Deacons; Finance; Administration; Compassion & Public Relations
King Solomon Holmes Jr. and Maria Wilson Holmes
Deacon King Solomon Holmes Jr. and Maria Wilson Holmes are faithful members of Abundant Harvest Church and have been with the ministry since its inception in 1997. Having been raised by Christian parents, Solomon and Maria bring a solid Christian heritage to their servanthood and leadership.
Solomon retired in 2009 after 30 years in production at General Motors Willow Run plant. After 40 years, Maria retired in 2022 from the communications industry having served most recently as the Director of Community Impact for Comcast. Deacons Solomon and Maria work together to faithfully serve the ministry in benevolence by visiting the sick and bereaved; caring for and being alert to the ministry needs of the members.
Solomon leads the Finance Team and the Deacon Board. Maria leads the Compassion Team and Public Relations, serving also as the church webmaster and secretary. In addition to serving as partners on the Deacon board and Finance team, they also work together to provide administrative assistance to the ministry.
Having been married for over 45 years, Solomon and Maria have the blessing and experience of raising three children to adulthood. Their youngest son, Matthew is involved in the music ministry at Abundant Harvest as the percussionist. He also serves on the Compassion Team. Matthew has a BS in SAG (simulation, animation and gaming) from EMU and is employed by 3D Excite in Royal Oak. Their oldest son Andre and his wife Megan served more than 8 years in ministry at Abundant Harvest including time spent as Youth Leaders and members of the Compassion Team. Andre is an Architecture program graduate from UM and is employed as a Construction Project Manager at UM in Ann Arbor. Andre's wife Megan (Stillwagon) Holmes, earned a Teaching Degree from EMU and a Master in Education Administration from Concordia. She is currently a Spanish teacher and Support Services Coordinator and Overnight Trips Coordinator at Washtenaw Christian Academy School in Saline. Andre and Megan (with daughter Charlotte) now attend Connection Church in Canton where they serve as Youth leaders. Additionally, they volunteer in Youth Leadership at LifePoint Church in Belleville. Solomon and Maria's daughter, Karissa, served five years as a Sunday school teacher at Abundant Harvest before leaving Ann Arbor to attend law school at Wayne State University. She has since also received her MBA from Michigan State University. Karissa now practices law at Rock Ventures. In 2019 in Spain, Karissa married Nate Wallace. Her and her husband, Nate live in the Detroit area. Nate is the Head of Civic Partnership at Michigan Central (Ford).
Maria and Solomon are dedicated to helping to further the vision God gave to Pastor Foster for this ministry as well as fulfill the will of the Lord for their personal family. The scripture that guides their family is "but as for me and my house; we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:25b)
THE OFFICE OF THE DEACON
Deacon means "servant."
The office of the deacon was developed out of the need of the church at Jerusalem. Deacons were chosen or appointed by the local congregation to care for the physical needs of the congregation. The purpose of deacons is to serve the Lord by conducting the caring ministry of the church - doing the work of benevolence, visiting the sick, being alert to the spiritual needs of the congregation - freeing the pastor(s) to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word, thus facilitating the spread of the gospel and promoting unity within the church.
"It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." Acts 6:2-4 (NKJV)
1st Timothy 3 and Acts 6 expound the qualifications for the office of deacons; the later contains what could fairly be called the "core qualifications". Romans 16 gives an example of a a deaconess.
"Men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom" -- Acts 6:3
"And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit" -- Acts 6:5
"I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:" -- Romans 16:1
