08 Apr Paul Hirschy Wins the March Madness Bishop’s Challenge

The 2014 March Madness Bishop’s Challenge is now history. It started with 68 UB ministers and assorted others filling out an NCAA bracket on ESPN. It should be noted that NOBODY picked either UConn or Kentucky to win. However, we do have a points leader for everything leading up to the final.

And the winner is: Paul Hirschy, one of our former bishops. Paul is currently associate pastor at College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind. Congratulations, Paul!

In second place was Cal Hodgson, pastor of Heritage UB church in Dansville, Mich. And tied for third were Bishop Phil Whipple and National Ministries director Todd Fetters.

07 Apr Take a Chartered Bus to the Creation Museum in August

On Saturday, August 9, Monroe UB Church (Monroe, Ind.) is taking a chartered bus to the Creation Museum and would like to invite others to attend. They have 20-25 seats available on the 55-seat bus.

The cost is $45 per person (include museum ticket and bus seat). The bus leaves at 7 a.m. The Creation Museum is located in Petersburg, Kent.

To reserve your seat, you’ll need to send a check to the Monroe UB Church with Creation Museum in the memo line.

Monroe UB Church
205 South Adams Street
Monroe, IN   46772

25 Feb Ministry Security Course Coming to Fort Wayne

Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Brotherhood Mutual Insurance have partnered to sponsor a Ministry Security Course:

Date: May 6, 2014
Time: 9 am – 4:15 pm
Location: Emmanuel Community Church, 12222 W. Jefferson Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46814

The course will deal with such issues as:

• A child goes missing from the children’s department.
• A violent or unstable person disrupts your place of worship.
• A person becomes seriously ill during service.
• A non-custodial parent takes their child from a classroom.
• Your receptionist is confronted by a hostile person.
• A person shows up at church with a gun.

Cost: $149 per person.

06 Feb 2014 UB Women’s Conference: Registration Open

Registration is now open for the 2014 UB Women’s Conference, with Early Early Bird Registration until April 1.

Date: September 19-21, 2014
Location: Huron, Ohio

Join hundreds of other United Brethren women and friends for the 2014 UB Women’s Conference. The conference will be held at the beautiful Sawmill Creek Resort in Huron, Ohio. That’s a little east of Toledo, very close to the Cedar Point amusement park. We held the 2007, 2009, and 2011 US National Conferences at Sawmill Creek, so it will be familiar to many of you.

Registration
Registration includes lodging, meeting costs, 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 1 dinner.

Registration cost is based on number of persons sharing a room:

• One person in a room: $310 per person
• Two persons in a room: $189 per person
• Three persons in a room: $149 per person
• Four persons in a room: $129 per person (except for Early Early Bird Registration)

Early Early Bird Registration

• Until April 1, the cost is just $99 per person for a quad-occupancy room (four persons sharing the room).
• After August 15, the cost rises $50 per person and is on an availability-only basis. This is due to contracted arrangements with the hotel.

For More Information:

• Go to the conference webpage at UBWomen.org.

Please inform women in your church about this conference and encourage them to register. We’d love to see a whole van-load of women from your church!

05 Feb 2014 Youth Summit: Registration Online Now

Registration is now open for the 2014 UB Youth Summit.

This is an annual event of encouragement and training for persons in youth ministry. It is available to all paid youth ministry staff or the lead youth ministry volunteer in the church.

Date: April 28 – May 1, 2014
Location: Best Western Aku Tiki Inn in Daytona Beach, Fla.

About 25 youth workers attend each Summit. It’s 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.

Registration
The registration fee includes meeting costs, lodging, breakfasts, and two dinners (one hosted by Huntington University, one by Bishop Phil Whipple). You are responsible for transportation to and from Daytona, a few meals, and hotel incidentals.

• Two persons in a room: $195 per person (whether it’s a spouse or another youth worker)
• One person in a room: $280 per person

You can register online. Registration closes April 1. After that date, the cost rises $50 and is on an availability-only basis. This is due to contracted arrangements with hotel.

15 Jan 2014 Cluster Leader Training – Winter Gathering

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton speaking at the banquet.

Bishop Phil Whipple speaking to the cluster leaders and guests on Monday night.

Each cluster leader was recognized on Monday night. Here, standing, is Steve Clulow, who pastors the UB church in Cochranton, Pa.

