Elder Monthly Update

Dear Faith Community Church,  

 Your Board of Elders desires to inform you of our recent activities and request your prayer for us as we collectively pursue our Spirit-led mission of making more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.  Below is a summary of our November activities.  If you desire to learn more about a given subject, please don’t hesitate to contact a pastor or elder.  Thank you for your interest and desire as we seek to help thousands more experience Jesus in a gospel inspired life.   

NOVEMBER 12, 2024, REGULAR ELDER MEETING   

 Updates  

• The elders were updated on the activities regarding upcoming efforts in support of the REACH capital campaign and were reminded of their involvement.  

• The elders were updated on the status of the various staff transitions and the hiring efforts underway to support the Refuge ministry.  

• The elders were updated on the latest efforts to finalize FCC’s design and build project including the parking expansion that is underway.  

• The elders were updated on the monthly metrics report.  

• The elders were updated on the Peacemakers mediated reconciliation.  FCC is now formally engaged in a third-party mediation process.  

• The elders were reminded of the planned and upcoming elders/wives potluck dinner social event.  

• The elders agreed to proceed with a Five Voices group exercise.  Assessment surveys will be sent to those who have yet to undertake the exercise.  

• The elders were informed that, given his retirement from staff, Steve Holsteen is now formally retired from his elder role.  

• The elders agreed that it would be helpful for all of them to take the abuse awareness training required for volunteers working with kids and students.  A link to the training will be sent.  

• The elders were informed about and affirmed the transitional plan to move FCC’s staff annual raises to mid-year to align them with the ministry year and our new fiscal year.  

• The elders approved a donation to Lighthouse ministries and intend to consider additional support in the upcoming budget cycle.    

Topics  

 Prayer: The elders discussed various needs and situations and spent time in prayer for our church.  

 Quarterly Financial and Ministry Metrics Update: The elders reviewed the first quarter results of the new fiscal year (July’24-Sept.’24).  God continues to provide growth in both attendance and giving.  Additionally, expenses were less than income.  Various other metrics were also reviewed and appear to show health. FCC’s balance sheet was also reviewed.  It is showing a drawdown but was in alignment with the costs FCC is incurring for various aspects of its ongoing expansion project (e.g., parking, new chairs, architect fees, etc.).  The elders continue to be very thankful for all that God is doing at FCC!    

 Finalization of Revised Safety Policies: The elders further discussed various aspects and details of the policies and approved a few final modifications.   

Revised New Member Interview Guide: The elders were updated on revisions made to the new member interview guide.  The revisions are intended to focus more discussion time on moving candidates into discipleship environments and opportunities available at FCC.  It was agreed that the elders would include a brief ‘next step plan’ in the new member interview summaries that are provided.  

 Letter to the Board of Elders: The elders reviewed and discussed a letter from a member with questions regarding FCC’s February child protection policy breach and our response.  After discussion, two elders agreed to meet with the member in-person to follow up.     

 November 26, 2024, Regular Elder Meeting: This meeting was cancelled given its proximity to Thanksgiving.   

 How you can pray us:  

• For God’s grace, healing and peace upon Dan Clancy’s family and all those impacted, including our many youth, by his passing this past year.    

• For God’s guidance and wisdom for our staff and elders regarding our next generation ministry as FCC works through an interim staffing plan and looks to hire replacement candidates.  

• For God’s guidance and grace upon the many staff transitions that are presently underway and that our ministry would be enhanced and God glorified in the process.  

• For God’s guidance, wisdom, and unity as FCC seeks to continue shepherding and caring for those impacted by the breach of policy child protection policy breach in late February.  Please also pray for effective implementation of new measures to address the matter.   

• That the reconciling presence of Jesus would be on full display in and through all those involved in the Peacemakers’ mediated reconciliation.   

• For God’s grace and wisdom upon the two new pastors that FCC hired this year; and that they will be enabled to quickly and effectively begin ministry at FCC.    

• For God’s wisdom and guidance as we look to begin implementing our plans to accommodate and enhance the growth that FCC has been experiencing – specifically our efforts to design a facility that will meet our needs and budget target and our efforts to finance it through a capital campaign.   

• For God’s guidance and wisdom as we contemplate how to best shepherd, via a diaconate structure, those who call FCC home.  We earnestly desire to do this well while being a church of our size.  

• For God’s guidance and wisdom as we contemplate how to best develop a discipleship initiative to meet the needs of FCC.  

• In thankfulness to God for his continued and faithful provisions to FCC and his work in drawing many more in joining with us.  

• For the unity of our body as we experience a number of changes that our present growth is bringing about.  

• For God’s wisdom, guidance, and unity for the elder board as we continue to contemplate and discern many matters of importance, including our continued discussions concerning roles, responsibilities, and authority within the local church and specifically how it applies to our context at FCC.   

• For God’s wisdom and guidance as FCC contemplates what church planting via a campus planting model means in practice.  

• For our staff and volunteers as they work diligently to faithfully serve the increasing number of people who call FCC home.  

 In Love and Peace,  

 Gregg Bennett – Chairman of the Elders on behalf of your Elder Board:   

 (Gregg Bennett, John Blum, Bill Brinkman, Jim Duffey, Dan Fosterling, Jon Gross, Tim Kurtz, Eric Lent, Tim Porter, Tim Prince, Pat Stream, Tim Studt, Larry Szyman, and Jan van Amerongen)