(260) 356-2312
Marshall Woods, pastor of Mill Chapel UB (Reedsville, W. Va.), sent this report:
“Two years ago we added a $260,000 addition, which included classrooms, restrooms, a large fellowship hall, and expansion of the sanctuary. We baptized 45 people in 2009 and 30 in 2008. Ministries to teens, children, men, and women are active. God is great and doing great things!”
Brooklyn Park UB (Baltimore, Md.) dedicated its new after-school youth center on Sunday, January 17. Using $28,000 in donations, they built a 2000-square-foot addition to the parsonage basement. It features several pool tables, Skeeball, a shuffleboard table, and video games. A bar serving soda occupies one corner, and a wood-burning stove occupies another.
It’s named in memory of Maranda Callendar, a local 15-year-old girl who was shot in the head and later died. “If the kids had somewhere to hang out, maybe things would have gone in a different direction,” says Maranda’s stepmother, Chrissy Callendar.
They had been using the parsonage basement as a youth center. About 20 teens would gather there to hang out and play games. By 2006, about 180 different youth, ages 6-18, and come there. But they needed more room. The center was closed for several months so they could complete the expansion.
Local businesses donated walls, flooring, concrete for the foundation, and the wood-pellet stove. Local residents and even other churches contributed. Youth helped with the construction.
Josh McKeown, from First UB church of Holly, Hill, Fla., sent this note on Wednesday, January 13:”Tonight during our youth service called The F.L.O.K. we had four youth accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. We were all so excited to be a part of this awesome experience in their lives and thank God for allowing us to be involved in His plan.”
Two Michigan churches recently published new websites. Nice ones. You might want to take a look.
Michael Mitchell of Lighthouse Community (Williamston, Mich.) says. “We always have a Christmas Eve’s Eve Candlelight service on the night before Christmas Eve, with desserts and appetizers afterwards. That way, everyone can be with their families on Christmas Eve and still be with their church family during this special season.”
Barry Skinner, pastor of Kilburn Avenue UB (Rockford, Ill.), reported concerning their Christmas activities: “Our annual nativity walk went well December 12-13. We had over 650 nativity sets and scenes from around the world. The church gave out cookies, drinks, and candy canes along with a nativity story book and three-dimensional nativity scenes with instructions for assembling them.
“We did a series (4 weeks) on the true Christmas story about the character of Mary, Joseph, the wise men, and the shepherds and wrapped it up with the reason Christ came.”
Fountain Hills Community Church (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) voted to close on December 8, 2009.Bishop Phil Whipple was on hand to lead the meeting.
Fountain Hills UB, in the Phoenix area, was founded in 1974 by Rev. Ed Mast. Other pastors over the years have included Don Dennie, Steve Gilbertson, and most recently, Jim Fitz.
That leaves just one United Brethren church in Arizona: Templo Cristiano Corona de Victoria, a Hispanic congregation that meets in the building which formerly housed the Anglo Faith UB church. Nohemi Peralta is the pastor.
Morocco Church (Temperance, Mich.) is reaching out to the community and sharing the joy of Jesus! For the last few years, Morocco has invited the Ida High School Jazz Band to perform, and they did that again on December 14.
After the band played several Christmas hymns and songs with a jazz flare, everyone went to the fellowship room for free hot coca, punch, and lots of goodies. It’s a great way to celebrate Christmas and get people into the church, which was beautifully decorated for the holidays.
Judy Fortner, Pastor Greg Voight, and all the shoeboxes.
L-r: Pastor Greg Voight with Joe Crawford and John Fortner and the loaded SUV.
Lancaster UB pastor Greg Voight will be wearing his Sunday best, at least during December.
In October, the local WMF president, Judy Fortner, decided to make Operation Christmas Child a high priority. She challenged the congregation to donate 75 shoeboxes for the Franklin Graham organization, Samaritan’s Purse.
Not to be outdone, Pastor Greg Voight opened up his rather considerable mouth and challenged the congregation to double it…150 boxes. In fact, he made a friendly bet with the congregation that if they could do 150 boxes, he would wear a suit and tie every Sunday in December. If the congregation fell short, they would have to sit up front for the whole month.
Shoeboxes began to pour in. The eventual Grand Total: 185 boxes for kids around the world (including enough postage in a special offering to cover all the shipping). As a result, Pastor Greg got his best duds ready and God is reaching around the world through one local church.
“Our people really rallied around the challenge of putting their faith into action in a real and tangible way,” says Pastor Voight. “As so often happens with God, we have been blessed far more than the blessing we’re sending. It started a renewal and a sense of joy and purpose that is amazing. Praise God!”
A teen from Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio) has been missing since last night.
Jacob Hatfield, 15, was last seen at the church on Sunday night, December 6, around 8:30 p.m. He is the nephew of Tim Sherman, the church’s NextGen pastor. Jacob was wearing a black Coca-Cola stocking cap, a black pullover sweatshirt, a black winter coat, and bluejeans. And he had an iPod.
Anyone with information should call the Lake Township police at 419-666-5500, or the Wood County Sheriff at 419-354-9001.
We are mentioning it here so that UB people across the denomination can be praying for Jacob’s safe return.
UPDATE (9:30 pm Dec. 7): We just received word that Jacob has been found, safe and well. He was found by city police at 7:30 Monday night in Walbridge after a community-wide search by 30-40 volunteers. No other details.
The Hatfield family would like to express their extreme gratitude for your prayers, kindness, and help during the past 24 hours. An additional thanks to the mass of volunteers who were able to gather in support of the family and conduct a foot search for Jacob, to the many police and fire personnel who helped find Jacob, and to the media and other local churches who helped get the word out.
