Sunday, August 25th
10 AM
All Family Service

As we prepare to elect new members to the Elder Board, we want to share what the Church Constitution currently says about the  Elder Selection Process. Below is a condensed version of what is stated in the Faith Church Constitution.

Selection of Elders

• Nomination: Nominations for Elder Candidates may be received at any time during the year but must be received no later than March 1 to be eligible for a vote at the annual congregational meeting. 
  • This year, there were 23 nominations for the Elder Board. Of the 23 nominees, 18 self-selected out of consideration, and 5 moved on for review.

• Review: The Board of Elders will carefully and confidentially review all nominees based on the Biblical qualities of calling, character, capability, and compatibility. 
  • This year, 2 Elder Nominees were advanced for elder candidacy.
• Candidacy: After the Board of Elders reviews the nominations, approved nominees will be contacted and asked to consent to their names being placed before the congregation at the annual congregational meeting. Elder Candidates begin attending Elder Board meetings during this stage of the process.
  • This year, two Elder Board Nominees and one current Elder Board Member will be up for election.

• Election: Each individual candidate will be selected based on a “yes or no” congregational ballot. A positive vote of 75% of members present at the annual ministry meeting will be required. (Please note that only Faith Church members are eligible to vote.)
  • This year, the Annual Meeting will occur on Sunday, August 25th, during the 10 AM All Church Service.
• Assumption of Office: Newly elected elders will assume office on the first day of Faith’s fiscal year. Outgoing elders will serve until the last day of Faith’s fiscal year.
  • This year, Faith’s new Fiscal Year starts on September 1st. 

If you want to see the entire selection process worded in the Constitution, click here.

*If you are not a Faith Church member and would like to become one by the annual meeting, you can register to attend the upcoming Membership Classes on July 28th and August 12th. You must attend both classes, fill out an application, and meet with a church elder to review that application. To register, click here.

The FY 2024-2025 budget assumes $1,586,235 in total revenue (tithing and program revenue) and $1,574,384 in total expenses (personnel, facilities, and missions as the top three).  The general tithing forecast assumed the current giving trends will continue and start increasing with the filling of open pastoral positions.
 
General tithing averaged $24,103 per week over the last 90 days.  To achieve the revenue goals outlined in the budget, we need to receive on average $27,535 per week.
 
The net income will be used to fund our emergency reserves.

Faith Church has adopted a new model of ministry. In a traditional Senior (or Lead) Pastor model, the Pastor would be responsible for casting vision, leading the staff, being the primary teacher, working alongside the board, equipping the church to do the work of the ministry, and more. To promote health for our pastors, allow them to focus on their gifting, provide the best work environment for the staff, and best support the church, Faith Church will now utilize a Team Leadership Model, with a team of three pastors working together. In this model, each Lead Team Pastor focuses on a different but equally important aspect of the church’s mission according to their gifts. The Lead Team consists of the Executive Pastor (Stuart Chapman), Discipleship Pastor (Gregg Farah), and Teaching Pastor (in the process of hiring for this position).

The Lead Team collaborates on the church’s vision, mission, and key decisions and then leads their areas on behalf of the whole. This balances the leadership responsibilities and enables the different ministries of the church to be more closely integrated with our mission. Shared responsibilities of the Lead Team include:

• Protect staff culture, staff chemistry, and staff values.
• Assist in new staff positions and changes.
• Provide vision and direction for all church-wide action plans.
• Work to cast a clear and compelling vision for ministry leads.
• Facilitate alignment and unity by organizing meetings, retreats, and special events to ensure everyone is synchronized and moving towards shared objectives.
• Provide support and assistance to the Elders as needed or requested.
• Build a cooperative, Christ-centered ministry environment.

 
Faith Church is an elder-governed and staff-led church.

Gary submitted his life to the leadership of Jesus Christ in 1972 while serving in the U.S. Navy. Though he had attended church as a child, he said that he had a lot to learn! He was immediately discipled by a few sailors aboard his ship. After his enlistment, he stayed involved with the larger military ministry for several years and then finished an accounting degree at San Diego State University.

After college graduation, Gary married Donna Mae and they went on staff with The Navigators campus ministries. They raised their four children during the next 19 years and discipled students at Oregon State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

After that, God led Gary to retire from collegiate ministry and move from California to Washington State where Donna Mae grew up. In 1999 they became members of Faith Church and in 2004 Gary was asked to be Faith’s Associate Pastor. In 2010 God led him to retire from pastoring and focus on residential and commercial real estate investing and brokering. In July of 2023 Gary was invited back onto Navigator Staff, focused on helping local churches develop disciple making ministries.

Gary has had the privilege of serving several terms on the Elder Board. He has enjoyed the rewarding experience of being an Elder at Faith.

My name is Jake Schneiderhan. I have been a member of our church and the Student Ministry Pastor here for about seven years. I also contribute to Grow Students, a premier Curriculum for Student Ministries. Prior to working at Faith, I worked for two other churches and in retail management.The majority of my time at Faith is focused on students (6th-12th grade) and their families, but I also provide insight and assistance to our teaching team, other ministries, especially those that surround FSMs' age and stage, and production tech.My wife Kaylee and I grew up locally but lived in Northern California before coming to Faith. We have been married 11 years, have a two-year-old son named Luca, and our second son is due in September! My wife is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and works as a Clinical Supervior in Tukwila.

Time at home with family is cherished; we are homebodies. I enjoy coffee culture and obsess over creating and brewing the best coffee and espresso possible. I love to ski and have been a passholder for most of my life. I am facinated by story and am easily engrossed in someones life, a show, a game, or something I am reading. I am a learner, I want to figure things out.

I want to serve as an Elder at Faith to help see our church continue to grow in health and be set up for a successful future of pursuing God, loving others, and being a good neighbor. I have track record of healthy teams and functional systems and believe I can be an asset on our Board for the next season.

My name is Jeff Messecar and I grew up in Southern California going to church with my family. I gave up control of my life to Jesus in my first year of college. My wife Carol, whom many of you know through Kids Ministry, and I met through our mutual involvement in Cru, and we’ve been married 33 years this fall. We have five children (three girls and two boys) – ages 30, 29, 27,15 and 11, with a grandson who’s six and another grandchild anticipated in early 2025. We moved our family to the PNW a couple of decades ago to be nearer to our extended families and joined Faith Church as members 9 years ago.

I work in the technology industry as a Project Management consultant working with large companies and have worked at a number of the larger companies here in the PNW, including Microsoft, Starbucks, and T-Mobile. I lead a team of consulting project managers, as well.

In my free time I enjoy woodworking and building furniture, especially tables and cabinets. I also love to build electric guitars, especially various Fender-type models. Additionally, I like recording and editing digital video and I am involved in the Worship Arts team as a lead serving on the video team of people who ensure we stream Sunday morningservices. I am also involved in leading a discipleship group with guys who are also looking to disciple others.

In humility my prayer is that God will utilize me to help lead this family-of-faith towards a deeper relationship with Jesus and to see his name be better known throughout the world starting with our neighbors.