(260) 356-2312
The Jerusalem Chapel church (Churchville, Va.) suffered a major fire a year and a half ago. Pastor Dennis Sites now reports, “We are pleased to see some major progression on the church construction here at Jerusalem Chapel. We now have the building under roof, which will allow construction to continue to go on throughout the winter. We are planning to dedicate the completed addition in Spring of 2008.”
Mainstreet Church held the Grand Opening for its new facility on October 21. Bishop Ron Ramsey, the lead pastor at Mainstreet for ten years prior to being elected bishop in 2005, attended. The $4.5 million, 34,000 square-foot building is located on 42 acres of land, and features a 500-seat sanctuary. The average attendance runs about 600.
The congregation originally planned to build a 58,000 square foot facility costing about $6 million, but scaled back when they couldn’t find a buyer for the previous property located on Main Street. They then began considering using both sites. The previous building, about three miles away, has been renovated for youth ministry and offices for about half of the church’s 14 staff members. The new building can be easily expanded.
Marty Pennington is the lead pastor of Mainstreet Church. You can read much more about the new facility an article in the Toledo Blade’s online edition.
Fountain UB in Keyser, W. Va., is again serving as a collection point for Operation Christmas Child. An article in Keyser’s Mineral Daily News-Tribune tells about the program. Shoeboxes will be collected November 12-17 and forwarded to a Samaritan’s Purse distribution center. Last year, Fountain collected 8042 shoeboxes; this year’s goal is 8200.
A number of United Brethren churches have participated in Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. The shoeboxes contain such items as toys, T-shirts, socks, hard candy, school supplies, and hygiene items. Since the program started in 1993, over 54 million shoebox gifts have been given to children in 134 countries, including 7.6 million shoeboxes in 2006 alone.
Hillsdale UB of Hillsdale, Mich., launched a new community outreach on September 29. Through a national organization called Angel Food Ministries, the church provides a large box of name-brand items for $25, or about one-third the cost of buying it at grocery stores. Gospel literature is placed in each box, along with info about Hillsdale’s ministries.
People in the church purchase food for themselves as well as make donations for boxes to be delivered to needy people in the community. The Angel Food deliveries are made the last Saturday of each month.
This is an expansion of Hillsdale’s benevolence ministry, which has resulted in several of the needy in Hillsdale County being introduced to the church. A number have been saved and baptized, and have become active members of the church. Over the last nine years, about 500 people have come to Christ at Hillsdale UB.
On September 12, Hillsdale launched a 13-week course by Dave Ramsey. The Financial Peace University meets each Wednesday evening with 53 people enrolled, including a few from outside the church.
The UB church in Milltown, South Dakota, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service. This register was created to recognize properties which contribute to the prehistoric and historic development of localities, states, and the nation. Each state participates by identifying and recognizing important sites to preserve the visible remnants of our country’s heritage for future generations. This is the only UB church in South Dakota.
Chip Bruestle, from the Atlantic Avenue UB church in Franklin, Pa., ran in last year’s Marine Corps Maraton to raise money for a local club. This year, he’s collecting pledges for his church, which hopes to break ground for a $2.5 million expanded sanctuary next spring. The Marathon will take place on 28 in Washington D.C.
Lancaster UB church is looking for a part-time Youth Ministries Director to work approximately 15 hours per week. This person would start as soon as possible. If interested, contact:
Greg Voight, Senior Pastor
1125 Pleasantville Road
Lancaster, OH 43130
Phone: 740.654.7592
Email: gvoight@rrohio.com
On Sunday, September 2, Eden UB Church in Reedsville, Ohio baptized five people in a service at the Lake of Forked Run State Park. This was Eden’s first baptism in quite a while. The people included a convert from last year, a 10-year-old girl who made her profession of faith, a young man who was converted a few years ago, a newcomer to Eden, and a re-baptism of another woman.
The baptism has seemed to revive the congregation, which has had its share of difficulties. Several people have since expressed interest in being baptized and others in the community have started to express interest in Christ and the Church. The Pastor of Eden UB is Pastor Adam Will.
We are having a “baby shower” for our latest church plant: Imagine This LLC in Grand Ledge, Mich. Church planters Gordon and Lori Kettel have done an excellent job gathering a launch team of over 40 people in preparation for a launch date of October 21, 2007. United Brethren churches and individuals are invited to look over the list of items the church needs and contribute toward getting this new church off the ground. Here they are:
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National news reports told of the recent flooding in Findlay, Ohio. Darwin Dunten, pastor of First UB church in Findlay, reports that one-third of his parishioners were affected by the flooding. In addition, the church basement was flooded with sewer water. The church’s resources are going primarily toward helping people from the church.
Churches have been inquiring about ways they can help. Instead of trying to coordinate things through the church, Pastor Dunten is pointing everyone to the United Way, which can coordinate on a much larger scale. If you’d like to help, you can call the United Way at: (419) 423-1432.
Pastor Dunten says the Mormon Church has mobilized an estimated 500 people to assist in the recovery. An official has pointed to the Mormons as the key to the city’s recovery. Hmmm.
People from several United Brethren churches are responding. A group from Monticello UB (Spencerville, Ohio) is going up to help, and several other UB churches have inquired. Pastor Dunten has also been been encouraged by the response from other UB churches in Findlay’s cluster.
First UB church can be used as a staging area for anyone who wants to come help. Call the church at: (419) 422-9398. You can also email Darwin at drwndntn@aol.com.
