Author: Office@faithbiblelansing.org

Faith

Bible Church

Annual

2023

Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BOARD OF DEACON’S REPORTS
Elder Report………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Chairman of the Board …..2
Deacon of Christian Education……………………………………………………………………... 3
Deacon of Missions 4
Deacon of Properties 5
2023 Revised Membership Roll 6
Deacon of Fellowship 7
Deacon of Finance ...8

2023 Annual Report Elder Report

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust!’” Psalm 91:1-2
Psalm 91 is often called a Psalm of trust. We at Faith Bible Church have had to join together anew, to do just that, trust God, in new and exciting ways. We, the elders, have sought to do that as well, as we have stepped up into new roles.
In June we sent our beloved Pastor Gene and Sherry off with a sincere, appreciation service & dinner, after their twenty-five years of ministry with us. They left a huge whole in our midst. God is giving us opportunities to step up to fill some of that hole and to be more aware of what our expectations should and should not be for a future pastor.
Pastor Gene and Sherry did return to Lansing to do the funerals of two beloved members, Jeannie Dieter and Bill Bell.
Geno has done an excellent job of providing leadership and direction for the Sunday morning services. He has coordinated with Pastor Gould to bring together meaningful, God honoring worship. He has also helped with much of the administration in the office, especially helping our new secretary, Faith, learn her way around.
Jim and Cindy took up the visitation ministry. They visited and prayed over many members, both at the hospital as well as in homes. They also encouraged with phone calls and notes. While Henneseys are out of town, Jeff Visscher will serve as coordinator for visitation needs, contact him if you know of a need.
As an eldership team we strove to meet once a month to plan and to pray over the church family. Since the church moved into phase II of our pastoral search and working with IMISOS, the following are & continue to be our goal:
*Determining our strengths & weaknesses, gathered from the surveys
*Seeking to determine God’s vision, defining our sense of purpose, to put
into a mission statement.
*Continuing to work together with the deacon board, in moving forward.
*Put together a spiritually focused pastor profile, to be ready to choose well, a man that will work well with us and our vision for FBC.
*Be on guard for the flock, as commanded for elders in Acts 20:28-32.
*Always spend time in prayer for God’s leading, as well as the personal and
corporate needs of our FBC family.
We cannot predict what 2024 will bring, but God’s faithfulness in the past inspires us to trust Him with our future. Let us continue to band together and place our hope in God’s enduring promises.
In His service,
Gene Harris
Jim Hennesey
Jeff Visscher

2023 Annual Report Chairman of the Board Ed Stafford, Deacon

2023 was a very busy year. The Official Board was involved with the retirement of our Pastor. Celebrating Gene’s work and looking toward a future without his consistent attention to details around the church has left us all scrambling. Our Pastors wife Sherry, and long time secretary and Sunday School Superintendant has left a hole in our hearts and in our daily operation with her retirement.
We have formed a pastoral search committee and engaged the services of IMI/SOS. We thank God for the service of Todd Gould in filling our pulpit. He is a powerful teacher and preacher, feeding us every week with the meat of God’s word.
As we move forward, we look forward to finding the man God is preparing for us to lead our flock.
We will need to address the future of many property needs including parking lot repair, front building facade and parsonage improvement and/or sale.
Hebrews 10:24-25
…let’s consider how to [i]encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing
Ed Stafford
Chairman of the Board

