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19 Dec

December 19, 2012 |
Hermmy (middle, holding baby) with her family in Haiti.

Hermmy (middle, holding baby) with her family in Haiti.

Previous posts have told about Hermmy, a 12-year-old Haitian girl who was brought to Toronto by the Canadian UBs so she could have surgery to repair a hole in her heart. Beginning October 1, she lived with Joan Sider, a member of New Hope UB church in Toronto and a frequent visitor to Haiti. The operation was conducted on October 10, and was a big success.

Joan Sider and Hermmy returned to Haiti on December 4, and Hermmy was reunited with her family the next day.

19 Dec

December 19, 2012 |


In 2011 and 2012, about six teams traveled to Jamaica’s Malvern Camp to help rebuild its dining hall/activity center, This is a 50/50 cooperative effort with our Jamaican churches.

We’re doing it again in 2013.  Three teams will go for week-long stints. They will continue work on the dormitory structure at Malvern Camp in preparation for the 2013 Youth Camps. The work will include but not be limited to laying concrete blocks, mixing cement, putting up rafters, and roofing. The May trip will probably also do painting and finishing work on the building’s interior and exterior.

Dates
Team 1: February 16-23, 2013.
Team 2: February 23 – March 2, 2013.
Team 3: May 11-18, 2013.

We’re looking for 7-8 persons per week.

Cost: $450 per person, plus airfare.

All team members are required to apply by filling out a Volunteer Service Application Form, which you can obtain by email or by calling the Global Ministries office toll-free at 888-622-3019.

For More Information
Contact Donna Hollopeter in Global Ministries.

18 Dec

December 18, 2012 |
The 2012 Huntington University Team at Home of Love in Chennai, India.

The 2012 Huntington University Team at Home of Love in Chennai, India.

The 70 girls at Home of Love, an all-girls orphanage in Chennai, India, currently sleep on mats on a concrete floor. But come January, thanks to a team from Huntington University, they will finally have a soft place to lay their heads.

Last year, 15 HU students worked at Home of Love for two weeks. The home is an orphanage for girls at risk of living on the streets or being sold into the sex trade. They couldn’t get India and the needs of the girls out of their minds. While still in India, the team decided to start a fundraising campaign to build a dormitory.

“We all felt that we didn’t want to leave that place and be done with it,” said junior Nate Sullivan, a member of the 2012 team.

Almost a year later, the Huntington University team reached and exceeded its fundraising goal of $20,000.

On January 4-21, 14 HU students will go back to finish the job. They will lead a Vacation Bible School program, with drama, games, music, dance and crafts, and begin the work of building a new dormitory.

18 Dec

December 18, 2012 |
Dan Paternoster

Dan Paternoster

Dan Paternoster (right) has made tremendous improvement since his horrific accident in August. He is now walking, talking, and eating. Dan’s wife, Nancy, wrote on December 8, “Our main areas of concern are still his left eye (doesn’t move properly due to a damaged nerve and causes double vision), his left ear (previously had muffled sounds and now there’s humming), and his left shoulder (having testing done soon to determine if it’s a muscle, nerve, or tendon problem).”

The neck and back braces were removed at the end of November. Dan continues to undergo regular therapy, but is talking about going to back to work in his veterinary practice. As a member of the denominational Executive Leadership Team, he has even been engaging with official issues by email.

Now another thing has struck: last week, Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She will undergo surgery this week.

Dan and Nancy are from Fowlerville UB church in Fowlerville, Mich.

13 Dec

December 13, 2012 |

The United Brethren History Course will be held January 21-22, 2013, in Bryan, Ohio. The course is a requirement for ministerial licensing in the United Brethren church. However, people who just want to learn more about United Brethren history are free to take it.

Basic Information

  • The cost is $200 for persons who need licensing, $100 for everybody else.
  • 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

Bob BruceDetails

Location: New Hope Community Church, 15627 US Hwy 127 E/W, Bryan, OH 43506
Date: January 21-22, 2013 (Monday and Tuesday)
Time: 8 am Monday — 4 pm Tuesday
Teacher: Robert Bruce (right), associate pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

For more information and to register, go to the UB website. Direct any questions to Cathy Reich, Administrative Assistant.

12 Dec

December 12, 2012 |

If you’re a fan of zombies–and who isn’t these days?–Bryan Ballinger, assistant professor of digital media arts at Huntington University, has something just for you: a new dark-humored zombie graphic novel.

Ballinger (right), along with HU animation grads Josh Addessi (2010), Cole Phillips (2010), and Sarah Krzynowek Bodnar (2012), contributed stories to the graphic novel, “Dead Anyway: Stories from the Zombie Apocalypse.”

“It’s basically a collection of comic stories about zombies,” Ballinger said. “Most are silly and humorous.”

Ballinger first heard of the idea for “Dead Anyway” after connecting with Pete Mitchell, front man for the L.A. rock band “No More Kings.” Mitchell had done several zombie-themed songs with the band that caught Ballinger’s attention, but his artwork was even more impressive.

“I found his portfolio online and really liked his work,” Ballinger said. “I sent him a note about it, we became friends, and he told me about his graphic novel idea. I told him about all these great artists I was friends with and whammola, we started working on it.”

In addition to being a contributor, Ballinger also served as the art director and editor for the graphic novel, and was in charge of the layout and general production of the book. As editor, Ballinger approached various artists seeking contributions for the quirky zombie anthology.

“Having had Josh, Cole and Sarah as students, and having stayed in touch with them and their work since graduating, I was very familiar with their artwork, and I knew they’d be perfect for this,” he said.

