Four months later, everything came to a head when Janich called the district council informing them of his resignation. Immediately, the Minnesota District stepped in, encouraging Janich to stick with it.
"The next day, Pastor Hickle attended the Ellendale church board meeting requesting they become district supervised," said Janich.
Two weeks later, the church agreed. They were appointed a district board consisting of the South Executive Presbyter, a district council official, and their own section Presbyter.
"I thought it was virtually impossible to overcome the bitterness between the board and Pastor Janich," the district chairman reflected upon that first initial meeting.
"There were two board members I struggled with," said Janich. "I wished they would just leave the church."
As the district-supervised meetings continued, Janich was reminded about what God had laid upon his heart in April. During one of those meetings, he shared with the board about doubling the missions giving. The chairman reminded him that the underlying issue between the board and Janich were centered around the finances of the church, and now Janich wanted to ask them to give more? The Chairman advised Janich to implement a three-part process. First, raise the amount that is currently given to their missionaries, which was $560 per month. Once that amount was raised, set a goal of $750-$1,000. Finally, challenge parishioners to reach $1,120, doubling their current mission giving.
At the beginning of November 2007, Janich presented the idea. By the third week of the drive, members had pledged the $560. By mid-December they reached $900, and when December came to an end, they had reached $1,000.
"The first Sunday of January 2008, I gave one last push," said Janich. "And, when the final pledge came in that morning, we had raised $1,120 to the dollar."
As a result, for the first time in the church’s history, they were able to establish a budget. As a unified congregation, they almost doubled the amount they had given to missions the previous year. Nearing the end of 2008, the church board and Janich had healed many wounds and began working together as a team.
"The finances of the church were blessed through our faithfulness to missions," Janich said. "God blessed us with a $25,000 income overage. The money was above our expenses. So we put aside those monies, and deposited them into a savings account. In 2009, the Lord challenged us to support every new missionary that was brought into share.”
At the end of 2009, they had fallen short by one. Yet again, the Lord had blessed them with another $13,000 overage. The church also voted to become autonomous once again. And, the previous board was re-established as the church board. It was in that same meeting the church voted to change its name from the Ellendale Assembly of God to Vibrant Life Assembly of God. Membership is about 70, half of them under the age of 12.
At the first meeting following the changes, Janich asked the board if they wanted to do anything to freshen up the church since they had changed the name. A board member, whom Janich previously wished would quit the church, shared his desire was to build a youth center in the church’s vacant lot. Within seconds, the board agreed to pursue the cost of building the youth center.
"Two months later, in April of 2009, God asked my wife Angie and I to surrender our salary for one year, or until the church had raised $100,000," said Janich. "We had a dream casting night in June 2009, over pie and ice cream. Approximately 30 adults were present, and heard what God was leading us into."
That evening, the Janiches expected to raise $50,000, maybe. Amazingly, they raised $102,000 in gifts and pledges. As they left that evening, Janich was uncertain of what to do.
Three days later, the Lord whispered "Abraham's sacrifice," as Janich prayed with children of the kid's camp.
"I received peace in knowing that God wanted to know if I would be willing to go through with the sacrifice as Abraham had done with Isaac," said Janich. “That night the Lord presented a ram in the bush for my wife, so that we wouldn't have to surrender my salary.”
Throughout 2010, the church raised $100,000 cash before they put the shovel to the ground. They have now completed the $500,000 facility for the cost of $320,000 because of the volunteer labor. On May 1, 2011, they dedicated the new facility, called "The Refuge," celebrating 75 years of ministry in Ellendale.
Janich’s relationship with the church board, particularly those two members, has mended so greatly that they are now two of his biggest supporters, as well as good friends.
On Sunday, Nov. 6, a farewell open house was held at the Vibrant Life Assembly of God in Ellendale, celebrating the ministry of Pastor Trevor and Angela Janich, by sharing a story of how they impacted the community and parishioners in their years in Ellendale. Janich’s trials and toils became one of God's miraculous gifts.
The Janiches want pastors and parishioners to hear their story — so they may be encouraged to “Go for God's dreams.”
The Janich family is moving with mixed feelings this week to Seattle Washington, where Trevor will pursue a master’s degree.
"It is bittersweet," said Angela Janich.
"I will miss the friendships we've created," said Trevor Janich. "Those friendships are deeper, stronger than just being a pastor."
