2008 Annual Reports - Hamilton Square Baptist Church

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The year began with a rearrangement in church staff and responsibilities. Pastor and Mrs. Tim Sneeden were off on
deputation under our sponsorship to plant a new fundamental Baptist church in San Diego. In the middle of the year we
bade farewell to Pastor and Mrs. Leroy Guillen who moved to Greenville upon his final retirement.
The ministry here at Hamilton Square has always been centered around people ministering to other people. God has given
us an unusually fine and quality staff to serve us. It has been my joy to see each of them make great strides of growth in
their ministry and along with this to see their fruitfulness increase significantly.
Brother Steve Crozier has taken hold of his responsibilities as my administrative assistant in an amazing way. He has been
with us for just two years now and has quickly grasped the dynamics of our work here. Pastor Brian Kelly has assumed
many added responsibilities and has filled in for me numerous times when I have been away. His messages have been a great
help and blessing to our congregation. His ministry here has become vital to all of us. Brother Bill Hughes continues to
enlarge his ministry and has wisely delegated work to others as help has been available from time to time.
Others in our congregation have stepped forward to assume responsibilities and have served joyfully and effectively. We
have one of the hardest working congregations of any I know. My heart is made glad by the wonderful spirit of sacrifice
and service which are so evident in our people.
One of the significant changes in our ministry this year was the holding of our eight days of evangelistic meetings during
Easter Week beginning on Palm Sunday and concluding on Easter Sunday. This seems to be the best we have done yet in
getting out invitations and gospel tracts to our community. Evangelist Kevin Brownfield very effectively ministered the
Word of God to us. The meetings were well attended and the response to the meetings was excellent.
The Bob Jones University Western Missions Team was with us for the last eight days of May. We were blessed by their
ministry with us and endeavored to plant a vision in their hearts for ministry in the larger urban areas, especially here in
the West.
Dr. Dave Jaspers blessed our hearts at the Christian Life Conference in August as he challenged us on the subject of communicating
the gospel. This conference has done so much for our people in equipping them for ministry. The conference
was very well attended.
Homecoming Sunday in October was a wonderful day carrying the theme, “A Servants Heart”. We enjoyed a wonderful
thanksgiving dinner and were challenged by the personal testimony of many of our ministry leaders as to the blessings and
needs they encountered. Many commented that their hearts were touched by the program in an unusual way.
It was my joy to speak at the forty-fifth anniversary of my good friend, Dr. Peter Maruyama’s church in Narashino, Japan
late in November. To look back and see the hand of God through these years is utterly amazing. I brought four messages,
two on Sunday and two on Monday. The fellowship with these people was refreshing indeed.
The closing of the operations at Castlepoint was heartbreaking but providential. The ministry of camps and conferences
for the churches here in Northern California will however be continued. We will be using other facilities, but the ministry
must and will go on.
2008 was a blessed and wonderful year. People have been saved and discipled. They have grown in grace and in ministry.
The spirit of our congregation is exciting and sweet. We were not able to pursue our property development project and
found that providence had surely smiled on us in the midst of unanticipated economic turmoil.
Greater challenges and opportunities than ever lie before us. God’s grace and enablement shall assure our ability to press
onward and upward. We must be found faithful until He comes!
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