19 Feb What is Your Church Doing for Young Adults?

Lori Ann Gossert, from Mt. Pleasant UB (Chambersburg, Pa.), writes:

“We’re trying to get a Young Adult ministry started at Mt. Pleasant Church and I am trying to find some information on what might already be out there–especially in other UB churches. ‘Young Adults’ is a group that tends to be excluded in the church, leaving after graduating high school and only sometimes returning after they start having kids.

“I went through all the UB websites and found only a handful of references to Young Adults, mostly Sunday school classes or small groups. I am wondering what some of our churches offer for Young Adults (generally 18-35) in their churches. ”

How about it? What is your church doing to minister to Young Adults in the 18-35 age range? Leave a comment here, or send an email to Lori.

18 Feb 200 Kids Attend Hillsdale Super Bowl Party

Over 200 kids of all ages attended a Super Bowl Party at Hillsdale UB Church (Hillsdale, Mich.). In addition to watching the game on one of the big-screen TVs scattered around the church, the kids could:

• Burn off energy in an inflatable bounce house.
• Play 3-on-3 basketball.
• Challenge each other in Rock Band.
• Play ping pong and pool.

At halftime, everyone gathered in the gymnasium for an interactive game.

The youth and adult supervisors were from the Hillsdale Youth Network, which consists of the local Young Life group plus five area churches–the Hillsdale and Lakeview United Brethren churches, the Hillsdale Free Methodist and Assembly of God churches, and El Bethel Church.

The Super Bowl Party is one of two events the Hillsdale Youth Network organizes each year. The events are funded by donations from the churches and community.

Michelle Vigil, Hillsdale’s youth pastor, says, “It’s a real group effort to make it happen.”

11 Feb Water Damage Forces Congregation to Relocate

Extensive water damage at Victory Heights UB

Steve Henry, Pastor, Victory Heights Church (Franklin, Pa.)
On Monday morning, February 1, I received a call from my Head Trustee saying that I needed to go to the church ASAP because a water line had broken. Actually one line broke (froze) and a water input line came off a humidifier, so it was two water leaks at the same time.

Over 700 gallons of water saturated the foyer, restrooms, nursery, pastor’s office, kitchen, boiler room, much ceiling, and a Sunday school room. Water was flowing out of the air conditioning vents, lights, outlets, and light switches! Minimal damage occured to the fellowship hall and the sanctuary.

We moved our services to a vacant store at our local mall, and we had a great service on Sunday, February 7. We believe God is teaching us that a building is nice, but the church isn’t dependant on a building to be a church. We are a body because of the bond of Christ no matter where we meet.

It will be 4-6 weeks until we can get back into the church, so please pray that this missions opportunity to worship in the mall will be fruitful for the Kingdom of God.

08 Feb UB Boy, Age 6, Raises $450+ for Haiti

Isaac Stevenson

I received an email this morning from Jeannie Browning, whose husband, Fred, is pastor of the Cream Ridge United Brethren church in Lenore, Idaho. She told me about Isaac Stevenson, a six-year-old boy from their church who saw pictures of children suffering in Haiti and wanted to do something for them.

Isaac raised over $450. Jeannie asked me if Global Ministries could send the funds to Samaritan’s Purse. I assured her that 100 percent of the money would go to Samaritan’s Purse.

Here is the story, taken from a local newspaper account.

Wanting to help the children of Haiti, Isaac gave the contents of his piggy bank, which came to $4. His parents decided to help him by holding a bake sale.

Isaac went to the city park and began selling baked goods to local residents.

One man asked him how much it cost for a loaf of bread. “Two dollars,” Isaac said.

“Is your goal to make $100?” the man asked.

“Yes,” Isaac told him.

The man handed Isaac a $100 bill and said, “Your goal is met.”

But it didn’t stop there. Altogether, Isaac raised $459.36 for Haiti.

05 Feb Visiting a Potential New UB Church

Last Sunday, January 31, Jeff Bleijerveld, my wife Sandy, and I drove to South Bend, Ind., to attend a Hispanic church which is interested in possibly joining us. Connections were made through the Clearview UB church, a Hispanic congregation in Goshen, Ind. The two congregations have already done a few things together.

This congregation had originally been part of the Missionary Church. It closed for a while, then reopened under the umbrella of a different group. However, that didn’t work out, and the church went independent.

They own their building on a rather large plot of land toward downtown South Bend. When we arrived, people were scattered around the pews on their knees praying. Praying out loud.

The worship service started at 10:00 and lasted two hours. People arrived throughout that two-hour window; they probably started with 30 people, and ended with around 40. There were a lot of children and young adults. They had a very passionate songleader, very engaged with what he was singing about. Other people played guitars, drums, and congas. Throughout the church people had other percussion instruments that they played as well.

