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27 May

May 27, 2009 |

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Oh ye of little faith. Registrations keep climbing toward the 900 mark, which we hit in 2007. Here’s how things look right now:

857 people registered.
182 ministerial delegates
195 lay delegates
120 teens and children
138 people attending the UB Historical Society banquet.
26 signed up to play golf each day (Thursday and Saturday)
22 attending the LEAD Team (church multiplication) lunch on Friday.

We also have 47 former missionaries registered. They’ll be recognized Saturday on Missions Night. Global Ministries is using the theme “Looking Back, Looking Ahead,” to recognize both our rich history in missions and where the Lord may be taking us in the years ahead.

All of the reports have now been posted online. Delegates received most of them by mail a couple weeks ago, and will get the rest when they arrive.

If you’re attending as a delegate, you might want to download a copy of the UB Discipline. It may come in handy during the business meeting. At the least, you can use it for devotional reading.

26 May

May 26, 2009 |

You may need to replace your wireless microphone, if it operates in the 700 MHz band. Here’s why.

On June 12, TV transitions from analog to digital. This move freed up space in the 700 MHz band, which the government auctioned off. Verizon, AT&T, and other companies spent billions of dollars buying the rights to this spectrum. And they’re going to use it for new services–cell phones, data services, emergency services, and more.

As a result, your 700 MHz mic system will encounter interference. The Federal Communications Commission didn’t set a date for when churches (and others) must stop using their 700 MHz systems, but you can bet that churches will be forced out at some point. Verizon and the others spent too much money to allow encroachers.

Christianity Today published an excellent article called “Understanding New Wireless Microphone Restrictions.” (Thanks to Tom Datema for notifying us about it.) Some points made in the article:

  • Your 700 MHz mics won’t suddenly stop working. However, you’ll be at risk of interference from other services.
  • Churches in cities will probably notice interference before churches in small towns and rural areas.
  • The most efficient and cost-effective option is to replace the 700 MHz mics with mics in the 500 MHz band.
  • Churches can donate their 700 MHz  equipment to churches in countries not affected by the US changes.

24 May

May 24, 2009 |

Chuck McKeown, pastor of First UB of Holly Hill, Fla., reported yesterday (Saturday, May 23), “As of Friday we had 29.5 inches. Today (Saturday) we got another inch. The water is going down quickly and work teams will start cleaning-up tomorrow.”

Vicki McKeown, from First UB of Holly Hill, Fla., add this on Sunday, May 24: “This newspaper article confirms what we knew to be true already. Our community in Holly Hill seems to have taken the brunt of the rain and flooding this week. The forecast predicts more rain on the way. We have several church families with inches of water standing in their homes. Many more in the community are affected. Pray that we’ll be effective as the body of Christ to our neighbors! Unfortunately, this area is probably the poorest and will suffer the most.”

22 May

May 22, 2009 |

Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries

I received a call from Chuck McKeown, pastor of First Church in Holly Hill, Fla. They had been in a drought condition, but since Monday have received 26 inches of rain. There is nowhere for it to go, and most of the area around Holly Hill and Ormond Beach (just north of them) is totally flooded. Chuck said it is almost worse than when they get hurricanes.

They are setting up the church as an emergency care center. They are in need of any teams that would be willing to come down and help their families and other families in their community to pull carpets and mattresses and help begin the process of recovery. He indicated that most of the folks do not have flood insurance, so this is going to devastate them financially as well.

If you have folks who can and would like to help, please coordinate through Chuck. His contact info and the address for the church are:

Pastor Chuck McKeown
First UB Daytona
1650 Center Avenue
Holly Hill, FL 32117
Office: 386-677-6940
Cell: 386-547-4005

His cell would probably be the best way to get him.

22 May

May 22, 2009 |

OliveBranchYouth_500.jpg

L-r: Pastor Dan and Mary Alice Drake, Zachary Kennedy, and Courtney Clark.

Last Sunday, May 17, I was privileged to participate in a service at Olive Branch Church of Lakeville, Ind. (just outside of South Bend). I was there to install Zachary Kennedy as the church’s Young Adult and Youth Pastor.

This is a historic thing for Olive Branchy–their first staff hire ever, as far as I know. Zachary graduated this spring from Bethel College in nearby Mishawaka, Ind. He and Courtney are to be married June 13. For now, the new position will be part-time, but the church is praying tha tit can become fulltime in the very near future.

21 May

May 21, 2009 |

The US Postal Service brought us an Easter story from Liberty UB church in Stockport, Ohio. Mike Turner, a layperson, writes:

“We started at 7 a.m. with 46 in our sunrise service. Those present were encouraged to take part with testimonies, songs, readings, etc. After the sunrise service, Pastor Charles Simmons’ adult twin sons fixed breakfast for all attending. They do this for their dad every year to honor him. It was a great time of fellowship and good food. Charlie had 82 to preach to in morning worship.

“In 2008 we averaged 36 in morning worship. So far in 2009 we are averaging 52. Charlie is preaching the Word. Christians are praying. Seekers are coming. God is good, all the time.”

20 May

May 20, 2009 |

A one-day workshop on “Strategic Planning for the Local Church” will be held July 16 in Fort Wayne, Ind. It’s limited to 30 persons–the first 30 to register. This seminar was previously held in February, and it filled up.

The presenter is Dr. Rick Upchurch, director of the Huntington University EXCEL adult education program. His office, along with all other graduate school offices, is in the Healthy Ministry Resources building (and all of us agree that he’s a great guy). Rick is an ordained Nazarene minister who has worked with local churches the past ten years as a consultant in leadership-related areas.

Date: Thursday, July 16, 2009
Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Innovation Center, 3201 Stelhorn Road, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Cost: $99 (or $79 each if 3 or more persons come from the same church). Includes lunch.
CEU Credit: .5 CEU

The class will focus on:

  • Steps to an effective strategic plan for your church.
  • How to implement change in a way that produces results.
  • Leadership types and how to maximize your personal type.

You can register online. You can also contact Dr. Upchurch by email.

18 May

May 18, 2009 |

On Saturday, Huntington University awarded degrees to another 235 graduates. This 111th commencement was held in the Field House of the Merillat Complex for Physical Education and Recreation. The break-down included:

  • 7 Master of Arts degrees.
  • 6 Master of Education degrees.
  • 62 Bachelor of Arts degrees.
  • 198 Bachelor of Science degrees.
  • 7 even Bachelor of Social Work degrees.
  • 21 Associate of Science degrees.
  • 3 honorary doctorates.

You can view more photos from Commencement and Baccalaureate at the Huntington University site.

15 May

May 15, 2009 |

While reading from Trial and Triumphs: History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, I came across a quote from our Bishop’s quadrennial report of 1929:

“We stand in need of a great spiritual awakening throughout the Church. A greater emphasis should be placed upon the actual presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit in the lives of our people. A consciousness of the intervention of God…is the only antidote which will counteract the poison of materialistic teaching which is everywhere pouring in upon Christianity, killing the spirituality of the church and rendering the lives of thousands barren and unfruitful.”

Wow!  That could have been written about the Church in 2009 as well.