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25 Jan

January 25, 2011 |

Inside the new Delmas 33 church in Haiti

It’s been just over a year since a devastating earthquake leveled most of Port Au Prince, Haiti. Yet our United Brethren churches have been busy rebuilding lives, schools, and church buildings. The Delmas 33 Church, a keystone to our 33 United Brethren Churches in Haiti, is nearing completion. The church houses a school for 120 children that was established with the help of our partners CH Global and the many people who participate as child sponsors.

Funds were also provided to rebuild one of the two churches destroyed in Cite Soleil. Due to unrest and the outbreak of cholera, we were unable to send teams to help with this effort. However, funding was forwarded to the field so the congregation could move forward. The other church in Cite Soleil is working to fulfill the requirements necessary for funding to be released, but we hope to see it rebuilt soon. These two churches are both locations where we would like to open additional schools with the help of CH Global.

21 Jan

January 21, 2011 |

The 2011 US National Conference is six months away. Join us July 6-9 as hundreds of United Brethren from across the country come together to worship, learn, get acquainted, and grow closer to Christ.

Over 800 people attended in both 2007 and 2009. This is a Big Deal for our denomination.

Everything you need to know can be found at USNationalConference.com. That includes:

  • Schedule
  • Costs
  • How to register
  • Workshops
  • Lodging
  • Things to do
  • Nursery, children, and youth
  • And much more

Once again, we will meet at the Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio. Two changes were made with the date:

  1. We moved the conference a little later, so that all graduations and open houses should be done.
  2. We’re starting on a Wednesday and concluding at noon on Saturday. Previously, we went from Thursday to Sunday noon.

The past two national conferences dealt with the Great Commission. This year, we will “Focus” on the Great Commandment–loving God, and loving others.


Registration Costs

Individual: $55 ($65 after June 1)
Family: $90 ($110 after June 1)

You can register online now. Or, you can wait for the registration brochures which will be mailed to all churches in a few weeks.

Lodging

You need to make your own hotel arrangements. The meetings will be held at Sawmill Creek, which has 250 rooms.

Rooms at Sawmill Creek are only $95 (plus tax) per room, per night. You can register now at Sawmill Creek by calling 800-729-6455. Tell them you’re with the United Brethren Church conference.

Numerous other hotels are located nearly.

 

Rex and LaWanda Bullock

Keynote Speaker: Rex Bullock

Helping us Focus on loving God and loving others will be Rex Bullock. For over 30 years, Rex has been in demand for revivals, conferences, pastor’s retreats, and crusades. He is committed to seeing people won to Christ. His deepest desire is to see the character of Christ lived out in people’s lives.

Rex is the radio voice of Dayspring, a 30-minute program heard throughout the world. Dayspring’s mission is “Teaching holy living and trying to build the character of Christ into the lives of individuals everywhere.”

Originally from East Texas, Rex has pastored innovative churches in Texas, California, Washington, and Florida. He understands church planting and church growth, because he has been involved in seeing young churches grow and be nurtured. He has also pastored large churches with multiple staff and facilities. He and his wife, LaWanda, live in St. Petersburg, Fla.

17 Jan

January 17, 2011 |

Donna Hollopeter, Associate Director of Global Ministries

Now is the time to think about some great opportunities for global ministry during the summer of 2011. Many of you are already planning trips that will have a great impact across the globe, which is awesome! If you are still searching for something, please check out this unique opportunity.

Jeff and April Dice will be stationed in Granada, Nicaragua, from the middle of June through August. They would love to help you partner with local congregations in Guatemala, Nicaragua, or Costa Rica. This will be a Design-Your-Own Trip type of experience. Here’s how it will work.

1. Plan the Trip

You and some of your family, friends, or congregation get together to make plans as to how you will have an impact in Central America. This could be through such ministries as:

  • building something.
  • providing activities for ladies.
  • doing a day camp for children.
  • organizing youth activities.
  • collecting eyeglasses and providing an eye-clinic for a community.
  • teaching local people a skill (like farming, sewing, or running a business).

You really can get creative with this. The size of your group could be anywhere from 2-20. You decide.

2. Present Your Plan to Jeff Dice

After deciding what you think God is calling you to do, email that to Jeff Dice. If it looks like that type of partnership can be formed, move to the next step. There will be ongoing projects in Nicaragua that you may join, or you can do something totally different.

3. Put Together a Budget for Your Project

Jeff can help you with this. You will need to decide how to best fund your project. You could divide the expense of the project among those participating, or you could enlist the support of your local congregation. I recommend the latter, because you get many more people involved and it really becomes a partnership with your congregation.

Examples: a typical bare-bones building project costs about $5000, and a typical day camp might cost $1500. There are projects that range from $1000-$10,000. You can decide!

Jeff will assist you with your entire trip budget. He will inform you of all the expenses you can reasonably expect. Our past trips to Nicaragua have cost approximately $500 per person plus airfare. This includes every expense, excluding extra stuff like the canopy tour. Use this amount as your guide. This does not include your project expenses.

Though we work in some relatively remote areas, we have several lodging options which can affect the total cost. Costa Rica and Guatemala should cost about the same.

4. Decide When You Want to Travel

Jeff can assist you with all your travel plans. The best days to travel (cheapest) are usually Thursdays and Tuesdays, but affordable tickets are available on other days. Jeff will put you on the calendar once you have purchased your tickets.

NOTES: You can also schedule time for sightseeing, to go to the beach, climb a volcano, ride a zip line, or go fishing. Talk this over with Jeff as you plan your missions experience!

Please contact Jeff Dice with any questions you have or if you would like Jeff to visit your church to answer questions or talk about missions.

