DEACON. Candidate Profiles General Business Meeting Sunday, June 11 12:30 p.m. Fellowship Hall. Grant Memorial Baptist Church

Transcription

1 DEACON Candidate Profiles Grant Memorial Baptist Church Grant Memorial Baptist Church 877 Wilkes Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3P 1B8 General Business Meeting Sunday, June 11 12:30 p.m. Fellowship Hall

2 J.P. Cossette Stefan Dirks Ted Hull* Jeff Job Mark Kelm Thomas Knight Rod Neustaedter (Chairman)* Danny Serhal Dino Silvestri* *Term is complete August The Deacon Board Nominating Committee is pleased to present the following candidates for election at the 2017 General Meeting. Ted Hull Ron Meisner Rod Neustaedter Harold Penner Dino Silvestri

3 Lorna and I have been married for 45 years. We have two children and four grandchildren. I spend much of my time serving churches and other faithbased ministries in facilitating the processes for effective leadership as well as expediting the development of their governance structures. I was on staff at Grant in various capacities for 21 years. In reflecting on those years, I was incredibly blessed to work under five different senior pastors, each of whom significantly contributed to my understanding of leadership and helped me to develop in that area. Lorna has served in various areas of leadership in Women s Ministry for the past 27 years. I have been affirmed in my gift of discernment as I have been able to help people sort through issues which has resulted in them being empowered and equipped to make some wise choices moving forward. Additionally I have seen God use the gift of exhortation, specifically in the context of individual and marriage counselling as well as encouraging and challenging faith-based organizational leaders. My passion for these areas of ministry and influence is as fresh now as it has ever been. I love serving on various boards and committees which are being used to move the Kingdom forward. Some books that I have read and have been impressed by in the last year are Effectiveness by the Numbers Counting what Counts in the Church by Wm. Hoyt, The Atheist Who Didn t Exist by Andy Bannister and Missional Renaissance by Reggie McNeal. As I have reviewed my personal mission, I have been challenged by the Spirit of God to passionately and generously steward those areas of giftedness and experience with which He has entrusted me. It has been encouraging and affirming to see where that has made a difference in others. My fear is stepping off the field knowing I had more to give and not to have given it.

4 I was born into a wonderful Christian family and have attended Grant Memorial since I married Judy in 1968 and we have three adult children. Michelle is married to Kevin (20 years) and they have two teenage children. They farm in the southwestern Manitoba area. Marilea is married to James (16 years) and they have three boys, 15, 13 and 12. They live in the Neepawa area where James is a pastor. Myles is single and lives in Winnipeg where he is employed at Sobey s. I ve had the incredible privilege of being involved in numerous areas of ministry during our years at Grant. I have served on the Deacon Board, LMI and LCS Boards, co-led a small church, led small groups and some other behind the scene opportunities. God has blessed me with a supportive wife and has used various ministries to grow my gifts and abilities. I have had the opportunity to see how my involvement has served the needs and spiritual growth of others. I believe that I have the spiritual gifts of discernment, helps, compassion and administration. I love to use these gifts to bless and encourage others. As a result of my own health challenge 30-plus years ago, God has allowed me the privilege of walking alongside others as they navigate adversity in their lives. I love this aspect of ministry. I recently read Once An Arafat Man by Tass Saada and am currently reading Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi. I am constantly amazed at how God draws people into a relationship with Himself through His Word and the influence of Christian people who take the time to invest in the lives of people. I have seen God at work at Grant over the years. Things haven t always been easy but what has always been impressed on me is that we belong to God s Church and that when we humbly seek Him, He will guide us and bless us. I firmly believe that there are exciting days ahead for us in reaching people in our city and around the world, and I desire to be part of shaping a compassionate community where people experience hope, comfort and peace. God has been teaching me about patience and the importance of kindness in my words and deeds. I have a number of favourite Bible verses... For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).

