As we move closer to the launch of the new ub.org, we want to take a moment to highlight a few of the updates that have already been shared—so you know exactly what to expect.

Resources and Articles

One of the biggest changes is the move away from multiple websites. When the new site launches, ubcentral.org will no longer be operational. Instead, videos, podcasts, and articles will all live in one place at ub.org/resources, making it easier to find the content you’re looking for without having to navigate between sites.

Find a Church

You’ll also notice improvements to how you find churches. The new “Find a Church” feature, linked directly at the top of every page, allows you to quickly see congregations closest to you or search by city or zip code. Whether you’re helping someone get connected or exploring churches in another area, the process is simple and intuitive.

Other Changes

Several other areas of the site have been streamlined as well. Staff openings will now be located in one consistent place—just click “Staff Openings” at the top of any page. The events page has been redesigned to be easier to navigate, with the next upcoming event featured directly on the homepage.

In addition, important documents like the Discipline and the Pastoral Ministry Handbook will be accessible in a variety of ways. Not only will they be available as downloads, but you’ll also be able to jump directly to specific sections through clickable links in the table of contents and in the sidebar navigation.

Each of these updates reflects the same goal: making ub.org the central location for all United Brethren related information and making it more accessible for everyone who visits.

We’re looking forward to sharing the new site with you soon.

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What’s Changing

On the new site, these documents will still be available as downloadable PDFs, but the full text of each document will also now be available on a single web page. The page will include clickable links, both in a side bar menu and in a table of contents at the top of the page, that will allow you to jump directly to the section you are interested in without opening a new page. 

So whether you’re preparing for a meeting, answering a question, or doing deeper reading, these documents are designed to work the way you need them to.

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This update is part of our ongoing effort to make the new ub.org not just a place to find information—but a place where resources are practical, accessible, and easy to use.

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With the upcoming launch of the new ub.org, finding a United Brethren church will be easier—and faster—than ever.

How to Find a Church

On the new site, there will be an option at the top of every page that says, “Find a Church.” When you click that link, the churches closest to your current location will automatically appear, complete with address, any website or social media information that church has provided us, and a clickable map to help you find directions.

You will also be able to search by church name, city, or zip code to find other congregations.

Results are clear, searchable, and easy to explore.

Whether you’re helping someone find a church near them, traveling and looking for a UB congregation, or simply learning more about churches across the denomination, the new directory is designed to help you find the information you need faster and more easily than ever.

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Currently, all articles live here on ubcentral.org. Our videos are housed on Vimeo.com. And all of our podcasts can be found on the most popular podcast directories (Apple, Spotify, etc.). So, while all of it is currently accessible, you really have to know what you are looking for and where you need to look for it.

When the new site launches, all videos, podcasts, and articles will be available and searchable under the resources tab at ub.org.

What This Change Means

There are a few things to note as this change takes place, the biggest of which may be that ubcentral.org will no longer be operational. All the content will still be accessible and new content will be written, but it will be available under the resources tab on the new site.

Other Benefits of this Change:

• One main website to remember
• Easier access to trusted content
• A consistent place to find new and archived resources
• Job postings linked directly from the homepage

If you’ve visited ubcentral regularly, the biggest change will simply be where you go—not what you’ll find there.

In the coming weeks, we’ll highlight more updates and show you other areas of the site designed to make your experience even smoother.

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But as our ministries have expanded and new tools have been added, the site has grown more complex. Information has multiplied. Resources have spread across multiple locations. And for many users, finding what they need has required more clicks—and sometimes more guesswork—than it should.

Now it’s time for a change.

We will soon launch a new ub.org designed to present information in a more visual, intuitive way—making it easier to find what you’re looking for and easier to access the resources you rely on.

What Will Be Different?

More visual navigation
Information will be organized and displayed in clearer, more engaging ways so you can quickly identify where to go next.

Easier to find what you need
A simplified structure reduces confusion and eliminates the need to check multiple websites.

More accessible resources
Videos, articles, documents, and tools will be gathered in clear locations, organized around how people will search for them.

