(260) 356-2312
We’re almost past the 500 mark, with 495 people registered for the US National Conference June 4-7. The numbers also show:
Jane Seely, our newest employee, yesterday celebrated a significant birthday ending in a 0, and thereby merited a desk adorned with numerous black balloons, not to mention a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her husband.
And then there was the visit from her brother, Mike Caley, who made a surprise visit from Michigan. Mike is senior pastor of Banner of Christ UB church in Byron Center, Mich. He was in town for a meeting at Huntington University.
We all gathered in the break room and sang “Happy Birthday” to Jane. Then Mike, in a manner reminiscent of Tim Conway, doddered into the room wearing an old hat and overcoat. He was hunched over a wooden cane, carrying a package and muttering about being old, terribly old.
So that was fun.
Darlene Burkett came home from the hospital Saturday, March 21, having undergone extensive back surgery the previous Tuesday. She is expected to be out of the Global Ministries office for at least another three weeks.
The number of registrations for the US National Conference continues rising, and seems to be above the number at this time in 2007 (when we ultimately ended up with over 900 people registered). Here are the latest figures.
We keep the numbers updated on the US National Conference website. Everything regarding the National Conference will be posted there.
The deadline for the various reports was a little over a week ago, and sadly, we’ve got a number of delinquent churches. Here are the numbers as of yesterday (March 24):
Dr. Owen Gordon (right), president of Jamaica Bible College, was elected vice president of the Caribbean Evangelical Theological Association. He’ll serve a two-year term.
The group recently met March 16-20 in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. Leaders representing over 40 undergraduate and graduate theological institutions gathered to reflect and interact around the theme of “Strengthening Theological Education in a Changing Environment.”
Owen Gordon, an ordained UB minister and pastor in Jamaica, is an endorsed missionary with Global Ministries.
his summer, the Huntington University Department of Theatre Arts will host its fourth Huntington University Summer Theatre Youth Camp. From June 29-July 25, campers entering grades kindergarten through 12 in the fall will learn basic theatrical training from theatre professionals and perform a fully produced musical theatre production. This summer’s performance will be “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.,” and every camper will have a part.
The camp will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Huntington University Merillat Centre for the Arts with performances on July 25.
Cost is $175 per camper with a late registration fee of $25 after May 1. Space is limited to 50 campers. Brochures and registration forms were distributed to area elementary and middle schools and are available at the Merillat Centre for the Arts Box Office.
Denny Miller, pastor of Emmanuel Community Church, returned a few days ago from a trip to Israel. Altogether, 33 people went, including UB ministers Kent Maxwell and Howard Cherry.
Bob Carpenter, a former United Brethren pastor in Michigan, passed away Tuesday, March 17. He had most previously pastored the UB church in Freeport, Mich.
Keith Drury, a professor and former Wesleyan denominational official who now teaches at Indiana Wesleyan University, publishes a thought-provoking column every Tuesday. It often spotlights new trends in the church.
In his most recent column, Drury discusses what he calls “emerging adulthood.” It’s about the trend for young people to not “settle down” until they age 30 or later. Perhaps you’ve noticed this in your church–twentysomethings who haven’t committed to marriage, a job, or even the church.
Drury describes the characteristics of these young people and the implications for the church. It’s really quite fascinating. In the future, he says, this age-group will be the “new youth ministry.”
Phil Burkett called earlier this morning to let us know about Darlene’s surgery yesterday. He spoke to Jeff Bleijerveld, and Jeff passed along this information: “Darlene came through just fine and all went as planned. The operation was four and a half hours long and they installed 2 rods, 2 wedges and 10 screws. She’ll be in Lutheran Hospital on the third floor of the musculoskeletal wing for the next three to four days.” Jeff adds, “We expect she will be out of the office for at least a month.”
