THE ANNUAL REPORT IS PREPARED FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERY PERSON IN THE FIVE FORKS CONGREGATION

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THE ANNUAL REPORT IS PREPARED FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERY PERSON IN THE FIVE FORKS CONGREGATION. WE WANT YOU, THEREFORE, TO DO THE FOLLOWING PRIOR TO OUR ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING.

1. You should carefully study the various reports and other material contained herein, so that you are prepared to discuss and ask questions intelligently.

2. Please come to the Business Meeting, promptly, prayerfully, and with a sense of your individual Christian responsibility to this important phase of the Lord’s work.

3. Record the action taken for each item of business and make any other notes you may find helpful and then keep this report as your official minutes of this year’s Business Meeting.

NOTE: All Informational Reports will be approved in one group.

DATE:

JANUARY 25, 2017

COUNCIL SECRETARY:

GEORGE MCKEE

RECORDING SECRETARY:

CLERICAL STAFF:

_______________, _______________, __________________

_______________, _______________, __________________

_______________, _______________

ATTENDANCE:

____________________________

FIVE FORKS BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH

SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

CHURCH PHONE NUMBER: (717) 762-2991

CHURCH E-MAIL: office@fiveforkschurch.org

CHURCH WEB SITE: www.ffbic.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOR THE

FIVE FORKS BRETHREN IN CHRIST CHURCH

SIXTY-FIFTH ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

January 25, 2017

7:00 p.m.

APPOINTMENT OF CLERICAL STAFF

1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

ITEM I

APPROVE MINS. OF 2016 ANNUAL COUNCIL3

ITEM II

ELECTIONS & CONFIRMATIONS

3-5

ITEM III

INFORMATIONAL & FINANCIAL REPORTS

6-45

ITEM IV

PROPOSED 2017 SPENDING PLAN

SP1-SP6

ITEM V

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

52

IN CASE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, YOU CAN CALL THE CHURCH

FOR A MESSAGE CONCERNING CANCELATION OF THIS MEETING,

CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT www.ffbic.org

OR CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE (717-762-2991)

ITEM I.MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 28, 2016 ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING

ACTION:1. ____________________2. ____________________

NOTES:__________________________________________________

ITEM II.ELECTION & CONFIRMATION OF CHURCH OFFICIALS

A.ELECTION OF CHURCH BOARD MEMBERS: (3-year term)

Angie Petersheim

January 2018

Lin Yoder

January 2018

Joel Wenger

January 2019

Matt Nolt

January 2019

_____________________________

January 2020

______________________________

January 2020

B.CONFIRMATION OF CHURCH GROUNDS & MAINTENANCE MEMBERS:

(3-year term)

Tim Cordell

January 2020

Matt Hade

January 2020

Mike Leese

January 2020

Scott Martin

January 2020

Others serving who do not need confirmed this year:

Gene Benedict

January 2018

Brian Campbell

January 2018

Mike Hawbecker

January 2018

John Lehman

January 2018

Bill Reynolds

January 2018

Kevin Biesecker

January 2019

Mark Bitner

January 2019

John Cordell

January 2019

Doug Drooger

January 2019

Mike McEntire

January 2019

Marlin Witter

January 2019

C.CONFIRMATION OF DEACON COUPLES: (5-year term)

Randy & Kim Eberly

January 2022

Neal & Lorraine Mishler

January 2022

Greg & Cindy Stains

January 2022

Others serving as Deacons who do not need confirmed this year.

Darwin & Bernice Chamberlin

January 2018

Ken & Melanie Arendt

January 2018

Ed & Karen Herald

January 2018

Penny Bakner

January 2019

Mike & Linda Garland

January 2019

Jake & Amy Harshman

January 2019

Craig & Della Koons

January 2020

Laverne & Laura Petersheim

January 2020

Dwayne & Melanie Buhrman

January 2021

Brian & Melanie Bitner

January 2021

Lee & Carol Grimm

January 2021

Brian & Brenda Monn

January 2021

D.CONFIRMATION OF FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS: (2-year term)

Joyce Benedict

January 2019

Kevin Hord

January 2019

The Finance Committee consists of 9 members, 5 who are appointed by the Church Board* (including the Treasurer, two Assistant Treasurers and two money counters) and 4 at-large members.

Dave Martin

January 2018

Rhetta Martin

January 2018

Harley Smith*

January 2018

Ron Strite*

January 2018

Shelia Cooper*

January 2019

Gene Gorman*

January 2019

April Sprenkle*

January 2019

BALLOT FOR CHURCH OFFICES

CHURCH BOARD MEMBER (3-year term) (VOTE FOR 2)

Heather Ellerbrock

Harvey Payne

Sherri Flohr

Todd Smith

Dave Hansen

Jeff Stitely

GROUNDS & MAINTENANCE (3-year term) (CONFIRMATION)

Tim Cordell

Mike Leese

Matt Hade

Scott Martin

DEACON ELECTION (5-year term) (CONFIRMATION)

Randy & Kim Eberly

Greg & Cindy Stains

Neal Mishler

FINANCE COMMITTEE (2-year term) (CONFIRMATION)

Joyce Benedict

Kevin Hord

ITEM III. INFORMATIONAL AND FINANCIAL REPORTS

PASTOR RAY’S REPORT

Once again Darlyss and I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve as one of your pastors and wife. We have felt your love and support throughout the year and it has been a blessing and an encouragement to us. Thank you.

2016 turned out to be a year with many things the same but also some significant changes. Once again, highlights for me have been the opportunities to interact with many of you, on Sunday mornings and throughout the week in both informal and formal settings. I feel like I learn so much from you as we talk, debate, and plan for the future.

Being outside on work projects and interacting with the high schoolers and coaches as I coach track is a welcome change of pace and scenery for me, and afford me the opportunity to be more closely involved in your lives as you live them. Thank you for allowing me the freedom to participate with you in the community in this way.

The ongoing search for the Worship Director has been both enlightening and required patience on the part of our congregation. But I’m convinced God is leading us to his best plan for us.

With the unexpected departure of Pastor Adam, the pastoral and office staff are working to keep things going but recognize the need for replacing a staff position to grow the ministries of Five Forks even while we attempt to maintain current levels of ministry. The church board has been working with the pastoral team to realign responsibilities and restructure so that we will best be able and prepared for moving forward.

The excitement of having our newest building paid off has opened the door to think more pointedly about the next phases we can embark on – particularly a more suitable place for the youth ministry to flourish.

I see 2017 as a year of great opportunity for the church at Five Forks to embrace some necessary changes that hopefully will allow God to use us as part of growing His kingdom. I believe that growing involvement in the lives of people in our community, meeting their needs, sharing in their lives even as we bear witness to the gospel we believe in and proclaim, will be a key strategy once again for how God wants to use Five Forks.

My prayer is that we will stay humble before him, alert to His direction, and committed to His call – whatever the risk and sacrifice he demands of us. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

-Pastor Ray

PASTOR BILL’S REPORT

Thank you for taking the time to read these reports. Hopefully you find them helpful and discover some things that you didn’t know before, things that you find important.

I hope you are glad to be a part of the Five Forks congregation. I first attended Five Forks as an unbeliever one Sunday morning in January of 1982 and left surprised by what I experienced that morning. Looking back, I believe it was God’s presence working through those who were attending at that time. For the past 35 years the Lord has continued to work through people and events here at Five Forks as my understanding grows and hopefully my usefulness to Him. I have always felt myself fortunate and blessed to be a part of this congregation, and consider it a tremendous privilege to be able to serve here as one of your pastors.

Every year when it comes time to write these reports, good times and difficult times from the previous year come to mind. Our summer sermon series The Gospel According to Daniel was significant for me. Over the course of that series I learned so much about how God was working back then and how He continues to work today.

Throughout the past year I saw – in the life of our congregation - acts of kindness, acts of sacrifice; I observed lives being changed as God worked in the hearts of many from within our church family. I always thoroughly enjoy the week of Vacation Bible School and this past year was no exception. It seemed to me that this past Christmas season (Christmas Dinners, Advent Services, Christmas Eve) was one of my most enjoyable/meaningful in recent memory.

Even though we were running behind our Spending Plan goal from the start of the year, I also saw that expenses were coming in less than anticipated from the start of the year and knew that our financial situation was solid. Contributions in 2016 were up slightly over 2015 and in spite of falling short of our Spending Plan goal we ended 2016 with excess funds...funds that we will look to share with other ministries early in 2017. The Lord continues to bless us in many, many ways.

My biggest area of concern revolves around our Sunday morning attendance. For the 4th consecutive year our Sunday morning average attendance experienced decline. It is not the only indicator when it comes to the health of a church, but it’s an important one. And so I search for an explanation, as I’m sure many of you do.

