Recalling the Past Decade of Ministry with the Fillmore Free Methodist Church By Pastor Mike Hopper – October 5, 2014

The psalmist wrote: “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds, but would keep His commands.” (Psalm 78:4-7)

About 100 years ago, God moved on the heart of Rev. Spencer B. Shaw to launch a Free Methodist Church in the southeastern Minnesotan village of Fillmore. Over the past 100 years, many lives have been enriched and transformed by God through the ministries and attenders of this church as the good news of Jesus Christ has been passed along to subsequent generations. As the church’s 100 year anniversary of ministry approaches, it is time to summarize the past ten years and so update a 90-year history that had been written ten years ago. My wife (Janet) and I were appointed to lead the Fillmore Church in 1994 and continue to lead now 20 years later, and so the Fillmore Church has not experienced any pastoral transitions during this 10-year period. What follows is a detailed year-by-year update on what some of what has

happened at the Fillmore Church over the past ten years. These highlights are written from the pastor’s perspective and grouped according to category. What a joy and privilege it has been to serve God as the pastor of the Fillmore Free Methodist Church and to see God at work in the hearts and lives of so many people. As you read what follows, please join in remembering and celebrating what has happened. Pastor Mike

Highlights from 2004 2004-Building: Throughout the history of the Fillmore Church, the church facility has served as an important tool for ministry and has experienced much improvement. After the initial construction of a church building in 1915, the following took place: the completion of a parsonage in 1920; the addition of a basement under the church, an entry foyer, balcony, bell tower, and expanded pulpit area in 1948; the completion of a fellowship hall and classrooms in 1974; and a variety of remodeling projects through the years. During 2004, considerable planning was done for a major addition to the church facility. Incorporating suggestions from church leaders and attenders, the Building Committee of Dale Shafer, Dave Roberts, Ken Baker, Kent Erding, Dale Benike, Dave O’Byrne, and Pastor Mike developed a design for a new church facility. To gain additional insights for this endeavor, the Building Committee visited other churches and met with persons from their building committees. A preliminary design was drawn up by a draftsperson and approved by Conference Superintendent John Grover. It took months to get estimates from various contractors to figure out just what the new construction might cost, and those cost estimates resulted in some adjustments to the design.

Throughout this planning time, the Fillmore Church was praying and was setting aside 10 percent of the weekly church offerings for the anticipated construction. 2004-Bible quizzing: 2004 was a great year for the youth in Bible quizzing as the teens competed over the Biblical books of Hebrews and 1 & 2 Peter (NIV). In January our teams placed 1st and 4th at a tournament in Woodstock, IL. Our Youth for Christ quiz teams did well in Rochester, MN. The Fillmore teams placed 1st and 3rd in a regional Bible Quiz tournament in Greenville, IL in March. In April, the Conference Bible Quiz Finals tournament was hosted at Fillmore, and our teams placed 1st, 1st, & 3rd. This was followed by a second place finish at a multi-regional Bible Quiz tournament in Indianapolis in May. The season culminated with our quizzers competing at National Bible Quiz Finals at Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, MI. The team of Stephen Hopper, Kristin Roberts, and Kathy Lubahn was undefeated, and placed first in the nation in their division. In the fall, the youth began studying the Gospel of Matthew (NIV), and did well in tournaments in Woodstock, IL; Rochester, MN; East Peoria, IL; and Beloit, WI. 2004-Children & Youth Ministry: During 2004, the Fillmore Church provided a mid-week ministry to children called “Christian Life Club.” For many years, “Christian Life Club” (which had been called “Christian Youth Crusaders”) ministered to the children. Area school buses dropped children off at the church building on Wednesday afternoons. In April, the CLC Honor Council gave awards to about 50 children. In September, Christian Life Club began a new season of instruction. And in November, three children in Christian Life Club prayed to receive Jesus Christ.

In February, an “Arctic Blast” for the children was held at the farm of Randy and Wendy Grabau. One of the highlights for the children (and some adults including myself) was crawling through a straw house. “Son Games” Vacation Bible School was held on June 14-18. At VBS, 110 children participated, served by a staff of 52 adults and youth directed by Kelli O’Byrne. On December 19, the Christmas musical "Candy Cane Lane" was presented by about 40 children of the Fillmore Church, and held at the Middle School in Wykoff. About 325 persons attended this inspiring presentation of the true message of this season. Practices began in September. Through the years, Janet Hopper would direct the Christmas program, and Wendy Grabau would direct the music. In addition to weekly youth group and Bible quiz practices, a number of

special youth events were held including a "March Madness" Party, a bonfire, and a youth vs adult softball game fellowship. In March, six teens in our youth band and a youth worker traveled up to minister in a church in Eden Prairie, MN. In September, Fillmore youth led the "See You at the Pole" prayer time at Chatfield School. In October, some of our youth participated in a Worldview Weekend in Minneapolis. At the end of the year, a Youth Snow Camp (sponsored by Fillmore) attracted about 20 teens to a nearby camp. 2004-Evangelism: During 2004, at least nine individuals (five adults and four children) prayed to invite Jesus Christ into their lives. Among the highlights for 2004 were the baptismal services. On August 15, Kurtis Harcey

gave testimony and was baptized in the Root River. On September 19, another outdoor baptismal service was held at the Root River where Ashlee Schild, Pauline Schild, and Jacob Narveson testified and were baptized. 2004-Missions: Since about 2002, numerous trips have been made to Central America to support a Christian Orphanage (sponsored by the American Baptist Church) in Azacualpa, Honduras. Various construction projects have been completed; food has been distributed to nearby needy families; and children in the orphanage have been ministered to. On January 17, Dave O'Byrne and Kent Erding left for Honduras. In June, another mission team left for Honduras – this medical team provided care for many in Azacualpa and the surrounding area. (Dr. Ray Krueger would lead a number of medical mission teams during the upcoming years.) And in July, a team of 10 youth departed to serve in Honduras. A number of other mission endeavors were supported. Financial support was provided for missionaries Jim and Deb Wilson in the Philippines and Jerry and Jan Coleman in Hungary, and for two children (one in Haiti and the other in Zaire) sponsored through the childcare ministry. For many years, the Fillmore Church would provide prayer and financial support for the Wilsons. About $600 was raised by the Fillmore Church for disaster relief in Haiti. 55 shoe boxes of toys from the Fillmore Church were sent through Operation Christmas Child to children around the world. And in November, Crystal Grabau left for a year of mission work in Japan.

2004- 90th Celebration: Initial discussion for a 90-year anniversary celebration began in 2003, and developed in more detail during 2004. On October 3rd, the Fillmore Free Methodist Church celebrated its 90th anniversary with returning pastors John Dillon, Garth Betry, and David Dwyer. A 90-year church history (written by Pastor Mike with the assistance of Fillmore Church members and attenders and former pastoral families) was distributed on that day. 173 persons attended the morning worship services for a great time of celebrating God's working in the past and

looking ahead to the future. 2004-Other Ministry: Women’s Ministry has been a high priority of the Fillmore Church. Several “Girlz Nite Out” activities were held throughout the year – including an overnight retreat with 38 women. In October, several women from the church attended the conference’s Women's Retreat in Paynesville, MN. Later about 30 persons from Fillmore attended Family Camp at Paynesville, MN, and about half of the volunteer staff for that week-long event came from the Fillmore Church. In March, nine couples from the Fillmore Church attended "Weekend to Remember" Marriage Enrichment Conference. Several from the church provided a church service at the local trail ride to about 250 riders. (This would happen once or twice a year.) Spiritual Renewal "Revival" Services with Evangelist Eddie Phillips were held in November.

