Faith Bible / Grace Bible Church History Time Line
1982
– A group split off from Fishkill Baptist and began to meet together. They held four planning meetings to start a new work.
– July 11, 1982, the first gathering for worship was held in Hopewell Jct., NY
– July 18, 1982, Sunday morning and evening services began at John Jay High School, East Fishkill, NY. Various families hosted Midweek prayer meetings.
– Rev. William C. Peet became the founding pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship (name coming from Habakkuk 2:4, The just shall live by faith,) with stated desire for the Bible to be central in the ministry of this new church. Rev. Peet and his wife, Libby, had previously served as church planters with IFCA Independent Bible Church Mission of Michigan. Pastor Peet’s encouraging spirit proved invaluable to the group as he faithfully led them.
– December 2, 1982, a Constitution and Statement of Faith were approved by 52 charter members
1983
– Feb. 2, 1983, the first election of officers and incorporation as Faith Bible Church
– (Deacons: Earl Wheeler, Chairman, Ernest Floegel, Donald Kitchen. Trustees: Louis Warren, Jr,. Larry Newcomb & Jack Wickert. Church Clerk – Barbara Hanover. Church Treasurer – John Halpin).
– March 20, 1983, the church moved to Poughkeepsie Day School for its meetings.
1984
– February 22. Mr. Gregory D. Stephens was called as the first full time pastor beginning ministry on March 4. He was a graduate of Practical Bible Training School, Bible School Park, NY, with a B.A. from Baptist Bible College and M.Div. from Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, PA. The church later ordained him. He & his family move to NY.
– December 1984, the church purchased seven acres of property on Myers Corners Road, Wappingers Falls, NY and the farm house became the parsonage.
1985
– March 17, 1985, ground breaking ceremony for the new church building
– September 8, 1985, dedication ceremony for the new church building with Dr. Gary Allen, Christian Mission to the United Nations, as the key note speaker.
1990
– Pastor Stephens tenure was terminated by the Deacon Board for conduct unbecoming a pastor.
– John Koppenaal became the Interim Pastor until April 1991
1991
-* Feb / March, Rev. Scott L. Harris candidated & called as second full time pastor. He is a B.S. graduate of California Polytechnic University, Pomona and M.Div graduate of The Master’s Seminary, Sun Valley, CA
-* April 27, 1991, Rev. Harris & Diane & son, Jonathan, arrived in NY from CA
– June, First Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social
– July, First Vacation Bible School
– September – October, first Preparation for Parenting class
– December, First of three consecutive years of IBM layoffs was announced
– First Christmas Eve Service & Open House
1992
– April 17, First Good Friday Services held
– July, First Sunday School Picnic held in the backyard of the Parsonage (this became the “Annual Church Picnic” now usually held at Wilcox park)
– First Toddler Parenting Class
– First Growing Kids God’s Way Class
* Pastor Harris is Secretary of Hudson Valley Fundamental Pastors’ Fellowship – (1992-1996)
1993
– March: Constitution changed to “Elders & Deacons.” Restriction on divorced people serving in ministry is removed.
– Leadership training classes begin with books on Elders & Deacons. This develops into a 4 year rotation of Bible Survey, Hermeneutics, Theology, & Biblical Counseling
1994
– Women’s Servant Council formed (These are our Deaconesses)
1995
– First “men’s group” started on Saturday mornings. Several future leaders developed from this.
1996
– Comprehensive Missions Policy completed & approved.
* Pastor Harris is First Vice President of NY IFCA – (1996-1999)
* Pastor Harris began attending IFCA Annual Conferences – Attended every year through 2005
* Pastor Harris is President of Hudson Valley Fundamental Pastors’ Fellowship (1996-1998)
1997
– First Elizabeth George Women’s Conference / Jim George Leadership Conf.
