02 Mar Prince Street’s Partnerships in the Cleveland Area

Jim Bolich (left) talking with Jeff Eagen, Executive Director of Joy of Living Ministries.

The Forward Church building in Cleveland, Ohio.

Jim Bolich (right), senior pastor, Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.)

Four members of the local board at Prince Street church (Shippensburg, Pa.), helped build a children’s ministry area at helped build a children’s ministry area at Forward Church in the Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The four persons–Missions Commission chair Wayne Hawkins; Property Commission chair  Steve Finkey; member at large Dan Cole; and senior pastor Jim Bolich–traveled there February 17-23, 2013.

Prince Street Church became connected with Jeff Bodziony, pastor of Forward Church, through another partner in the Cleveland area, United Brethren pastor Andy Sikora, who leads ReNew Communities. Prince Street has been a financial partner of ReNew for the past few years, responding to Andy’s call for supporters at the 2011 US national conference.

This is the third team Prince Street has sent to the Cleveland area. Previous teams have partnered with Forward Church and the Cleveland Browns to restore a playground in the the community.

Forward Church meets in the lower level of a former Cleveland Public Library building constructed as of gift by Andrew Carnegie in 1905. This team installed walls and drop ceilings to create two spaces: one to be used as a nursery, the other to serve as a place to minister to students through 8 years old.

The team also connected Jeff Eagen, Executive Director of Joy of Living Ministries (another Prince Street ministry partner), with the Forward Church team. Joy of Living Ministries specializes in providing Christian camping experiences for urban students.

Prince Street plans more trips this summer to further our relationships with ReNew Communities, Forward Church, and Joy of Living Ministries.

01 Mar UB Youth Go Hungry for 30 Hours

Members of the Shepherd of the Valley youth group who participated in the 30-hour famine to help end world hunger. Front: William Holbrook. Second row, from left: Cathy Burcham, Cassie Lieser, and Christy Burcham. Back row — from left: youth leader Jason Sheets, Ambir Myers, Derek Montgomery and Bo Myers. 

(Photo by Debra Tobin/Logan Daily News)

The youth group enjoyed playing games to occupy their time. They made a soccer ball from twine, duct tape, paper bags and cloth, and then played a game of “crab crawl” soccer. From left: William Holbrook, Cassie Lieser, Christy Burcham, Ambir Myers, Bo Myers, Cathy Burcham, and Derek Montgomery. (Photo by Debra Tobin/Logan Daily News)

Debra Tobin, reporter for the Logan Daily News

Most young men and women were out having fun last weekend eating food, shopping, or doing other fun activities with their friends.

However, also at that time, several young men and women from the Shepherd of the Valley United Brethren in Christ Church (Logan, Ohio) participated in a 30-hour famine to raise awareness about world hunger.

This group of young men and women participated in a nationwide event that will continue through April. It involves some 200,000 youth who go hungry to raise funds and hunger awareness.

Those participating in the 30-Hour Famine gave up food for 30 hours to get a taste of what the world’s poorest children face every day. During this event, participants consumed only water and juice.

According to the organization World Vision, every day nearly 870 million people go to bed hungry.

The goal this year was to raise $10.5 million in the U.S. The local youth group at Shepherd of the Valley raised $1,540 and will continue to accept donations through the end of March.

Youth leader Jason Sheets (right) said, “One dollar can help feed and care for one child per day. You can donate any amount you feel comfortable with, but the goal is to get everyone to donate $30. That will feed a child for one month.”

Funds raised this year will go toward relief and development work in 10 countries. Some funds also are directed toward the World Vision programs in the U.S.

“This is the world’s largest teen hunger awareness campaign, and our group is a part of this event,” Sheets explained.

The group participated in many activities to steer their minds from food, including making a soccer ball from twine, duct tape, paper bags, and cloth.

“Kids in poor countries don’t have the money to buy soccer balls like we do,” explained Cathy Burcham. “This was a lesson for us on how to make do with what materials we have.”

The group then played “crab crawl” soccer without the use of their hands inside the building. While the game appeared quite hard, the group had a great time and enjoyed the challenge.

