Bishop Phil and Sandy Whipple are making a sweep out west to visit our churches and bring a message of hope. They started their trek this past weekend, with the whole weekend spent at Adeline Christian Camp, Adeline, Illinois. The rest of their itinerary is included here:

  • Milltown UB, Parkston, SD (July 26)
  • Cream Ridge UB, Lenore, ID and Pastor Fred Browning (July 30)
  • Dayton UB, Dayton, WA and Pastor Greg Brownell (August 1)
  • Felida Christian Fellowship, Vancouver, WA and Pastor Ian McIntosh (August 2)
  • Philomath Community Church, Philomath, OR and Pastor Rick Finley (August 4)
  • Log Cabin Church, Boise, ID and Pastor Armond Taylor (August 8)
  • McGuire Bend UB, Dayton, IA and Pastor “Dot” Hasler (August 12)
  • Garden Prairie UB, Arlington, IA (August 13)

The 2011 US National Conference is less than a year away. So you need to get it on your calendar, and churches need to allow for it in their 2011 budget. Every active, licensed minister is a delegate, and each church can send at least one lay delegate. We will need to know each church’s delegate(s) by February 15. Churches can look for their info packet to arrive sometime in August.

Dates: July 6-9, 2011.

That’s a Wednesday through Saturday, as opposed to the Thursday-Sunday schedule in previous years. The conference will begin with a service on Wednesday night, and conclude with a service on Saturday morning.

Location: Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio.

This facility served us well in 2007 and 2009, so we’re returning.

Theme: the Great Commandment of Luke 10:27.

The past two national conferences have focused on the Great Commission–evangelism. In 2011 we’ll focus on the inner life–loving God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind.

Cost: Registration will range from $55 to $90 (single and family rates)

Lodging at Sawmill Creek will still be at the 2007 rate of $95 per room, per night.

Registration will open sometime in January 2011.

Julie Hendricks fell on a humid bathroom tile Monday, July 26, breaking the same kneecap she broke last winter. She entered surgery at 8 pm Spain time (2 pm Ohio time), to repeat the same procedure with the same doctors.

Troy and Julie Hendricks and family are Global Ministries endorsed staff serving as church planters with SEND International in Spain.

Debbie, a SEND teammate, reports that Julie is doing well, and that she is not in as much pain as before; she was able to get medicated when needed.

An evangelistic campaign is underway in their city, and the Hendricks were an important part of it. Debbie writes: “We know God is sovereign, and wants to enter into the lives of those who live in this neighborhood. Julie’s main focus and request was that you stop and pray for her, of course…but that you NOT stop praying more so for the Campaign, team unity, the Spirit’s moving on this neighborhood as they hear the Gospel, and for our hearts to be constantly handed into his care.”

Pastor Darwin Dunten (left) with a group of baptism candidates at Findlay First Church.

Pastor Dunten with other baptism candidates.

Darwin Dunten, senior pastor of Findlay First UB church (Findlay, Ohio), sent the above photos of recent baptisms at his church. He included this report:

“This year, the church has had 7 salvations. (This does not include VBS or the jail ministry.)  We continue to pray that the Lord will grant us at least one genuine salvation a month. I am starting to think that our faith is too low.  Offerings are up by $20,000 over last year at this time.  New visitors almost every Sunday.  Gaining about one new family a month.  Kind of exciting.”

The office staff just received a phone call from Steve Dennie. He reports that he is (finally) home from the hospital on Thursday, July 22–very weak and tired, but home.

On July 15, Steve was taken to the Lutheran Hospital ER, where he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. For the next four days, he wasn’t able to eat or drink anything. Then, on July 19, his gall bladder was removed.

Steve will take some more days off to regain his strength before rejoining the office staff again. We’re grateful that he’s recovering and on the road to good health again. You’ve been missed, Steve!

Bishop Emeritus Raymond Waldfogel was admitted to a local hospital yesterday and has been undergoing tests, with more coming today. The prognosis, according to his daughter Susan Stong, is congestive heart failure. Additional tests today will help determine the course of treatment. Bishop Waldfogel is experiencing improved breathing today and will be visited by a cardiologist later this afternoon. The family appreciates the prayers of the Church.

Dean Hoffman passed away July 19 at 11:25 pm at York Hospital, York, Pa. It was very peaceful. Over the years, Dean had been very active in United Brethren camping and other ministries.

Viewing: 6-9 pm Thursday, July 22, at Idaville UB church (Idaville, Pa.).
Funeral: 10:30 am Friday, July 23. Viewing from 9:30-10:30 prior to the funeral service.
Location: The viewing and funeral service will be held at Idaville United Brethren Church, 3560 Carlisle Road, Gardners, Pa. Interment will be at Idaville Cemetary.

Today (July 15) is the day that 13 people from the Mt. Pleasant Church (Chambersburg, Pa.) begin an 11-day mission trip to Mexico. Their flight to Zacapu leaves at 5:15.

Mt. Pleasant is beginning a partnership with a sister United Brethren Church in our Mexico National Conference. They look forward to developing new friendships along the way. They will doing some construction on the church and run a week of Vacation Bible School.

Bobby Culler, the church’s youth pastor, has been keeping everyone updated through the trip’s Facebook Page, “Mexico Mission Trip 2010.”

Arek and Donna Delik have returned to Poland after six months in Hong Kong (Donna’s home). Arek is pastor of a church they planted in Kutno, Poland. The Deliks write about how the church coped during their absence:

These 6 months were a real test for our church in Kutno. Many people showed great concern whether our church would cope without its pastor. Our people were not very comfortable with this because they got used to having their pastor run everything: Bible study, worship, and preaching.

However, those believers whom we had prepared to take up different responsibilities gradually fitted into their roles. We are very glad that this has united the church and helped us discover those potential future leaders.

We believe that our roles will be changed when we return to Kutno; we will continue to equip them, and pray that soon we could hand over the church to the local believers completely.

The Deliks are Global Ministries endorsed staff serving with Operation Mobilization.