2004-Pastoral Family: The pastor’s father-in-law died on February 22nd, and so the pastoral family traveled to Pennsylvania. The funeral provided the whole pastoral family an opportunity to share Christ with unchurched relatives. Janet stayed behind in Pennsylvania to help her mother. In May, the Fillmore Church honored five youth graduating high school - including Susanna Hopper who had actively served in the toddler ministry of the Fillmore Church. She decided to further her education at Central Christian College. Pastor Mike wrote: “I just returned from Central Christian College in McPherson, KS where I left my daughter Susanna for her freshman year of college. Central did a great job of welcoming new students and their parents, and I am thrilled that Susanna will be educated in such a caring Christian environment with professors who love the Lord and love their students. However, I will miss Susanna deeply.” Saying "Good-by" to my daughter was one of the toughest things I have had to do.

Highlights from 2005 The weekend weather during the first two months of 2005 was harsh and strongly affected Sunday morning worship attendance, and some mid-week ministries were cancelled. 2005-Bible Quizzing: Our youth continued their study of the Gospel of Matthew in 2005 and competed in tournaments in Rochester, MN; at Crown College; in Woodstock, IL; in Greenville, IL; and in Fillmore. On July 5-9, two Fillmore teams competed at National Bible Quiz Finals held in Greenville, IL, taking 1st in one division and 5th in another. The team of Stephen Hopper, Kristin Roberts, and Katie Roberts won the national championship by defeating Champaign, IL in the championship round. Each year, Bible Quiz Finals honors one senior who not only has learned God's word through quizzing, but more importantly has also exhibited a godly attitude and is active in serving the Lord with his / her gifts. Sarah Hopper was awarded this “Dave Markell Excellence in Attitude” award. A new season began in the fall as youth started studying Romans and James (NIV). In October, the Fillmore quiz team took first in Woodstock, IL, and placed 1st and 2nd in individual competition. Later that month, two Fillmore quiz teams participated in the area Youth for Christ tournament. In November, the Fillmore team was undefeated at a Regional Bible Quiz tournament in East Peoria, IL, and in December placed 1st in Beloit, WI. 2005-Building: In 2005, the Building Committee continued to get estimates to determine the tentative cost for the new addition to the church building. On March 9, the Building Committee presented a design and tentative cost to the local church Board of Administration. A Building Finance Committee was selected to promote the project and assess the congregational financial support. Dinners to promote the vision, need, and cost of the facility expansion were held on May 12 and 14. May 22 was set as “Commitment Sunday” when the church attenders presented their pledges for the new building. The theme of the campaign was "Building for Ministry in the Harvest" which went along well with the church mission statement to "plant spiritual seeds of evangelism, cultivate spiritual growth, and harvest dedicated workers and leaders for Christ." The goal was to raise commitments to

be able to build a $700,000 expansion. The actual commitments would help church leadership to know what could be built. As a result of the commitments on May 22, the determination was made that the Fillmore Church had the approximate ability to build a new facility costing $458,840. The congregation voted to proceed to seek to raise more before beginning construction. As funds continued to come in for the building expansion, consideration was given to the possibility of building in two separate phases. 2005-Children & Youth Ministry: In addition to Sunday School, children attended the mid-week Christian Life Club where they learned Biblical teachings and earned awards. Approximately 125 students and 62 staff participated in Vacation Bible School on June 27 - July 1. In the fall, CLC started up again with about 70 children and staff participating. Through the fall, the children practiced for their Christmas program which was presented to about 350 persons at the Middle School in Wykoff on December 18th. In addition to weekly meetings, a number of special activities were held for the youth including “Super Night” in Rochester, a “Super Bowl” party, a "March Madness" party, a Christmas party, and about 35 teens attended Youth Snow Camp at Good

Earth Village near Fillmore. On August 1-4, twenty-four Fillmore youth and adults traveled to the International Youth Conference in Colorado. This was a time of spiritual growth with Free Methodist teens from across the nation, and, when they returned to Fillmore, they shared in the worship services about God's working in their lives at IYC. 2005-Evangelism: During 2005, at least two adults and three children committed their lives to Christ. On the afternoon on September 11, two teens gave testimony and were baptized in the nearby Root River. On April 17, seven new

preparatory members (including Don and Christie Mabe) were received in the worship services. 2005-Missions: In June, a medical team traveled to Honduras to care for the health needs of those in the area. In addition, during 2005, the Fillmore Church collected funds for hurricane relief and sent those to the Bishops' Relief Fund. In November, 44 shoe boxes of new toys were sent out through “Operation Christmas Child.” 2005-Other Ministry: A number of special ministries took place this year including a Sweet Heart Banquet at Good Earth Village; "Rekindling Your Romance" video series; "What is a Free Methodist?" class; Girls Nite Out fellowship activities; a Harvest (Thanksgiving) Dinner; and a concert with the “Spokesmen Quartet.” In September, a new men's Bible study called "Basic Training" was launched with seven men participating. A new couples' home Bible study was also launched that month. Several events were

held to train our workers including a meeting for VBS workers, a teacher training seminar, and a seminar on welcoming and incorporating newcomers. 2005-Pastoral Family: As the pastoral couple had opportunity, we visited our daughter Susanna at Central College. On May 29, the Fillmore Church honored four high school graduates in the morning worship services – including my second daughter Sarah. In the fall, we took Sarah to Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor, Michigan for her freshman year. (Both of these two daughters were greatly missed in the parsonage home.) In addition to pastoring the Fillmore Church, I was very involved in denominational leadership – directing the denominational Bible quiz ministry, promoting quizzing in the conference, and serving at the North Central Annual Conference where I promoted Bible quizzing, displayed the Fillmore Church expansion project, and provided a free book exchange for the pastors. For a number of years I would continue to do these things.

Highlights from 2006 The year 2006 began with a tragic event. Dave Serfling attended the early worship service and Sunday School at the Fillmore Church on January 8th, and after driving one mile, he was killed in a one-vehicle accident. Minutes later word came back to the Fillmore Church during our second worship service and many responded to give aid, arriving even before the paramedics got there. The worship service was discontinued and the congregation went to prayer; Janet and I headed off to the emergency room. Some men headed to the Serfling farm to take care of the chores. The Fillmore Church responded in a great way--that day and throughout the following days--in showing love and support to this family and to one another. 2006-Bible Quizzing: The quiz season (which had started in the fall) continued as the youth studied Romans and James (NIV). In January, the Fillmore team placed 1st at the Woodstock (IL) Bible Quiz. They also competed at tournaments in New Berlin, WI; Decatur, IL; and Indianapolis, IN. Our Youth-for-Christ quizzers competed in monthly tournaments in Rochester, MN. In April, the Fillmore Church hosted the North Central Conference Bible Quiz Finals tournament where Fillmore placed 1st in the Senior Teen Veteran Division, and 3rd in the Young Teen Veteran Division. 2006-Building: A proposal for building a portion of the original design was presented to the local church Board of Administration on July 5 – which unanimously adopted this recommendation from the Building Committee and approved presenting the "Phase # 1" construction plan to a congregational meeting. This "Phase # 1" proposal was approved in a society / congregational meeting on July 26th by a 95 % vote. (38-2) Permission was granted by the Board of Bishops on August 3 and from the North Central Conference Loan Fund to borrow $250,000 on August 14. (The Fillmore Church already had about $155,000 in a Building Fund, and individuals were giving about $400 per week into the Building Fund.) Some guiding principles were agreed upon prior to beginning construction. “As we move forward in this endeavor ... (1) We will not allow construction to hinder or side track current ministry for the Lord; (2) We will avoid overwhelming debt which has strangled many churches–seeking to balance

counting the cost and taking a step of faith; and (3) We will seek to keep unity throughout the process.” On Sunday, August 27th, a groundbreaking ceremony for the addition was held. The Phase # 1 construction plan included the addition of a new 220-seat sanctuary, offices, five classrooms, restrooms, kitchen, and expanded parking. Much of the work would be done by professional construction individuals who attended the Fillmore Church. Each Sunday after the worship services, tours of the construction area were provided to help people see the progress being made.

