Meet Your Fellow Deacon: Bob Munich
“Reach out to others in love first.” This is the greatest lesson OPC Deacon Bob Munich has learned while being a deacon. Bob serves at Calvary OPC in Volga, South Dakota, and he says that in his four years as a deacon there, he has repeatedly seen just how important it is to be approachable, both by those within the congregation and those from the community.
Meet Your Fellow Deacon: Phil Smith
It’s eight o’clock on a Friday morning. Phil Smith puts on his lab coat and begins his day at work. A full-time senior scientist for a national veterinary laboratory, his “nine-to-five” is no walk in the park. Nonetheless, when his work at the office is done, he heads over to his local Home Depot, where he also works as a part-time appliance salesman. Then, when his shift ends at 10:30 that night, instead of going home to his family like usual, he sets off towards Barre, VT, hoping to get a few hours of driving in before he pulls over to get some rest. Phil is on his way to the Presbytery of New York and New England’s Deacons’ Conference, which starts at 8:45 the next morning.
Meet Your Fellow Deacon: Shabehram Irani
Shabehram “Billy” Irani grew up in a Zoroastrian home. The Zoroastrian religion is fixated on the supposed ongoing battle between good and evil, god and spirits of wickedness. Steeped in beliefs inundated with works-based righteousness, it was not until he was invited to Franklin Square OPC that Billy heard the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Meet Your Fellow Deacon: Greg Torres
For the two months of his son’s short yet precious life, Greg says the members and deacons of Christ OPC of Janesville, WI, where he now serves as a deacon, showered his family with the love of Jesus through thoughtful words, gifts, assistance, acts of service, and prayers.
Meet Your Fellow Deacon Pete Hybert
Pete Hybert has been a deacon at Bethel OPC, Wheaton, IL since 1993, and privileged to have a front-row seat to watch the Lord work in many people’s lives.
Meet Your Fellow Deacons: New Hope OPC, Green Bay, WI
Deacon Josh Agen grew up attending New Hope OPC after his parents discovered orthodox preaching on Christian radio and left a mainline church. He left the Green Bay area for about 20 years for college and career but moved back in 2017. He is now beginning his fourth year as a deacon at New Hope OPC and sixth year as a deacon in the OPC.
He began serving at a very small OP congregation simply because there was an acute need for men to serve. He says, "I didn't think I had gifts that were particularly suited toward serving as a deacon. However, I have found serving as a deacon to be a great blessing as it gives me an opportunity to be directly involved in one of the ways God extends mercy to those in need, and to share the gospel with individuals seeking help from outside of the church." New Hope has a food pantry and distributes grocery and gas cards to individuals who request aid from the community. They are also actively involved in assisting and advising people within the church family who have continuing needs. They have a separate Mercy Ministry committee that deals with more outward focused ministry such as a Bible study at a local jail, fundraising to support various local organizations, and nursing home ministry.
Josh says that the diaconate sometimes struggles to know how best to help or motivate individuals who seem unwilling to take positive actions to improve their situation. He would like to grow in that area, but he says that one of the greatest strengths of the diaconate is, "the care and servant-heartedness of the other deacons [which has been] a wonderful testimony [to him] of the gracious work of the Holy Spirit in their lives."
Meet Your Fellow Deacons: Redeemer OPC, Charlotte, NC
Matt Browning says, "I've lived in Charlotte for fourteen years now, and am a practicing "Mad Scientist". Cassie and I met at Redeemer about ten years ago, and we’ve had two kids there, Jack and Lucie. Well, we didn’t actually have them at the church. They were born in a hospital, much like normal children. Lately, we’ve been pretty involved with the homeschool community among the reformed churches in the area. We enjoy gardening together, cultural warfare, and driving incredible distances to visit family during the holidays.