Greetings From Pastor Ron
People everywhere are looking for a warm, loving and accepting place; full of life and purpose, a place where there is a sense of family belonging, a place to find practical advice for daily living where they can grow in their relationship with Christ and the Church. Our church is that kind of place –a place to Experience Grace!
Jesus gave the Church a pretty simple purpose; Love God, Love People, and help other folks become the same kind of God pleasing people. Our hope and prayer is that together we will continue to encounter the living God, enrich our love and life with and for other people, express that love and life with compassion, and experience the Spirit of Christ more and more.
Come and worship and be a part of the Grace of God with us.
Audio Greeting
OUR VISION AND MISSION
Our Vision: Encounter God, Enrich Relationships, Express Compassion, Experience Grace
We Exist to Experience and Express the Grace of God in Central Pennsylvania and around the Globe. We exist to Encounter the Presence, Power and Purposes of the Lord Jesus. We exist to Extend God's Grace in its various forms to reach, join, build-up and prepare Gods people to be filled with the fullness of Christ. And we exist to Encourage the Character and Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Our Mission:
Grow in Grace to become strong Disciples and to make new Disciples of Christ.
Reach with Grace by Inspiration, Influence, Invitation and Investment in Relationships.
Abide in Grace through Prayer, Preaching, Praise, Worship and the Word of God.
Care with Grace by Serving and Giving to the Family of God and our World.
Empower with Grace to Equip the Generations to fulfill their Destiny in Christ.
We Value a balanced devotion to the Word and Spirit of God. We value Excellence and Integrity as they honor the Father. We value the Five-fold Ministry Gifts of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. We value the gifts, graces, talents and diversity of people. We value healthy Families as the primary building blocks of the Church and Community. We value meaningful loving Relationships, as ministry flows through relationships. We value Service, Sacrifice and the Sacraments as practical expressions of the Christian Faith. We value Local, Regional, National and Global Outreach and Mission Activity. We value Unity, Harmony and Teamwork for accomplishing common goals and vision.
PASTORS AND ELDERS
Senior Pastor: Ron Neff
Pastor Ron and his wife Cyndi are a blessing to the church. Through their Faith, Hope and Love, they have exemplified a Godly relationship and household an have inspired others to follow Christ.
Pastor Ron has a shepherds heart, is a gifted preacher and teacher, and has an incredible hunger to know God deeper and to edify others about Jesus. Cyndi's passion is to encourage homemakers to be virtuous women and to strengthen marriages and families. The Neff's desire to see hearts and homes honoring the Father through intimacy and friendship with the Holy Spirit, and with one another. Ron holds a Bachelors degree with the Christian Life School of Theology, Columbus, GA., and has been a past member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Ron and Cyndi have also completed a 3yr Pastoral Leadership program (WINGS) at Elim Fellowship where Pastor Ron is ordained as a credential holder (see www.elimfellowship.org). The Neff's reside in the Lewistown area and are the proud parents of three adult children, Ryan (wife Laura), Samantha and Johnathan.
Elder: Larry Shaffer
Elder Larry and his wife Lucy have demonstrated through word and deed and have personified the position of servant-leaders in our church. The Shaffer's are a role model to many through their love and dedication to Jesus Christ and His people. The Shaffer's also faithfully serve in our Hand of Grace food distribution ministry. In addition to serving as an Elder, Larry is also a gifted Bible teacher, equipper of the Word, and businessman. The Shaffer's have a passion to see the Body of Christ fully functioning as "Kings and Priests" moving with the Holy Spirit in our daily walk with Him. The Shaffer's reside in the Penns-Valley area and are the proud parents of four adult children; Eva, Julie, Candace and Larry Jr.
Elder: Terri Johnson
Elder Terri and her husband Rodney (deacon) have been long-time leaders within Grace Covenant Church. They have
been especially active with Women's and Men's Ministries and have also been vital Student Ministry leaders. Terri is a gifted
and humble teacher with a prophetic anointing. She also has a passion for prayer. Rodney has a strong gift of encouragement. The Johnson's have a heart for families and a desire to see the generations coming together to honor God. The Johnson's reside in the Reedsville area and are the proud parents of two adult children; Joelle and Kelsey.
Elder: Randy Pepple
Elder Randy and his wife Brook (deacon) have a heart for the things of God and His Church. Randy is a gifted teacher with the
humorous heart and a love of history that flavors his style of ministry. Brook has a passion for God and a desire to serve Christ
with her whole heart. Brook is a vital leader in our Audio and Visual ministry at the church. Randy also serves with the worship team and with our Hand-of Grace food distribution ministry. Randy and Brook have a heart to see people worshipping God with heart, soul, mind and strength and loving each other with the kindness and faithfulness of Christ. The Pepple's reside in the Lewistown area.
Assistant Pastor: Joshua Nuss
Pastor Josh and his wife Hannah are both graduates of Elim Bible
Institute, Lima NY (www.elim.edu). Joshua and Hannah have a heart to see young and old alike passionate about their relationship with Jesus and to see folks healed and set-free through the anointing of Christ. Josh is a gifted teacher and worshiper and desires to help others know God genuinely. Josh and Hannah especially have a heart to reach and disciple young people in the will and ways of God; ministering Gods grace to teens and pre-teens. Josh also serves with the worship team and with our Hand-of Grace food distribution ministry as well as assisting with overall pastoral care. Joshua and Hannah and children, Nathanael, Adalynn, Elizabeth, and Levi live in the Lewistown area.
