Dear Friend in Christ, This will be my final column in the Faithfinder, as my final Sunday with you is July 18. First of all, I want to say ‘THANK YOU” for the warm welcome Natalie and I have received into your fellowship these past 14 months. We have truly felt your wonderful friendship as you invited us to become a part of your fellowship and ministry here at Faith Baptist Church. Do you realize all that has happened over these past months together? It was not too long after arriving here that it was found the congregation “owed” back into its restricted and designated funds around $21,000, and you owed around $6,000 to your retiring senior pastor in back pay and benefits. You also had obligated yourselves to paying the health premiums of your former youth pastor up through September of 2009 at about $1,200 per month. We also discovered that commitments to missions had not been paid for a long time. Since that May of 2009, you have repaid all the designated funds, paid the retiring pastor in full, and fulfilled your commitment to the former youth pastor, and most of 2009 missions commitments were made by the end of the year. Since the beginning of 2010, we have brought on a half-time youth minister, paid all missions commitments in full, and set aside additional funds to help with major maintenance and utility costs, and a good fund to assure moving your new pastor to Fort Wayne. In addition to the financial advances, we have baptized several persons, we have received a few by transfer of membership. We have seen and experienced a renewal of unity, found people volunteer to help with the needed custodial jobs, experienced many times of rejoicing together at various special events, seen the pre-school continue to thrive, been very well kept informed by the Search Committee as to their work, and many other wonderful things. I just want to congratulate you on all your accomplishments. You are truly ready for Pastor Steve Roper (and his family) to come lead you on into a good and Christ-centered, God-honoring future! I hope you will read carefully the booklet I have prepared for you regarding how to welcome and serve with your new pastor. Please be faithful in prayer, in attendance and participation, in unity (it is “we,” more than “me”) and in giving of God’s tithes and your offerings throughout the year. May our Lord bless you richly with His strength, wisdom, grace, love, and… Joy & peace, Pastor Ron P. S. My final sermon, which I hope to deliver myself, will be on July 18.