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Blue Rock UB church (Waynesboro, Pa.) baptized two adults and two children on Sunday evening, November 24. After a brief message on baptism from the book of Acts by Pastor Greg Helman, each person told how they came to faith in Jesus and why they wanted to be baptized. Then, they were individually baptized at the front of the church with many people watching and celebrating their decision.
In 2014, we will hold Pastor Summits for senior pastors and spouses of churches of all sizes, broken down as follows:
Pastors and spouses can now register for these events. Program and other information will come later.
Attendance up to 150
Pastors can choose one of these locations:
April 28-30, 2014
Rhodes Grove Camp and Conference Center
Chambersburg, Pa.May 5-7, 2014
Gull Lake Ministries
Hickory Corners, Mich.
Attendance of 150-300
October 20-23, 2014
Daytona Beach, Fla.
Attendance of 300+
October 27-30, 2014
Daytona Beach, Fla.
Pastors must pay for their transportation and a few meals. The denomination will cover everything else, including:
UBChurches.org, our online church directory, gives the latest average attendance we have on file for your church. Just do a search by church name or location.
The Pastor Summits are in addition to the summits scheduled for staffpersons:
Bishop Phil Whipple (far right) conducting the ordination service.
Bishop Phil Whipple (right) with Jason and Mary Garwood.
Jason Garwood was ordained on Sunday, November 24, by Bishop Phil Whipple. Rev. Garwood was named senior pastor of Colwood UB church (Caro, Mich.) in December 2011.
Dalton Jenkins (right), senior pastor of Bethel Temple of Praise (Yonkers, N.Y.), has published a book entitled Kingdom People Living by Kingdom Principles: A Holistic Approach to the Call of Missions. It can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers, and is available for both the Kindle and Nook.
The description reads:
“We do not have to travel to some foreign country to locate the mission field. Right here, literally in our backyards, the world has come to us. The church’s basic mission is to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God; this message has social and political aspects to its application. This is the fundamental responsibility of the church.
“This message is holistic and affects the total person. As the church develops a comprehensive and practical understanding of missions, this will propel Christians to act out their missional call. The challenge as to how to be truly missional requires those people considered to be disciples to engage their communities in their everyday lives.
“To capture the full essence of missions, this book introduces a process called strategic evangelism. This process serves to raise awareness by helping to clarify the nature of the structures and practices of the church relating to its missional focus, to develop a better awareness of local missions, and to introduce a process that will assist people to live out the mission by engaging their communities.”
Rev. Jenkins recently completed his doctor of ministry degree. He also holds an accounting degree, and two master’s degrees (master of divinity and master of ministries in pastoral counseling). He has pastored the UB church in Yonkers since 2004. He is also a member of the Higher Education Leadership Team and of the Huntington University Board of Trustees.
Fountain UB church (Keyser, W. Va.) has opened its door once again as a collection center for Operation Christmas Child. Last year, they collected over 13,000 shoeboxes, which Samaritan’s Purse will distribute to children around the world.
Eagle Quest members with Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. (click to enlarge)
Christine Scroggs (right), pastor’s wife, Eagle Quest Church (Columbia City, Ind.)
A few years ago, our church started a new tradition. We began participating in Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan’s Purse. We begin asking people in October to take home shoeboxes and fill them with trinkets, toys, and love. Then the boxes are collected and sent to Samaritan’s Purse for distribution to children around the world. It is something that our congregation loves to do!
Our youth group also participates. Each youth brings some of their own money, and we shop together (this helps them learn how to budget), fill the boxes together, and have so much fun. The youth group’s goal this year was 5 boxes, and they ended up with 6 completed.
The congregation also had a record year, collecting 35 boxes total, an increase of 75%. Not bad for a congregation of 60!
Mill Chapel’s new generator.
Mill Chapel (Reedsville, W. Va.) recently purchased a generator. This is a response to the power outages in late 2012 from Hurricane Sandy.
Senior pastor Marshall Woods (right) explains, “Mill Chapel will be an emergency center for the entire area surrounding the church. In the event of a power outage, people (churched and unchurched) will be able to get warm, sleep in the fellowship hall, and have something to eat.”
Dave Stephens reports that he has esophagus cancer. Dave, an ordained United Brethren minister since 1969, is director of Camp Cotubic in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Camp Cotubic was started by the former Central Conference in the 1970s.
On November 18, Dave said on Facebook, “We went to the Ohio State University cancer center today to begin the process. Ill have more tests next week to determine the stage etc., then we will probably have 5 weeks of radiation and chemo. It is likely then that surgery will take place to remove that section.
“Our faith remains strong. I have recovered well from the heart surgery”– he had a heart attack in June, followed by quadruple bypass surgery–“so I’m healthy enough for the next step. Thank you all for your friendship and prayers.”
Dave plans to retire on January 1, 2014.
We received word that the mother of Gary Gates (right) passed away Saturday, November 16. Visitation is Tuesday, November 19, and the funeral is on Wednesday, November 20. The funeral will be held in Carlinville, Ill.
Gary is pastor of South Scipio UB church in Harlan, Ind., and the denominational Director of Ministerial Licensing. His address:
Gary Gates
24990 Antwerp Road
Harlan, IN 46743
[email protected]
Gertha G. (Stephens) Evans, 86 of Huntington, Ind., passed away November 13. She was the mother of Rev. Ron Evans, pastor of the UB church in Kunkle, Ohio.
Gertha’s late husband, Don, was known to several generations of Huntington University students for his work with the university maintenance department. He passed away in 1994.
Both the visitation and funeral will be held Saturday, November 16.
Visitation: 10:30 – 12:30 pm.
Funeral: 12:30 pm.
Location: Myers Funeral Home, 2901 Guilford Street, Huntington, ind.
Sympathies can be sent to Ron Evans at:
Ronald L. Evans
PO Box 30, 402 Angola St
Kunkle, OH 43531-0030
