
Harley, J. Barclay
Hoyle, Ronald W.
* Johnston, Walter M.
Moyer, Edward
Mull, William W.
Riddell, David
Yerrington, Philip E.
Zimmerman, Paul G.
III. Ordained Ministers working in the Military Chaplaincy under the sponsorship of the Bible Fellowship Church
Minsky, Barry J.
IV. Ordained Ministers working in other Christian Ministries
Bigley, T. James
Frable, Arthur H. Jr
Gordon, Robert N.
Hagy, Ronald C.
Keeler, Kenneth D.
Manney, David L.
Schaeffer, Donald B.
**Shell, Henry A.
V. Ordained Ministers between calls
Byrd, Terris L.
Dommel, Albert J.
Herb, Frank L. Jr.
Herb, John H.
Phillips, D. Thomas
Shelly, Austin G.
Weaber, Harold C.
VI. Ordained Ministers on Leave of Absence
Dotts, Raymond R.
Lea, Herbert K.
MacMillan, Thomas S.
Spackman, Carl K.
VII. Ordained Ministers in Retirement
Cassel, Willard E.
Dunn, John
Frank, Walter H.
Hartman, Jansen E.
Herb, George E.
Kirkwood, C. E.
Kirkwood, Donald T.
Miller, C. Leslie
Reichenbach, R. C.
Riggall, John H.
Seifert, A. L.
Stengele, Laird F.
Thomann, David E.
Yarrington, Harold D.
Credentials Committee makes the following recommendations:
1. That the Chairman of Annual Conference appoint a Committee to write an obituary for W. W. Hartman.
2. That the 108th Annual Conference approve the material presented by Ministerial Candidate Committee relative to Article II Procedure For the Recognition of a Minister, pages 118-120 Faith and Order.
3. That the Ordination Service be held Thursday, October 22, 1992 during the 109th Annual Conference at the Stroudsburg Bible Fellowship Church. (Committee requests discussion on this recommendation).
4. That a Particular Church be encouraged to have a service acknowledging the Ordination of its Pastor and that it be encouraged to invite the Credentials Committee to send a representative to be present at the service.
*Contingent upon approval of recommendation of their ordination in this report.
Committee on Credentials: Keith E. Plows, Chairman; Harvey J. Fritz, Jr., Secretary; James A. Beil, LeRoy S. Heller, David A. Thomann