THE FABULOUS FIFTIES
It was the fifties and war raged in Korea until an armistice was signed
in 1953. General Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower became president.
The first hydrogen bomb was detonated. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were
sentenced to death for treason. Castro led an uprising in Cuba. Many
school districts in the South defied the Supreme Court ruling on segregation.
It was the fifties and Jonas Salk developed a polio vaccine. Russia
launched Sputnik and America launched three earth-orbiting satellites.
Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states. Oh yes, U.S. first
class postage was increased to four cents.
It was the fifties and the Three Stooges made their television debut.
I Love Lucy and Dragnet became favorite TV programs. Mr. Potato Head
became the first toy advertised on television. David Seville produced
The Chipmunk Song and a singer by the name of Elvis skyrocketed to fame.
And, during this time, great things were happening for a new congregation
of the Mennonite Brethren In Christ Church, in Lancaster. A charter
membership included 31 members: Earl and Harriet Gentzler; Clara Hagens;
Horace, Aletha, and Barry Kauffman; James and Beulah Koch; Merle and
Bertha Lefever; Allen, Elsie, and Robert Minnig; Parke, Margaret, Kenneth,
Shirley, Ruth, and Esther Rankin; Harry, Alice, Donald, Daniel, and
Kathleen Sheffy; Raymond and Elizabeth Snyder; Mary Sturgis; Mr. and
Mrs. Harry Tyson; Herman and Helen Wollwerth. During the first ten years
this new congregation had its membership grow from 31 to 47 and its
Sunday School attendance grow to an average of 106.
1950 James G. Koch assigned as founding pastor
7/22/50 First meeting in tent at Broad and Orange Street. First Sunday
School session on August 6 saw 28 in
attendance with Horace Kauffman, Mrs. Beula Koch,
Parke Rankin and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sheffy
serving as teachers
9/3/50 First meeting in Malta Temple, E. King Street
10/17/50 First church social, Thanksgiving party, held at Malta Temple
2/7/51 First local conference with Jansen E. Hartman as chairman
4/30/51 Congregation approves resolution to have church built by Benjamin
Groff at cost of $23,177.
5/23/51 First election of officers (S.S. Supt.-Harry Sheffy, Steward
- Horace Kauffman, Building Fund
Collector - Raymond
Snyder, Merle Lefever and Horace Kauffman, trustees
7/51 Groundbreaking for new building
8/11/51 Tent meetings held at Old Lafayette School. First VBS held.
8/51 Cornerstone laid for new building
9/51 First class leaders elected - Parke Rankin and Horace Kauffman
11/1/51 First services in basement of new church at Prospect and Hager
Sts.
 |
|
First Church Building on Prospect Street |
1/1/52 New building dedicated (A.G. Wooding-scripture, F.B.
Hertzog - prayer, P.T. Stengele - message,
Jansen Hartman - dedication, W.F.
Heffner - prayer,
R.C. Reichenbach - benediction)
4/2/52 Womens’ Missionary Society organized
11/14/52 Annual Conference recognizes congregation as
Mission Church
6/9/53 Menno Youth organized
9/8/53 Congregation chooses name of Faith Mennonite
Brethren In Christ Church
10/54 Frank L. Herb, Jr. assigned as second pastor
3/25/56 First meeting of Official Board
2/12/58 Congregation purchases 532 Prospect St. as a parsonage at a
cost of $14,500.
9/17/58 Annual Conference grants status as self-supporting church
9/17/58 Congregation votes to recommend name change to United Bible
Church
9/58 Church choir formed with Barry Kauffman as director
10/58 Rudy H. Gehman assigned as third pastor
6/23/59 Name changed to Faith Bible Fellowship Church
THE
STUNNING SIXTIES
It was the sixties and John Kennedy was elected president. The Bay of
Pigs invasion failed and the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to
the edge of nuclear war. John Glenn orbited the earth. The Berlin War
was built. The world was stunned when President Kennedy was assassinated
and Lyndon Johnson became president.
It was the sixties and Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a
Dream” speech. Civil rights marches continued. The war in Vietnam
expanded. Riots and protests abounded. Draft cards were burnt. Dr. King
and Robert Kennedy were assassinated. Richard Nixon became president.
Three American astronauts orbited the earth in Apollo 8. First man walks
on the moon.