The current and former bishops led in the prayer time that concluded the Monday night banquet.

L-r: Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, Global Ministries director Jeff Bleijerveld, and Micheal Dean, pastor of the UB church in Sabetha, Kansas.

Dr. Mike Dittman was the keynote speaker for the Tuesday morning training.

On January 13-14 (Monday and Tuesday), 22 cluster leaders met in Huntington, Ind., for the annual Cluster Leader Training. Todd Fetters, Director of National Ministries, organized and led the event. Bishop Phil Whipple was also involved in leading the meetings.

The meeting began Monday evening with a banquet sponsored by Huntington University. Also attending were various denominational officials and spouses, plus all four of the former bishops–Ron Ramsey, Paul Hirschy, Ray Seilhamer, and C. Ray Miller. After the meal, the new president of HU, Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, spoke to the cluster leaders and guests about the work and mission of the college.

Then came a time of recognition for the cluster leaders.

Cluster leaders oversee a group of 6-10 senior pastors. Todd Fetters had asked cluster members to write a note of affirmation and appreciation for their cluster leader, and many did. The comments were then compiled and presented in a nice folder to the cluster leaders.

At the Monday night gathering, one by one each cluster leader stood and was handed a folder by administrative assistant Cathy Reich. Then Todd and Lisa Fetters alternated reading one comment for each cluster leader. There was applause, and then it was the next cluster leader’s turn.

The evening ended with a prayer time. Bishop Phil Whipple and the four bishops emeriti stood in the middle, with the cluster leaders circled around them, and other persons forming an outer ring. The five bishops then took turns praying for the cluster leaders, their ministers, and the work of the United Brethren church in general.

Tuesday morning was spent in training. Mike Dittman, who heads up a ministry called Haven for the Heart, was the keynote speaker. He addressed “How to Cultivate a Transformational Cluster.” It was an information-packed morning. After a noon meal together, the event concluded.

On the UB Facebook page you’ll find a gallery of 75 photos from the event.

25 Nov Senior Pastor & Spouse Summits in 2014

In 2014, we will hold Pastor Summits for senior pastors and spouses of churches of all sizes, broken down as follows:

• Churches with an attendance of 0-150.
• Churches with an attendance of 150-300.
• Churches with an attendance of 300+.

Pastors and spouses can now register for these events. Program and other information will come later.

Attendance up to 150
Pastors can choose one of these locations:

April 28-30, 2014
Rhodes Grove Camp and Conference Center
Chambersburg, Pa.

May 5-7, 2014
Gull Lake Ministries
Hickory Corners, Mich.

Attendance of 150-300

October 20-23, 2014
Daytona Beach, Fla.

Attendance of 300+

October 27-30, 2014
Daytona Beach, Fla.

Pastors must pay for their transportation and a few meals. The denomination will cover everything else, including:

• Lodging for pastor and spouse.
• Opening banquet.
• Breakfasts.
• Speaker and breakouts.
• Downtime to relax and rejuvenate.
• Face-to-face time with Bishop Phil Whipple and National Ministries Director Todd Fetters.

UBChurches.org, our online church directory, gives the latest average attendance we have on file for your church. Just do a search by church name or location.

The Pastor Summits are in addition to the summits scheduled for staffpersons:

• Associate Staff Summit: May 12-15, 2014
• Youth Workers Summit: April 28 – May 1, 2014
• Worship Summit: May 5-8, 2014

12 Nov 18 Attend UB History Course in Two Locations

The Chambersburg, Pa., class. L-r: Jeffrey Propps, Daryl Kissinger, Earl Wintermoyer, Mark Burkett, Gener Lascase, Becky Hann, and Michael Zeger.

The Bryan, Ohio, class. Top row, l-r: Bob Bruce (instructor), Travis Ambrose, Jason Clark, Ramsey Cross, Stephanie Farman, Amanda Graham. Bottom row, l-r: Scott Graham, Scott Hardy, Courtney Kennedy, Zach Kennedy, Mike Rowley, Wesley Skiles.

On November 11-12, a total of 18 persons attended the UB History Course in two different locations: Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Seven persons attended the course hosted by King Street UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. Dr. Daryl Elliott, senior pastor of Fountain UB church (Keyser, W. Va.) was the instructor.