2023 Annual Report Christian Education Steven W. Grove, Deacon

The purpose of the Christian Education department is to plan and administer the total education program of Faith Bible Church.
Our Sunday School hour has served the church for many years.
Many have benefitted from the quality teaching in the word of God, and have moved into the ministry of teaching themselves. Volunteers give of their time and effort to train up the body of Christ. We are blessed because of their commitment.
Summer Sunday school gives our teachers a much-needed rest as the Elders, and their wives assume the teaching duties with an emphasis on families.
Extra-curricular activities keep the children busy applying what they have learned through crafts and games.
We continued a long-standing tradition of attending the annual Church Ministries conference this year in Grand Rapids
It's important that our teachers get a look at the newest curriculums and teaching idea's. This has proven to be a profitable time for all who attend.
We look forward to our yearly Sunday School Picnic. We enjoyed fellowship and food together at Grand Wood's Park in Delta township. This early summer event was a perfect atmosphere for a cookout, with a time of songs and worship.
The open spaces of this beautiful park provided fun with frisbee golf for the young at heart.
In August Faith bible church hosted a late summer Vacation Bible School.
CEF provide well trained VBS teachers who had a heart for children and a gift for teaching. We focused on younger children where Bible stories and the gospel were presented.
2023 was a year of many changes and challenges for the Christian education department.
I am encouraged at the tireless, selfless desire to promote Christ by our C.E. Board.
I am so thankful for every one of them.
Steven W. Grove
Deacon of Education

2023 Annual Report Missions Jeff Visscher, Elder

Thank you for your prayers and support of FBC missions. It is our mission and privilege to partner with missionaries and missionary organizations to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. We are pleased to support the following missionaries: Dave & Ruth Brendle, Brooks & Nina Buser, Jeremy & Eva Hicks, and Doug and Mariann Hammar, and the following missionary organizations: Camp Barakel, Capital Area CEF, City Rescue Mission, Our Daily Bread, Youth Haven Ranch, Spanish American Mission and Christian Services.
As we mentioned in last’s report in anticipation, Kody Harris traveled to Cambodia with Samaritan’s Purse for his summer internship. Kody later shared with the congregation the report of his trip, highlighting the people he ministered to and the people with which he served. In December of this year the missions committee had the pleasure of partnering with Dennie Olsen for her short-term mission's trip to Liberia in early 2024. As always, the the missions committee is pleased to support members of Faith Bible who want to serve the Lord in short-term missions.
Opportunities are always available for FBC members to volunteer with local missions that we support. This past year Kody Harris took a group from FBC to serve meals at the City Rescue Mission. Please contact one of the committee members if you want more information about how you can serve.
Special thanks to Jeff Dittmer, Jennie Visscher, and Kody Harris for their willingness to serve on the missions committee.
Thanks for your prayers and financial support.
In His Service,
Jeff Visscher
Missions Chairman

2023 Annual Report Properties Kody Harris, Deacon Jason Dieter, Deacon

In accordance with the Lord’s Christmas Gift, our sound system received some updates, including new choir & instruments mics, stands, and cables. These updates greatly improved the quality of our livestreams. A new monitor was mounted in the nursery, and a new toilet was installed in the nursery restroom. The west foyer redecorating project was completed with the replacement of the last broken light fixture.
John Miller, who passed away in Nov 2022, donated his personal collection of tools to the church to lend to the congregation and community as needed. The office phone systems were also updated to allow for more efficient means of communication.
Thank you to former Pastor Gene Harris for his upkeep of the church van & repairs provided to the lawn mower.
Thank you to Jim Hennesey for his extensive electrical work in the Sunday School wing and also assisted in maintaining the lawn mower throughout the warm seasons.
Thank you to Bob Reese for his faithful service of clearing snow
To all who volunteered at our spring and fall workday; to all who tended the flowerbeds and playground throughout the seasons; and to all who mowed the lawn many times over, thank you!
Looking ahead in 2024, there are many projects expected to take place. It is planned that a new PC will be installed in the sound booth which will be the completion of the 2023 Lord’s Christmas Gift. The exterior restoration of the wood trim on the north side of the sanctuary planned for 2023 is a far bigger & expensive project than anticipated and alternative solutions have been sought out. Thank you to the Visscher and Hennesey families for jump-starting the refreshing of the east foyer, a project that will continue this year. In preparation for its next occupants, the parsonage will need cosmetic updates, namely fresh interior paint and refinished floors.
The properties were utilized by several organizations in the past year (CEF, HSMA, Life Tech) and were able to be used for memorial services, recitals, and a wedding. I hope with continued care, we will be able to share our property all the more in 2024!
Kody Harris, Deacon of Dirt
Jason Deiter, Deacon of Properties

