Elder Update - May 2009

· The Elders have tasked Pastor Herb with setting up two task forces.
The Expansion Task Force will focus on expanding our present facility and will offer other options that they may deem worthy of consideration. Maria Cassaday is the Chair of the Expansion Task Force.
The second Task Force is a Multi-site Task Force. Their role will be to evaluate best practices for launching and sustaining a multi-site church strategy for growth.
As some of you may have heard, Cole Junior High will be undergoing renovations and we may not have use of it after school closes in June 2009. Therefore, the Elders have asked Pastor Herb to locate and secure a site, in the event the church needs a facility in the fall.

· The Management Team has proposed a smaller budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year and has taken steps to control costs in this trying time.

· Brad Frost will be leaving to go to seminary in the fall and the church will be posting this IT position, hoping to fill it as soon as possible.

· After the annual meeting, the church will be posting the part time position of Pastor of Spiritual Formation & Assimilation.

· Jodie Schneeberg our office manager is leaving her position, although she will continue to be part of the staff at this time. The Office Manager’s role will not be replaced.

· Robert Messore will be stepping down from the Council Of Elders after the 2009 Annual Meeting

· With much prayer, thought and time the Elders continue to consider how best to prepare the church for growth, care for the staff and care for the congregation during these challenging times.



We continue to thank you for your prayers and support,

In His Name
For The Elders,
Robert Messore

A Place at the Table

I begin this edition of A Place At The Table, with a story told by Fred Sauerbrey.

“Have You Signed Page 35?”

My buddy, Francis, was walking with me as I was delivering my afternoon newspapers in Baltimore. We were having a typical teenage conversation when, out of the blue, Francis said to me, "Fred, you know you are going to go to hell because you are not Catholic." I was both stunned and insulted. In typical teenage fashion, I retorted that he could go to hell. The incident fortunately had no ill effect on our friendship, which has turned out to be life-long.
After becoming a Christ follower, I began sharing my faith with Francis, who continued to be a faithful Catholic. About five years ago, Francis began collapsing. Without warning, he would suddenly fall to the ground. It would happen about every two or three weeks. After much testing and evaluation, the best medical minds in Baltimore could not come up with a diagnosis or cure. As the problem continued, I told Francis he needed a healing from God, and that I would begin praying daily to that end. The problem ceased abruptly, and Francis was ecstatic. I then sent him a copy of "Live to the Limit", the exciting personal testimony of Russell O'Quinn, a famous test pilot who received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. At the end of the compelling story, on page 35, was a salvation prayer that the reader could pray to personally receive Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. There was a place for the reader to sign and date the prayer. The author implored the reader to make a decision for Christ, pray the salvation prayer, then sign and date it in the space provided.
In my next telephone conversation with Francis, I asked him if he had read the story. He replied that he had. Then I asked him if he had prayed the prayer on page 35 and signed it. He replied that he had not. In every subsequent telephone conversation, I would always ask him if he had signed page 35 yet. Over a period of about six months, he would always reply that he had not. Over that same period, he had never suffered another collapse.
Then one night my phone rang. Without identification, the voice on the other end said, "I signed page 35". I recognized the voice as that of Francis. The rest of the conversation was an extended time of rejoicing and praising God.
It is a wonder to see Francis healed from a grave and baffling illness. It is even more wonderful to have Francis as a brother in Christ, and to know that our friendship will continue into eternity with God.