30 Apr Prayer Warriors for National Conference

Gary Gates (right), Director of Ministerial Licensing

I am looking for prayer warriors. This is not an easy task. Satan will do everything he can to keep you from doing this, but I need at least 13 people who will pray for a specific assigned area of National Conference. We have 13 areas we want to bathe in prayer leading up to National Conference.

Should you accept this challenge we ask that you…

• Pray at least once a week between now and June 17 prayer. Requests will be updated at least every other week.
• Pray daily from June 18-25 for your specific area.

To be assigned as a prayer warrior, email [email protected] and you will be assigned an area of prayer to prepare for a spiritually uplifting and challenging National Conference.

29 Apr UB Youth Summit Underway

The annual UB Youth Workers Summit began today in Daytona, Fla. Bishop Phil Whipple is there, along with about 25 youth workers from United Brethren churches. They’ll meet through Thursday, May 2. The keynote speaker is Arthur Wilson, campus pastor at Huntington University.

17 Apr Youth Summit Registration at 26

Online registration has closed for the annual UB Youth Workers Summit, which begins April 29 in Daytona, Fla. The housing is full, with 26 people registered (one more than last year).

16 Apr Registrations: Almost to 500

We are on the verge of having 500 registrations for this summer’s US National Conference. More registrations come in every day.

Hotel rooms in the two conference hotels are filling fast. There are limited openings at both the Hilton and the Courtyard Marriott, so make your reservations quickly!

• The Hilton is attached to the Grand Wayne Center, our meeting place. The cost is $95 per night, plus parking. The remaining rooms available there are mostly for people who are only staying there Wednesday and Thursday nights (not Friday night).
• The Courtyard Marriot is directly across the street from the Grand Wayne Center. The conference cost is $104 per night, with complimentary parking.

There are many other hotels within a short drive. Some hotel deals can be found at VisitFortWayne.com/deals. We do not have room blocks at any of the other hotels, so you will want to make your reservations soon.

For complete information and to register, go to: www.ub2013.org

09 Apr 50 People Attend Final Regional Meeting in Michigan

Todd Fetters opened the meeting with a devotional.

Jeff Bleijerveld giving an update on Global Ministries.

Bishop Phil Whipple (right) with his sons Josh (left) and Mike, both of whom are on staff at Colwood UB church (Caro, Mich.).

About 50 people attended a regional meeting at East Washington UB church in Ashley, Mich., on Monday, April 8. This was the last of four meetings held to review proposals which will be presented to the US National Conference this summer. Attendees came from various UB churches in Michigan, along with four persons from the national office.

The meeting began at 9:30 and ended after a lunch provided by the East Washington church. It included:

• An opening devotional from Todd Fetters, Director of National Ministries.
• An update on ministerial education and licensing issues from Gary Gates, Director of Ministerial Licenses.
• An update on the work of Global Ministries from Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries.
• A review by Bishop Phil Whipple of the proposals for revising the Discipline (our “manual of operations,” so to speak, which can only be amended by the National Conference). Everyone had a copy of the proposals. The Bishop walked through them and invited discussion.

02 Apr Tell Us About Easter at Your Church

The Easter season–-Lent, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday-–is always exciting for churches. There are special events, and often large attendances. Churches do some pretty creative things to capitalize on the Easter season.

Tell us what happened during the Easter season at your church. You can use this form. Then we can share it with other UBs right here on UBCentral.

If you have digital photos, send them along using the mechanism on the form, or email them directly to [email protected]

27 Mar Next Milestone: 400

21 Mar Coming to Ontario: 2013 General Conference

Delegates and attendees at the 2010 General Conference in La Ceiba, Honduras.

Date: May 29 – June 2, 2013.
Location: Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, Ontario

General Conference is an international gathering, bringing together representatives from all 10 United Brethren national conference, along with guests from the various mission districts (countries which haven’t yet organized as an official national conference).

General Conference meets every three years. The last event was held in La Ceiba, Honduras, in January 2010.

The 2013 General Conference will be hosted by the Stanley Park United Brethren Church, and held at Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario. Brian Magnus (right), Bishop of the Canadian conference, is the pastor at the Parkwood Gardens UB Church in nearby Guelph, Ontario. He is also chairman of the International Executive Committee, and will chair the meetings of the General Conference.

The sessions will include the business of the international United Brethren Church, the sharing of accomplishments, challenges and missions activities, and the election of new leadership for the International Executive Committee. Following the example of Honduras Conference in 2010, there will be excursions to nearby significant sights in the afternoons and inspiring worship services in the evenings.

On Saturday, June 1, the General Conference members will be joined by folk from churches around the United Brethren Church in Canada for a giant Missions Day.

21 Mar Nearing 300 National Conference Registrations

Registration for the 2013 US National Conference are coming in at a steady clip. By the weekend, we’ll probably pass the 300 mark.

You can learn all about the conference at UB2013.org.