It was the sixties and Cassius Clay became the heavyweight champ. He changed
his name to Muhammad Ali and announced his allegiance to the Nation of
Islam. The Beetles took the country by storm. Thousands flocked to Woodstock.
Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In became a TV favorite. Etch-a-Sketch
became a top seller. And, oh yes, Wal Mart opened its first store.
During the sixties, bearing a new name, the Faith Bible Fellowship Church
of Lancaster continued to grow. By the end of the decade the membership
grew to 100, the Sunday School attendance grew to an average of 165
and total receipts reached $26,666.
8/16/61 Death of Pastor Gehman
10/61 Norman H. Weiss appointed as fourth pastor
1/24/62 Congregation voted to eliminate feet washing
8/15/62 Incorporation of Local Church authorized
11/20/63 First church budget approved (General $5772, Missions $1350,
Pastor $3840, Sunday School
separate)
9/12/64 Land adjacent to church was purchased at cost of $16,472
7/66 Christian Education added to church budget
5/67 Parsonage sold for $13,500 and new parsonage was constructed at 608
Prospect St. at a cost of $22,075
10/67 John Dunn assigned as fifth pastor
5/68 First new piano purchased for church at a cost of $675
9/30/68 Position of elected building fund collector eliminated
2/16/69 Building committee appointed
7/31/69 Position of steward eliminated
8/3/69 Construction approved for new building to be built by Abram S.
Horst at a cost of $119,000.
8/6/69 First unified budget adopted ($34,400)
8/10/69 Organ purchased and installed for $1,400
9/21/69 Groundbreaking for new building
11/69 First church bulletins mimeographed
THE SHIFTING SEVENTIES
It was the seventies and Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter
served as president. Nixon and V.P. Spiro Agnew resigned under threat
of impeachment. Jim Jones and 900 followers died in a mass suicide. Unmanned
space probes explored the moon, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, and Venus.
Nineteen were killed in terrorist siege at Munich Olympic Games. Roe vs.
Wade made abortion legal. Radioactive leak happened at Three Mile Island.
It was the seventies and a new vocabulary sweep the world - floppy disk,
microprocessor, Atari games, VCR, ultrasound, DNA, Earth Day, test tube
babies, Watergate.
It was the seventies and Star Wars became one of the highest grossing
films ever. Roots, Brady Bunch, Happy Days, Saturday Night Live became
popular on TV. The term “rock & roll” became almost meaningless
as music changed. The Beetles broke up and Elvis died. The average salary
was $15,757 and the minimum wage was $3.10. Oh yes, a BMW cost $12,000.
Faith Bible Fellowship Church continued to grow with a new building and
a bus ministry. During this decade the congregation reached a membership
of 131 and an average Sunday School attendance of 213. Giving reached
$57,936.
 |
| Second building, Seymour and Prospect Sts. |
6/7/70 Position of janitor approved
8/2/70 First service held in new building.
2/20/71 Local Conferences reduced from four to two
6/15/71 Service times changed to 9 a.m. for Sunday School
and 10:15
a.m. for worship
71 Church library started by Gary and Marlene Varner
3/72 Church hosts adjourned session of Annual Conference
5/7/72 First nominating committee appointed
5/72 First mother and daughter banquet
5/24/72 Congregation approves plans for CE building renovation, including
a kitchen ($1949),
emergency lighting ($2066), and dividing curtains ($6530)
5/24/72 Congregation approves formation of a nine-person elder board
8/27/72 Parking lot addition approved at cost of $2047
9/72 First Ladies Bible study begun by Dianne Kauffman
10/25/72 1961 Reo bus purchased and bus ministry established
1/21/73 Pastor Dunn attends Bus Ministry Conference at Thomas Road Baptist
Church
4/73 Church softball team established
6/10/73 Ken Good, a son of the church, appointed as student pastor
8/73 Summer film festival on church parking lot established
8/25/74 Church accepts gift of 12-passenger limousine
9/14/74 First visitation program established
4/13/75 Approval given to purchase a 1967 International
bus
5/16/76 Board approved sale of bus and limousine
10/10/76 Church buys 1975 Plymouth van for $6,100
5/5/77 Board of Elders begins study of establishment of deacons
6/7/79 Pastor Dunn announced his plans to retire on September 30, 1979
6/15/79 Congregation approves repair and sealing of all parking lots and
alleys ($3,353)
THE ELECTRIC EIGHTIES
It was the eighties and Ronald Regan was president, followed by George
Bush. It was the time of hostile takeovers, leveraged buyouts, and mega-mergers.