Email: jeff@browncorners.org
Cell: 989-246-4298
Office: 989-386-2702.

17 Jan

January 17, 2011 |

The annual United Brethren History course, usually held only Huntington, Ind., will be held in two regional settings this year. This course is a requirement for becoming a licensed United Brethren minister.

Basic Information

  • The cost is $200.
  • You will need to read the UB history book “Trials and Triumphs” beforehand. It is available through the Healthy Ministry Resources bookstore for $14.95 (plus shipping). Order a copy by calling toll-free: 888.622.3019
  • Register using the online form at: ub.org/events/ubhistory

February 21-22, 2011

Location: Rhodes Grove Campground (Chambersburg, Pa.)
Time: 9 am Monday — 4 pm Tuesday
Teacher: Dr. Daryl Elliott (right), senior pastor of Fountain UB (Keyser, W. Va.)
Registration Deadline: February 1, 2011
Lodging: available at Rhodes Grove by calling: 717.375.4162. Meals will be off-campus on your own.

March 7-8, 2011

Location: Mt. Zion UB church (Wayne, Ohio)
Time: 9 am Monday — 4 pm Tuesday
Teacher: Rev. Robert Bruce (right), associate pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Registration Deadline: February 15, 2011
Meals: breaks and lunch provided at the church for a donation. Breakfast and dinner on your own.

Hotel rooms have been reserved at:

Comfort Suites
3700 Speedway Drive
Findlay, OH 45840

Cost per room per night: $79.95 single, $89.99 double (plus tax). Make your reservation by calling 419.420.1212 before February 7. The hotel is about a 20-minute drive from the Mt. Zion Church.

13 Jan

January 13, 2011 |

Doing anything February 5-12? Want some warm weather?

We still need four persons willing to travel to  Jamaica to work on the Malvern project the week of February 5-12. Those interested must have a valid passport in hand, since ticketing would need to be done soon. The cost is $225 per person, plus airfare.

If interested, contact Donna Hollopeter in Global Ministries.

Email: donna@ub.org
Toll-free: 888-622-3019

13 Jan

January 13, 2011 |

Here is a compelling testimony from Cape Town 2010 (the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization), which I attended in October 2010. This inspiring story challenges us to consider the price we would be willing to pay to see lost people come to Christ.

11 Jan

January 11, 2011 |

Bishop Phil Whipple speaking to the cluster leaders.

L-r: Stephen Smith, Jeff Bleijerveld, and Marty Pennington.

Dan Kopp (left) and Denny Miller. Dan led the training for the cluster leaders. Denny, as Cluster Coordinator, is responsible for all of the clusters and the training provided to them.

John Cole (Bluffton, Ind.), Troy Green (Monroe, Ind.), and Lester Kaufman (Greencastle, Pa.).

L-r: Dennis Miller, Bishop Emeritus C. Ray Miller, and Bishop Emeritus Ron Ramsey.

Twenty-six cluster leaders came to Huntington, Ind., for a day of training on January 10, 2011. They met in the Habecker Dining Commons at Huntington University. Dalton Jenkins, a cluster leader from Yonkers, N.Y., couldn’t attend in person, but he did participate in the entire meeting over the internet via Skype.

Each cluster leader oversees a group of 3-10 United Brethren churches. The senior pastors of these churches meet for training, fellowship, encouragement, and accountability.

Dan Kopp, senior pastor of NorthPointe UB church in Lewis Center, Ohio, led the training, which focused on the coaching relationship between cluster leaders and senior pastors. They did a lot of role-playing to practice the techniques of coaching.

Dennis Miller, senior pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), works one day a week as the denominational Cluster Coordinator. Two former bishops serve on staff at Emmanuel–C. Ray Miller and Ron Ramsey. Both of them will work alongside Rev. Miller to interact regularly with the cluster leaders.

You can read more about the clusters and cluster grouping here.

10 Jan

January 10, 2011 |

G. Blair Dowden, President of Huntington University (left) and Bishop Phil Whipple chatting between periods of the hockey game.

Jason and Donna Hollopeter. Donna is associate director of Global Ministries.

Phil Burkett (left) and JR Reich take a stretch while their spouses, Darlene and Cathy, talk. Darlene and Cathy are, respectively, administrative assistants to Global Ministries and the bishop's office.

The staff and spouses of Healthy Ministry Resources (the UB national office) waited until January 7, 2011, for their annual Christmas party. December was just too crowded with events and traveling.

The evening started with a buffet meal at Don Hall’s Guesthouse in Fort Wayne, Ind. Then they adjourned to the Fort Wayne Coliseum for a hockey game between the local Komets and the Evansville Icemen. The Komets put in a terrible performance in a boring game, losing 3-1. But still, everyone had a good time.

Especially when persons found themselves on the big game screen. Phil Burkett (husband of Global Ministries administrative assistant Darlene Burkett), was pictured alongside a “Look-a-Like” photo of George Lucas. A few minutes later, the Kiss Cam caught Jason and Donna Hollopeter, who promptly complied.

08 Jan

January 8, 2011 |

Allison and Trevor Kuney

For the past couple of years, Allison Dunten has worked part-time at the United Brethren national office while attending Huntington University. She has helped Finance Director Marci Hammel with various finance-related tasks. Allison is the daughter of Rev. Darwin and Polly Dunten, who serve Findlay First UB church (Findlay, Ohio).

On January 1, Allison married Trevor Kuney. The wedding was held at Lakeview UB church in Camden, Mich. On January 6, they stopped by the UB offices, where we had some gifts awaiting them.

The newlyweds have settled into an apartment in Huntington. Allison will continue doing some work in the Finance department.