18 Apr Holy Week at Lake View UB Church

Steve Smith (right), pastor of Lake View UB in Camden, Mich., writes: “Lake View Church enjoyed hosting the Community Good Friday Service for the Pioneer Area Ministerial Association. What a blessing to see about 200 people from this rural area gather for worship and communion. We are blessed to live in a community that has a strong evangelical influence. Our new ensemble named ‘Uniquely His’ presented the special music for this service, and our worship team led the praise and worship singing. Other area pastors were involved in the greeting, serving of communion, prayers and readings. Praise the Lord for a great service.
“Easter Sunday was a record-setting day for Lake View Church. We started the day with our Sunrise service and breakfast fellowship, and then continued with our regular services that include 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. Worship Celebration. Our focus in worship was on the empty tomb and all that it offers to us. We praise the Lord for the privilege of seeing three adults accept Christ as their personal Savior in the morning worship. In addition, we rejoice in the record attendance of 345! The entire day was a wonderful time of worship and celebration.”

17 Apr Easter at West Windsor UB

Sally Harrison reports on Holy Week observances at the West Windsor UB church in Dimondale, Mich.:
“We gave a the drama of ‘Living Last Supper,’ a one-act play in which the 12 disciples each speak their minds about Jesus’ words, ‘One of you will betray me.’ It is based on the Da Vinci Painting of the Last Supper. We had performances on Thursday and Friday nights. About 80 people came on Thursday, and the 140 people who came on Friday maxxed out our sanctuary, which usually holds just 110.
“We had a afterglow (party with snacks) after the performance on Friday, and most everyone stayed. Some were family and friends, but some were new people from the community that we want to invite to our church as future friends. Pastor Paul Wall (right) was the driving force in this production and Mrs. Deb Fish was the director.
“On Easter Sunday at 7 a.m., we held a sunrise service at the cemetery CRYPT in Dimondale. We sang songs and prayed, and Pastor Paul gave a short sermon. We then went back to the church for breakfast at 8:00 and at 11:00 we held our regular church service, with many new people joining us.”

08 Mar UBs in Canada – Spaghetti Every Week

The following story is about the Living Hope UB church in our Canadian conference. The story appeared in the Shoreline Beacon of Port Elgin, Ontario, on January 25.
What started out as a modest spaghetti dinner shared with the community, has blossomed into one of the biggest showings of community spirit in Saugeen Shores, with more than 150 people turning out each week.

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13 Feb Church Name Change

Gethsemane UB church in Jackson, Mich., has changed its name. The church is now called Pathway Community Church.

01 Feb Hillsdale’s Priscilla and Aquilla

Lester Smith, pastor of the Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich)., reports, “We have hired a modern-day Aquila and Priscilla team: Phill (yes, he spells it with two l’s) and Michele (hers is one l) Vigil. Both are preacher’s kids and have degrees with experience in various forms of ministry. They applied for our one fulltime position in youth and worship as a couple.
“Although our church has hired husband and wife teams before, such as Scott and Tanya Hardaway, as well a my wife (executive secretary) and I, it has never been for the same position. The Vigils will work in the area of both youth and music. In their last church in California, one had the title of Youth and Music Minister and the other was Music and Youth Minister.”

21 Dec Jim Woodward Honored by Findlay Police

Jim Woodward was honored by the county sheriffs department as their man of the year. This is the highest award given to any citizen by the sheriff department in Hancock County, Ohio. Jim is the owner of Razor’s Edge barbershop and a member of the First United Brethren Church of Findlay, Ohio.

In 2004, First UB did the Purpose Driven Life program. Rick Warren’s challenges gave Jim a vision to minister to the prisoners of the county jail. First, he challenged the church to make Christmas packets with socks, a New Testament, a candy bar, and a stamped envelope with a Christmas card to be handed out to the inmates during the week of Christmas. After that, Jim organized a monthly program where the inmates received a homemade cookie and a cup of soda. During that time, speakers would come and shares their testimony, song, or message with the inmates. In December, three inmates gave their lives to Christ as a result of the message given. One inmate was even released for a few hours to attend church with Jim.

When Jim received this award, Sheriff Mike Heldman told the entire department, “This award is given to someone who saves a life during the year. Jim has not saved a physical life. He has saved many spiritual lives this past year.”