26 Feb Annual Reports Due Monday
Just a reminder to senior pastors and licensed ministers: your annual reports are due to Bishop Phil Whipple on Monday, March 1. Lots of reports have been coming to the office this week.
18 Feb Connect Print Edition for Your Congregation
We prepared a flyer which you can distribute to your congregation on Sunday. This 8.5-by-11 document includes information about:
- 3 upcoming UB mission trips–to Honduras, Spain, and Germany. Perhaps people in your congregation will be interested in participating on one of these trips.
- The September UB Women’s Conference.
- Isaac Stevenson, a six-year-old UB boy who raised over $450 for Haiti. It’s an inspiring story.
Just download the flyer (it’s a PDF document) and print as many copies as you need for your congregation. You can also use the information in other church publications (bulletins, newsletters, etc.).
06 Feb General Conference: Hondurans Set a High Standard
L-r: Paul Plato (Canada), Bishop Phil Whipple, and Juan Pavon (Nicaragua) during the Tuesday night service at General Conference.
Bishop Phil Whipple speaking during the General Conference business sessions.
I enjoyed attending General Conference in January. I thought it went very well.
Every country, regardless of size, sent two delegates to Honduras. That was a change from before, when the number of delegates was based on size. It was healthy that the United States church agreed to that change. If the United States had come with far more delegates than any other conference, it would have been hard to see each other as partners. Instead, we were just one among equals.
We shared ideas and information about what was happening in our separate countries. We all wanted to support, learn from, and cooperate with each other.
Delegates from Canada and Jamaica were interested in the materials we are developing for clusters. I told them, “If it applies to your situation, great. You know what works for your people.” It’s good when we can create a resource and share it.
The Hondurans were warm and gracious hosts. They set a high standard for a host nation, particularly with the opening service, which both wrapped up their national conference and launched the international meeting.
We didn’t talk about where to hold the next General Conference in 2013. However, I suspect it’ll be a while before we come back to the United States. The visa problems people had were all American issues. I’d like to continue going to other countries, as long as cost isn’t prohibitive. I look forward to the next meeting in three years, wherever we end up.
30 Jan Mexico: Encounter in Mexico City
Denis Casco in Mexico City
During his General Conference report on January 11, Bishop Denis Casco of Mexico told this story when invited to mention prayer requests.
“First, pray for my physical safety in Mexico. I was attacked a couple years ago in Mexico City while at a hotel. Three men came after me and held me down. I defended myself. There was a car stationed outside. Providently, a police car passed by, and they left.
“They broke my upper arm, they hurt my head, and they hurt my back from kicking me. The policeman took me to the Red Cross and then to the justice office for my report. After being interviewed about the circumstances of the attack, they concluded two things: the three men had mistaken me for somebody else, or they wanted to kidnap me.
“I didn’t want to stay in Mexico. I asked them to take me to the airport. I arrived at the international airport in Los Angeles and went to the emergency room. It took me six months to recover from my injuries.
“Pastors are in danger. Drug dealing, organized crime, developing poverty—half of the people live in poverty, and it seduces people to get money however they can.”
23 Jan Canada: Living Amidst Increasing Secularization
Brian Magnus, bishop of the UB Church in Canada, gives his report on Canada as Donna Hollopeter, General Conference secretary, takes notes.
Since General Conference reports were given in alphabetical order, Canada went first. Brian Magnus, bishop of the United Brethren Church in Canada, opened his report on January 11 by talking about the secularization of his country.
“I believe North America is coming to a place, soon, where Europe has been for a while. People are already calling North American post-Christian. Christian values are being dropped all over the place. Marriage in Canada is now between any two persons, regardless of sex.
“I predict that very soon, polygamy will be legal in Canada, too. We have many people who have immigrated from Muslim and other countries, and they want to bring over their second, third, and fourth wives. Marriage itself has dropped in popularity; the majority of people simply move in together and never get married. The divorce rate has gone down, but it’s only because so few people get married.
“We have a partnership with a Christian organization called Christian Horizons which provides services for handicapped people. A case currently making its way to our Supreme Court will affect all Christian organizations in Canada. One of the 3000 employees of this organization had signed an agreement to live by Christian values, but then she entered into a lesbian relationship and was fired.
“The courts have found the Christian organization guilty of discrimination. The question before the courts now is whether Christian organizations can hire only other Christians, or must hire anyone. This specifically relates to doing social work, which of course as Christians we want to do.