It became the Me! Me! Me! generation of status seekers. It was a time
of binge buying and credit. The vocabulary now included video games, aerobics,
minivans, camcorders and talk shows. Personal computers became common
in homes, offices, and schools.
It was the eighties and the Challenger exploded. 52 hostages were released
after 444 days of captivity in Iran. The Berlin Wall came down. Sandra
Day O’Conner became the first woman Supreme Court Justice. AIDS
took its toll.
It was the eighties and news shows blossomed - Nightline, CNN Cable News,
20/20, 60 Minutes. 60 percent of homes with televisions received cable
service. It was the time of the Smurfs, E.T., Cabbage Patch Dolls, and
Rubik’s Cube. Oh yes, the average salary was $13.57 an hour and
the minimum wage jumped to $5.15.
The eighties continued to be a time of change and growth at Faith BFC.
Membership during this decade reached 220 with a high Sunday School average
attendance of 201. Giving grew to $224,314 a year.
3/6/80 Middle Adult Fellowship recognized
7/13/80 David A. Thomann called as sixth pastor
12/80 Men’s Prayer Breakfast established
12/7/80 Congregation approved addition of air conditioning for church
at a cost not to exceed $15,000 and
installation of sound
system at a cost not to exceed $6,000
12/7/80 Pastor Dunn hired as Pastor of Visitation
2/15/81 Evening church service changed to 7:00 P.M..
3/81 Sunday School evaluation conducted by Norman Jerome
1/82 Awana established
1/82 Comprehensive church survey conducted
8/7/82 Committee Night concept approved
11/13/82 Elders Care program initiated
1/83 AWANA holds first meeting
5/15/83 Board recommends hiring of a secretary
5/15/83 Board recommends budgeting for a pastoral intern
10/03/83 Bob Johnson appointed as pastoral intern
6/17/84 New Allen Model 520 organ approved
8/5/84 Building Committee approved
9/84 Representatives sent to be trained in Evangelism Explosion
10/10/84 Purchase of 1984 Plymouth van approved
3/31/85 Congregation approves building project at a maximum cost of $372,000
4/14/85 Groundbreaking held for new church addition
6/2/85 Sacrificial giving goal of $25,000 surpassed
 |
Addition joining two
buildings on Prospect St. |
3/15/86 Used 1985 van purchase approved
6/8/86 Pastor Thomann resigned to become Director of
Pinebrook Bible Conference
6/15/86 Church By-laws approved
6/14/87 Congregation approves call to Pastor Thomann to return as pastor
10/87 Pastor Dunn resigns to move to Florida
5/15/88 Pat Whalen hired as pastoral intern
6/88 Church sponsors summer missionary trip to South Dakota
1/15/89 Two morning worship services instituted
2/15/89 David E. Thomann hired as Pastor of Visitation
9/17/89 Dan DeLozier appointed as Pastor of Ministries
THE NUMBING NINETIES
The nineties brought the electronic age. The World Wide Web was born in
1992, changing the way we communicate (email), spend our money (online
gambling, stores), and do business (e-commerce). By 1994,
three million people were online. By 1998, 100 million people were
connected and were using internet lingo like plug-ins, FAQS, SPAM, FTP,
ISP, and phrases like "See you online", "The server's
down", or "Bill Gates". And, everyone had a cell
phone.
It was the decade of the Persian Gulf War, the election of Bill Clinton,
a major league baseball strike, Ronald Reagan announcing that he had Alzheimer’s
Disease, the car bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, the bomb
at the Summer Winter Olympics in Atlanta, the reelection of the Clinton-Gore
ticket, the deaths of Princess Diana (36) and Mother Teresa (87), the
impeachment of Clinton, the NBA labor dispute, and the shootings at Columbine.
The trend in book selling included online bookstores and publishers like
amazon.com. Borders, or Barnes and Noble. The booming economy led to record
low unemployment. The stock market reached an all time high as individuals
learned to buy and trade via the internet. Fads included Tae-bo, in-line
skates, beanie babies, Furby, Tickle Me Elmo, WWJD, Yo-yos, tattoos and
body piercing, and video games. The ten most popular tv shows were Cheers,
60 Minutes, Home Improvement, Seinfeld, E.R., Touched by an Angel, Friends,
Veronica’s Closet, NFL Monday Night Football, and Frazier.
