Report and Recommendations of the Senior Pastor

Pastor Warren H. Stewart, Sr.

Greetings in the name of our loving and liberating Lord Jesus Christ.

God be praised for bringing us through 2022 as a pastor and people, even amid our third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the help of the Lord, we celebrated our 2022 FIBC Theme: A

PASTOR AND PEOPLE LOVING, TRANSFORMING, ENGAGING AND PRESERVING

GOD’S GOOD NEWS FOR 45 YEARS! For me, 2022 was very significant in that the Lord allowed me the serve as your Senior Pastor for four and a half decades while doing that in my 70th year of living. Trust me, when we celebrated my 40th Pastoral Anniversary over five years ago, I never expected to be pastoring FIBC for my 45th Pastoral Anniversary. However, God has a surprising sense of humor.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF 2022

It is a fact the “church” is not the same since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived unexpectedly in the winter of 2020. After not being allowed to gather for several weeks beginning in latter March 2020, and experiencing the highs and lows of the adverse effects of the pandemic on our usual way of living, last year public sacred spaces, including FIBC, began to resume in-person worship with very limited attendance. We saw a gradual increase of in-person worship attendance in 2022, but the average attendance is still less than half of what it was prior to the pandemic. We thank God that FIBC never missed a Sunday gathering for congregational worship in some form from the beginning of the pandemic. To God be the glory!

• A faithful core of FIBC members and staff continue to be an invaluable cadre of supporters of the Lord’s work through FIBC. Praise God for the committed team of Sunday morning worship service volunteers who have been on the campus Sunday after Sunday to ensure that attendees are welcomed upon arrival, and praise and worship team members and musicians leading us as well as our multimedia team who keeps us “live” in the Sanctuary and on our social media platforms. Also, there are the Children and Youth Sunday activities led by Pastor April Hawkins, her staff and volunteers who minister to our little ones and adolescents who are brought to FIBC. In addition, a dedicated Sunday Bible

Studies crew have kept God’s Word being taught on campus and virtually. Some of our ministries have had their tenures of service extended in order to provide invaluable leadership, one of which is the Governance Council. • We continued our FIBC Staff Reorganization, under the consultation of Pastor Stephen J.

Thurston and guidance of Pastor Karen E. Stewart. We are grateful for the respective ministries of service of the following persons during 2022, who ended their responsibilities as members of the FIBC Staff, namely, Sister Kym Majors, Administrative Assistant to the

Senior Pastor; Brother Fodey Barampunde, Custodian; Sister Carolyn Engram-Sullivan,

Director of Operations; Pastor Roland Pierce, Pastor of Congregational Care; Pastor Joseph

Green, Digi Pastor; Sister Jocelyn Thomas, Interim Children’s Ministry Leader; Sister

Tolanda Coker, Database Facilitator; Brother Raymond Kirkendall, Organist and Director of the Men of Praise Choir; and Brother Greg McGlothen, Bassist.

• It is a blessing to present to you our FIBC Staff as of January 1, 2023, some of who began with us in 2022:

Full-Time 1. Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr. — Senior Pastor 2. Dr. Karen E. Stewart — Executive Director of Ministries 3. Brother Deangelo D. Hall — Executive Director of Operations (new in 2022) 4. The Rev. April Hawkins — Pastor of Family Life (new in 2022) 5. Brother Maarcus Hall — Creative Director of Virtual and Multi-Media (new in 2022) 6. Sister Geralyn Staten — Operations Administrator 7. Sister Nancy D. Hooper — Church Administrator 8. Sister Lucero "Lucy" Reyes — Administrative Assistant to the Senior Pastor (new in 2022)

Part-Time 1. Dr. Donta McGilvery — Pastor of Outreach and Justice 2. The Rev. Sharmal Cannon — Pastor of Congregational Care (new in 2022) 3. Dr. Maurice Terrell — Creative Director of Worship and Arts (new in 2023) 4. Dr. Carolyn Watson — Minister of Pastoral Counseling 5. Digi Pastor (Vacant) 6. Receptionist — Paulette Wilson (new in 2022) 7. Sister Tracy N. Lewis — Social Media Manager 8. Database Manager — (Vacant) 9. Multimedia Facilitator — (Vacant) 10. Sister Myesha Akins — Student Ministries (new in 2023) 11. Sister Carmen Bradford – Student Ministries (new in 2023) 12. Sister Brenda G. Hankins — Minister of Music 13. The Rev. Kendall Washington — Worship Leader 14. Brother Phillip Shaw — Worship Leader 15. Brother Corey D. Dugar — Accompanist (new in 2023) 16. Brother Cedric Evens Drummer (new in 2022) 17. Bassist — (Vacant) 18. Brother Charles Brown — Custodian (new in 2022) 19. Brother Alanzo Wright — Custodian (new in 2022) • Our outreach to our African brothers and sisters continues to be led by our African Pastoral

Leadership Team, namely, Pastors Mbaya Barampunde, Jean Habineza and Solange

Habineza. We hold African worship services every Sunday, 9:00-11:00 a.m. In addition,

