Second Meeting
Monday Afternoon, 1:30 PM
The meeting was called to order by the Chairman at 1:30 p.m. leading the men in prayer.
Report of the Board of Directors (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Resolved, that the rate of mileage reimbursement for conference business conducted in 2008 be 27¢ per mile.
Report of the Ministerial Relations Committee (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Conference Pastor (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Ronald W. Reed prayed for Ronald C. Mahurin, Conference Pastor, and for those churches looking for pastors to fill their pastoral needs.
Whereas, the Ministerial Relations Committee reported the establishment of Aaron J. Susek’s pastorate, making him a licensed probationer and,
Whereas, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has voted to issue Aaron J. Susek a license, be it therefore
Resolved, that Aaron J. Susek be seated in the conference bar.
Report of the Board of Church Health (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Board of Church Extension (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Director of Church Extension (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Mark E. Barninger and Daniel L. Williams reported on their future activities in church planting. Daniel L. Williams is serving at the Woodbury Heights Mission Church, NJ and Mark E. Barninger is working to plant a daughter church out of the Harrisburg, PA congregation.
Whereas, the Board of Church Extension is of the opinion that the Las Cruces, New Mexico, Mission Church meets the qualifications of a Particular Church as specified in Article 18 of the Articles of Faith of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Las Cruces, New Mexico, Mission Church be recognized as a Particular Church, and that its delegate be received into membership of the 125th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church.
Whereas, the elders currently serving at Iglesia Biblica La Roca Mission Church of Merida, Mexico, meet the qualifications for an elder in the Bible Fellowship Church, and
Whereas, more than twenty persons are committed participants in the La Roca Mission Church, and
Whereas, La Roca Mission Church has demonstrated that it can offer an adequate salary package for a pastor and is able to financially maintain its ministry outreach and facility costs, and
Whereas, the Board of Church Extension is of the opinion that the Iglesia Biblica La Roca Mission Church of Merida, Mexico, meets the qualifications of a Particular Church as specified in Article 18 of the Articles of Faith of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Iglesia Biblica La Roca Mission Church of Merida, Mexico, be recognized as a Particular Church, and that its delegate be received into membership of the 125th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church.
David E. Gundrum, prayed and thanked the Lord for His grace in bringing in the Las Cruces Mission Church and Iglesia Biblica La Roca Mission of Merida, Mexico into the fellowship of the BFC. Elliot H. Ramos also thanked the Lord for the two churches as he prayed in Spanish.
M. E. Brown, delegate of the Las Cruces Church and Daniel A. Hernandez, delegate, and Marcos G. Ramirez, Pastor, of Iglesia Biblica La Roca were seated in the conference bar.
Report of the Joint Committee on Ethnic Church Planting (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Board of Missions (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
A missionary candidate made a presentation to update the conference on the Tanzania Project. Eleven young people have committed themselves to this project for at least three years. Clifford B. Boone gave thanks for the progress of the project and asked the Lord’s blessing on the work.
Resolved, that Daniel G. Oswald be ratified as Financial Secretary of the Board of Missions for a three year term.
Affiliate Report of the Board of Directors of BFC Homes, Inc. (See page:)
Resolved, that the affiliate report be accepted.
Raymond R. Dotts prayed for the ministry of the BFC Homes, Inc.
Report of the Board of Victory Valley (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Harold E. Snyder prayed for the ministry of Victory Valley Camp.
Report of the Board of Communications (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
1.Resolved, that the cost of the 2008 Yearbook be $9.00 per copy.
Resolved, that a contribution of three hundred fifty dollars ($350) for the conference year 2008 be given the Board of Communications from each agency to help underwrite the cost of printing and distributing the Fellowship News.
Payments are to be made to the Board of Communications by December 31, 2008
Resolved, that $1.85 per member of the Bible Fellowship Church for 2008 be forwarded to the Board of Communications from each church to help underwrite the cost of printing and distributing the Fellowship News.
Payments are to be made to the Board of Communications at the 125th Annual Conference.
Resolved, that Carol Snyder be ratified as the Editor of Fellowship News for a three year term.
Report of the Board of Christian Education (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Board of Youth and Young Adults (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Board of Higher Education (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Resolved, that the Annual Conference ratify the election to the Pinebrook Educational Foundation of Stephen C. Cassel and Judith Rychnovsky for terms to end in 2011.
Report of the Strategic Planning Committee (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Board of Pensions (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Whereas, the MRF annuity rate for 2008 is $217 per year of service, and
Whereas, partial cost-of-living adjustments are part of the long-term phase out strategy of the MRF, therefore be it
Resolved, that the MRF annuity rate for calendar year 2009 be $218 per year of service.
Whereas, the religious denomination known as The Bible Fellowship Church has and functions through Ministers of the Gospel who are duly ordained or licensed; and
Whereas, the practice of The Bible Fellowship Church is to provide a parsonage or a rental allowance as part of the gross compensation for each of its active ordained or licensed ministers; and
Whereas, pensions paid to retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers of The Bible Fellowship Church are considered as deferred compensation and are paid to said retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers in consideration of previous, active service; and
Whereas, the Internal Revenue Service has recognized that The Bible Fellowship Church is the appropriate organization to designate a housing/rental allowance for retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers who are members of this Conference;
Resolved,
1. An amount equal to 100% of the pension payments received during the year of 2009 be and is hereby designated as a rental/housing allowance for each retired and disabled ordained or licensed minister of The Bible Fellowship Church who is or was a member of the Bible Fellowship Church Minister's Retirement Fund.