2006-Children & Youth Ministry: Christian Life Club continued on Wednesday afternoons for the children, and on April 5, a Christian Life Club Honor Council was held where about 50 children received awards, including 4 children receiving the highest “John Wesley” medallion. In September, the midweek children’s ministry transitioned to “Mission 10:15 Kidz.” This revised ministry would continue for the next three years. On June 19-23, Vacation Bible School was held for 120 students, ministered to by a staff of 66 adults and youth. On December 17, a Christmas program was held at Middle School in Wykoff with about 325 persons in attendance. 2006-Evangelism: During this year, two different baptismal services were held. On February 12th, Maxine Winslow was baptized, and Carson Voeltz was dedicated to the Lord. Maxine is Carson's great-great grandmother. Maxine gave a wonderful testimony of faith to the church family and to many relatives who were in attendance. On Sunday afternoon (July 30), about 40 persons from the Fillmore congregation gathered at the Root River for a time of worship and baptism. Doug Seemann, Lydia Becker, and Katie Roberts gave meaningful testimonies and were baptized. In addition, one couple dedicated their great-granddaughter to the Lord. This year, at least one adult and 13 children prayed to accept Christ in their lives. This included ten children who accepted Christ during Vacation Bible School. In April, two persons (Doug and Juli Seemann) were received into preparatory membership, and in August, five adults (including Don and Christie Mabe and Sarah Hopper) were received into full membership. 2006-Missions:

On January 14-21, a mission team traveled to Honduras to serve at a Christian Orphanage in Azacualpa. January became the regular time when a mission team from the Fillmore Church would travel to Honduras. Other mission activity included having missionaries Jim and Deb Wilson speak at the Fillmore Church of their mission work in the Philippines; sending 64 shoe boxes of toys through “Operation Christmas Child”; and raising about $500

for the "One More Soul" evangelism offering.

2006-Other Ministry: A number of special ministry activities happened in 2006 including a Valentine Dinner at Good Earth Village; a marriage enrichment seminar; several “Girlz Night Out” events; Easter Breakfast; a teacher training event; "What is a Free Methodist?" class; a Harvest Dinner; and a concert provided by our Women's Ensemble. And this year, the Fillmore Church had a float in the Chatfield "Western Days" Parade and a children's float in the Wykoff area parade. In addition, Pastor Mike gave the message at the community Memorial Day Service at the Fillmore cemetery. (I would give the message about every third year.) 2006-Pastoral Family: With one daughter attending Central Christian College in McPherson, KS and another attending Spring Arbor University in Michigan, I made several trips to visit my daughters. In February I taught one class session on pastoral ministries at Central Christian College. Janet sometimes preached in the worship services while I was gone; Randy Grabau would also speak. As denominational Bible Quiz Director, I represented and resourced quizzing leadership across the nation. I also directed the 2006 Bible Quiz Finals Tournament held on June 26-30 in Spring Arbor, MI.

Highlights from 2007 Construction of the new church facility was an important focus of this year, and ministry was not slowed down in order to build. In fact, ministry continued strong and even expanded. 2007-Bible Quizzing: As 2007 began, the youth continued their study of the Biblical book of Acts, and participated in tournaments in Decatur, IL; Rochester, MN; Crown College; New Berlin, WI; and on April 14, the Fillmore Church hosted the North Central Conference Quiz Finals where our local teams placed 1st and 4th. On June 25-29, 2007, the Fillmore Church quiz team won the national championship of a Senior Teen

Veteran division at the National Bible Quiz Finals at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York. With teams from as far away as New York, California, Washington state, and Florida, our team of Stephen Hopper, Kristin Roberts, and Katie Roberts had a record of 14-1 after three days of competition and entered the double elimination tournament as the second seed team. On the fourth day, this team was undefeated. In the semi-final round, the Fillmore team won a close match with the Monee, IL team to advance to the championship round where they defeated the team from Anderson, IN. All three of these youth were strong contributors to the team's scoring.

2007-Building: As the new year began, construction continued on the new church facility. In February, the congregation was polled regarding color preferences for carpeting and sanctuary seating. And in March, the first of several Saturday “painting parties” were held for the classrooms.

Each member of the Building Committee brought specific strengths and experiences to the construction. Dave O’Byrne helped lay the foundation of the building – especially in regard to the block and cement work. Ken Baker led his construction team in framing and building most of the structure. Dave Roberts helped with much of the woodwork through the building. Dale Benike cared for the brick work. Kent Erding assisted in many different ways, frequently using the heavy equipment from his sawmill. Dale Shafer served as committee chairman, helped line up various contractors, and assisted with electrical matters. Pastor Mike organized the planning meetings and helped clean up. (I realized that the building would last longer if I wasn’t building it!) Church treasurer Marie Baker did a great job of handling the finances and paying the construction bills. With the approach of the construction completion, attention was given to preparing for the dedication services. Postcards (with a picture of the new building) were sent to church families and others in this area – with the hope that God would use this special time in the history of the Fillmore Church to help us in reaching new persons and families for the Lord. Letters were mailed to the construction workers to invite them to an appreciation dinner. On Sunday, May 6, a special "Crossing the Jordan" service was held. Both of our worship services began in the old sanctuary, and, following a procession through the building, concluded with a song and prayer in the new sanctuary. As the nation Israel had crossed the Jordan River and entered into the Promised Land of Palestine, the Fillmore congregation recognized our entry into a new chapter of ministry for our Lord.

Two weeks later an official Dedication Celebration service was held in the morning; tours were provided for the community in the afternoon; and a Construction Workers Appreciation dinner with a slide show was held in the evening. About 350 persons came through the Fillmore Church during that day. Superintendent John and Annette Grover, Assistant Superintendent Ralph and Doris Park; Lamon Klingamon (Loan Fund Chairman); and many others were present for this special celebration. The entire offering on our Dedication Day was directed toward building debt, and on that day $8,770 was raised for the building, and sent to the Loan Fund to pay on the

$300,000 that had been borrowed. This was the first of our annual offerings toward the building debt. Rather than continually asking the congregation to give toward eliminating the building debt, one Sunday a year would be set aside when the congregation would be asked to give sacrificially to debt retirement. The approximate total cost of the Phase # 1 construction was $500,000. (The estimated value of the new construction was $900,000.) Later in the year, the entire church parking lot (old and new) was black topped, and stripes were professionally painted with 48 parking spots, including two for handicap parking. In addition, many church resource items (including chairs, game tables, and sound system) were received from the Sioux City Free Methodist Church.

2007-Children & Youth Ministry: Mission 10:15 Kids continued as the midweek ministry for the children, and on March 28, activities for our Mission 10:15 Kids concluded. One student received the "John Wesley" medallion. (Mission Kids would then start up again in the fall.) On June 11-15, a staff of 76 adults and youth at Vacation Bible School ministered to 148 children and 6 babies. In December, 62 children from the Fillmore Church presented a musical drama presentation entitled "All I Want for Christmas." A total of 375 persons attended the presentations. It was good to be able to hold this ministry production in our new facility. Our new sanctuary provided more than enough space for the Christmas program – which for a number of years had been held at the middle school gymnasium in Wykoff. 2007-Evangelism: At least three adults prayed to accept Christ in their lives this year. Our outdoor baptismal service scheduled for August 12 was cancelled when a flood struck this area. (7.5 inches of rain fell on Saturday night.) The baptismal service was rescheduled for September 16th – when 3 adults and one youth were baptized in the Root River. On September 20, the "What is a Free Methodist?" class began with 8 participants. It was encouraging to hear the testimonies from persons attending the class: "I feel like I have really started growing since I have come to the Fillmore Church." "I wish I had attended this church when I was raising my kids." "I used to attend another church out of obligation, but now each Sunday I look forward to coming here to worship." On November 4, Brandon and Rose Hamlin and Paul and Elaine Eckheart gave encouraging testimonies and joined as preparatory members. In December, Steve and Patty Goldsmith; Paul and Barb Rath; and Lisa Albrecht gave testimonies and joined as preparatory members. After giving his testimony, Stephen Hopper joined as a full member. What a blessing to hear how God had been at work in their lives and to receive my son as a full member! 2007-Missions: A mission team of 10 persons traveled to Honduras in January to serve at a Christian Orphanage in Azacualpa. In November, 62 shoe boxes of toys were donated for Operation Christmas Child. And in December, Beth Narveson was commissioned for a mission trip to Honduras.

