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 WELCOME!
It
is my prayer that you will find the materials and information on
our Web site to be helpful and stimulating to your mind and soul.
I am also hoping that you will interact with what you read or see
here and that you will feel free to contact me.
Our
purpose, TO KNOW GOD AND TO GLORIFY HIM
BY MAKING HIM KNOWN is the driving passion behind the
materials you will find here. ENJOY!
Personal
Testimony
Several years ago, and out of prayer, Bishop Snyder received as
his life Scripture Paul's words in Philippians 3:10-11,
- "I
want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the
fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in
his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from
the dead."
This has translated into an abiding passion to know God and to
glorify him by making him known. As a pastor, superintendent, and
now bishop, these principles to which he is giving his life are
worked out in ministry by "equipping the people for works of
service" (Ephesians 4:11-12) and by listening to God, obeying
him, and encouraging others to listen to God and obey him (Psalm
81:13-16). His hope rests in God who prophesied through Ezekiel,
"I will put my Spirit within you and make you follow statutes
and be careful to observe my ordinances" (Ezek. 36:27).
These passions and principles were born early in life through the
prayers and disciplining ministries of his father who also served
as a Free Methodist pastor and superintendent, and his mother, William
and Ruby Snyder (now both in heaven). He has been encouraged along
by his wife Janet who has given her life to a ministry of intercessory
prayer. Two of their three children are married to pastors (Joann
and Chris Schumske, and Lynette and Dennis LaBoy).
Their son Kenneth works in the construction business. God has blessed
them with nine grandchildren.
Bishop Snyder shares deeply in the vision of the Free Methodist
Church that we be a healthy, biblical community of holy people,
multiplying disciples, leaders, groups and churches. He believes
that a key component necessary to see this dream realized is to
pray that God will raise up generations of godly, competent leaders.
He believes that our core values carry forward to the legacy of
Jesus, John Wesley and B. T. Roberts (founder of the Free Methodist
Church), and has committed his life to these values: to love God
with heart, soul, mind and strength; to love others as himself;
and to go to the people of all nations, making them disciples of
Jesus.
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Experience
and Background
The Reverend Richard D. Snyder, an ordained elder in the Genesee Conference,
was elected to the office of bishop of the Free Methodist church on
October 22, 1991 during the annual meeting of the North America General
Conference's Board of Administration at Indianapolis, Indiana. He
serves as overseer of the Eastern Area conferences: Genesee, Great
Britain, Gulf Cost, Keystone, Maryland-Virginia, New England, New
South, New York, Ireland, South Atlantic, and Susquehanna. He also
oversees the work in continental Europe.
Dr. Snyder is an alumnus of Roberts Wesleyan College (Rochester,
New York) and McMaster Divinity School (Hamilton, Ontario). He has
been a member of the Roberts Wesleyan College Board of Trustees
since 1989, serving on the Long Range Planning Committee until October
1991 when he was named to the Academic Affairs Committee. He has
been a member of the College Ministerial Advisory Board since 1981.
Roberts Wesleyan College conferred an honorary doctorate degree
on the Bishop in 1998.
Bishop Snyder was ordained as deacon in 1965 and elder in 1967.
He pastored for two years in the Canada Great Lakes Conference and
14 years in the Genesee Conference. He was elected superintendent
of the Genesee Conference in 1979 and held that office until July
1991 when he was elected superintendent of the Susquehanna Conference.
He has been a member of the North America General Conference's
Board of Administration since 1979 and has a distinguished record
of service to that body. He chaired the former Commission on Evangelism
and Church Growth from 1985-1989 and the former Administrative Commission
from 1989 to 1991.
Bishop Snyder is married to the former Janet Stewart of Maplecrest,
New York. The Snyders have one son, Kenneth, and two daughters,
Joann and Lynette.
The Snyders make their home in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
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