Dietrich Baker

Name: Dietrich Baker

Date you became a Deacon: March 25th, 2007

Contact: Home phone listed in the Church Directory; copies available at the back of the church

Favorite part of your deacon job: As a new deacon, I’m still learning what the job entails. So far I’ve enjoyed getting to know and pray for people in our church body; meeting with the other deacons and elders to discuss church matters; and having opportunities to learn how to serve this church family with a grateful and willing heart.

Wife's name: Diedre

Children names: Darya and Drew

Education/preparation for deacon job: God has providentially placed many people in my life that have knowingly and unknowingly shown me how to love and serve others in practical ways. He has also given me opportunities to grow in His grace by serving Him on mission trips, leading Bible studies, and teaching Sunday school classes.

Hope and vision for ERC: My hope for our church body is a loose paraphrase of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church in Ephesians 3:18: I hope that as a church, ERC will be grounded in love, and have the strength with other believers to know the amazing love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge.

How I got involved in ERC:My wife and I knew about ERC because we both used to work with Pastor Rich at Youth for Christ, a para-church organization. My wife and I were looking for a church body with a reformed understanding of Scripture, a reverent and joyful approach to worship, and opportunities for growth and fellowship. We visited ERC and decided that it was the place where we wanted to grow in our faith and to raise our family.

A few of my favorite things:

• Camping with my family (once the tent trailer is set up)
• Listening to my 3-year-old daughter sing "Praise Ye the Lord"
• Laughing with my wife
• Holding my new son (when he’s not screaming nor smelly)
• Talking theology with my little brother
• Hitting the sweet spot on the golf club
• Assisting a teammate on the basketball court
• Watching "March Madness"
• Teaching a lesson where my students "got it"
• Reading a book that I continue to think about after I've read it
• Playing board games with family and friends