I don’t think that the answer is a simple one, but in order to turn things around, I believe we all need to renew commitments that revolve around growth. I need to grow in many areas, but one very important area revolves around the messages that I bring on Sunday mornings. I need to commit to growing in the area of preparation and presentation of my sermons, bringing biblical messages that are practical and that can be applied to our day-to-day lives.

I will be asking you to commit to growth in two areas. First, your own spiritual growth. Here in 2017 I’d like to encourage you to commit to being here every Sunday morning unless it is just impossible (due to work, illness, vacation, other). I believe it will have a direct impact on your spiritual growth, as well as having the potential to positively impact the rest of us. You matter.

Second, the growth of God’s Kingdom. Here in 2017, I’d like to encourage you to commit to identifying one or two individuals or families that you can invite to join you here at Five Forks for our Sunday services. Neighbors, co-workers, family who do not know Jesus. I realize that one or two seems like a small number, not enough...and it’s not. But for many of us, it’s a start.

I’m certain that there are many people in this community that you care about, and so how about if this year we look to invite them to join us here on Sunday mornings as we learn what it means to know and follow Christ? God is calling you and me to be a part of something big, and I hope that you feel as fortunate and blessed to be a part of this church as I do.

There are many, many good things that are happening here at Five Forks. This year, we’d like to do a better job of telling those stories so that we’re all aware of those good things. This year, maybe one of them will be yours! Let’s grow together!

-Pastor Bill

PASTOR BRIAN’S REPORT

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  - Edmund Burke, 18th century British statesman

“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” – William Shakespeare, 17th century British dramatist

Two contrasting, yet strangely complementary, statements indeed! They ought to exist in balance within every just heart. For it is vital to the success of any endeavor for Christ to keep on doing the good thing, even if no one will ever note what you did.

I know, both theologically and experientially, that I can never do enough “good” to offset the bad. None of us can! That’s why we have the hope of grace! And that grace is activated by faith that Christ will give us the strength to do what He desires us to do. He will do the work He wants done through me as I surrender and give Him control.

Therefore, we must live for Him, not for others. After all, how many masters can one person have? We might please one yet, at the same time, disappoint another. How then can we hope to understand the hearts of others and what they may expect of us when we struggle enough as it is to understand our own heart? How much simpler to live each day for Him, for He has made His heart clear to us in His Word!

Jesus said to the faithful servant, “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me (Luke 10:16).”

Let us each then serve Christ faithfully. And may Christ open the way for us this year to keep evil at bay and to keep on doing the good thing for His glory!

Thank you so much for allowing me to serve!

-Pastor Brian

PASTOR JIM’S REPORT

Children are truly a blessing from the Lord. With these blessings also come responsibilities. As stewards of God's children, parents are responsible for helping children grow physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. I believe Five Forks has a certain responsibility toward children, too.

2016 has been another full year of teaming up together to minister to kids. I want to personally thank the Lord for hearing my prayers. It has been my continued prayer that the message of Jesus Christ would always be the top priority in the children’s lives. I have shared this with you in the past and now we look to 2017.

God has been faithful and I continue to find this to be true. I have seen this valuable message being communicated to the children each week as they take an active part in their classes and programs. I have also seen families together strengthened through the ministries they have experienced at Five Forks. Praise God!

I’m committed to trust God to continue to provide me with vision and direction as I serve here at Five Forks and I am challenging each one of you to catch this vision. Much work remains to be done in 2017 and the years to come. The challenges will be great, but the opportunities abound. Let us participate together joyfully and witness a great time to be part of the church of Jesus Christ!

I am always thankful for all volunteers who are committed to working with the children here at the church and would ask those who are not, to prayerfully consider helping in 2017.

Thanks for allowing me to serve!

Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

-Pastor Jim

PASTOR SHAUN’S REPORT

Shaun’s report is included in the Youth Ministry Team report on page 17.

ASSISTANT TO THE PASTORS & LAY PASTOR’S (BOB TENGLER) REPORT

It has been another very busy year. Many people to see who are in nursing homes or who are shut-ins. But God is good (all the time!). He has given me the strength and fortitude to carry on with my visitation and telephone ministry, which I feel is very important. I continue to seek individuals who are interested in helping, especially in what we call “encouragement phone calls”. Thank you for the privilege of serving the Lord and His people in this ministry. God bless.

-Pastor Bob

COUNSELING SERVICES REPORT

It has been an honor to continue serving the Lord as a Pastoral Counselor at Five Forks Church this past year. For many in our church family, this past year has been difficult as we have experienced loss, difficult relationships, anxiety and depression. Others have experienced the joy of newfound faith, strengthening relationships, spiritual and personal growth and forgiveness. The pastors and I praise God for his wisdom, guidance and compassion for others. We also covet your prayers for this ministry in 2017.

Numbers 6:24-26 – “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

-Rochelle Nolt

CHURCH BOARD REPORT

This has been a busy year for the Board with some organizational changes to be addressed. One of the pastors, Adam, has been offered a ‘full-time preaching position’ at Antrim BIC, which he accepted after much prayer. He will be missed on the Board and in the pulpit.

We spent much of our time in pro and con discussions of different issues, always keeping in mind our commitment to our God and to the congregation before decisions were made. We realize that some of the decisions are not pleasing to some of the congregation, however, we continue to be amazed at how God is working in our midst. We have seen prayer answered, a few new ministries started, discussed new ideas for congregational worship, loved the people unconditionally, and thru it all, have felt God’s presence with us. It’s been said before and it can be said again, UNITY is what makes this ‘Board’ unique. We are truly and firmly committed to serving the congregation, with God’s help. Many times there are differences of opinions in the discussions, but even then, the ‘Board’ remains UNITED. We can see the power of the Holy Spirit working in each meeting. Please continue to pray for us to be obedient leaders who bring glory to God through our service to Him.

The following are highlights of our monthly meetings:

January:

1. Set Christmas Dinner dates…Tuesday, December 6, Thursday, December 8, Friday, December 9, Tuesday, December 13, and Thursday, December 15 with Friday December 16 as a snow date.

2. An additional Christmas Eve Service has been planned for 4:30 in the Multi-Purpose Room. Other services…3:00, 4:30 and 7:00 in the auditorium and 6:30 in the chapel.

3. Since 2016 Christmas will be on Sunday, it was decided to hold only two morning services both at 9:30. Contemporary in the auditorium and Traditional in the chapel.

4. Approved the Finance Committee recommendation for the 2016 Spending Plan figure of $1,146,094, an increase of $42,076 over the 2015 SP.

5. Approved the slates for the Church Board, Deacon Board, G&M Board, and Finance Committee.

6. Approved a P/P presentation to present at Annual Council for discussion on the hiring of a Worship Director.

7. PRAISE: There were 50 inmates in the Franklin County Prison who received the Lord thru the Celebrate Recovery Ministry.

8. Council approved pursuing candidates for Worship Director.

February:

1. Church Board reorganization for 2015 was approved.

2. Appointed Sandy Gray as Church Board Recording Secretary.

3. Church Board members were given the following documents, to read and sign per Bishop Rob’s request: FIVE FORKS BIC CHURCH/ELDER BOARD MEMBER RESPONSIBILITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM. This document from the MANUAL OF BOARD ORIENTATION is to make each person aware of their role as a Church Board Member. A questionnaire was given each member on MINISTRY AND CHURCH PLANTING – PURPOSE, MISSION and VISION.

4. Goals for 2016: Attendance 840, Conversions 50.

5. A task force of board and non-board congregants was appointed to develop a Social Media Policy to present to the board for discussion/approval.

6. Approved sending Pastor Ray & Darlyss and possibly Pastor Adam & Danielle as delegates to the General Conference in Miami.

7. Approved Brian Bitner’s request to set up a billboard on the 27 acre lot to advertise ELO. Brian would pay for the Land Use Permit.

March:

1. Missed adding ELO in the 2016 Spending Plan. $2000 will come out of Church Miscellaneous Expenses and placed in the ELO Line Item in the Special Activities Fund.

2. Request by Julie Tiedemann for a Sheetz Business Edge Card Account was approved to be used for our vehicle fleet.

3. Motion was approved to appoint a Search Committee for the Worship Director’s position.

4. Approved the motion to have Becky Greenland CPA, review our financial procedures and practices.

April:

1. PRAISE: 19 conversions from Archery Dinner and 20 from Release Time.

2. Attendance and giving both down.

3. Met with Ron Strite to discuss the duties and issues of the money counters.

4. Review of PALM SUNDAY/EASTER services was as follows: Palm Sunday 825, down from 949 in 2015. PRAISE: Love Feast 234, up 36 from 2015 included 70 youth attending for feet washing.( Sunrise service 164, an increase of 1 from 2015.