He and Mitchell also gathered contributions from some of the best in the industry to bring their undead graphic novel to life.

“We’ve got an incredible mix of contributors to this book, from established children’s book illustrators to a concept artist who did work for several Pixar films, to an art director from Cartoon Network, to artists who’ve worked at Disney, to an animator and designer from Brazil, an illustrator from Belgium, and an artist who’s done a ton of work for Marvel comics,” Ballinger said. “I am really proud of this book, and I feel very blessed to have been able to work with all these great artists.”

After five months of work, “Dead Anyway” is now available for sale online for $20 at DeadAnyway.com.

10 Dec

December 10, 2012 |

This workshop will be helpful for leading any style board your church may have. This course is a requirement for ordination in the United Brethren church, but anyone may attend.

Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Time: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: Healthy Ministry Resources Building, 302 Lake Street, Huntington, Ind. 46750.
Instructor: Phil Whipple, Bishop of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ USA

You can also attend by videoconference, if you have a computer with a camera. There are three videoconference locations:

  1. Cochranton UB Church (Cochranton Pa.)
  2. Pleasant Hill UB Church (Greencastle, Pa.)
  3. Mt Hermon UB Church (Pomeroy, Ohio)

Address any questions to Cathy Reich, administrative assistant to Bishop Phil Whipple.

Registration Cost

  • $100, if you are seeking ordination.
  • $50 for everyone else.

You can register online at the UB.org website. You’ll also find a reading list there.

07 Dec

December 7, 2012 |

Steve Holtrop as Santa and Lori Garde, program assistant for the graduate counseling program, as Mrs. Claus.

Dr. G. Blair Dowden, president of Huntington University, makes a stop at the treats table in Shelly Francka’s office.

Kristi Welker, online admissions counselor, and Tanya Horvath, admissions counselor for professional programs, are among the elves.

Kristi Welker, online admissions counselor, and Tanya Horvath, admissions counselor for professional programs, are among the elves.

The Healthy Ministry Resources staff takes it turn at the sweets table. L-r: Bishop Phil Whipple, administrative assistant Cathy Reich, Finance Director Marci Hammel, and Global Ministries administrative assistant Peggy Sell.

The Healthy Ministry Resources staff takes it turn at the sweets table. L-r: Bishop Phil Whipple, administrative assistant Cathy Reich, Finance Director Marci Hammel, and Global Ministries administrative assistant Peggy Sell.

Steve Dennie, Communications Director

The Healthy Ministry Resources national office in Huntington, Ind., shares its building with the Huntington University Division of Graduate and Adult Studies. The graduate school moved to our building back in 2001, and a local nonprofit organization rented out offices in the back of the building. The HU EXCEL Adult Degree Programs moved into the latter offices about five years ago. With just a dozen employees on the United Brethren side, we have plenty of room to spare.

On one side of the building are the main offices for the Masters programs (Counseling, Education, and Youth Ministry), including the office of the guy in charge, Steve Holtrop (left), Dean of Graduate and Professional Programs. Then in the back of the building are the offices for the EXCEL Adult Degree Programs. They have four offices, into which they cram a lot more than four people. Shelly Francka (right), whose office is just around the corner from mine, is Director of Professional Programs (meaning, I guess, in charge of EXCEL).

It’s been a great relationship. The HU folks are fun and friendly, they laugh a lot, and they tolerate us when we UBs get far too noisy. And, most important of all, whenever they bring food, they invite us to partake.

During this Christmas season, the university ran a little office-decorating contest. Eight entities–the Registrar’s office, the library, the business office, the food service, the department of nursing, the Learning Center, the President’s Office, and the graduate/adult programs–participated.

Our friends in the UB Building really went to town. They decorated all of the doors, put up a bunch of Christmas trees (three of them just down the hall from me), adorned walls, and generally made the place very festive. To get in the spirit, we in Healthy Ministry Resources decorated our doors, too.

Then, today, people went around to the various offices. For the Division of Graduate and Adult Studies, the alotted time was 1-3 pm. Shelly Francka had way too much sweet stuff on a table in her office, with a punch bowl in the hall. On the other side of the building, people got their pictures taken with Santa Claus, aka Steve Holtrop. Most of the staffpersons were dressed as elves. I tell you, they went all out.

During our regular afternoon break, the Healthy Ministry Resources staff was invited to Shelly’s office, where a massive sugar rush awaited.

We don’t know how the voting will turn out yet. We certainly hope our friends in the building will win. They deserve it.

06 Dec

December 6, 2012 |

We just received notice of the death of Rev. David Flick, a former UB pastor, on July 12, 2012. He succumbed to lymphoma cancer at age 56. Flick graduated from Huntington University in 1986 and went on to pastor the Franklin UB church (Franklin, Pa.), and the UB churches in Alpena and DeWitt, Mich. His brothers Tim and Steve, likewise, were former United Brethren ministers. Since 1994, David Flick and his wife of 37 years, Beverly, had lived in Alpena. He also left behind a son and a daughter. The funeral was held in Alpena on July 16, 2012.

06 Dec

December 6, 2012 |

United Brethren churches do a lot of special things during the Christmas season. What is happening at your church this year? Other UB churches would be interested in hearing about it.

While the Christmas season is still fresh in your mind, write up a little description about any special ministries, programs, events, services, activities, etc. at your church. We’ll get it posted on UBCentral.org so others can read about it.

We have a form you can use to send your report. You can even upload digital photos. (So if you’ve got a Christmas event coming up, find someone to take some photos!)