2007-Other Ministries: On March 16-18, 36 women attended a retreat sponsored by the Fillmore Church. Kelli O'Byrne, one of the coordinators, wrote: "Retreat was awesome…. We had 36 women there on Saturday! Many ladies were blessed and many made some turn around decisions for their lives. I was truly blessed to be able to serve on the retreat team." In January, a quilting / outreach prayer ministry was launched by Patty Goldsmith. This ministry has had a significant impact on many outside the church who have been facing surgery and difficult times. Training

events this year included a Worship Leaders' training seminar in Rochester; a leadership training event at the Eaglebrook Church in Minneapolis; and Leadership Training for some of our local church leaders. Other ministry activities this year included a Valentine Dinner held at Good Earth Village; “Girlz Nite Out” social events; Spiritual Renewal Services with Evangelist Eddie Phillips; Harvest (Thanksgiving) Dinner; and a Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion time. We also provided supplies needed by a family in Rushford, MN whose house was flooded out. And after 12 years of having contemporary worship services, a second worship (music) team was developed this year. In addition to the team led by Kevin and Deen Narveson, now there was a team led by Lisa Weness. 2007-Pastoral Family My mother died on April 15th. I was so glad that she loved the Lord and was ready to go. The support of the church family during this time was much appreciated. As denominational youth Bible Quiz Director, I promoted the quizzing ministry to youth leadership from across our nation. I directed Bible Quiz Finals at Roberts Wesleyan College in New York and also attended the Free Methodist General Conference as the 2nd reserve delegate and as the promoter for Free Methodist Youth Bible Quizzing. Several good contacts were made for quizzing including some international ones in Taiwan and Nigeria.

Highlights from 2008 2008-Bible Quizzing: As the new year began, the youth continued their study of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. They competed in tournaments in Monee, IL; Rochester, MN; and New Berlin, WI. Our church hosted the North Central Bible Quiz Finals in April where the Fillmore team placed 3rd, and Stephen Hopper placed 1st in Individual Competition. I trained two individuals in other churches to be able to lead the conference quizzing ministry for next season. On July 7-11, the Fillmore team competed in National Quiz Finals in Spring Arbor, MI, and placed 7th in the toughest division. The highest individual character honor in Free Methodist Bible Quizzing is the Dave Markell Excellence in Attitude award. Each year, this honor is given to one youth who has excelled in learning scriptures through Bible quizzing; has demonstrated a God-honoring attitude in his life; and has exhibited a dedication to serving God with his gifts and abilities. At the National Quiz Finals, the regional quiz directors awarded this to Stephen Hopper. Following

Bible Quiz Finals, three of our quizzers were interviewed by a reporter from the Rochester Post-Bulletin and gave positive testimonies about how the scriptures learned through quizzing had changed their lives. This was the 15th year I had directed Free Methodist Bible Quizzing ministry and had led the denominational Bible Quiz Finals, and I officially retired from this volunteer ministry position. The other quizzing leadership and Bishop David Kendall honored my years of quizzing service. Having God transform my life through quizzing, I was thankful God had given me this opportunity to serve Him and to see the lives

of other youth (including my own three children) transformed as well.

2008-Building: On May 18th, the one-year anniversary of the dedication of our new facility, the congregation was encouraged to pray about what God would have them give beyond their regular giving as the entire offering that Sunday would be used to further reduce the building debt. A total of $9,470 came in for this offering. (Our average weekly offering was $3,000.) What a blessing it was to see what could happen as we worked together as a team! On May 18 and July 23, tours of our new church facility were given to leaders from two area Baptist churches considering building expansions. We were glad to share what construction insights we had gained through this process. 2008-Children & Youth:

"Son World Adventure Park" was the theme of the Vacation Bible School at the Fillmore (MN) Church on June 9-13. VBS Director Kelli O'Byrne led a staff of 76 adults and youth in ministering to 178 children. Even though heavy rain was forecasted for several of the days, it was always clear when VBS was taking place. In addition, over $1,000 was raised by the children to help feed starving children in Haiti. Most importantly, nine children prayed to invite Jesus Christ into their hearts. On December 14, about 50 children and youth of the Fillmore Church presented the Christmas musical "Hotel

Bethlehem." About 285 persons were in attendance as the children presented the message of Christmas. Janet served as director for this event, and led a ministry team of about 30 adults in areas of tech, costuming, refreshments, set up, etc. Wendy Grabau directed the music. In September, my wife Janet began regular meetings for the youth. 2008-Evangelism: During this year, at least two adults and 21 children prayed to accept Christ through the ministries of the Fillmore Church. Twelve of these conversions were children in Honduras. Five persons (Christine Vreeman, Mary Reisner, Riley Kahrhoff, Valerie Earley, and Erica Earley) gave testimony and were baptized at the Root River on August 24. In May, a new class "What is a Free Methodist?" was started with 8 attenders. In July, Steve and Patty Goldsmith gave testimony in the worship services and were received as adult full members, and in November, Ron and Mary Reisner joined as preparatory members. 2008-Missions: In January, a team of ten persons traveled to Honduras to work on a Christian orphanage. This expedition was led by Dave O'Byrne who had sudden cancer surgery with the removal of one kidney just a few weeks earlier on December 14. In August, our church gave $500 to Free Methodist flood relief in Iowa. Later the Fillmore Church collected about 40 boxes of clothing for the homeless in Minneapolis, MN, and sent $500 for the FM hospital in Haiti. In November, 80 shoe boxes of toys were sent off through the ministry of Operation Christmas Child. 2008-Other Ministries: Several events for ministry training were provided this year including a worship seminar in Austin, MN and a Vacation Bible School staff meeting. At least 8 persons had spiritual gift interviews with the

pastor to discover how God had gifted them and explored possibilities for meaningful and effective ministry. The number serving in some kind of ministry through the Fillmore Church grew to 110. Other ministry activities included a Valentine Dinner at the Good Earth Village; a potluck dinner to celebrate the Prayer Quilt ministry; a Girlz Nite Out social event; a Harvest Dinner and Musical Concert with “Christian Crossings”; and a Women's Bible Study Christmas Party. In addition, on March 14-16, 42 local women attended the Fillmore Church Women's Retreat held at the retreat center in Whalan, MN. On September 4, the funeral for Mark Ramaker (long-time attender) was held. From his wheelchair, Mark used to assist children crossing the streets during Vacation Bible School. 2008-Pastoral Family: The year of 2008 brought a lot of change to the pastoral family. On May 25, my daughter Susanna graduated with a baccalaureate degree from Central Christian College, and I was invited to give the closing prayer in the commencement ceremony. Later that month, my son Stephen graduated from Chatfield High School, and a few months after that headed off to Spring Arbor University for college. I also retired after 15 years of volunteer leadership for the denominational Bible Quizzing ministry. But those were just a few of the changes. On September 27th, it was my privilege to unite my daughter Sarah in marriage to Aaron Cole in a ceremony in the Spring Arbor (MI) Free Methodist Church. Several persons from Fillmore made the trip to Michigan to join in the celebration. To share our daughter’s wedding celebration with our church family, a reception was held in the Fillmore Church on November 28. What a treat it was to see our church family greet the newly married couple, view a video of the wedding, and join in the reception celebration.

