HISTORY OF SAYRE WOODS BIBLE CHURCH

1956-2006

Joyce Gordon takes care of all the correspondence of the pastors and the church business. She takes care of printing the bulletins each week, copying documents, typing, and all the mailings that take place and assorted other tasks. She answers phone calls all day and mails out all the letters and brochures for the Christmas Drive Through each year.

On January 1980, the church passed a motion to seek an additional full-time staff member to minister at Sayre Woods as an associate pastor. Rev. Dennis Ackerson was chosen and served from January 1981 until March 1983.

Sunday School attendance the first six months of 1981 averaged 121. Church attendance showed a steady increase from 136 in 1978 to 200 during the first 9 months of 1981. Membership to that date consisted of 87 voting members, 25 non-voting members, total 112. The church supported 11 missionaries and 8 organizations on its mission budget.

A baptismal pool was installed in the All Purpose Room and the first baptism occurred there on January 8, 1985 with 12 people being baptized. A Rodgers 705 organ was purchased in 1985. Thursday evening dinners began in September 1987.

Rev. Fred Millan served from July 1990 until February 1998. While he was here, he taught a Sunday School class, did counseling, had a prison ministry under the auspices of the World Fellowship Ministries, and preached whenever needed. His wife is Anna, and children are Suzette and Faye. Anna decorated the new reception area after the expansion was finished in 1997.

Rev. Steven Foster came in October 1998 to be our present associate pastor. He has a Bachelor of Arts, Southeastern Bible College, Birmingham, Alabama; Master of Divinity, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; Master Sacred Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary. He served one year as a pastoral intern in Dallas. He was ordained in May 1994 at Harbor Baptist Church, Orange Park, Florida. He was a youth pastor at Berean Bible Church in New Orleans for seven years before coming here. Rev. Foster became Doctor of Ministry Foster on May 5, 2007 when he graduated from Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA.

Pastor Foster's main responsibilities consist of discipleship/evangelism, counseling, adult education and pulpit supply as needed. Pastor Steven married Liz Race and their first son, Nathaniel, was born 8 September 1998; their second son, Noah, was born 24 February 2000; their third son, Jonah, was born 23 October 2001. Their fourth son, Joshua, was born 27 May 2005. Nathaniel Foster was baptized in Christ by his father on 9 April 2006.

Pastor Steven and his wife, Liz, started AWANA in this church in September 1999. Pastor Steve preaches when necessary, teaches a Sunday School Class, coordinates small groups, oversees Christian Education, and created and maintains the church website (www.sayrewoods.com). Pastor Steve started an e-mail group for reading the Bible a chapter a day and commenting on it by him and the members. Liz is involved in the AWANA ministry and in the women's ministry.

In AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, see 2 Timothy 2:15), there are 40+ leaders who come out each Tuesday night to minister to the children, three years old up to eighth grade. The program emphasizes Bible memorization and the Gospel of Christ. Each club time consists of game time, handbook time, and council time (singing, Bible Stories). They have a fall festival, Olympics, Grand Prix, and Bible Quiz tournament. Linda and John Terracianno became the commanders in 2002.

In the eighties and nineties, we have had the following as Elders: Jim Gordon, Al Murr, Rich Rutishauser, Wilson Dacus, Bill Dragan, Todd Hopper, Don Ruark, Rich Haines, Lynn Hansen, Irvin Knight, Marvin Suydam, Bill Weaver, Tom Detamore, Sr., Jim McCaffrey, Charlie Longo, Dave Dalik, Sr. Duties of the Elders are: to oversee all boards (Deacons, Deaconesses, Mission, Christian Education). They also shepherd, rule, make decisions, and manage in coordination with the pastors.

