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.  

March 11, 2025, Regular Elder Meeting:  

Updates  

• The elders were updated on the building project.  The project continues to track toward its targeted spend and start date (April 2025).  Of note, our construction drawings have been completed.  Efforts to address the City’s request for an assessment of our septic capacity are underway. Important next steps include full and formal approval from the City of Hudson, procurement of a construction loan (in progress) 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 were informed that Peacemakers Ministries has agreed to refund us less the costs they have incurred. 

• The elders were reminded of an Elders and Wives fellowship night that is scheduled.  

• The elders were updated on monthly metrics regarding attendance, finances, and our Reach capital campaign.  

• The elders were informed and affirmed a previously discussed and approved above-budget donations to several FCC partner ministries.  

• The elders affirmed the previously discussed hiring of Levi Porter to an interim part-time role in our Refuge ministry as we continue efforts to hire a full-time leader.  

• The elders were updated on recently completed annual ministry planning efforts. 

 Topics  

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

 Pilot Diaconate Update: The elders were updated on a pilot effort to establish a formal diaconate at FCC. This has also been referred to Shepherd Eldering in earlier updates. These efforts are the result of much previous work to determine the focus and direction of a possible diaconate within FCC. The pilot work is being led by an elder and one of our pastors.  The pilot effort is presently focused on better knowing members of FCC who are not presently active in a missional community. Specifically, activities to identify and facilitate the spiritual, tangible, and relational needs of these members through individual contact are underway. At present the current diaconate comprises about 11 people.  Approximately 100 members have been contacted to discern their well-being and prayer needs.  The effort has been extremely well received and has been a blessing to both those contacted and those doing the outreach.  A number of initial findings and observations were presented.  Next steps include determining a process to begin reaching out to members involved in missional communities and discerning how to address non-members. Formalizing a diaconate at FCC was also discussed.  The elders greatly appreciated this effort, thanked all those involved, and affirmed efforts the initiatives work to expand its reach.     

Formal authorizations to enable the REACH Initiative: The elders formally authorized $4.88 million of additional capital funding to enable the expansion and renovation plans that have been presented to the body as part of our REACH initiative.  The elders also formally approved the procurement of a loan of up to $3.0 million to bridge the funding of the project.  Both of these topics require members’ approval.  A member vote for later in March is being planned and a ballot is being prepared. (Please see earlier elder updates for numerous details.)  

Approval for a Pastoral Role Change: One of FCC’s pastors has felt a calling from the Spirit for several years to focus and invest their time more towards evangelism and discipleship.  A number of discussions with the elders of the church have been completed to both define and enable this calling.  A formal job description was developed and presented to the elders who subsequently approved the new position.  The current position of this pastor is being vacated and the elders approved that change as well.  The elders anticipate that the responsibilities of this job can be fulfilled utilizing present and internal resources.  The elders agreed that further discussions to define the new roles are needed and will be led by the Elder Chair and the Executive Pastor.  The elders authorized these two to proceed accordingly.  The elders also discussed and realized that various constitutional wordings may also need to be addressed pending the outcome of this effort.  It is planned that the body will be informed of this change in early April. 

 Sense of the Elders – Constitutional Topics: As discussed in the previous elder report, it is the practice of the elders to review FCC’s constitution and assess it compared 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 approved an alternative to help FCC more effectively address matters regarding lapsed membership.  The membership will be advised of these changes in due course and will be provided with the opportunity to vote upon the proposed change.  

 March 25, 2025, Regular Elder Meeting   

Due to various conflicts this meeting was cancelled.  Three meetings are being planned for April. 

How you can pray us:  

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

• For God’s wisdom and guidance as we contemplate various changes in the roles of our pastors and that unity in our body will be maintained.  

• For God’s guidance and wisdom as we contemplate how to best develop a discipleship initiative 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 experience a number of changes that our present growth is bringing about. For our staff and volunteers as they work diligently to faithfully serve the increasing number of people who are calling 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 guidance and wisdom for our staff and elders regarding our next generation ministry as FCC works to hire leadership roles 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)