While at the wedding in Michigan, I received notification that I needed heart surgery very soon to repair the mitral valve of my heart. The date of December 19th was set, and considerable attention was given to preparation for that heart surgery and to covering the bases during recovery. I was comforted to know that over 800 persons were praying for the surgery and pleased to see how many individuals stepped up to cover ministry responsibilities. Facing this heart surgery caused me to recognize the fragileness of life and to look at life in a new and fresh way.

Highlights from 2009 In order to assess the effectiveness of the Fillmore Church in accomplishing its mission, a survey was mailed out to 140 regular attending adults in September to determine how their lives were being affected / changed. The results were processed by the Pastor's Cabinet and Board of Administration, and summaries were made available to the congregation. It was very encouraging to see the internal spiritual growth and development of Christian disciplines that were taking place in the lives of our attenders. 2009-Bible Quizzing: As the new year began, the youth continued their study of the Gospel of Luke, and competed in tournaments at Crown College, and in Rochester, MN and Chicago, IL. In February they placed 2nd

in a Bible quiz tournament in Rochester, MN. In the fall, weekly Bible quiz practices began again as the youth studied I and II Corinthians. The quizzers placed 2nd in Bible Quiz at Waukegan, IL in October, and 1st at the regional Bible Quiz Tournament in East Peoria, IL in November, and 2nd at the conference Bible Quiz in Woodstock, IL in December. The Youth for Christ quizzers did well placing 3rd in November, and Katie Roberts placed 1st in individual competition in December. 2009-Building: Remodeling to increase the size of classrooms in the area underneath the fellowship hall was led by Dave O’Byrne. Five smaller classrooms were combined to form three larger classrooms, and the design in this older area of the church building was made to match the newer addition. On May 10, $8,557 was received in our building offering on the 2nd anniversary of our building dedication. 2009-Children & Youth Ministry: Ministry to children and youth continued to be a high priority for the Fillmore Church. In the summer, about 170 children attended our Vacation Bible School (staffed by 100 adults and youth). During the week, an offering of $1,000 was raised for the orphanage in Honduras. Following the event, our VBS decorations were shared with three other churches that would be doing the same VBS program. In August, a Sunday School Potluck Picnic, children's game time, and softball game were held. In September, a Sunday School opening singing time was launched for children 3rd grade and under. And in the fall, children and parents attended the hot dog and movie night at the church. During the midweek, children attended Mission Kids. In December, about 50 children and teens presented the Christmas musical "Meet Me at the Manger." Forty teens and parents attended a Lasagna Dinner and time of introducing youth ministry for the coming year. The youth also had a bonfire; canoed on the Root River; and attended the Franklin Graham event "Rock the River" in St. Paul. Many of our teens attended conference camping events this year. 2009-Evangelism: During this year, at least one adult and four children prayed to accept Christ in their lives. On August 2nd, an outdoor baptismal service was attended by over 100 persons. Four teens (Corrin Lee, Matthew Luck, Beth Friemuth, and Wayne Stephas) and three adults (Ben Finke, Ron Reisner, and John Hanson) gave testimony and were baptized in the Root River in Fillmore. 2009-Missions: In January, a mission team traveled to Honduras. From 2002, the focus had been on building projects at the orphanage in Azacualpa. Beginning in 2009, the emphasis was shifted to holding a Vacation Bible School at the orphanage and ministering to the children. In 2013, a shift would be made to building homes for needy families in the community. In June one teen would head to Honduras and later a medical / dental team would arrive. Other mission endeavors included supporting missionaries Jim and Deb Wilson in the Philippines and two children (one in Haiti and the other in Zaire) through the childcare sponsorship ministry, and supporting the Olive Branch Mission in Chicago. In addition, the children of Vacation Bible School raised over $1,000 for the orphanage in Honduras. Later children and adults filled 52 shoe boxes with new toys that were delivered to needy children around the world through "Operation Christmas Child."

Food was collected for an area family (not connected with our church) whose home was totally destroyed by fire, and $1,110 was given for North Central Conference church planting. 2009-Other Ministries: Significant progress was made this year in the area of men’s ministry. In addition to the men’s Bible study that had been led by Randy Grabau for many years, a men's Sunday School class was started as well as a Wednesday evening men’s Bible study. As an outreach activity to men, men gathered at a local shooting range for a time of fellowship on an almost weekly basis. In September, the men prepared a Pancake Breakfast for the church (during Sunday School hour), and in November, the movie “Expelled” was shown for the men’s group. Women’s ministry was also active during this time. On March 13-15, the Fillmore Church Women's Retreat was held at the Ironwood Springs Christian Camp with 54 women in attendance. A number of women took significant spiritual steps forward at this retreat which included uplifting worship, Biblical teaching, and fun activities. This was the fourth year for this event, and the best attendance yet. Other ministry activity included a Valentine Party at the church; a Maundy Thursday Communion Service; an Easter Breakfast and Celebration Services; hosting the graduation ceremony of a nearby Christian High School; a day-long Marriage Enrichment DVD Seminar; a women's scrap booking party; a Harvest Dinner and Children's Game Night; a Girlz Nite Out Christmas Dinner and Concert; and a Christmas Eve service. In September, Spiritual Renewal Services with evangelist Jeremiah Bolich were held. Rev. Jeremiah Bolich (an elder in the Church of the Nazarene) gave a series of messages from Revelation. During this year, several training events took place including a Vacation Bible School staff meeting; a leadership training event at the Eaglebrook Church in Minneapolis; and a children's ministry training seminar at the Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester. 2009-Pastoral Family: At the beginning of the year, much of my attention was focused on recovering from heart surgery (which included many medical visits and structured exercising). For about six weeks, my wife gave the sermon each Sunday and cared for many of the pastoral responsibilities. (She did a great job!) A number in the church took on additional responsibilities during this time of recovery. As the year progressed, I was able to take on more responsibilities, and I began preaching again in February. In May, Janet and I attended our daughter Sarah's graduation from Spring Arbor University. In June, we attended Annual Conference at Sky Lodge. And in October, I attended the Bishops' School of Renewal at Spring Arbor University in MI, and Janet attended the Bishops' School of Renewal in Lawrence, KS. We did this so that we could also visit one of our daughters in each location. Since several of the attenders of the Fillmore Church were coaches at the area high schools, I attended a number of their games. On one occasion this year, two high schools’ varsity basketball teams competed against each other, and both were coached by active attenders of the Fillmore Church. I was faced with the challenge of where to sit and which team to cheer for. I cheered for both.

Highlights from 2010 2010-Bible Quizzing: As this year began, the Bible quizzers continued their study of First and Second Corinthians (NIV). One of the highlights of the Youth for Christ quizzing was when Caleb Rain competed on a team all by himself and beat a three-person top team from Iowa. In addition to the YFC Youth Bible Quiz tournaments in Rochester, our teens placed 1st in a Bible Quiz at New Berlin, WI; finished 2nd at the

Greenville Regional Quiz; and placed 1st at Conference Quiz Finals at Platteville, WI. During the National Bible Quiz Finals at Greenville College in June, the Fillmore youth placed 4th and one teen placed 2nd in ST Rookie Individual Competition. In the fall the quizzers began their study of the Gospel of John, and competed at tournaments in Janesville, WI; Rochester, MN; East Peoria, IL; and Platteville, WI. 2010-Building: On May 16, about $7,500 was received in our annual offering for the church building debt. Some facility improvements this year included mounting new blinds in our sanctuary; making some improvements with the sanctuary sound system; and getting new carpet in the parsonage living room. During this year, there were some preliminary discussions on planning for the second phase building construction. 2010-Children / Youth Ministry: In addition to regular children’s ministry, about 48 children and adults attended the Arctic Blast at one of our farmer's homes. During the summer, 9 children attended Junior Camp at Sky Lodge. And in December, 250 persons attended the children’s Christmas musical program “It all happened in the Country.” A number of special youth activities were held this year including teens attending the Fillmore Snow Retreat (Lock-in, Serving, and Snow Tubing); a Super Bowl Party; youth game nights; a youth bonfire, and attended Young Teen Camp at Sky Lodge.

