18 Feb The Order Matters: Teaching Marriage at Hillsdale UB

Lester Smith (right), senior pastor, Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.)

The second Sunday of February is World Marriage Day and also the week of Valentine’s Day. I always address marriage on that day. To introduce my message to the congregation, we showed the amazing video testimony above. It is about a young couple in our church.

The sermon topic was taken from the very first principle of marriage stated in Genesis 2:24, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

There is a clear order in this progression: The leaving of the parent’s home, then the wedding or being “joined to his wife,” and finally becoming one flesh. It’s worth noting the next verse informs us of the outcome intended by God: “And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

Jesus also pointed to this principle when questioned about His position on divorce in Matt. 19:5. Finally, Paul referenced it in Eph. 5:31 as the foundation stone in the most famous marriage passage of the New Testament.

The problem in today’s culture is we have reversed the order of the first principle of marriage. The man and woman do leave their parents, but often for the purpose of cohabitation. Therefore, for all practical purposes they have “become one flesh” before, not after, the wedding ceremony.

This means when most couples are joined together in marriage today, the foundation has been built on a shame-based relationship. The result is just the opposite of God’s original design expressed in Gen. 2:25 for newly weds to be “not ashamed.” All the research confirms a much higher divorce rate among couples who violate this biblical principle.

17 Feb Blue Rock UB’s Partnership with a Local Elementary School

Pastor Greg Helman (right) presenting a check for Mowery Elementary School to Dr. Barbara Martin, the school principal.

Greg Helman, senior pastor, Blue Rock UB Church (Waynesboro, Pa.)

Blue Rock Church (Waynesboro, Pa.) contributed over $1300 to the Mowery Student Fund to help children in need. Each year, we receive an offering to bless those less fortunate at the school. The fund has no strings attached to it. So, the teachers and principal can decide how the money is distributed. It could go towards a coat, book bag, or a pair of shoes or clothing, to mention a few things.

In addition to the money, Blue Rock Church hosts Mowery Elementary for Bible Release Time. Also, one of our Sunday school classes takes snacks and/or subs along with cards of encouragement to the staff periodically throughout the school year.

12 Feb Update: Deaths in the Pastoral Family in Baltimore

The fire-ravaged parsonage at Brooklyn Park.

L-r: Lettitia Sinnah, Sundima Sinnah, and Christopher Rickman.

On Tuesday morning, February 10, tragedy struck the United Brethren pastoral family at the Brooklyn Park UB church in Baltimore, Maryland. Senior pastor Samuel Sinnah lost his wife and 17-year-old son in an early-morning fire at the parsonage. A neighbor who tried to help also perished.

Fire broke out at the parsonage around 2:40 on Tuesday morning. The parsonage is located across the street from the Brooklyn Park church.

According to local press reports, when firefighters arrived, they could see smoke and flames coming from the home. Firefighters pulled three persons from the burning house, all of whom were unconscious. They were taken to local hospitals, where all three were pronounced dead. They are:

• Mrs. Lettitia Sinnah, 39, wife of Pastor Samuel Sinnah.
• Sundima Sinnah, 17, a son.
• Christopher Rickman, 45, a neighbor.

According to fire officials, Rev. and Mrs. Sinnah, along with a 20-year-old son, Joseph, made it out of the house alive. However, Lettitia re-entered the house to find Sundima, and Rickman ran in after her.

“I heard the reverend say my family’s in the house and I didn’t see Chris. He went right in there and went upstairs,” said Rose Rickman, Chris’s mother.

Rickman’s father, Jack, entered the house about 90 seconds after his son. However, partway up the stairs he had to stop and back out, because the thick smoke made it impossible for him to breathe.

Mrs. Sinnah was reportedly last seen in an upstairs bedroom. When firefighters retrieved the three persons, they were reported as being in “full cardiac arrest.

Rev. Samuel Sinnah (right) was appointed senior pastor of Brooklyn Park effective April 30, 2014. That’s when his family moved into the parsonage. He grew up in a Christian family in the Kailuhun district of Sierra Leone, and was baptized by his father. He and his wife, a teacher, were married in 1994. At some point, they emigrated from Sierra Leone to the United States.

Sundima, known as “Sunny” by his high school classmates, was described as an outgoing, “incredibly popular” boy who played the piano and organ. “Every Sunday I’d go up to him after offering and say ‘I need my hug,'” said Linda Busker, whose husband, Michael, is the associate pastor at Brooklyn Park.

Tuesday night, friends and classmates held a vigil for Sunny at the high school. “No matter what happened, he was smiling and he always made you smile if you were sad,” said one friend. “Regardless of any situation, he was always happy and he would always pray with you or pray for you if you needed it,” said another.

Fire officials initially concluded that the fire started in Joseph’s back bedroom. Linda Busker told reporters that Joseph was studying for a college course late that night when a lamp fell onto his bed, broke, and started a fire. After failing to put out the fire, Joseph called 911 and escaped the home with his parents. A total of 55 firefighters spent about an hour getting the fire under control. A fire department spokesperson said the home was damaged “significantly, if not destroyed.”

On Wednesday night, February 11, about 200 people attended a service at Brooklyn Park to remember the fire victims. Rev. Sinnah spoke about his wife and Sundima. Coworkers of Lettitia at the Glen Burnie Health and Rehabilitation Center spoke lovingly of her. High school classmates recalled Sundima with great fondness.

Bishop Phil Whipple was able to speak by phone with Rev. Sinnah on Tuesday afternoon. The bishop flew to Pennsylvania on Wednesday for previously-scheduled meetings. He plans to preach this Sunday, February 15, at Brooklyn Park and to minister as he can to Rev. Sinnah and his remaining son.

10 Feb UB Pastor’s Wife and Son Killed in Parsonage Fire

The Brooklyn Park parsonage.