5. Approved Worship Director Search Committee Members: Julie Bohon, Chris Bumbaugh, Ray Kipe, Angie Petersheim, Lin Yoder, and Dotti Zimmerman.

May:

1. A ‘revised’ Social Media Policy was approved. The Social Media Advisory Committee (SMAC) members are Alex Yoder, Heather Ellerbrock and Ray Kipe.

2. A three person committee to review the Child Abuse Prevention Policy consists of Angie Petersheim, Pastors Shaun and Jim.

3. Lin Yoder will develop a Paid Leave & Medical Leave Policy and submit to the board for discussion/approval.

4. Discussed partnering with the New Hope Ranch.

5. Discussed Structure and Function of the Church Board for 2017.

June:

1. Approved the Shalom request to hold a Choir Festival in the auditorium in April 2017. Auditorium fee will be waived.

2. Due to HIPPA regulations, the policy to publish health information (hospital, prayer requests for the Prayer List, etc.) is changing. No information will be published unless the person contacts the church office. If the contact is for someone other than the person requesting it, that person must first get the other person’s permission before calling the office.

3. Approved Sheri Flohr’s request to be appointed as an official Five Forks Delegate to General Conference at no cost to the church.

4. Sub Committee Updates: The field for the position of Worship Director has been narrowed to 4 applicants. Paid Leave & Medical Leave Policy. Lin sent the pastors a draft for them to discuss. Rebecca Greenland Financial Report. Rebecca found our finances in order.

5. Discussed five points to consider in changing the Structure and Function of the 2017 Church Board.

July:

NO MEETING!

August:

1. Pastor Ray’s information from General Conference: Congregations from

Virginia, which were a part of the Southeast Conference, are now a part of the Allegheny Conference.

The discussion on the Denominational Name Change was tabled for this year, with the possibility of addressing it again in the future.

Pastor Bill reported that the June and July giving was very good. Bill explained that the

Building Loan Balance is approximately $148,000. By paying $14,000 per Month on the

mortgage, which is $70,000 thru year-end, plus the $16,500 in the Mortgage Contingency

Fund, $10,000 anticipated from the Church Auction and $14,000 each month in 2017, the

mortgage would be paid off in March 2017.

2. Bill gave a listing of 38 new people/families who have started attending in

2016.

3. Approved the request from Jody Martin to have the ministry: ‘When The

Storm Rages’ added as one of the ministries of Five Forks.

4. Internal Financial Review by Rebecca Greenland

5. The request from Bishop Rob that we participate in the Natural Church

Development process survey was approved. Melissa Varner will be contacted to schedule the survey discussion.

6. Continued discussion from June re: “specialized staff”. Starting in February 2017, the

Youth Pastor, Children’s Pastor and Worship Director (if applicable) will only attend board

meetings as deemed necessary.

7. Updates from various sub-committees/individuals: Search Committee has selected 2

candidates to initiate a practice session and interview for position of Worship Director.

Musicians will be selected to assist in providing the Worship Service and then give

feedback.

A few church members along with the Church Board will attend the service and give

feedback, as well.

8. A Child Abuse Prevention Policy is currently under review by Dr. Harvey

Payne.

9. A ‘Paid Leave & Medical Leave Policy’ may be ready for discussion at the

September 1st meeting.

September:

1. Melissa Varner, a licensed coach for NCD (Natural Church Development) met with the Board to provide information for review and then decision making as to whether Five Forks would be willing to participate in a survey at a cost of $200.

2. YTD giving is $3,818 behind that of 2015. It was noted however, that the congregation donated over $30,000 toward the Belize Missions Trip, the youth participated in.

3. Recommendation for “Handling the Offering”: After receiving the offering, the baskets should be carried to the Treasurer’s Room by two individuals who are 1) not minors and 2) not related. One of the two should be the ‘lead usher’ for that week/service. The other should not be the same individual for successive weeks.

Once in the Treasurer’s Room, the ushers may remove the attendance cards from the baskets. Cash and Checks should not be separated. Ushers should work side by side or face to face, never back to back. The attendance cards should be taken to the church office. The Cash/Checks should be dropped into the safe via the chute. Recommendation was accepted!

4. Worship Director Position was not filled by Ashley Mason. Board to continue praying for the next month on how to proceed.

5. Lin Yoder presented the Board with a draft of a Paid Leave/Medical Leave of Absence Policy.

October:

1. Board participation for Christmas Dinner preparations was finalized. Dinner dates: 12/6, 12/8, 12/9, 12/13 and 12/15, with snow date of 12/16.

2. Approved the motion to sell Five Forks Gear.

3. Discussion on what direction to go if Pastor Adam accepts the position at Antrim as ‘preaching pastor’. A motion to form a ‘Search Committee’ to look for a Youth Pastor/Director, and have Shaun move to the position of ‘preaching pastor’, passed. Approved Search Committee to consist of Pastor Shaun, Chris Bumbaugh, Billie Cole, Craig Cordell, Mary Fleagle, Amy Hansen and Matt Nolt.

4. Lin Yoder presented a ‘revised’ Paid Leave/Medical Leave of Absence proposed policy. After discussion, Lin was asked to rework the Medical Leave, Bereavement and PTO proposed documents.

November:

1. Spending Plan giving is dropping and deficit is rising. Spending Plan deficit is $53,125. A Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for November 15th.

2. Pastor Ray and Fred West will be attending a Life Group Leadership Training session in January 2017.

3. Motion to have Search Committee for Worship Director resume their efforts to find applicants for the position, passed.

4. Pastor Shaun presented the Board with a document ‘Primary Areas of Youth Pastor Responsibility’. This document would help give direction to the Search Committee in order to develop their search for a Youth Pastor/Director. A motion to approve the document passed. Shaun requested that the name of Steve Mitchell be added to the Search Committee. The Board approved.

5. Pastor Ray noted that the Lord has taken many of our congregation/family members “home’ this year. 12 were called in the month of October.

6. Money Counters, Karen Downin and Margie Moore have asked to be relieved of this responsibility. Pastor Bill has been given a couple of name to interview for the position. The motion to pursue with the interviews passed.

7. Action was taken on Pastor/Staff 2017 salary increases.

December:

No ‘regular monthly meeting’ in December.

A ‘Special Meeting’ was called by the Board to discuss with the pastors,

The Staff Structure for 2017. Each pastor, prior to the meeting, received a document with

the Board’s concerns emphasized.

The Board believes that the need for an Administrative Pastor is imperative.

A motion “to change the Staff Structure, effective immediately (12/1/2016), with Pastor

Bill as the Administrative Pastor”, was approved.

The Board asked what the main concerns of the staff were; collectively and individually?

Also how could the Board best provide support to the staff?

Pastor Ray asked what the Board wants Five Forks to be doing?

Discussion items: Outreach to bring in new people, but also encouraging our current

people to get involved in outreach. Also, the need to focus on

shepherding, greeting, getting to know the people. All pastors focusing on growth as they

lead in various ministries.

Pastors and Board need to be on same page, ie; thinking along the same lines, seeing eye-

to-eye, agreeing to disagree yet support decisions, etc.

One of the main focuses for the Board and Pastors is church wide UNITY!

We appreciate that the congregation remains unified in the faith and trust that you have in the Board. When all strive for unity in one great cause, serving the Lord, much can be accomplished. It just goes to show, that when we work together, giving and taking, not always expecting our way to win out, the LORD will provide more than we expect. We praise HIM for making it all possible! We praise the LORD for His goodness and faithfulness as we continue to serve Him, here at Five Forks and in the community.

We sincerely covet your prayers for the Pastors, staff and volunteers who serve, on the Board and many other ministries here at Five Forks.

Although this has been said before, please know that the Board members are very sincere about the following comment!

Even though, we are very busy, we are never too busy to listen to ideas or comments you may have. We are after all, the Lord’s servants, dedicated to serving the best interest of the church and you, the congregation. May He continue to bless the Five Forks Church in 2017.

-Sandy Gray, Recording Secretary

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE FIGURES FOR 2016

Worship Service - 747

Sunday School - 277

Wednesday Evening (Fall, Winter, Spring) = 318

OFFICIAL CHURCH MEMBERSHIP REPORT

Total Members as of January 1, 2016

687

DECREASES:

Transferred Out, Withdrew or Removed

5

Deceased

12

INCREASES:

Transferred In, Received by Confession of Faith

3

Total Members as of December 31, 2016

673

Transferred Out, Withdrew or Removed

Phyllis Hammaker*, Laura Justus*, Tabb Justus*, Dana Lourdon*, Janice Lourdon*

Deceased (*denotes official members)

Silas Bland, Richard Crider, Patricia DeWitt*, Wayne Gembe, Joan Goetz*, Max Gray*, Bill Hammaker*, Annie Hannegan*, Florence Keefer, Howard Kipe*, George Layton*, Buck Newcomer*, Gerald Reichard*, Shirley Shreve*, Mary Ellen Trobaugh*, John Watkins, LaVerne Wolff*

Transferred in, Received by Confession of Faith

David Bernhardt*, Matthew Bernhardt*, Nikki Bernhardt*

BAPTISMS IN 2016 - Totaled 2

2/14 Josh Kennedy, Kiefer Martin

DEACON BOARD REPORT

In 2016, your Five Forks Deacon Board consisted of 16 deacon couples, plus Pastor Bill Shank. Dwayne and Melanie Buhrman served as chairpersons, with Brian and Melanie Bitner serving as assistants. Ken and Melanie Arendt served as Treasurer and Secretary.

