ELDER VOTE ABSENTEE BALLOT
Grace Community Church is holding a vote to confirm new elders starting in 2024. The vote will be held February 4th during both morning services. Voting is limited to members and confirmation requires a quorum and two-thirds majority of those voting. nonmembers are welcome to express their preference, though these will not be included in the final results. If you will not be present on February 4th during either service please fill out an absentee ballot by clicking the “Vote” button below.
Elder Evaluation Form
This response form reflects our belief that selecting local church leadership is more than a nomination and voting process. The church body is asked to confirm the character and integrity of those serving it in leadership. Please fill out a form for each one of the candidates that you know.
Elder Candidate Bios
Steve Friesen
One of the earliest stories my parents told me was that I was an answer to prayer! Before I was born, my mom and dad prayed for a son, telling the Lord that, if he answered their prayers, they would dedicate their son to the Lord. That explains my middle name, “Samuel,” which means “heard of God,” and which parallels the story of Hannah who dedicated her son to the Lord in 1 Samuel 1.
Born in Kansas and raised in a missionary home in Japan, I was blessed to have parents who loved and served Jesus and who shared the gospel with me at an early age. I realized my need for a Savior and trusted Jesus when I was seven years old. Subsequently I rededicated my life to the Lord in my early teens, and then experienced God’s deep grace in redirecting my life during my Tabor College years when I experienced his call to full time ministry.
During my years at Dallas Seminary I was serving as a youth pastor in a local church when I received an invitation to assist our Japan Mennonite Brethren Conference of churches in their ministry to youth. After meeting and marrying Bobbie in 1976, we left for Japan in 1979. We invested one term in youth ministry, and subsequently were called to plant two churches during our eighteen years in Japan.
In 1997 Bobbie and I returned to the States and settled in Newton, Kansas, where I was hired here at Grace as Adult Education Pastor and eventually transitioned to the role of Pastor of Counseling and Discipleship. After 23 wonderful years at Grace, I retired in August of 2020.
Bobbie and I have three sons, Andy, Luke, and Toby, all born in Japan, and all married and raising our eight grandkids!
In my retirement years, it’s been a blessing to be able to continue as a part of the Grace church family, share Bible stories in Awana Boys T&T Council Times, and pinch hit with preaching from time to time. If approved, I am trusting that the Lord will use me on the elder team to encourage and support those on the front lines of ministry and help my brothers and sisters experience the presence of Jesus while growing together into our full potential in him, bearing fruit and bringing him much glory.
Jon Jordan
I have been attending Grace Community Church along with my wife Lori since 2004. We have four children, Makenzie(Junior at Berean), Adelynn(8th grade at Berean), Emerson(5th grade homeschooled), and Camille(3rd grade homeschooled). I have been involved at Grace in a variety of ways. Lori and I have served as Community Life leaders, Transform youth leaders and Awana leaders, and I have led kids music as well.
I grew up in rural Kansas on a farm and was blessed with a family that taught God’s Word and pointed me towards Christ. I was fairly young when I accepted God’s gift of salvation with the encouragement and guidance of my older sister. I’mgrateful for my upbringing in a christian home, access to attend christian school, and involvement in church as a family.
After attending Berean Academy, I attended Grace University in Omaha and there met Lori. We married in 2002 and are thankful for our children and the many activities we experience together. Living in the country, house projects, vacations, motorcycling, and sports are just some of the things that we enjoy doing together.
I considers it a true honor to be invited to serve as an elder and realizes it is not something to be taken lightly. The desire to serve as an elder is something that God has been stirring in my heart over the last couple of years. I believe that sound biblical teaching and leadership provide the best avenue for spiritual growth in the church and want this to continue to be the case at Grace Community Church.
Dave Reimer
I was born in Canada into a deeply Christian family and came to faith in Christ at the age of 10. My father was called to ministry, so I grew up in church. I met Marilyn in Bible College and we married after graduation. During college years, the Lord began confirming a calling to local church ministry, so we moved our first summer to Dallas, TX, where I attended Dallas Theological Seminary, graduating in 1971. I have served as pastor of churches in Texas and South Dakota, and in 1987 we moved to Newton at the invitation of a small group of godly people to whom the Lord had given the vision of establishing a new church. Grace Community Church was born in June of 1987. I served as Grace's lead pastor until 2017 and retired at the end of that year. I have served since in interim pastoral ministry in our Synergy and other community churches, including pulpit supply and coaching, and have helped establish a Young Adult ministry at Grace.
I love Grace Community Church, believe it has a strong future, and have recently felt free to become available to serve on its elder leadership team.
Andrew Toews
I had the privilege of growing up in a Christian home where I learned the good news of the Bible at a young age. I prayed to confess my sin and believe in Jesus as my Lord while studying the Romans Road verses at age 5 and in 8th grade I took the step of baptism to publicly acknowledge my faith in Christ. While my understanding at those times may have been that of a child, by God’s grace I continue to grow in my knowledge and experience and to this day look only to Jesus death and resurrection to make me right before a holy, just and loving God.
My wife Emily and our 4 children Joy, Esther, Caleb and Lydia have attended Grace for the past 10 years over which time I have served in worship ministry through music, as a small group member & leader, on Stewardship Council and as treasurer the past 2 years. Our family has been exceedingly blessed by the Biblical teaching, fellowship and opportunities to serve at Grace. As an Elder I would strive to ensure Grace is positioned to continue effectively fulfilling it’s mission and remains committed to truthful teaching of God’s word as revealed through scripture. Finally Emily and I both grew up with pastors as fathers so we have a special desire to stand beside and encourage our pastors as they faithfully serve the church body.
Andrew Hoelscher
I came to know Christ as my savior on Easter at the age of seven. I remember distinctly being convicted of a need for my sins to be forgiven, and Christ's accounting for them through His death on the cross. I began to understand and walk with him as my Lord in college. Through multiple mentors and pastors I was able to get a broad understanding of how to mature in Christ. Before moving to Newton, I helped bi-vocationally pastor a church in Ellsworth for 4 years, that today is a Synergy Church in the FEC.
Courtney and I have been married for 17 years and have 6 girls; Addi (14), Hannah (12), Kate (10), Mia (8), Molly (2), Emma (2). We live outside of Whitewater on our little piece of dirt. I started and run a business called Farm Strategy, working with food companies to build better supply chains. Within Grace I teach the 5th and 6th Sunday School, am involved in the Lincoln Park ministry, and engage the FEC in the African Church Planting Initiative. Outside of Grace, I sit on the board of a mission's agency called AgGrandize Global, where we build missions-based ag businesses in hard-to-reach areas of the globe.
Elder Absentee Voting
Grace Community Church is holding a vote to confirm new elders starting in 2024. The vote will be held February 4th during both morning services. Voting is limited to members and confirmation requires a quorum and two-thirds majority of those voting. nonmembers are welcome to express their preference, though these will not be included in the final results. If you will not be present on February 4th during either service please fill out an absentee ballot by clicking the button below.