The following have been Deacons in the eighties and nineties: Ken Bauerdorf, Hector Gonzalez, Ernie Pellegrino, Ray Taureck, Sam Tauriello, Marlon Catalano, Mark Cattell, Robert Dacus, Marvin Suydam, Leo Dawson, John Fontorosa, Rich Ingoglia, Matt Adams, Lenny Jenkins, Bob Malool, Dave Dalik, Jr., Drake Kijowski, Rich Komando, Al Striffolino, Larry Thomas, Rich Rutishauser, Tom Detamore, Joe Neves, Mike Roy, Bill Wilhelm. The Deacons are to oversee grounds, building maintenance and repairs, operations (heating, lighting, building usage, security, safety) plus finance and records.

Deaconesses in the eighties and nineties: Joyce Gordon, Lilian Hansen, Susan McCaffrey, Nancy Pellegrino, Pam Zollner, Debbie Detamore, Lydia Roneree, Barbara Bauerdorf, Geri Dalik, Val Dragan, Kayla Ruark, Elaine Thomas, Susan DeRisi, Brigid Jenkins, Mary Johnsen, Shelia Smith, Tracy Carter, Sharlene Ciejak, Dorothy Haines, Gina Lang, Nancy Namowicz, Joanne Dacus, Carol Kijowski, Barbara Smith, Nancy Monell, Dorothy Osbahr. The Deaconesses are to assist in spiritual needs of women, visit those who are sick; attend to physical needs consisting of hospitality, meals, etc and social needs of the fellowship at church, consisting of decorations and refreshments.

Please excuse any omissions in the above, since records were not available for some years.

Carolyn Knight, our Sunday School Superintendent from 1990-2003, is holding the beautiful SundaySchool scrapbook made by Ruth Vivian, a long time Sunday School teacher who loves children (pictures below). Carolyn’s husband, Irvin Knight, died 18 October 2006. He was a devoted Christian man, teacher, husband, father, and grandfather and will be missed by all who knew him.

Margarita Hladek was the Christian Education Chairman in 2003. We have classes for all ages, nursery, youth and adults. Anna Pirk has been a member here since the late sixties. She raised a family of eight and taught Sunday School for over 40 years; she loves children. These people have probably affected more young lives than they know.

In the 80's and 90's Mary Ann Viner and Ruth Vivian taught Beginner Church Kindergarten every Sunday in the old parsonage white house. Their special helper was Ed Gordon from our church family, who had a delightful way of keeping children happy and under control. Later the Church appointed teams of two each to rotate teaching, in which they also participated. At one time, Ruth Ruddy taught with Ruth as her helper. At present, Deborah Webber is coordinator of the 1st and 2nd grade Junior Church with 9 teams of two each rotating on Sundays. Teaching VBS from 1990 thru 1998 was a rewarding and joyful time for Ruth. Four new children in Ruth's class of 1995 were saved. In 1998, Ruth Vivian was honored as a nominee for the Henrietta Mears National Sunday School Teacher of the Year, in recognition of the outstanding contributions made to the ministry of Sunday School and for teaching students to "dream big." The certificate she received is signed by Dale Evans Rogers, Honorary Chairman National Sunday School Appreciation Campaign and by William T. Greig, Jr., chairman of Gospel Light Publications. At the bottom of the certificate is a quote by Henrietta C. Mears, "You teach a little by what you say. You teach the most by what you are."

Ruth Vivian died on January 13, 2004 after a long illness. She was a good writer, teacher, poet, and devoted to her Lord and Savior. She imparted stories from the Bible to many of the children here and her influence has been felt among many of the younger generation and the older ones to whom she was a dear friend.

Mary Billings, Helen Hils, Anna Pirk, and Anna Bissig, and many others were dedicated Sunday School teachers in the past. We now have also many dedicated Sunday School teachers such as Sue Ralph, Jason Browning, Bob Rosano, Greg Sylvester, Rosanne Ingoglia, Marcos Guevara, Noah Lang, and Pastor Steven Foster. A Christian Education Day is held each year to provide teacher workshops and a time of fun and fellowship.