Another game was a jumping game which gave the group an insight into how many individuals in underprivileged countries have struggled while fleeing a country for new lands. The group tied twine to stools at different levels and had to “cross the border” without breaking down the twine. This activity made the group think of different ways to cross the border because of the various heights. Some stood on the backs of others to cross; some stood on stools pretending the stools were rocks; some simply used the outside areas pretending there was a hole in the fenced border.

“Overall, I think they have coped well,” remarked Sheets. “It gets harder when it comes down to the homestretch.”

Burcham added, “It’s hard, but worth it because it’s for a good cause.”

“We’ve already started talking about next year’s famine,” said Sheets.

Those participating in the famine surprised the church congregation Sunday morning, February 24, with a paper chain of 1,280 links representing the amount of money raised during the famine. The chain was made on Saturday when the group had collected $1,280 in donations. However by Sunday morning, the group raised more money, bringing their total to $1,540.

Those participating included Christy and Cathy Burcham, Ambir and Bo Myers, Derek Montgomery, Cassie Lieser, and William Holbrook.

While most thought it was difficult to go without eating, they all felt it was worth it in the end and realized how lucky they are to have food, unlike some children in Africa and other poor countries.

Many were excited once the famine was over. Christy Burcham was very happy to see it end and expressed it on her Facebook page. “The 30-hour famine is over! It was such a blessing and encouraging to see young people do things other than for themselves,” she said.

“Statistics show more than 20,000 children die each day from hunger and poverty,” Sheets said. “This is why we do this. This is why the kids are so dedicated to this famine. We are here to help end world hunger and poverty.”

According to Sheets, there are 925 million hungry people in the world. “That’s three times the population of the U.S.,” he remarked. “One in three people in countries like Africa live on less than $2 per day, while the average American lives on $130 each day.”

26 Feb Colwood Church in the Apple Store

Colwood UB church (Caro, Mich.) recently launched its own official Colwood Church app! It is available for download in the Apple App Store for the iPhone and iPad, and is also available for Android devices. It’s a free download.

You can read more about it on the Colwood website.

21 Feb Blue Rock Church Sends Team to Honduras

Blue Rock Church sent five people to Honduras on February 17, and three more will leave on Friday, February 22, including senior pastor Greg Helman (right). They will do repairs and maintenance at the compound in Le Ceiba and will give away various items to the poor. They will return on Saturday, March 2.

04 Feb February 3 Update on Dan Paternoster

Dan Paternoster (left) and UB minister Charlie Milliken greeting people at the 2011 US National Conference.

We’ve been keeping up on Dan Paternoster (right), a member of the Executive Leadership Team who was involved in a serious accident last August. His wife, Nancy, wrote the following update on February 3, 2013:

“We met with Dan’s urologist a few days ago and were told that the bladder biopsy showed no cancer. The doctor believes that the abnormal area seen the week before was an area of inflammation–perhaps scar tissue from the previous surgery or treatment. We’re both very grateful that we are cancer-free at this time. Our prayer is that it continues that way for a long time.

“Dan’s next appointment is with a vision specialist to check out the nerve palsy in his left eye. Dan may just need to be patient and let the eye heal on its own, which should take care of his current problem with double vision. We were told in the fall that it may take 8-12 months for the nerve to heal. It’s been just over 5 months, so we may have several more months of waiting for healing before Dan can return to work.”

31 Jan First UB Finds High Need for Its Food Pantry

James Maddox waits outside the United Brethren In Christ Church in Holly Hill where food was being distributed to the needy Tuesday morning, January 8, 2012. Click photos to enlarge. (Photo by Jim Tiller for the Daytona Beach News-Journal)

Volunteers, from left, Michelle Blocher, Kathy Bruce, Lisa Kuntz and Amy Koteskey (all from Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind.) on Tuesday morning, January 8, 2013. (Photo by Jim Tiller for the Daytona Beach News-Journal)

Pastor Chuck McKeown leads a group of volunteers in a quick prayer on January 8 outside First UB church in Holly Hill, Fla., before serving food. (Photo by Jim Tiller for the Daytona Beach News-Journal)

Deborah Circelli, Education Writer, Daytona Beach News-Journal

The reporting for this article occurred on Tuesday, January 8, 2013. At the time, the staff and spouses of Emmanuel Community UB church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) were in Florida on a staff retreat, and they took this day to serve at First UB’s food pantry. As a result, nearly all volunteers who appear in the photos are from Emmanuel. The article was published January 10, 2013, by the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

With his 15-year-old Chihuahua peeking out from inside his jacket, James Maddox rolls his wheelchair up to First United Brethren Church (Holly Hill, Fla.) to get in line for a large box of food after a half-hour ride in his motorized chair from his home.

