For two decades, Lonnie Jacobson, 68, helped bring people to God and nurture newcomers and members’ faith at Faith Baptist Church, 7652 Old Olympic Highway, in Sequim.

Jacobson officially retired June 1 after 20 years serving in Sequim and the church’s associate pastor Jeremy Fodge, 24, was called to serve as the new senior pastor.

“We’ve enjoyed the ministry here,” Jacobson said. “It’s been a good 20 years. We love the area.”

After four years in the U.S. Air Force and about 10 years earning his degrees, including his Master of Divinity at Tacoma Northwest Baptist Seminary, Jacobson started his service in ministry in 1981 at East Hill Baptist Church in Kent and served there for five years before going to Kirkland’s Juanita Baptist Church for another five years. He next served as an associate pastor at Bremerton Faith Community Bible Church before coming to Sequim.

Jacobson said he was somewhat familiar with the Sequim area after serving at a church in Port Angeles while attending seminary. He and his wife Roberta “Bobbie” Jacobson hoped to come back to the area at some point, he said.

“I would say it’s God’s call (why we served 20 years),” he said. “It’s where he wanted us to serve.”

In his tenure, he’s seen the church grow its congregation and move into a new building in 2005 from its old site where The Home Depot is today.

“It was a privilege to build a new building,” Jacobson said. “We did the design in-house and worked with a Christian contractor.”

When Jacobson started in 1997 there were about 25 people attending and over the years they’ve grown upwards of 120 members.

“We’ve seen a lot of spiritual growth,” he said. “Overall, it’s been a positive ministry. We’ve seen people saved and grow in their faith, and a number of baptisms. Overall, it’s a positive ministry.”

Church members also helped start a new church in Port Angeles in 2011, called Strait View Baptist Church, which continues to meet at 518 W. Eighth St., Port Angeles.

Interim to senior

Jacobson began to take Fodge under his wing as an intern in 2015, meeting with him weekly and letting him lead adult Bible study classes and occasional Sunday services.

In April 2016, Fodge came on part-time as associate pastor as Jacobson moved to part-time. They split duties until Jacobson retired.

Church members plan to host a retirement party for him in August.

Fodge, a Sequim native, is the son of Peninsula Evangelical Friends Church’s pastor Jon Fodge and said “as long as I can remember I believed in the Gospel.”

In high school he began considering ministry full-time, he said.

He and his wife Kailee have been attending Faith Baptist about five years and he felt there may be an opportunity to work with Jacobson and learn about pastoring.

Fodge is working toward a bachelor’s of arts in Christian ministry from Clark Summit University in Pennsylvania online, which he plans to finish in spring 2018. He also anticipates finishing his Master of Divinity in 4-5 years from there, too.

“He’s very passionate for the Lord,” Jacobson said. “He’s very intelligent young man and an excellent Bible student and preacher. He’s far beyond his years with his maturity. We felt very confident that he could take on the ministry.”

Fodge said it’s been a good adjustment since Jacobson’s retirement and church members seem excited.

His main goal going forward right now is to “faithfully preach and teach and see folks grow in Christ.”

Jacobson said he plans to continue attending Faith Baptist and assist however needed.

“We feel the church is going to keep moving,” he said. “I’m pleased with Jeremy’s doctrine. He has a little bit different vision as a younger man seeing younger families coming, which is a positive for the direction the church is going.”

Faith Baptist Church Sequim meets at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays with a 7 p.m. Wednesday night Bible study and prayer meeting. Children’s Sunday school tentatively will begin again in the fall.

For more information on the church, visit http://faithbaptistsequim.com or call 683-7303.

Jeremy Fodge, right, began as the new senior pastor for Faith Baptist Church Sequim this June after the retirement of Lonnie Jacobson after 20 years. Fodge and his wife Kailee have attended the church for about five years and have three girls — Judi, 4, April, 2, and Alexandra, 9 months. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Fodge