Pastor Mbaya provides social service assistance to African members and non-members. • God continues to allow me to provide leadership to several organizations, including the following: Board of Directors of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; Progressive

National Baptist Convention, Inc.; American Baptist Churches USA; Lott Carey Baptist

Foreign Mission Convention; Baptist World Alliance; A New Day Coalition for Equity for

Black America; Paradise Missionary Baptist State Convention of Arizona, Inc.; Central

District Missionary Baptist Association; and African American Christian Clergy Coalition. • It was a blessed privilege to preach and/or speak for numerous occasions, including the

Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.’s Southwest Region; Baptist World

Alliance; Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.; National Baptist Convention of

America International, Inc.; Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention (in Liberia);

Valley Leadership and ASU. I also had the privilege of preaching for the retirement celebrations of Pastor L. Gary Ransom of the Greater Progressive Christian Church and

Pastor James N. Preston of the Bethesda Community Baptist Church. • On December 21, 2022, FIBC and I licensed my 164th offspring in the ministry in the person of the Rev. Iisha Graves.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF 2022

In the areas of Evangelism and Emancipation, we thank God for, at least, 31 persons who answered our Invitations to Discipleship for membership from around the Valley of the Sun, across the nation and from the Motherland. Praise God, we baptized new converts in 2022, including two of the Stewart grandchildren, namely, Lance Nasir Madden (my “Little PaPa”) and little Sister Sanaya E. Stewart, daughter of Brother Matthew C. Stewart. We engaged in “The E & E Connection” as FIBC, FIBCO Family Services, Inc., and the Broadway House Apartments in South Phoenix which will celebrate a half-century of low-income housing on February 25, 2023. We thank Sister Chiquita Taylor, Executive Director of FIBCO Family Services, Inc., for her tenure of service that began just before the COVID-19 pandemic and ends on January 31, 2023.

For two years, I had been working on a vision to develop a $50,000,000 affordable housing project on the southwest corner of 24th Street and Broadway Road, next to the Broadway House Apartments, named in honor the late Phoenix Councilman Calvin C. Goode. That property has been virtually empty for the 45+ years I have pastored FIBC, and I learned that it was part of the vision for over 200 affordable housing units under the pastorate of the late Robert N. Nesby in the early 1970s. We had engaged a developer and builder, and had responded to a request for information from the City of Phoenix. However, after discussions with residents living in the neighborhood of that property, the City of Phoenix is moving forward in bringing healthy food options, healthcare services and other retail options there. My contention has always been that I would yield to whatever the residents of that neighborhood wanted for that property.

Our Discipleship activities continue to be experienced both in person and virtually. Pastor Karen led us into strategizing for two FIBC WIGs (Wildly Important Goals): (1) Increasing our visitors by 10% between September 1-December 1, and (2) Seeing 10% of our visitors becoming members during that same period of time. Pastor Karen will provide the results of this endeavor. Another significant move by FIBC was the inspiration for our FIBC Strategy that arose from a staff retreat led by Lady Karima Curry of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Yorba Linda, California, which is—We love everybody. We grow individuals. We share Christ. We set people free.

Our Financial Stewardship, our income from tithes, offerings and other sources was $1,769,137.51. Of the total income, we thank God for $1,520,615.53 designated as tithes. Our Fund For Missions giving totaled $171,939.02, a large portion of which was designated for FIBCO Family Services, Inc. and Deacons Benevolence. Thank God, our FIBC Legacy Endowment is

$142,583.02.

Ministries that are under my senior pastoral oversight will include: • Deacons Ministry • Governance Council • African Worship Service • Broadway House Corporation (not a ministry but serving low-income residents in South

Phoenix)

OUR WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH

In 2022, I attended 25 homegoing celebrations of our departed brothers and sisters. Of those services, I delivered 20 eulogies as blessings to the lives lived and their loved ones. Thank God, this was a decrease in number of deaths from 2021. In addition to that, it was my privilege to make approximately 84 pastoral visitations in hospitals, care centers, senior living residences, homes and apartments amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

OUR JESUS AND JUSTICE WORK

In 2022, the Lord allowed me to completemy last full yearas Chairperson of the African American Christian Clergy Coalition, which represents over 100 African-American clergy and predominantly African-American churches in the Valley of the Sun. Thank you, FIBC, for allowing FIBC to serve as the headquarters for the AACCC as well as the fiduciary agency for the grant funds. Sister Carolyn Engram-Sullivan was a tremendous blessing to AACCC by serving as our fiduciary agent. God be praised that during the election year 2022, FIBC was on the frontline fighting voter suppression and advocating voting rights through AACCC locally, Faiths United to Save Democracy and Black Voters Matter, nationally, and Arizona Democracy Resilience Network sponsored by The Carter Center in Georgia. Pastor Donta McGilvery and his team of FIBC volunteers made a significant difference for justice in Arizona through their work to get out the vote as well as serving as poll chaplains for the November General Election. One of the unexpected rewards for our JESUS AND JUSTICE work is that Brother Matthew C. Stewart, the second Stewart son, was appointed by Governor Katie Hobbs to become the first African American Director of the Department of Child Safety. Brother Matthew has been a champion for children and their families, especially Black children and families, for nearly 10 years, both work in AZDCS and outside of AZDCS.