"SonQuest Rain Forest" was the theme of the Vacation Bible School at the Fillmore Church on June 14-18. VBS Director Kelli O'Byrne led a staff of 89 adults and youth in ministering to 187 children. Over $1,000 was raised by the children to provide water filters and school books for the children in Kenya. Most importantly, at least five children prayed to invite Jesus Christ into their hearts. The children especially enjoyed the creative rain forest decorations throughout the church facility. Our Vacation Bible School decorations were used by three other VBSs in the area.

2010-Evangelism: At least 6 adults and 9 children prayed to invite Christ in their lives during this year. Three of the adults came to Christ at the Fillmore's Women's Retreat; and five children accepted Christ in Vacation Bible School. In August, three persons (including Samantha Thomas and Kaysie Vreeman) gave testimony and were baptized in the nearby Root River. In April, four adults (including Kathy Ruesink and Sue Schild) were welcomed into preparatory membership at the Fillmore Church. And in July, five adults (Lisa Albrecht; Paul and Barb Rath; and Ron and Mary Reisner) gave testimony and were received as full members during the worship services. 2010-Missions: In January, our mission team provided a Vacation Bible School and construction help in Honduras. Several fund raisers (including a concert by Brad Boice) through the year assisted with the expenses of ministry to Honduras. And in July, a Medical Mission Team departed for Honduras.

In response to a major earthquake in Haiti, considerable attention and prayers were focused that way. Several Haiti videos were shown in our worship services, and over two thousand dollars was received and forwarded on to the Bishops' Haiti Relief Fund. In the fall 75 pounds of canned goods for a local food shelf were collected during the Halloween Hoe-Down Party for the children, and in November, 63 shoe boxes full of presents were sent out to children around the world through the ministry “Operation Christmas Child.” 2010-Other Ministry: The equipping of additional leadership has been an important step in our church moving forward in ministry for the Lord. In May, 12 persons attended a church leadership conference at Eagle Brook Church in the Minneapolis area. 43 workers attended a Vacation Bible School staff training breakfast. And in the fall, training was provided for our Sunday School teachers. Women’s Ministry activities in 2010 included several “Girlz Nite Out” social events; four different women's Bible studies; and a Christmas concert and dessert for the women. About 70 women participated in the Fillmore Church Women's Retreat held at the Ironwood Springs Camp. Very significant spiritual decisions were made by many - with the focus being "Clay in the Potter's Hand." Men’s activities included a chili Cook-Off and several evenings at the shooting range. Many other ministries happened through the Fillmore Church during 2010 including a DVD Marriage Enrichment Seminar; a Valentine Party; an Easter Breakfast; a Hallelujah Hoe Down party for families - chili supper, games (including horse riding), and trunk-or-treat; a Harvest (Thanksgiving) Dinner; and a Christmas Eve program. In the fall, the Fillmore Church produced its own photo directory. This was the first time we had done this without the services of a professional directory company. 83 families were pictured in the directory which was distributed in October. (53 families had been pictured in the directory done in 2003.) 2010-Pastoral Family: In March, my son-in-law Aaron assisted me with my message on "Clay in the Potter's Hand" by running a pottery wheel during the sermon. The day before, he had done something similar at the Fillmore Church women’s retreat taking place a few miles away. My hope was that each of us would be like clay in our heavenly Father’s hands – open to His shaping and design in our lives.

On the night of December 3rd before the Platteville (WI) quiz, our daughter Sarah and son-in-law Aaron (who had traveled from Michigan to visit with us in Wisconsin) handed us a lime, and when we asked why, Sarah announced that the lime was the current size of our first grandchild! What joyous news for us and we looked forward to the birth of our first grandchild sometime around Father’s Day of 2011.

Highlights from 2011 2011-Bible Quizzing: As this year began, the youth continued their study of the Gospel of John (NIV) and competed in tournaments in Rochester, MN; Janesville, WI; and Waukegan, IL. In March, the quizzers also attended a Bible Quiz Retreat held at Sky Lodge Camp. And at the end of July, our Bible Quiz

team placed 3rd at National Bible Quiz Finals in Spring Arbor, Michigan. In the fall, the youth began studying Hebrews and I & II Peter, and competed in tournaments in Rochester, MN; East Peoria, IL; and New Berlin, WI. The Fillmore youth placed 1st in their division at the East Peoria Bible Quiz. 2011-Building: May 8th was the fourth anniversary of the dedication of the first phase of our new facility, and a total of $9,732.35 was given to further reduce our building debt. What a great team effort! On May 4, the local church Board of Administration approved moving forward with the construction of the Phase 2 fellowship hall with the following motion: “The Fillmore Church Board of Administration hereby approves the Phase 2 construction of the new fellowship hall and further approves borrowing

$200,000 from the North Central Conference Loan Fund - subject to at least a 76 % supportive vote from the congregation on May 22, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.” In the subsequent congregational meeting on May 22, the congregational meeting gave a 92.6 % approval vote (50 – 4) regarding the proposed Phase 2 construction. At the beginning of the Sunday School hour on June 26th, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the Phase 2 construction. This addition would provide a gymnasium type facility for ministry to children, youth, and adults, and serve as an important tool in helping

accomplish our mission to 'plant spiritual seeds through evangelism, cultivate spiritual growth, and harvest dedicated workers and leaders for Christ.” How encouraging it was to see the construction progress through the rest of the year. Most of the Building Committee from Phase # 1 were involved in this second phase. 2011-Children & Youth Ministry: A Vacation Bible School staff of 80 persons ministered to 167 children and 6 babies on June 13-17, and about 60 children made decisions to live for Christ. During the week, $1,168 was raised for missions for the children in the Philippines. On October 30, about 140 children and their families attended the Harvest Hoe-Down which included Trunk R Treating; a potluck dinner; and games for the children. In December, 45 children and parents attended a Christmas program and potluck. 2011-Evangelism: During 2011, at least 70 children accepted Jesus Christ at Lord and Savior. Most of these conversions were through Vacation Bible School. An outdoor baptismal service was held on August 14 where two young persons (Isaac Rain and Jacob Stephas) gave testimony and were baptized in the Root River. Just before Easter, two men visited door-to-door to each unchurched home in our community. And in September, Connie Krueger led a 4-week evangelism training seminar entitled “Share Jesus without Fear.”