This decade was also an exciting time of change, challenge, and growth
for Faith Bible Fellowship.
5/15/90 Calendar fiscal year approved
7/15/90 Resignation of David E. Thomann accepted
8/5/90 Congregation approved housing allowance for pastor with parsonage
to be used by Pastor of Ministries
and basement for congregational
use
8/11/90 Word of Life approved
11/11/90 Major renovation of Junior Department approved at cost of $25,088
11/11/90 By-laws revised, including the establishment of a Board of Deacons
91 Strategic Planning Committee appointed
91 Founding of regional Missions Consortium
4/28/91 Deacons elected for first time
6/16/91 Kevin Gehman appointed as Youth Pastor
9/91 First Celebration of Worship and Praise service
91 Renovation of primary department and construction of new office completed
91 Project Widows program developed by deacons
92 First 50-Day Spiritual Adventure held
1/22/94 Strategic Plan adopted by elders and deacons
2/27/94 Strategic Plan presented to congregation
2/94 Resignation of Kevin Gehman accepted
94 Hungary Missions Venture sends 36 to Word of Life in Toalmas, Hungary
94 Elders approve Save 1-Give 2 offering project
2/7/95 Architect presents his review of current facilities
7/26/95 Resignation of Daniel DeLozier accepted
7/95 Relocation Committee appointed
10/95 Shepherding Program approved
3/17/96 William J. Whalen hired as Pastor of Ministries
96 Church groups sent to minister in France and South Dakota
9/96 Elders set minimum price for sale of church property
2/23/97 David E. Thomann hired as Pastor of Visitation
6/97 Team of 12 sent to Brazil to help Millers with construction of a
CE building
10/97 Ministry of Arts approved
10/4/97 Men of church participate in Stand in the Gap rally in Washington
D.C.
11/97 M.I.G.H.T. and Women of Faith ministries approved
2/22/98 Approved purchase of property at Woods of Round Top for $730,000
4/98 Building committee appointed
6/28/98 Rudy H. Gehman Leadership Award created and given to Selma Burdess,
Horace A. Kauffman, and
Monroe Kreisher
7/13/98 Team of nine sent to help with construction of Seneca Adventure
Christian Camp
8/98 Rev. John Dunn named first recipient of Pastor Emeritus Honor.
12/6/98 Brian D. Frable hired as Youth Pastor
5/30/99 Rudy H. Gehman Leadership Awards given to Barry Kauffman and Richard
Gehman
7/99 Woods of Roundtop option abandoned due to rising land development
costs and zoning problems
12/5/99 Approved purchase of Weaver Road property, 23 acres for $650,000
99 Sale of parsonage
THE TROUBLING
TWENTY-FIRST
The new century began without all the predicted Y2K computer crashes,
although the “I Love You” virus did disrupt computers worldwide.
SARS and Mad Cow Disease became part of our vocabulary. George W. Bush
was named president after a disputed, close election featuring controversy,
hanging chads, and recounts in Florida. Four years later he was
elected to a second term.
On September 11, terrorism came to the United States when hijacked jetliners
destroyed the twin towers at the World Trade Center and hit the Pentagon.
Within days, Islamic militant Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda terrorist
network were identified as the parties behind the attacks. Anthrax-laced
letters were sent to media and government officials. Suicide bombings
became common worldwide. The United States battled terrorism by sending
troops to Afghanistan and then to Iraq. Hussein was captured by US troops.
Insurgents lengthened the war in Iraq causing many casualties. Katrina
devastated New Orleans and much of the area in that part of the country
caused mass evacuations. The price of gasoline and heating oil skyrocketed.
Enron came under investigation, WorldCom filed for bankruptcy, Martha
Stewart was indicted, the New York Time’s editors resigned over
plagiarism, at least 789 children were reported being sexually abused
by 250 priests in Boston, a gay bishop was approved by the Episcopal Church,
and gay marriages began to get approval and recognition. Researchers cloned
an Idaho mule, the Space Shuttle exploded killing all seven crew members,
and two snipers killed ten and wounded others in Washington D.C.
The Ten Commandments came under attack in many areas and Alabama Chief
Justice Roy S. Moore was removed from office for failing to remove a 5,280-pound
monument of the Ten Commandments. Reality television and The American
Idol became the new entertainment fads and a film, “The Passion
of the Christ”, raised much controversy.
