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07 May

May 7, 2009 |

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Our lobby at Healthy Ministry Resources looks different. We added something new: a stained glass window from our former national office. Let me tell you its history.

Way back in 1834, the United Brethren denomination bought printing equipment for a new publishing house in Circleville, Ohio. In 1853, the publishing house moved to Dayton, Ohio, where the denominational headquarters was located.

After the division in 1889, our group lost everything. We had a temporary publishing operation in Dayton for a while. Then, in 1897, everything moved to Huntington, Ind.

Initially, we used a building on South Jefferson. But after 20 years, we built a new, multi-story brick building at the corner of Franklin and Warren Streets to house the publishing operation and the denominational offices. It was dedicated on May 2, 1917, by Bishop Fermin Hoskins.

Above the main entrance they installed this beautiful stained glass window that said “Publishing Establishment of the United Brethren in Christ.” We relocated the offices to the current location in 1976, selling the other building to a local businessman. However, that stained glass window was still there 30 years later when I became bishop.

I thought we needed to reclaim that window. So we talked with the building’s owner. He said we could have it, as long as we paid to have it removed and paid for a replacement. No problem.

And so, the window was removed, and we had it restored to pristine condition. Then a local contractor mounted it in this beautiful wooden case, which takes up most of a wall in our lobby. It is lighted from behind, and looks gorgeous.

06 May

May 6, 2009 |

Global Ministries is sponsoring several short-term ministry trips this summer–to Central America, Europe, and Asia. Almost 100 persons are involved. Please–

  • Pray for each person and team as they prepare for their trip.
  • Prayerfully consider how you might help financially.

Because of the economy, some of the teams have found fundraising for their trip challenging. Supplies that are needed for the work these groups will do. It would be a huge answer to prayer if you could assist financially. Any size gift is greatly appreciated.

Checks should be made out to Global Ministries. On the memo line, place the location to which you would like to contribute–Central America, Europe, or Asia.

06 May

May 6, 2009 |

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People from the US Center for World Mission pray over Dave (center, blue shirt) and Cathie Datema (on Dave’s left). Dr. Ralph Winter is in the wheelchair.

David Datema has been named to succeed Dr. Ralph Winter as general director of Frontier Mission Fellowship, which oversees the US Center for World Mission. Dave is an ordained UB minister, and as a kid lived in both Jamaica and Sierra Leone, where his parents, Jerry and Eleanore Datema, were missionaries. He has served at the US Center for World Mission in Pasadena, Calif., for the past ten years. He and Cathie are endorsed missionaries with Global Ministries, and Dave serves on the Global Ministries Leadership Team.

Dr. Winter, who is currently winning a battle against multiple myleoma, stated, “I sense it is God’s will that David and Cathie Datema should be the couple that would carry on (with the help of others) the role of General Director. Dave’s steady involvement, his pastoral experience, and his scholarly emphasis and not least his concern for the Frontier Mission Fellowship [the organization to which they belong] as a fellowship, all equip him and are factors in this decision….I believe our fellowship is stronger than ever and will continue to grow stronger, and that its best days are beyond my lifespan.”

We wanted to let you know that Dr. Ralph Winter, the founder of the Frontier Mission Fellowship, the organization to which we are members, has appointed Dave to a new assignment. As of yesterday, May 5th, Dave officially became the General Director of the Frontier Mission Fellowship as Dr. Winter stepped down from this role. (See attached photo.)

Dave and Cathie write, “In this role, we will continue to live here in Pasadena and will join the current leadership team which oversees the US Center for World Mission and the William Carey International University. We appreciate your prayers as Dave transitions to this new role with its responsibilities, and as the FMF adjusts to a new General Director.

“We appreciate so many of you who have been partners with us on our ministry team with your prayers and support. Our status as missionaries on support remains the same. In other words, we continue to depend on God and his family for our ‘daily bread.'”

04 May

May 4, 2009 |

Richard Palmer, pastor of the Abilene UB church (Abilene, Kansas) since 2001, passed away Sunday night, May 3. He suffered a major stroke on April 10 and has been in poorhealth ever since. He leaves behind Carmen, his wife of 55 years.