While there are a number of things that the deacons are involved with throughout the year, the cooperation and teamwork the deacon couples exhibit make the tasks go quickly and without overwhelming any one couple. Each person on the Deacon Board possesses different gifts, but as a group we are an outstanding team and together successfully accomplish many great things throughout the year.

The deacons are involved with or oversee many events that take place within the church during the year. Some examples of areas of deacon oversight include:

· Assisting people with financial assistance – both church affiliated and community outreach. 2016 again saw an increased need for this type of assistance and provided great opportunity for the church and deacon board to demonstrate God’s love.

· Preparing the communion articles and assisting with the serving during Communion services.

· Serving as greeters at each of the Sunday morning worship services.

· Planning the Annual Widows/Widowers Luncheon

· Planning the Annual Love Feast and Ingathering. The deacons also distribute the food collected from the Ingathering to the various families in need.

· Assisting with Baptism/Membership Services

· Overseeing the Food and Clothes Closet Ministries.

· Coordination of meals for those that have been sick or hospitalized.

· Coordination and maintenance of medical equipment that can be used by church or community individuals.

In 2016, the Care Ministry Team, continues to grow with deacon couples and nearly 20 other couples and/or individuals who have expressed an interest in participating in this outreach ministry.

There are few ministries within the church as diverse as the Deacon Board. This Board gives an opportunity for each to use the gifts and talents he/she has been given to provide spiritual support and blessings to many. Your continued prayers would be appreciated as we work to fulfill the responsibilities placed before us and we willingly accept.

-Melanie Arendt

CARE MINISTRY REPORT

The CMT is made up of our Deacon couples and a number of other men and women in the church who make contact with individuals from within our church family who have experienced a significant event such as a hospitalization, or a birth or death in the family. Contacts can range from phone calls to visits in homes or hospitals.

The efforts of the team has been extremely valuable to the pastoral staff, and we appreciate the time that is being devoted to this important ministry. This past year we were able to add a few new volunteers to the CMT. If you feel that compassion is one of your gifts and would be interested in coming on board the CMT, please feel free to contact me to discuss in more detail.

-Pastor Bill

DISCERNMENT COMMITTEE REPORT

The DC consists of nine individuals who meet during the last quarter of each year in preparation for the upcoming Annual Council meeting. One main area of responsibility is to receive nominations, pray, make contacts and ultimately submit to the congregation names to be voted on for Church Board. This committee is also responsible for submitting names for confirmation in the following areas: Deacons, Grounds & Maintenance members, and two members of the Finance Committee. They are also responsible for a number of other ministry appointments.

-Pastor Bill

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT

We praise the Lord as God continues to bless our church with the faithful giving by you the congregation. As of the writing of this report, we find ourselves running behind the 2016 proposed spending plan, but our cash flow is very good and all our obligations are being met. At this time we are running close to the 2015 giving for this same time last year. Historically in the past, our year-end giving has been strong, so we feel that we will finish close to the 2015 giving income, or around $1,105,000.

Some of the reasons that we are able to meet our obligations and have a good cash flow is because $25,000 was added to the 2016 Spending Plan for a Worship Director, which the position hasn’t been filled as of yet. Also since Pastor Adam left at the end of October, we saved about $7,500 in salary, etc.

As of January 1st, 2016 the Building Fund Loan Balance was $282,067. The Loan Balance at the end of November was $46,984. We anticipate that we should have the loan paid off in March 2017. We again praise the Lord.

In February, the Finance Committee met to disburse the 2015 excess year end funds which were $45,000. Below is the list of how the funds were disbursed:

Paving Entrance to Upper Parking Lot$20,000

General Conference Reserve

$5,000 (if not used completely, excess to Paving Project)

Deacon Special Activities Fund

$4,500

Steve Newcomer – Revus Project $1,500

Orville & Cheryl Hade for Mozamb. Bldg$1,500 (payable to BIC Missions, after March)

Orville & Cheryl Hade for Mozamb. Gen.$800 (payable to BIC Missions)

Allegheny Conf. Pension Fund

$3,000

B.I.C. Cooperative Ministries

$1,500

Project Big Love

$400

Franklin County Young Life

$1,500

Biblical Education Center

$400

Hagerstown Rescue Mission

$300

Waynesboro Ambulance

$150

Waynesboro Fire Dept.

$150

Franklin County Jail Ministry

$150

Cumberland Valley Christian School

$150

Mennonite Disaster Service

$300

MCC Meat Canning

$150

Habitat for Humanity

$150

Child Evangelism

$150

Cumberland Valley Relief Center

$150

Waynesboro Human Services

$150

New Hope Shelter

$300

Uprise Festival

$150

Shalom Christian Academy

$150

Waynesboro Fellowship Churches

$150

Cedar Ridge Ministries

$150

Wycliffe Bible Translators

$150

BIC Missions Spice

$150

Camp Joy-El

$150

Gospel Tide

$150

Spring of Hope Counseling

$150

Word FM Radio

$150

Women in Need

$150

Gabrielle Sanfillppo

$500 (Missionary to Orphan School in South Africa)

Brittany Smith

$500 (Missionary to Mali, Africa)

The Finance Committee met as needed throughout the year to handle some of the items listed below:

Approval of the fundraiser to donate blankets to Syrian refugees through MCC

Approval to empty our Mortgage Contingency Fund of $16,500 and make a principal payment on our Building Loan

Set the 2017 Spending Plan

As we enter 2017, only God knows what lies ahead for the church here at Five Forks, but we know that the God that we serve holds everything in His hands and He is faithful. Please pray for the Finance Committee that we will continue to be good stewards of the contributions that God blesses the church with.

-Ron Strite

BENEVOLENT FUND REPORT

The Benevolent Fund was created in 2007 to help those who experience an extraordinary financial need. The Fund is a way for people to make special bequests in their Will, or for those who are blessed to make special donations above their normal tithe. The Fund will keep the principle largely intact and primarily disburse only the earnings. The primary recipient of the distributions will be coordinated with the Deacons; however, the Fund may provide disbursements elsewhere. The principle is preserved in order to provide funds for the future and on an ongoing basis.

Generally, only the earnings generated by the Fund will be disbursed for benevolent purposes. The overall goal for the Fund is at least one million dollars before using the principle. There are special circumstances for using money from the fund once it reaches $250,000 in value.

The current value as of December 29, 2016 was $246,525 compared to the previous year value of $224,885. The Fund received $0 in contributions during 2016.

The Benevolent Fund Committee has the following duties

· Prepare statements for the church.

· Invest the money with socially responsible funds. The fund is governed by an Investment Policy Statement.

· Calculate and disperse the “earnings” generated each year for benevolent causes.

· Decide when and if any principal will be used.

· Promote the fund.

· Meet to review and update program statements.

· Decide if the asset allocation is appropriate.

· Decide if the investments are performing within expectations.

· Authorize the disbursement requests

The Committee consists of Brad Sell, David Neterer, Derek Hine and Lin Yoder.

-Lin Yoder

__________________________________________________________________________

ADULT EDUCATION COMMITTEE REPORT

Someone told me recently how much they are gaining by being part of one of our adult Sunday school classes. That’s a healthy sign. I think all of our adult classes are doing well. There have been a few changes and some challenges. But each class is well attended and there is good fellowship and good Bible study going on everywhere.

People are there for each other in caring and prayer support. Class members interact with each other, some even hosting special fellowship events for class participants to attend with their families. If anyone ever says to you, “I’m just not connecting with anyone in this church,” advise them to go to Sunday school!

Of particular note, the Golden Link class has moved to doing some video series, which is a change for them. It makes it less stressful for teacher, who now can function more as coordinators and do not have to plan a full complement of one-hour lessons and discussions. This isn’t happening every quarter, but it’s been interesting to kind of mix things up a bit.

So, if you’re reading this, and you haven’t ever been to one of our Sunday school classes, I can tell you for sure that you’re missing out! Why not give it a try this year?