The new century also presented Faith Bible Fellowship with many changes,
new opportunities, and new challenges.
00 Beginning of Joshua’s Men leadership program
6/18/00 Church property sold to New Song Fellowship Church for $525,000
7/22/00 50th Anniversary banquet at Farm and Home Center
00 Plan developed for the transition of William Whalen to ministry with
A.M.F.
11/00 Congregation holds Sunday services in Ramada Inn
12/1/00 Approved hiring of a full-time custodian, Will Harris
12/00 Congregation begins to worship in transition facility, the former
Calvary Church
2/26/01 Land development plans approved
4/8/01 Rudy H. Gehman Leadership Award presented to Marcella Rampy, Pat
Laxton, and
Richard Matthews
4/8/01 Gregory A. Uhrich hired as Pastor of Ministries to begin employment
in June
4/20/01 Settlement for new property
5/1/01 Pastor Thomann begins sabbatical
6/12/01 Pastoral Care Policy adopted
7/22/01 Dedication of new property
8/20/01 Stewardship Campaign implemented
10/31/01 First Fruits Sunday
12/31/01 Resignation of Brian Frable accepted
2/24/02 Article XI of the Bylaws removed from Bylaws and placed into an
Appendix
6/02 Groundbreaking for new building
02 Marriage Savers program approved
02 Child Abuse Prevention Policy approved
8/18/02 Rudy H. Gehman Leadership Award presented to Clair E. Harstad
9/19/02 The Purpose Driven Church Plan approved
02 Dissolution of Women’s Missionary Society approved
02 Short-term Missions Policy approved
02 David E. Thomann named Pastor Emeritus
 |
Donerville Road Property |
6/15/03 First service in new building
7/20/03 Dedication of new church building
8/3/03 Open House held for new church building
10/03 Claire E. Harstad hired as Associate Pastor
1/04 Implementation of Purpose Driven Church
2/29/04 Revision of bylaws approved
2/29/04 Pastor David E. Thomann retires to relocate to
Fellowship Terrace in
Whitehall
8/01/04 Friend Day/Community Open House
04 Second service reintroduced at 9 a.m.
04 Membership Covenant adopted
07/04 Gena Bulgrien approved for missionary service
01/05 Forty day “Purpose Driven Life” ministry
03/05 Youth move ministry to Thursday nights
05 Plans begun to remodel horse barn into a youth center
08/05 Gift of $250,000 received from Hatfield Meats toward new youth center
09/25/05 Community Open House
 |
New Softball Field |
02/06 Campaign begun for $20,000 to complete softball
field
5/13/06 Softball field dedicated and first game
held on
new field
08/08/06 Softball team wins championship of
Fundamental Softball
League
09/23/06 Pastor Thomann honored by congregation for
25 years of ministry
at Faith
 |
Original Horse Barn
Before Upgrade |
06/21/07 Softball field named "HA Kauffman Field"
08/01/07 Softball Team wins championship of Fundamental Church League
09/09/07 Horse Barn dedicated and named Stables
Youth Center
09/16/07 Keith Long begins as youth pastor
 |
|
Stables Youth Center Completed |
02/08 Newer church van purchased
06/08 Pastor Thomann begins three-month sabbatical leave
07/08 Softball team wins division title of Fundamental
Church League and is third place in state church tournament
 |
 |
 |
1976 CHAMPIONS |
1990 CHAMPIONS |
|
 |
 |
 |
2000 CHAMPIONS |
FIRST PITCH |
2006 CHAMPIONS |
 |
2007 CHAMPIONS |
CELEBRATING
5 YEARS AT DONERVILLE ROAD - JUNE 15 |
||
|
|
 |
THE BEGINNINGS |
THE EXPANSION |
TEMPORARY RELOCATION |
 |
 |
 |
THE NEW PROPERTY |
DEDICATION OF PROPERTY |
GROUNDBREAKING DAY |
 |
 |
 |
GROUNDBREAKING |
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS |
LAND DEVELOPMENT |
 |
 |
 |
DIGGING THE FOUNDATION |
BUILT ON A FIRM FOUNDATION |
UP GOES THE STEEL |
 |
 |
 |
TAKING FORM |
ALMOST DONE |
READY FOR INSPECTION |