Ministry Plan & Deacon affirmation

Emmanuel Baptist Church // 2024–25

Dear Emmanuel Family and Friends,

It is a privilege to partner with you in seeing the Kingdom of Jesus grow!

Every week at Emmanuel, hearts and lives are being changed by the grace of God and the power of His word. What an amazing year God gave us in 2023–2024! By God’s grace, every aspect of our ministry has experienced growth and development again this year. This is largely a result of your faithful and generous investment in Jesus’ Kingdom.

The ministry plan presented below represents hundreds of hours of prayer, planning, and consultation. We are excited about how God has led in this process. This plan involves the work of about three dozen gifted and devoted people over several months, and it represents the unified hearts of all of our pastors, deacons, finance team, and independent CPA/consulting firm. More importantly, we believe this plan honors Jesus in mission, expresses faith in God’s direction, and demonstrates fiscal responsibility in wise stewardship.

By this plan, we earnestly and prayerfully desire to press forward passionately in gospel ministry, and we celebrate the many obvious ways in which God is active in our church and in our lives.

The purpose of Emmanuel is to “Love God, Grow Together, and Serve Others.” The plan articulated in the graphic below shows our annual budget through the lens of our purpose. As you review it, you will see the percentage allocation of our collective giving as it flows directly into Kingdom initiatives and healthy church ministry and mission.

Thank you for your faithful generosity to the Kingdom of Jesus through Emmanuel. We are grateful for your investment, and we take the stewardship of your gifts very soberly. As a pastor, I personally pray often that God will financially bless and increase our church families so that they might willingly and generously bless His gospel purposes flowing through Emmanuel. We look forward to all that God has in store for us this year.

As always, if you have questions, please ask. After you review the plan below, please click the link to continue to the affirmation page.

Blessings to you as you seek first Jesus’ Kingdom!

Pastor Cary
With the Pastoral Staff, Deacons, and Finance Team

OUR MINISTRY PLAN for 2024–25

This year’s plan proposes a total increase of 5% over this past year’s actual provision. The numbers on this plan include both our general fund as well as Emmanuel Global (missions) budget. This increase is modest in view of the growth and needs of the ministry, and it also reflects the real rising costs of a growing, healthy ministry in today’s economic environment. We anticipate that God will use all of us to exceed this goal for His glory and Kingdom. Please examine the purpose-centric graphic, and click the button to personally affirm this year’s plan.

Love God.

Grow

Together.

Serve

Others

Love God. Grow Together. Serve Others

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT DEACONS

The Story of the First Deacons:

Acts 6:1–7

“1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

The Qualifications of the Office of a Deacon:

1 Timothy 3:8–13

“8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Selecting deacons is one of the weightiest responsibilities of a pastor, church leaders, and a church family. As go the leaders of a church, so goes the church.

The word “deacon” literally means “servant.” The verb form of the word “deacon” literally means to serve or to wait on.

The New Testament church arranged for the office of deacons for the purposes of caring for and meeting the needs of the church family (see Acts 6) and for supporting the overall health and forward mission of the church.

The first deacons were selected because of congregational murmuring resulting from neglected needs. Those selected were appointed to minister to the needs which resolved the murmuring and ensured that the church family was well cared for. As the deacons assumed these responsibilities, the pastors were able to focus on their roles of “the ministry of the word and prayer.” You could summarize it by saying deacons ministered to physical needs while pastors ministered to spiritual needs.

The men selected in Acts 6 were qualified as: men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit, capable of administrating responsibilities, full of faith. As they selected and delegated responsibility to these men, the church family was well cared for, the word of God grew, and the number of believers greatly multiplied.

Practically speaking, deacons and their wives were peace-making, engaged, spiritually mature servants of Jesus who were already supportive of the church and its leaders. They were not troublesome people, issue oriented, or driven by personal agenda. They were faith filled, optimistic encouragers who lived honorably and served effectively to allow God’s work to thrive.

Deacons were supporters and facilitators of gospel ministry and gospel ministers.

Our present church leaders are happy to recommend the following new deacons who have been interviewed, vetted, and who are willing to embrace this new role of service to our church. These couples have demonstrated spiritual maturity, faithful stewardship, missional devotion, and a spirit-filled demeanor within our church family.

