Pastor's Annual Report Preview

Pastor’s Annual Report – April 2017

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.  ⁹ Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing...” (I Peter 3:8,9).

       As I read the Bible I am repeatedly amazed by the relationship between indicative statements that relate to our standing in Christ, and the commands to live out the reality of our position in our daily lives. Because we have experienced grace, because the love of God has been poured out on us, we need to be gracious and forgiving, choosing to love rather than reacting in the flesh. The year has been challenging one for us both as a church and for us personally. Even so, by God’s grace, we have persevered. Let’s choose the more excellent way (I Cor 12:31ff.), not allowing a root of bitterness to take hold. For our part, let’s stay faithful and engaged in the work that God has entrusted to us. We are surrounded by people who desperately need the Lord.  

       I would invite you to look at the web site, https://www.truelife.org/ which we hope to subscribe to as a church. As we seek to stay “laser-focused” on our mission as a church, I believe this site may prove to be a resource that will greatly aid our efforts in outreach. We’ll look at a brief video that will introduce this tool to help us point the people in our sphere of influence and beyond to Christ. This is one tool that can prayerfully enhance our effectiveness in being a “Lighthouse of God’s Grace and Truth.”  A Volunteer is also helping us revamp our church website, and in conjunction with that we are trying to create a database of high quality digital photos that will help present our church well online. Can you help us with this? We do need I.T. help in recording sermons and in helping us with other computer issues, including Wi-Fi and the like, so if you can help us please let me know!

       My ministry has continued to focus on preaching and teaching, as well as counselling and discipleship. We were grieved this quarter to lose a faithful co-worker with the sudden passing of our brother and friend Pastor Jim Beliasov. Pastor Jim had been teaching an excellent adult Sunday School class on the book of Habakkuk, which was well attended and greatly appreciated. We are thankful for the impact that he has had on our church and on many of us individually.  The WOL Olympian ministry is scaled down from years past, but we have a good group of children, and faithful adult leaders who are investing themselves in discipling these young people. We include music, games, Bible teaching, and discipleship huddles in the program on a weekly basis. More help is needed if we are going to continue this ministry and even expand it to include middle school and high school students.

       You will notice this year that we are proposing a major cut in our church budget for the fiscal year 2017-18. Though we were able to nearly meet our budget because of several large special gifts last year, the stewardship committee has determined that for now at least, it is wise for us to make a more conservative and realistic budget based on our smaller giving base. Several missionaries retired in the last year which helped with the budget, and a few organizations have regretfully been cut. Other missionaries have had their pledged support from our church reduced. We take comfort in knowing that many of our people support missions and missionaries outside of the church budget, and we trust that God will meet the needs of His faithful servants as they continue to serve Him. 

       Thank you for standing with us. Let us recommit to prayer, and to a growing and intimate relationship with the Lord. And let us recommit to serving Him as a faithful member of His church, using our gifts to edify one another, and seeking to be a faithful witness where He has placed us.

Your co-workers in Christ,

Pastor Steve and Mary Ann