701 S. 2nd Street
Sunbury, PA 17801
(570) 286-5329
ELDERS
River of Life
Partnership Input Forms
Questions & Answers
(for a printable version click here)- Questions and answers from partners regarding
(Q) Will the speaker/preacher for the following Sunday service be announced and put in the Church Bulletin? (A) Yes
(Q) Who will take the Pastors place in overseeing and who is the head Elder? (A) John Sloyer is chair of the Elder and Trustee Church Boards and is the Executor of the Partnership until a new Senior Pastor is officially elected and assumes duties on site. The Elder Chair will lead and oversee public services and ministries in concert with the Elder Board Team.
(Q) When in need of Food or Money to help pay a bill who do you go to? (A) Please call the Church Office at 570-286-5329 and the Deacon of the Month will be contacted for follow-up and a decision.
(Q) Who are the Elders? (A) John &
(Q) Where are the Elder names and contact numbers posted in the church? (A) They will be included in a Bulletin insert beginning on Sunday, December 17, 2006. Their names and contact numbers can also be obtained from the Church Directory or by calling the Church Office at 570-286-5329.
(Q) May the Elders be contacted? (A) Yes. Please know that the Elders have met at least 1 to 2 times each week for numerous hours since the beginning on November 2006 to pray, oversee service (Sunday/Wednesday) administration, review pastoral search and selection criteria, oversee Daycare and all Ministries of the church including schedules and needs, oversee supervision of Church personnel and the Elders have served to review nominees selected by congregational partners for Elder, Trustee and Deacon and plan for the coming year.
(Q) How can I and we as a body help during this time of transition? (A) Remain faithful in your personal walk with God and continue in prayer for this body and Eldership. It is also important to continue to give generously from the time, talent, and financial resources that God has blessed you with.
(Q) I am concerned about what kind of man we are going to get for our pastor? I want a man that knows how to work with all kinds of people as we are a multicultural church and we need somebody filled with the Holy Spirit (A) The Eldership has sent the District Superintendent a listing of Qualifications that included the following: Licensed and in good standing with the Assemblies of God and the belief in the Fundamental Truths and Doctrines of this Fellowship, Operates in the Gifts of the Spirit and embraces the fullness of the Pentecostal experience and the 5 Fold Ministry (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers) to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and for the building up of the body of Christ, Ability to Pastor a Multi-cultural and diverse Congregation, Possesses a calling to disciple and equip teams of leaders to oversee the ministries of the church including but not limited to:
1. Prayer
2. Visitation
3. Counseling
4. Evangelistic Outreach
5. Discipleship
6. Mentoring
Has the heart of a shepherd for the congregation of
(Q) With the election at the end of January, will the Pastoral Search be interrupted? How will this work? (A) The search for a Senior Pastor will not be interrupted as the election is for Elders, Trustees and Deacons. The Elders will continue to follow the Church Constitution in the search and selection process.
(Q) How can we keep the church together? (A) As stated above, remain faithful to God and to one another. Be Christ-like in your example and be a positive encourager of all partners within the church.
(Q) Who is going to lead worship during the transition period? (A) Dan Keiper and Lizette Mahaffey are team leads sharing this responsibility. The Elder overseeing the worship team is John Baylor.
(Q) May we have a service that youth and adults share their talent (playing an instrument/singing)? (A) Sharing of talent can be integrated into weekly specials as well as on designated Ministry Sundays such as WM Sunday, Youth Sunday, ect.
- Comments from partners regarding
“Please inform us of transition details in meetings, announcements and e-mails”
“We need to know that there is a person in charge. A contact person that can point you in the right direction regardless of the concern or question” (See above contact information)
“All of us need to examine our hearts in regard to how we got to where we are and where we need to go from here”
“I would like to know that the Elders are accessible and share their feelings publicly with us as a congregation as it is good to know we struggle together, sometimes without all the answers…”
“Would like to know how the Seidel’s are doing (gone but not forgotten)”
“We need to announce the Eldership needs prayer as they continue to seek out God”
- Elder updates regarding our Senior Pastor search and selection process:
Action 1) Elder Board determined basic qualifications desired in a Senior Pastor (see above)
Action 2) Resumes for Senior Pastor Position were requested from the District Superintendent as per our Constitution & Bylaws (Article 2, Section 1)
Action 3) Upon review and prayer over all resumes received, Elder Board determined top 4 candidates to consider for further phone interviews and reference checks
Action 4) Elder Board has set phone interview dates of either
Action 5) Elder Board determined the top 2 candidates and established face-to-face interviews on
Action 6) Elder Board selected top candidate for presentation to the Church body on
Action 7) Elder Board established