– September 6, 1997, the church ordained Chris Pandolfi
1998
– April, Chris Pandolfi left to become pastor of Calvary Baptist, Medford, NY
– Feb – May. Conflicts among Elders. Three Elders (Louis Warren, Ernest Floegel and Larry Newcomb) were removed in May and disfellowshiped later in the year for multiple lies and unwillingness to reconcile with FBC
– Start of a church web page
– November: Revised Constitution approved
1999
– Church name changed to Grace Bible Church signifying the new emphasis in the church – Saved by grace, Walking in grace, Extending grace to others.
– April, Pastor Harris is President of NY IFCA (4/1999 – 4/2002 and 4/2008 – _______)
– Start of Home Bible Studies to replace Wednesday evenings church service
– First “Praise Team” organized to lead music
– Hudson Haven / Elant ministry replaced semi annual ministry at The Baptist Home, Rhinebeck
1999
– Herald of Grace – 2,000 copies of newspaper mailed to the community as an outreach (discontinued in 2004 due to cost and marginal effectiveness)
– September, First participation in Wappinger Town Day – and won first place for the float
– September, AWANA starts – average attendance: 26 with a high of 34
2000
– June: Pastor Harris is elected to IFCA International Executive Committee (6/2000 – 6/2003)
– First Town of Wappinger Veteran’s Day Ceremony. (Pastor Harris gave the invocation)
2001
– Elizabeth George Women’s Conference / Jim George Leadership Conf.
– Made effort to get a church planter to consider Westchester County –
– Special community Services due to 9/11
2002
– Started Boy Scout Troop 316 (The Troop folded in 2005)
– Burned the Church Mortgage!
– Pastor Harris NY IFCA Vice President or Secretary (2002-2008)
2003
– Church Dynamic involvement begins – emphasis on personal One to One Discipleship
2004
– God & Country, BSA training / awards
– Increased Community Outreach: First Reverse Trick or Treat, First Christmas Caroling
– Pastor Harris has shoulder surgery, January 9, 2004 (missed one Sunday of preaching)
– Elias Carrero becomes Pastoral Intern
2005
– Elias Carrero hired as Associate Pastor of Evangelism & Assimilation, ordained 6/26/2005
– First time GBC men attend Shepherd’s Conference in California. Hosted by pastor’s parents
– Steve Plodenic approved to be sent out from GBC as a Missionary to South Africa
– First outreach at Village of Wappingers Falls Picnic in the Park
– G.I.R.L. Time begins
– October, First major flooding of the Church – lots of cleanup & repairs
2006
– Pastor Harris taught at Irpin Seminary, Ukraine – 23 seminary sessions, 2 chapels, 2 studies
– Video cameras installed at church
– First Resurrection Sunrise Services at Fishkill Rural Cemetery (becomes an annual event)
– November, Elias Carerro becomes Pastor of Hainesport Baptist Church, NJ
2007
– Evangelism Committee begins using The Way of the Master evangelism training
– April, Second major Church flooded / repairs / installed wainscoting / enlarge retention pond
– First Spring Sing Thing
– Involvement with Dutchess Community College Christian Club begins
– Ed Colón & Ricky Jordan (Deacons) preach their first sermons at GBC
2008
– First use of The Truth Project
– Fall Festival of Praise starts
– First Young Men’s Challenge
– Pastor Harris built Carport for Parsonage
– Jim Zieger, Andy Csillag and Jay Camp preach their first sermons at GBC
2009
– First Young Woman’s Challenge
– Pastor Harris taught Niagra Bible Conference & AMOC Leaders Training
– Pastor Harris renovated / restored Parsonage living room & floor of kitchen
– October – Pastor Harris has 2nd shoulder surgery – out of pulpit for 9 weeks
– Jonathan Harris preaches his first sermons at GBC
2010
– Increase in community outreach by cooperation with other churches
– Pastor Harris built Sun Roof over parsonage porch
– Balanced Evangelism Seminars with Pastor Pete Mothershead
– David Harris & Randy Ryan (Deacon) preach their first sermons at GBC
2011
– 20th Anniversary Celebration for Pastor Harris
– Website tops 600 pages posted, tops 100,000 visits
– College / Career ministry begins to meet weekly
2012
– Website tops 200,000 page views, receives visits from 198 countries (more than in the UN)
– Bible study started at SUNY New Paltz, Jonathan Harris debates on origin of morality
– Ray Machetti funeral – tract written about him with over 1,400 passed out.
