What’s New
Update on Okoboji Middle School
Each August, The Okoboji Middle School (across Broadway Street from the OBC Tabernacle) provides quality rental space for our most valued participants, hundreds of our children and teens.
A new middle school will be operational in Milford no later than 2020. The old school will no longer be a school. We pray that the vacated building will become a community facility that we can continue to rent. As of now, there is no certainty as to what it will become.
Three years ago, the OBCM board of directors began to plan for the middle school’s departure. To date, that planning envisions an enlarged campus prepared to meet city codes for a new building if that becomes necessary. It also envisions a new nursery, restrooms, and added parking, to ensure welcome and accessibility to all ages, especially newcomers.
A behind-the-scenes process of planning and funding is well along. That process will continue into 2019 at which time you’ll hear more about this still-developing campus vision. Meanwhile, I urge you to pray and wait patiently as background work progresses.
New Executive Director Appointed
The OBCM board of directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Jon Pausley of Milford as the next Executive Director of OBCM. Jon will join the staff on October 1, 2018, serving in a support role until January 1, when he will become executive director. Current director Rick Porter will begin to phase down his involvement, concluding after the 85th Conference in August of 2019.
Jon has served as the executive director of Cherish Center in Milford, Iowa (cherishcenter.org) for the past 5 years. He has been a member of the OBCM board of directors since 2015. Jon has served on the pastoral staff of two churches. It was while serving at First Baptist Church in Spencer that the Pausleys became active participants at the annual Okoboji Bible Conference.
Jon has a heart for Christ, for people and a passion for leadership. He holds a Masters of Transformational Leadership (MATL) from Bethel University in St. Paul. His undergraduate work was in theology and youth ministry at Clarks Summit University in Northeast Pennsylvania. Jon has been married to his wife Shantel for 16 years and they have 3 children Grace (12) Abby (10) and Jake (8). Shantel is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and Registered Play Therapist (RPT). Jon and Shantel live in Milford and eagerly anticipate continuing to raise their family in the Okoboji area while serving the OBC family and Iowa Great Lakes Region.