-Pastor Brian

YOUTH MINISTRY TEAM REPORT

Five Forks youth group had an incredible 2016

Above all, our primary purpose in youth group is to know Jesus so that we can live like Jesus. One of the best ways to know Jesus is to become familiar with some of the things he said and taught. So we took several months this past year studying the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), the very words of Jesus. At the heart of this sermon is what Jesus expects of his followers. It’s an upside down Kingdom, where Jesus turns our expectations of what life is really all about “upside down”. We looked at the “Beatitudes” and the kinds of people that Jesus calls “blessed”, we talked about Jesus’ commands to “love our enemies” and that “what we look at matters”. Throughout the series we had a challenge going for teens and leaders to actually memorize the Sermon. It was a huge undertaking and though many were not able to memorize the whole thing, the challenge forced us to become familiar with Jesus’ words.

We also spent a significant amount of time in Sunday School relating our discussions to the anxious political environment that we found ourselves in this past year. Taking our lessons and thinking about how our faith informs our everyday life and specifically how we think about our political system.

A second purpose of youth ministry is outreach to the community. We had some really neat outreach opportunities in 2016. Last December (2015) we took the youth group over to Quincy Home to lead their Sunday morning service. We sang Christmas Carols and had teens read scriptures that told the Christmas Story. Then we finished our time by giving our teens about 15 mins. to walk around and visit with the residents. It was really neat to see the interactions that took place.

A second outreach opportunity that took up a good bit of our energy and time this past year was our Senior High Youth Mission trip to Belize. This trip was coordinated with Praying Pelican missions and would not have been possible without all of the generous support from the congregation. It was an incredible chance to connect with a church and community as well as a culture very different from ours. There were midnight bus trips, delays at the airport, teens for the first time ever leaving the United States or flying on a plane. There were also incredible interactions with Belize children and teens, tiling floors, sanding wooden benches, meal delivery, prayers with Belize families, intimate worship times and group sharing times as we processed what God was teaching us in this unique environment.

One of the things I am discovering more and more through ministry with our teens, is the incredible way that the message of Jesus transcends cultures and age groups and brings so many different people together under a common purpose. It’s my hope that our teens begin to catch that vision as well.

And of course, it wouldn’t be youth group if our year wasn’t filled with many good times together…2016 was filled with just plain out having fun! Some of our events included: an all-night event in conjunction with several other local BIC youth groups. The event included about 250 teens, we traveled by bus to various churches, also stopped at Sunshine lanes for bowling, Cosmic skate, and a road trip to Krumpe’s donuts.

We also took the youth group to a weekend youth conference down in Washington DC called Planet Wisdom. There were 2,000 students in attendance for times of worship, the Skit Guys (hilarious!) and nationally know youth speakers who brought challenging messages to our teens. Beyond all of that, there is something inspiring for our teens when they are in an environment with so many other teens. It’s a realization that following Jesus is not a solo endeavor, we are part of a huge family of believers.

We also took our teens out to the frozen tundra (aka Waynesboro Soccer Complex) for some flag football, enjoyed our annual trips to Raystown Lake and Uprise Festival and we spent our summer Wednesday evenings at the Bumbaugh’s home, hanging out, with camp fires and late-night swimming. And there were many other good times, and the point of all of this to help our teens connect with one another and with the youth leaders. It’s our hope that friendships can be started and grow during these fun times together. Ultimately, that these friendships would then enhance our times of Bible study in allowing everyone to open up about life and questions and challenges that we face.

Finally, and this is true every year…as with all youth ministries, I owe a HUGE thank you to the true hero’s behind this ministry, our youth leaders. While many people are at home on Wednesday nights our youth leaders are here sitting in discussion groups with teens. While many people are kicking up their feet on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, our leaders are hanging out with teens, acting crazy and learning their life stories. They’re texting teens, receiving phone calls at odd hours of the night, watching sporting events and mentoring our young people. None of this ministry would be possible if it were not for the many youth leaders who give so generously of their time, resources, creative ideas and most importantly their passion to see our young people come to know Jesus.

I am truly humbled and honored to work with such an awesome group of people. As many of you are now aware, 2017 will be a year of transition for the youth ministry. With Adam’s recent departure I will be moving out of youth ministry to get involved in other areas of ministry at Five Forks and we are in the process of searching for a new Director of Youth Ministries. In addition to that, with the changes at the Waynesboro School District (moving 6th graders into the middle school), we will be looking to move our 6th grade students at Five Forks into the youth ministry. It’s truly an exciting time and can’t wait to see what God has in store for 2017!

-Pastor Shaun

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY MORNING MINISTRY REPORT

In 2016 there were thirteen different children’s classes staffed and ready for teaching children in the preschool and elementary grades during the second and third hour of services each Sunday morning. The average attendance was less this year. There were approximately thirty-five teachers, helpers, and subs who faithfully volunteered each Sunday of the year with the children in their classrooms. I personally want to say thank you to all the teachers and helpers for your faithfulness and commitment. Your love for the children is of high value and you’re truly a blessing to the church and the families that attend each Sunday.

Another important part of the Children’s Department, is the Sunday School Secretaries. They faithfully go around the church each Sunday to collect the offerings and attendance papers from each class. Thanks for your great effort!

There were a number of children this past year during the Sunday School hour who responded to the invitation for salvation. Each child was counseled by the teacher to see if they understood the need to be saved. After which, they prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Savior. Would you consider volunteering as a teacher or classroom helper as part of your ministry here at Five Forks with our children?

-Pastor Jim

AWANA CLUB REPORT

As a team, we want parents to feel confident and trust that this Awana Club will help their children move in a forward direction in their spiritual maturing process. We are responsible to team up with parents and help Five Forks grow through the Awana Club. We see the importance of helping to create strong foundations in clubbers lives through the Awana curriculum that is biblically based and reveals God’s truths….that clubbers will learn the whole Bible instead of just familiar stories over and over. Children desperately need to know about Jesus and be able to have the opportunity to receive him as their personal Savior. It’s necessary that on any given Wednesday night, when clubbers are gathered for learning and training, that they would be able to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

We are grateful for the many individuals who desire to reach and disciple the next generation through the timeless truth of God’s Word. Their investment of time, prayer and resources allows Awana to touch the lives of children and youth around the world.

2015 -16 marked the 8th year of club at Five Forks. The Awana program, to minister properly to each child, requires a lot of volunteers. There was an average of 210 adults and clubbers attending Awana this past year. It took many volunteers to staff and be a support to each club. I can’t say this enough times….Thank you for your willingness and commitment to volunteer and serve with the Five Forks Awana Club this past year.

Clubbers continue to invite their friends…those friends get excited and invite their friends. Kids are excited to come each Wednesday night. Awana is such a blast! We need your help to volunteer to be a handbook listener or class helper. There is a big difference between doing something for the family and doing something with the family. Won’t you consider joining the Awana family’s fun and excitement?

-Pastor Jim, Awana Leadership Team

VBS AND VBS JR. REPORT

This year’s theme- Camp Kilimanjaro VBS What an exciting VBS this was! There were an average of 175 kids and over 100 adults in attendance each night. What a great adult per child ratio for the week!

Many, many people gave their time, energy and focus to the VBS ministry this year. A great VBS is only possible with the help of many people coming together. Every position, large and small was needed to make this event a success. We would like to say “Thank You” to all the adults and teens who gave so unselfishly to this ministry. We couldn’t have done this without you!

Missionary, Steve Newcomer shared each night, his love and passion for Revis. This is an educational mission effort that he started in Mozambique. The VBS kids were able to raise over 1,200 dollars for this mission project.

VBS Jr. was going on each night also thanks to efforts of the VBS Jr. team, directed by Jenn Wilhide and Caitlin Coleman. Over 50 – 4 & 5 yr. olds gathered in the children’s wing. There were age appropriate puppet skits, crafts, games, and Bible lessons by trained CEF summer staff. There are often challenges that arise with these little ones, but everyone working together accomplished so much to impact their lives for Jesus.  

Five Forks church was truly blessed for another successful Vacation Bible School week. Praise God for His guidance during the planning and execution process.

-The VBS Directors

LEGO CAMP REPORT

Lego Camp was a great success and many thanks go out to Brett Kagarise, who organized and directed. There were several youth that assisted in each of the pairs of campers all week, which was a big help as well.

The camp was computer based and used the Lego Education WeDo sets. There were over 30 campers for both AM and PM camps.

The campers were able to build Lego models featuring working motors and sensors; program their models; and explore a series of cross-curricular, theme based activities. The campers developed their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as their social skill of working with a partner for the week.

Brett led a daily Bible story and prayer time, which corresponded with what the campers would be building that day.

Thanks again for all the volunteers who committed to be a part of our Lego Camp at Five Forks.

-Pastor Jim

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION REPORT

** 2015 Brought New Background Check Laws & Reporting Laws in the State of PA **

“LET THE CHILDREN COME. . . AND BE WELCOME IN OUR CHURCH”

With all the laughter & life children and youth bring to Five Forks, comes a tremendous responsibility of protecting those who are given to us to nurture and teach. One of the ways we protect our children & youth is through following the CAP policy set down by our church board.

