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20 Jan

January 20, 2012 |

Andrew Martin

Nick Kight, Huntington University Class of ’12
Posted January 2012

As a young boy, Andrew Martin grew up watching “VeggieTales.” Who would have known the lessons taught by Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber would one day leave an impression both morally and occupationally on him.

Early on, he wondered how these movies were made and how the characters were brought to life. He did some research and taught himself the mechanics and functionality of computers. His studies at Huntington University as an animation and computer science major then gave him the technical skills and the means to succeed in the field.

Now, he works at DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. as a technician resource administrator, also known as a render wrangler. Animators send him their animations, and Martin, alongside the rest of the DreamWorks staff, brings those characters to the big screen through a system made up of thousands of computers.

“I love a good story so I decided to take my passions and apply them toward my career goals,” said Martin, a 2011 HU graduate. “So far, I’d say animation has been a good fit for me. I’ve been told I’m going to start working on DreamWorks Animation’s next film, ‘Madagascar 3.’ I think reality will set in once I go to a theater and see my name in the credits.”

Back in June, Martin found the position while browsing through different studio websites. He applied for the job, and then, all he could do was wait.

“I didn’t end up hearing anything until August when I learned my professor sent DreamWorks a recommendation on my behalf,” he said. “He had a contact who worked there and helped me get my foot in the door.”

Three weeks later, they asked him to pack his bags and move out to California. And had it not been for the networking with professors, preparation from the HU animation department and the opportunity to conduct his own independent study on render management, Martin does not think he would have landed the position at DreamWorks.

“My professors made sure I was on the right track,” he said. “My computer science classes taught me the specifics of computers and how to utilize those to their full capacity in the animation studio.”

During his first day of work, Martin realized the DreamWorks position is the dream job he always wanted.

“The fringe benefits are amazing, the animation process is a collaborative effort, people eat their lunch together and it’s a light-hearted environment,” he said. “I’m going to be spoiled by this.”

19 Jan

January 19, 2012 |

United Brethren Churches by County

We participated in a study through the Church of the Nazarene, giving them information about our churches in the United States. In return, they sent us some interesting maps showing where our churches and constituents are located. The map above has been added to the “About Us” section on UB.org, our official website. (Click to enlarge.)

16 Jan

January 16, 2012 |

The JustONE Conference is a free virtual (online) conference for pastors’ wives and women in ministry.

It starts Monday, January 23, and continues for four weeks. Each week, the conference is held on Monday and Tuesday.

This conference will include over 20 speakers sharing from their personal lives and leadership. Each session will be shown 4 times during the week. So find a time that is right for your schedule, and join in!

Week 1: January 23-24
Week 2: January 30-31
Week 3: February 6-7
Week 4: February 13-14

Go to the Leading And Loving It website for more information and to register.

16 Jan

January 16, 2012 |

A mini-campaign to build a new Huntington University track and soccer field is well under way, with $150,000 in donations from leaders at the university. During the past few years, the track and soccer programs have grown to include more than 125 student athletes, creating a need for updated facilities.

The mini-campaign was launched in early December as a subset of the $21 million Together: The Campaign for Huntington University, and received a strong kickoff with gifts from the university’s senior leaders, capital campaign committee members, and trustees.

In addition, Forester athletes will conduct a Phonathon during the week of January 9 to draw support for the campaign. Donors may “buy” a meter of the track for $185, or a square yard of the soccer field for $70.

To learn more about Huntington University’s Track/Soccer Field mini-campaign or to become a partner in the project, visit huntington.edu/advancement.

13 Jan

January 13, 2012 |

At Craighead Church in Jamaica

Betty Brown (right) with Pastor Bryan Wallace and and his wife, Rhoda.

The Craighead church

Betty Brown, Bethel UB Church (Elmore, Ohio)

A team from Bethel UB church (Elmore, Ohio) has returned from a work week at Craighead UB Church in Jamaica. We supplied a much-needed refrigerator for Big Wood School. We did Bible school with the children and visited many shut-ins while we were there. Many relationships were been strengthened.

We were privledged to spend New Year’s Eve with them in a Watch Night Service. At midnight we had everyone praying, and I could not help but think how the Lord must enjoy listening to that unison of music to his ears.

Bible school had anywhere from 30-60 kids. They just kept coming. Friday after Bible school, the parents/friends were all invited. We served 90 ice cream cones. This was a nice surprise for the children.

Every evening we seemed to feed at least 20 people for supper. The Lord never let the pot get empty till everyone had their fill.

The team members were Betty Brown, Christina Brown, Melissa Blausey, Stephanie Kriner, and Vicki Kreinbihl.

12 Jan

January 12, 2012 |

On January 1, 2012, a group of central Ohio volunteers set out in church vans, trucks, and campers to Phil Campbell, Ala. There, they helped turn a former Dollar General store into the Phil Campbell Church of God.

The Phil Campbell Church lost its building in the F5 tornado that flattened the area on April 27, 2011. At least 12 people were killed in the town, which had a population of about 1100.

Pastor Greg Voight (right) and members from Lancaster UB (Lancaster, Ohio), along with 6 other Ohio churches and the Haylesville, Alabama, Church of God, worked long hours that week to make it possible for the Phil Campbell Church to hold Sunday services on January 8. The group arrived home exhausted but inspired to continue spreading God’s love to those in need.