5 My name is Rod Neustaedter and I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Lori, for almost 26 years. We have three amazing sons and one beautiful daughter-in-law: Nic (who is married to Lacey and runs his own yard care service), and Josh and Cody, who are both currently attending University of Manitoba. Our family has a lot of fun together and Lori and I thoroughly enjoy our time spent with our kids. During the week, I offer the skills and abilities God has given me to run the purchasing department for New Flyer Industries, a local transit bus manufacturer. Since attending GMBC for the past 10 years, I have enjoyed being involved as a small group leader and serving in leadership on the Deacon Board and the Linden Christian School Board. I also participated on the pastoral search team and in the past have been involved with youth as a leader, retiring from youth when I felt way too old! We have all been given gifts to be used to fulfill God s glory in our lives and the lives of others. One of the ways I enjoy doing this is by serving God in leadership roles. I believe I have been given the gifts of leadership and discernment and am willing to use these gifts in whatever way God presents to me. I use these gifts every day at work and try to set an example of Godly leadership in the workplace; and have used them here at GMBC as a deacon and small group leader, as well as personally with my immediate and extended family. I am excited about how God continues to use all of us here at GMBC if we are obedient, to share Jesus with everyone we come in contact with; and I am willing to continue serving in leadership at GMBC. I am not a huge book reader but every day I enjoy reading newspaper articles and periodicals on current events, finance and leadership. This past year I said goodbye to my mom, as she said hello to Jesus. God blessed MY life with the faithfulness and love for Jesus SHE modelled throughout her lifetime. He reminded me that He is loving and faithful. I also had an opportunity to practice trusting God with the little and BIG things as my workplace (and my job) experienced some significant changes and challenges. Serving on the pastoral search team here at church over this past year was both a fulfilling and

6 truly humbling experience. I had a firsthand seat, watching the years and years of God s plan unfold as together, the group faithfully searched God s will in finding our next lead pastor. It was an awe-inspiring privilege to lead and serve GMBC as part of the search team, as we endeavoured to seek after the heart of God and find our next pastor. God is reminding me about the importance of spending daily time with Him, as I continue to try to grow more like Jesus each day. I am thankful for the unrelenting desire to spend time reading God s Word and talking with Him, and pray that I will continue to fall deeper in love with Jesus, always wanting more of Him so I can continue to live my life to fulfill His purpose.

7 My name is Harold Penner and I have been married to my wife Anne for 41 years this coming June. We have three adult children and spouses, and six grandchildren, all here in Winnipeg. We have served in Manila for the past 20 years. Since attending GMBC for the past 20 some years, I have been involved in Children s Ministry and served on the Deacon Board. Anne and I have hosted a World Mission class. We have been Grant Endorsed Missionaries for the past 20 years. Anne and I are passionate about missions and at the moment, are promoting teaching missionary children overseas at Faith Academy in Manila. We are also involved in seeking to minister to missionary kids particularly those who have graduated from high school and returned to Canada. We are involved with Canadian MK Network. This past while, Anne and I have gone through The Chronicles of Narnia. Though these are kids books, there are many truths to be gleaned. Is Aslan a tame lion? He s not a tame lion but dangerous and unquestionably good; He is the true King of Narnia: all its inhabitants have one faith and obey him absolutely. One thing that keeps coming back to me is a comment that our superintendent at Faith Academy made: We are not here as volunteers but as servants. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:43-45). Jesus did not go around recruiting volunteers, but called us to be servants. Actually, Jesus asked us to be slaves where we have no rights and serve the master. May I become more of a servant to Jesus each day.

8 My name is Dino Silvestri and I have been married to my wife Shannon for 23 years this coming August. We have four kids (Jake, Sofi, Eli and Cate). I am the owner of Mr. Rooter Plumbing and have been for 14 years. Prior to that, I was a teacher and administrator in a Christian school for eight years. Since attending GMBC for the past 16 years, I have been involved in Children s Ministry (two years), Men s Ministry (about six years), Deacon Board (served two terms), LMI Board (served one term) and PAC at LCS (three years). I enjoy being on the Deacon Board and I m excited to see where Grant is moving and I want to be part of that movement. I have been given the gifts of administration, hospitality, leadership and discernment. Being on the Deacon Board has been engaging and enjoyable for me, while leaning into my gifts and strengths. A book that I have read and been impressed by in the last year is Leading Me by Steve Brown. This book spends much time on Spiritual Disciples that help form you to be the person God intended you to be. I sense God s leading as I am working toward spending more time with Him in intentional ways throughout my days. As a dad, I feel that I get a front row seat into how God is at work in my kids lives. When I think about it, I am excited to see the gifts, talents and abilities that God has placed in my kids, and how they process those gifts and use them for His purposes. Seeing God at work through my kids is neat; I just have to watch and nurture.

9 Date: Sunday, June 11 Time: 12:30 p.m. Location: Fellowship Hall Sunday, June 11 is the General Business Meeting. This is when we look ahead to the next ministry year. A light lunch will be served, and we will hear of our ministry direction in

10 DEACON Candidate Profiles Grant Memorial Baptist Church Grant Memorial Baptist Church 877 Wilkes Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3P 1B8 General Business Meeting Sunday, June 11 12:30 p.m. Fellowship Hall