2011-Missions: In January, a team of 10 persons served at the Honduran orphanage – providing children’s ministry, building construction, and food for nearby poor families. Over $1,000 was raised for this ministry through a concert by Brad Boice. In February, a medical team left for Honduras. Funds were raised for a well and for water filters in Haiti. 53 shoe boxes full of toys were collected for Operation Christmas Child in November. Several of the church attenders rang bells for the Salvation Army in December. On March 6, the Fillmore Church held its first World Mission’s Celebration. This included a parade of the flags of countries where the Fillmore Church had ministered or provided financial support over the past year. These flags were of the United States, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, and the Philippines. Reports from our teams that had served in Honduras and Haiti were given in this celebration service. This service was modeled after the mission service that Pastor Mike experienced a month earlier at the Spring Arbor (MI) Free Methodist Church. 2011-Other Ministries: Considerable leadership training was done this year. Several children’s ministry leadership strategy meetings were held. In January, four men from Fillmore attended the Conference Men’s Retreat at the Sky Lodge Camp. Later that month, six persons attended the district GROW event in Austin; Pastor Mike helped lead a seminar there. The Vacation Bible School staff training and organizational breakfast was held in May. In September, two men attended a Men’s Ministry Leadership training event at the Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester, MN in preparation of launching a men’s mentoring ministry. In November, a Sunday School teacher training was held.

"If I’m a Princess, who stole my tiara?" was the theme of a women’s retreat sponsored by the Fillmore Church. Sixty-two ladies attended this event at the Ironwood Springs Camp which included uplifting worship, Bible instruction, good food, and fun activities. In May, the women’s ensemble sang at a St. Charles, MN church. In November, the first men’s mentoring discipleship sessions began. I started meeting separately (every two weeks) with four different men, and was very pleased with the quality of the meetings and trust God would bless these mentoring relationships over

the next year. 2011-Staff Addition: For years there had been discussion regarding the Fillmore Church hiring a part-time administrative assistant. As this year progressed, it was recognized that the time had finally come. To assist the Fillmore Church in moving forward in ministry and in having a greater impact for Jesus Christ, on July 6th the Fillmore Church Board of Administration created the position of “Executive Assistant to the Pastor” and hired Kelli O’Byrne to serve in this capacity. This decision followed several months of prayer and discussion, and recognized that as the Fillmore Church had grown, so had the need for

additional staff. Over the past 17 years, the number of volunteers has tripled, and additional ministry leadership was needed. Kelli would continue to volunteer as Women’s Ministry Director; Women’s Bible Study leader; and Women’s Retreat Coordinator. In addition to all that, she would now minister 15-20 hours a week to work with Children’s Ministry; to oversee the scheduling and care of the new fellowship hall (Christian Life Center); to help more persons get involved in ministry; to expand outreach to the unchurched; and to provide additional assistance to the pastoral staff as needed. Kelli began on August 1st.

2011-Kent Erding: Around noon on Thursday, October 20, 2011, Kent Erding died in a logging accident. Kent had been very active in ministry in the Fillmore Church (serving on the Board of Administration and Building Committee and as trustee chairman) and was a close friend of the pastor. As I ministered to a stunned community and church, I recognized that I had been profoundly affected as well. What a comfort to know that Kent had a deep love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and that there was no question that he had gone to heaven as a result. During his funeral service on October 24, a testimony (written by Kent years before) of how he had come to trust in Christ was read to a packed sanctuary. 2011- Pastoral Family: My wife and I became grandparents on June 13 with the birth of Lillian

Elizabeth Cole to our daughter Sarah and her husband Aaron. I got to see her for the first time a few days later when I traveled to Michigan for National Bible Quiz Finals. What a treat to hold Lily in my arms for the very first time! At that Quiz Finals, I also had the opportunity to compete on an adult quiz team with my daughter Susanna and my son Stephen. Though some rounds were close, we won our division. The joy for me was not so much the victory, but to quiz together on the same team with two of my kids. On August 13, a baby shower for Lily was held in Fillmore. In September, Janet and I traveled to Kansas to move our daughter Susanna back to Fillmore. She had lived in McPherson for seven years and longed to be closer to her family. We were delighted to have her back home. In July, I traveled to New York to serve as delegate at the Free Methodist General Conference. I was looking forward to spending time with Christian friends from across the nation and from around the world, and I was not disappointed. But so much more happened during that week. Through the times of worship and teaching and prayer, God brought spiritual renewal to my heart as I sensed His presence in a powerful way. Through hearing stories of God at work in ministries and churches around the world, my vision for what God wanted to do in and through our local church was greatly expanded. And through participating in the business sessions, my heart was blessed as I observed great unity and the desire to see God honored and the world impacted through our ministries. I returned home with an even greater passion to live for God and didn’t want that passion to fade.

Highlights from 2012 2012-Building: As construction on the Christian Life Center progressed through the winter and spring, the Board of Administration developed a usage policy for the CLC and planned for the dedication service. Some of the features of this new addition were 50 foot x 80 foot floor with 24 foot height at the peak; in-floor heat; lines for 4-square, volleyball, and basketball; a video and sound link to the sanctuary; and a separate sound system. There were also a spacious entry area with coat racks and a large storage room which provided direct access to the kitchen

Superintendent Mark Adams was present in our 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services of dedication on April 22. Each service concluded with a walk to the Christian Life Center, special prayer, and our superintendent taking the official first basketball shot. “Open House” tours for the community were provided in the afternoon, and in the evening our congregation provided a potluck dinner for the contractors and workers (both paid and volunteer) who helped build the expansion. On May 12, the Annual Building Offering was received in the worship services. A total of $18,368 came in. This was the largest amount in the six years since we had been doing the annual offering for the building debt. What a blessing this new “Christian Life Center” would be – especially for our younger families. Some other projects done this year included one of the men in our church

building an attractive welcome station for our entry way. A local funeral home donated 46 folding chairs to our church. An attractive church brochure was completed this year. 2012-Children & Youth Ministry: "SonRise National Park" was the theme of the Vacation Bible School during the mornings of June 11-15. Director Kelli O'Byrne led a staff of 86 persons in ministering to 148 children and 10 babies, and most of the children (many from unchurched homes) made decisions to live for Christ. During the week, nearly $1,400 was raised to provide food for the children in Honduras. In February, children and parents attended a movie / game / dinner night at the church, and in the fall, children and parents attended the Harvest Hoe Down event (with a Christian magician). In October, the Fillmore Church launched the American Heritage Girls ministry with 13 girls. Amy Rehm served as the director for this new mid-week ministry for the girls. And in December, over 300 persons attended the children’s Christmas program “Candy Cane Lane.” About 45 children and youth helped with this special Christmas presentation. During this year, the Bible quizzing youth continued their study of Hebrews and I & II Peter, and competed in quiz tournaments in Rochester, MN and Platteville, WI. In April, the Fillmore Church hosted the North Central Conference Bible Quiz Finals. In the fall, the children began their study of the Gospel of Matthew. For years, Deb Albrecht served as the head coach for the Fillmore Youth for Christ Bible quiz team.

2012-Evangelism: During this year, at least 35 persons committed their lives to Jesus Christ. About 17 of those were children in Honduras who accepted Christ through the ministry of our Honduras team. Most of the VBS children either rededicated their lives to Christ or made first-time decisions. In the fall, one man close to death accepted Christ in his life. In August, an outdoor baptismal service was held at the Root River where Allison Stoehr and Andrew Luck gave their testimonies and were baptized. On February 19, the Kingsland High School varsity boys’ basketball team attended worship to see their coach Paul Eckheart play the guitar on our worship team. In April, door-to-door visiting was done in Fillmore to invite unchurched to our Easter services, and a record of 294 attended Easter services, and 200 were served breakfast that morning. During this year, ministry was launched by Ron and Shaune Luck in Lanesboro to the teens in that community. 2012-Missions: In January, a team of 11 individuals traveled to the Christian Orphanage in Azacualpa, Honduras. Ministry included various construction projects, distributing food to nearby needy families, and Vacation Bible School-resulting in 17 boys and girls accepting Jesus Christ in their lives. Around the same time, the Fillmore Church raised $2,154 to put a roof on the Free Methodist Church in Buruma, Kenya. On February 26, the Fillmore Church celebrated “Missions Sunday.” Part of the celebration included a procession of national flags of the countries where Fillmore persons had served or provided finances over the past 12 months. These included the United States, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kenya, the