Central Ohio churches sending volunteers were:

  • Victory Hill Church of God
  • Circleville First Church
  • Nicholas Drive Church of God
  • Oakthorpe Christian Church
  • Lancaster United Brethren Church
  • Living Word Church
  • Lancaster Community Church

12 Jan

January 12, 2012 |

Teddy Fairchild (right), pastor, The Rock (Findlay, Ohio)

It has been a very exciting six months here at The Rock in Findlay, Ohio. As a church, we sat down and decided that we had some things to change if we wanted to remain open: we had to change our apperance and our focus. This new direction has been put in place over the past six months, and we looked forward to future ways we can serve our community with our new focus now in place.

The video above shows some of the transformation that has happened at The Rock.

10 Jan

January 10, 2012 |

As a result of a local congregation exceeding its goal for a special Christmas Eve offering, a Christian school of nearly 2000 students in Sierra Leone, West Africa, will be provided safe drinking water and sanitation for the first time in years.

Bethany House of the Lord is a congregation of 50 people in South Cumberland, Md. In an attempt to get the congregation into a less commercial and more spiritual frame-of-mind, the elders approved a “Big Christmas Challenge” for the Advent Season. The challenge was to intentionally spend less money on Christmas gifts and to give more gifts of time and relationship instead…in order to give a sacrificial offering on Christmas Eve to meet a real need for truly poor people.

The elders announced on the first Sunday of Advent that whatever was collected on Christmas Eve would be matched 3-to-1 out of the congregational savings account. They set a goal of a $5,000 offering with a maximum match of $15,000.

The project they selected to receive the offering was the “Centennial School Clean Water and Sanitation Project,” a project designed by Engineers Without Borders in 2009 and left undone while awaiting contributions towards the $20,000 cost.

Sierra Leone, the poorest nation on earth, suffered a brutal civil war from 1991 to 2002. During the war, rebels raided the village of Mattru Jong, nearly destroying the hospital and Christian school that have been owned and operated there by the United Brethren in Christ since the 1950s. The buildings were stripped of roofing, electrical wiring, plumbing, and all fixtures.

Since the civil war ended, the hospital and school have re-opened. School enrollment has increased since 2009 from 1500 to nearly 2000, but the students have no safe drinking water and no toilet facilities.

President of the “Centennial Old Students’ Association” (alumni) is Pastor Joe Abu, a United Brethren pastor serving the Mount Zion United African Church in Philadelphia, Pa. Pastor Joe grew up in a Muslim home and became a Christian while a student at Centennial. In August, he and his wife and another member of the Philadelphia congregation traveled to speak in Cumberland to the people of Bethany House of the Lord. He shared the needs of the school, and mentioned the water project then.

In November, Michael Allen Mudge (right), pastor of Bethany House of the Lord, remembered Joe’s passion for the needs in Sierra Leone, and decided to ask the elders to challenge the congregation. With an Advent theme of “Spend Less, Give More, Love All, Worship Fully,” the congregation was encouraged to reflect on the fact that the average American spends $1000 each year on Christmas gifts, while 60% of the world’s population lives on less than $2000 per year.

“Could you imagine our board of education combining Allegany and Fort Hill High Schools, together but not providing safe drinking water and functioning toilets for our children?” asked Pastor Mudge. “We are so blessed and so abundantly able to meet real needs. Allegheny County, Md., is the poorest county in the state, but still we are able to meet a need in the poorest country in the world. If our congregation of 50 people here is able to meet a dire need of 2000 students there, why shouldn’t we do it?”

On Christmas Eve, at the end of the traditional service of Scriptures and carols, and just before the darkened sanctuary was illuminated by candlelight, two young men passed the offering baskets. The offering collected came to $6,357, far exceeding the announced goal of $5,000 and winning the full match of $15,000 from the savings account.

A check for $21,357 has been sent to United Brethren Global Ministries in Huntington, Ind., to be administered for the water project. The Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania) Chapter of Engineers Without Borders will schedule the work to be done in the spring of 2012. The work will involve drilling a well and installing plumbing and toilet facilities.

Donna Hollopeter (right), a staff member with United Brethren Global Ministries, visited Mattru in April 2011 and found that the Christian school has some students right now who were scarred for life as children. During the civil war, rebels terrorized villages by forming people, even infants, into lines, and hacking-off limbs–ears, hands, arms, legs. Many such mutilated children were left orphaned by the civil war, and United Brethren congregations have worked to find families to look after these children.

The most unusual part of Bethany’s Christmas Eve offering was not the size, but the fact that two baskets were passed through the congregation at all. It’s the first time–and perhaps only time–in the life of the seven-year-old congregation that money has ever been requested or a collection made. Each Sunday, a small basket is available in the rear of the sanctuary for tithes and offerings, but no mention is ever made about it.

In announcing the offering results on Christmas morning, Pastor Mudge quoted from 2 Corinthians: “Their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity….They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability” (8:2-3).

“Our congregation is not wealthy but generous,” he said. “When I telephoned Pastor Joe Abu at 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve to give him a long-distance Christmas gift, he screamed with joy.” To those who were astonished by the results, he added a quote from the Nativity story, a line from the angel Gabriel to Mary: “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

10 Jan

January 10, 2012 |

Rev. Denny Miller speaking to the cluster leaders.

Bishop Phil Whipple speaking to the cluster leaders.

Former bishop Paul Hirschy, under whose watch the NCD survey was first promoted.

Every January, clusters leaders are brought together for a time of training, to make sure everyone’s on the same page. On January 11, 22 of the 28 cluster leaders gathered at Huntington University for an afternoon of training under the direction of Dennis Miller, the denominational cluster coordinator. Much of the training focused on the Natural Church Development survey, which churches will be encouraged to take this year. This survey has been offered for many years through the national office, and a number of churches have taken it, but it hasn’t been emphasized in a while.