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 December activities. If you wish 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.  

February 11, 2025, Regular Elder Meeting:   

Due to various conflicts this meeting was cancelled.     

February 25, 2025, Regular Elder Meeting   

Updates  

• The elders we updated on the building project.  The project continues to track toward its targeted spend and start in April 2025.  Important next steps include full and formal approval from the City of Hudson, procurement of a construction loan to provide necessary bridge funding until the REACH capital campaign commitments have been received, and a member vote. The elders were also updated on recent land-related discussions.  
• The elders were updated on our efforts to utilize Peacemakers Ministries to help mediate discussions regarding an on-going conflict where the other party chose to withdraw from the process. The elders agreed to seek a refund, less costs incurred, from Peacemakers Ministries.
• The elders were advised a Five Voices exercise will be scheduled for a future meeting. 
• The elders were updated on monthly metrics regarding attendance, finances, and our Reach capital campaign. 
• The elders approved two member-approved capital funding requests. 
• The elders were updated on Refuge hiring efforts. 
• The elders were updated on annual ministry planning efforts. 

Topics  

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

Quarterly Metrics and Finance Review: The elders were updated on the metrics for October – December 2024.  Generally speaking, the review shows the church to be experiencing positive and healthy growth.  Sunday worship attendance continues to grow at a good rate, but not at the double-digit rates seen in recent years. A shift toward increased on-line attendance is being noticed. Income continues to exceed both the planned level and expenses. Total expenses are less than planned.

Construction Loan Planning:  The elders were informed about efforts to procure a loan to enable our planned building expansion and renovation. Various lenders have been approached. The financial projections needed to fund the project were reviewed. It is expected that a loan of $3 million or less will be required. The elders affirmed the present initiative and supported efforts that will lead to the formal procurement of a loan.

Caring for the Wives of our Pastors: The elders were updated on an initiative to support the wives of FCC Pastors.  A number of interviews were conducted with wives of our current Pastors to help the elders understand their unique needs and concerns.  The results were summarized and initial ideas to address needs were discussed.  Additional ideas were presented.  The elders appreciated and affirmed the direction of the initiative.   A formal proposal will be presented at a future meeting. 

Sense of the Elders – Constitutional Topics: It is the practice of the elders to review FCC’s constitution and assess it relative to current needs. As FCC grows in membership, the need to better administer our membership roster has become apparent. The elders discussed the current wording of the constitution and contemplated some alternatives that would help us better address matters regarding lapsed membership. Further discussion of formal language changes will be held at a subsequent elder meeting. Any changes will require member approval. 

How you can pray us:  

• In thankfulness to God for his continued and faithful provisions to FCC and in the lives of our body.
• For God’s ongoing work in drawing many more into His Kingdom.
• For God’s guidance and wisdom as we contemplate how to best develop discipleship pathways to meet the needs of FCC. 
• 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 the unity of our body as we are in the midst of change and growth. For our staff and volunteers as they work diligently to faithfully serve the increasing number of people who call FCC home.  
• For God’s wisdom and guidance as FCC contemplates what church planting via a campus planting model means in practice. 
• For God’s grace, healing and peace upon Dan Clancy’s family and all those impacted, including our many youths, 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 to hire leadership roles, particularly in the Refuge. 

• For humility, love, and grace as FCC pursues reconciliation with a disaffected family and that the reconciling presence of Jesus would be on full display and for clarity, compassion, and care as we shepherd others being affected. 
• 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 we continue 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.  

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, and Jan van Amerongen)