Tuesday, October 16
Bob Karwowski (a local man – invited by the conference committee) opened our morning worship by leading us in several worship songs.
Jason Nussbaum (Lead Chaplain, Lodi, Ohio) made sure the words to the songs were on the screen at the right time.
Gary Nussbaum (Director of Follow-up Ministries and Prayer Line) was the MC for this meeting. Gary is Jason’s dad and also servers as a chaplain on the Lodi, Ohio, chapel.
Pastor Doug Winne was our speaker for the first service – Time in the Word.
He passed out a container of M & M’s so we would remember his theme for the morning’s message – as well as the one for the next morning. Modeling and Mentoring.
One thing I remember from his messages is his method of finding out if someone is serious about needing your time and mentorship. A man wanted him to be his spiritual mentor, so Doug said I will do that if you will go to church with your wife. (We can waste our time mentoring people if they are not serious about walking with the Lord.) The man went to church for a Sunday or two, then went back to his regular, careless, Sunday morning routine.
Morning break
Debbie and Paul Leger and Tim Sackett
It is easy to tell who has some responsibilities for the next few meetings.
Visiting and catching up on ministry information until the 11 am program.
Chad Roedema and Gary Nussbaum
Jake Wise, Jason Nussbaum, and Jane Wise
Mike Hayden and Susan DeBay
Jim Harkless and Cerwin High
Dwayne Johnson (Vice President of Development), Jenison, Michigan, led the two sessions on Connecting the Next Generation of Drivers to Christ.
Paul Leger (Lead Chaplain) Salisbury, New Brunswick and Dwayne
Group photo after lunch
Ron Fraser (incoming TFC President) and Dan Witwer (outgoing TFC President) shaking hands in agreement on the transfer of leadership.
Ron is from Glenmoore, Pennsylvania, and Dan is from Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The Canadian staff were well represented – L to R: Sam and Janet McIntosh (currently Lead Chaplain at Pass Lake, Ontario – soon transferring to Calgary, British Columbia; Dennis Finnamore (Director of Canadian Ministries); Paul and Edna Cairns (Lead Chaplain at Chilliwack, British Columbia; Jacques and Carmen Poirier, Lead Chaplain at Saint-Liboire, Quebec; Paul and Debbie Leger, Lead Chaplain at Salisbury, New Brunswick; Murray and Laurie Scott, Director of Overseas Ministries; Kevin and Lisa Scott, Vice President of Overseas Ministries; and Len and Sue Reimer, Lead Chaplain at Woodstock, Ontario.
Sam Rittenhouse (Assistant Director of Pastoral Care for Chaplains) was MC for the after lunch session.
Sam is from Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Kevin Scott (Vice President of Overseas Ministries), Collingwood, Ontario, presented an interesting session on Connecting with Millennials.
3:45 pm to 5:15 pm: while the men did some message preparation and other staff things, the ladies met in the lower level. I asked five ladies to share How God has Stretched Them Since Becoming a Part of TFC. Peg O’Hare (center in purple), Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, opened with devotions and her thoughts on being stretched by God.
Sue Reimer, Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, (black center) sharing her thoughts.
Pearl Nussbaum (Dalton, Ohio), left, told us how God is teaching her to trust Him.
Shannon Nussbaum (Seville, Ohio), center with gray sweater, shared a bit of her faith journey.
Several ladies told me how much they enjoyed learning more about the five ladies who shared part of their journey.
Sam Rittenhouse and Jim Harkless during afternoon break.
Jim’s wife, Dixie, passed away several months ago. He had been on staff for many years before retiring and is now planning to serve as a volunteer on the chapel in Columbia, South Carolina.
Supper was taco salad
The evening session began with worship songs by Paul and Jacques.
Debbie Leger (Boundary Creek, New Brunswick) made sure the correct words were on the screen.
Ray Fahnestock (Volunteer Chaplain at Frystown, Pennsylvania) wrote an amusing song about what it is like to be a chaplain in a truck stop and pass out Highway News and Good News to truckers.
Tim Rogers (Racine, Wisconsin)
Several chaplains were asked to share a “God Story” or two from their chapel.
Ryan Albrecht (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
George Freeman (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts)
Michael DeBay (Ontario, California)
David Hoy (Elkton, Maryland)
Joe Matthews (Frystown, Pennsylvania)
Worship break by Paul Leger and Jacques Poirier
Tom Kemp (North Bend, Washington)
Chris Navetta (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
Jay LeRette (Rochelle, Illinois)
Chad Roedema (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Chad closed by telling us how much he enjoyed being with TFC staff, but his heart was torn because their teenage daughter was having surgery (while he was in PA) for a sports injury that continues to cause issues for her. Tim Sackett (Hudson, Wisconsin) led in prayer for her and the Roedema family.
Sam McIntosh (Pass Lake, Ontario)
TFC President, Dan Witwer, honored Glenn Fahnestock with a Winross model chapel for his many volunteer hours of helping Cerwin with chapel construction and other maintenance work on chapels and at the International Office.
Jane Wise was asked to share how God answered her prayer while her husband, Jake, was serving on a chapel.