– Retention pond expanded greatly
2013
– Sermon notes via email surpasses 250; Website averages 380 visits, 558 page views per day
– Membership reaches highest level ever
– Outreach efforts continue to expand with additional people becoming active
– Phil Jordan (Deacon) preaches his first sermon at GBC
– Pastor renovated kitchen in the parsonage
2014
– SemonAudio.com added as a ministry tool
– Simultaneous translation of sermons into Spanish begins – Winston Bernal is the translator
– Rev. Jim Zieger became part-time Associate Pastor
2015
– Ricky & Laura Beck added as supported Missionaries (church planting in Buffalo, NY)
– First Missions trip to Dominican Republic – headed by Winston & Jandry Bernal
– Spanish Sunday School Class started.
2016
– Pastor Harris completes 25 years of ministry at Grace Bible Church
– Jack Scalice (Deacon) preaches his first sermon at GBC
– Sermon notes via email surpasses 500
– GBC assumes responsibility for Ulster County Fair outreach
– Pastor Zieger moves to Pennsylvannia
2017
– Church sends Pastor Harris to Israel for a 20 day study trip with The Master’s Seminary
– Dominic Bonasio becomes the part time Minister of Evangelism and Assimilation
– Video recording and webcasting of morning worship service begins
– Truck Port converted into a picnic pavilion
2018
– One-To-One Discipship translated into Spanish by Jandry Bernal & Teresa Garcia
– Pastor Harris goes with Winston Bernal to Dominic Republic to teach Disciplship seminars
– Sermon notes via email surpasses 1,000 / week. Website visitors reach 581,411
– Work on site plan required by town completed
– Children’s Play Area constructed
2019
– Garage built
– Zheng’s added as Missionaries – Indonesia
2020
– Church plant by Becks in Buffalo self-supporting
– International Training & Equipping Ministry added as a supported Missions agency
– Dexter’s added as Missionaries – Philippines
– Creative responses to Covid restrictions keep church functioning. Outdoor services held May-November. Indoor / outdoor services July – November. Zoom added to many ministries.
– Internet based ministries expand rapidly – websites, SermonAudio, Social media, email (2,300/wk)
– Very active nursing home ministry at Sapphire shut down by that institution
– Red Cross Blood Drives hosted (averaged 2.5 per month May-December)
– Jim Phelan (Deacon) preaches first sermon
2021
– Indoor / Outdoor services held April-June so Culinary Institute students could join us.
– Reduced restrictions by other institutions allowed everyone to join together inside
– New carpets installed upstairs. Normal seating resumed
– Pastor Harris completed 30 years of ministry at Grace Bible Church
– GBC Homeschool Support Ministry begins
2022
– Ministry with CIA students expands. Many being personally discipled
– Mission trip to Dominic Republic resumes after two year hiatus due to Covid restrictions
– Departure of young families to other states continues, replaced by new families to GBC
– Pastor’s wife, Diane, diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome. Their ministry changes to give greater focus to leadership development
-Children’s weeknight ministry changed to Kids Adventure Club
-442,963 website visitors. 7,748 SermonAudio plays. Email sermons- just over 3,000 / week
2023
– Discipler’s Guide to using the One-to-One Discipling material completed.
– Sermon Audio page updated with past sermons – 1,164 sermons & teachings now posted
– Deacon training standardized. Three Deacons added replacing one that moved away
2023/24
– Fiscal year changed to September – August
2024/25
– Deaconess training renovated. Four deaconesses added replacing two that moved.
– Three men actively pursing becoming elders. Anticipate their completion of work in early 2026
2025/2026
– Trail Life & American Heritage Girls troops started Fall 2025