“The country has become very secular. But we want to take advantage of the opportunities we have, and not just feel sorry because our country is changing. God has us there for a reason. We want to be his servants.”
18 Jan 2010 Cluster Leader Training
Denny Miller (far right) leading the cluster leader training.
Today, 22 cluster leaders came to Huntington, Ind., for several hours of training with Bishop Phil Whipple and Denny Miller, pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.). They met in the Habecker Dining Commons at Huntington University. Denny Miller works one day a week as Director of Healthy Church Ministries. He led much of the training.
Here are some photos from the event.
15 Jan January 13: Day 4 of General Conference
Ajiax Wo gives his report as superintendent of Hong Kong Conference. L-r: Brian Magnus (chair), Donna Hollopeter (secretary), Ajiax, and Orville Brown (translator).
Theresa Musa and Billy Simbo (Sierra Leone) during the prayer time for Haiti. Billy also opened with the day's devotional.
Juan Pavon Pavon (Nicaragua) speaking.
Laughter: the universal language. L-r: Isaac Nugent (Jamaica), Denis Casco (Mexico), Ajiax Wo (Hong Kong).
The Honduran women fed everyone well, three meals a day.
Juanita Chavez, Honduran superintendent, talks about her country's long-range plan.
The closing prayer time.
Wednesday’s General Conference meeting opened with a devotional from Billy Simbo, bishop of Sierra Leone conference. He used the story where Jesus brought a huge catch of fish to an astonished Peter and his fellow fishermen.
The group then spent some time praying for Haiti and for Superintendent Oliam Richard, who at that point was traveling to the La Ceiba airport with Denis Casco (bishop of Mexico), hoping to get a flight to Haiti. (He eventually opted to stay in La Ceiba. The January 13 posts tell about that.)
Ajiax Wo, superintendent of Hong Kong Conference, was welcomed to his first full day of General Conference. He got hung up in New York City, needing a Honduran vissa. He reported on the ministry in Hong Kong. Karis Vong, the other Hong Kong delegate, had reported in his place, but restricted her report to Macau, where she ministers.
The delegates discussed, and unanimously passed, two changes to the international governing documents:
- Changing the frequency of General Conference from 4-3 years.
- Reducing representation to just two persons for each national conference–the highest governing leader, plus one other person (doesn’t need to be a minister).
Next: they approved changes to the governing documents of the various national conference. One role of the General Conference is to monitor changes in the member documents to make sure they remain in conformity with United Brethren doctrine and core values.
Each national conference mentioned any significant changes to its governing documents. There were various structural changes in some conferences, but nothing that caused any concern. All changes were approved. As expected.
A few miscellaneous matters were cared for. Then Brian Magnus called for someone to adjourn this 50th meeting of the General Conference.
They adjourned.
But before you drive away….
The executive committee met for a while. They re-elected Brian Magnus as chairman of the International Executive Committee, a position he has held since 2001. The executive committee will decide where the next General Conference is held, in 2013.
The delegates reassembled for a presentation on the long-range plan of Honduras Conference by Abdiel Lopez, a Guatemalan whose organization is assisting the conference.
And THEN everyone was done for the afternoon. Most of the delegates squeezed time in at the local mall–just like any modern mall in the United States–before supper and the evening service.
14 Jan The Dwindling Fellowship of the Meeting
L-r: Jeff Bleijerveld, Phil Whipple, and Alan Simbo in Chicago.
Steve Dennie (left) and Jeff Bleijerveld waiting for the flight to Fort Wayne...home,
A tired group of General Conference delegates left the Gran Paris Hotel in La Ceiba, Honduras, at 4:15 a.m. The conference bus (“Followers of the Lord” in bit white letters across the windshield, but in Spanish) came to pick us up. David Raudales, director of the Bethel Band and son of Francisco and Maira Raudales, tagged along with the bus driver to see us off.
The two Guatamalans, Francisco Najera and Rolando Valenzuela, deboarded at the bus station on the outskirts of town. The rest of us continued on to San Pedro Sula.
In San Pedro, the Americans, Jamaicans, and Sierra Leoneans boarded a flight for Miami about 9:30. they left four persons behind. Carlos Quesada, a workshop leader, would be catching a flight to Brazil to continue his presentations on behalf of Operation Mobilization. Jeff Dice waited for a flight to Costa Rica. And the two Canadians, Brian Magnus and Paul Plato, also had a later flight back to Canada.
