28 Mar Easter 2016 at Your Church

The Easter season is always a great time of the year for United Brethren churches. There are Lenten emphases, special services (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter), outreach events, and often record attendances.

While the Easter season is still fresh in your mind, please write up a little description about any special ministries, programs, events, services, activities, etc. at your church. We’ll get it posted on UBCentral.org. Other United Brethren will enjoy hearing about it.

We created a form you can use to send your report (click the button below). You can also attach photos. Or, you can send everything directly, by email, to Communications Director Steve Dennie.

22 Mar Registration Open for 2016 Women’s Conference

Registration is now open for the 2016 UB Women’s Conference.

Join several hundred United Brethren women from across the country for this three-day event. The conference is sponsored by the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team and is held every two years. About 240 women attended the 2014 conference.

Date: September 30 – October 2, 2016 (Fri – Sun)
Location: Gettysburg, Pa.

Cost
The event cost is $75 per person. The hotel cost starts at $70 per person if you have four persons in a room. Register by June 16 for the Early Bird rate. Room costs go up after June 16.

Lodging will be at the Gettysburg Wyndham. The hotel is located on a 100-acre campus just minutes from the battlefield, with modern amenities and world-class dining.

Transportation to Gettysburg
Your church can help by bringing women to the conference in a van or bus. That’ll reduce individual travel expenses. Also, it’ll give us larger vehicles to use for site-seeing trips. During the free afternoon time, we will coordinate trips to various locations with these vans and buses. So if you can bring a larger vehicle, it’ll be a big help.

Silent Auction
The silent auction is back by popular demand. It helps underwrite costs so we can keep fees low. Plan to bring items for the auction. Registrants will receive emails with more information.

For complete information about the conference and to register, go to UBWomen.org.

23 Feb March 12: Seminar on Same-Sex Attraction and Homosexuality

Brent Liechty, senior pastor, Pathway UB church (Jackson, Mich.)

Pathway UB church is hosting a special seminar on same-sex attraction and homosexuality. We would love to have you join us.

Date: Saturday, March 12
Time: 12:30 – 4:30 pm.
Location: Pathway UB church, 5225 Clinton Rd., Jackson, MI 49201
Cost: $5.

Many of us are not prepared to deal with people facing same sex attraction. The church’s approach has too often been “just say no,” and that is not good enough anymore. This subject is growing in importance to the younger people in our churches, and they are willing to walk away from Christianity or the church over this issue.

How can your church become a safe place for all people? How can we become the first place hurting people run to instead of the last? Is it possible to disagree but still love powerfully?

Our speaker, Beth Pictor, holds a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. She will provide an eye-opening and engaging look at how we can better understand same-sex attraction and homosexuality, and will provide opportunity for your leaders to wrestle with these questions. Beth co-led a seminar on this subject at the United Brethren National Conference in July 2015.

To register your group, call or text Loretta Liechty at 517.499.0374 or email office@pathwaywired.com. Please respond by March 9, 2015.

03 Feb May 7: Ignite Mission Conference

Ignite is a one-day get-away sponsored by Global Ministries. Through plenary sessions and workshops, you’ll grow in your knowledge and application of God’s mission.

Date: May 7, 2016. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.
Time: Sessions begin at 9:00am
Cost: $35
Location: Rhodes Grove Camp, Greencastle Pa.

Registration

You can register in two ways:

1. Online. Use the registration form at UBGlobal.org to submit your registration fee using our e-giving link. Select “4-1025 Ignite Conf. Registration” from the pull-down menu and enter $35 in the “Amount” field.
2. Call: 1.888-622-3019 or 1.260-356-2312.

About Our Speaker

For the last ten years, John Bailey has served as a mission mobilizer in two large congregations in Alabama. In this capacity, he has overseen the distribution of millions of dollars given to missions and has facilitated hundreds of mission trips. John is the author of Journey to a Better Way: a Wesleyan Perspective on Doing Mission Better.

For more information and to register online, go to the Ignite page at UBGlobal.org.

03 Feb Chambersburg, Pa.: Training Event for Church Treasurers

A training event for church treasurers will be held 9am – noon Saturday, February 20, 2016, at Rhodes Grove Camp and Conference Center (Chambersburg, Pa.). The cost is $15 for the first person, and $10 for each additional attendee.

Keith and Joy Sider from Sider Agency will be presenting on “Can We Lessen the Tax Burden for your Pastor through Health Insurance.”  Lunch will follow the presentations.

You can use this PDF form to register.

03 Feb May 2-6: UB Associate Staff Summit

The Associate Staff Summit is held every two years. It is designed for persons in UB churches working in such staff roles as pastoral care, assimilation, adult education, visitation, counseling, missions, discipleship, children’s ministry, etc. It is NOT for senior pastors.