The 65-year-old, who is on disability because of spinal and hip problems, has been getting help for about four years, starting when the food pantry was with another church in Holly Hill that closed more than a year ago.

The United Brethren moved the pantry from Open Bible Church in December 2011 after initially helping out the church at its location when Open Bible’s pastor passed away.

“We were afraid if we didn’t move it to our place, it would just go away,” explained Chuck McKeown (right, with wife Vicki), senior pastor of First UB church. “After we got involved with them, it became very clear it was something that was needed.”

A new building was constructed for the pantry, helping to serve more than five times the amount of people previously served, according to officials at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

The small church in a short time has become the largest single-site pantry in Volusia County that receives food from Second Harvest, not including Halifax Urban Ministries and its five locations, according to Bob Thomas, branch manager in Daytona Beach for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Second Harvest distributes food to 105 partner agencies in Volusia County, including 70 food pantries.

“They are the only food pantry in Holly Hill,” Thomas said. “They are getting inundated with clients and get overflow from Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach.”

Maddox said the church helps him with food because the food stamps he receives don’t last the whole month.

“This helps get me through,” Maddox said. “They are a good church — more than excellent. I’ve seen some (church volunteers) go into their pocket and help you out.”

First UB spent about $31,187 on food in 2012, serving about 71,000 people and distributing almost 673,000 pounds of food. The total number of people served includes people coming to the pantry more than once.

The church served 21,824 people in the last few months of 2012, compared with 3,673 people in the previous location for April, May and June 2011, according to Second Harvest.

Overall, Second Harvest and its agencies in Volusia County distributed 4.4 million pounds of food last calendar year, up about 1 million pounds from 2011.

Second Harvest is focused on providing more fresh produce, which is free to agencies, and distributing more low-sodium, sugar-free food. Agencies receive free fruits, vegetables, dairy and baked goods, but pay 18 cents a pound to Second Harvest for meat and canned goods.

At First UB, more than 150 volunteers help the food pantry, which also provides hygiene products and other items. The church gives out about 840 boxes of food a week, on Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and between Sunday church services.

People can come twice a month, but any new clients may be even more limited on how often they can get food.

“People get between 30 and 40 pounds of food. We don’t turn anybody away,” McKeown said. “There is a great need in the Holly Hill area. People aren’t finding jobs. Things aren’t getting better.”

First UB, which has about 350 people attending three church services on Sunday, also took over the private K-12 school from Open Bible Church and serves about 90 students. McKeown’s youngest son, Josh (left), is the youth pastor and principal of the school. Josh and his brother, Matt (right), do most of the preaching on Sunday, their father said.

Jeff Lilly, one of the officers from Open Bible Church who was also the temporary pastor, said church members thought they would have to shut down everything after their pastor, James Baker, got sick and later died.

“We would have had to close the doors (on the food pantry). We couldn’t have done it,” said Lilly, who is still involved in the food pantry.

Joyce Dismuke, 57, of Holly Hill, who is on disability, has received food off and on for a year from First UB.

“They have been a blessing for me. I love when they pray with us, too. The people here have a beautiful attitude,” said Dismuke, who also gives extra food she receives to other neighbors who need it.

Keith Chandler, 57, of Holly Hill, also said his food stamps don’t provide him enough to get through the month. He walks with a cane from knee problems.

“They are friendly and helpful to us,” Chandler said before volunteer Jon Cavarretta carried out his food.

Cavarretta likes helping, especially the children whose “faces light up when you give them a huge cake.”

