At our Progress & Praise Meeting on February 1 at 1:00pm, we will be voting on individuals who have been nominated to serve on the Elder and Deacon Boards, helping provide spiritual leadership, wisdom, and oversight for the direction of Harvestime Church. If you are a Harvestime Church member, we encourage you to join us and participate in this important vote.
Elders serve by offering spiritual guidance, prayerful discernment, and accountability as they support our pastors and help steward the overall mission and vision of Harvestime. Deacons serve a specific campus by caring for practical needs, supporting ministry operations, and helping ensure each HTC location is healthy, welcoming, and well cared for. Together, these boards work to strengthen the church body and protect unity across all campuses.
Below, you’ll find short profiles of each candidate so you can get to know their heart, background, and sense of calling as you prayerfully prepare for the vote. Thank you for being an engaged part of what God is doing at Harvestime. We look forward to gathering together and celebrating all He has done though you and the rest of our church family.
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ELDERS
Gary Bell
Gary Bell has been married to his wife, Cheryl, for 55 years. Together they are the parents of three children, grandparents to seven, and are soon celebrating the joy of their first great-grandchild. By trade, Gary worked in construction, but by calling he is a credentialed Assemblies of God minister. Now retired, he enjoys spending time outdoors and tending to his garden.
Gary has pastored two churches, and he and Cheryl also served for 14 meaningful years as camp administrators at Assembly Park Bible Camp. That season of ministry deeply shaped his heart for the Church, teaching him the power of spiritually gifted people working together in unity and how that unity can have a lasting impact on building the Kingdom of God.
Tom Herro
Tom Herro is 77 years old and has been married to his wife, Mary Jo, for 52 years. Together they have five children and twelve grandchildren. Tom came to faith in Christ through the influence of his cousin Joe, whose life, marriage, and peace drew Tom toward a relationship with Jesus. Tom and Mary Jo both gave their lives to Christ in 1978, a moment that marked a turning point that brought freedom from a life-controlling addiction and restoration to their marriage, and launched what Tom describes as their Christian adventure.
Tom and Mary Jo attended Bible college at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas. Tom went on to work in vocational rehabilitation counseling and currently serves part-time as a vocational consultant. His ministry experience spans several decades and includes serving as Director of Teen Challenge of Wisconsin in the 1980s, five years as a missionary to Israeli Arabs in the early 1990s, and more than 12 years as a full-time chaplain with Good News Jail & Prison Ministry before retiring in 2013. Tom continues to serve as a volunteer chaplain at the Eau Claire County Jail and has also worked part-time with Marketplace Chaplains USA as a chaplain and job coach.
Tom and Mary Jo have been members of Harvestime Church since 2020 and are actively involved in church life. They have served in children’s ministry for over four years, helped launch the monthly Men’s Breakfast in 2024 alongside Pastor Kyle, and currently serve as greeters and ushers. Tom’s regular walk with the Lord includes Scripture reading, prayer, and preparing weekly Bible studies for inmates.
Tom feels called to serve as an Elder to provide spiritual oversight, direction, and encouragement to the Harvestime family. His heart is to see believers grow in maturity, build strong relationships through small groups, deepen their lives of prayer, and engage boldly in outreach and evangelism. He carries a strong conviction that the Church must remain active in places of influence (specifically in the educational and governmental realms) and faithfully represent Christ in both word and action. Tom and Mary Jo welcome prayer as they seek to walk with integrity and reflect Jesus well to the church and the world.
Mang Yang
(“Ma Yang”)
Mang Yang was born in Ban Vinai, a refugee camp in northern Thailand, and later grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin. He graduated from UW–Stout with a degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. Over the years, Mang has worked in a wide range of roles including quality assurance, outsource management, telemarketing, sales, customer service, insurance sales, and as a stay-at-home dad. Today, he manages two of his own businesses.
Mang’s faith journey has been a long and meaningful one, taking him through Catholic and Methodist traditions, a season of atheism, and ultimately to a firm commitment as a follower of Jesus Christ. His walk with Christ is deeply personal and grounded in gratitude for God’s faithfulness throughout every season.
Mang and his beautiful wife, Kia have four daughters (Aria, Kaylee, Liana, and Jazlyn) who all love and follow Christ. The Yang family all serve at Harvestime Church with the Host Team and HTC Bloomer’s Kids Ministry.
EAU CLAIRE DEACONS
James Appel
James Appel is a retired chiropractor, having served the Chippewa Valley for 44 years. He and his wife, Cindee, have lived in the area since 2000 and have been married for 46 years. Together they have three grown children and are proud grandparents to eight grandchildren.
James was born and raised in the Lutheran Church and attended Lutheran school, laying an early foundation for his faith. He has been part of Harvestime Church for over 20 years and has known Pastor Kim’s family since the fourth grade.
At Harvestime, James currently teaches a Life Group focused on health and wellness at the Eau Claire campus and serves as a campus deacon, where he actively helps with landscaping and caring for church grounds. He has a strong desire to see continual growth in the physical spaces of the church and in the spiritual health of the church body as well.
James feels called to serve on the board to help steward what God has entrusted to Harvestime, support all campuses, and see each one filled with both new and seasoned believers. He enjoys staying busy, working hard, and seeing progress made, and he has a heart for mentoring others and helping people grow in maturity and faith.
Steve Frisinger
Steve Frisinger has been married to his wife, Brenda, and together they have four children and seven grandchildren, with another grandchild expected this February. Steve and Brenda are the owners of Marine Plus, and they are grateful for the many opportunities their business has given them to be the hands and feet of Jesus to both employees and customers.
For more than 20 years, Steve and Brenda have faithfully co-led Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Cadott High School, investing weekly in Bible studies with junior high and high school students.
Steve became a follower of Jesus at the age of 14 and has continued to walk closely with Him through every season of life, choosing daily faithfulness regardless of circumstances. He has been part of Harvestime Church for 27 years, and serving regularly in areas such as a Deacon and helping with security.
Steve feels called to serve on the Deacon Board during this season to encourage and support Harvestime’s pastors, staff, and congregation. His heart is to see the church continue to grow as a house of prayer, to serve the surrounding community well, and to let the light of Christ shine through every campus and ministry. Steve and Brenda welcome prayer as they prepare for the arrival of a new grandbaby and as they care for Steve during his recovery from a broken ankle.
SOUTH DEACON
Jim Bignell
Jim Bignell has been married to his wife, Kimberly, for 33 years. Together they have two sons, Cody and Cole. Jim works for the Canton Township as a patrolman. Outside of church life, Jim and Kimberly care for his elderly father-in-law, and when they get the chance, they enjoy riding motorcycles and four-wheelers together.
Jim’s faith journey has been shaped significantly through the influence of his mother-in-law and his wife. Today, his walk with Christ is marked by daily devotionals, listening to praise and worship music, and intentionally talking with God throughout his day.
Jim has been part of Harvestime Church – South for around two and a half years and serves faithfully in several practical ways. He helps with church cleaning, assists wherever help is needed, visits fellow church members in nursing homes, and serves as a Men’s Group leader. He is willing to step in wherever there is a need.
Jim feels called to serve as a Deacon because he has a genuine heart for people and for the church. He desires to help Harvestime continue to grow and remain strong. As he looks ahead, Jim is praying to see the church grow in number, with children’s ministry, youth group, and the men’s group thriving and full. Jim and Kimberly welcome prayer for continued spiritual growth and for strength and boldness as they seek to faithfully witness to those around them.