2023 REVISED MEMBERSHIP ROLL

Benard, Hipolito	Harris, Shiloh (associate)	Visscher, Jennie
#Brendle, David	Hennesey, Cindy	Wolthuis, Richard (associate
Buck, Theadore (associate)	Hennesey, James	Wright, Marcia
Buck, Terry	#Higiro, Joanna (associate)	Wright, Terry
Buck, Wilma	Hoskins, Gary
Case, James	Hoskins, Marcia
Case, Marcia	Humphrey, Sally
Dieter, Jason	Humphrey, Wayne
Dieter, Jeannie	Kempf, Jennifer (associate)
Dittmer, Jeff	Kleis, Bonnie
Edmondson, Richard	Kleis, Phil
Edwards, Cindy	Nash, James
Edwards, Derek	Nash, LeAyne
Edwards, Jeff	Reese, Jackie
Edwards, Meredith	Reese, Yu, Rebecca (associate)
Gamon, Judy	Reese, Robert, III
Glockzin, Douglas	Reese, Robert IV (associate)
Gregg, Sharon	Reist, Tina
Grove, Steve	Sayer, Bill
Hammar, Bethany	Sayer, Carolyn
Hammar, Doug	Scarborough, Janet
Hammar, Maryann	Schlack, Beverly
Hammar, Philip	Stafford, Cathie
Harris, Colton	Stafford, Ed
Harris, Jaelynn	Stafford, Mike (associate)
Harris, Gene	Stewart, Kimberly (associate)
Harris, Gene, II	Tufnell, Jonathon (associate)
Harris, Grace	Tufnell, Kevin (associate)
Harris, Kody	Tufnell, Shelley (associate)
Harris, Sherry	Visscher, Jeff

#Missionary *Charter Member Associate = non-voting member

2023 Annual Report Fellowship Wayne C. Humphrey, Deacon

The year 2023 was filled with changes which gave way to many opportunities to demonstrate loving service and outreach for Faith Bible Church members and visitors. This was accomplished through fellowship dinners, coffee and treats foyer station, calls and visits to shut-ins and welcoming members and visitors to services. Our normal worship attendance was still down; however, we reached out through internet services and personal calls. Our shut-ins were visited to participate in communion services, singing, and times of prayer. We also suffered and grieved the loss of Jeannie Dieter who served as a Greeter, Sunday School Teacher, and honorary loved, grandmother to all our children.
The foyer area continued to be a place of greeting and fellowship with a coffee and treats station maintained by Sally Humphrey. Robert and Jackie Reese along with Pastor Harris furnished donuts which were enjoyed by all. Sally maintained the kitchen and kept it stocked for all fellowship events. Many thanks are due her for her diligent efforts.
Our goal this year was to have at least one fellowship event each month. Pot luck carry-in dinners were held in January, March, August, September, October, and November. These events gave members more time to share joys and prayer needs with one another. Easter Sonrise breakfast in April was a success with visitors attending and less food remaining for take-home by members. The largest fellowship dinner was the retirement dinner for Pastor Gene on June 25th. The October dinner included games and prizes for children, while the November meal included a time for all to give thanks for God’s blessings. A combined Progressive Dinner was scheduled for December in lieu of Care Group meetings. A big thank you goes out to all who cooked, served and did start up/clean up duty.
Parents Night Out in which members watched children at the building while parents enjoyed a time away grew this year. This continued under the direction of Maryann Hammar in April with 10 children and continued through November with 18 children participating. We hope to continue this outreach every other month.
Service and Outreach is a continual part of church growth. It was aided by setting up our telephone call forwarding to ensure our awareness of needs, reaching out through visits and calls, benevolent giving to members, and praying for each other. I would like to thank all who participated through sacrificial giving in sharing food, providing lawn service to shut-ins, automobile repair and transport, Christmas caroling, and especially as prayer warriors.
God bless,
Wayne C. Humphrey
Deacon of Fellowship

2023 Annual Report Finance Douglas Hammar, Deacon

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