28 Jan Jan. 27 Update on Dan and Nancy Paternoster

Dan and Nancy Paternoster posted this January 27 update on Dan. As reported previously, Dan was in a serious bicycle accident in August, and cancer was discovered in the process. A couple months later, Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer. Dan is a member of the denominational Executive Leadership Team. He and Nancy are from Fowlerville UB church in Fowlerville, Mich.

Dan Paternoster

Much has happened this past month. The first week of January we made the rounds of the cancer specialists and decided that we were not pursuing any further treatment for Nancy’s breast cancer at this point. All the cancer was removed during the biopsy, and no futher cancer was found during the subsequent surgery. There will be follow-up mammograms every six months for a few years.

Dan had his bladder scoped mid-January, and the urologist saw a “rough” spot which wasn’t normal. He wasn’t sure if it was a reaction to the chemo treatments, scar tissue from his previous surgery in October, or a cancerous growth. It appeared to be in the same location as the previous tumor. So, this past week Dan had another bladder biopsy and we’re waiting for the results.

Earlier last week, Dan had an EMG and it was determined that there is regrowth in the nerve roots on his left side. The doctor who did the test called every resident, student, etc. in his office to see Dan, because it’s rare to see this kind of regeneration after such severe damage. The damage to these roots is what’s causing his inability to lift his left arm past shoulder height. We’re thankful for this good news and looking forward to complete use of his left shoulder, arm, and hand again.

The ENT doctor visit confirmed that Dan has excellent hearing, but the humming in his ear is something that will always be there. The change in the shape of his ear canal is due to some cartilage from his jaw (probably when it was dislocated in the accident) pushing on his ear. It doesn’t make a difference with his hearing, but will most likely lead to arthritis in his jaw.

Dan’s biggest hurdle to returning back to work and normal life is his vision in his left eye. He still has double vision most of the time and is scheduled to see a specialist in February.

24 Jan Jan 21 Luncheon for Retired Ministers and Spouses

Kent and Carol Maxwell (right) organized the luncheon. On the left are John and Barbara Goodwin, who most recently served churches in western Ohio (click to enlarge).

L-r: Sue and Howard Cherry, Ron and EJ Ramsey, Barbara and John Goodwin.

Bishop Phil Whipple (left) speaking to the retirees. On the right are Margaret and Milan Maybee and Wayne Goldsmith.

A luncheon for retired United Brethren ministers and their spouses was held Monday, January 21, at the Sunrise Cafe in Fort Wayne, Ind. Retired ministers within a reasonable driving distance of Fort Wayne were invited., and 12 persons came, including Bishop Phil Whipple. The luncheon was organized by Dr. Kent and Carol Maxwell.

18 Jan New Dundee Church Closes

New Dundee UB church

The New Dundee UB church (New Dundee, Ontario) closed after 143 years. A final service was held on December 30, 2012.

Brian Magnus, bishop of the United Brethren Church in Canada, explained that many of the church’s younger families had moved to churches with more a more contemporary style, leaving a mostly older constituency. They tried hard to keep the church running, but their numbers dwindled to the point where they couldn’t continue.

Many New Dundee members have now switched to the nearby Roseville UB church in Ayr, Ont.

The New Dundee church was built in 1969. Over the years, it had a strong missions emphasis, sending out fulltime missionaries and giving strong support to United Brethren missions. In 1980, the church ranked first among all UB churches worldwide in per-capita giving to UB missions.

A special celebratory service is planned for April 2013. Past and current members, and anyone else interesting, are welcome to attend.

17 Jan Greedy, Grumpy Scrooge Inspires Next Steps of Faith

Scrooge with Tiny Tim’s family (click to enlarge)

From Scrooge

Carolyn Schermbeck, Director of Communications and Outreach, Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio)

Dinner theaters are not new to Mainstreet Church. They have become a tradition, with the first production taking place in 1997. In the early years, these Broadway-style musicals were presented at our 705 Campus. Guests enjoyed warm hospitality and an inviting atmosphere from the moment they arrived. A catered dinner was served in the gymnasium and the production took place in the sanctuary. Approximately 225 people attended a single performance with typically three shows offered.