Philippines, and Zambia. During the service, the scripture was read in five different languages. Some additional mission activity this year included missionaries Jim and Deb Wilson (from the Philippines) speaking in the worship services; a sewing party making children’s clothing to send with medical team going to Haiti; a couple traveling to Haiti for two weeks of medical service; and 58 shoe boxes being filled with toys collected for “Operation Christmas Child.” 2012-Other Ministries: On March 9–11, 64 women attended a women’s retreat at Ironwood Springs Camp sponsored by the Fillmore Church. “Experiencing God’s Grace” was the theme of this event which included uplifting worship; Bible instruction; good food; and fun activities. In March, 48 men attended a game, pizza, and movie (“Courageous”) night at the Fillmore

Church. And in December, 59 men participated in a men’s event at the church with games, food, and special speaker from the Christian Hunters Association. Some equipping activities this year included training provided for the women who work in the church kitchen; a Vacation Bible School staff and training meeting; and orientation and training for Sunday School teachers. On December 9, Bishop David Roller spoke in the worship services at the Fillmore Church. And the Annual Society Meeting in August affirmed and approved administrative assistant staff person (Kelli O’Byrne) for a second year.

2012-Pastoral Family: On May 16, I gave the message to the graduating class at the Kingsland High School baccalaureate service. On September 30th on my way to mentor two men, I struck a deer, killing the deer and disabling my vehicle. (With many deer hunters attending the Fillmore Church, I now could boast of getting a 9-point buck!) Through the year, I continued to meet (separately and every two weeks) with four different men for men’s mentoring discipleship.

Highlights from 2013 2013-Building: On May 5, the annual building offering was received in our worship services. The congregation was challenged to give a special offering to further reduce our building debt, and a total of $13,988 plus a $10,000 matching grant was given. What a great team effort! The Fillmore Church had consistently paid ahead on its debt, and was on track to pay off a 20-year loan in about ten years. Several facility improvements done this year included mounting a new projector (6,000 lumens) in our sanctuary; resurfacing and striping the parking lot; receiving the donation of a piano; the trimming of bushes; power washing the church siding; creating a large storage room area for VBS supplies; and building shelves for our trustee area. 2013-Children & Youth Ministry: For Vacation Bible School in June, a staff of 80 adults and youth ministered to 154 children, and several children made first-time decisions to live for Christ, and many rededicated their lives to the Lord. In addition, $2,000 was raised for missions to provide clean drinking water for school children in Bolivia, South America. During this year, the children continued their study of the Gospel of Matthew and competed in Bible Quiz tournaments in Rochester, MN – placing 2nd in February and 3rd in March. In March, children and parents attended a Kid’s Easter event (with food and a movie about the resurrection). In May, Steve Rehm launched the “Faithful Warriors” father-son mentoring ministry. And on May 22, the American Heritage Girls had their Spring Awards Ceremony. On October 7, the first youth evening basketball was held in our Christian Life Center. This has become a weekly activity for the teens. And on December 8, the Christmas program “All I Want for Christmas” was presented by the children in both worship services with 233 persons attending. 2013-Evangelism: At least eight persons accepted Christ as Savior in 2013. Several of these decisions came through the ministry of Vacation Bible School. Outreach to the local community was done in the fall as I sent a personal letter to each unchurched family in the village of Fillmore to let them know that I was praying for them, and that they could feel free to contact me if they had any specific requests for prayer. The population of Fillmore is only about 75 persons, and this letter went to about 20 households. On August 24, a baptismal service took place at the Root River. Sandy Frederick and her children Cooper and Autumn all gave testimony and were baptized. On August 25, Kathy Ruesink joined the Fillmore Church as a full member.

2013-Missions: The Fillmore Church was involved in several mission endeavors in 2013. In January, a team of 6 individuals traveled to the Christian Orphanage in Azacualpa, Honduras. Activity included the

construction of a house as well as ministry to needy families. The Fillmore Church raised $1,800 to help eight churches in the Philippines to replace or repair their roofs following a December typhoon. Over $1,000 was raised to help two pastors in Haiti purchase a motorcycle for transportation to Bible training as well as for use in their pastoring. 59 shoe boxes were collected for “Operation Christmas Child.” An additional $1,616 was raised for typhoon relief in the Philippines. And Ray and Connie Krueger traveled to Bolivia to minister to medical needs along the Amazon River. On February 17, a World Missions Celebration Service

included scripture being read in 6 languages and a parade of 9 flags represented countries where our local church has served or provided support over the past 12 months. In addition to the Christian flag were flags from the United States, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Niger, the Philippines, Suriname, and Togo. And a report was given about the recent mission trip to Honduras. 2013-Other Ministries: On March 8-10, 62 women attended a women’s retreat at Ironwood Springs Camp sponsored by the Fillmore Church. “Arise and Shine” was the theme of this event which included uplifting worship; Bible instruction; good food; and fun activities. Later about a dozen women participated in the Beth Moore simulcast at church. In July, six men attended the Promise Keepers Event in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Other special activities this year included a church social entitled “Cabin Fever”; a Maundy Thursday service; “Laugh your way to a better marriage” DVD Marriage Enrichment seminar; a 100th birthday celebration for Maxine Winslow; a Harvest (Thanksgiving) Dinner; Gary Froiland concert; a Christmas Eve Service; and Vacation Bible School staff training. In addition, our church provided water and a restroom break for about 250 bicyclists riding through town. Easter services were attended by 291 persons, and 220 came to the Easter breakfast. 2013-Pastoral Family: While Janet and I were at a pastoral couple retreat in Freeport, IL in May, the exciting announcement came that our second grandchild was born, and we headed off to Michigan. What a blessing it was to hold Tyler James Cole on the day of his birth, May 11th and since to see him grow. And through the years, I have appreciated the understanding of this congregation as stories of my grandchildren frequently make their way into the messages I give on Sunday mornings. Through this year, I continued to meet separately (every two weeks) with four different men for men’s mentoring discipleship. All four identified whom they would begin mentoring, and I identified one man whom I would mentor next. I also enjoyed working with several persons to help discover their spiritual gifts and how those gifts could be effectively used in ministry in the local church.

During this year, I took a few days to travel to Indianapolis (IN) to visit with friends including a retired police officer who had asked me to do his funeral. His health was declining, and I wanted to see him again. He shared with me that he had committed his life to Christ – and I celebrated with the angels in heaven with his decision. Though not currently serving as a law enforcement chaplain, I pray regularly for the Fillmore County Sheriff Department personnel and look for opportunities to encourage them.

Looking to the Future: So much more has happened over the past ten years which has not been included in this summary. And as ministry continues in 2014, it has been a joy to see the expansion of children’s ministry and the launching of a new outreach to the Lanesboro / Whalan area. What a blessing it has been for me as pastor to serve God with this congregation, and I look forward to whatever God has in store for the future. "When (Jesus) saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest

field.'" (Matthew 9:36-38) With the hope of reaching the next generations for Christ and that they might trust in Him (Psalm 78:7), the Fillmore Church continues to send out dedicated followers of Jesus Christ as workers into the spiritual harvest fields to accomplish our mission “to plant seeds through evangelism, cultivate spiritual growth, and harvest dedicated workers and leaders for Christ.” Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike & Janet Hopper Fillmore Free Methodist Church 19127 County 8 Wykoff, MN 55990 ***************

Fillmore Free Methodist Church

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VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL ATTENDANCES

Year Students Staff Babies Total

2004 110 52 162 2005 125 62 187 2006 120 66 186 2007 148 76 6 230 2008 168 76 10 254 2009 168 102 7 277 2010 187 89 11 287 2011 167 80 6 253 2012 148 91 10 249 2013 149 80 5 234