The attendees were:

• Jeffrey Propps, a local church licentiate from Franklintown UB church (Franklintown, Pa.).
• Daryl Kissinger, youth director at Salem UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.).
• Earl Wintermoyer, from Hagerstown, Md.
• Mark Burkett, from Pleasant Hill UB church (Greencastle, Pa.).
• Gener Lascase, from Chambersburg, Pa.
• Becky Hann, director of Children’s Ministries at King Street church.
• Michael Zeger, from Pleasant Hill UB church (Greencastle, Pa.).

Eleven persons attended the course hosted by New Hope Community Church in Bryan, Ohio. The course was taught by Robert Bruce, pastor of Spiritual Care at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

The attendees were:

• Stephanie Farman, children’s coordinator at Sunfield UB church (Sunfield, Mich.).
• Zachary and Courtney Kennedy. Zach is associate pastor of Olive Branch UB church (Lakeville, Ind.).
• Scott Hardy, from Fowlerville UB church (Fowlerville, Mich.).
• Mike Rowley, from College Park UB church (Huntington, Ind).
• Wesley Skiles, associate pastor of youth at Heart O’ the Lakes UB church (Brooklyn, Mich.).
• Travis Ambrose, Family Life Pastor at Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.).
• Scott and Amanda Graham. Scott is senior pastor of Good Shepherd UB church (Greenfield, Ohio).
• Ramsey Cross, from Jackson, Mich.
• Jason Clarke, from New Hope Community Church (Bryan, Ohio).

14 Oct New ELT Meets This Week

The elected and appointed members of the 2013-2015 Executive Leadership Team. Top (l-r): East region: Dennis Sites, Robert Eberly, Sherwood Cook. Central region: Greg Voight, Tim Krugh, Darwin Dunten. Bottom (l-r): North region: Dan Paternoster, Lester Smith, Bob Tobey. West region: Gary Dilley, Molly Kesler, Kent Koteskey.

The Executive Leadership Team meets October 14-15 in Huntington, Ind. Members are elected or appointed to two-year terms, so this team will serve until the 2015 US National Conference.

The National Conference elects eight members–one minister and one layperson from each of the four regions. The bishop is an automatic member. Those nine persons then appoint four more members–two ministers and two layperson, spread out among the four districts.

The result is an Executive Leadership Team that looks like this:

• Six ministers and six laypersons, plus the bishop.
• Three members from each of the four regions.
• Two regions have two ministers and one layperson, and two regions have two laypersons and one minister.

Six of the 13 voting members are new.

The four persons appointed by the ELT for 2013-2015 are:

• East region: Sherwood Cook, a layperson from Mount Pleasant UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.). Sherwood previously served on the 2005-2007 ELT.
• Central region: Darwin Dunten, senior pastor of Findlay First UB church (Findlay, Ohio).
• North region: Bob Tobey, a retired schoolteacher from Colwood UB church (Caro, Mich.). Bob previously served on the 2011-2013 ELT.
• West region: Kent Koteskey, executive pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Kent previously served on the 2011-2013 ELT.

The ELT begins meeting Monday night, October 14, and will continue through early afternoon on Tuesday, October 15. (See the entire team)

26 Sep Upcoming Events in 2014

Here are five events scheduled for 2014. The links take you to further information on the UB website.

• January 13-14: Cluster Leader Training. This is an annual event for cluster leaders. It’ll be held in Huntington, Ind.
• April 28 – May 1: UB Youth Workers Summit (Holly Hill, Fla.). This is an annual event of encouragement and training for persons in youth ministry. It is available to all paid youth ministry staff or the lead youth ministry volunteer in the church.
• May 5-8, 2014: UB Worship Summit in Daytona Beach, Fla. This summit, designed for persons serving on staff in positions involving worship and music, is held every two years.
• May 12-15, 2014: Associate Staff Summit in Daytona Beach, Fla. This summit, held every two years (this is only the second one), is designed for persons in UB churches working in such staff roles as pastoral care, adult education, visitation, counseling, missions, discipleship, children’s ministry, etc.
• September 19-21, 2014: UB Women’s Conference at Sawmill Creek Resort (Huron, Ohio). A women’s conference is held every two years, under the sponsorship of the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team.