United Brethren people have a history of responding with funds and as volunteers when disaster strikes. When hurricanes hit Florida, we worked through our UB churches there providing relief. After the tsunami last December, we worked through our workers in India.

Several UB people have inquired about ways to help victims of Katrina. Because we do not have any close United Brethren connections in the area that has been hit by Katrina, we are referring people to other reputable organizations that are able to mobilize this relief effort.

Please contact the organization of your choice. We suggest the following:

World Relief
World Vision
Samaritan’s Purse
Salvation Army
Red Cross
AmeriCares

  • Huntington College will officially re-open as Huntington University with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and special chapel service on Thursday, September 1. The public is invited to attend. The ribbon-cutting will take place at the campus’ main entrance at the intersection of Guilford Street and Merillat Boulevard at 9:30 a.m. on September 1. The ceremony will be followed by an all-campus convocation at 10 a.m., in Zurcher Auditorium.
  • Ned Kiser, HU’s Vice President of Advancement since 1995, has accepted a position with Asian Access, a mission agency that seeks to develop leaders for churches across Asia. Kiser’s new position will allow him to continue living in Huntington.
  • Taking part in the Volunteer Plunge has become a rite of initiation for new students at Huntington University. For the past 12 years, Huntington University’s new students have participated in the Joe Mertz Center Volunteer Plunge. This year 18 teams of freshmen and transfer students will volunteer at various places in the Huntington community, bringing to life HU’s campus mission of impacting the world for Christ. The annual Volunteer Plunge is held in conjuction with the two-day new student orientation. Students will help clean, paint, participate in yard work and other various indoor and outdoor projects throughout the Huntington community. Service locations for the 2005 Volunteer Plunge include the Youth Services Bureau, the American Red Cross, Eastbrook Ranch, Connecting Friends, Love Inc., Horace Mann and Riverview Elementary Schools, Lincoln Elementary School, YMCA, Kid’s Kampus, the Dan Quayle Center, Huntington Head Start, Lancaster Elementary School, the Boys and Girls Club, Huntington House, Good Shepherd Church, and the Park Department.

The following was sent out to the UB email list by Pat Jones, the new Director of Healthy Church Ministries. He provides some information regarding what lies ahead as the United Brethren church embarks on radical transformation in how we operate, and as we begin implementing a new structure based on cluster group.

“An age of change has come for the United Brethren church. After a time of challenge, we have come together to look toward the future by copying a chapter from our past. Otterbein and Boehm were men who came from different backgrounds, but agreed on their purpose: reaching people with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.
(more…)

The Underwood UB church (Oakland, Md.) has licensed two men as ministers: Mike Bernard and Marty Wilt. The church also baptized 15 people.

The Mill Chapel UB church (Reedsville, W. Va.) also licensed one new minister: Nick Bryan. In addition, 16 people have been baptized in recent months, and another 15 are to be baptized on August 21.
Both churches are looking at building projects, since they are becoming overcrowded. God is blessing and lives are being changed. Marshall Woods is the pastor of both churches.