The Five Forks Church CAP policy states that each person who wishes to volunteer in our children/youth departments must first have regularly attended Five Forks Church for 6 months, filled out in-house forms and be interviewed by a pastoral staff member. Since PA has put a new law into effect, all volunteers need to have the 2 PA state clearances processed prior to serving in any capacity with children and youth. Note: State clearances are good for 5 years for volunteers. After all paperwork is completed and reviewed, and references contacted, the pastoral staff will determine placement of service.

The following statistics reflect the CAP activity for 2016:

17 – New Adult volunteers interviewed by our pastoral staff

37 - Had background checks done during 2016

87– Adults who participated in the Annual CAP Training provided by the Family Support Alliance out of Harrisburg

28 - CAP files were purged - those who haven't attended or served in the past 5 years.

NOTE: The 2017 annual CAP training will be held in April and will be taught by some of our own members who work in the Waynesboro School District.

The subject of this training will be "How to de-escalate a child who is out of control". We sometimes feel helpless during a time like this. This will be very important training for all teachers/helpers/parents.

All volunteers who are actively involved with Children/Youth here at Five Forks are required to fill out an Annual Update form each January. This keeps their CAP files current. We have active and inactive CAP files. If you temporarily do not plan to work in any of the areas of children/youth, you may request your CAP file be put into the inactive file until you wish to volunteer again.

Our goal is to protect both our volunteers and our children in the area of abuse.

Thanks to all who volunteer and follow this policy.

If you have any questions, feel free to call me. It is my pleasure to serve in the capacity of CAP Coordinator.

-Margaret Bumbaugh, CAP Coordinator

AUDIO/VISUAL DEPARTMENT REPORT

Our largest project this year was an upgrade of our video system in the auditorium to High Definition, aka HD. Our cameras were over 15 years old, the switcher out of inputs, and our stream and weekly upload lacking in clarity. With a new video switcher, cameras, and capture hardware, our signal is now 100% digital from end to end and much clearer. We moved back to Vimeo.com for our weekly replay, which provides our service video in several quality levels to adapt to slower Internet connections. We are still providing our DVD copy service, requests for service videos can be made through the church office.

We also upgraded the chapel with a much larger wide-aspect projection screen and brighter, clearer HD projector; and installed new LED lighting in the all-purpose room to make a better atmosphere for worship nights and other events held there. A new presentation computer was installed in the Auditorium to handle the increased performance demands of ProPresenter as well.

On the IT side of things, we put a new firewall into place for increased security and performance and added another Internet connection to provide better performance on our guest Wi-Fi network. We also recently completed a migration of the church email server to Office 365, providing simpler management and better availability of email for church staff.

As always, anyone who is interested in serving with our video or sound ministry is encouraged to reach out to us, either through a pastor or via email at fiveforksav@gmail.com. We can always use the help, and you do not need to come with any skills! Right now, we especially need camera operators for the video ministry who are willing to serve one Sunday per month. Please let us know if you're willing to help!

- Chance Reecher

COMMUNICATION TEAM REPORT

It has been an exciting and productive year for the Communications Team. The goal of our committee is to increase the level and quality of communication in the church both internally and externally to better connect congregants and to draw-in newcomers. 2016 brought about the release of the first ever Five Forks Church logo in the form of the “light and steeple” logo that we have begun to initiate around the church. In addition to the launch of the new logo, within the past year we have developed a new website, Sunday morning bulletin, and Five Forks Church Facebook Page. To help support the new look of the church, we held two successful clothing sales (Five Forks Gear) that showed our church name and logo that can be worn around the community. We also have been working hard to increase the quality of our Sunday morning video live stream with new cameras and new angles to create a better overall production. Finally, we have focused on creating sermon series graphics, church event graphics, and overall more appealing promotional material to try to better connect imagery to messages in this ever-growing visual world. We hope to continue to develop more tools in the coming year to better outreach to those in the community. 

-Alex Yoder

BELL CHOIR REPORT

Five Forks continues to have a full three-octave bell choir and also a bell quartet that play for the traditional services at Five Forks. There are currently 16 ringers who participate in the ministry, the majority of which have participated since the beginning (we joke, but it’s true…once you’re hired….you will not be fired!). 2015-2016 marked the eighth “season of ringing” at our church for both groups. Each ringer commits time out of their busy schedules to rehearse every Monday evening from September through May (taking summers off to avoid the prime vacation season). Unlike a vocal choir, where the same musical line is shared by more than one singer, each bell ringer is responsible for a unique piece of the music. Several weeks of rehearsal are necessary to ensure each individual part is woven together to create the music shared with the congregation. Each group scheduled to provide Special Music approximately 5 times per year during the traditional services.

-Janice Besecker

CONCERT COMMITTEE REPORT

6 Orphans sponsored at $40 per month

May - July No Concerts

August 7

Big Daddy Weave (partnered w/UPRISE)

Attendance

SOLD OUT

Concert Comm income

$878

September 18

DayStar Vocal

Attendance

131

Guarantee (Concert Comm Cost)

$500

Offering (Given to Group)

$250

Total to DayStar

$750

Offering (Concert Comm Income)

$246

October 23

Sandy & Friends

Attendance

150

NO Offering Taken

$0.00

Concert Comm Cost

$0.00

Concert Cost (Sandy)

$200.00

November

No Concerts

December 10

Mark Shultz

This concert was canceled because of low ticket sales.

-Sandy Gray

FIVE FORKS FELLOWSHIP REPORT

This has been my first full year of chairing the Five Forks Fellowship committee. We plan monthly fellowship gatherings and occasionally special events with a focus on senior citizens.

This year, both in the spring and in the fall, we made plans to attend the senior days at Roxbury. Both events were very nice and those who went left refreshed and encouraged. There was good singing, good spiritual challenges, a good concert each time, and, of course, good food! We will definitely keep these events on our calendar for 2017!

This year, we decided to hold our summer picnic indoors. Granted, that doesn’t sound like much of a picnic. But the day for which we had made plans was particularly hot and humid, with a chance of thunderstorms. Under those circumstances, a park pavilion just doesn’t quite sound inviting! And we had already paid for our catered meal! So we made a last-minute decision. And everyone enjoyed themselves!

Five Forks Fellowship generally meets the first Friday of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the multipurpose room. There are some songs to sing. And there is always a special speaker or musical ministry of some kind. And, of course, there is coffee and snacks! The only months we don’t meet are July, because of the group’s picnic, and December, when we have a special Christmas banquet at Savoy.

-Pastor Brian

GROUNDS & MAINTENANCE COMMITTEE REPORT

Members of the G&M Board for 2016 were Gene Benedict, Mark Bitner, Doug Drooger, Marlin Witter, Bob Carmack, Tim Cordell, John Cordell (insurance), Bill Reynolds, Brian Campbell, Mike Hawbecker, Matt Hade, Kevin Biesecker (treasure), John Lehman (vice chairman), Mike McEntire (secretary), and Eldon Showalter (chairman).

Monthly meetings were held, with the exception of July and December, beginning with devotions and prayer. Meetings consist of a review of items of maintenance, requests forwarded, budget review, and business communications of the properties.

Numerous work nights manned by G&M members were scheduled throughout the year. Board members gave of their time to complete tasks as required. The board completes as many projects as possible with the members volunteering their time while soliciting outside help as needed. A representative from our board attends the Planning & Development and Church Board meetings.

Projects completed this past year:

· Monthly walk-through of all areas of the church checking emergency devices, lighting, and general observations

· Manage annual testing and inspections of elevator, sprinkler systems, fire alarm, fire pump, and tank refill

· General maintenance of systems, equipment, and vehicles

· Met with Bitner Henry Insurance Agency to review and update insurance policy

· Replaced numerous emergency exit devices and light fixture lens

· Removed several pine trees, widened upper entrance, and installed new asphalt paving at upper entrance / food pantry

· Had the neighbors yards regarded to improve sight at upper entrance

· Added paving at lower parking lot entry

· Refurbished the Chapel entry steps

· Installed sound proofing between the stage floor and the basement classrooms

· Replaced one of the 20-ton compressors for the auditorium knocked out by a lightning strike – insurance claim

· Rented a crane to access the top of the steeple for inspecting for a possible water leak, caulked several cracks found

· Added stones and line striping in the parking lots

· Removed 6x6’s from the upper parking lot

· Developed new budget

-Eldon Showalter

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT REPORT

     

The main project for Planning and Development in 2016 was to pave and widen the entrance near the Food Pantry and increase visibility there for safety issues. This was completed. With the anticipation of paying off the Auditorium building in early 2017, the way is opening up to have serious discussions about what we do next as regards to the facility at Five Forks. These can be exciting discussions for us. Thank you for your generous support for the projects we undertake to enable us to grow the ministries of Five Forks Church for the Kingdom of God.