As you may expect, 15 years later, a few things have changed. Today, God has blessed us with a larger facility and the ability to provide this entertaining Christmas outreach for up to 360 people at a time. In true dinner theatre fashion, the dinner and show now all take place in our auditorium.

This year we were privileged to host well over 1600 people in one weekend. Over time we’ve experienced changes in cast members, directors, leaders, stage size, the pre-show experience in the lobby, number of shows, ticket prices, and more. Each year we find ourselves called to stretch a little outside the same old margins. Each time we do, God blesses the efforts beyond our imagination. This year was no different.

Tickets for the 2012 production, “Scrooge – The Carol With An Attitude,” went on sale in mid-October as anticipated, with a bit of a twist. The first week tickets were available, you could only purchase a seat for someone else. More specifically, you could only purchase for someone you did not know. Tickets would be given to individuals from local partner organizations. The invitation had already been made to come and enjoy an evening of entertainment, interwoven with the message of the Gospel. Our goal was simply to sell 100 tickets.

The idea was well received, and through the generous spirit of others, that goal was easily exceeded. There was great anticipation in the air from this moment forward. This simple change served as a powerful reminder of why we put so much time, effort, and resources into this ministry – to share the hope of Christmas with those outside our walls. This is one thing that has never changed!

During the month of November, a great deal of prayer took place for the many aspects of the dinner theatre, including those who held the first 100 tickets. We were sensitive to the fact that for a number of these guests, Christmas may not have been something they were looking forward to this year. Most were in the midst of an overwhelmingly difficult part of their life journey. Many were enduring hardships like broken relationships, homelessness, or battles to overcome addictions. Some were stretched by financial burdens, and others were not strangers to wondering where the next meal would come from. Our prayer for them was that through the dinner theatre, they would experience the love of Christ and the hope he provides for each one of us, no matter where they found themselves at that moment.

God is good! Lives were impacted and seeds were planted with people who may have never crossed our path otherwise. Individuals came as curious guests, wondering what this evening at church would be like. Through the grace of God, a few of them departed that night as new friends. We fully realize that we may never have an opportunity to interact with many of their life journeys in the future. Yet we celebrate the moment God gave us to minister to them. Here are a few of the written notes that followed:

“Thank you seems insufficient to express how we feel about all you and your congregation have done for us. ‘Scrooge’ was amazing and many of the ladies have never experienced anything like it. God bless all of you for taking us under your wings.”

“Please tell all of the people involved that their efforts, their kindness, and their performance changed the lives of these people.”

“I shed a tear at the beginning of the play. I was wondering what I did to deserve such a wonderful blessing. When the pastor appeared in the middle of the room 20 minutes before the play was over, he asked us to open our hearts and accept the gift of God. At that very moment I knew that I was blessed to have a wonderful friend in my life…someone who knows me for who I truly am unconditionally. No drugs in my body, I didn’t have to give anything up. Just me. So I am grateful for this wonderful holiday memory. I will cherish it for a lifetime.”

“Thank you. That was really nice of you, and it felt nice to have someone do something nice for me. It makes recovery worth it.”

“Thank you for giving me a chance to live again and be happy, and also for the wonderful Christmas gift.”

“It made me see my life in a whole different way. I want Him in my life. I feel like I can be a different person.”

“I have come to terms that I am powerless over my addiction, and I’m ready to have a relationship with Jesus.”

“I finally see God can lead me to a happy and new beginning drug-free.”

“The story had a great message and allowed me to take a look at my life and how I’m living today. There’s a better life with God in my life.”

This outreach effort is just one of so many things to celebrate as a result of this year’s dinner theatre. We’ve seen new families, who attended “Scrooge” begin to join us on Sunday. The comments, prayer requests, and next steps shared with us after each performance are by themselves a huge praise.

We experienced an overwhelming turnout of over 300 amazing volunteers who went above and beyond expectations to make it all come together. Some of these volunteers were brand new and some were long time, faithful volunteers. In them we witnessed growth, the forming of new relationships, and next steps being taken as they served together for months. We are truly blessed to see Him touch and transform lives.