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08 Dec

December 8, 2009 |

A group of six persons from Mount Pleasant UB (Chambersburg, Pa.) will fly to Mexico tomorrow, December 9. Youth pastor Bobby Culler, his wife, and four other persons will meet up with Bishop Denis Casco of the Mexico National Conference. They are looking for a UB church with which to partner. Mount Pleasant has partnered with one UB church in Mexico for the past five years, but has released those reigns and are looking for a different church.

08 Dec

December 8, 2009 |

Judy Fortner, Pastor Greg Voight, and all the shoeboxes

Judy Fortner, Pastor Greg Voight, and all the shoeboxes.

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L-r: Pastor Greg Voight with Joe Crawford and John Fortner and the loaded SUV.

Lancaster UB pastor Greg Voight will be wearing his Sunday best, at least during December.

In October, the local WMF president, Judy Fortner, decided to make Operation Christmas Child a high priority. She challenged the congregation to donate 75 shoeboxes for the Franklin Graham organization, Samaritan’s Purse.

Not to be outdone, Pastor Greg Voight opened up his rather considerable mouth and challenged the congregation to double it…150 boxes. In fact, he made a friendly bet with the congregation that if they could do 150 boxes, he would wear a suit and tie every Sunday in December.  If the congregation fell short, they would have to sit up front for the whole month.

Shoeboxes began to pour in. The eventual Grand Total: 185 boxes for kids around the world (including enough postage in a special offering to cover all the shipping). As a result, Pastor Greg got his best duds ready and God is reaching around the world through one local church.

“Our people really rallied around the challenge of putting their faith into action in a real and tangible way,” says Pastor Voight. “As so often happens with God, we have been blessed far more than the blessing we’re sending. It started a renewal and a sense of joy and purpose that is amazing. Praise God!”

07 Dec

December 7, 2009 |

Jacob_Hatfield150A teen from Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio) has been missing since last night.

Jacob Hatfield, 15, was last seen at the church on Sunday night, December 6, around 8:30 p.m. He is the nephew of Tim Sherman, the church’s NextGen pastor. Jacob was wearing a black Coca-Cola stocking cap, a black pullover sweatshirt, a black winter coat, and bluejeans. And he had an iPod.

Anyone with information should call the Lake Township police at 419-666-5500, or the Wood County Sheriff at 419-354-9001.

We are mentioning it here so that UB people across the denomination can be praying for Jacob’s safe return.

UPDATE (9:30 pm Dec. 7): We just received word that Jacob has been found, safe and well. He was found by city police at 7:30 Monday night in Walbridge after a community-wide search by 30-40 volunteers. No other details.

The Hatfield family would like to express their extreme gratitude for your prayers, kindness, and help during the past 24 hours. An additional thanks to the mass of volunteers who were able to gather in support of the family and conduct a foot search for Jacob, to the many police and fire personnel who helped find Jacob, and to the media and other local churches who helped get the word out.

07 Dec

December 7, 2009 |

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04 Dec

December 4, 2009 |

Phl Whipple speaking to UB students visiting Huntington University

This morning (Friday, Dec. 4), Bishop Phil Whipple spoke briefly to a group of youth from United Brethren churches who were visiting Huntington University. They met in the Longaker Recital Hall in the Merillat Centre for the Arts. The students had come for the Toby Mac Winter Wonder Slam concert, held the night before at Huntington University. They represented these churches:

  • Cochranton Community (Cochranton, Pa.)
  • Pathway Community (Jackson, Mich.)
  • Jerusalem Chapel (Churchville, Va.)
  • Fowlerville UB (Fowlervile, Mich.)
  • Banner of Christ (Byron Center, Mich.)
  • Bethel UB (Elmore, Ohio)

03 Dec

December 3, 2009 |

Construction on the Delmas Church and Conference Center in Haiti

United Brethren people in Haiti have been working hard on a new church in Delmas. This facility will also serve as a national conference center. The property, located on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, was purchased by the Haitian church. The building is being constructed through the efforts of church members and local contractors using gifts from Canada and the United States. A team from the UB churches in Canada will travel to Haiti to help with the construction.

On December 13, the Delmas church will celebrate its third anniversary. While the project continues, the local church is increasing in attendance and has been baptizing people.

Last spring, we contributed $8000 through our Self-Denial Offerings. However, an additional push is needed to complete the building before the rainy season comes. Pastor Oliam Richard has been under pressure by the municipality to complete the project. Any assistance toward the total amount needed would be appreciated.

02 Dec

December 2, 2009 |

On Thursday, December 3, Bishop Phil Whipple will take part in a panel discussion on the Mid-Morning program on WBCL, a Christian radio station in Fort Wayne, Ind. He will be joined by Jerry Davis and Mike Cook, from the Huntington University graduate school, and Monte Sheets, a pastor in Fort Wayne.

The panel will talk about healthy pastors and healthy churches.  They will particularly tackle the questions, “How can pastors care for their inner life, and how can their congregations help?”

The program airs 9-10 am. You can listen over the internet.

01 Dec

December 1, 2009 |

MtZionHomecoming500

L-r: Bishop Phil Whipple, Joe Leighton (current pastor of Salen Chapel), Chuck Wheatley (former pastor), Billy Snider (special speaker)

Annette Self, Mt. Zion UB (Junction City, Ohio)
Mt. Zion UB (Junction City, Ohio) had a homecoming on October 4 with special speaker, Rev. Billy Snider. He grew up at Mt. Zion and entered the ministry in the 1950s. The day included special music in the morning and afternoon services, a dinner, several guest singers, and guests from other churches and the community. Ninety people attended in the afternoon.

The church also contributed to Franklin Graham’s Operation Christmas Child. We did 36 shoeboxes this year–an average of over one per person in Sunday attendance.

We are also once again adopting a family for Christmas and contributing to the local food pantry with 70 boxes of crackers. Each of the churches contributes something like that, and the community ministry compiles food baskets for needy people for Christmas. Salem Chapel UB usually participates in this too.

27 Nov

November 27, 2009 |

Bishop Phil Whipple reports that his wife, Sandy, had her heart catheterization, and there is no blockage. Praise the Lord! There is an irregularity with her heartbeat which can be regulated with a change in medication.

Thank you for your prayers for her.

27 Nov

November 27, 2009 |

missionshouseback_480

Global Ministries owns a small house in Huntington, Ind., where missionaries on furlough stay. It is used almost continuously.

In the spring, we’d like some exterior work done on the home, particularly repairs to the back porch and some painting. Would you or your church be able to provide the labor? Contact Jeff Bleijerveld to make plans for a team to assist with this need.