-Pastor Ray

SOCIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE REPORT

The primary function of this committee continues to be working alongside the Hospitality Committee with the Annual Church Picnic held the first Sunday in June. For the second consecutive year, the picnic was held at the church and we believe it will be held here once again in 2017.

-Pastor Bill

CELEBRATE RECOVERY REPORT

Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered ministry reaching those with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We have begun our sixth year. Our attendance has been consistent between 20-40 participants every Tuesday evening. Our leadership team has grown, as regular participants make progress in their recoveries and become leaders.

This year, we have had participants coming from other churches in the area to participate in our Celebrate Recovery to take it back to their congregations. The Celebrate Recovery program at Five Forks Church is a Christian leadership factory in South Central PA.

Presently, four new groups have started in the following areas: Franklin County, York County, and Altoona, PA in 2016. Those leaders were trained here at Five Forks Church. Celebrate Recovery contributes to the overall ministry of Five Forks Church statement of making disciples everywhere. As we surrender our lives to the healing and control of Christ, we create hope in the lives of others in Celebrate Recovery.

Five Forks BIC Church Celebrate Recovery continues to be a model program for the region. Yvonne and I are serving as State Representatives of Celebrate Recovery in South Central PA for the past three years. Five Forks Celebrate Recovery group participates in outreach opportunities in our community through our Adopt the Road project of cleaning up Five Forks Road two times a year, helping with Project Big Love at Mont Alto, being available to the Ranch (Transition home for men) and assisting in Celebrate Recovery Inside ministry at Franklin County Jail. For the first time, we participated and assisted in the Creation Festival 2016, by holding CR meetings and supporting the prayer ministry tent at the festival.

The Franklin County Jail ministry leadership has grown this year from two to five leaders. Both men and women are now ministered to in Franklin County jail. A mentorship program has begun to help inmates with living the Christian life, once released. Souls are saved at almost every meeting and discipleship training is engrained into the Celebrate Recovery Inside program.

On Tuesday nights, our program begins with worship. We focus on Christ in our recovery from our hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We celebrate with music, message, or testimony. We welcome the congregation and community to worship with us at 7pm on Tuesdays. It’s the best place to be on a Tuesday night! On your first visit, we conduct a Newcomers orientation to answers questions how Celebrate Recovery works and enjoy refreshments in our CR cafe.

In 2017, Celebrate Recovery at Five Forks BIC Church will be having live testimonies of participants who have experienced recovery in this Christ centered program. Some of our members will be traveling to other groups to give their testimony of recovery. We will be participating in one-day training seminars and attending the Celebrate Recovery Summit in Franklin, TN.

We will have special worship groups come in from other states that are Celebrate Recovery worship bands and we will invite local Celebrate Recovery worship bands to lead worship. We are scheduling special speakers and health professionals to come give talks on recovery issues, throughout the year.

Some special highlights happened this year. We had three guest worship bands, a local singing group, and Pastor Brian lead worship one Tuesday night. Curtis Jamison from Martinsburg, WV comes every third Tuesday to lead traditional worship from the piano. We had a baptism during our large group worship time. Some of our members in Celebrate Recovery participated in the Ingathering Service. We remain connected with the Ranch to help men in recovery and provide mentorship when needed. Also, some of our Celebrate Recovery participants from outside our church attended the Christmas dinners. We provided Sunday morning greeters, wearing CR T-Shirts one Sunday this year to provide awareness of a Christ centered recovery program, here at Five Forks Church. We have had several participants who did not attend church start attending Five Forks Church.

We enlist your prayers in 2017 to continue this important ministry in the life of this church. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place for anyone in the community and the congregation, who has a hurt, habit, or hang up to find recovery. Yvonne and I encourage you to keep coming back to Celebrate Recovery, until the miracle happens in your life and then pass it on.

We thank you for your prayers and financial support of Celebrate Recovery, as we draw lives close to Christ to heal their hurts, habits, and hang-ups.

Philippians 1:21a, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”(KJV)

-Ray & Yvonne Rottler

COMMON GROUNDS CAFÉ REPORT

This past year has been a challenge to say the least. We lost some key lead crews. We are finding it increasingly difficult to staff the café each week. Our hope is for more individuals to volunteer so we can keep this ministry going. The café has grown to be an essential part of our Sunday morning connections with our friends and family.

Thank you to all our volunteers. Your commitment does not go unnoticed!

If you would like to volunteer or have questions, please contact Julie at the church office.

-David & Julie Tiedemann

HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE REPORT

The hospitality Committee continues to serve Christ through Five Forks Church. We had another busy year (at certain times more so than others) preparing food from our well equipped kitchen.

We are so thankful to have many volunteers to help prep in the kitchen and serve at the many events here at the church when food is needed.

Behind the scenes are sometimes challenging but the event is rewarding as the Lord is leading us to be His servants in helping others.

Some of the events through the year were: the Love Feast, the Church Picnic, the Auction, the kitchen was open for breakfast and lunch for the Craft/Yard Sale, and the five Annual Community Christmas Dinners. This past year we served 10 funeral meals to church family or family members.

Thank You to all the volunteers who have been so generous of their time when ask to help.

-Dustin & Jen Bowman, Bob & Carol Eberly

FOOD PANTRY MINISTRY REPORT

The Food Pantry has experienced another busy year in 2016. We served an average of 226 households containing approximately 724 individuals each month. We distributed 3,463 bags during 2016. We continue to receive donations from our generous business donors like Shop N Save in Waynesboro, Kline’s Grocery, Sunnyway Foods and Benedicts Produce. The Food Pantry has been blessed with donations from area food drives. We also appreciate the continued support of the “item of the month” from the congregation.

We are always thankful for the many volunteers who are dedicated to serving the clients of the Food Pantry. Our volunteers serve in many ways from picking up food from our business donors, bagging groceries once a month, serving the clients during service hours and helping keep everything clean. We would love to have more volunteers, if you feel led to be involved in this important ministry, please speak to a member of the leadership team.

Once again, thank you for all your support of the Food Pantry Ministry.

- Leadership Team: Tim & Cheryl Cordell, Lee & Carol Grimm, Greg & Cindy Stains, Bonnie Yoder

GROWING TREE PRESCHOOL REPORT

Growing Tree Preschool is an extension of Shalom Christian Academy. We currently host a M/W/F session, and a T/Th session. Both session meet in the morning and are practically filled even for the coming year. There has been increased interest and discussion of starting an afternoon session on MWF. If you have children or grandchildren who may have interest in attending the Growing Tree Preschool, please contact, growingtree@shalomca.com .

-Pastor Ray

CHURCH AUCTION REPORT

Twenty years ago when I was asked to do the annual church auction, I accepted first and then asked God for His Blessing and guidance.  God gave me new ideas and also brought me a good husband to help me.  With Eric's help gathering items from the business community and their generous donations, we did very well. Paying down our church mortgages was the goal, but the fun social night at the auction has always created good times of fellowship (especially when there was good natured competition in the bidding and our fun auctioneers keeping the entertainment going while increasing the bids).  God also gave us church members with wonderful crafty ways, creative ideas, a great sense of humor, and generous wallets.  It has been amazing how much support from our congregation we have received and the involvement of our young people as they enjoyed running items to our bidders.  I am thankful. We are very blessed as a church.  I appreciate the years of opportunity to serve and as I turn over the reins to the next person who wishes to be auction Chair, I pray for many more years of Blessings.

-Rhetta Martin

EXTENSION DEPARTMENT REPORT

The “Light on the Hill” newsletter was mailed each week to those who no longer live in the area, or who are home-bound, but would like to continue to receive our newsletter. We also email our newsletter to Bishop Patterson at the Allegheny Office.

Flowers were sent from the church office to overnight patients in the hospital, for the birth of babies and for immediate family members at the death of a loved one. In 2016, there were 174 flower arrangements sent to people in our church family, 33 of which were hand-delivered by our volunteers, Carroll & Esther Stottlemyer. We are thankful for their service as this helps us stay within our flower budget. The following is a breakdown of flowers sent in 2016: Get Well-84; Babies-8; Sympathy-84.

- Church Office

CHURCH LIBRARY REPORT

We decided this year to remove the videos from the shelves as few people now have the equipment to use them. This task was completed by the end of March.

Approximately 150 items were added to the library with around 400 items being checked out. We do occasionally have items removed which have not been checked out.

Serving in the church library were:

· Diane & John Cordell, Joyce & Garry Cordell,

· Glenda & Mike Knechtel, and Margie & Ira Moore.

