SMT: Fellowship Services

People - Cole, RobI am a chartered accountant with over 20 years experience in public accounting.  I am married to Rolanda and we have been blessed with two beautiful little girls.  I grew up attending a Fellowship Baptist church in Woodstock, ON, and have been involved in many different ministries in that church over the years.  In 2005, I joined the Fellowship team at the national office as the director of the department now named Fellowship Services.

Fellowship Services is all about service.  We serve the other departments in the national office by providing accounting and receipting services, office and equipment management and payroll services.  We also oversee investments and bequests and coordinate Fellowship 48, the national convention of The Fellowship.

We serve our Fellowship’s regions, churches and pastors by managing the Fellowship Group Benefits Plan, the Fellowship Pension Plan and the church loan programs.  We produce a document titled the Church Board Handbook which provides board chairs and church treasurers with relevant information including guidelines for setting salaries.

We have formed some key partnerships to provide a benefit to both our churches and their members.  Brokerforce Insurance Inc. with their Sanctuary Plus Protection Plan has been servicing Fellowship churches since 1963 with building, liability and Directors and Officers liability coverage.  D.L. Deeks Insurance Services Inc. has been offering competitive rates and great service to the members of Fellowship churches in the area of personal insurance (house, auto, etc).

We couldn’t offer any of our services without an amazing and dedicated staff.  Working with me in Fellowship Services are George Dow our Senior Accountant, Gwen Pifer our Healthcare Administrator, Janet Cotic our Accounting Clerk and Office Manager, Suzanne Rozalowsky our Administrative Assistant and Ruth Dobson our Bilingual Administrative Assistant.

One of the biggest challenges we face is maintaining a balanced budget in the midst of uncertain economic times.  With the majority of our resources restricted for very specific uses, the annual budgeting process is always a challenge as we endeavour to provide the many services that National offers within the limited yearly operational income available to our organization.

Please pray that Fellowship Services is able to continue to provide timely, effective and efficient services to our regions, churches and the other components of the National office.