An Open Letter to FBC Stanleyville

Dear Stanleyville Family,

On Sunday each of you received a recommendation from the Pastoral Staff and Deacon Body to be voted on December 6th at 7 pm in the Sanctuary. The three points to be voted on are:

1. Stay with 2 services, with Pastor Eddie preaching the 11:00 and Pastor T preaching the 9:00.
2. Sunday School will run 10:00-10:45 am, with bells at 10:40 and 10:45 am on the minute.
3. Combined services will be held on Easter, Homecoming, Thanksgiving, and Christmas-having at least one combined service in Church quarters outside of those holidays/events.

Those are the recommendations from the Pastoral Staff and Deacon Body to be voted on December 6th at 7 pm in the Sanctuary.

It has been a joy, blessing and a privilege to preach/teach the Word of God every Sunday for the last ninety days and I would love to continue to preach/teach.

If I could go back in time and change how I responded to the meeting in June I would but I can not go back in time; therefore, I believe along with the rest of the Pastoral staff and deacon body that our best course of action moving forward is to adopt the three recommendations. I believe it would do more harm to our church to reject these recommendations than if we accept them and seek to move forward towards unity from this point in time.

It has been a joy, blessing and a privilege to preach/teach the Word of God every Sunday for the last ninety days and I would love to continue to preach/teach. 

I have been busy but from all of the responses I have received from students and parents CREW Student Ministry has not suffered nor do any of the students feel like they are playing second fiddle to my preaching. Student after student shared in messages and texts how much they were learning during my preaching and how for the first time they were excited to attend the church service.

Below is an extended quote from one of my volunteers concerning how I have handled both the added responsibility on top of CREW Student Ministry.

You’re doing a wonderful job as Youth Minister and in your Assoc Pastor role. I do not see that the youth ministry has sufferedr in any way as a result of your expanded responsibilities. The youth benefit from both your youth leadership and expounding of the scripture during Sunday sermons. Attendance in SS seems to be growing. Wednesday fluctuates due to school activities. Your studies and lessons are always interesting and easy for them to understand and relate to. You continue to use technology and social media to reach them which is fantastic. You are so invested in their spiritual, social, academic and sports lives. I’m sure it means so much to them and their families when you keep up with, and attend their extracurricular activities. I don’t know how you do it!  But I can say from my viewpoint you are the most effective and involved in the lives of our youth than any of our prior youth leaders. That’s 20+ years worth, BTW! 

We have also seen a growth in our nursery, CREW, college/career classes, 9:00 am service and our 11:00 am services. Our attendance in several areas has been increasing these past ninety days. I believe our SS Director at our last quarterly church conference stated that we had 10 new members in Sunday School classes in the last three months. I can not remember a time in the three years I have been on staff that I have seen significant growth in a variety of different areas around the church as I have seen these last 90 days.

It has been a joy, blessing and a privilege to preach/teach the Word of God every Sunday for the last ninety days. I would love to continue to preach/teach. If I could go back in time and change how I responded to the meeting in June I would but I can not go back in time; therefore, I believe along with the rest of the Pastoral staff and deacon body that our best coursce of action moving forward is to adopt the three recommendations. I believe it would do more harm to our church to reject these recommendations than if we accept them and seek to move forward towards unity from this point in time.

I love each of you and I am open to whatever the church decides to do.

Recommendation from the Pastoral Staff and Deacon Body to be voted on Wednesday, December 6th at 7 pm in the Sanctuary:

1. Stay with 2 services, with Pastor Eddie preaching the 11:00 and Pastor T preaching the 9:00.
2. Sunday School will run 10:00-10:45 am, with bells at 10:40 and 10:45 am on the minute
3. Combined services will be held on Easter, Homecoming, Thanksgiving, and Christmas-having at least one combined service in Church quarters outside of those holidays/events.

Serving Him & His Church,

Pastor T Welch