Those who work in their homes, either covering books, processing books for usage or preparing CDs & DVSs were: Dottie Helfrick, Elaine Wishard, Diane Shank, Yvonne Larson, Linda and Gary Besecker and Diane Cordell. This is a wonderful group of people who do an excellent job.

-Joanne Wingert

PARISH NURSE MINISTRY REPORT

Once a month on Sunday mornings, you can always find several nurses at various times in Pastor Jim's office checking blood pressures. Feel free to come in and let us check your blood pressure and talk with the nurses.  Signs are posted outside and inside and it is always noted in the Light on the Hill when this will be done.  We do them at 7:30, 9:00 and 10:30am on the assigned Sunday.  Just watch for the designated Sunday.

Most Monday afternoons, you will find Barb Tengler at the church making phone calls to those who have been in the hospital recently or recovering from illnesses or having other health issues.  If you would like to stop by and talk with her or call to discuss a health issue please do so.  Just call the church first to make sure she is there.  The hours are usually from 1 - 3 pm.

"Care Notes" are available in the display racks in both the upper and lower foyer for your taking.  Stop by and check them out as the topics change from time to time.

A special thanks to Dawn Johnson once again for giving her time to be the nurse at Bible School this past summer.  She has been so faithful doing this for many years and we so much appreciate her!

Please note that we have five First Aid kits scattered throughout the church - children's area, upper foyer, mail room, chapel, and church office. An AED is located inside main entrance.

As Parish Nurse I have so much enjoyed talking with many of you over these past 13 years and will continue to do so as long as God allows me to serve Him in this way.

-Barb Tengler

WORK PROJECTS REPORT

            In 2016, the Work Project Ministry continued with similar types of projects that we have done in past years; moves, firewood, and various construction/roof projects. With the departure of Pastor Adam, and Pastor Ray having to adjust his responsibilities, Marlin Witter has stepped forward to head-up the moving ministry and Mike Hawbecker has taken on more responsibility with the wood-cutting ministry. Thank you to these two men for stepping forward.

            We have also had the privilege of working with some men from the Ranch, a pre-release program with the Waynesboro New Hope Shelter. Those men have been a great help with some of the projects.

            Our vision for 2017 is to continue to be involved in the community assisting with needed work projects and possibly expand the scope of what we do. If you have a talent/passion for particular types of work projects, please contact Pastor Ray.

-Pastor Ray & Mike Hawbecker

LIFE GROUPS REPORT

We see Life Groups as a significant part of the ministry and life of Five Forks Church. Life Groups are one avenue through which we can have more intimate discussions, fellowship, support and accountability about what it means to be disciples of Jesus. Life Groups were under the direction of Pastor Adam for most of the year. As we move into 2017, this responsibility will be picked up by one of the other pastors. We hope to have a leadership training class early in the year, and in the meantime, please avail yourself each week of the Discussion Questions that pertain to the sermon preached that Sunday. They are available at the Life Group Counter just outside the auditorium entrance, or by contacting Pastor Bill.

-Pastor Ray

FALL FUN DAY REPORT

This was our fourth Fall Fun Day. It was once again very successful! We had 30 craft vendors and 14 yard sale vendors.

A BIG thank you to all the people who helped make it run so smoothly. See you next year!

-Linda Gift and Joan Jones

SOFTBALL REPORT

The Five Forks softball team had another successful season. This year the team had new players to join the team. The team played well but the most important thing was the fellowship and the relationships the team made during the season. The team participated in devotions after each game. The league is built around building relationships and bringing people to follow Christ.

-Toby Gift

ARCHERY REPORT

In 2016, the indoor league started the week of January. The league runs for ten weeks. This past season, we had 70 people participate in the league. We held two instructional classes for children ages 8-15. Each session runs four weeks. We had 28 children participate this past year. We held a women’s only class. This class is held one evening in March. We had 15 women participate.

On March 18, 2016, we had our annual dinner/banquet. The guest speaker was Mark Newell, who spoke about Wild Game Management, he then ended his evening with a very good message about Christ. There were 281 response cards filled out. We had 23 people ask Jesus to be their Savior and 64 people recommitted their life to Christ.

The goal of this ministry is to draw people into church who normally would not be going to church and to plant that seed to turn themselves over to God.

The Archery committee consists of the following people: Gerald Geesaman (president), Lynn Petersheim (vice-president), Scott McAllister (secretary), Dan Eyler, Brad Gift, John Lehman, Laverne Petersheim, Duane Rennhack, Randy Rock, John Myles, John Waters

-Gerald Geesaman

ELO (EXPERIENCE LIFE OUTDOORS) REPORT

I will never forget a message I heard delivered by Caleb Bislow a few years ago while he was here speaking at a revival service.  He said in our generation, people aren’t going to come through our doors looking for help, we need to put ourselves into their world to spread the love and truth of Jesus Christ.  We are seeing less and less unbelievers just walking through our doors.  I believe this is exactly what Jesus was speaking about in Matthew when he gave the great commission to his disciples.

It is impossible for me to explain the influence that my grandfather and my father had on my love for the outdoors.  The time that my grandfather and father spent with my brother and me will never be forgotten.  It has forever changed my life.  The love that was shown to us during these times that we spent together in the outdoors is a love that can only come from having the power and presence of God in your life.  It is this same love that I hope to spread.

In the fall of 2011 while I was on a mission trip to Alaska, the idea of Experience Life Outdoors was started.  Over the next 4 years much time has been dedicated to figuring out exactly what it was to look like and how we were going to change the world one person at a time. 

Through the medium of outdoors, ELO’s goal is to give others the opportunity to know God and see who God really is through his creation.   As we all grow closer to each other through God’s creations, we will grow closer to our creator.

By investing our most valuable resource, our time, into the lives of others, we will be able to get to know each other and be able to show others what it is like to live a life for Jesus Christ.  Through these relationships; they will come to know our God and what he has done for each one of us. By doing so, we are bringing the word and the life of Christ to people without them feeling as if it is being forced on them.   

In addition to this, they will begin to see that the church isn’t made up of people who have it all together and have everything figured out.  In fact, the church is made up of sinners who fall short of God’s glory every day.  When they see that the people who make up the church are sinners who are going through or have gone through the same trials and issues they have, the opportunities to share why we are living for Christ will come. 

Our first year we had a kids fishing rodeo, obstacle course mud run, hiking trip and 3-D archery shoot.  Through these four events we were able to contact over 70 families - over half of which are not connected to Five Forks Church in any way.  We have had families from Falling Waters WV up to Newville, PA.  We saw many of the same people attending multiple events which is what helps us to begin building positive relationships.  None of this would be possible without the many hours of time dedicated by everyone sharing our vision.  We plan to add one event to our calendar each year.      

After seeing and hearing the response of both the participants and volunteers from our first year, to say that we are extremely excited about this outreach potential is an understatement.  We thank you for your prayers, financial support and the time dedicated to helping build bridges into the lives of others and help them come to know the same Lord we know and serve.

-Brian Bitner  

YOUTH BASKETBALL CLINIC REPORT

The 2016 youth basketball had another good year. We averaged around 50 children between 1st and 6th grade every Saturday morning in the months of January & February. We had a great time of learning the fundamentals of basketball while building friendships, and having fun.

The first half of the season was spent strictly on the fundamentals of the game. The second half, we did team drills and then played games. Again, we put a lot of effort on teamwork, sportsmanship, and keeping a positive attitude through all aspects of the game.

Thanks again to all the volunteers for their help and to the church family for their prayers and support of this ministry.

-Dwayne Buhrman

Serving You in 2017(Staff, Boards, Committees, & Ministry Heads)

STAFF

Pastoral Staff

Brian Black (Term expires 2018)

Bill Shank (2019)

Shaun Kipe (2019)

Ray Kipe (2020)

Jim Recard (2020)

Bob Tengler serves as assistant to the Pastors, making phone calls and visiting those in hospitals and nursing homes. He visits our shut-ins and senior citizens and performs funerals when requested.

Rochelle Nolt works part-time in the area of counseling.

Office Staff:

Julie Tiedemann (Office Administrator)

Margaret Bumbaugh

Ellen Egolf

Dave Martin (Financial Assistant)

Kim Helman (Infant Ministry Coordinator)

Custodians: Lorie Fortney, Mary Fleagle, Brad Gift (Water & Lock-Up), Gene Gorman (Lawn & Maintenance), Jay Frey (Snow), Charlie Birely (Lock-up)

BOARDS

Church Board:

Pastors: (2 voting, 3 non-voting)

Ray Kipe

Bill Shank

Brian Black

Jim Recard

Shaun Kipe

6 Congregational Representatives 2 elected each year at Annual Council:

Angie Petersheim (2018)

Lin Yoder (2018)

Matt Nolt (2019)

Joel Wenger (2019)

__________________ (2020)