Randy Carpenter (right) has been named senior pastor of Sunfield UB (Sunfield, Mich.). His first Sunday will be May 9. Randy is a 1990 graduate of Huntington University, and holds Masters degrees from Huntington University and from Winebrenner Theological Seminary (Findlay, Ohio). He was ordained in 1993.

Randy has served as senior pastor at two other UB churches:

  • 1993-1995: Third Street (now Anchor) UB in Fort Wayne, Ind.
  • 1995-2006: Oak Harbor UB (now Shoreline) in Oak Harbor, Ohio.

The UB Worship Summit is underway in Daytona, Fla., and you can follow along. They will be blogging live on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.  Go to www.worship360.wordpress.com to follow the action.  You can be ready to go by going to the site and clicking on the link.  That will take you to Cover it Live where you can sign up and get email reminders if needed.  The sessions are as follows:

Tues, May 4th
9:45 AM EST – Keynote session #1:  Bob Kauflin, “Why Theology Matters!”
11:00 AM EST – Breakout session #1:  Phil Burkett, “Biblical Worship”

Wed, May 5th
9:45 AM EST – Keynote session #2:  Efrem Smith, “Worship of the Beloved”
11:00 AM EST – Breakout session #2:  Jonathon Ford, “Spiritual Disciplines in Worship”

Mark and Carla Wilson

Mark and Carla Wilson

Mark Wilson has been named senior pastor of Fowlerville UB (Fowlerville, Mich.). He grew up in a pastor’s home, graduated in 1989 from United Wesleyan College (Allentown, Pa.) with a degree in Pastoral Ministry, and was ordained by the Wesleyan Church in 1991 after two years of service.

Mark served as senior pastor of two different Wesleyan churches 1989-1996, and then worked in secular positions for seven years–a software company, a marketing company, a children’s museum. He then re-entered fulltime ministry, serving as Family Ministry Pastor at Kentwood Community Church (Kentwood, Mich.) 2006-2009.

Mark and his wife, Carla, have three daughters, ages 22-25 (two of them married).

Robert Shellhouse, a retired minister in Michigan, was taken to the hospital last week with what appeared to be a stroke. He sent this update on his health:

First of all, thank you for all your calls, cards, prayers, thoughts, and visits.  We greatly appreciate each one of you.

Monday, I had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Gilbert. Other than my blood pressure being slightly elevated, I was coming along fine. I will not be able to drive for another week (per doctor’s orders), then slowly get back to it.

Today, I saw a speech therapist in Whitehall, Mich. She gave me some new strengthening exercises to work on as well as some eating instructions, i.e., one bite, two swallows. I will be having therapy twice a week for a couple of weeks, then back in a month for another throat xray. Singing is another exercise that will help strengthen my vocal chords and aid in swallowing. Maybe once my vocal chords are all “tuned up,” you will allow me to be in the choir!”

In September 2009, there were 15 students enrolled in the “Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages” (TESOL) program at Huntington University. At the beginning of the current semester, 22 were enrolled, 5 of them non-traditional students.

In addition, it is hoped that as many as 20 Chinese teachers each semester will be enrolled in the program if an agreement can be struck with a public school board in southern China.

Jim Woodward receiving the "Outstanding Service Award."

From Darwin Dunten, pastor of Findlay First UB (Findlay, Ohio)

Jim “the Barber” Woodward, a member of Findlay First UB (Findlay, Ohio), received the Northwest Ohio Community Spirit Award for Outstanding Community Service for his volunteer work at the Hancock County Jail. Nominations from all over Northwest Ohio were considered. Awards were given to the outstanding fireman, Police, EMS, and other individuals for their work in the community in the area of emergency services and law enforcement.

In 2005, Findlay First UB Church went on a 40-day adventure studying the “Purpose Driven Life.” One of the last lessons was for Christians to leave their comfort zone and start impacting their world for Christ.

An opportunity came to Jim when he was cutting hair in the county jail. Inmates were complaining about the worship services and the lack of worship services that they were or were not receiving. He then started a monthly motivational session with all the inmates where community leaders came in and shared their stories.  Eventually this turned into a weekly worship service on Thursday nights with community church members from the Episcopal, Methodist, and United Brethren churches. They have become “the church” for the inmates.

Because of Jim’s weekly “bribing” of the guards with pizza and cupcakes, Jim has been able to hold special events such as picnics for the inmates. Jim has also been able obtain special releases for the inmates to attend special services at Findlay First UB.

Jim has been called before clergy to help the guards with inmates that are emotionally out of control. How does he calm them down?  He makes them recite, “It’s not about me; it’s about Thee.”

Because of Jim’s work, Findlay First UB and Pastor “D” Dunten, we have been able to introduce Christ to alcoholics, drug addicts, drug dealers, sexual predictors, and murderers. Some consider Pastor “D” to be their pastor. Some are even attending First UB.

At times, Jim apologizes to the inmates. He states, “On behalf of the church, I want to apologize. The church has not been doing its job. Jesus tells us to go to the widows, orphans, sick, and the prisoners. We have not done that. Some of you are in here because the church has never told you about Jesus.”

That gets their attention. He drills in the heads of the inmates, “Life is not about me; it’s about Thee.”  And “God is good all the time.”

Jim has such respect among the inmates that I pity the fool that ever holds up his barber shop. No one messes with Jim “the Barber.”

The citation says:

“Woodward’s impact on the Findlay-Hancock County community and those incarcerated is indescribable. He frequently receives letters from inmates thanking him for believing in and encouraging them, and for being an uplifting presence in their lives. Once they are released from the Justice Center, the first stop for former inmates is not that of trouble, but that of the local barber’s chair for more conversation and thankfulness for Jim “The Barber” Woodward.

Barbara Osgood passed away Sunday evening, April 25, 2010, at home surrounded by family and friends. She was a retired nurse, a former missionary to Sierra Leone, and a lifelong member of McCallum United Brethren church (Delton, Mich.).

Funeral details:

Viewing: Tuesday, April 27, 5-8 pm, at Williams-Gores Funeral Home, Delton, Mich.
Funeral: Wednesday, April 28, 2 pm, at McCallum UB Church, 5505 Otis Lake Road, Delton, Mich.

The new 2D studio art center building.

The interior of the new studio art center building.

The Studio Art Center. The 3D facility is on the left, the new 2D building on the right.

The Huntington University art students now have a place to call their own, as the Studio Art Center was formally dedicated on April 22. The new building was fully funded through gifts to the university.

The Studio Art Center consists of two facilities for 2D and 3D art. A new 3,000-square-foot building completed this spring adjacent to the existing annex is used for ceramics, sculpture, and 3D design. It also houses the woodshop. The new building features a large studio space for drawing and painting, and a photography light studio.

Robert Shellhouse was discharged from the hospital this afternoon. The MRI performed today showed he suffered a TIA, not a stroke.  He also had a throat Xray which showed weakness in swallowing. He will be on a mechanical soft diet until he can build up some strength on the left side of his face and in his throat.  He has an appointment for speech therapy in Whitehall next Wednesday and will also follow up with his family doctor next week.