Craig Mickey and Sam Ward, associate staff at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), are in charge of the programming and schedule. (Youth ministers have their own summit).

Date: May 2-6, 2016
Location:Best Western Aku Tiki Inn
2225 S Atlantic Ave
Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

Registration

Registration includes lodging, meeting costs, 4 breakfasts and some dinners.

• $100 per person (for the week). We’ll put you in a room with another attendee.
• $200 per person (for the week). For a private room (by yourself or with your spouse).

You are responsible for:

• Transportation to and from Daytona
• Lunch on your own, some dinners.
• Hotel incidentals and extra days (before or after the summit).

Continuing Education

The Associate Summit qualifies for 20 hours of continuing education.

For more information and to register, go to the UB website.

02 Feb 2016 UB Youth Workers Summit: April 25-28

Date: April 25-28, 2016
Location: Best Western Aku Tiki Inn, 2225 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach Shores, FL 32118

This is an annual event of encouragement and training for persons in youth ministry. It is available for the lead youth ministry workers (fulltime, part-time, or volunteer) in every United Brethren church. About 25 youth persons usually attend.
The Summit is a great time of networking with other youth leaders and being encouraged by others who are in the trenches of youth ministry. They enjoy the beach, the golf course, and incredibly beautiful weather, along with the chance to slow down and step away from the constant demands of youth ministry.

You are responsible for:

• Transportation to and from Daytona.
• Meals that are not covered.
• Hotel incidentals.

Keynote Speaker

This year our keynote speaker is Dave Rahn (right), a nationally known youth ministry expert. He will encourage each of us in our attempt to make a difference for the Kingdom of God among today’s generation of teenagers.

Schedule

The Summit begins with a steak dinner on Monday evening, April 25. It comes to a conclusion (much too early) after the evening session on Thursday, April 28.

Continuing Education

If you hold a UB ministerial license, by attending this summit, you will earn 20 credit hours, which satisfies your annual requirement

02 Feb UB History Course Offered in Michigan and Pennsylvania

The two-day United Brethren History Course will be offered in Michigan and Pennsylvania during February and March. This course is a requirement for ministerial licensing in the United Brethren denomination. In addition, many people who just want to learn more about UB history take the course. During the past five years, about 140 people have attended the course in 17 locations.

Sunfield, Mich.

Date: February 29 – March 1, 2016
Time: 9 am – 4 pm
Location: Sunfield UB church (Sunfield, Mich.)
Address: 8436 W. Grand Ledge Highway, Sunfield, MI 48890
Instructor: Bob Bruce (right), associate pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

New Castle, Pa.

Date: March 21-22, 2016
Time: 9 am – 4 pm
Location: First UB church (New Castle, Pa.)
Address: 1900 Eastbrook Road, New Castle, PA 16101
Instructor: Daryl Elliott (right), senior pastor of Fountain UB church (Keyser, W. Va.).

Registration

• $200, if you are seeking a ministerial license. There is a $25 discount if you pay fully in advance of the class, making your cost just $175.
• $100 for everyone else.

For more information and to register online, go here. Course payment must be sent one week prior to the class.

Direct any questions to Cathy Reich, Administrative Assistant.

12 Jan Cluster Leader Winter Gathering Underway

The cluster leaders are meeting in the upper level of the Habecker Dining Commons at Huntington University.

The cluster leaders, National Office staff, and spouses enjoyed a buffet dinner at Huntington University.

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, president of Huntington University, bringing greetings to the group.

Bishop Todd Fetters speaking to the group.

Training time on Tuesday morning.

The Cluster Leader Winter Gathering is underway at Huntington University. About 25 of the cluster leaders arrived on Monday. The event began with an evening meal, for which the National Office staff and spouses joined the group. The evening included from HU President Sherilyn Emberton, a message from Bishop Todd Fetters, and an extended prayer exercise led by Mark Vincenti, associate pastor of College Park Church in Huntington.

The meeting continue today (Tuesday) with a training time led by Mike Dittman, who heads a ministry called Haven for the Heart. He has been working with the clusters for several years.

04 Dec 2016 Pastor & Spouse Summits

In 2016, we will hold summits for senior pastors and spouses of churches of all sizes (as was done in 2014). The denomination will cover all costs except for transportation and a few meals. All three summits will be held at the Hilton Daytona Beach Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Summit 1: March 28-31
For pastors of churches with an attendance of 300+.

Summit 2: April 11-14
For pastors of churches with attendance from 150-300.

Summit 3: April 25-28
For pastors of churches with attendance less than 150.

More information on the UB website.