The service was in Spanish, but a lady translated for us. During the singing, she would start translating the first few phrases, and then get lost in the song, singing in Spanish. She translated anything spoken. People in the congregation knew enough English that if she got stuck, they would help her.

The pastor preached on being part of the family of God and how we are adopted into the family. He used a number of scriptures. It was clearly a message he spent plenty of time putting together.

At the end of the service, the pastor asked me to give a brief testimony. Since he was a very short man, I drew the analogy with Boehm and Otterbein, two men of different stature and different backgrounds who found that they shared the same passion for Christ.

Jeff Bleijerveld also spoke. Then we went out to a restaurant with the pastor and his wife, and four ladies from the church who comprise the board. We talked about what it would mean for them to become United Brethren. I don’t know that it will happen. This was just an exploratory meeting, and there are always issues to be resolved. But they were very interested, and we enjoyed the chance to get acquainted.

04 Feb News from Reedsville, W. Va.

Marshall Woods (right), pastor of Mill Chapel UB church (Reedsville, W. Va.), sent this report: “Last week, some men from our church, with their own heavy equipment, enlarged our parking area. After some traffic jams, it was time to do something. We can seat approximately 220 in our newly expanded sanctuary, and we are at 170. We are holding off on going to two services. God is so good.”

03 Feb Cardboard Testimonies in Findlay, Ohio

This 10-minute video is of the January 31, 2010, worship service at Findlay First UB (Findlay, Ohio). It’s quite inspiring to watch.

Pastor Darwin Dunten explains:

“We had a testimony Sunday where the people of the church wrote testimonies regarding how God is transforming their lives on posterboard. This came from an idea shared with us from a member of our church from Grabill Missionary church when they had cardboard testimony Sunday in November. It took a little over a month to prepare the church for this service. God is working at Findlay First UB.”

01 Feb 3000 People Attend King Street’s Christmas Program

King Street Church in Chambersburg, Pa., presented their 2009 Christmas program at Shippensburg University’s Luhrs Center for the Performing Arts. Dually motivated by a lack of space in their current worship center and, more importantly, a desire to take the Gospel into the larger marketplace of their community, the decision was made to change the context of this annual event.

LIGHT was an original program written and produced by Jonathan Ford (right), Worship Arts Pastor at King Street since January 2006. The program reflected the different worship styles that are a part of the King Street experience. It featured the Mass Choir and Orchestra, Kid’s Choir, Dance Team, Drama Ministry, Praise Band, and King Street Horns (a 19-piece jazz ensemble).

In many ways, this was a church-wide endeavor as the Evangelism and Missions commissions partnered with Worship Arts to achieve the unique goals of this Christmas outreach. Attendees were carried through a progression which:

• explained the darkness of our fallen world and our need for spiritual light.
• introduced Jesus Christ as the true Light of the world.
• challenged each person to be more than simply receivers of the Light, but to be active Light Bearers both locally and globally.

The King Street Media ministry produced 6 video testimonies featuring the stories of “Light Bearers” at King Street Church. North Africa, Cambodia, Honduras, India, South Africa, and Indonesia were each represented in these stories of ordinary people who have seen God work in extraordinary ways as they carried his Light to others.

In all, a cast and crew of over 300 people shared this message with an audience of 3000 over two performances. Evangelism volunteers had the joy of following up with dozens who responded to the invitation that was given. Twenty-one people sponsored children through a partnership with Compassion International. Many exciting accounts are still being shared about how attending this event has spurred conversation with friends, coworkers, and family members about faith and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

A remarkable number of curious University students attended the program to help fulfill their Fine Arts requirement for the semester. It has been thrilling for King Street’s college students to begin connecting with classmates on a new level as they return to school after winter break.

It is our prayer that the intentional work of evangelism and missions will be the long shadow cast by the light of Christmas 2009 at King Street.

Here are a few more photos from the program.

01 Feb Happenings in Rockford, Ill.

Barry Skinner, pastor of Kilburn Avenue UB (Rockford, Ill.), sent this note:

In November 2009, I had the honor of baptizing my ten-year-old grandson, Spencer, and a friend’s daughter, 18-year-old Rose. My younger son Joshua is resurfacing our baptismal tank, and we are redoing the plumbing and top to make it easier to use. We have finished painting the children’s Sunday school room, and now we will add trim and border and an interlocking colorful floor mat system. Little by little, we will keep updating as we can.

In addition:

• Eight of us from the church, along with three others, will attend the Iron Sharpens Iron conference in Rockford on March 13.
• We will be collecting a special offering this month for Haiti, and we will send that to the UB headquarters to make sure the money is applied where it is needed.
• We are participating in the Rockford Rescue Mission services. I will preach there this Easter.