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09 Apr

April 9, 2025 |

Roger Reeck, a longtime United Brethren missionary serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators, passed away March 28, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. A celebration of life will be held at 8:00 p.m. on April 21, 2025, at the Bethel Evangelical Education Center in La Ceiba, Honduras.

Roger and Marilyn Reeck met at Fort Wayne Bible College in Fort Wayne, Ind. Marilyn was born in Canada, but spent much of her childhood in Honduras, where her parents, Archie and Maisie Cameron, were United Brethren missionaries. Roger and Marilyn were married in 1971 in Honduras, and two weeks later began linguistic training to become Bible translators with Wycliffe.

Their first assignment was with the Zapotec language spoken in southern Mexico. There was no written language, so Roger crafted an alphabet, and then they taught the people to read in their own language. They spent 19 years on that project. Mark, the first Bible book to be translated, was published in 1981, and more books followed.

During those years in Mexico, four daughters were born to Roger and Marilyn. In 1990, the family moved to La Ceiba, Honduras, where they worked on the Garifuna Bible translation and could also care for Marilyn's aging parents. They returned to Mexico in 1999 for the dedication of the Zapotec New Testament. In 2002, back in Honduras, they dedicated the Garifuna Bible. In the years ahead, they also created a Garifuna version of the Jesus film, which was shown up and down the Caribbean coast, along with sundry other materials.

From 2006-2021, Roger and Marilyn served as translation consultants, starting with a project in Guinea Bissau, West Africa. That required many trips across the Atlantic. Other consulting projects opened up—in Mozambique, Belize, Venezuela, Brazil, Columbia, Surinam, Nicaragua, Trinidad, and Aruba. After Covid hit in March 2020, all consulting work was done via Zoom.

Today, tens of thousands of people can read the Bible in their own language because of Roger and Mariyn Reeck.

Instead of flowers, it is suggested that you consider donating to a future Bible translation project which was close to Roger's heart. Information can be found on the Everloved.com online obituary page.

(submitted by Steve Dennie)

03 Apr

April 3, 2025 |

Brown Corners Church in Clare, Michigan, is searching for a lead pastor. This individual will be responsible to the church for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, maintaining a consistent focus upon disciple-making as commanded in the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20), and providing biblical leadership for the church. He shall serve as the chief under-shepherd and, along with the Elders, he shall provide Brown Corners Church with care and leadership in keeping with 1 Peter 5:2-4.

Brown Corners Church is a church of approximately 250 adult members and an average worship attendance of 300 people. It is a community-minded church with great facilities that are made available for use by partner organizations throughout the week. The church seeks growth through intentional community outreach and developing a robust small group ministry according to the vision and leadership of their next lead pastor.

This lead pastor role is a full time position at Brown Corners Church. A more detailed job description can be found here.

If you are interested in exploring this opportunity further, please send a copy of your resume, a cover letter, and a recent photo to [email protected].

(First posted 2/6/25)

28 Mar

March 28, 2025 |

Plans are in place and more of the details are coming into focus. As they do, we will continue to post new updates to the National Conference site.

This week you will find two new updates:

  • The business session is now available in the list of menu options. While there is not much yet to share, you will find information related to how many lay delegates your church can send as voting members of the conference.
  • You can now register for the golf outing. The outing will take place on Thursday, July 17, with a shotgun start at 1:00 pm. The cost is $60 per golfer. Visit the event registration page for more details.

There are a few more updates coming soon:

  • We are preparing to launch an online, print-on-demand store where you will be able to purchase 2025 National Conference apparel and other United Brethren gear, and have it shipped directly to your home.
  • For those interested in the UB Youth Camp (for high school students and youth leaders) or the middle school day away (both hosted by Huntington University), keep an eye out for a Frequently Asked Questions link on the Student Events page.

One final update the you will not find on that site:

  • We have over 100 people registered for National Conference already and we hope you can join us. Registration is open until June 30, but why wait? Register now!