2. This rental/housing allowance shall apply to each retired and disabled ordained or licensed minister who has been granted the retired relationship or placed on disability leave by the Bible Fellowship Annual Conference and whose name and relationship to the conference is recorded in the Yearbook of the Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church and in other appropriate records maintained by the conference.
3. The pension payment to which this rental/housing allowance applies shall be the pension payment resulting from all service of such retired or disabled ordained or licensed minister from all employment by any local church, Annual Conference or institution of The Bible Fellowship Church or of any former denomination that is now a part of The Bible Fellowship Church, or from any other employer who employed the minister to perform services related to the ministry and who elected to make contributions to the pension funds of The Bible Fellowship Church for such retired minister's pension.
Note: The rental/housing allowance which may be excluded from a minister's gross income is limited to the lesser of (1) the amount of the rental/housing allowance designated by the minister's employer or other appropriate body, (2) the amount actually expended by the minister to provide his or her housing, or (3) the legally-determined fair rental value of the parsonage or other housing provided. As specified in Rev. Rul. 71-290 C.B. 92, “the only amount that will qualify for exclusion under section 107(2) of the Code as a 'rental allowance' is an amount equal to the fair rental value of the home, including furnishings and appurtenances such as a garage, plus the cost of utilities.”
Report of the Historical Committee (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Whereas, during this conference year we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the meeting which launched the Bible Fellowship Church, and
Whereas, this anniversary should be a time of joy and gratitude for what God has done for us and through us, therefore, be it
Resolved, that all Bible Fellowship Churches be encouraged to hold a service of worship to celebrate this 150th anniversary, and further
Resolved, that all Bible Fellowship Churches be encouraged to show the video, “According to the Holy Spirit,” to their congregations to promote an understanding of our heritage and an appreciation of our values, and further
Resolved, that the theme of the 126th Annual Conference be a celebration of this 150th Anniversary.
Report of the Conference Judicatory (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Beneficiary Society (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Committee on Examination of 124th Annual Conference Minutes (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be adopted.
Report of the Committee on Examination of Minutes of Particular Churches (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Report of the Ministerial Convention Committee (see page:)
Resolved, that the report be accepted.
Howard N. Wells expressed his gratitude to all who prayed and showed support to him and his family in the loss of their daughter Nina who passed away on New Year’s Eve 2007. Ronald C. Mahurin prayed and asked the Lord for His continual comfort and strength for the Wells family.
The following were elected:
Board of Christian Education
Kevin W. Kirkpatrick (3 years)
Michael J. Tannous (3 years)
Board of Church Extension
Clyde W. Snyder (3 years)
Board of Church Health
Robert C. Kaatz (3 years)
Jerry Rasmus (3 years)
Board of Communications
Ralph E. Ritter (3 years)
Clyde W. Snyder (3 years)
Board of Directors, BFC
Randall A. Grossman (3 years)
Horace A. Kauffman (3 years)
L. James Roberts (3 years)
Board of Directors, BFC Homes
LeRoy S. Heller (3 years)
Robin A. Musselman (3 years)
Board of Higher Education
Stephen C. Cassel (3 years)
Board of Missions
Ralph M. Soper (3 years)
Craig Tress (3 years)
Board of Pensions
Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr. (3 years)
David J. Watkins (3 years)
L. James Roberts (3 years)
Board of Victory Valley
Bruce A. Ellingson (3 years)
Timothy J. Schmoyer (3 years)
Gregory A. Uhrich (3 years)
Board of Youth and Young Adults
Lisa Kellerman (3 years)
Committee on Credentials
Carl J. Fischer, Jr. (3 years)
Keith E. Plows (3 years)
Committee on Ministerial Candidates
Calvin T. Reed (3 years)
Richard E. Taylor (3 years)
Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr. (2 years)
Committee on Nominations
Raymond R. Bertolet (3 years)
Robert A. Johnson II (3 years)
Betty Herb (3 years)
Conference Judicatory
James A. Beil (3 years)
Carl C. Cassel (3 years)
S. Lester Moyer (3 years)
Rodney P. Plows (3 years)
Special Appellate Judicatory
Raymond R. Dotts (3 years)
Hans R. Waldvogel (3 years)
Ministerial Relations Committee
Jacob J. Susek, Jr. (3 years)
Byron Widger (3 years)
L. James Roberts (3 years)
Strategic Planning Committee
Elliot H. Ramos (3 years)
J. Robert Vaughn (3 years)
Secretary for the 126th Annual Conference
David A. Thomann (1 year)
Colonel David H. Jones, the senior member of the BFC chaplaincy ministry, addressed the conference. He spoke of the opportunities he has had in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ freely among the military personnel.
Leroy O. Herb, a veteran, offered prayer for those serving in the military services. He asked that God’s grace would be shown in their lives as they serve the Lord by serving the United States in its military.
Resolved, that we adjourn.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:54 p.m. with Dana E. Weller closing in prayer.