What a privilege it is for us to be the host pastor and church for the 2023 Mid-Winter Board Meeting of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., January 16-18, 2023! This predominantly Black Baptist denomination was the denominational home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Gardner C. Taylor and other advocates for JESUS AND JUSTICE at the height of the historic Civil Rights Movement. For PNBC President David R. Peoples to bring the PNBC to Arizona during the 30th anniversary of this state’s first observance of King Day, was nothing but God’s prophetic timing as this state and our nation are fighting to save advances brought about by the Civil Rights Movement. This is even more God-ordained in that we have been active members of PNBC only since 2020. Talk about a Kairos moment!

THE FIBC 20/20 VISION PLAN

The Senior Pastor, Governance Council, Deacons Ministry and Pastoral Leadership Team of FIBC have prayerfully and strategically come up with a vision of where FIBC needs to be by the year 2020 and beyond as a pastor and people. This collaborative, strategic and united effort will ultimately lead to our congregation fulfilling our purpose, vision and area for more progress as defined by our Senior Pastor.

1. To be a vibrant, sustaining, transgenerational, Christ-centered church ministering to the holistic needs of our members and others who enter our circles of influence locally, statewide, regionally, nationally and internationally. In progress even while facing challenges of the changing culture, aging membership and the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. To utilize the "dark space" on our FIBC campus for ongoing ministries and services to and for our community throughout the week, which will require upgraded campus space and marketing. We are still endeavoring to make significant progress in this area on a longterm basis. However, we have experienced a couple of setbacks in potential tenants.

Recently, we led a tour for the City of Phoenix officials which has expressed an interest in utilizing some of our space. 3. To fund our FIBC Endowment Fund by, at least, $500,000.00 by 2020, and designating its purpose. This year's financial climate in our nation decreased the funds we have accumulated in the fund by several thousand dollars. We hope that the financial climate of 2023 will bode better for this fund. We need to develop a strategy to increase donors for this fund. 4. To prayerfully identify God's person who will become the Lead Pastor to shepherd FIBC at some point beyond 2020, succeeding the Senior Pastor, utilizing the Senior/Lead Pastor

Succession Plan approved by FIBC. The Governance Council, Deacons Ministry and executive FIBC Staff members will review and revise our Senior/Lead Pastor Succession

Plan. I believe this will become a priority this year. 5. To acquire the vacant property adjacent to FIBC to the east of our campus, if it is still available, to negotiate to acquire the property owned by the City of Phoenix to the west of

FIBC's campus, if it becomes available, and to acquire property elsewhere as deemed appropriate. God be praised, we burned the mortgage on the 1153 E Jefferson Street property during our 117th Church and 45th Pastoral Anniversaries Celebration in

September. We are partnering with other nonprofits to complete the renovation of The

Garden Workspace (its new name) and hope to have it ready for multipurpose usage as a small meeting space, a location for small business entrepreneurs and a commercial kitchen by mid-2023.

GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That our 2023 Church Theme will be LET’S SHIFT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE

LORD’S “BUT”! The Scriptural Foundation is Matthew 6:31-33; John 5:19-20; Luke 6:35-36; Acts 1:6-8 (CSB).

2. That each leader, ministry, worker, pastoral staff member, committee and member will set goals and objectives how each of them will implement our 2023 Church Theme. 3. That the Reverend Iisha Graves be licensed to preach in the Gospel Ministry, retroactive to December 22, 2022. 4. That the current term of service of each member of the Governance Council be extended for one (1) year, beginning February 1, 2023. 5. That the following persons be elected and/or appointed to serve in the following positions, respectively: Church Moderator Pastor Warren H. Stewart, Sr. Church Clerk Sis. Nancy D. Hooper Chairperson of Tithes and Offerings Tellers Committee The Rev. Thelma Staten Vice Chairperson of Tithes and Offerings Tellers Committee

Church Historian Sis. Annette Smith-Willis Elections Commission Chair Sis. Deborah A. Long

CONCLUSION

That’s it! God is faithful! We thank Him for using all of us to fulfill the Purpose, Vision, Values and Strategy of this pastor and people another year. Pastor Karen and I are deeply grateful to serve you, FIBC, and our broader community. Our goal, though we may fall short at times, is to be servant leaders in the Body of Christ and among you. Zcomo kwambiri (thank you very much in the Chichewa language of Malawi) for every act of love, prayer, support and sharing that you direct to us and our family, but also to others. Now, let’s move forward with our 2023 FIBC Theme: LET’S SHIFT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LORD’S “BUT”! God has given us the revelation of living on HIS RIGHT SIDE in our left-sided world, which guarantees us blessings, favor, victory and success.

Growing in Grace,