After reviewing the names below, please click the link to log in and enter your responses in the affirmation of our new deacons.

David & Ghia Ash

David and Ghia Ash have been part of the church since August 2021, and currently lead the second service for the 4th to 6th graders in EBC Kids.

Jeff & Carol Coleman

Jeff and Carol Coleman have attended Emmanuel in person since February 2021. Carol serves in our nurseries, and Jeff is involved with Emmanuel Worship.

Jeff & Mildred East

Jeff and Mildred East connected with Emmanuel during COVID in March 2020. They attended online until the church opened again and they could attend in person, becoming members in March 2021. Jeff and Mildred serve faithfully on the Greeters Team.

Keith & Barbara Kanoun

Keith and Barbara Kanoun have been at Emmanuel since March 2020. Keith is part of the Media Team, and Barbara is part of the Bookstore, Content Editing, and Missions Care Teams, and sometimes teaches ladies Groups.

John & Sharon Neyer

John and Sharon Neyer been members of Emmanuel for over eight years. John leads the Reboot Trauma Recovery Group, and together they have worked with couples as a part of the Discipleship Team.

Peter & Mary Paranzino

Peter and Mary Paranzino have attended EBC for approximately five years. Peter is presently a part of the support staff helping both Pastor Steven and Pastor Sherwin. Peter also teaches in small Groups on Wednesday nights.

Peter & Amanda Tierney

Peter and Amanda Tierney moved from Southern California and joined EBC in the fall of 2020. They both serve on the Emmanuel Worship Team, and Amanda is also on the Content and Nursery Teams.

DEACON AFFIRMATION

Our present church leaders are happy to recommend these new deacons who have been interviewed, vetted, and who are willing to embrace this new role of service to our church. These couples have demonstrated spiritual maturity, faithful stewardship, missional devotion, and a spirit-filled demeanor within our church family. Please click the link below to log in and enter your responses in the affirmation of our new church budget and new deacons.

Existing Deacons

 

Bill & Ellie Bechter

Bill and Ellie Bechter have been married for 53 years and members of EBC for 50 years. Ellie worked for 27 years at Emmanuel Christian Academy and now volunteers with the Emmanuel Encouragers Care Team. Bill is a faithful member of the Emmanuel Worship Choir and helps the church office with weekly data entry.

Mike & Brenda Berard

Mike and Brenda Berard have been at the church for 13 years. Brenda is a faithful volunteer in EBC’s nurseries, and Mike serves on special teams in addition to his role as a deacon.

Mike & Kathy Crowley

Mike and Kathy Crowley have been at EBC for over 40 years. Kathy leads an eGroup one night a week, and Mike is presently involved with the Usher Team and the Bread Delivery Team.

Dale & Neveta Martin

Dale and Neveta Martin have been at EBC for 23 years. They are part of the Emmanuel Worship Choir and the Care Team, and they have served and supported Emmanuel Christian Academy in many capacities over the years. Neveta also serves faithfully in the nurseries.

Matt & Kendra Nemeth

Matt and Kendra Nemeth moved to attend Emmanuel in the fall of 2019. Matt serves as a Groups teacher and is active with the Emmanuel Worship Team. Kendra serves at the Next Steps tables and finds time to teach their three rambunctious boys.

Lawren & Kathryn Owens

Lawren and Kathryn Owens have been at the church for almost five years. Kathryn is a part of the Emmanuel Worship Team, and Lawren serves on the Care Team.

Charley Wright

Charley Wright has been a member of EBC for over 50 years. He has served faithfully for many years as a deacon, in the Emmanuel Worship Choir, and several other ministries.

Mike & Mary Kate Zachary

Mike and Mary Kate Zachary have been part of the church for six years. Mike loves to serve on special teams in addition to his role as a deacon. Mary Kate is the music director at Emmanuel Christian Academy.

Mike & Nana Zemlok

Mike and Nana Zemlok have been members at EBC for seven years. They have supported the EBC Kids ministry, the Care Team, and the Kitchen Team. Mike and Nana have two children: Beka, who is 23 years old, and Nicholas, who is 12 years old.

Our Ministry Theme Verse

“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
—Philippians 1:27