Nothing you rely on is being removed. Instead, everything is being brought together into a more streamlined and user-friendly experience.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll highlight specific updates and walk you through exactly where key information will live. Our goal is that in two months when the new site launches, it won’t just feel new—it will feel easier, clearer, and more helpful from the very first visit.

Stay tuned. There’s more to come.

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The conversation will be live at the Church of the United Brethren in Christ Facebook page. Head there now to follow the page so you don’t miss the notification when the conversation begins.

Join us live in the comments during the conversation. We would love to hear from you and take a couple of questions during the stream.

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There is good news! We will post the videos and share links so you can view them and share them with your congregation. But with that good news come a little bit of bad news. We do not yet have possession of those videos. As soon as we recieve the content from our production team, we will be sure to post them.

In the meantime, here are a few photos from the conference. Thank you for your patience.

The post National Conference Service Videos Available Soon first appeared on UBCentral.

Director Reports

This year we welcomed Dr. Robert Pepper, President of Huntington University, to the stage to report as the Director of Higher Education. This was the first time many of us had met Dr. Pepper, and he was eager to share what he has learned about HU since he moved to town as well as his vision for what is ahead for the university under his leadership. 

You can read Dr. Pepper’s report along with the reports from other national directors here.

Discipline Revision

In 2024, Bishop Todd Fetters assembled a task force, led by Pastor Gary Dilley, to take a fresh look at how the United Brethren Discipline defines “church.” Historically, it had been defined by a certain number of members living within a specified radius of the church building. However, as culture shifts and the church expands, new expressions of the church are coming into existence that are no longer bound by a physical location or membership from a geographical radius. 

This task force spent months examining and scrutinizing, through biblical, theological, and historical reviews, our traditional definition of a local church. They developed a white paper to present to the conference based on their work along with fourteen proposals for discipline revision. All fourteen proposals passed, some with a few minor wording adjustments. 

Election Results

The final important piece of business of the meeting involved electing the Bishop and four members of the Executive Leadership Team. Tim Sherman, chair of the nominating committee, presented the ballots for those positions, and votes were cast. The results were as follows:

Office of Bishop

Todd Fetters was elected to another four-year term.

Executive Leadership Team

Brent Leichty (east region) and Jason Holliday (west region) were elected as clergy representatives.

Tyler Bates (central region) and Bob Tobey (north region) were elected as lay representatives. 

And one more thing…

We took the opportunity to celebrate Cathy Reich, whose love and passion for the church have been evident for the 27 years she served at the United Brethren National Office. Cathy retired in the fall of 2024 but was able to pop back in to help us with a few details leading up to this conference.

We will share more about the conference in the coming days, including photos from the week and videos of the worship sessions.    

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This week you will find two new updates:

• The business session is now available in the list of menu options. While there is not much yet to share, you will find information related to how many lay delegates your church can send as voting members of the conference.
• You can now register for the golf outing. The outing will take place on Thursday, July 17, with a shotgun start at 1:00 pm. The cost is $60 per golfer. Visit the event registration page for more details.

There are a few more updates coming soon:

• We are preparing to launch an online, print-on-demand store where you will be able to purchase 2025 National Conference apparel and other United Brethren gear, and have it shipped directly to your home.
• For those interested in the UB Youth Camp (for high school students and youth leaders) or the middle school day away (both hosted by Huntington University), keep an eye out for a Frequently Asked Questions link on the Student Events page.

One final update the you will not find on that site:

• We have over 100 people registered for National Conference already and we hope you can join us. Registration is open until June 30, but why wait? Register now!

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• Verify that your contact information is still accurate. We’re talking church name, address, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.
• Verify that the content is current. Go through all of your pages. Is there info that needs to be deleted or updated?
• Verify that your staff information is current. Check names, phone extensions, emails, family descriptions, etc. Is it time for new staff photos?
• Verify that all links work. This means links to pages in your own site (including all navigation links), and links to other sites.
• Verify that all programming works. Test functions like contact forms, database lookups, and other bells and whistles.
• Make a site backup. Store it on a CD or a different server than the one which hosts your website.
• Check for security updates. If you use a content management system, the software may need some security updates.
• Most important: Verify that your site still makes a good first impression. Many potential visitors will check out your website before coming for a visit.

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