Hand of Grace Pastor: Barbara Mannino
Pastor Barbara has a heart for the hurting and downcast. Her ministry of compassion through word and song inspires hope to the hopeless and joy to the distressed and sorrowful. She has been pastoring our Hand-of-Grace congregation from the inception of our food distribution ministry since 1999 and also ministers in a variety of ways in our community. Her passion is to see folks completely set free by the love and grace of God. Barb holds a Bachelors degree with the Christian Life School of Theology, Columbus, GA. Her and husband Cosmo live in the Stodes Mills area and are the parents of five adult children Cindy (deceased), Tina, Tim, Justin and Jason.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Statement of Faith, Biblical Morality, and Christian Ethics:
• We believe the Holy Bible to be the inspired and only infallible, authoritative Word of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Hebrews 4:12; Duet. 29:29; Ps. 102:18; 119:160)
• We believe in the Triune Godhead as eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Gen. 1:26; 3:22, 11:7; Isa. 6:8; Matt. 3:16, 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4; 1 Peter 1:2; Jude 20)
• We believe in the deity of The Father as the infinite and unchangeable Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. (Gen. 1 and 2; Jn. 1:1-3; Heb. 1:1-4)
• We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious death and atonement through His shed Blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His present priestly ministry. (1 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 3:25,26; Matt. 1:18; Jn. 1:29; Lk. 24:7; Php. 2:8; Gal. 3:13-14; Jn. 10:25-27, 10:32; Heb. 1:3, 4:14-16; Lk. 4:18; Rev. 19:16)
• We believe in the deity of The Holy Spirit who seals and empowers the believer for life and ministry. (Eph. 1:13; Acts 2:8; 2 Peter 1:3; Mark 16:15-18; Rom. 8:9-11; 1 Pet. 1:11)
• We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. We further believe in the keeping power of God. (Heb. 9:22; Jude 24,25) We further believe that Salvation is the spiritual process of restoration and wholeness with God; spirit, soul and body. (1 Cor. 1:18; 1 Th. 5:23; Php. 2:12; Heb. 4:12, 9:14; 2 Cor. 3:18)
• We believe that sanctification, holiness and the overcoming life is God’s design for the Church, which is the Bride of Christ. (Eph. 5:25-27)
• We believe in evangelistic and missionary fervor and endeavor. (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15-18)
• We believe that sexual purity is a necessary expression for all of God’s children and requires abstinence from adultery, fornication, incest, homosexuality, or other sexual relationships or practices forbidden by Scripture. (Heb. 13:4; 1 Cor. 6:18; Lev. 18:1-30)
• We believe that God created mankind as two distinct sexes: male and female and that each person affirms God’s infinite wisdom by living in alignment with their birth sex. (Gen 1:26-28; Matt 19:4-5)
• We believe that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime and a sacred institution established by God. (Matt. 19:4-6)
• We believe that since mankind is created in God’s image, human life is of inestimable worth and significance in all its dimensions, from conception to the grave. (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-14)
• We believe that Water Baptism is for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and is to be administered by immersion, thus bearing witness to the gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for us, and our own new life in Him. (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4)
• We believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as on the day of Pentecost and in the continuing ministry of the Holy Spirit as evidenced in charismatic gifts and ministries, and in the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. (Acts 2:4; Acts 10:46; Acts 19:6; Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:8-11; Gal. 5:22,23) We further believe that the Gifts and Graces of God are the outworking of the Holy Spirit for outreach, edification and comfort. (Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12; 1 Cor. 14; Eph. 4:7-16; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Mk. 16:15-19)
• We believe that Communion, when shared by believers, witnesses to the saving power of the gospel, to Christ’s presence in His church, and looks forward to His victorious return. (1 Cor. 11:23-26)
• We believe that divine healing is obtained on the basis of the Atonement. (1 Pet. 2:24; Matt. 8:17)
• We believe in Christ’s imminent personal return in power and great glory, and in His present and everlasting dominion. (Acts 1:8; Rev. 1:7; Dan. 7:14; Acts 1:11; 1 Th. 4:16; Rev. 1:7)
• We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: they that are saved unto the resurrection of eternal life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of eternal punishment. (Jn. 5:28,29; Rev. 20:15) We further believe that Heaven and Hell are the eternal reward or consequence based completely on relationship with Jesus Christ. (Lk. 23:43; Jn. 14:3, 14:6; Php. 3:20; Rev. 2:7; Rev. 20:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Lk. 12:5; Lk. 16:19-21)
• We believe that Satan and Demons are the enemy of God and desire to kill, steal and destroy mankind. But Jesus Christ came to give mankind abundant life and to destroy the work of the evil one. (Jn. 10:10; 1 Jn. 3:8; Lk. 11:20; Acts 26:17-18)
• We believe that the Tithe and Offerings are the privilege and obligation of every believer to financially support the local church assembly (tithe) and local, regional, and global mission activities (offerings) as tangible acts of worship. (Deut. 12:1-14; Mal. 3:6-12; Matt. 5:17; Lk. 11:42; Php. 4:15-19; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 9:6-10)
Elim Fellowship Network of Affliated Churches is not a denomination. We are like-minded churches that share doctrine and mission to glorify God and His Son Jesus Christ; and to obey Christ's mandate to preach the Gospel and make disciples of all nations. To this end EF is committed to serving and equipping our worldwide constituency in carrying out their respective missions.
Elim Fellowship provides visionary leadership, spiritual covering, pastoral care, mutual accountability, ministry resources and fellowship for its credential holders, affiliated churches and ministries.
For more information www.elimfellowship.org