Tragedy has befallen our pastoral family at the Brooklyn Park UB church in Baltimore, Maryland. Senior pastor Samuel Sinnah lost his wife and 17-year-old son in an early-morning fire at the parsonage. A neighbor who tried to help also perished.

Fire broke out at the parsonage around 2:40 am on Tuesday, February 10. The parsonage is located across the street from the Brooklyn Park church.

According to local press reports, when firefighters arrived, they could see smoke and flames coming from the home. Firefighters pulled three persons from the burning house, all of whom were unconscious. They were taken to local hospitals, where all three were pronounced dead. They are:

• Mrs. Lettitia Sinnah, 39, wife of Pastor Samuel Sinnah.
• Sundima Sinnah, 17, a son.
• Christopher Rickman, 45, a neighbor.

Rickman’s father, Jack, entered the house about 90 seconds after his son. However, partway up the stairs he had to stop and back out, because the thick smoke made it impossible for him to breathe.

According to fire officials, Rev. and Mrs. Sinnah, along with a 20-year-old son, made it out of the house alive. However, Lettitia re-entered the house to find Sundima, and Rickman ran in after her. Mrs. Sinnah was reportedly last seen in an upstairs bedroom. When firefighters retrieved them, they were reported as being in “full cardiac arrest.”

Rev. Samuel Sinnah (right) was appointed senior pastor of Brooklyn Park effective April 30, 2014. He grew up in a Christian family in the Kailuhun district of Sierra Leone, and was baptized by his father. He and his wife, a teacher, were married in 1994. At some point, they emigrated from Sierra Leone to the United States.

Sundima, known as “Sunny” by his high school classmates, was described as an outgoing, “incredibly popular” boy who played the piano and organ. “Every Sunday I’d go up to him after offering and say ‘I need my hug,'” said Linda Busker, a member of Brooklyn Park.

Fire officials initially concluded that the fire started in the older son’s back bedroom, but were still investigating. After failing to put out the fire, he reportedly called 911 and escaped the home with his parents. A total of 55 firefighters spent about an hour getting the fire under control. A fire department spokesperson said the home was damaged “significantly, if not destroyed.”

06 Jan Christmas at Our Church: Junction City, Ohio

Joe Leighton (right), senior pastor, Salem Chapel (Junction City, Ohio)

We set a new high total for our church in collecting 321 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. For the 14th consecutive year, we sent a team of people to Boone, N.C., to help pack and prepare to ship the collected boxes that will go around the world. Our eight-person team was part of a group that processed over 100,000 boxes over the course of one weekend. Our delegate, Bill Morgan, is a prayer ambassador for Operation Christmas Child, traveling and speaking to churches about this ministry. He has also been to Honduras to help distribute the Christmas boxes.

06 Jan Christmas at Our Church: Monroe, Ind.

Troy Green (right), senior pastor, Monroe UB church (Monroe, Ind.).

This year our music team wanted to help create a special atmosphere of worship throughout the month of December. To do this, they played Christmas music 15-20 minutes prior to the start of the services. Though this meant extra practices by the musicians, many people enjoyed coming a few minutes early to sit and relax and enjoy the sounds of Christmas. With hearts a little bit more settled, the Holy Spirit began ministering to the congregation, and people in a little town called Monroe were blessed.

06 Jan Christmas at Our Church: Holly Hill, Fla.

Pastor Matt McKeown at the December 21 event.

At the ornament/white elephant exchange.

On Sunday, Dec. 21, about 80 people at Daytona UB (Holly Hill, Fla.) participated in an ornament exchange/white elephant  event. Everyone had a lot of fun with all the strategizing and such going on.

23 Dec Christmas at Our Church: Shippensburg, Pa.

Wayne Watkins, Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.)

Christmas time is always a busy time at Prince Street, from decorating the sanctuary to our Christmas Eve services on December 24.

We do Angel Tree Ministry, which helps the children who have parents who are serving prison sentences and cannot be home with their families at Christmas time. It is an excellent opportunity to share the Christmas story with the children and present the children with a gift that is from their parent. It is wonderful to see a child’s face who realizes that their dad or mom remembered them on this special holiday.

This year our mission commission decided to help our local families. We have community meals every month reaching out to people who are lonely and need an encouraging word and support. During Christmas, one of our meals is a Christmas dinner with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and corn. We also purchased gifts for the children.

Christmas Caroling is always an exciting time. We divide into groups and go caroling to our people who are home-bound or residing in nursing homes.

Our choir presented us with a beautiful musical program on the real meaning of Christmas, and we even had a cookie contest where we had an opportunity to eat and fellowship with one another.

23 Dec Atlantic Avenue UB Collected 130 Shoeboxes

Children from Atlantic Avenue UB with shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse.

Loading shoeboxes at Atlantic Avenue.

Atlantic Avenue UB church (Franklin, Pa.) participated in Operation Christmas Child. They collected and sent 130 shoeboxes to Samaritan’s Purse. 

22 Nov UB Pastors in Ontario Learning About Expectations

Brian Reynolds speaking to pastors of UB churches in Ontario.

Pastors from the United Brethren Church in Canada are on a retreat this weekend in Stratford, Ontario. Guest speaker Brian F. Reynolds is challenging the group of 12 pastors to ask themselves, “What Do You Expect?” The topic, also the title of Reynolds’ book, focuses on expectations in ministry–how to manage them and work with those who have their own expectations.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Global Ministries director, is participating this week and will be providing an update on our shared missions efforts. Global Ministries is the international arm of the United Brethren in Christ in Canada and the United States. In addition to the oversight Canada provides for our ministry in Haiti, they have also taken on 50% of the support for Brian and Rachel Glunts. The Glunts, along with their three children, are preparing to join our ministry in Thailand.