 

05 Mar

March 5, 2025 |
Rev. Roger Overmyer, a United Brethren pastor for 48 years in Ohio and Pennsylvania, passed away Saturday evening, March 1, 2025.

 

Overmyer graduated from the Kentucky Mountain Bible Institute in 1957, and the next year began pastoring a United Brethren church in Youngstown, Ohio and was ordained in 1960. That was followed by 18 years as pastor of First UB church in Findlay, Ohio. In 1980 he began pastoring the Seneca and Victory Heights UB churches near Franklin, Pa. The two congregations united in 1984, and he continued serving them until July 2006, when he retired from the United Brethren ministry.

 

In 2008, Overmyer became Pastor of Visitation at Oak Grove Church, a non-UB congregation in Mercer, Pa. Also since 2008, he has been president of Portage Holiness Camp near Bowling Green, Ohio.

 

Roger and Darlene were married in 1956 and had three children.

 

The family is planning a memorial service later in the year.

 

Read more about Roger’s life and legacy in his obituary.

(Submitted by Steve Dennie)

03 Mar

March 3, 2025 |

Mount Pleasant Church in Chambersburg, PA is offering a young leader the opportunity to join our ministry team for a 2-year Pastoral Residency. Our residency program is designed to develop competency in all aspects of pastoral ministry by providing personalized mentoring and practical experience, including preaching on a monthly basis.

Our next pastoral resident will have a clear sense of calling and the desire to serve in the lead and/or solo pastoral role, possess a Bachelor degree in a ministry related field or its equivalent, and the demonstrated capacity for ministering in a team-based environment.

Mount Pleasant Church is a growing congregation of about 300 people in a thriving community along the I81 corridor in south-central PA. We are committed to investing in God’s Kingdom by developing, equipping, and releasing the next generation of pastors, leaders and global workers.

Here’s what previous residents have said about their residency experinece:

  • “My experience as a Pastoral Resident was the best practical “rounding out” of my education I could have asked for. In preparing for ministry, you learn plenty in the classroom, but a long-term position developing and honing the skills to pastor well is now something I consider “necessary” given how helpful it was for me. Mt. Pleasant Church offers a great environment with a perfectly-sized congregation to get to know, intentional mentorship under Pastor Jim, and plenty of opportunities to exercise ministry. You will be blessed and come out better equipped to fulfill God’s call to pastoral ministry!” – Rev. Colin Raab | 2021-2023 | Pastor, Zanesville United Brethren Church, Zanesville, OH
  • “The Pastoral Residence at Mt. Pleasant Church has been an invaluable resource in my ministry. Through the help of the helpful pastoral staff and a loving congregation, I have learned so much in my two years about how to be a pastor, not just in the practical aspects, but in the personal spiritual side as well.” – Heath Lewis | Current Resident

This position is full-time, with competitive compensation, including health insurance. If this sounds like something for which God has been preparing you, please send a resume highlighting ministry experience, a cover letter, and a brief (no more than 300 words) testimony describing your spiritual journey and call to ministry to Pastor Jim Bolich.

18 Feb

February 18, 2025 |

Good resources can be hard to find, but there are a few coming soon, and one recently released, from pastors and friends of the United Brethren Church. You can find more information about each of these resources below, including where to find them and how to purchase them.

Recently Released:

Death, Life, and Discipleship: Seven Ways Jesus Defeated Death Before the Resurrection

This book explores Jesus' victories over challenges like ignorance, sin, and Satan, offering a deeper understanding of His power. Each chapter examines a specific victory and draws practical principles for discipleship. It encourages personal spiritual growth and equips readers to make disciples themselves, fostering a deeper understanding of holiness and a Christ-centered worldview. This is a fantastic resource for personal and small group study. The author of Death, Life, and Discipleship, Victor Collins is the Associate Pastor at Kilpatrick Church in Woodland, Michigan. Purchase here through Amazon.