In Miami, we lost Winston Smith and Isaac Nugent, who continued on to Jamaica. That left five Americans and three Sierra Leoneans.
On to Chicago. There, the Sierra Leoneans and Americans parted company. Billy and Alan Simbo were heading to Philadelphia, while Theresa Musa caught a flight for Baltimore.
Phil Whipple waiting for the flight to Fort Wayne.
That left the Americans waiting for a tiny American Eagle flight to Fort Wayne, Ind. Phil Whipple, Jeff Bleijerveld, Jason and Donna Hollopeter, and Steve Dennie arrived in Fort Wayne just after 8:30.
Meanwhile, back in Honduras….
- The Costa Ricans and Nicaraguans left Wednesday night, driving home.
- Oliam Richard would left this morning from La Ceiba, hoping to make his way to stricken Haiti. (We were happy to see, in Miami, that a scheduled flight to Port au Prince was On Time.)
- Denis Casco left Thursday from the La Ceiba airport, heading back to Mexico.
- Ajiax Wo and Karis Vong began their journey back to Hong Kong in late afternoon.
And that’s it. The end of a great meeting.
13 Jan Rev. Oliam Richard and Haiti
General Conference delegates lay hands in prayer on Oliam Richard, Superintendent of Haiti.
The day opened with sadness, which was actually a carry-over from Tuesday: the terrible earthquake in Haiti. Oliam Richard, our Haitian superintendent, was terribly concerned, especially since his wife, Esther, had flown into Haiti the day before the earthquake.
Oliam spent the night glued to CNN and seeking information on the internet. This morning, he felt he must try to get back to Haiti, and we can understand that.
Denis Casco, bishop of Mexico, took him to the La Ceiba airport to check on connections. There were none. They could get him to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, but couldn’t make any promises beyond that.
So, Denis urged Oliam to stay in La Ceiba, where he had accomodations, and Oliam agreed. However, he skipped the General Conference meeting today, staying at the hotel and no doubt gleaning whatever news he could of Haiti. He tried various ways to get through, but in vain.
During tonight’s closing service at the Bethel II church in La Ceiba, the congregation (and it was packed) took up an offering for Haiti. Rev. Richard didn’t attend the evening service. However, back at the hotel, all the General Conference delegates gathered around him, and the money was presented to him by Marilyn Reeck. Then the delegates laid hands on him, and several prayed aloud for him.
We’ll just need to pray that during the next few days, amidst the exstreme chaos, Oliam will be able to reach not only Haiti, but his wife Esther.
12 Jan Jan 12: Day Three of General Conference
Bishop Winston Smith of Jamaica gives the morning devotions.
Billy Simbo (with the Sierra Leonean flag) reported on the work in Sierra Leone.
Steve Dennie (with translator Orville Brown) leading a seminar on "Communications in the Age of the Internet."
L-r: Ajiax Wo (Hong Kong Superintendent), Jeff Dice (UB missionary), Karis Vong (Hong Kong delegate).
David Raudales (on keyboard) and Orville Brown led singing during the Tuesday night service.l
Bishop Phil Whipple preaching Tuesday night.
The highlight of Tuesday was most definitely accepting Guatemala as a new United Brethren national conference. But a lot more happened.
Bishop Winston Smith (Jamaica) began the day with devotions.
Three national conferences still had to report on their countries.
- Superintendent Juan Pavon Pavon reported on the work in Nicaragua and its two mission district, Costa Rica and Guatemala.
- Bishop Billy Simbo told about the work in Sierra Leone.
- Bishop Phil Whipple reported for the United States. He told the delegates, “As I give this report, I am largely telling you things that have happened over the past four years, and I have only been there four months. But I’m excited about where God is taking us with the United Brethren church in the USA.”
After lunch came two workshops.
- Carlos Quesada, a Costa Rican who works with Operation Mobilization and has lived in Mauritania for nine years, gave a fascinating presentation on Muslims.
- Steve Dennie, UB Communications Director, led a discussion about technology and the internet.
Other highlights of the day:
- For the second day in a row, we had sunshine.
- As we prepared to begin the afternoon excursion, Superintendent Ajiax Wo of Hong Kong arrived. It was great to see him join the group, although belatedly.
- Bishop Phil Whipple spoke in the evening service, held at one of the United Brethren churches in La Ceiba.