Viewing: 7-8 p.m. Thursday, May 7, at the Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home in Abilene.
Funeral: 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 8, at the Abilene UB church, 114 Southeast Second Street, Abilene, KS 67410.

Notes can be send to Carmen Palmer at: 1214 North Walnut, Abilene, KS  67410.

04 May

May 4, 2009 |

We’ve added some information about XLR8:

A very complete list of restaurants near Sawmill Creek, where the conference will be held. Some of these may be closed, and probably some new ones have opened. But this list–quite lengthy–should be pretty close to reality.

Information on the four keynote speakers:

  • Tim Brown (Thursday and Friday).
  • Pat Jones (Friday night UB Historical Society Banquet).
  • Jeff Bleijerveld (Saturday night focus on missions).
  • Ron Ramsey (Sunday morning).

Ministers: set up a time with Denny Zimmerman to go over your pension account.

Sign up for the Friday luncheon on church multiplication.

02 May

May 2, 2009 |

Huntington University will award three honorary doctorates during Commencement exercises on May 16:

  • Dr. John Bernbaum, founder and president of the American Christian University in Moscow, Russia.
  • Robert and Sue Miller, entrepreneurs and owners of Essenhaus Inc. in Middlebury, Ind.

01 May

May 1, 2009 |

The numbers for XLR8 keep climbing and climbing. Here in the national office, we’re very pleased, excited…and maybe a bit scared.

Here are the latest numbers:

  • Total registrations: 751
  • Ministerial delegates registered: 185
  • Lay delegates registered: 184
  • Attending the UB Historical Society Banquet: 125
  • Golf outing: 25 on Thursday, 25 on Saturday
  • Teens and children registered: 113
  • LEAD Team lunch on Friday: 11

We’ve got an interesting neck-and-neck race between laypersons and ministers to see who has more voting members.

30 Apr

April 30, 2009 |

Bethel Temple of Praise, a predominantly Jamaican UB church in Yonkers, N.Y., has a new website. Pastor Dalton Jenkins points out some of the new features:

  • Podcast of messages he preaches.
  • A blog on which Dalton shares his thoughts and reflections.
  • A new page for connecting youth with a Youth Blog page.
  • A page call Spiritual Checkup. One feature is a link for presenting the Gospel via the internet.

30 Apr

April 30, 2009 |

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Dr. Michael Cook will become the director of graduate ministries at Huntington University on June 1. This is a key position in the training of new ministers.

Cook currently chairs the Christian Ministries Department at Taylor University Fort Wayne, where he has served for the last 12 years. He developed the Bachelor of Science degree in counseling program at TUFW and a number of new courses. Before TUFW, Cook taught at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

Cook served as the counseling pastor at First Missionary Church in Fort Wayne for four years and has worked in other churches and counseling centers as a clinic director, staff counselor, research consultant, youth pastor, and associate pastor.

Cook holds a Ph.D. and Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albany State University in Georgia.

As director of graduate ministries, Cook will oversee all the graduate ministries programs as well as the Diploma in Christian Ministries, and teach courses in these programs. He will work closely with the other graduate program directors and relevant denominational committees.

30 Apr

April 30, 2009 |

godswarthumb.gif I am reading a new book, God’s War on Terror, written by Walid Shoebat (Executive Media). Walid is a converted Muslim. Technically the book, in my opinion, is not edited very well, but as far as getting the point across, it is power-packed.

He says that the Bible is Futurology 101: “It is a detailed roadmap of so much evidence that God exists and His design from time immemorial regarding man’s destiny with many details concerning the future, especially the coming war with an Islamic coalition against Christianity and Israel.”

He believes that the nations that God goes to war against in the end time are all Muslim nations. His arguments are pretty convincing.

The book has 98 chapters and 490 pages. So you can see there are a lot of short chapters.

This is not devotional reading, but I think it is worth the read. Has anyone else out there read it? If so,I would be interested in your take!