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Bishop Emeritus Raymond Waldfogel (bishop 1969-1981) is currently in Huntington Parkview Hospital (Huntington, Ind.) with lots of fluid in his lungs. He’ll probably be there through the end of the week. Please remember Ray and Wardena Waldfogel in your prayers. Cards can be sent to: Raymond Waldfogel, 2002 North Ave., Huntington, IN 46750.
Ardith A. Shideler, 72, passed away Thursday, June 16, 2011. She was a member of Dillman UB church in Warren, Ind.
For many years, Ardith served as treasurer and Finance Commission Chairperson for Central Conference.
Visitation: Monday, June 20, 2-8 pm.
Visitation Location: Glancy-H. Brown and Son Funeral Home, 203 N. Matilda St., Warren, Ind.
Funeral: Tuesday, June 21, 11 am.
Funeral Location: Dillman United Brethren church, 8888S-1100W-90, Warren, Ind. 46792.
Ardith is survived by her husband of 54 years, Charles, and two sons. Officiating at the funeral will be Rev. Dick Case, pastor of Dillman, and former pastor Rev. Lynn Mefferd.
Rev. Arthur Wilson has been named interim campus pastor of Huntington University, with responsibility for shaping and mentoring the student body to have hearts for God. He replaces Rev. Bill Fisher, who left the university in June after 18 years as Campus Pastor.
Wilson serves as the director of urban scholarship and mentoring at Huntington University. He came to the university in 2009 to head the Horizon Leadership Program, which he will continue during this interim period.
Wilson formerly served as the City Life coordinator for Fort Wayne Area Youth for Christ, overseeing operations of the Primetime Community Center which ministers to at-risk teenagers. He will also continue serving as assistant pastor at New Covenant Worship Center in Fort Wayne, Ind.
“Arthur is a gifted ministry professional who has impacted our students in significant and profound ways,” said President G. Blair Dowden. “He will do an outstanding job in this new position and will continue to make a positive difference in the lives of our students. I am very grateful that he is a part of the Huntington University community.”
Wilson also helped to shape the Horizon Leadership Program at HU to create a more racially and ethnically diverse campus. Launched in the fall of 2008, the program is a collaborative effort between the university and Youth for Christ that is designed to attract and retain students of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The Horizon Leader Scholarship covers fees associated with tuition and housing costs for up to 10 semesters.
Arthur is a 2004 graduate of Taylor University Fort Wayne, with a degree in pastoral ministries. He is currently working toward his Master of Arts degree in youth ministry leadership at Huntington University.
Dr. Paul R. Fetters
In the Western Christian liturgical calendar, Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the Trinity–the mystery of the Triune Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
As United Brethren in Christ, we say in our Confession of Faith:
“In the name of God, we declare and confess before men that we believe in the only true God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: that these three are one—the Father in the Son, the Son in Father, and the Holy Ghost equal in essence or being with both; that this Triune God created the heavens and the earth and all that in them is, visible as well as invisible, and furthermore sustains, governs, protects, and supports the same.”
Immanent Trinity. In Scripture, each person of the Trinity is found in eternal equality of essence and being. In Scripture, each Person of the Trinity is found in loving relationship and intimate communion. This intrinsic Being has been referred to by an early Church Father, Gregory of Nanzianzus, as a perichoresis. In the Greek, peri means “around” and choresis “choreography (dancing).”
One hymn, The Dance of the Trinity, captures the mystery of the Three-in-One or the One-in-Three:
The play of the God head, the Trinity’s dance,
Embraces the earth in sacred romance:
With God the Creator, and Christ the true Son,
Entwined with the Spirit, a web daily spun
in spangles of mystery the great Three-in-One.
–The Play of the God Head
Economic Trinity. In Scripture, each Person of the Trinity is involved in every aspect of creating, sustaining, governing, protecting, redeeming, and sanctifying. Also, Scripture emphasizes the identification of the predominant work of each Person of the Trinity–God the Father, the Creator; God the Son, the Redeemer; and God the Spirit, the Sanctifier.
Let not the glorious mystery of the Holy Trinity hinder our Church of the United Brethren in Christ in its proclamation of this fundamental Christian doctrine.
As of Thursday morning, June 16, we have 719 people registered for National Conference, which begins in just under two weeks.
The national office is a flurry of activity with conference-related stuff–phone calls, emails, sundry preparations.
Reports from denominational officials will be posted today on the National Conference website.
Idaville UB church (Idaville, Pa.) is looking for a fulltime assistant pastor. This person will be responsible to plan, oversee, and coordinate all activities of the youth and young adults in the church, and oversee the entire music ministry of the church.
Huntington University was mentioned in a USA Today article about private liberal arts colleges that help students repay loans. This is targeted at students headed toward careers in low-paying public-service fields, enabling private colleges to attract and keep students who otherwise might opt for something cheaper…or skip college altogether.
The article quoted Erica Harris, 22, who graduated in May from Huntington with a degree in Family and Children’s Ministries. If she ends up in a job that pays less than $20,000 a year, the loan repayment plan will cover her payments for that year. Students pay nothing for this benefit. Instead, the college pays an average of $1200 per student per year to LRAP Association, a company that repays loans using the pooled funds.
It makes another good reason to attend Huntington University.
David Rawley (right), senior pastor of Otterbein UB church in Greencastle, Pa., gave the baccalaureate address for Greencastle-Antrim High School. His message was based on the life of Joseph in the Old Testament. He told them that to achieve their dreams, they may need to lose their most precious childhood possession–which, in Joseph’s case, was his colorful coat. “Part of the journey was, he had to lose the robe. It seemed like a tragedy. But that’s life.”
The RecordHerald.com printed quite a bit from his message. Dave has pastored Otterbein since 1985.
As of Tuesday, June 7, we had 625 people registered for the US National Conference, July 6-9, 2011.
Here is a further breakdown:
Note: the registration cost goes up June 10. So register now.
Dr. Paul R. Fetters, Emeritus Dean of the Huntington University Graduate School of Christian Ministries
As the early Christians of Jerusalem were attending the feast of Pentecost 1,978 years ago, the Holy Spirit came in the power of the wind with purifying flame, and the people heard the Gospel in their own languages. The Christian Church, conceived in the mind of God and promised in the person of Christ, was born of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
As German immigrants were attending a “great meeting” in Isaac Long’s barn, Lancaster, Pa., on Whitsuntide (Pentecost Sunday) nearly 250 years ago, circa 1767, the Holy Spirit breathed upon the heart of a preacher, Martin Boehm. His sermon moved the hearts of the congregation, among whom was Rev. William Otterbein. Embracing Boehm, he exclaimed, “Wir sund bruder”–We are brethren! From this small beginning, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ took root to become the first denomination born in America.
This Sunday, June 12, is Pentecost Sunday, a major date in the Christian church calendar. As Christian believers, United Brethren people have double reason to celebrate Pentecost Sunday.