Coming Soon:

Grit & Joy: Help for Bewildered Families of Teens

In today's fast-paced world, teens often crave something deeper than fleeting distractions. Grit & Joy guides parents and mentors in cultivating lasting, authentic faith in young people. It blends practical advice, compelling stories, and insights from social and brain science with biblical wisdom, providing a roadmap for helping teens develop a meaningful relationship with Christ. This book is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to help teens find enduring joy. Dr. Dave Rahn was an influential professor at Huntington University, has been a featured speaker at UB Youth and Associate Pastor Summits, and will be the keynote speaker for youth workers attending the UB Youth Camp this summer. Co-author, Ebonie Davis is a veteran youth worker, researcher, and author who received her M.A. in Youth Ministry Leadership at Huntington University. The release date for this book is February 25 but you can preorder your copy here.

Essentials of United Brethren History: 10 Events, 10 Bishops, and 10 Issues You Should Know About

This is the latest release coming soon from Steve Dennie, our beloved United Brethren historian, author, and former communications director who served at the UB National Office for 45 years. Essentials of United Brethren History covers the denomination's history from its 1767 beginnings to the present day. Divided into sections on key events, influential bishops, and important issues, it tells the story of what has been important and what remains important to the United Brethren Church and its people throughout the years. This book is a valuable tool for anyone wanting to learn more about the United Brethren Church. It will be available this summer at the UB National Conference. You can find Steve's other works including All for Christ - Volumes 1 and 2 and Against the Blighting Curse here.

We hope these resources are helpful in your family, small groups, and discipleship ministries.

16 Feb

February 16, 2025 |

Park Community Church, located in the community of Bluffton, Indiana, is searching for their next senior pastor. This individual will be an effective communicator who seeks to develop his/her theological and biblical skills and disciple a congregation toward maturity. They must be able to work well with current ministry teams and be skilled in building new teams as needs arise. Most importantly, this individual will be attentive to the Holy Spirit and lead the church as directed.

Park Community Church is a growing church of approximately 50 adult members and an average worship attendance of 110 people. The worship service is warm, friendly and welcoming to visitors. There is a desire among the people to grow in maturity, serve their community, and, as their vision statement reads, to become a “real church for broken people.”

This senior pastor role is a full time position at Park Community Church with compensation based on the guidelines of the UB Church. If you are interested in exploring this opportunity further, please send a copy of your resume, a cover letter, and a recent photo to [email protected].

09 Feb

February 9, 2025 |

The Well in Huntington, Indiana, seeks a Worship Leader who facilitates an atmosphere of praise and spiritual connection by leading their congregation in musical worship. The role involves planning, rehearsing, leading worship services, coordinating with the pastoral, technical, and administrative staff, and shepherding a team of musicians and vocalists. Please see the full job description here.

If you are interested, please email a resume, cover letter, and any media highlighting your abilities to Pastor Josh Kesler.

06 Feb

February 6, 2025 |

Brown Corners Church in Clare, Michigan, is searching for a lead pastor. This individual will be responsible to the church for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, maintaining a consistent focus upon disciple-making as commanded in the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20), and providing biblical leadership for the church. He shall serve as the chief under-shepherd and, along with the Elders, he shall provide Brown Corners Church with care and leadership in keeping with 1 Peter 5:2-4.

Brown Corners Church is a church of approximately 250 adult members and an average worship attendance of 300 people. It is a community-minded church with great facilities that are made available for use by partner organizations throughout the week. The church seeks growth through intentional community outreach and developing a robust small group ministry according to the vision and leadership of their next lead pastor.

This lead pastor role is a full time position at Brown Corners Church. A more detailed job description can be found here.

If you are interested in exploring this opportunity further, please send a copy of your resume, a cover letter, and a recent photo to [email protected].

27 Jan

January 27, 2025 |

Registration for the 2025 US National Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ is now open!

Visit the conference website to see all the details including who our keynote speaker will be, when childcare will be available, and what Huntington University has planned for middle school and high school students.

The conference will take place at the Grand Wayne Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, July 15-18, 2025. The cost to attend is $100 for adults (18 years and older) and $50 for students and children (17 years and younger).

Visit the conference website to learn more.